52 Things in 2010 Review

Well, I can't believe how fast 2010 has flown by. In some ways, I'm very happy to see the end of 2010 in order to hopefully move on to better and happier things in 2011. On the other hand, I look at my list and wish there was more time. However, the beginning of 2011 has started off rocky... with a severe stomach virus, no food for 60 hours, and having to say good-bye to the Scooter kitty.

The last 6 months have been both great, hellish, sad, painful and tiring. They have contained a wonderful vacation to England with my husband, some health issues, an accident with a DC metro escalator, a fall off a ladder while painting the basement, a broken oven during Thanksgiving and a car accident. There have been days that I have just felt like pulling the covers over my head and going back to bed.

My absence from baking, crafting, and blogging has not gone unnoticed by me and I truly feel unbalanced when I don't have a chance to do the things that calm and center me. I've been trying to stay positive through these last few months, but it seems difficult when the things that bring me comfort are stacked in boxes and shoved in a corner. Yes, the craft room is still out of commission, but we are getting closer. It is my #1 priority. I'm waiting on help to hang the last shelf so I can start moving things back into place...so I 'm very much hoping to have pictures soon.

I thought I'd share my final update on my 2010 list. I'm still debating if this helped or hindered me in accomplishing my goals, so a list for 2011 is still up in the air....maybe I just need to make a more realistic list (consider item #1 had 52 things on it alone).

I want to wish all my readers a safe, productive, and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

A key to understand my progress:

Strike through = completed
Blue = partially completed
Italics = in progress
Normal = not started
Red = didn't complete

For me
1. Make a list of 52 desserts to make and blog about in 2010. Attempt to bake/blog once a week. (8/52) - I did not do nearly as well as I had wished with this, but I actually did bake a few more things on my list but did not blog them for one reason or another.

Mint Chocolate Truffle Tart Grand Marnier Souffle Beignets Citrus Chiffon Pie Crepes Caramels Strawberry Tart with Orange Cream Butter Pecan Ice Cream Olive Oil Gelato with Balsamic Strawberries Mint Chocolate Ice Cream Sugar Plum Candies Cheesecake with Stout Sauce Pecan Pumpkin Butter Triffle Raspberry Rose Vanilla Cream Cake Choux with Grand Marnier Mousseline Marshmallows Raspberry Mousse Tartelettes

Apple Cider Pound Cake Peach Creme Caramel Lemon Crumb Cake Tea Glazed Biscuit Cookies Lemon Cream Cookies Lemon Pistachio Shortbread Rice Pudding Poached Pears Chocolate Salted Caramel Cupcakes French Silk Pie Macarons Chai Bread Plum tart Madelines Vanilla Zabaglione Peanut Chocolate Tart Chocolate Souffle Gooey Butter Cake

Bananas Foster Cakes Lemon Basil Lemon Tartlettes Strawberry Thyme Shortbread Citrus & White Tea Jelly Pistachio & Vanilla Bean Cheesecakes Yogurt & Brown Sugar Cake Pate de Fruit Rhubarb Cheese Bars Roasted Apples & Vanilla Bean Souffle Pomegranate White Tea & Honey Ginger Yogurt Verrines Cinnamon Caramel Mousse Roasted Glazed Peaches Vanilla Brown Butter & Almond Cake w/custard filling Panna cotta Pot de creme Spiced Plum Compote w/Plum Pit Cream Bread Pudding

2. Organize and maintain tags in Google Reader and Delicious.
3. Plant a garden.
4. Make and can tomato sauce (hopefully with tomatoes from my garden) .
5. Lose 20 pounds.
6. Walk 2 times per week. (1/52)
7. Lift weights 1 time per week.
8. Start an etsy shop.
9. Sign up for at least one craft fair.
10. Participate in a Photography Project365. (0/365)
11. Get a new hair style/cut.
12. Rent 10 movies you've wanted to see.
13. Complete name changing process.
14. Get new passport with new last name.
15. Make and start using reusable shopping bags everywhere, not just grocery shopping.
16. Read 5 books. (5/5)

 The Friday Night Knitting Club (Kate Jacobs),
Knit Too (Kate Jacobs),
Comfort Food (Kate Jacobs),
Eat, Pray, Love (Elizabeth Gilbert),
On The Edge: My Story (Richard Hammond)

17. Take a crocheting/knitting class.
18. Make Ireland scrapbook.
19. Finish decorating my craft room.

For Steve and me
20. Complete Tshirt quilt for Steve.
21. Go to 5 new non-chain restaurants. - Steve reminded me that while I did not eat at many non-chain restaurants at home, I did eat at new non-chain restaurants while we vacation in England. It counts...sort of. :)
22. Go see 5 movies in the theater.

    Valentine's Day

23. Go camping.
24. Go to a Capitals hockey game.
25. Go to a DC United soccer game.
26. Take a long weekend vacation.
27. Take a picture of Steve and myself (and the kitties) once a month.
28. Save 3 months of expenses.
29. Schedule a financial planning consultation.

For the house
30. Clean out front hall closet.
31. Sew couch covers. - Since it took me about 4 months to chose paint colors for the basement, I'm still working on making a decision on fabric. I'm going broke on fabric samples though.
32. Make picture collage for stairwell.
33. Buy/make new curtains for living room.
34. Purchase and hang new blinds for the dinning room.
35. Purchase/make new curtains for dining room and kitchen.
36. Design/build/assemble closet organization system for master bedroom. - We were planning on purchasing some items from Ikea, but they recently changed their dimensions and it no longer works in our closet. So, it's back to the drawing board, but something has to be done soon.
37. Repaint master bathroom. - We have decided that we're going to be renovating the master bathroom next year (we're aiming for September), so we've decided to put this on hold and have been working on painting the basement in addition to my craft room.
38. Paint/decorate guest bedroom.
39. Repaint and change hardware on front door.
40. Hang Christmas lights.
41. Schedule and set up a yard sale.
42. Get broken window fixed.
43. Install new thermostat.
44. Fix leak in front door.
45. Purchase nut for yellow vacuum.
46. Purchase case for and organize misc screws, nuts, etc.
47. Set up coupon organization system.

For others
48. Complete Tshirt quilt for Lauren.
49. Host a holiday party.
50. Host a cookout/dinner party.
51. Send random cards to 5 people.
52. Send a birthday card to everyone on my birthday calender.