End of the Year Update

I know it's been awhile, but slow and steady wins the race...or in this case, completes the list. I started this a year ago today and I'm really happy I haven't ditched it over the past 365 days. Last year was full with challenges and blessings, and I'm excited to see what 2011 will bring. We will be moving this year, and because of where I think we're going, I may be revamping several of my items. But since it's been more than two months since I updated this list, here are the things I've worked on:

(014) Read a book a month (8/34)
I wish I had more to put down, but I've only read one book in the past two months: Something Blue by Emily Giffin. I need to step up if I want to cross off this category!

(018) Learn to take great food photos
Definitely a work in progress. I need to change this to "Learn to take great photos" just in general. I started a photography blog to help my progress and I'm considering taking a photo every day in 2011 to help. The new blog: Shutterbug Jess. 

(027) Buy an SLR camera
I bought a Nikon d3100 on Black Friday, 2010. I'm over the moon with this purchase and love practicing with it!

(065) Watch 26 Movies I've never seen starting with each letter of the alphabet (19/26)
R. The Rock. Watched this with my husband...it was okay, I suppose.



(075) Try one new recipe a month (35/34)
It turns out that I really like to cook and bake, so this category is now CROSSED OUT!! P.S. Have you checked out my new cooking blog with my sister-in-law? The Tale of Two Kitchens :)
29. Sweet and Spicy Tilapia
30. Coconut Macaroons
31. Taco Soup
32. Puppy Chow
33. Tahini Cookie Bars
34. Eggs Florentine Casserole
35. Black-Eyed Pea Salad




(077) Bake and give away a dozen different baked goods (2/12)
3. Baked three dozen for my husband for Christmas/New Years.


(081) Bake at least 10 different cupcakes (3/10)
4. I made Creepy, Crawly, Dirt(y) Cupcakes! 

(082) Get my grandma’s recipes
CHECK! Now I just need to put them into a recipe book!

(088) Tip 100% of a restaurant bill
CHECK! I did this at a restaurant called O'Charleys, but I'd like to leave a 100% tip again sometime. I went to a very large group lunch (about 20 women PLUS kids) and the waitress we had was amazingly patient and got all of the orders right. She handled the group like a pro and did it all herself, which is a feat all on its own. My bill was only around $15, but she deserved every penny.

(091) Make a gingerbread house
CHECK! I went to a gingerbread house party and had an absolute blast! It was my first experience with making a gingerbread house and definitely won't be my last! 

(092) Go on a ghost tour
CHECK! I have photos, i just...um...haven't posted them. I went on a ghost tour in Savannah the week before Thanksgiving, 2010. Unfortunately (I think), it wasn't scary at all. The acting was actually pretty horrible—that may have been the scariest part. 

** Go through a corn maize 
This was an extra goodie, but my husband and I went through a corn maze in Georgia. I loved wandering through the labyrinth and can't wait to go through another one!

(100) Take a bubble bath with candles at least once a month (5/34)
6. November, migraine
7. December, migraine
8. December, flu

Apple Pie Cupcakes

I made Apple Pie Cupcakes last weekend and consequently, it works for three different categories! (I'd post a picture, but apparently I've gone over my picture quota for Blogger. Sad times.)

(075) Try one new recipe a month 
CHECK! 

(077) Bake and give away a dozen different baked goods
I gave a dozen of these to my friend Brooke and spread the other dozen between friends.

(081) Bake at least 10 different cupcakes (2/10)
Bam! This is definitely a "different" cupcake. And from scratch, too! 
 

It's Been Awhile...

I know, it seems like it's been forever since I last updated, and maybe it has been, but I've been keeping track of what I've been doing! Oh! And I officially have less than two years to finish this, crazy, huh.

(017) Learn Photoshop
My husband bought Elements for me, so I'm learning!

(032) Send 10 random “thinking of you” cards to friends/family
1. Sent a card to my friend in Idaho

(046) Pay off my credit card
Paid that sucker off on September 20, 2010. SO happy!

(065) Watch 26 Movies I've never seen starting with each letter of the alphabet 
A. Air Force One
O. Only You

(066) Host 10 game nights 
1. Had a game night with our friends Kurtis and Michelle

(074) Take a cake decorating class 
Complete!

(075) Try one new recipe a month 
20. tequila lime chicken SO delicious, and is now a staple on our menu.
21. hearty lasagna This was also delicious and easy to make.
22. Smoked Mozzarella Meatballs Personally, I didn't like these.
23. Raspberry Cucpakes
24. Oven Fried Okra These turned out really well and we'll probably make them again when okra's in season.
25. Garlic Potato Fries LOVE, love, LOVE these! Make them now! Delicious!
26. Zuppa Tuscana Oh, this was good and I"ll definitely make it again.
27. Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas

(081) Bake at least 10 different cupcakes
2. Sour Cream Raspberry Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

(100) Take a bubble bath with candles at least once a month 
4. Took a bath august (headache)
5. Took a bath in October (with epsom salt)

Marking More Off!

 

(014) Read a book a month 

First Comes Love: I'm a sucker for cute titles and fun book covers, so this was right up my alley. I found I related to the character more at the beginning of the book, since she was a newlywed and was the only one without children in her group of friends. Once she actually got pregnant it was interesting to read just to hear about her experience.

English American: Again, this book was perfect for me since I love England and I'm an American. It's about a girl who was born in America, but adopted to a British family. It was very interesting, entertaining, and a great read.

Something Borrowed: My friend (Ali at His Birdie's Nest) found out I had never read anything by Emily Giffen and so she sent me three of her books! I finally got around to reading Something Borrowed and I loved it. Now I'm reading Something Blue!

(074) Take a cake decorating class
I'm taking the Wilton Decorating Basics class right now and I love it!






(075) Try one new recipe a month
Pesto. Our garden was overflowing with basil so I made several cups of pesto! I froze some in ice trays, so hopefully they'll be good this winter.

Salsa. See below.

(079) Make salsa from scratch
Done and done. It's a family recipe, but once I find it (it's in my kitchen and I'm in my living room!) I'll post it.  

(100) Take a bubble bath with candles at least once a month
 I took one last month and read part of my book while relaxing in the tub!

**Changed 009 (Go to an Oktoberfest to Replicate "The Kiss" in Times Square

Summer Cleaning

I've been working on this list for a little over six months and I have a few things I want to change around. My goal is to get an updated list up by the end of the week. Stay tuned!

Are you keeping up with your 101 in 1001 Days challenge?

Movies, books, food, and links!

Getting My Learn On

(014) Read a book a month 

4. Savannah Comes Undone
This was the second book in the trio and it was a very quick read. Nothing spectacular about it.

5. The Best Day of Someone Else's Life
This book took a little getting into before it got good, but I really enjoyed it. A great chick-lit read and especially entertaining if you just got married, you're about to tie the knot, or you're a repeat bridesmaid!

*I need to step up my book reading; I should have seven complete by now...

Entertainment
(065) Watch 26 Movies I've never seen starting with each letter of the alphabet  
B. Bounty Hunter 
*Saw this at the $1 theater and thought it was entertaining. I'm happy I didn't pay full price to see it, though. 

F. Fake Identity
*I have a confession to make: I LOVE Val Kilmer. Well, I loved him in The Saint. This movie, on the other hand, was terrible. Like awful, real bad, don't even think about watching it. 

I. It's Complicated 
*Cute movie. I thought I'd be grossed out by the adults being all in love, but it was cute.

N. North by Northwest
My husband put this on and made me for us to watch last night and I really liked it! I have another confession to make: I thought all Alfred Hitchcock movies were scary based on the few I've seen. This was a classic suspense movie, though, and not scary at all! I liked it :)

T. Time Traveler's Wife
*I read the book last September and sobbed like a baby through the last half. I really enjoyed the book and contemplated not watching the movie, because I didn't want them to ruin how much I liked the book. The movie, I thought, was created very nicely and followed the book enough to satisfy my imagination.

W. When in Rome
*As far as chick flicks go, this one was awful. I wish I could say what I didn't like about it, but honestly, the whole movie was pretty lame in my opinion...

Domestic Goddess
(075) Try one new recipe a month 
14. Pasta with Tomato and Blue Cheese Sauce (Pioneer Woman)
*LOVED this dish and can't wait to make it again!

15. Twice Baked Potatoes (Pioneer Woman)
* Oh. My. Word. These were beyond delicious and unbelievably easy to make. I can't wait to have these again sometime. I also lightened it up by using fat free sour cream, Brummel and Brown butter, and not as many bacon bits. Delicious.

16. Margarita by Alton Brown
*Okay, I technically didn't make this, but I sure drank every last sip of it. My husband made this and it was hands down one, one of—if not the—best margarita I've ever tasted. Yes, it's time consuming and a sticky process, but the outcome is lip-smacking deliciousness.

17. Blueberry Pie 
*See above, because I didn't make this one either. It was also extremely tasty and surprisingly not as bad for you as most pies are. He substituted Splenda for part of the sugar, too. Mmmmm...so yummy.

(082) Get my grandma’s recipes
*I got her recipes, but now I want to make a recipe book with them, so I'm not marking this complete, yet. 


Good Will
(084) Pay for a stranger’s meal/coffee once a year 
1. While I was home I got coffee at Satellite Cafe and left a $10 after I paid for my coffee and asked the drive-through attendant to pay for the next couple cars' orders after I left. 


Leftovers
(098) Get three people to make lists of their own (0/3)
1. JoJo's Life in the 505
2. Kristin's 101 in 1001 Days
3. Amanda (my sister in law)! *Amanda, let me know when you get yours up and running so I can add a link here :)

Help, please!

If you're clicking over from Jesstagirl and Her Officer, hello!

When I first began this list, a couple people said it inspired them to begin their own 101 in 1001 list, so I was wondering how many of you actually started it because of me. You see, number 98 on my list is to "Get three people to make lists of their own." 

So how 'bout it, have any of you started a list because of me?