101 in 1001 (Round Two)

Happy Wednesday! Once again I’ve decided to make a 101 in 1001 list inspired by Mackenzie Horan! (You can take a peek at my last list here.) While I only checked off 64 items I still really enjoyed having it to reference. Now that I’m settled in KC this felt like the perfect time to create another list that felt more relevant to what I’m interested in and want to focus my time on now. I will update this post with my progress over the next 1001 days!

Letters Are Lovely | 101 in 1001 (Round Two)

January 1st, 2019 – September 28, 2021 (72 Completed)

CREATIVE CAREER/LETTERING

1 Update Portfolio (January 2019)
2 Attend a new conference
3 Work on calligraphy for envelope addressing (2021 Mentoring Olivia)
4 Participate in Hallmarket
5 Create an illustration focused piece (January 2019)
6 Collaborate on a second font at work (Collaborating with Josh on Font in 2020)
7 Take a work trip (Almost! Letter West July 2020)
8 Letter a return address stamp
9 Set up home studio (November 2019, Set up Second Bedroom as Studio)
10 Continue mentoring (Mentorship with Leslie in 2019)

DALE AND ALLIE

11 Write anniversary notes in our guest book each year (2019, 2020, 2021)
12 Go camping (Devil’s Den in Arkansas October 2019)
13 Make a weekend trip to a winery (Wine Tasting California, Sept 2021)
14 Celebrate our 10 years of dating anniversary (Dallie Disco April 2019)
15 Volunteer somewhere together (Limited by Pandemic, but made large Harvesters Donation in 2021)
16 Send out Christmas cards each year (2019, 2020, 2021)
17 Surprise Dale with a date night (Minsky’s Nights, Gift Card to Rye)
18 Try three new restaurants (Plate, Thai Orchid, Bamboo Penny’s)
19 Go hiking together (Devil’s Den in Arkansas October 2019)
20 Walk to Brookside shops for date night (All the time in 2019!)

FITNESS/HEALTH

21 Try a new Fusion class (Drenched: January 17, 2019)
22 Try a yoga class in KC (Virtual Yoga: March 2020)
23 Hit water goal every day for two weeks straight
24 Try five new recipes (Greek Bowls, Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup, Turkey Meatball and Kale Soup, Salmon Avocado Toast, Pita Tostadas with Butternut Squash, January–March 2019)
25 Try Be Well smoothies every day for a week
26 Update our recipe book (February 2019)
27 Treat myself to a massage
28 Treat myself to a facial
29 Buy new glasses (April 2019)
30 Switch to silk pillowcases (December 2020)

TRAVEL

31 Take a family vacation (Costa Rica March 2020)
32 Visit two new states
33 Go to the beach (Alex and Adam’s Wedding June 2021)
34 Dale & Allie trip on one of his vacation weeks (Booked Cali Trip, April 2019)
35 College friends reunion trip
36 Travel to Thailand
37 Visit friends in Charleston
38 Visit friends in NYC
39 Travel to Iceland
40 Travel to Europe

ENTERTAINMENT

41 Go to the Kansas City Symphony
42 Go to a concert (Boulevardia with Megan and Matt June 2019)
43 Go to a KU game at Allen Fieldhouse (Dale with Austin 2021)
44 Take a trip to the Nelson (Napoleon Exhibit with Sophie & Dale, March 2019)
45 Take a flower arranging class (#My5Days Flower Arranging Workshop May 2019)
46 Go blueberry picking (July 2019 with Dianne, Mike & Graham)
47 Take a cooking class
48 Bake a fancy cake or dessert (Baked Derby Pie, January 2019)
49 Take Sophie and Grace to dinner
50 Watch Victoria (January 2019)

Get Organized

51 Go through clothes (January 2019)
52 Get TSA Pre-Check and Possibly Global Entry
53 Unsubscribe from emails (January 2019)
54 Instagram clean up (January 2019)
55 Go through phone and organize/delete contacts
56 Take broken china to be repaired
57 Organize Basement Shelves (January 2019)
58 Organize 2018 photos (February 2019)
59 2018 photo album (2020)
60 Fix security system/get doorbell

FAMILY/FRIENDS

61 Host a dinner party
62 Record Grammy and Pop telling childhood stories (Storyworth, 2020)
63 Help mom organize family photos (February 2021)
64 Spend a weekend at Turkey Hill (Pumpkin Carving October 2019)
65 Send hand-written letters to five friends
66 Finish college t-shirt quilt with Sophie
67 Join a book club (Internal Medicine Book Club 2019)
68 Host a movie night at our house (Watched The Shining with Grace October 2019)
69 Host a murder mystery party (Mom hosted for my 28th Birthday February 2020)
70 Mail birthday cards to 10 friends

BOOKS

71 Read an memoir (Becoming by Michelle Obama: November 2020)
72 Read a fiction novel (The Wedding Date: January 2019)
73 Read a non-fiction book (The More of Less: March 2019)
74 Read a historical book
75 Read a book (Fruit of the Drunken Tree: January 2019)
76 Read a book (The Woman in the Window: February 2019)
77 Read a book (Educated: March 2019)
78 Read a book (Red, White & Royal Blue: July 2019)
79 Read a book (The Only Woman in the Room: October 2019)
80 Re-read all the Harry Potter books

FINANCIAL

81 Cook our own food for two weeks
82 No extra purchases for a month (clothes/jewelry/books…) (February 2020, not perfect but close!)
83 Put money into a savings account each month for a year (2019)
84 Increase retirement savings percentage (Set up to increase yearly, 2020)
85 Follow up with student loan debt advisor (March 2019)
86 Reach savings goal (2020)
87 Start investing monthly after reaching savings goal (2020/2021)
88 Write things to buy in list for the next month for four months (2020)
89 Make a donation to charity (Harvesters January 1, 2021)
90 Plan long term financial goals (2020, Ongoing)

KC House

91 Buy a TV for the living room
92 Get a rug for our bedroom (February 2020)
93 New house numbers (2019)
94 Plant grass seed in the front yard (2019)
95 Paint stairway (December 2019)
96 Update bathroom (one room challenge?) (Spring 2020)
97 Get larger dining room table and more chairs (Fall 2021)
98 Hang up porch swing (2019)
99 Hang wallpaper in the sunroom (November 2019)
100 Replace kitchen, hallway, and sunroom lights (December 2019)

GRAND FINALE

101 Try something outside my comfort zone (Led Ability KC Mural Painting with Meredith, January 2019)

2018 Best Nine

2018 is coming to a close! This year was one of the most eventful of my entire life and while these nine moments do tell part of the story this year, there is a lot these quick nine photos don’t share as well. But starting with what is included — lots of highlights! Dale graduated from Saint Louis University School of Medicine, matched at KU Med in Kansas City, we celebrated our three year wedding anniversary, had an amazing time in Europe (and on a few other trips!), and I had a great year of growth and new opportunities at Hallmark. The part that is missing is all the ups and downs that came along with these events.

Letters Are Lovely | 2018 Best Nine

Change can be exhilarating and exhausting. On top of all these huge life event we bought our first house, dealt with the death of my childhood kitty, Bonnie, and spent countless ordinary days with family and friends that were some of my favorite moments of the year. I’m thankful for 2018 and all the growth, and now I’m also fully ready to ring in this new year!

December Around The Web

Hello, friends! December is always a whirlwind and this month I was extra grateful to be able to spend so much time with family and friends. We celebrated my mom’s birthday, I went to a gingerbread decorating party, went to several other holiday parties (including one with Dale’s co-workers, an ornament exchange with college friends and the Jingle Ball), and ended the month with all our traditional Christmas festivities. I also love all the holiday inspiration around the web this time of year. While some of these finds will have to be put on hold until next year they are just as lovely!

  • First up, this adorable A-Frame DIY. Definitely on the list to make for next Christmas!

  • Also, these cookies.

  • One of my favorite Christmas presents I received. Our kitty Otto has been extra ornery lately, only fair to warn visitors.

  • Hoping to make this recipe with the pecans I received this season from my mother-in-law.

  • My all-time favorite pants in a new pattern.

  • Already re-labeled all my spices with this handy label maker!

  • Loved this article, Dale and I watch Love Actually every Christmas Eve Eve when we exchange our gifts.

  • Just what I need to head into the new year.

  • Maybe Miami needs to be on my travel wish list for 2019?

  • This recipe is one of my new favorites, easy and healthy.

Happy Holidays!