100 small things: 2016

Saturday, January 2, 2016

Happy New Year!

I love the new year, it's one of my favorite times of the year, and I don't care how cliche or naive that makes me.  I like the way it feels like a fresh start, if only because I get a new planner.  I like the framework it puts in my mind around all of our holidays and traditions.  I like how it feels like one door closing while another one opens to potentially new possibilities; at the bare least another year older and wiser.

So I get giddy and weird and inspired around the new year and annoy my husband with questions like, 'but what big dreams do you have for this year?' to which he replies, 'babe, I want to do what you want to do.' which is one of the the reasons we work so well together - I envision the big dreams and then he makes sure they happen (by either actually doing them or giving me the space and support to do them)

so anyway, 2015 has ended, and with it my time frame for working on my 2015 100 small things list.  After the whole year, I ended up with full completion of forty-six items, which isn't even half - but surprisingly, feels like an incredible success.

Because what that means is that in 2015, I accomplished 46 new things that had been bumbling around in the back of my subconscious for quite some time.  My 100 small things list gave me inspiration and motivation and deep down, I'm a nerd that loves crossing off items on a list, so it works for me.  You can see my final checked list from 2015 here.


Since I really did find inspiration and joy in creating, completing and tracking my 100 small things list last year, I'm going for it again this year.  There were lessons I learned and applied to this years' list (for example two family dinners at our house is incredibly more reasonable than 12!) and also items that have been recycled to this years list from last year because I still really want to accomplish them.  There are things that are BIG in size, but are meant to be taken in small doses all year (ie. 'small things').  Some of them are an experiment (how will my attitude/life be different if I intentionally increase my outdoor hours? or intentionally add gratitude journaling into my nightly routine?) and some of things that I've been meaning to do and just haven't carved out the time.

So here she is - my 2016 100 small things list!
drum roll, anyone?



2016 100 Small Things

1. 1000 hours outside
2. Join Blogging for Books
3. Make five reusable alternatives to things we currently throw away
4. Surprise five friends with dinner (freezer meals/pizza for no reason)
5. Create a Beer Olympics Planning Toolkit to sell on etsy
6. Create an etsy wholesale account for The Hunting Daddies
7. Try Blue Apron
8. Finish the first section of Buddhism for Mothers
9. Figure out the kids' bedroom situation
10. Playroom solution!! Built-ins framing window, toy containers/declutter/etc
11. Read Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover with Brandon
12. Pay off two loans
13. Run in three races
14. Try Zumba
15. Create & finish 2015 family yearbook
16. Experiment with a new creativity outlet that I've otherwise avoided 
17. take each kid on an individual 'date' with both parents
18. visit Austin, TX with our family
19. officially complete our wills and last testaments
20. Read twelve (new to me) books
21. upstairs/staircase carpet makeover
22. have a mortgage discussion with the bank just to understand better
23. Konmari three rooms (our bedroom, bathroom, walk-in closet, laundry room)
24. watch five documentaries
25. 30+ miles with Bullet in a month (as many as you both can!)
26. Make enchiladas with my Mum
27. Make homemade pierogies with Gigi
28. Build a hope chest with Dad
29. Have Pap teach me how to drive stick
30. Sew matching jammies for the girls with Mimi
31. watch fifteen TEDx talks
32. attend at least three Vision2025 meetings
33. get my hair highlighted
34. visit Ligonier Beach
35. visit Flight 93 Memorial
36. host two big family dinners at our house
37. ride a real rollercoaster (bonus if I can get one of the kids to come with me!)
38. makeover our mailbox
39. 'finish' the basement bathroom
40. do a garbage bag/donation bin run in the attic
41. read Harry Potter & the sorcerer's stone aloud with Greyson
42. help plan the YIFC path of the flood cheer rally
43. volunteer in Greyson's classroom
44. participate in five FSC-Jst volunteer projects
45. set up 'TED like talks' at CV for students
46. SCF weekend/girls weekend 
47. AKT playdate:  Richmond, VA
48. visit five (new to us) local spots
49. Blogpost about visiting Johnstown with kids
50. update my blog tabs
51. reinstate the days of the week at home activities with the girls (Make Something Monday..etc)
52. Create 5 gallon emergency kit
53. Laundry room solution !? (kids' coats/shoes/junk)
54. hang our bat house
55. visit Ohiopyle
56. add all babies' birthstones to my mother's ring
57. design my 3/4 sleeve tattoo
58. eat one meal a week at our dining room table
59. put someone's hair in rags!
60. finish 52 weeks of 'currently' posts about our ordinary weeks
61. make a gratitude journal part of my nightly routine again
62. re-read The Alchemist
63. take a babymoon with Brandon (however 'small')
64. potty train Violet
65. participate in Screen Free Week 2016
66. draft The Hunting Daddies children's book (Rudy Buck)
67. Organize the upstairs hallway closet ?!
68. celebrate our pets' birthdays
69. organize a 'Playground Crawl" with YIFC
70. grandma & kid trip to a city
71. BUY A MINIVAN!
72. write 100 blogposts
73. add at least two videos to our The Hunting Daddies youtube channel
74. get professional The Hunting Daddies photos taken 
75. finish my blog Kids & Safety series ?!
76. teach Grey and Gem to ride bikes without training wheels
77. get camera professionally cleaned
78. organize the kids' hand-me-downs
79. buy four new fish! 
80. camp in the backyard
81. send Raph (our WorldVision sponsor child) four packages
82. finish the 'Mum visits Costa Rica' photo book for the kids
83. create a cell phone 'holding dock' for our house
84. add more kids' books to our Easter collection
85. ask teenagers to babysit (neighbor girl, cousin)
86. massive clean out of my email and unsubscribe!
87. create 'family' cookbook with photos
88. add child security settings to the iPad
89. make crepes
90. watch a manual settings camera instructional video on youtube
91. get in contact with my Costa Rican host family
92. work with B to set up a monthly 'writing retreat' for myself alone (!)
93. teach B how to french braid
94. get my eyes checked and make some real choices (contacts? glasses necklace chain?)
95. start CVAA intramural league
96. have a monthly family game night
97. screen free wednesdays!
98. get blood work checked/physicals (me &B)
99. create yard flower arrangements for our table
100.  create 2017 list!


Unplanned extras
-added additional Valentines' Day books to our kid collection
-Tab got a part-time substitute teaching job as a Spanish I teacher
-Brandon got a new job!
-met our new financial planner and made positive changes towards our future and planning
-got a new pet:  Spike the hamster
-give the blog template a mini makeover


Are you dreaming big this year? Are you settling in and cozying up with the things and people you love most?  I want to hear about what you hope to do this year! 

3 comments:

  1. So inspiring, Tabitha! I am compiling a smaller list to work from, but totally stealing some of your ideas-- like more time outside, doing a gratitude journal, unsubscribing from emails and doing weekly blog updates. Love, love, love!

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  2. hey tab! happy new year:) just wanted to say i'm so excited you guys are tackling Dave Ramsey's Total Money Makeover! my husband and I paid off over $100,000 in debt following Ramsey's methods (i'm embarassed at how much of that was SU related?!) in 18 months and bought a house at the same time; regardless, of your financial goals or debt right now, Ramsey's books are a great way to renew the way you think about money and your relationship with it! looking forward to reading about the Studers in 2016! xo Haley

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  3. I love how you write everything but I would lose the list. I like to do mine last minute.... love you guys keep up the good work and if we can help you just let us know.
    Love,
    The rummell family

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