Nap time Diary

I must admit, nap time to me is truly a sacred and holy hour (if I'm lucky) where all of the children simultaneously have their eyes shut and are not making any sound beyond their sweet little snores and heavy breathing. I don't always get simultaneous nap time and when I do I don't take it without gratitude and with a mad hustle. I find myself drawn between napping myself, working on my to-do list which is always longer than I care to admit, and creating something marvelous. In all honesty if I can pull it off, I often try to side do something creative.

My favorite recent project is a quilted table top runner that I found on Pintrest. This is only my second real quilt project, my first was a quilt that I made at a weekend retreat with a few friends, this is my first independent project. At this point I only have my top done for my quilt, but I think it is going relatively well. My major flaw so far is that I misread the pattern and cut more fabric than I actually need, so I am going to end up making a few similar table runners, which is fun to think about sending them off to friends.

I haven't been doing a ton of crocheting, however, I have been working on a blanket for a new little guy in our lives. It is slow going and I am not making a ton of progress, blanket making in the spring/summer is never a motivating project. However, I am determined to get it done, I do have some road time coming up that should aid in the progress of this blanket.

Another project I am starting to work on is I am working to improve my embroidery skills. I have seen some pretty epic projects by friends and I long to be able to embroider better. I am sure more on this will follow.

I also have been working on some hair clips for my daughter, who some how has become magically obsessed with always having some type of hair clip or bow (or bowtique as Lucy would say - thanks to Minnie Mouse). So I have created some felties to put in her hair in hopes of a little variation away from the constant bow. Never in a million years did I think my daughter would be obsessed with bows, hair clips, and headbands.

My final work in progress, which this always seems to be ongoing, is my love for Shutterfly and creating shutterfly books. I am not terribly behind, but I do have some catching up to do and I'd like to get those caught up before I get so far behind I am not motivated to work on them. Slowly but surely I am getting caught up on them.

What are you working on?
What projects bring you life currently?

2013 Goals

Here are my goals for 2013 in no particular order - some are more trivial than others, however I am still adding them to the list {because this is my blog and I do as I please}:

• Earn my Walt Disney Coast to Coast Medal
• This will require me to complete two races, one in Disneyland and one in Disney World in the same calendar year. I will be running the Tinkerbell Half Marathon in Disneyland and the Wine and Dine Half Marathon in Disney World
• Learn how to fold fitted sheets
• Seriously, I have tried, but haven't been committed to it- my fitted sheets always just look like crap when they are folded - more like balled up sheets even if I have tried to fold them nicely - youtube here I come
• Get Married 
• June 8, 2013 at Bethlehem Lutheran Church I will be getting married and couldn't be more excited about the whole thing - minus the dress wearing crap - seriously my least excited piece
• Make a fruit pie from scratch
• No real reason for this one other than I just want to do it
• Paint one of the bedrooms upstairs
• Run 5 half marathons [I am tempted to say six because I think it would be sweet to say I averaged one every other month but that maybe too lofty of a goal]
• I have Tinkerbell Half Marathon, Fargo Half Marathon, Fargo Mini Marathon, and Wine and Dine Half Marathon on the docket already - I'd like to add one in Minnesota to my list
• Finish going through all of my boxes 
• I haven't gone through all the boxes since I moved to Brainerd in June 2011, it's time to do some serious giving away
• Organize my craft space in the loft
• Read 12 books for fun [I love reading but sometimes I get in a rut and do all my reading for work, which I don't totally mind, but I want to read for fun too]
• Make my bed 90% of the time
• I am not horrible at this one - I am probably currently at a solid 50% but would like to increase this goal - I don't want to go to 100% because seriously some days I really don't care - however I LOVE to crawl into a made bed
• Learn to to tunisian crochet
• My friend Lindy has inspired me to do this - thanks Lindy
• We are actually working a blanket with this style of crocheting in 2013 which will demand I learn 9 new stitches, I am jazzed and praying I can figure it out
• Run 500 miles this year
• bike to work 30 times
• swim 100 miles
• yes I know these are loft goals - but why set low goals
• Finish the stacks of projects that I have begun and have never gotten to for whatever reason - and if I decide I am not going to ever finish them then I need to disassemble what can be disassembled and move on - no reason to have all these half finished projects
• Settle into married life
• or begin to... really this goal is all about making the transition to married life intentional
• Make a quilt
• it has been way too long since I have made one
• Finish the three clergy stoles I have started
• Complete the Grantieman Triathalon in Clearwater, Mn
• Shoot over 250 pictures a month on my Nikon D60
• I LOVE this camera but I get lazy and don't take it out to take the photos I should, I really do want to improve as a photographer, so I must practice
• Catch up on photobooks
• yeah, I am way behind, finish 2011, 2012, Summer 2012 Mission Trips book
• update 2013 photobook monthly
• keep up with 365 days of 2013 book
• Create and Finish Summer 2013 Mission Trips book (finish before the end of the year)
• Create and finish a wedding photobook (finish before the end of the year)
• Order 366 in 2012 photo book
• When books are finished order: 2011, 2012, Summer 2012 Mission Trip book

What is on your 2013 to-do list?

Any books you recommend?