A Year in Review

It’s hard to believe that 2012 is coming to an end. This year certainly had its ups and downs and I can honestly say that learned a lot and grew even more than I ever thought I could this year.  I have updated my goals for this past year and while I didn’t get to all of them, I think I did a pretty good job. Here is a recap of them:

2012 Goals

• Five monthly goals. At the beginning of each month, I will write a blog about that month’s goals. These goals may or may not come from my 2012 list of goals.  Well I started out well, but then ended this after the month of August. With school work, just decided it had to go.

• Exercise six days a week. I currently work out six days a week with P90x and plan to continue that regimen into 2012. I have yet to decide if I will go for my 4th round of P90x, purchase P90x2 or find a different work out plan altogether. Success! With the exception of being sick and going to Punta Cana, I was able to achieve this goal!

• Wake up by 6:30 each work day. This is going to be tough. This past month I was lucky if I made it out of bed before 7:15. I don’t want to feel rushed in the mornings and allow myself enough time to exercise, get ready and plan for the day. Haha, not a chance this happened.

• Grow vegetables and herbs this summer. I unfortunately don’t have the space for a garden but am willing to brainstorm and get creative with using fun techniques such as using planters and gutters to create a little garden space. Success! 

• Visit the Farmer’s Market at least three times. This past summer was pitiful with only making it once. Success!

• Create a system/routine for getting laundry done. I love washing my laundry. It is the folding and putting away that seems to get me down. If anyone has any tips on this one, I am all ears! I tried, I really did.

• Drink more water each day. Strive for two Nalgene bottles a day. I go through moments of drinking several bottles of water a day to not drinking any. I need more consistency. Fail.

• Post my read books on Goodreads.com Success!

• Read a non-school related book a month  Fail.

• Plan and eat healthier meals and stick to a grocery budget. Just like most of my goals on this list, I can be really good about this for short periods of time, but then fail other weeks. I want to get into a good routine of how to make this happen every week. Jake and I have a great start to this and really excited about it.

• Become successful at home canning. Fail.

• Clear out my closet of clothing I no longer or should no longer be wearing. I have gotten better about this in the past few months, but know I still have a way to go. I plan to turn all of my hangers in the opposite direction and whatever article of clothing remains facing that way at the end of next year gets the boot. Wish me luck! Success! It sure did feel good to get rid of clothes I knew I will never wear again. I was even able to pass them down to some younger girls I know.

• Print off all of our wedding pictures and create a photo album.  This just needs to get done. Fail. Although my bestie made the most amazing scrapbook for Jake and I!

• Spend less time on the internet on laptop and phone I am addicted to the internet. I am hopeful that this one will easily fall into place once school starts. Fail.

• Organize my recipe binder. It is a mess and needs some serious help. Hopefully this will help.  Fail. But I did organize my online saved recipes with the help of Evernote and their new clipper.

• Golf at least five times this year. I LOVE to golf, but I bet you didn’t know that because I didn’t go out once this year. Pitiful. I am ashamed to call myself a Lennon. (formerly). Huge major failure. Sad face.

• Read a Stephen King book. 11/22/63 Success! And what a great book.

• Go a weekend/week without TV. Success! I was able to accomplish this while on a nice little getaway to a friends cabin and while in Punta Cana. 

• Go a weekend with the internet. Success! A whole week while in Punta Cana!

• Make one new recipe a month and blog about it. Fail. 

• Complete at least five crafts this year. With the world of Pinterest, this shouldn’t be difficult with coming up with ideas. Fail. I completed a couple, but not as many as I would have liked to.

• Make my own laundry soap. Using this recipe. Success! 

• Dust off my sewing machine and sew at least three new items. Fail.

• Learn how to crochet a flower hat. I did it! With only a few days to spare. Maybe pictures soon! 

• Go a month without going to Starbucks. Success! I have actually gone over two months without Starbucks and very happy about this. 

• Give up Facebook for a week. Fail.

Couples Goals

• Try a new restaurant each month. I am SUPER excited for this goal. Jake and I usually have one date night a week but find ourselves eating at the same restaurants. We plan to switch it up by hitting new restaurants that Des Moines has to offer. Suggestions welcome! Fail.

• Host a game night. While we did not officially host a game night, we did have a chance to have friends and family over at times and play games.

• Have at least three dinner parties. Fail.

• Take Jake out on the golf course. We’ve been to the driving range together, it’s now time to get him out on an actual course. Fail.

• Revise current budget and pay off credit cards. Jake and I have been working diligently on paying off our debt. Later this month (January), we plan to sit down and go over our current budget and make any necessary revisions to achieve our end goals. Not this year, but we have some big plans ahead that I cannot wait to share!

• Plan a trip to Denver. Last year I was fortunate enough to visit Denver twice. Both of those times it was in the winter months, which didn’t allow me an opportunity to enjoy the beautiful summer weather and water activities such as white water rafting. I am hopeful Jake and I will make it out there this summer to enjoy super fun activities and visit our friends and family. Success! Jake and I were able to spend Thanksgiving with my mom and brother this year in the Mile High City.

• Plan a trip to Philadelphia I have had the fortune of visiting the East Coast five out of the past six years that my brother Fred has lived there. Philadelphia is an amazing city with so much history and culture to offer. I cannot wait to show Jake this gorgeous city and of course visit my brother. Fail.

• Vacation in a place I have never been. Not sure where this will be, but I am open to anything! Punta Cana baby!

Some highlights of the year:

January 

Started off the year right with my first two classes at Drake.

February

While Jake and I would normally have celebrated our birthday’s this month, we were given the news of his cancer.

March

Nathan Matta and Jake started a Kickstarter project and began working on this documentary.

April 

In the midst of it all, Jake and I were able to get away for a couple of days. It was glorious.

May

Celebrating one year of marriage.

June 

Best news ever.

July 

NHS mini road trip to St. Paul!

August

Having these beautiful ladies come to visit and celebrate their 9th birthday with us was wonderful!

September

Ending the summer with spending the day in Decorah, IA with good friends from out-of-town is a blessing.

October

Six nights, seven days of pure bliss and relaxation with gorgeous scenery was just what we needed.

November

Jake and I took a nice little road trip to Colorado to visit my mom and brother. It was wonderful being able to see my grandparents and spend some down time.

December

Ending this semester of classes and celebrating the Advent season with Coming Home services at Faith was exactly what my heart needed.

This year I was blessed with so many wonderful life experiences that brought out the best and worst in me. In those good and bad moments, I learned more about myself, my weaknesses and the strengths I carry.

These are what I hope to carry with me in to the new year.