49) Clean out closet and donate clothes etc every 6 months 1/5

I cleaned my closet this morning... it wasn't in terrible condition but I have weeks where I struggle to put away my clean laundry. Then my clothes sit in piles on top of my dresser or anywhere I can find space, I pick through and get items I want to wear but never actually get it properly put away... I had one of those weeks last week, OK I will be honest its been more like 3 weeks.
So this morning I decided ENOUGH, time for a pick up and PURGE.

If you look closely in this pic you will notice I had help! My cat is sleeping in the pink box on the left side... isn't she helpful!  And yes in case you are wondering I have a window in my closet... weird I know, but at least I have good light!

I aim to cull a least 15-20 items each time I clean our my closet because lets be honest there are only so many floppy t-shirts a girl really needs (even if they are from Race for the Cure 5 years ago!). I easily selected 17 items to cull today, and feel refreshed to have a clean closet again with all my clothes actually put away! You know you are getting older I mean "maturing" when you celebrate a clean closet!

#14) Complete 10 races 2/10 - Race for the Cure 5K

Race for The Cure 2010, what a great morning, after a day of gray skies and pouring down rains, the race morning was simply pleasant. We did not have a single drop of rain fall on us while we were there. I participated in this event with several great friends including my Mom. I set off running and completed the 5K with a mile pace one minute less than what I ran last weekend in the 10K... so although I still do not run a record setting pace I was proud to have gone faster than the previous weekend.
Race for the Cure in Portland is a HUGE event and I am always inspired at the number of participants and by the participants who do not regularly participate in any kind of running or walking event but who diligently turn out every year to support Race for the Cure helping to raise money, awareness and support for breast cancer patients and survivors. If you live in a Race for the Cure area and have never participated I encourage you to do so, walk it, run it, whatever works for you... but it is totally worth it to support your friends and family who have been touched by breast cancer! Simply a fantastic event. 
http://www.komenoregon.org/

#86 read 30 books 1/30

I finally finished this book.... It was one that I found in my grandmothers collection after she passed away, I thought it perfectly described her "I am a lady, but don't be fooled I can do anything" approach to life, so I figured I should read it. It turned out to be a fantastic account of a woman and her husband who left Portland and traveled North to Bella Coola BC with the intent to spend one season and ended up falling in love with the frontier lifestyle and staying. This book is an account of their life and story of how they worked the land, loved their animals, and tried a variety of different adventures as they made their way through the years including fishing for local canneries, milking cows, guiding hunting excursions, and living through floods.
Oh how I admire the days of past when life was WORK yet at the same time provided satisfaction and joy in accomplishments... there was NO being lazy, or "after my video game" there simply was no time for such rubbish. So for as much as I love the every day conveniences I am afforded, the root of me still longs to be self sufficient. I long to raise stock, farm a garden and prepare stores for the season. I admire the woman of my past who diligently worked alongside their partners settling new homesteads, and those husbands who supported their wives and encouraged their capability. I admire my grandmother for her approach to life and my grandfather for so lovingly teaching her that she IS IN FACT CAPABLE.... "you may as well break a leg trying rather than let someone tell you you CAN'T", they often told me.
" Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, But rather skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and proclaiming.... Wow, what a ride!!!!!!" -Irene Lawrence (my grandmother)

#14) Complete 10 races 1/10 - Pints to Pasta 10K

I ran in my first 10k... ok so ran might be a stretch... I did not train for it and I am not, nor have I ever been a "runner". I did however run more of the race than I expected of myself and am now feeling empowered and motivated to improve my time and pace from here. My bestie Alcyon explained to me years ago the concept of slogging... it's a slow jog... that is what I do!So, I completed my first 10K... I slogged my way through it!

Race one accomplished. I am registered for the next race this weekend... I hope to see you there for Race for the Cure!

38) Host a wine tasting at my house for a few friends

I am so blessed! I have fantastic friends... you know the kind that have known you through your childhood, the awkward years and now support you in your adult life... we are talking about TRUE lifelong GREAT friends! Unfortunately we don't get to see each other too often but when we get together it is like nothing has ever changed and we are able to listen, encourage and support each other is so many ways... I don't know what I would do without these girls, like I said I am blessed!

My lovely husband organized the whole thing!

So, what a treat when a few of us were able to get together last weekend and spend the day laughing, sharing stories, and a few glasses of wine! My lovely husband Andrew set up a wine tasting at our house for a few of us girls. It was a blast, we had 10 different wines to try, all with labels hidden so we had no idea what we were drinking. Well, we knew what variety each wine was as we compared 2 wines at a time... so two Chardonnay and two Merlot etc... you get the picture.  It was a blast to compare our individual tastes in wine, and to see how we each rated the wines differently. We also guessed the price of each wine as we drank (yep, I was WAY off, I thought the $20 bottle was only $6, and the $8 was $22) just goes to show you... drink what you like, don't worry about the rest of it, there will always be overpriced wine! Andrew also prepared a cheese platter and chocolates to accompany our wines, I seriously could not have been happier that night surrounded by great friends a thoughtful husband, wine, cheese and chocolate, it doesn't get much better than that!

69) Make 3 recipes out of Bon Appetite (or similar) magazine each month (1/93)

Grilled Mustard Chicken with Fresh Corn Polenta.... Bon Appetite Magazine, August 2010.
This was an easy and yummy recipe, I just added steamed beet greens since I felt we needed something green on the plate and I had some in the fridge from a friends farm. I had never made (let alone eaten) polenta before but it's nice... I was shocked that 1 cup of polenta cooked into 5 cups of water and filled a sauce pan, that stuff expands, but it truly is a nice change of pace to rice, potatoes, etc.

I made a few modifications to the recipe.... 1) I used chicken tenders in place of chicken thighs  2) I baked the chicken in the oven to preserve the mustard sauce rather than grilling where we often burn sauces (since i didn't use the thighs with the skin on as suggested in recipe).... It turned out well and my husband seemed to enjoy it, so we may even have it again.

 here is the recipe from the Bon Appetite Magazine if you want to give it a try!
http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2010/08/grilled_mustard_chicken_with_fresh_corn_polenta

#19 Walk at lunchtime for one month (even if raining or sweltering heat)

I walked every day during lunch at work for the entire month of July! A little late to post this accomplishment but here it is.... To be honest I found my walks quite enjoyable and a great mid-day escape from my work assignments and office with no window! Yes, my friends the sun does in fact shine during the day even if you can't see it!

So a little recap of my walks- Just down the road from the building I work in is the Columbia Slough, there is a nice quiet dead end road that runs along the slough... this is where I walk. Most days my best work buddy Leigh wlll walk with me which always makes it fun because you have someone to talk to and laugh with! Thanks Leigh! On several days I saw Blue Herons flying overhead or standing on the side of the slough fishing, I also saw turtles resting and soaking up the sun on logs over the water, and several ducks including a mama with her little ones paddling around (too cute), oh and the occasional snake that always makes me JUMP! It is these little wildlife sightings that I enjoy most about lunch time walks just seeing the beauty and perfect planning of nature and ecosystems and knowing that there is SO much more than whatever I was just working on in my office.

So a little walking math: There were 21 working weekdays in July, I walked on every one of them. My walking distance varies but in general I walk over a mile each day.... so in the month of July I walked approximately the distance of a marathon.

What I didn't do was remember to take a camera with me on my walks to share pictures of this success... I remembered the camera only once and well, just as it always happens I did not see a single duck, turtle, heron, or snake... are you kidding me? So I still owe a photo to this post as I still have yet to capture what I consider a good picture to share from my walk.... so stay tuned!