Twelve for Twelve - Check In 3

Twelve For Twelve

Check in #3

1. Write every day.

-  Blogging counts. I mean I am putting down words and ideas. That’s not nothing.

2. Post to my blog at least once per week.

- I win! I declare this goal met! At least for right now.

3. Resume my daily exercise routine.

- Doing better on this but the exercise is still a bit irregular.

4. Better eating habits.

- Cupcakes are good for you, right? Milk, eggs, flours…all the food groups covered? And dinner is optional. 

5. Lose at least 50 pounds.

- Another three pounds down. How that happened with the cupcakes and skipping meals I’m not sure. Maybe it has to do with mowing a nearly two acre lawn with a push mower.

6. Organize my photographs chronologically.

- N/A 

7. Scrapbook more.

- I haven’t scrapped at all this month. I’ve got photos developed so there is the move in the right direction but as far as pulling stuff out. Ugh! I don’t want to clean up afterwards so I haven’t been willing to make a mess in the first place, which is actually going to be a problem because I have scrapbook I must finish before August that I haven’t even started on yet!

8. Write actual letters to friends and family.

- Win! Mostly. I’m still writing but not as much or as regularly this month. I also need to add some family into this as I am mostly focused on writing to friends.

9. Reinstitute Family Game Night.

- Still a work in progress at getting an actual regular night but Friday’s for some reason seems to be working out the best. A combination of no school or homework and a later bedtime probably has a lot to do with this.

10. Backyard homestead.

- Really proud of this one. In an effort to save money on building raised beds, I converted my old milk crates (that I used in my classroom) into planters. I’ve got six so far plus a few containers I had previously sitting around filled with tiny green things. The girls and I stuck to growing from seeds so we are just getting some tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers and peppers popping up plus a scant dozen flowers planted. I am really happy with this for right now. I’ve recycled and I’m growing things!

11. Get my favorite recipes organized.

- I added a few new recipes into my personal book: A shepherd’s pie and scones. I’m not very focused on this for right now, though.

12. Travel.

- I am sad to say, but until someone gets a job (hint: It’s ME) travel is going to take a back, back seat - let’s just put it in the truck - for now. The fact is, the car needs new tires, gas is too high and we are tightly budgeting to make sure we stretch every dollar. It sucks, but there it is. Finding a job, much to my dismay, is a high priority right now. Maybe once I get that settled then I’ll be back to this goal, but until then, I am taking this off of my check in list.

Twelve For Twelve - Check In 2

1. Write every day.

- I am slowly getting back into the groove. I have been writing everyday, just not fiction writing. I’ve been blogging and doing some creative non-fiction pieces. I would love to blame something for this seemingly lackadaisical mentality, but in all honesty it boils down to I just haven’t been putting the effort into it. I’ve been focused more on the blogging and the crafting. And while writing is very important to me, I’ve allowed myself to push it aside and focus on other projects. A bit back I made a declaration to focus and produce, to hold myself accountable for my word counts. And it turns out I have real problems with time management. I get lost in a craft and before I know it half the day is over and I still have chores to do and errands to run.

2. Post to my blog at least once per week.

- Totally on top of this one. I have posted virtually every day in February! Yay! It got a bit chore-like by the end of the month, but I am doing a March Photo a Day Challenge and then in April I am taking on Blogging A to Z. I am currently trying to decide on whether I am going to do a theme for April or just write as I get to it. The first week of April is spring break for us, so I will probably have those posts scheduled ahead of time.

3. Resume my daily exercise routine.

- I wouldn’t count this as a “fail” this month but I certainly wouldn’t declare myself the winner, either. I started walking in the afternoons with Cyra and I am saving up my moneys to hopefully buy myself a bike soon! I miss bike riding and with my perfect mile loop, I can get in some good riding.

4. Better eating habits.

- We’ll call this one a draw. Yes, I’ve been eating better foods…but…I’ve been snacking a lot instead of eating actual meals which defeats the purpose of calorie counting and keeping track. And even though I am snacking on what would be considered healthy snacks (fruits and low-fat yogurt) every calorie counts. I did so much better with this when I was working. I was busy all day and even if I was hungry, tough, because I didn’t have time to have a snack. Now, I get hungry and I can immediately satisfy myself. 

5. Lose at least 50 pounds.

- Five pounds down…I should be doing better, but I’ll celebrate a five pound loss nonetheless.

6. Organize my photographs chronologically.

- I still haven’t started this one yet, and I think that I probably won’t until later this year. As a goal it is one of the lowest priorities right now.

7. Scrapbook more.

- I have been working on my 2012 Waiting For The Apocalypse scrap book a few pages at a time. I’m stuck on my Christmas layout, but while I’m mulling that over, I’ve moved into January photos and pages. So work progress. I’d like to try to get into the habit of printing pictures more often. Maybe that would encourage me to sit down with it more. Other than that, I need to get to work on the Birthday Fiesta O’ Fun: Minty Fresh Edition. Sara and I promised that before we had another BFOF, we’d finish the previous BFOF Scrapbook. August will be here in like five minutes so I need to get moving!

8. Write actual letters to friends and family.

- This one I am pleased to say, yes! I’ve been doing this. I made cards and I’ve been sending them out – about one a week or so.

9. Reinstitute Family Game Night.

- We’ve been doing this too except that we haven’t actually set a night in stone. Cyra has recently taken up a sport and Ashleigh has recently been involved in a drama production so it is hard to lock down a night for just family fun. Mostly it is all about the homework, the dinner and the rushing around. Recently, however, I was soundly whupped in a vicious game of Monopoly, where within just a few rounds, I had to bargain away my railroad to pay for rent! Yikes!

10. Backyard homestead.

- It’s all about the money. You know? The money we don’t have. But, hopefully, this week, after rent is paid we will have about a hundred dollars to devote to getting my raised beds built. I already have the seeds (got those on sale at the end of the season last year) so I need to get a couple of seed starter thingies and the beds built and we’ll be good to go. We’ve also been talking about putting the chickens on hold for right now.

11. Get my favorite recipes organized.

- I haven’t worked on this at all this month. Although I have tried a few new recipes out: White chocolate coconut scones = YUM!

12. Travel.

The girls and I did a couple of (thankfully) short Girl Scout campouts and that was about it. We are planning a trip over spring break and then the one this summer. Those will be our big ones, but I’ve got a few ideas for some weekend day trips in March and April. Springtime really shines in Florida. Everything is blooming, it isn’t too hot yet and there aren’t many tourists!

Project: Waiting For The Apocalypse

On a whim, as I was strolling through Hobby Lobby back in November, I got the idea for a new scrapbook. I call it: Waiting For The Apocalypse. Essentially, I will be scrapbooking all of our activities from holidays to birthdays, from travels to quiet nights at home.

I'm a firm believer that nothing is going to happen on December 21, 2012. The Mayans were a smart bunch of people, but I do not think they had magically powers of prediction any more than I believe in ghosts. Despite that, I am a "prepper." I do think something will happen eventually be it the total collapse of the economy, a natural disaster, or some kind of attack.

The original plan was to do twelve 8x8 bound books, one per month starting on December 21, 2011. But after taking cost into consideration I decided to use a single spiral bound album. Organized chronologically through the year, the album starts on December 21, 2011 and will end December 22, 2012. I've got a few ideas for the last page...depending on which way the apocalypse goes.


Oh how my dining room suffers when I scrapbook!



The spiral bound book showing Christmas Baking and Gingerbread house making.

How are you going to be chronically the end of the world?