Ten on Tuesday

Carol has another great Ten on Tuesday (sorry it is coming out on Wednesday). 10 Favorite Things to do Outside.

1. Just be outside. I love the smells, sights and sounds.
2. Hike/run. Traveling through the woods is a great way to relax and forget about all the crap that we seem to deal with day in and day out.
3. Eat. Back yard BBQing is one of our favorite things to do. Just good inside and eat outside is lovely too.
4. Garden. Putting seeds in the ground and watching them come to life is amazing. I like knowing where my food comes from.
5. Chicken watching. Might sound odd - but there is nothing more relaxing then watching the flock of Kevin's cruise around the back yard. We could spend hours doing it.
6. Hot tubing. We mostly hot tub in winter. But, sometimes in summer as well. In hot water, watching the stars on a clear cool night - AH ... nothing better!
7. Sparkler Dancing. In summer I like to have a ton of sparklers on hand and I like to dance through the back yard with my sparklers.
8. Biking. Something about the breeze through my hair and the peddles beneath my feet that can make any day better.
9. Spinning. I like to take my little wheel out and get some good spinning in.
10. Chess. Yep. You heard me. We have a board that we keep outside and we like to sit with a cool cocktail, listen to the rustling of the leafs in the aspens and play a good game. I normally beat the crap out of Mike - but it is fun none the less.

What do you love to do outside???

Ten on Tuesday

Carol's Ten this week is: Ten Ways to be More Organized.

1. Lists. I freaking love lists. There is nothing better than a good list.
2. Keeping my list in an easy to carry around location (like a journal).
3. Keep my inbox small. Read all of my emails as they come in.
4. Keep a short to-do list at work. 3-4 things that I can finish in a day.
5. No more clutter. Keep all of my working space (home and office) clean.
6. Listen. Seems like too often people run off and do the wrong thing instead of just listening to first time around.
7. Be realistic. I have long term goals but from day to day I'm realistic about things.
8. Keep work, home and craft lists separate. I carry around journals but they are all different.
9. Notes. When people ask me for things or tell me things I write them down. I have notes that migrate to the to-do lists.
10. Breathing. A nice deep breath when I'm feeling like there is too much going on always helps.

What are 10 things you do to stay organized?

Ten on Tuesday

This weeks Ten on Tuesday is 10 Things You Wouldn’t Want to Live Without.

A question of can I live, as in exist, without it or not. I believe that wasn't really the questions (because if it was it would be air, food, water, warmth ... that sort of crap). I think this is items. Things in your life that make your life what it is. Here is what I think I need.
1. Mike. I do think that living without him would be hard and something I never want to do.
2. A computer. Life in the internet world is just to fun.
3. Yarn. I'm addicted, what can I say.
4. Good pen and paper. I'm an office supply freak.
5. Chap-stick. Not just any chap-stick but Natural Ice (my favorite). I've told Mike that the end of the world would come and I'd be the only one with chap-stick (which would make me the wealthiest person around).
6. Books. After our house fire I bought a Nook because I had no books and just couldn't function correctly. I'm still not sold on e-book reading but at least I know I will never be without.
7. Lotion. I get dry skin in our high desert climate and I would pick my own skin off without it.
8. My pets. There is something about having them in your life that makes everything seem funnier and easier (like last night when Moab crapped on Mike in bed - yep she isn't feeling well again).
9. Family. I know I don't talk to them as much as most people talk to their family - but when I need them they are there.
10. Wood. Wood for the fire place or the gas insert. Forced air in winter time is just not as good as something that radiates heat onto you.

What 10 things can you not live without?

Ten on Tuesday - New Years Edition

Carol's brilliant idea for today is 10 Intentions for the New Year. I, like many others, have to say that I do love the non-resolution based 2011 theme. I never do resolutions. If I tell myself I can't or shouldn't do something, then I just do it. Because I've set a rule. So, intentions are really what I like. Here are my 10.

1. Write every day. I had over a month of writing every day and I found it so therapeutic. I'm not sure I'll use the 750 tool all the time, because I love writing in paper journals, but I will write every day.

2. My Project Define 365. Where you take a photo each day and post it to Flickr (similar to project 365 except you write something about the photo). The photo shouldn't be "the best photo of the day", but it might be more how you feel, what you see, a snapshot into your life. I place to then use the apple tool to create a book for 2011 that is the small descriptions and photos at the end of 2011.

3. Listen better. I listen when people are talking. But if my mind is somewhere else I don't really remember what they said. I read every email that comes in. But, if my mind is somewhere else I don't really remember what they said. I believe that I've become less of a good listener than I care to be. I will listen better!

4. Project 333. I will not be doing 33 total articles of clothing for 3 months, but my own version. I'm working on minimizing my footprint by minimizing my unneeded items. All of this going back to the concept of living well with what you have instead of better through more. Of course while out shopping yesterday I looked at new pants and shoes and socks and asked myself, "How many bags did you just give to charity? Do you need this stuff?" The answer is no.

5. I want to bike more to work. In 2009 I biked about 1/8 of the year. It was a great workout and I like not driving. 2010 was a hard year to get biking in so I'd like to get more in this year.

6. Buying less food. I know this might seem like a strange thing to work on, but we normally have a stocked pantry. Our fridge and freezer normally have loads of options for things that we can cook at the drop of a hat. This is nice - but leads to buying more and more instead of just using what you have. We will buy less food and do more refrigerator reviews (which I love because we invent dishes based on what we have in the fridge at the time).

7. Practice more yoga. I feel so much better when I'm doing yoga. I don't think I need to do it every day. As a matter of fact I've been trying to do it every day for the past year and you can see on the side of the blog how that is going. But, I need to get in more practices. Home practice is great but since I stopped leading I don't have the schedule I would like. So, I'm going to sign up for a class or two.

8. Giving more. I don't mean money or things, but time, ideas and presence. I think that just being present even when typing an email makes a big difference. Giving a bit more of who you are to the people around you can impact them and you.

9. I want to redesign the backyard to be more chicken friendly. This includes reading up on what is chicken friendly, designing it, and then putting it into place. I know that if I just wait Mike will come up with all kinds of ideas - but I want to do it. I want to figure it out and follow through.

10. Eat less processed food. This past year I read ingredients labels more. Do you know that even "organic" good for you bread has like 10 ingredients in it? When I make bread at home it has really 5 ingredients. What the hell are they putting into everything? This year we will strive to eat things that have 8 or few ingredients. And if there are things that aren't even real foods - I'm not putting it into my mouth.

What are your thoughts for 2011? Changing anything? Working on anything??

Ten on Tuesday

This weeks Ten on Tuesday is 10 Last Minute Gift Ideas. I've been thinking about this since reading other peoples and trying to come up with my list.
1. Try to never have to give a last minute gift!
2. Cookies or bread
3. Gift card to itunes or something like that.
4. Funny handmade card.
5. Liqueur.
6. Coupons for things
7. Never anything knit because the pressure would be too great.
8. Something out of the gift box (I keep a box of things we find in other countries that I'm not sure exactly who to give them to just yet).
9. FUDGE - is there anything wrong with fudge?
10. A joke. Looking up a funny joke and putting it on a card.

There you go. What are your last minute gift ideas?

Ten on Tuesday

Today’s Ten on Tuesday, provided by the always cool Carol,is 10 Things On Your To-Do List.

My To-Do List isn't too bad this year. But, here is what I currently have.
1. Track one missing package.
2. Clean up for charity giveaway stuff (my craft room is a mess).
3. Bake cookies
4. Finish holiday notes
5. Get stuff for Christmas dinner
6. Give out the rest of work gifts
7. Finish up a hat I'm doing as a gift
8. Stocking stuffers
9. Journal all the things I'm thankful for this year.
10. Mega Snow Dance!!!

What is on your list?

Ten on Tuesday

This weeks Ten on Tuesday is perfect for this time of year, 10 Favorite Holiday Shows. Here is my list.
1. Love Actually. I love the cast, the story line and all of the players. Great movie even with the whole holiday aspect.

2. The Ref. There is something about the upset, crazy family activities that just reminds me of my family and makes me love watching it.

3. Elf. It is so funny and uplifting. I could watch it over and over.

4. Home Alone. An oldy but goody. The kid is so cute.

5. Christmas Vacation. FUNNY!

6. The Grinch. The movie version. I like to sing along and adore Cindy LuWho.

7. The Grinch. Cartoon. Reminds me of my childhood.

8. Christmas Story. I was the kid who licked frost and got my mouth stuck to a pole.

9. Scrooged. The one with Bill Murry.

10. Nightmare Before Christmas. I'm a big fan of this dark cartoon crossover between Halloween and Christmas.

All of these movies I have on DVD and like to watch them while I'm wrapping gifts and drinking hot cider!

Ten on Tuesday

This weeks Ten on Tuesday from lovely Carol is 10 Things You Love About Thanksgiving.

1. FOOD! I know everyone must say this, but growing up my father's big day to shine in cooking was Thanksgiving. I only hope that I've learned a number of his tricks.
2. The smells. It seems that everything, even starting early smells so incredible. Right now my kitchen smells of sage and by Thursday it will be roasting turkey, pie, potatoes, cinnamon .....
3. Family. Even though this year I will miss my family - I do love a nice loud busy house full of people.
4. The post dinner comma. There isn't any other day during the year where I feel like passing out after eating.
5. Christmas decorating. Yep. Thanksgiving is a doorway to the holidays. As soon as Thanksgiving is over - the decorations go up!
6. Thinking of all the things I'm thankful for. Thanksgiving makes me stop and think. Remember people, places and just what sort of life I'm blessed to have.
7. The cats go crazy on Thanksgiving. Our smallest cat is a turkey freak. I adore watching her freak out and run around the house screaming for turkey.
8. Mike is always home for Thanksgiving. He has never missed one (and with his busy work travel schedule this is saying a lot). I love to spend the day with him.
9. Leftovers. I create all kinds of new and interesting dishes based on all the leftovers. Last years was a bake that had everything from dinner, cheese and green chili.
10. Winter comes. It seems like in New Mexico winter doesn't really show up until Thanksgiving weekend. This weekends lows are suppose to be 7 degrees. Ah ... winter!

What do you love about Thanksgiving?

Ten on Tuesday

A fellow blogger, Carol, always has a Ten on Tuesday that she posts. This Tuesday is 10 Dream Vacations. I love to travel and I love vacations so this one is perfect.

1. Nepal. I've always wanted to go. Always.
2. Egypt. It has been on my list since I was 9 years old.
3. New England. I've never been and since a house that my great great great great great great great Grandfather built is in CT and is still standing as a historical site - I'd like to see it.
4. Biking tour of Ireland. I've wanted to see it from bike and drink at pubs.
5. Peru. Mostly to see Machu Piccu. But, there is something about Peru that calls to me.
6. Yoga retreat to India. Yep. I'd love to see all that India has to offer and do it while relaxing in the lotus position.
7. Thailand. My favorite food on the planet is Thai food. I think I'd like to bike and travel by train around Thailand and then spend some time on small islands.
8. Greece. All of Greece. The blue trimmed buildings, the sea, the boats and sand. No other beach type place has ever called to me. Greece does.
9. Finally I'd like to redo Darwin's trip to the Galapagos Islands. I'd like to take journals and write about everything I see. Document it as if I was Darwin.
10. Outer-space. Yep. I would go if I could. I'd like to walk on the moon or see Mars. Beam me up Scotty!

There you go. My ten top vacations!