I’m so far behind on #12 – Watch all AFI Top Movies (29) that I haven’t seen.  I guess I’m going to have to get my behind to the library and fish through my DVR recordings and get on the ball.

Since this is the last Christmas during this time frame, there are 4 items that I’m definitely not going to finish.  There’s always the next 1,001 Days project.

19. Make Christmas tree ornaments one year

20. Make Christmas cookies from scratch for Brian and Sam one year

21. Make Christmas cards one year

25. Adopt a family/person at Christmas

On my birthday (November 30th), I signed up for the Kaiser Permanente Colorado Colfax Marathon, which will fulfill #55.  I’m so excited!!

My next update probably won’t occur until after the New Year, so for all those that read this blog– Happy New Year!!

1. 60. Begin a 3x/week workout program and continue it for at least 3 months

In May, I began running again.  I knew that I needed to lose weight and get into shape before Sam remembers me as a plus size mom.  To help me stay motivated, I plopped down $85 to register for the RnR Denver Half Marathon.

       2.   62. Figure out which charity race I’m going to do and sign up for it/ complete it

I committed to raise money and run the Colorado AIDS Walk 5k.  I completed the race with a PR (38:23).  Since then, I have signed up for the Canyonlands Half Marathon to raise money for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, the same charity that I raised $2k for back in 2007.  I hope to use this training to complete another of my 1001 things (#55 Run a full marathon).

There are other items that I have started or continuing to progress with.

1. 1. Get a massage- 5 times (3/5)

I got my 3rd massage of the 5 on october 17th, 4 hours after I completed the RnR Denver Half Marathon.  It was very nice and helped a lot.

     2.     54. Get down to 175 pounds

I am continuing with my weight loss and I’m currently down to 190 (-40 lbs.).  I should be able to hit 175, on my new goal of 150 by the end of the year.

      3.    55. Run a full marathon

I have signed up with TNT to run the Canyonlands Half Marathon in March 2011, which I’m going to use to springboard my training for the Colfax Marathon in May 2011.  Kickoff is November 13, 2010.

       4.   93. Go camping 8 times

I don’t see this one being completed in time, but I did go camping with Brian, Sam and my ILs in August at Jackson Lake State Park.  I just love that I didn’t have to sleep on the ground.  My ILs have an RV. 

I realize that there is less than one year (September 28, 2011) left and I’m afraid that I’m not going to complete even half of these items.  I better start working on them more often.

Desperation (First Edition)
Tommyknockers (First Edition)
From a Buick 8 (First Edition)
Cell: A Novel (First Edition)
Bag of Bones (First Edition)
Four Past Midnight (First Edition)
The Regulators (First Edition)

I have another woman interested in 3 other Stephen King books which would leave 8 titles left that I’m willing to part with.  These books are not first editions. 

Eyes of the Dragon  
Carrie
Hearts in Atlantis

I can’t believe that I carted most of these books across the country and through many moves within the Denver metro area.  They are only books.  They are just weighing me down. 

Now I just have to go through the basement and get rid of a bunch of stuff down there.

1. Great Falls, VA
2. Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
3. World War II Memorial
4. Ford’s Theatre

Also, I did not correctly list the amount of museums that I have been to.  That number is 4 instead of 11.  I had noted the National Parks within the original figure, therefore that item is still “In Progress”. 
1. Forney Museum of Transportation‎
2. Children’s Museum of Denver‎
3. Littleton Museum‎
4. Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center

40. Visit 10 museums- we have now visited 11  

84. Take Sam to the ocean, any ocean- Atlantic  

85. Take Brian and Sam to Washington DC  

94. Take a trip to Philadelphia to see sister  

I was also able to progress on four of my items  

• 96. Visit 10 State Parks or Forests I have never been to (1/10)).  We went to Great Falls in VA.
• 46. Go out with friends 10 times (6/10)
• 60. Begin a 3x/week workout program and continue it for at least 3 months
• 62. Figure out which charity race I’m going to do and sign up for it/ complete it

I took too many pictures to show them all, but here are some of the highlights.  

First Family Flight

My Sister and Our Boys

Sam was so afraid of the ocean.

Family Photo at the Atlantic Ocean

US Capitol Rotunda Dome

National Archives

Sam wouldn't cooperate by looking at the camera.

I had never been to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and Memorial Day was as good a time as any to go.  I had heard about it, but couldn’t have believed that it was as nice as it was.  It was clean, family-friendly and had some shade to sneak under.  It was also hilly, but not so much that you were panting walking around.

We had originally set up to go with a Meetup.com group, but it is hard to stay together when there are kids involved that may want to spend more time at a certain attraction that you are not interested in.

Sam kept his hat and glasses on most of the time and was the coolest looking kid in the zoo.

As for the charity race, I have decided to run the Colorado AIDS Run, a 5k without a minimum fundraising amount, but I’m going to shoot for $500.  I contacted them to see if I could get something on letterhead stating that I am raising funds for their organization and hoping to solicit donations for a silent auction.  It worked so well for TNT, that I hope to do it again.  I still have the list of the items that were donated for that, so I’ll contact them again.

It has been a couple of years since I fundraised and trained for a full or half marathon.  I want to do it again with another charity.  I contacted the American Cancer Society to find out more information about their DetermiNation endurance event program.  They are fundraising and training for the Rock ‘n’ Roll Denver Half Marathon (the same one I did with Teams in Training).   I liked the course (which was a lot easier than the Georgetown to Idaho Springs Half Marathon) and having it closer to home let others come to cheer me on.

I hope to find out what group training that the offer and what are the fundraising minimums.  Wish me luck.

The Forney Transportation Museum is a one-of-a-kind collection of over 500 exhibits relating to historical transportation. It began with antique cars, but soon expanded to include vehicles of all kinds. Some of these are familiar, while others spark the imagination.

The largest item in the museum is the Big Boy Locomotive, the most successful articulated steam locomotive ever built. 

I wasn’t sure what I expected when we entered the door, but it was not as interesting as I had hoped for being a museum of transportation items.  This museum is not as well-funded as it should be to draw in more patrons.  I guess that I expected a few interactive displays and information about the items that are more sturdy than a music stand type display.  It looks like they display everything that they could possibly display and overload them.  What might bring people back is to have a rotating display of the items and/or make deals with other museums to loan vehicles between them.

I’d like to see what this museum could do with a higher fundraising effort.

Because Sam is too young to really appreciate the items now, we will bring him back when he is older, but there is no reason to do it often.

This is Sam behind the wheel of a vintage automobile.

I hope that we are able to have someone take us to and from the airport.  Our flight gets back into Denver after 10:30pm and taking a shuttle to our vehicle and then driving home will take another hour+.  Yuck!!

I have contacted the office of our local congressman, Mike Coffman (R), to see about getting a tour of the White House, The Capitol Building and other places that we need to have his help.  If we aren’t able to get into the WH tour, we can always do one of the other tours. 

Take Sam to the ocean, any ocean- In the process of planning

Take Brian and Sam to Washington DC- In the process of planning

Take a trip to Philadelphia to see sister- In the process of planning