five things Friday: 21 in 2021 update edition

We're almost halfway through the year and under 2 months to baby, which made me think it's time for a check-in on my 21 in 2021 list! Though I always love setting these lists of big and small intentions for fun and productivity, this year I was feeling a little uninspired to make one in January (turns out that mighta been 1st trimester talking...) so I've just been adding to my list 5 items at a time as I think of things that I'm excited about or want to make sure that I get around to. Here are the original 10 + the 5 new ones, with completed crossed off and in process in italics:

1. Give Schitt's Creek another try
2. Update the fireplace mantel decor
3. Do the RAD Reading Challenge
4. Continue the monthly family movie night tradition from 2020
5. Get a treadmill
6. Read 10 backlist books
7. Upgrade my robe and slippers situation
8. Take H on a day trip
9. Make a photo album
10. Spend $50/month with at least 2 local businesses
    
11. Set up a sweet baby brother nursery!
12. Find 2 go-to Instant Pot recipes
13. Take a mini getaway with Peter
14. Try out tousled waves with the Dyson hair dryer
15. Listen to A Promised Land
    

Some updates on the done/in-progress ones:

• It took me several seasons to get into Schitt's Creek, but by that last one? All in. Plus the documentary about the making of the last season endeared me so much more to Dan Levy & co. Worth the bit of effort to fall in love with the show.
• Loved having my treadmill when it was cold/slippery out, and now I'm going to be appreciating it all over again when it's too hot for a very pregnant lady to take walks outside. Have really been enjoying the coached walks, hikes and walk + runs on the Peloton app too.
  
• Currently looking at some fun basket weavings to hang above the mantel and then I think I'm done.
• Have read 9 of 10 backlist books and completed 7 of 10 categories on the RAD reading challenge!
• Item 8 used to be "create a recipe binder" but I'm no longer energized by that idea... so I changed it to a day trip with H, as I want to make some intentional special time with him on summer break before it becomes more about baby brother...

And some notes on the new ones (#11-15):

• There's lots of prep to do with the baby, especially around maternity leave for work and figuring out childcare for after, but I'm putting a fun one on this 2021 list to keep me excited about the baby to-dos... setting up the nursery is fun for me, and I've got a mood board already that I'm in love with. Just got the room freshly painted too.
• Baby coming in a couple of months also inspired several other of the new ones: definitely want to get a little time with Peter after so much no babysitter quarentimes, and I've got a Getaway cabin booked for later in June; also would like to be a bit better about remembering to use my Instant Pot as that could come in handy in postpartum craziness, so I'm looking for go-to recipes (this salsa chicken is my first).
• Thinking ahead that baby feedings might be paired with some fun shows or listens; I've been wanting to listen to Barack Obama's memoir, but the length is quite daunting - could be perfect for those days though!
  
• And the tousled waves 'do is because I saw this little how-to video after Peter gave me my fancy Dyson dryer for Mother's Day and was so in awe that I wanted to try it...but of course I still haven't taken the time to give it a go yet. Putting it on a list is a good prompt.

Anyone else doing a mid-year check-in on 2021 intentions? I love hearing about what's on others' lists!

five things Friday: 21 in 2021 list part 2 edition

With a little more time for ideas to percolate (and a little less of the post-holiday winter blahs feelings getting in the way), I've added a 2nd installment of 5 items too my 21 for 2021 list - a list of things for fun and growth and general life satisfaction that can give a little intentionality to a year. Admittedly, pandemic life made it a little harder to come up with ideas (and to complete my 2020 list!), but it's also a nice thing in quarentimes, to give myself some direction and ideas while we're still at home so much.

 

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Here are the original 5 + the new ones:

1. Give Schitt's Creek another try
2. Update the fireplace mantel decor
3. Do the RAD Reading Challenge
4. Continue the monthly family movie night tradition from 2020
5. Get a treadmill
6. Read 10 backlist books
7. Upgrade my robe and slippers situation
8. Create a recipe binder
9. Make a photo album
10. Spend $50/month with at least 2 local businesses
    

You can see more details on the first 5 items in my initial 21 in 2021 post - I've already made progress (and have been enjoying) all 5 of those: on season 4 of Schitt's Creek now; loving the candle insert in the fireplace for a cozy evening glow even if I haven't done the top of the mantel yet; checked off several on the RAD reading challenge with Under the Rainbow and Red at the Bone being two of my faves so far; had our family movie + pizza nights in January and February; and my treadmill is getting delivered today!

And as for the new ones, I've tried on this Barefoot Dreams robe (dreamy!) and some Everlane bootie slippers, and I may have found my winners. Have read a few backlist books already too (Solo, Words in Deep Blue) and am liking the idea of repeating this one from my 2020 list, to make sure I get around to some books that have been languishing on my shelf/Kindle/TBR because I keep grabbing the shiny new options. Also, I saw something on social media (can't remember exactly what, but it's the general thought) that if we could all spend $50/month at a couple of local businesses it would help keep many afloat as they struggle in the pandemic. Ours will end up being a lot of restaurants for takeout, I'm sure, but this month I also supported my local bookstore, and there are plenty of other fun shops to do curbside pickup from for various household items/clothes too, rather than always defaulting to checking Target...

How are your 2021 plans and intentions going? 

5 things Friday: 21 in 2021 edition

For the last several years I have made an annual list inspired by Gretchen Rubin of intentions (rather than resolutions/goals, per se) for things that would bring purpose or joy or connection to the year, rather than just letting time pass me by - as it has a way of doing! But for 2021 I was feeling admittedly uninspired to come up with 21 things.

While I appreciated the things I could do from my 2020 list for the fun and new things and intentional family time they brought to life, there were several items that had to get an asterisk because they became impossible after March 13... RIP, kid-free trip and trying new restaurants/cocktail lounges. I made my peace with that, but it still is hard to think expansively about a new year when it's hard to know at all what it will look like, particularly in the realm of, you know, being able to go out in public. While I'm glad that we're moving past 2020, there's nothing magical about the arrival of 2021; in fact, things out of the White House and at the Capitol got much worse (horrifying, yet not a surprising situation with the years of white supremacy and rhetoric), and the Covid situation continues to worsen, with the hope of vaccines being there but dimmed continually by the poor rollout. Not really feeling it, 2021.

SO. I decided that I didn't have to go 100% in on this list. Instead, I could come up with about 5 items at a time that feel inspiring for the current situation out there. Maybe by the end of the year I'll have 21 items that I want to do/experience/try or maybe I'll have fewer, but either way hopefully will result in some bright spots or satisfaction for the year. Here's my first batch:

1. Give Schitt's Creek another try: so many people love this show, and I am really in the market for something humorous to enjoy several seasons of on Netflix, but when I first watched a couple of episodes last year I for some reason didn't get into it. Going to give it another shot and see if I fall in love!
   
2. Update the fireplace mantel decor: after taking down the Christmas things from the mantel, I felt like putting back the regular decor that I've had for years felt kind of blah this time around. With how much we're home and in our living room, I think this is a worthy thing of some targeted online shopping (whee!). Maybe even sprucing up the insides of the fireplace, which we never build fires in, to have a candle holder + flickering flameless candles and bring some nice light into the dark evenings too.
   
3. Do the RAD reading challenge: I've been doing the MMD reading challenge for a few years, but after mixed results on my picks for it this year I'm excited to try something new. The twelve categories in the RAD reading challenge are quite simple and straightforward, but I like that about it - and I like how Rachel does posts with roundups of suggestions for each category, like this.
   
4. Continue the monthly family movie night tradition from 2020: one of my 2020 list items that was a great success and made for some fun family time was the monthly family movie night. We always make a picnic dinner in the living room (usually homemade pizza) while we watch, and it's fun for something different, especially in these many months of not going out.
   
5. Get a treadmill: I surprisingly don't miss the gym, but while it's cold out, or times when Hendrik has been home full-time (which were rather a lot in 2020) I really missed having access to a treadmill, even just for a little pick-me-up stroll in the afternoon. So I'm going to try to make it happen to get one in our basement - which beyond involving research into which one to get will involve some organizing/purging/rearranging to make space. Worth it!
   

Are you making any type of list like this for the year? I always love reading other people's ideas for theirs.