101 in 1001 Kickoff!

If a man knows not what harbor he seeks,
any wind is the right wind. - Seneca

I love the start of a new year - getting a fresh outlook on my life and where I want to go in the next 365 days. Well, this time I'm looking ahead toward a few more days than just 365...1001 days to be exact. I've compiled my 101 in 1001 --> 101 goals to reach, 1001 days to reach them.

I really enjoy making goals and pushing myself, but I find that every year my good-intentioned goal setting slowly fades into oblivion. I put things off. I forget. I run out of time. That's why I 'heart' the idea of the 101 in 1001. 101 goals that are specific, perfectly attainable but still stretching, and set within a specific time period so I keep from procrastinating. Plus, I have them all documented right here so I won't forget. :-D

Many of my goals are exciting, others are serious and some are silly. I'm so excited to attempt to accomplish them all, and to document my thoughts as I grow from each one. I hope you enjoy walking with me through my journey in the next 2.75 years!

Adrienne's 101 in 1001

Start Date: January 1, 2010

End Date: September 28, 2012

1. Go to the temple once/week for 1 month
2. Visit a continent I've never been to before
3. Get started on my Master's degree
4. Complete my NYIP photography course
5. See Jeremy's parents (with the boys) once every 3 months
6. Read 1 classical literature book
7. Memorize a new piano song
8. Write my own piano song
9. Start my own business
10. Photograph a wedding
11. Wear a bikini on my 30th birthday (and look good in it)
12. Participate in a charity organization
13. Pay off my school loans
14. Potty train the boys --> completed 01/17/10
    
15. Take a Spanish class to brush up on my conversational skills
16. Take a writing class
17. Learn how to use Photoshop
18. Make my wedding video (finally)
19. Build a bigger pantry in my kitchen
20. Babysit my niece and nephew for a weekend so Ben & Sarah can have a getaway
21. Tour the East Coast with Jeremy
22. Give up T.V. for 1 month
23. Visit 10 places out of my "1001 Places to See Before You Die" book
24. Write a nice note to a different person every day for 1 month
25. Go snow skiing with Jeremy (even though I hate it)
26. Mentor a child or teenager
27. Give out 5 Book of Mormons
28. Take a friend to church --> completed 05/23/10
29. Go back to Disney World
30. Organize the closets in the bedrooms
31. Do 100% Visiting Teaching for 6 months
32. Read the Book of Mormon cover to cover in 3 months
33. Blog every day for 1 month
34. Reach my sales target for 1 quarter
35. Get a new referral at work --> completed 05/05/10
36. Catch up my scrapbooking
37. Do a digital scrapbooking project
38. Throw a party once a quarter
39. Document my party planning ideas
40. Be a vegetarian for 1 month
41. Take my boys camping
42. Run a 1/2 marathon
43. Second shoot with a cool wedding photographer
44. Take a photography workshop
45. Learn how to make fondant icing
46. Take a cruise
47. Read 1 book per month for 3 months - just for fun
48. Learn how to make Vickie's homemade bread (the best bread on the planet) --> completed 01/17/10
49. Scuba dive in the Blue Hole in Belize
50. Take a cake decorating class with Lindsey
51. Get lighting equipment
52. Visit Liz in Houston
53. Update my wardrobe
54. Organize a scrapbooking club
55. Visit Emily R. in NJ
56. Get clip shoes and learn to ride a bike with them
57. Visit Emily S. & Siobhan in California
58. Make a photobook of my blog --> completed 06/04/10
59. Help Jeremy document his recipes
60. See a Broadway musical or play
61. Redo the boys' room
62. Finish painting the wood in my house
63. Landscape our yard
64. De-clutter my garage
65. Take cool landscape/nature photos and frame them
66. Visit my sister's class
67. Go on a double date with Lindsey and Luke
68. Plan a family reunion somewhere fun
69. Take Alex on a brother-sister date
70. Attend all sessions of a General Conference (including the RS/YW broadcast)
71. Give Collette piano lessons
72. Create home movies of the boys' first 3 years
73. Watch Brighton for a weekend so Brian and Collette can have a getaway
74. Make a craft kit for ready-to-make-crafts for Matt & Jordi
    
75. Learn to play golf
76. Get an Apple computer
77. Visit Pauline
78. Write Pauline a letter and send pics of the boys
79. Swim 1 mile in less than 40 minutes
80. Visit an art museum with Lindsey
81. Go climbing - I used to love it
82. Take horseback riding lessons with Jeremy
83. Join Rainmakers
84. Make an FHE kit
85. Sell my home gym set that I won on the Price is Right (anybody interested?)
86. Take an all-girls trip to somewhere warm
87. Join AAA
88. Create an account strictly for charity giving
89. Send Andrew a care package before he's home from his mission
90. Make the boy's Halloween costumes
91. Figure out how to use my talents for a good cause
92. Reconnect with an old friend
93. Study New Testament times history and learn more about Christ's life
94. Go paragliding with my dad
95. Make a new friend
96. Take a weekend trip with just me, my sister and my mom
97. Transfer all of our old home videos to DVD for my Mom and Dad
98. Do something really special for my parents
99. Take a spontaneous trip - no planning, just get on a plane and go
100. Participate in a medical mission with Jeremy
101. Do a surprise for Jeremy just because

*Note: I'm adding one rule to my 101 in 1001... Since life is very much subject to change and my life's goals and priorities shift from time to time, I'm allowing myself to review my list once every 6 months and to make up to 2 revisions (either changing or removing/adding a goal) in order to ensure I maximize my growth through this experience.

Holiday Wrap-up

December is always a whirlwind of events with the boys' birthday and Christmas, plus a wedding in Jeremy's family this year, so I'm only now finally getting to the last posts of 2009!

Christmas for us always starts out with a trip to the tree farm to cut down the perfect tree.



And of course popcorn and hot chocolate afterward...


The finished product...



We had such a fun Christmas this year. The boys were totally into Santa Claus and they also loved to talk about Baby Jesus' birthday. (sigh) 3 years old is so fun! I love it. :-D



To All, I hope your holiday season was filled with joy and happiness. Best wishes and God bless your 2010!

The Boys' Birthday Bash

I can't believe my babies are 3! We did lots of things on the boys' 3rd birthday - we went out for a pancake breakfast with Pauline, shot off a model rocket (one of Matt and Jordi's absolute favorite things to do), had a party with Grandma & "Crapa", Lindsey & Luke, and Alex, and we went to see "The Princess & The Frog". Such a perfect birthday for two little three year olds!

The Birthday Boys

My oh-so-talented sister made the boys the coolest shark cupcakes. Since the boys are obsessed with 3 things - airplanes, rockets and sharks - the shark cupcakes were a total hit. While eating their cupcakes, Matthew and Jordan decided to put on a little show - quite an impressive display of singing, dancing and hugging.

Shooting off rockets with Daddy = Matt-matt & Jordi's #1 favorite thing to do

Happy Birthday, cute boys!

*******************************************************

Matthew Jay Crouch
Born December 13, 2006, 5:45pm
5 lbs. 7 oz.


Jordan Michael Crouch
Born December 13, 2006, 5:56pm
3 lbs. 11 oz.


Matthew Jay: 1 year old


Jordan Michael: 1 year old


Matthew Jay: 2 years old

Jordan Michael: 2 years old:

Matthew Jay: 3 years old

Jordan Michael: 3 years old

Happy Birthday, Matt-matt and Jordi

12/13/09

My Dearest Matthew and Jordan,

Where has the time gone? I'll admit that the first 18 months seemed to creep by so slowly, but then one day, I woke up and my babies were 3 years old. I try to savor every moment, though. Every time you ask me to play airplanes or dragons, but then I think I have something more important to do - like laundry or emails or dishes - I stop and tell myself that you're only going to think that your arms are wings and that boxes are boats for so long. So, I'll drop the laundry and save the dishes for later so I can take an imaginary journey to your innocent little world - the happiest place on Earth.

I love that you two came to Earth together but that you are both so different. Matthew, when you were 1 week old, the doctors told us we could take you home (and just in time for Christmas), but you wouldn't have it - not without your little brother. Your dad and I had the strongest feeling that you needed to stay. And stay you did in a tiny bassinet next to Jordan. Over the course of the next week, Jordan made quite an impressive jump in weight and was allowed to go home earlier than expected. I just know that he needed you there with him through that week to support him and be there for him. Matthew, you still have that same balance of tenderness and strong-headed determination that you did at 1 week old. I love that you are so sweet and I love to give you snuggles. You warm my heart straight through to the center. I love that you never give up at anything you try and you're not afraid to try anything (my little daredevil). I love your energy and your mischievousness. Just when I think you're feeling a little mellow one day, the goofball inside of you comes out. You make everything you do full of joy. If you're running, your arms are suspended like airplane wings. If you're taking a bath, you're not just bathing, you're being a shark. I pray that, throughout your life, you continue to find joy in even the simplest of ways. You're truly a special boy, Matt-matt. I feel so blessed to be your mommy.

Jordan, you are my sunshine. To you, life is full of excitement and cheerfulness. Every moment of your day is filled with activity, imagination and wonder. When there is a party, you're not going to bed until it's over - after all, what's a party without you? To you, the world revolves around you and your life revolves around fun. I love this about you. I love your bubbly personality. I love your giggle and your silliness. I love to escape with you into imaginary lands. I love your light-heartedness. And, let's not forgot about the talking. You have certainly been blessed with the gift of gab. You were talking in full sentences by 18 months! We have a really hard time shutting you up, but then, I couldn't imagine a world that wasn't filled with your chatter. I'm not sure how you find so much to say, but you certainly make it look easy. Finally, Jordi, I love how much you adore Matthew. Even though you're the younger brother (by 11 minutes), you've taken upon yourself the responsibility of watching over your older brother (some people would call it bossiness). :-) By the time you were first learning to talk, if you were given a cracker, you just had to make sure that Matthew got one too. If you got a blue car, you searched the house until you found the red one for Matt. And nowadays, there's hardly a night that I go into your room to tuck you in and that I don't find you in your big brother's bed. You just can't tear yourself away from him - even just to sleep. I love you so much, Jordan. You are such an amazing little boy. I'm so thankful to be your mommy.

Boys, you are my little miracles. You make the grayest of skies seem blue. You fill my heart with so much love and joy to the point that I think it might just burst out of my chest. I love you with the deepest of loves that only a mother could have for her children. I thank Heavenly Father every day that he blessed me with you. Happy Birthday, Little Sweeties.

Love,
Mommy

Family Pictures

I LOVE hanging new family photos on my walls. I like to keep the older pictures in the frames behind the newest ones so that every time I fill my frames with updated pictures, I can look at how everyone has changed. It's amazing to look back at how my little premies have grown into tiny boys!

My Dayton BFF (and amazing photographer), Collette Seavey, took our family pictures this fall. They turned out fabulous (although it's not hard to get good pictures when you're photographing the cutest kids on the planet ;-) ). Check 'em out...

Walt Disney World Vacation

I can't believe how long it's taken me to post these pictures. :-S We spent the first week of November in Walt Disney World! This was my 8th or 9th trip to Disney World (although it's been years), but it was Jeremy's 1st. It was so fun to take him and the boys to Disney World for their first time! Disney World truly is the happiest place on Earth - it was the most fun I've ever had!

Before I go on, I must say that the next 4 pictures kill me! Aren't they just oozing with cuteness?! I have pictures of my sister and I at about the same age standing on this same boat...


'Sup. ...I'm not really sure where he picked up the homeboy act....It's pretty darn cute, though. :-)


Of course I have a bazillion shots of the boys hugging characters, but their favorites were Buzz and Woody:


We stayed at the Disney Coronado Springs Resort. Some fun times at the resort...


The boys caught this lizard out on the grounds of our hotel. Jordan named him "Zachary" (I have no idea where he got that name. We don't know any Zacharys...).






While there we visited all of the parks, and we even got to go to a hoedown with Mickey. :-)

Magic Kingdom









Epcot




Hollywood Studios




Animal Kingdom









Mickey's Backyard BBQ Hoedown
You can't tell it from the above picture, but Matthew is a maniac on the dance floor!




And now leaving the Magical Land of Exhaustion...