Ya, Let's try this again.

^Don't you love the golden retriever hair all over my black shirt accessory? Stylish and classy.

Very, very embarrassingly I decided to peruse on over to our 2013 Bucket List post. Ya. Turns out I'm terrible at keeping resolutions bucket lists. Maybe that has something to do with the fact that this is the first time I've looked at it, basically, since I wrote it. Ya. That's it. Some of these goals are laughable for 2013. Do a sugar free month? Ha! Loose 50+ pounds?! Ha! (If only it was gain 20!) Laughable for 2013. But for 2014.... well.. Let's just say I hope to dominate this list in 2014. ;) And so, I give you the exact same list as 2013, because it's cool to keep the same list 2 years in a row or really until you complete them all. (The same list minus the pictures I hijacked from Pinterest last year that now have blue question mark boxes in them.. because 2014 is about giving credit to pics where credit is due. Or file "save image to downloads," genius, I know. Kidding....Sort of. Okay. Plagiarism police, chill out. It's a joke.)

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I am writing our resolutions in a bucket list because

a Bucket List sounds way more exciting!

It sounds like something fun and adventurous and less dooming than a "resolution."

{Though my resolutions, that take work and discipline, are included in this list.}

A Bucket List is something you get to do not something you have to do.

If you fail to complete a Bucket List you're not a failure you just didn't get it all crossed off. :)

And so, I give you...

Let's Get Physical

1. Run another 1/2 marathon.

           We trained and ran one January 29th last year (2012). We would love to do another! It's a great way to  exercise for us since we have a goal {besides loosing weight} in mind.

2. Complete a 30 Day Shred {30 days straight}

3. Complete a Ripped in 30 Days {30 days straight}

4. Take Chara on more walks.
Actually, we have been taking her on more walks this year! :) 5/14

5. Make strength training a life style.
I pretty regularly do strength training videos now!

6. Be able to do a toe touch!

           I was a cheerleader through middle school and high school. Every good cheerleader knows that you have to have some awesome jumps! That means, height, height, height. I practiced all the time. I was always working on ways to improve my jumps. And I was in great shape. It sounds silly but I really want to do an awesome, in your face high school cheerleaders, toe touch in 2013 2014!

7. Be able to do 10 REAL {not the girly on your knees kind} push ups in a row.

8. Be able to do 1 pull up.

            Just one! Really, it's not too much to ask! I will force my arms to suck it up and get it done!

You are what you eat

They say. But I totally don't believe in that quote..But it just makes a good subtitle.

1. Do a 3 day fast.

2. Do a 7 day cleanse.
Did it!

3. Go sugar free for at least 1 month of the year.
doing it. 

4. Try to make veggies, fruits, nuts and meat the majority of our diet. Think paleo. And breads, sweets and sugar special treats, instead of the norm. Make a life style change.

I went gluten free like 5 months last year. Does that count? Note to self: Become a gluten free eater again. Update: This is more the normal for us now!

Spiritual

I don't like making spiritual "goals" because I don't think God is a to-do list. But I do want to be a better disciple and obedient child of God, and sometimes always that takes vision and planning and commitment.

1. Finish reading the Bible all the way through.

I'm so so so very close. In Mark to be exact. This process has been embarrassingly slow. 
Now I'm in John! So close! 5/14
Now I'm in Romans! 7/25

2. Cultivate prayer. Not just prayer through the day like I always do but set aside time for prayer every day.

3. Be obedient to the Spirit's voice.

4. Be intentional.

Financial

1. Pay off our credit card debt.

     Done! Whoop. Feels awesome. 

2. Save for Christmas.

      We did this this past year. It made Christmas way less stressful. 

3. Tithing.

     Tithed the whole year. It's such a blessing. I don't think we will ever stop tithing. It's such a gift. Maybe I'll write a post about that. :)

4. Live on a budget and stick to it.

     For the last 3 months, since Zachary took over, we've been doing great in this! Praise God!

5. Trust God with our finances.
Trusting.

6. Save each week.
Saving each month.

7. Build a savings.

    We have built an emergency fund. We plan to save, Lord willing, even more this year. 

Life Style

1. Go on an intentional date with each other once a month.
We've been going on intentional dates pretty regularly these past few months! 5/14

2. Fast together once a month.

3. Pray together every day.

4. Learn how to rest.

5. Read 24 books.

          I read so fast so this is really going to be the easiest goal ever to attain.

^Gee 2013 self, that was a pretty cocky statement. Please excuse that young and immature me. 

                     1. Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers Finished 1/1

                     2. Beginner's Greek by James Collins  finished 1/12

                     3. Firstborn by Karen Kingsbury

                     4. A Time to Embrace by Karen Kingsbury

                     5. Purge by Sofi Oksanen

                     6. Sunrise by Karen Kingsbury

                     7. Forever by Karen Kingsbury

                     8. Forgiven by Karen Kingsbury

                     9. Found by Karen Kingsbury

                    10. Family by Karen Kingsbury

                    11. On Every Side by Karen Kingsbury

                    12. Glitz by I can't remember
                    13. The Wedding Party by I can't remember

                    14. Divergent by Veronica Roth
                    15. L.A. Candy by Lauren Conrad
                    16. Insurgent by Veronica Roth
                    17.Sweet little Lies by Lauren Conrad
                    18. Sugar and Spice by Lauren Conrad
                    19. The Edible Woman by Margarat Atwood
                    20. The Giver by Louis Lowrey
                    21. In Between by Jenny B Jones
                    22. The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner
                    23. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
                    24 Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling
                   25.On the Loose by Jenny B. Jones
26. EarthSea: A Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula K. Le Guin
27. The Big Picture by Jenny B. Jones
28. The Big Picture by Denise Grover Swank
29. Wonder by R.J. Palacio
30.Cinder & Ella by Kelly Oram
31. There You'll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones
32. A Charmed Life by Jenny B. Jones
33. I'm So Sure by Jenny B. Jones
34. So Over My Head by Jenny B. Jones 
35. Matched by Ally Condle
36. Cress by Marissa Meyer
37.Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
38. Cinder by Marissa Meyer
39. The One by Kiera Class
40. The Elite by Kiera Class
41. The Selection by Kiera Class 

6. Progress in learning Chinese.
Progressed this year.

7. Get to my goal weight. 

(Dang. Now I can't remember what my goal weight was... but ya, pretty sure I'm farther from it now.)

                  1/1-- 40 pounds away.

                  1/11--38 pounds away.

Relationships

I am sad to admit it, but any one intimately acquainted with me at all already knows it, I am horrible at all of these things I've listed. I love relationships. I love to get to know someone and be known deeply. I love, love, love my family and friends. But I suck at anything that includes returning calls or messages and keeping in touch. I'm terrible at it. It's not because I don't love and think about my family and friends every day, because I do. It's because I just wasn't made that way I guess. Keeping in touch is something I have to work at. It's definately the worst possible quality personality flaw to have while living overseas, living away from friends and family.Thankfully I have incredibly patient friends and family. 

1. Listen to Zachary more.

2. Encourage Zachary more.

3. Pray for Zachary more.

4. Skype or email family once a week.

5. Return emails, texts and face book messages faster.

6. Email my mom, mother in law and  my best friend at least once a week.

7. Skype my family & friends more.

8. Be more involved in our siblings lives.

Blogging

1. Grow to 1000 followers.

            This may seem like a crazy, maybe even vain goal. But I see how blessed I have been to even grow from this summer having 7 followers to now having almost 250 {in just 6 months}  and I know that all things are possible with the Lord.  Now saying that, in my own opinion, I don't think my blog has the amazing-ness to get to 1000 followers all on it's own. I'm not the funniest person in the world. It's not exactly a travel blog. I'm not making totally awesome recipes and capturing them with the camera perfectly. I rarely do a craft nor is there supplies here in China for them. I'm not an expert at anything. There is nothing in and of itself about us, my voice or our blog that would cause it to grow to 1000 followers. But I am praying for God to dream dreams and plant vision in my heart and grow and create this blog into something more than what it is now. Or stomp it dead if it's not apart of His plans for us.

Didn't make a 1000. But it has grown. Slowly the last 6 months but it's still growing. I've take less pressure off myself with blogging. I'm okay with where it's at right now at this crazy busy time in my life. 

2. Make an income.

           It would be an incredibly huge blessing to us as a family if I could make some money off of this blog. I LOVE doing it so it's not about the money. But if we could make money off of doing something I love, specifically make enough money to pay our State side bills each month, that would be a ginormous blessing to us and help ease some of our financial burden.

Maybe some day. In my dreams.

3. Pray over the blog and for blog ideas.

4. Post more often. Try for 5 times a week.

5. Share more of the deep stuff.

6. Make a link up.

7. Improve the design.

8. Do well promoting and encouraging the bloggers on my sidebar each month.

Just For Fun

1. Throw a completely awesome party.

          Harry Potter Party, what, what!

2. Go skiing.

          Check and check.

3. Go fruit or vegetable picking.
Did both! 

4. Swim in the ocean.
Swam in the Ocean. Bohol 2014!

5. Hike a mountain.
    hiked. 

6. Take a real trip.
    Thailand!
Philippines!

7. Have a Harry Potter Marathon with friends. And make butter beer.

           Butter beer check. 

8. Host a wine party.

9. Make a pie or cobbler from scratch.

         Check. Well Zachary did but still check. 

10. Learn how to use my sewing machine.

11. Learn how to use my bread maker.

        During those gluten free months, I gave it away. 

12. Make our 3rd bedroom into our Jesus time, office area.
It's a classroom now. 

13. Get a juicer and do a juice fast.

       We have a juicer now! And have incorporated green juices into our diet. 

14. Plant some vegetables.

       Zachary planted tons!

15. Go to the Great Wall.
Went!

16. Go dancing.

17. Ride our bikes.
stolen. 

18. Hike Fu Shan. 

             The mountain in our back yard. Hiked!

19. Have a Christmas party.
Had one!

20. Sell something at the Christmas fair.

21. Travel somewhere in China.
Shanghai!Beijing!Xi'an! Nanjing!

22. Wear a bathing suit.

               This one and the next 2 would be huge victories for me. 
Did in Philippines!

23. Wear a tank top.
Did in Philippines!

24. Wear shorts.
Does over leggings count?

25. Go to the Qingdao Polar Ocean World.

    Done!

26. Take Chara to the ocean.
Done!

27. Take a family's pictures.
Took our families pictures. 

28. Create a solid lesson plan and vision for next year at school.
Sort of done. :)

29. Make something.
      Made things for Catherine's baby shower!

30. Have a baby. Psych! Practice making babies. Alot. ;)

And in all things-- 

We will pray and seek to do them all to the Glory of God.