Have you done anything lately that gives you satisfaction?

[nd293]

I started an online weight-loss programme, and am sticking to it despite it meaning cooking everything to recipe. I'm only a few weeks into a 12 week programme but I am so pleased with myself for working at it consistently.

 

My biggest achievement this year has been to start reading some of the Great Books with a friend. We're basically reading the adult versions of what we've read to the kids as we went through Story of the World. So far we've done Gilgamesh and The Iliad and are busy with The Ramayana, and are working on next year's list. We're reading SWB's History of the Ancient World alongside our other reading.

[kwickimom]

I helped with tornado clean up here in IL and was able to use a ministry I run at church to get clothes and supplies to victims right away. I was useful and got to truly help people.

[happypamama]

I'm teaching myself Spanish via DuoLingo, and I am proud of myself for doing it. I also finished knitting a sweater for my baby this week. It is cute and snuggly and turned out well, and it is very satisfying. Also, since the baby is only three months and exclusively breastfeeding, watching him grow is satisfying. :)

[PrairieSong]

Thanks for this! I just signed up for Duolingo French. What a fun app....maybe on the next thread llike this, I'll say I've learned vast amounts of French. :)

Oh I haven't learned "vast amounts"! I do try to complete more than one lesson per day. Really, in a language the same common words are used over and over so that helps, and also French has many cognates, words that look the same or very similar and have the same meaning as their English counterparts. Je suis un bebé français! I had to start at the beginning, but c'est un plaisir pour moi. It is a pleasure for me.

 

Happy language learning!

[happypamama]

Well, I had my 6th baby a week and a half ago, but this was my first home birth and i did it unassisted. It was just me and my husband. I had a friend there also that waited in the living room and helped with the cord and placenta. It was so awesome and beautiful! It's not something I can go around talking about IRL because it is definitely frowned on here (midwifery is illegal, home births are rare), but I thought it was a pretty wonderful accomplishment.

Awesome, congrats! Did you plan to do it unassisted? (Just curious, because we've had three unassisted births ourselves -- planned, but with the last so, the MW wouldn't have made it anyway.)

 

Also, I really love the current of lifelong learning that is running through this thread -- how wonderful that so many people are willing to tackle new skills and subjects! I can't help but think how blessed our children are to see us learning too.

[nd293]

Oh! I just signed up for Duolingo, so another thank you to those who mentioned it. Dd13 has to do German in high school and I am Unenthusiastic. I even met with the principal to see if I could pay for a private teacher so she could do another language. I was tempted to sign on for French in Duolingo but decided to embrace reality and signed up for German. Two lessons done!

[PrairieSong]

Oh! I just signed up for Duolingo, so another thank you to those who mentioned it. Dd13 has to do German in high school and I am Unenthusiastic. I even met with the principal to see if I could pay for a private teacher so she could do another language. I was tempted to sign on for French in Duolingo but decided to embrace reality and signed up for German. Two lessons done!

Sehr gut!

[PrairieSong]

I have sat beside my 8th grade dd to do almost every problem of Saxon algebra 1 nearly everyday this year. I've also done Latin with her with the same commitment. I know this isn't a big deal but I feel satisfaction at doing my part. She had become very independent in recent years, but she needs my support now so I'm glad I'm able to do it without life getting in the way.

 

I also have written over 30,000 words for Nanowri. 

 

Nope, you're wrong.  It IS a big deal. And congrats on the Nanowrimo, too!

[Jenny in Florida]

I started tutoring online part-time back in August, and I finally feel like I'm really hitting my stride. At the moment, I'm getting quite a few students working on drafts of their college application essays, and I especially enjoy helping with those. I also like working with the younger students on social studies questions. And it is very satisfying when I feel like a student I'm working with has that "Aha!" moment.

 

It's less enjoyable when I get a student who is resistant or uninterested or is just using the tutoring service to try and get out of doing the work on his or her own. But I'm choosing to focus on the other kind of student, instead.

[Lara in Colo]

I vacuumed all the dog hair from my van today

 

my life is lame

[CyndiLJ]

Inspiring...and a wee bit depressing...thread.  I have been trying to reinvigorate myself, find something to be deeply engaged in so I can gain that sense of satisfaction.  I have no real hobbies, and am finding myself in a bit of a slump, emotionally speaking.  However, as I read everyone's posts, I realized I had a couple of things:

 

1)  I learned music and memorized lyrics to 14 new songs for Sweet Adelines, having joined only 2 1/2 months before their fall concert.

2)  I have made it a goal to get back to reading for fun...not just to learn something.  Thus far I have read five novels in a month, and have found I really have missed the joy of reading.

3)  Man...that's about it.  I really need to get a grip and find a life!

[KrissiK]

I bought new curtains for our great room. I've hated what's been in there for years, but just couldn't get around to replacing them. So, finally, since we're having people over for Thanksgiving, I just took a chance and ordered some from JCPenny's on-line and they match the walls and carpet perfectly, and I got them on clearance so they were super duper cheap. And now, every time I look at them I am happy.

[fraidycat]

I forgot to add something earlier. After "the great WTM knitting debate", I got some knitting needles, watched a couple youtube videos and learned how to knit. I use my first "project" as a pot scrubber. :) I haven't actually made anything 'real' yet, but I've at least figured out the basics.

 

Another accomplishment last week - homemade yogurt!! Yum! It is fantastic.

 

And one more. I cleaned the kitchen sparkly clean for the second night in a row. :)

[Melissa in Australia]

Last week I finished my last 3rd year university units for my Bachelor of Education, Primary.

 This week I started my 4th year units.

getting there...

[J-rap]

I am helping my husband learn to speak again, and that gives me immense satisfaction. 

[Pod's mum]

Last week I finished my last 3rd year university units for my Bachelor of Education, Primary.

 This week I started my 4th year units.

getting there...

 

Congratulations!

I had wondered how you were going with it.

I dropped the bundle and may leave it dropped. Too hard with never ending legal.

At least I can feel pride vicariously through you Melissa.

[Just Another Jen]

We moved into the small uncluttered home that I have been dreaming of for 20 years. Thus bucking the extended families view of normal and cutting all dysfunctional ties. We are finally doing things differently and so far have consciously not fallen into any unhealthy patterns of behavior. My DH and I are on the same page for once. 

[Hikin' Mama]

I vacuumed all the dog hair from my van today

 

my life is lame

In my book, that is big!

 

I'm learning Spanish with my daughter. I live in an area with a big Spanish-speaking population. I've wanted to learn it for a long time. I've been able to read and understand some signs written in Spanish. It's so exciting!

[Stayseeliz]

I've gotten serious about my photography again. I got my DSLR two years ago and I played with it a lot for about a year. Then life got stressful and I had a hard time in general and I didn't take many pictures. I've gotten back into it again and I'm so happy I did. I've been taking pictures of the kids, landscape photography and I did an engagement session for my SIL and a friend's kids. The friend's husband asked if I'd like to try my hand at sports photography since he needs help covering the bigger games at the college where he works and I said yes. I've been shooting games for practice until I feel comfortable enough to charge and it's so challenging but SO MUCH FUN. I don't feel like "just a mom" when I'm shooting. It just makes me happy. :)

[mamajudy]

I recently organized my closet and am learning how to bake bread. I made an awesome loaf of sourdough the other day.

 

Thank you for all the inspiration here! I have been struggling a bit this year (my 23rd and last year of homeschooling), wondering what's next. I have many ideas, but I need to get motivated to actually do them!

[joannqn]

I took and finished a photography class offered free though our library system.  I finally know how to use my camera.  I'm now taking another photography class through the library.  It is the same teacher as the first class and teaches many of the same things, but the focus is on photographing people.

I made an apron for my four year old.  I bought the main fabric probably 8-9 months ago and finally got around to doing it.  I'm not a seamstress; it took about a week to make what some people can do in an hour.  But it is done, and she likes it.

[fractalgal]

This is a great thread.  I'm glad I saw it.

 

I just finished a quilt I started for my son (now five years old) over two years ago.

 

I'd been getting up an hour before everyone around here wakes up to finish hand quilting it.  For me, it was a big job:  Wrapped up in Art.

[Soror]

I'm out of likes but I wanted to give a big kudos to everyone and thanks for Jean for starting such an inspirational thread.

[speedmom4]

What an inspiring thread! You ladies are amazing!

 

I started running again. Yesterday I ran approximately 2.5 miles with no walking. Running is as much mental as physical for me. I am very slow and I have to constantly talk to myself to keep going. It was cold here yesterday and I had no desire to get out but I did. I feel a lot of satisfaction from running. I am almost finished with the Couch to 5k program and my plan is to jump right into the Couch to 10k program. I'm intimidated and excited all at the same time.

 

Elise in NC

[Coffeetime]

I got my first paycheck in 11 years yesterday. :) Wasn't very big- but man did it feel good to have earned it!

[Mom in High Heels]

I ate a really good chocolate bar.  Immense satisfaction.  ;)