Completed: #23. Make candles

 I'm trying out one of my Christmas gifts today: DIY candles! The funny thing is that, between a cat and a toddler, I don't even burn candles, but I always thought this could be a lot of fun for me, and make some nice gifts. I don't think I was wrong!

This was soooo easy to do, and also fun. After making a basic candle to start (lavender & cedarwood scented), I infused two candles with raw gemstones that will be unveiled as the user burns the candle, and three sweetgrass candles (my favourite scent in the world)!

Original goal list posted here

Progress: #37. Make three things with my daughter

 1/3: We made some stickers of stamped labels.

She's 16 months and her new fascination is sticking stickers to a big piece of craft paper. 

I give you Exhibit A:

We made some stickers by stamping labels. This part was mostly me, but she helped in her toddler way. Then, as you can see, she stuck them to her sticker page -- and one to herself.

Original goal list posted here

Completed: #13. Learn how to felt

 If I knew how easy this was to do, I'd have done so ages ago. (Unfortunately, this beginner's kit - a gift - is comprised of wool, and a cursory search doesn't yield many vegan alternatives. However, apparently cat's fur is also a possibility and my cat is 17 and always highly matted, so maybe I'll felt a miniature version of him from his own cut mats.) This bunny is for my daughter.

Original goal list posted here

Completed: #10. Do something active for 3 months straight

 I finished decorating the Christmas tree today. With a toddler, it took hours. Also, today marks three months of this goal, which is now "complete" -- though I don't intend to just stop. Reflection on this soon.

Original goal list posted here

Progress: #10. Do something active for 3 months straight

 This morning I did some laundry. This afternoon, I started to decorate our Christmas tree delivery, but it will be an ongoing act with this wild little elf around.

I'm counting all of this as today's activity.

Original goal list posted here

Progress: #10. Do something active for 3 months straight

 I walked to our nearest participating MAP Pass library again with my daughter. We left at 8:45am, arrived at 9:15am (the library opens at 9), and stood in a line of fellow MAP Pass seekers. We got our tickets to the Toronto Railway Museum this time! I'll continue to visit on Saturdays and see what we can amass. 

9007 steps today.

Original goal list posted here

Progress: #10. Do something active for 3 months straight

 I walked to the nearby Gibson House Museum with my daughter and we had a private hour-long tour. It was interesting.

Original goal list posted here

Progress: #10. Do something active for 3 months straight

 Today, my daughter had a follow-up specialist appointment downtown. I realized the AGO was nearby and they were running an exhibit of Picasso's Blue Period, so my parents drove us to the appointment, we all went to the gallery together, then we grabbed lunch afterwards.

5403 steps so far today.

Original goal list posted here

Progress: #10. Do something active for 3 months straight

 We went on a short stroll around the neighbourhood today. 7220 steps so far.

Original goal list posted here

Completed: #38. Make a bird Christmas tree in our yard

 I read about this idea in an old book on backyard birding, where it says that it is a custom dating back to 16th century Europe, where people honoured the birds and beasts of nativity.

As many of these goals exhibit my hope that my daughter will grow up with an appreciation of nature and wildlife (even if we happen to live in the city at the moment), I thought it sounded like a fun new tradition.

I made garlands for an evergreen in our front yard (using a needle and thread) of:

- air popped popcorn

- walnuts

- grapes and blueberries

- raspberries and blueberries

- cut oranges

I then made bird cake ornaments, mostly following this recipe, only replacing the raisins with peanuts (as I did not have raisins), and expediting the process by using the microwave instead of stovetop and the freezer instead of the fridge. I set them in muffin paper, and hollowed out a hole with a bamboo skewer, which I then affixed to the tree with hemp twine.

Original goal list posted here

I haven't seen any birds at it yet, but will keep watch!

Progress: #10. Do something active for 3 months straight

 Sunday, I did some light housework in the morning and some yoga stretches before bed.

Monday, I played outside in the backyard in the morning with my daughter. It was her first time out in the snow. I tried to roll a snowball to make a snowman but I was really bad at it. In the afternoon, I did some more light housework.

Today, my mom watched my daughter, so I went ice skating this morning at Mel Lastman Square. I had the whole rink to myself. It was nice. Afterwards, I walked to a local pharmacy to get my COVID booster (shot #3!). 10681 steps today (which feels like a LOT less work when I'm not pushing a giant stroller).

Then I made some cocoa with vegan marshmallows :)

Original goal list posted here

Progress: #10. Do something active for 3 months straight

 The Toronto MAP passes are available at participating libraries every Saturday, at open. Our closest participating library opened at 9am and I made it there on foot by 11. I was hoping again for Toronto Railway Museum passes, as my daughter loves each and every form of transportation. They were all gone, however. Apparently people were already lining up at 8am (and each museum has only 3 passes available, per week). I snagged the last pass to the Museum of Contemporary Art, though. We'll try again, earlier, next week.

13368 steps today.

Original goal list posted here

Progress: #10. Do something active for 3 months straight

 An "ordeal" does not even begin to describe today. It was a DAY. In good news, I managed to get a flu shot while traipsing around the neighbourhood.

7791 steps so far today.

Original goal list posted here

Progress: #10. Do something active for 3 months straight

 Tuesday, I did a short yoga video for lower back pain -- which I find a slight issue the more my toddler grows and still isn't completely mobile.

Yesterday, we took a short (5000 step-ish) walk around the neighbourhood. I enjoyed finding these two awesomely contrasted house decorations:

Today, we went to the Museum of Illusions (which my daughter loved, despite a couple rough days and a rough night). Then we walked to St. Lawrence Market to have some lunch, as I realized it was not too far away.

Original goal list posted here

Completed #16. Metal stamp jewellery

 I stamped a whole lot of jewelry blanks, several different times, with several different materials - after reading a whole book about it - in an attempt to make a gift for a friend. They all turned out really ugly -- too ugly to even show pictures of the attempts. I also find this hobby really loud and my hands are too weak to stamp anything but pewter well. I just don't enjoy it. It isn't my thing. I tried, though! It is done.

Original goal list posted here

Progress: #10. Do something active for 3 months straight

 Yesterday, I went with my mom and my daughter to visit my sister in Welland. I did some yoga stretches before bed.

Today, I walked to the nearest participating location of the above, to try and secure tickets to the Toronto Railway Museum, but all tickets had already been claimed.

10249 steps today.

Original goal list posted here

Progress: #10. Do something active for 3 months straight

 At her request (pointing at my yoga mat and repeatedly throwing both arms up), I did a bit of a Cosmic Yoga Kids video with my daughter. She wasn't into it for very long. I didn't bother to do anything else because it wasn't a good day, so I didn't feel up to it.

Original goal list posted here

Progress: #10. Do something active for 3 months straight

I went on a short walk around the neighbourhood today with my daughter, running errands. I also stopped to sit in Gibson Park awhile while she napped. It was nice.

6503 steps today.

Original goal list posted here

 

Progress: #10. Do something active for 3 months straight

 It's been a little while since we had a longer walk, so I bundled up my daughter and I and we headed to The Grocery Outlet. It's an interesting walk because it goes from multimillion dollar mansions to boarded windows really quickly, and that's kind of North York in a nutshell. I was hoping to get some ingredients to start working on some Polish and French Canadian/Indigenous dishes for Christmas, so that our daughter can grow up with a fusion of her parents' traditions. The stock there, however, is dependent on overstock elsewhere, so it is never consistent. The only ingredient I managed to snag this time was shredded coconut for macaroons. I also bought some size 3 Seventh Generation diapers for overnights, and three-for-$5 packs of vegan chocolate covered peanut butter cups that both my daughter and I like. I kept two packs and left the third in a cart outside a really well-kept makeshift tent on an overpass I pass frequently. I've never seen the owner, but I hope they aren't allergic to peanut butter.

15005 steps today.

Original goal list posted here

Progress: #10. Do something active for 3 months straight

 Yesterday, I did a yoga video.

Today, I went to the ROM with my daughter. It was a lot less anxiety-inducing as a place that clearly is accustomed to, and welcomes, toddlers more than some places.

Also of note, because it tired *me* out: Today I held my daughter around the waist as she decided to climb all fourteen steps in our house. Seven times. In a row.

Original goal list posted here

Completed: #25. Bake bread

 I used this recipe. It wasn't difficult, but it was (in a periodic, drawn-out sort of way) time-consuming. The loaf is currently cooling down on the counter and I hope it tastes as good as it looks. I made some homemade mixed berry (raspberry, blueberry, blackberry) jam to go with it. (Jam, on the other hand, is so quick and easy, I'm not sure why anyone BUYS it. Bread, however, I can now understand why store bought appeals.) 

Original goal list posted here