A New List for a New Year // 16 in 2016

The 30 ft. pool at Lynn Canyon

The list that I've tried to come up with has been a little harder than in years past but as I let it sit and brew for a bit, I had plenty of fresh ideas. The yearly lists (you can see 15 in 2015, my 29 before 30 birthday list here, and 28 before 29 here) help me focus on small/big, personal/family/friend, and creative/mental goals I have in any given year. Sometimes they are silly and sometimes I get them done before even writing them down, as you'll see below. They are just things I want to try, things I want to do, or things I want to enjoy with others. Some are big Bucket/Lifetime goals (1 below!) but most are pretty small things that niggle the back of my mind and writing them down helps me attain them quicker than forgetting about it 3 times.

16 in 2016

1) get a dog! (this didn't happen for various reasons last year, this year we're still considering it)

2) make 'sweet treat' hair clips for the girls*

3) make and can homemade jam

4) go to Banff National Park and explore Calgary

5) read the "Little House" series to the kids

6) find a GOOD summer farmer's market (I miss the seasonal farmer's market and realized I had put very little thought and effort into finding one I like that is nearby...not this year!)

7) ~~Hike the Abby Grind with the family~~

8) take the canoe to a new-to-us local lake

9) Family Date: The Secret Lives of Pets at the theater

10) make everyone's X-mas gifts again**

11) knit a hat for 25,000 Tuques

12) bake/cook 5 pinterest recipes: (Apple Pretzel Tart, Flourless Samosas, pineapple salad, mexican corn, peach cupcakes)

13) explore the Island with friends!

14) see the Northern Lights+

15) buy more hanging houseplants

16) 1 picnic per month: June / July / August / September

*this is the only item aside from getting a dog that I'm keeping for this year from last. I didn't get to it, but I think it still sounds fun/doable

**I got off the bandwagon the past few years. I want/need to plan ahead because I hate procrastinating and this past Christmas was stressful because I spent more money than ever before, had literally no plan, and didn't make anything. Never again!

+ Actual lifetime bucket list item!

Comments

How To: DIY Sand/Water Table

How To: Build A Sand/Water Table for Under $30 ! Sorry this took me so long to blog, but I had to have a tool list and full instructions before I could do so. A little history on my love for the sand/water table . I love the idea behind tools for tiny hands, i.e. the Montessori Method , and like to have Lukka 'figure things out for himself', even when he is playing. I try to have the most simple and basic toys available for 3 reasons: a) simple toys generally have less parts, which means less of a hassle for me b) simple toys inspire way more creativity and imagination than do 'exact replica' toys c) they are much more aesthetically pleasing to look at, therefore, not making every nook and cranny of our house an eyesore! I know the last reason is just for me, but it's true. Plastic things don't generally last 1/2 as long as wooden or fabric toys, and they are unattractive. For this reason, I started to look for a wooden sand/water table as opposed to a pl...

Home School Activities: Board Games We Love

My children have recently become enthralled in the world of board games. I was never a board game player. Sure, I remember long summer hours (days? it seemed like it..) spent around a Monopoly board, but I was never one to suggest to get out the cards, or a game. As my children have grown and they are now able to do activities with me, I started noticing that they really took to puzzles (when done all together) and the one or two board games I happened to have kept in the storage room. They were always asking to play Candy Land and so I figured I should branch off a bit. Over the course of the last year, I have found GREAT games, even ones that I love to play alongside them. The amount of 'teaching' they have gotten through games is jaw-dropping. Counting, team-playing, math related patterning, are just some of the skills I've watched develop. I asked before Christmas on facebook what my friends and their own kids loved and I was thrilled with the response. We have found ov...

Home School Resources: Links we Love

Source: ladyanndeborja.tumblr.com via Sarah on Pinterest Today I'm just sharing a list of my favorite go-to resources for home schooling. It's a list of where I find games, books, crafts, and fresh inspiration. Also included are articles I've loved about home schooling. One of my favorite websites about homeschooling, updated daily, is Simple Homeschool . It's a shoot off branch of SimpleKids & SimpleMoms, and they often have great giveaways, advice, and have concise and interesting topics. A friend recently guided me to World Book Online to find the general requirements of each grade. At the curriculum fair I went to in April, I remembered two vendors that I want to revisit if they return. One was Hepner's Legacy and the other was Miller's Pads and Papers (don't be fooled by the poor websites, they have great products at good prices). TED Talks . Go. Watch. Now. All of them. Awesome. Even if home schooling is a laughable topic to you, you're ...

Our House in the Middle of Our Street

Search This Blog