I've been on a crazy cleaning kick lately.  My house looks like it's brand new right now because it's so spick n' span.  Obvi what I'm loving right now are cleaning products!


Dyson
Of course I have to pay homage to my amazing, God sent of a vaccumm.  If I could, I would marry it.


Comet
Simple.  Old school.  Reminds me of my grandma's house when I used to beg her to clean her toilets (you were a weird kid) so I could use the Comet.


Vinegar 
So, I hate the way it smells but it's natural and cleans like nobody's business.  There are a billion things I could clean with vinegar.  Billion.



Clorox Wipes 
Because who doesn't love them?!



Windex
Nothin fancy but it totes works on the granite, windows, all of it.  

Swiffer Wet Sweeper
These because they smell amazeballs.
Febreze.  
I just read this book, The Power of Habit.  In it there was a story about Febreze and how when it first came out, nobody bought it.  Then, they decided they had to make it people's habit.  So, on the commercials they showed how after women cleaned they sprayed it to give the house that nice clean smell.  I'M SUCH A SUCKER CONSUMER!  That's totally what I do.


What fabulous cleaning products am I missing out on?  I probably won't change my mind because I'm DEEP into my habits and a total brand loyalist but, perhaps, I'm wanna jump at the new and fab idea!

I found this girl's blog at Live Life Active and was inspired so I'm doing one of my own.

I have 1001 days to complete my list

Start Date: April 21, 2013
End Date: January 18, 2016

Food & Drink
1.  Make at least 5 new Paleo recipes
2.  Make at least 5 new non-Paleo recipes
3.  Visit 2 new breweries
4.  Try a Vegan restaurant 
5.  Try the Brazilian beef restaurant 
6.  Go at least 14 days without buying 1 thing from a restaurant 
7.  Go wine tasting


Fitness & Health
8.  Go back to Crossfit at least 3 days a week
9.  Do at least 10 hikes on Squaw Peak
10.  Do at least 10 hikes in other places
11.  Ride 50 miles at a time on my bike
12.  Ride at least 300 miles on my bike total 
13.  Get to a lower weight than I got to last year...and stay there!
14.  Back Squat 170 lbs
15.  Do 1 pull up...1 just 1 for the first time in my entire life
16.  Run again...even if it's r-e-a-l-l-y slowly
17.  Eat clean for 55 days, no cheating
18.  Complete a 1/2 marathon
19.  Complete a full triathlon
20.  Ride 100 miles on my bike
21.  Hike to a waterfall


Family
22.  Get a tattoo with Danielle
23.  Convince Tom to get a matching tattoo with me...and get it
24.  Kiss my favorite babies in Denver
25.  Go to Prescott to see my grandparents
26.  Go to my grandpa's house to visit 
27.  Go out to lunch with Aunt Sandy
28.  Make Philip and Lily's birthday books
29.  Watch my cousin get married in Sedona
30.  Go out with Tom for a few house, just me and him
31.  Babysit Philip and Lily
32.  Hear all about my nephew's 1st day of Kindergarten
33.  Hear all about my niece's 1st day of Kindergarten


Relationships...my biggest focus this year
34.  Go on 1 date
35.  Go on another date
36.  Go on a 3rd date
37.  Go on a 4th date
38.  Find a man who can't get enough of me...and love him back ;) 
39.  Get engaged
40.  Get married
41.  Get pregnant
42.  Make a nursery


Travel
43.  Fly to Denver
44.  Go on at least 1 vacation that is just for me, not to visit anyone but just for vacation
45.  Visit Reno
46.  Visit the Grand Canyon for the 1st time 
47.  Visit Antigua 
48.  Go to Vegas
49.  Go sailing on ASS' catamaran 
50.  Visit Ouray


Entertainment
51.  Go to Tempe Town Lake for at least 2 outdoor events
52.  Ride my beach cruiser around downtown
53.  See 3 concerts
54.  Watch movies in at least 5 different genres
55.  Read Gone Girl
56.  Read a Jodi Picolt novel
57.  Read A Framework for Understanding Poverty 


Compassion
58.  Make bags for the homeless and hand them out 
59.  Buy a coffee for people behind me in line, at least 3 times
60.  Buy diapers for a family in need
61.  Write cards to at least 10 people for no reason.


For the Home
62.  Get a new bedroom set
63.  Get a screen door for the front door
64.  Make 2 emergency boxes and put them in the garage
65.  Grow and use at least 4 vegetables/herbs
66.  Use a label maker to label my craft boxes
67.  Take my grill off the patio so I do get another fine
68.  Get a new bedspread
69.  Frame 4 new pictures


Arts & Crafts
70.  Go to Brush Bar 
71.  Make 2 new Pinterest crafts
72.  Create a theme party 
73.  Create a basket with a theme


Financial Growth
74.  Pay off my medical debt
75.  Create an emergency fund
76.  Invest in some stocks
77.  Go through my finances with my dad


Other
78.  Get Surgery on my ankle
79.  Blog at least 15 times per month
80.  Get 3 deep tissue massages
81.  Go 3 full days without saying 1 negative thing
82.  Frame my new diploma
83.  Find my old diploma and frame that too
84.  Decorate my office
85.  Use Coconut Oil in my hair
86.  Focus on MY life and not other people's lives
87.  Watch a series I've never watched
88.  Double the monthly views to my blog
89.  Continue my every other week mani/pedi time with my friends
90.  Become an Assistant Principal or Principal
91.  Teach Scout to shake
92.  Go 48 hours without spending 1 cent
93.  Nail an interview
94.  Mail Kelli's wedding present
95.  Post 5 new things on TPT
96.  Get a facial
97.  Sprinkle my mom's ashes somewhere
98. Make a new playlist with no songs I've ever had on a playlist before
99.  Initiate conversation with 3 strangers
100.  Write a blog about all the best things about myself...and reread it when I need to be reminded

Finally...
101.  Inspire someone else to make a 101 in 1001 list

Are your actions matching your actual priorities?



In the craziness that becomes our lives I think we forget what the MOST important things are.  It's those relationship we have with the people we love.


Every week, for years, I went to my parent's house for dinner.  It was our ritual.  I'd go over.  I'd chat with my mom while she cooked and Dad would pour me a glass of wine.

We'd enjoy or evening, usually ending up on the patio and then my mom would come and snuggle with me and then tuck me in.  I was well in to my twenties and she would still come and tuck me in to bed when I was spending the night over there.

One night I called Mom.  I was swamped at work, crazy busy with stuff.  So, I called and cancelled dinner.  I knew it was a bad idea at the time.  

Fast forward 10 years.  I have no idea what I was doing at work that day...but I remember skipping dinner.  I would give the next 10 years of work for dinner with my mom.

Don't skip dinner.

Oh how I love the sunshine!  Vitamin D makes me oh so happy.  I love that feeling when it moves through my veins and making my mood brighter and lighter.


This Spring my goal was to spend as much time outside, enjoying the sunshine as possible combining my two favorite things...good conversation and sunshine.  


Yesterday I went to Feast on the Street.
Food trucks, beer, great conversation, music and sunshine.  Although we almost never agree, the conversation is always good.  The laughs come easy and the arguments never last long.


On Friday, dinner on the patio.
Great friends, lots of laughs, too much food, and sunshine.

Last weekend I went for a hike.
A good hiking buddy, beautiful desert scenery, a sprained ankle (yeah, I'm serious) and sunshine.

Another lunch on the patio.


Driving down the road.
Windows down, This American Life.  Ira Glass is a bad ass and the sunshine made it even better.

Soon it will be pool weather!  Suntan lotion and sunshine.

And hopefully I'll get over to California to combine all of my favorite things: the beach, the sand, and sunshine.



I feel happy and filled up.  Thank you SUNSHINE and the people who give me those good conversations.

What's your favorite thing to do in the sunshine?  What fills you up completely?

5 Things I Constantly Need Reminders About:

The other day I pulled up GarageBand and recorded myself singing 2 songs.  Yeah I did that.
My birthday is in 17 days in case you were wondering.  Me, Hitler, Columbine, National pot smoking time or police code or whatever it is.  Yes, it is an important day.


I can't stand it when I hear people talk baby talk.  I talk baby talk to my dog every single day.


It really irks me when parents don't give their kids chores.  I don't know why but it does.  Maybe because I started doing the dishes as soon as I could reach the sink (which was actually later than you would think)


I believe true friends do this:



I make a To Do list 364 days a year.  Once a year I just get lazy.


I once spent $47 on Post-its and I didn't make anything cool like this with them.  I probably used them for To Do lists.



Sometimes I wanna punch Pinterest in the face for making me feel like I have to have beautiful placecards labeling the beans, rices, and tortillas at my Taco Bar AND make painted plaques for my house AND roll balloons in yarn for decoration AND spray paint a dollar bill with Tooth Fairy glitter when I have kids




Yep, that's happening


I wish someone would sew Ryan Lochte's lips shut for the rest of his life and just place in a swimsuit for appearances.


I think I'm going to do this 30 Day blogging challenge because sometimes I don't know what to write and I'm ready to jump back on the bloggy blog train.


Any requests for what I should write about???


I have a crazy fear that I'll post of Pinterest picture I've alreayd posted in a blog before.

I have a confession to make.  
Isn't that what you always do on here?  
It's embarrassing.

Tom and Danielle moved to Colorado...and I'm sad.  I'm already miss them so much.  I have this enormous fear that my relationship with Philip and Lily is going to change.  It's so ridiculous and irrational but I can't make it go away.  I'm so scared they are going to get so, so close with their fabulous aunts and uncles in Colorado and completely forget about Aunt Katie.  And it makes my heart hurt.

I mean, the logical side of me says, "That's not how love works.  You love people different.  Relationships are different."  It's weird because I don't have any of the same fears as far as my relationship with Tom and Danielle go.  I am so secure in knowing that we will be "us" forever and ever.  And they will always be so, so close to the rest of their family too.

So, why is it different with the kids?  I've reminded myself of that a thousand times it won't be, but they really have an amazing family in Colorado.  A family that values family and really enjoys being around one another.

And, really, I don't want their relationship.  I want my relationship, that I have with Philip and Lily, the same relationship-forever.

And I know what you're gonna say, "Katie, of course they would never forget you.  You're a great aunt." I am.  I am a great aunt.  There are a lot of things I really suck at (climbing ropes, walking without tripping, saying no to cookie dough) but Aunting (a new verb...I think I like it)?  I make this look gooood (Say that sentence like Will Smith from that movie about killing giant aliens, er bugs)


Those kids have been blessed with lots of great aunts and great uncles.

And I know it's a different kind of love.

Similar to when I have a class and at the end of each year I really think, "I'm never going to love another class like this," and then the next year comes along and I love them in a whole different way.

Or like when Tom and Danielle were afraid they weren't going to love "the next kid" as much as they loved Philip but then Lily was born.  Six pounds, eleven ounces of pure personality...and their hearts just grew.  And, today, I bet it would be difficult to remember what life felt like before her.

It's a different kind of love.  A love like that.  A love like no other.  A relationship like no other.  No duplicating or replacing.  How lucky are we that love multiplies like that.

And I can re-freaking-lax and be secure in the fact that some bonds are a little to thick to be shaken.


So...
I'll give myself the pep talk I know Tom and Danielle would give me.

From Danielle: I knew you were feeling this way.  (Because she psychically always knows my thoughts).  They love you so much.  They love all their aunts and uncles and have such a special and different bond with each of them.



From Tom...and from Tom I would use the term "pep talk" loosely.  Perhaps Tough Love Yell would be more apropos: Really?  Really?  You're ridiculous.

I'm ridiculous...not quite as scared anymore.  Gotta love vomiting your more personal thoughts onto a public site for the world to see writing.