Birthday List (36)

Every year on my birthday I've been writing a list of things to complete the following year. The list has the number of items on it as years I've turned.

You'll notice that pretty much everything in my Birthday Lists is family or personal oriented, as our ministry goals and plans are something separate that Dallas and I do together. I have fun creating these goals here as it reminds me to take time for family life and growing personally outside of or as part of our ministry life! And I do love lists and reminders in general 😉

Items in bold are completed and items in italics are in process. 

1. Go on a holiday w/ just us and the kids. 
a. Completed March 9-11, 2018. Surprised Dallas for his 38th birthday with a family trip to a        cabin in Mazamitla.
b. Completed July 30-August 3, 2018. Went to Nuevo Vallarta as a family to celebrate our 16th      Wedding Anniversary. 

2. Go out on at least 6 dates with Dallas. Completed 5/6.
Chapultapec and Dinner//3 Fostering Classes (we were alone! and it was a good time together)//Walking, Shopping, Dinner//Coffee, Movie//Movie

3. Read at least 10 books (including reading with the kids, other than short story books). 
   Completed 12/10 
The Masterpiece//The Red Tent (wouldn't recommend this one)//On the Banks of Plum Creek//If I Live//Growing Down//Child of the Mist//Salvation//Redemption//On the Shores of Silver Lake//The Emotionally Healthy Woman//The Reckoning//Sacred Rhythms

4. Do a surprise activity for each of the kids and Dallas' birthdays.  
a. Dallas' 38th - we surprised him by taking him to a cabin in Mazamitla for the weekend. We only          told him where we were going after we packed up the van and were on the road.
b. Brady's 8th - surprised him with family mini-golf and lunch out together (the next day he did a            party with his friends as well)
c. Carter's 12th - we went to a new aquarium in downtown Guadalajara (and Grandpa and Grandma Zac showed up in Mexico 2 days before his birthday as a surprise for all of the kids!)
d. Logan's 10th - took him to Flyers Trampoline park with Angel and Blanca and kids, and Peter and Irene and kids who were visiting from Canada

5. Try a new activity. 
a. Completed March 25, 2018. Swam in and behind a waterfall, at Los Chorros de Tala with the Kleefeld EMC youth group and our Bible study group.

6. Take new family pictures. 
Completed June 2018 with 4 kids. Completed August 2018 with 5 kids.

7. Memorize two longer portions of the Bible. 
Completed 2/2. Job 38:1-11//Psalm 84

8. Learn to make at least 4 new dishes or drinks. Completed 3/4.
Red Pepper Bagels//Tuna and Avocado Salad//Bistec a la Mexicana

9. Visit a new place in Mexico. 
a. Completed March 11, 2018. We walked down to El Salto, a waterfall in Mazamitla
b. Completed March. 25, 2018. Went to Los Chorros de Tala, another waterfall!
c. Completed June 2-3, 2018. Went camping by Rio Salado.

10. Take time for a hobby.
Reading//Camping//Cake Decorating//Drawing

11. Learn something new. 
Completed March 30, 2018. Learned to dance the Cumbia at Mario and Brenda's wedding.

12. Go every Monday afternoon without screens as a family and spend this time doing something together. Completed 25/52.

13. Go 24 hours every month without screens (not counting phone calls or messaging). 
Completed 8/12.

14. Update the kid's baby and school record books.

15. Family bike at least once/month. Completed 12/12.

16. Record all of our blood types. Half way there! We need to get blood tests in order to do this.

17. Month of December - Advent as a family.

18. Bike/exercise as planned/week. Completed 26/52.

19. Bring home our 2 kiddos💛💚 
Sofía came to live with us on February 18, 2018 and Salomón came to live with us on July 23,2018!

20. Memorize all of the words to the Mexican National Anthem.

21. Renew the boy's visas. Completed January 2019.

22. Go camping. 
a. Completed June 2-3, 2018. Scouts family camping trip by Rio Salado in the Bosque Primavera.
b. Completed August, 2018. Dallas, Carter, Logan went hiking and camping one night with Juanca en Bosque Primavera.

23. Try 5 new foods. 5/5
Lettuce wraps with some kind of Asian chicken from PF Chang//Bistec a la Mexicana//Tostada de Tuna (raw)//Whole shrimp barbecued in chile sauce (I am not a seafood fan at all, but actually liked this!)//Octopus

24. Make homemade bread. 
Made homemade bagels for the first time.

25. Get all of the boy's extra holey and shredded knee jeans made into shorts and have their shoes and sandals repaired so they can be passed on to the next boy (cheap to do this here!).

26. Make homemade tiger tiger ice-cream for the boys.

27. Help the boys grow their hobbies.
Swimming Lessons//Drawing Exhibition at School for Carter//Mountain Biking//Cooking//Street Hockey//Camping//Basketball 

28. Go on a picnic. Completed May 27, 2018.

29. Visit the Orphanage Ranchito con Esperanza at least once/month. Completed 11/12.

30. Go on a road trip. 
Completed July 30-August 3, 2018. 5 hour road trip to Nuevo Vallarta as a family. This will have to count for this year ;)

31. Make family calendars for 2019.

32. Re-decorate the office and the guest/girl's room.

33. Learn a new skill. Working on mastering some little girl hair-do's. Now working on french braids.

34. Make chocolate covered coffee beans from scratch!

35. Blog at least 4 times/month. Completed 22/52.

36. Skype/call all of our family members on their birthdays.


See also:
Birthday List (35)
Birthday List (34)
Birthday List (33)
Birthday List (32)
Birthday List (31)