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Well, I finally finished my three art museums. I really didn't think it would take so long, but oh well!

1. Walker Art Museum, Minneapolis, MN
2. Weisman Art Museum, University of MN campus
3. Olumo Rock Art Museum, Abeokuta, Nigeria

 
7 months, that's all I have left to complete this list. I was originally hoping to blog about everything I accomplished, but that just isn't going to happen. I'm too far behind. So here is the updated list of what is accomplished and what I hope to do in the next 7 months. 46 are complete, 11 in progress. Some will never be completed, but when I'm home in July and August, anyone want to help me out?!?!

Things to do:

1. Visit 3 art museums - 7/31/13
2. Visit 3 non-art museums - 7/12/12
3. Ride a segue
4. Play in the leaves
5. Go snow tubing
6. Make a snow angel - 3/3/2012
7. Buy a meal for the family behind me
8. Host 3 game nights - October 2013
9. Finish grad school - May 2013

10. Read 3 classic books - (2/3)
11. Go an entire month without Facebook - May 29-June 30, 2011
12. Go in a water ball - 4/8/2011
13. Buy a new computer - August 2012

14. Go on a date with each of my cousins - (7 complete)
15. Plan a Hintermeyer cousin outing - 12/23/2011
16. Send my own Christmas letter
17. Go see a circus
18. Learn to drive a stick shift - June, 2012
19. Finish Christmas shopping by Thanksgiving
20. Vote, in person, for the first time
21. Find out my blood type
22. Watch 5 classic movies I've never seen before - (1/5)
23. Go to a drive in movie
24. See a movie at the new theater by my house in Lima - 6/18/2011
25. Get a free pass from the library to use somewhere
26. Buy a couch - 9/23/2011
27. Only purchase items for which I have coupons, 3 times

Places to visit:

28. Visit 5 new states - (3/5)
29. Visit 2 new countries
30. Visit 3 countries I've visited before - (2/3)
31. Go on a trip with Mom, Dad, Sarah, and Amy - together or separate - July 2012
32. Take a road trip to visit 3 different friends - March 2012

33. Visit the headwaters of the Mississippi River
34. Spend an entire week at the farm - July 12-18, 2011
35. Visit Wendy and Andre in France
36. Visit Sarah in Egypt
37. Take the Amtrak (or other train) somewhere
38. Visit Niagara Falls
39. Visit Yellowstone & Old Faithful
40. Spend a day at the lake - July 2012

Food & Cooking:

41. Make 5 new main dish recipes -  11/21/2011
42. Make 5 new dessert recipes - 8/14/2011
43. Freeze corn with Mom & Grandma - there was none in 2011!
44. Learn to make cinnamon ring pickles - 9/2011

45. Learn to make relish
46. Plant a garden and eat my own veggies
47. Pick my own strawberries - 7/5/2011
48. Pick my own berry of another variety - 7/25/2011
49. Go to an apple orchard and get apples - 9/27/2011
50. Learn how to can, and do it - August/September 2011
51. Learn how to make Grandma's scalloped potatoes - 7/15/2011 (now I need to do it!)
52. Help host a progressive dinner
53. Use Sarah's dehydrator to make snacks - 11/18/2011
54. Take a cooking class
55. Make a crock-pot meal once a week for a month - 4/25/2011
56. Make dinner for a family in need
57. Make corn-on-the-cob cupcakes
58. Try 5 new restaurants - 8/19/2011
59. Eat at La Rosa Nautica - 6/20/2011
60. Eat at Chick-fil-A - 3/27/2012
61. Grill a pizza - 7/6/2011

62. Take a cake decorating class
63. Go out to eat and everyone order someone else's food
64. Eat Ceviche - 4/23/2011
65. Shop at the Farmer's Market 6 times during the summer - 9/24/2011

66. Try 2 new cuisines I've never had before - (1/2)

Health & Fitness:

67. Run a 5k - August 5, 2012
68. Climb a 14er
69. Attempt to ski again
70. Hike 5 new trails - Finished 3/27/2012
71. Go for a morning walk with los padres at least once a week por un mes
72. Go surfing - 4/30/2011
73. Go ice-skating
74. Go on a long bike ride
75. Rollerblade around Lake Calhoun (or other MN lake)
76. Exercise 3 times a week for a month - August/September 2011
77. Try Zumba
78. Go sailing
79. Actually go swimming during the summer at least 4 times - (2/4)
80. Attempt to kayak - July 4, 2012

Arts & Crafts:

81. Host a craft day 3 times - (1/3)
82. Finish my cross-stitch
83. Knit something other than a scarf
84. Make a t-shirt quilt of Peru - (process begun)
85. Make a coffee table book of Peru
86. Buy a painting before I leave Peru - 6/16/2011
87. Sew something - maybe a dress? - August 2012

88. Learn how to make candles
89. Frame lighthouse painting

Spiritual:

90. Memorize 15 Bible verses/passages - (4/15)
91. Study a book of the Bible in-depth - (Joshua & 2 Corinthians) - July 2012
92. Join a Bible study in Minnesota - 9/13/2011


Fine Arts:

93. See a Broadway musical (on or off Broadway production)
94. See 3 local theater productions - (1/3)
95. Attend 3 orchestra concerts
96. Watch 3 Rodgers & Hammerstein musicals I've never seen before
97. Watch 3 Andrew Lloyd Weber musicals I've never seen before
98. Go caroling
99. Get all my instruments home from Peru - 7/1/2011
100. Learn to sing Happy Birthday in another language (not English, Spanish or Korean) - Modified - Learn to sing Happy Birthday the way another country does it - Nigeria adds extra pieces to the traditional birthday song! - 2012/13 school year!

101. Learn to plan a new song on the piano and then memorize it

Extras:

102. Play paintball - 6/11/2011
103. Fly in a hot air balloon
104. Buy running shoes - 7/26/2011
105. Frame Peru mountain scene - 9/21/2011


 
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The skirt I made out of my Dad's old dress shirt!
Sarah and I decided to have a sewing day the last week we were both home. She made a skirt she could wear in the villages. I saw this idea online so I asked my dad if he had any old shirts he was ready to get rid of. Just this one, but that's all I needed. I pretty much finished it in a day. It is fun to know I made it, and I am reminded of my dad every time I wear it!
 
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Amy relaxing on a rainy day inside.
In July we were all home at once. A rare occurance in our family. We took the opportunity to spend a few days at a lake cabin. I guess people took photos on their camera because I only seem to have this one, not one proving we were together. However, we enjoyed relaxing, playing games, and getting ice cream at the local ice cream places. It was a great week with the family.

I did also get a few days to travel with my parents when they came to Peru where we took a trip to the mountains. I also flew out and visited Amy in Colorado. My trip with Sarah specifically will come in April when I hope to go visit her.
 
For the past year I have been nursing my old computer along, hoping it would last one more month. After 6 years I would say it served its purpose. About a week before moving to Nigeria I finally got a new one. It has been such a blessing to have a working machine!
 
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We talked about running a race this spring, and actually did it! Amy and I finished in 34 minutes 24 seconds. Sarah was just a little ways behind us. I ran the first 2 miles without stopping, took a walk, and then finished it off running! I don't know if I'll ever do one again, but it was fun to run a race at least once.

 
Have you been wondering how my list is coming? What is accomplished and what I still need to get done in the next 16 months? It looks like 33/101 (+ 3 extras) are complete and another 13 or so are started. I have a little bit to still accomplish, but it's coming. Do you want to help me accomplish something?

Things to do:

1. Visit 3 art museums
2. Visit 3 non-art museums - 7/12/12
3. Ride a segue
4. Play in the leaves
5. Go snow tubing
6. Make a snow angel - 3/3/2012
7. Buy a meal for the family behind me
8. Host 3 game nights
9. Finish grad school - (11/12 classes)
10. Read 3 classic books - (1/3)
11. Go an entire month without Facebook - May 29-June 30, 2011
12. Go in a water ball - 4/8/2011

13. Buy a new computer
14. Go on a date with each of my cousins - (7 complete)
15. Plan a Hintermeyer cousin outing - 12/23/2011
16. Send my own Christmas letter
17. Go see a circus
18. Learn to drive a stick shift - June, 2012
19. Finish Christmas shopping by Thanksgiving
20. Vote, in person, for the first time
21. Find out my blood type
22. Watch 5 classic movies I've never seen before - (1/5)
23. Go to a drive in movie
24. See a movie at the new theater by my house in Lima - 6/18/2011
25. Get a free pass from the library to use somewhere
26. Buy a couch - 9/23/2011
27. Only purchase items for which I have coupons, 3 times

Places to visit:

28. Visit 5 new states - (3/5)
29. Visit 2 new countries
30. Visit 3 countries I've visited before - (2/3)
31. Go on a trip with Mom, Dad, Sarah, and Amy - together or separate - July 2012
32. Take a road trip to visit 3 different friends - March 2012
33. Visit the headwaters of the Mississippi River
34. Spend an entire week at the farm - July 12-18, 2011
35. Visit Wendy and Andre in France
36. Visit Sarah in Egypt
37. Take the Amtrak (or other train) somewhere
38. Visit Niagara Falls
39. Visit Yellowstone & Old Faithful
40. Spend a day at the lake

Food & Cooking:

41. Make 5 new main dish recipes -  11/21/2011
42. Make 5 new dessert recipes - 8/14/2011

43. Freeze corn with Mom & Grandma - there was none in 2011!
44. Learn to make cinnamon ring pickles - 9/2011
45. Learn to make relish
46. Plant a garden and eat my own veggies
47. Pick my own strawberries - 7/5/2011
48. Pick my own berry of another variety - 7/25/2011
49. Go to an apple orchard and get apples - 9/27/2011

50. Learn how to can, and do it
51. Learn how to make Grandma's scalloped potatoes - 7/15/2011 (now I need to do it!)
52. Help host a progressive dinner
53. Use Sarah's dehydrator to make snacks - 11/18/2011
54. Take a cooking class
55. Make a crock-pot meal once a week for a month - 4/25/2011
56. Make dinner for a family in need
57. Make corn-on-the-cob cupcakes
58. Try 5 new restaurants - 8/19/2011
59. Eat at La Rosa Nautica - 6/20/2011
60. Eat at Chick-fil-A - 3/27/2012
61. Grill a pizza - 7/6/2011

62. Take a cake decorating class
63. Go out to eat and everyone order someone else's food
64. Eat Ceviche - 4/23/2011
65. Shop at the Farmer's Market 6 times during the summer - 9/24/2011
66. Try 2 new cuisines I've never had before - (1/2)

Health & Fitness:

67. Run a 5k
68. Climb a 14er
69. Attempt to ski again
70. Hike 5 new trails - Finished 3/27/2012
71. Go for a morning walk with los padres at least once a week por un mes
72. Go surfing - 4/30/2011
73. Go ice-skating
74. Go on a long bike ride
75. Rollerblade around Lake Calhoun (or other MN lake)
76. Exercise 3 times a week for a month - August/September 2011
77. Try Zumba
78. Go sailing
79. Actually go swimming during the summer at least 4 times - (2/4)
80. Attempt to kayak - July 4, 2012

Arts & Crafts:

81. Host a craft day 3 times - (1/3)
82. Finish my cross-stitch
83. Knit something other than a scarf
84. Make a t-shirt quilt of Peru - (process begun)
85. Make a coffee table book of Peru
86. Buy a painting before I leave Peru - 6/16/2011
87. Sew something - maybe a dress?
88. Learn how to make candles
89. Frame lighthouse painting

Spiritual:

90. Memorize 15 Bible verses/passages - (4/15)
91. Study a book of the Bible in-depth - twice (1/2)
92. Join a Bible study in Minnesota - 9/13/2011

Fine Arts:

93. See a Broadway musical (on or off Broadway production)
94. See 3 local theater productions - (1/3)
95. Attend 3 orchestra concerts
96. Watch 3 Rodgers & Hammerstein musicals I've never seen before
97. Watch 3 Andrew Lloyd Weber musicals I've never seen before
98. Go caroling
99. Get all my instruments home from Peru - 7/1/2011
100. Learn to sing Happy Birthday in another language (not English, Spanish or Korean)
101. Learn to plan a new song on the piano and then memorize it

Extras:

102. Play paintball - 6/11/2011
103. Fly in a hot air balloon
104. Buy running shoes - 7/26/2011
105. Frame Peru mountain scene - 9/21/2011

 
I enjoy visiting art museums from time to time, so it seemed like a good item to put on here. However, it seems like art museums get visited the most frequently, so I made a provision for getting to non-art museums. Guess which one I finished first?!?

The first I visited was Museo de la Nacion in Lima, Peru. Amy was visiting me at the end of my time there. I had driven past the museum dozens of times, so it was fun to finally stop in. They have some cool Peruvian history there. The top floor is a memorial to the time when the Shining Path was causing terrorism through the country, so that was really interesting for me to learn more about. (I have a picture of this somewhere, but can't find it!)

The second museum was the Science museum of MN. I got to go with my aunt Wendy and cousin Lucy-Mei when they were visiting from France. It was great fun to roam through all the different areas.

The last museum was the Arboretum museum at the University of Idaho. I wouldn't normally think of an arboretum as a museum, but it said it was, so I'm counting it! I walked through the beautiful gardens with two girls I met at an education workshop out in Idaho one evening. What a beautiful night it was!

I don't plan on stopping visiting museums now ths
 
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I've never had a chance to try out kayaking, but thought it would be fun. When we were at my aunt and uncle's cabin over the 4th of July, my cousin Olivia joined me in the adventure. It was kind of fun! I'd do it again. I guess it was pretty windy when we went out, so it was more work than normal, but I still had a blast. Thanks for taking me out, Olivia!

 
My whole life I've driven an automatic. It's easy. However, I realized while I was in Peru that knowing how to drive a manual would probably be wise. They are far more common there.  They are far more common in Nigeria too.  So I put it on the list. 

A couple weeks ago I was driving out to southern MN with my friend Josiah. He was driving. He was tired. His car is a stick. I couldn't help. So I just talked to him a lot to keep him awake. We made it.  On the way home a couple days later he was driving, he was tired, and his car was still a stick. I couldn't help.  We decided maybe I should learn.

A couple days later he came over and we drove around a parking lot for a while. I'm not good. Getting into 1st is terrible. Shifting to 2nd or 3rd is fine. I just struggle getting started.  A week later we tried again. It was better this time and I drove all the way to the mall (on back roads) and we survived. Hopefully I haven't hurt any portion of his car too badly with how frequently I killed it.  

I'm sure there will be more opportunities to practice, which is a necessity if I'm going to master this skill, but if I had to