Updating Our "To Do" Lists

I have come to the point in the year where the holidays have almost snuck up on me without notice. NOT! In the back of my mind I am always thinking ahead to what needs to be done. As I am posting I am working on my Thanksgiving cooking "to do" list. Hence a never ending "To Do" list is always within my reach at all times. I also have a "honey to do" list for David. It's actually pretty short this time because we got so much done the last time, and you know he is ecstatic about that.

For the first time in many, many years my Christmas "To Do" list is almost finished already. I think what helped progress this list along was the fact that we decided (I guess the economy helped us decide) to be more realistic in our gift spending this year. Actually it has gotten out of hand over the years, but we vowed to keep it simple. It helps to have grown children and no grandchildren to help sway purchase power.

As I have gotten older I catch myself doing not only a daily "to do" list but a weekly "to do" check list to make sure that I am on track. Oh how it really helps when you have so much on your plate plus keeping track of everyone around you. Does it ever end?? Probably not which brings me to why I thought of this topic.

I have seen author Dave Freeman on Oprah who wrote "100 Things To Do Before You Die" who passed away back in August after a long illness. I have wanted to read his book and it is on my "To Read" list (this list gets bigger and bigger it seems). It made me reflect again on things you always wanted to do but never either have the money or time to do. Let's be realistic here though some you put on the list you probably won't get to ever do and making a list of 100 things seems way out of reach, but I have jotted down the things I have already accomplished and I feel pretty proud. A few that come to mind..

Taking a dog sledding trip in Alaska
Finding my adoptive family (it took seven years to accomplish)
Going to Graceland (my grandpa was a Elvis fan)
Volunteering for Meals on Wheels on behalf of my grandma
See the volcanoes in Hawaii

There is still a laundry list of things I would like "to do".. which includes:

Drive a race car
Ride in a hot-air balloon
Go to Europe
Eat snails (I came close a couple times)
Learn to swim (maybe someday if the fear of water subsides)

I guess the point is it's never to late to dust off your "to do" list and from what I have heard Dave Freeman was able to accomplish several on his list of 100. Let's be Thankful for what we have, and remember anything can be accomplish if we only put our mind to it.