74. No fast food for 1 month

This is The Last Supper. I decided that since I can't eat Chick-fil-a (the only fast food place I really frequent) for a month, I'm gorging myself before I start. And yes, the 1270 calories I just consumed was totally worth it. I probably go through the Chick-fil-a drive through every week, just to get their tea. Half sweet, half unsweet perfection. I will not be a happy person this month. I may snap at you should you talk to me when I have a Chick-fil-a craving. If you come near me with a Chick-fil-a something in your hand, I don't know what I'll do...so just don't do it.

Now, I suppose I should operationally define "fast food". It's definitely a place with a drive through. And it's a place where I don't have to leave a tip or where I receive my food at the counter where I pay. I think those are good enough definitions.

So, my start date: June 5, 2011. End date: July 4, 2011. I'll check in occasionally to document how it's going. Pray for me.

10. Write at least 2 letters to each child, per year - 2011

 Last letter: I am pressed for time. So, instead of writing individual letters to my 4 girls, I wrote 1 letter to them all. Things that I would want them to know if I died tomorrow. Stuff like "I'm proud of you because you're my kid. Not because of things you have done" and "being your mom is the best job and I love it" and my favorite "marry someone your dad approves of". I pray that they don't read this one for many, many years.

Ava, Morgan, and Kennedy's letters are done (a shout out to Emmaline who slept for hours this afternoon so I could write). What I've realized thus far is that writing letters twice a year is a lot. I've written three letters now to each of my big girls and I'm afraid I'm starting to write the same thing. Although Kennedy's letter was quite easy since I just told her how she is a toddler in the fullest sense of the word. But, I do enjoy thinking about how my precious kids have changed, grown, and (hopefully) matured.

Well, this one is getting increasingly more difficult to do. Like I have an hour to sit down and write 4 letters. I don't even have time to sit down. Much less do anything while I sit. So it's probably a good thing that this is on my list. Because otherwise, it just wouldn't happen. Then in 30 years I'd look back to when my kids were babies and regret not making time.

So, I made time today. To write one. It was Emmaline's. I said things like "You're not sleeping well. All you do is poop. And eat. But I love you more than you will ever imagine." It reminded me of something really sweet: God's love for me. I'm like Emmaline - and yet the Lord loves me more than I could ever imagine. Not because of what I do for Him, but just because I'm His. Thank you my precious Emmaline for reminding me of that.

68. Host a movie night

I'm a little late in posting this...because I did this back in January. We had a sweet couple, Michael and Kim over to watch Inception. It's not my type of movie, but I really enjoyed it. Strangely spectacular. Crazily cool. Weirdly wonderful. You get the picture. It was a weird movie...but I liked it. And it was a lot more fun to watch with friends since we talked about it afterward. It's one of those movies that when you're done watching it you ask yourself: "what the heck was that?". I may need to watch it 10 more times to really get it.

45. Host a blind taste test

A few years ago Matt and I had a couple over to taste test root beer. It was one of the most enjoyable evenings. So when making my list of 101 things, I knew I had to include another taste test evening.

So tonight we had two sweet couples over and gorged ourselves on brownies. Here were the contenders:

Ghirardelli Chocolate Supreme
Homemade (recipe here)
Duncan Hines Milk Chocolate
Target Brand

The only consensus was that the homemade ones were not good. They weren't chocolatey and gooey enough and were pretty dense. But, I've had my sister's Oreo Brownies and they were the best thing I've ever tasted, so I'm pretty sure it was a bum recipe (at least that's what I'm telling myself since I was the one who made them).

Matt and I liked Ghirardelli best. It was gooey, chocolatey goodness. Others really liked the Duncan Hines mix. Personally, it was too milk chocolatey. Great texture though.One person liked the Target best. It was really gooey...maybe too much so.

Interestingly, when tasting them blindly, not many people correctly guessed the brand...except for the homemade. And while I enjoyed eating brownies, the best part was sharing it with friends. I'm glad this one was on my list.

13. Get a massage AND 19. Get professaional pictures done

Well, my little sister got married this past weekend. Wow, does time go by fast. Sometimes I still think of her as a little kid. Until I watch her walk down the aisle and realize that she's now a married woman. And an added bonus of me getting another great brother-in-law. So fun! Hannah and Luke - congratulations on getting hitched. Love you both!

And here's what I get to check off my list:

13. Get a massage. Hannah and her girls, mom, and MIL went to get our nails done. So, I got a wonderful hand and foot massage.
19. Get professional pictures done. Yes, it was only 1 picture of the Tringali's. But, it counts. So, I check it off.

31. Get a good set of pots and pans

This is my mom. One of the most generous people I know. These are my new stainless steel pots and pans. I LOVE them. I've been wanting to go all stainless steel for years now - but there was always some other pressing expense.

Most of what I have had was teflon coated. I began to feel uncomfortable using those years ago due to the toxic particles that it lets off. Here are some websites that speak to the dangers:

http://www.ecomall.com/greenshopping/teflon4.htm
http://www.wisegeek.com/is-teflon-dangerous.htm
http://www.ehow.com/facts_5900619_danger-using-teflon-pans.html

Anyway, back to the point. My sweet mother gave me this beautiful (and safe) set of stainless steel for my birthday this year...hence I get to check it off my list. Stay tuned to my other blog, Simply Your Life for a post on how I organized them. Which was just about as exciting as getting them.

7. Memorize More Scripture

I do not memorize things well. Never have (always been a terrible test taker) and most likely never will. I've tried posting index cards around the house. Didn't work. I've tried memorizing with a friend. Didn't work. So, here's yet another attempt to memorize more of God's word.

I did a post on my other blog, Simplify Your Life, about my "daily docket" or my to dos for each day. It's the picture above. On the top right corner of the sheet, I have a Scripture Memory section. I write it out every day, which will help me memorize it. I'm on verse 1, but so far I am doing a better job of remembering the verse (well, at least the general idea of it) than I have in the past.

So, I'm checking this one off. Yes, I know it's probably a little premature. But, I haven't checked anything off in a while and I'll be honest. I need to check something off. So, off it goes and onto the next thing on my list.