2012 Goals: End-of-Year Wrap Up

My original 2012 Goals post.

2012 Goals totally completed:

3. Take my son to the zoo

5. Take my son to the Hands-On Children’s Museum

7. Read 50 books

9. Read a Jane Austen novel I’ve never read

Goals partially met:

6. Go camping at least once. Well, I did not go camping, but my husband did take Malachi one night together.

14. Attempt to can something besides jam this summer. Technically I think I could count this one because I DID can some Apple Pie Filling, but it’s so similar that I can’t really count this one as totally completed.

17. Make monthly freezer meals. I didn’t make freezer meals every month, but I did get a great stock up before baby came and then did more when my mom and I bought all that Zaycon chicken.

8. Attempt a craft every month with my son. I think we did okay here. We probably didn’t do something every month, but we did some on-going projects like The Thankful Tree as well as some Mommy School projects and we baked some things together also.

18. Do a monthly Mommy School unit with my son. We did pretty good on this - even got a few in after Zach was born. Jan | Feb | Mar | May | Sept | Oct

Didn't complete:

1. Go on 12 dates with my husband. I knew this would be ambitious, especially with the baby this year, but I fell miserably short on this one. I am not really sure how many real dates we went on, but probably six or less. Fail.

4. We did not go to NW Trek, but I think I’m going to try to get there this next year for sure.

2. We didn't make it to the Drive-In. Grr… I am getting there one of these days.

10. Go fishing. Fail – didn't even get Shaun to take Malachi this year.

11. Attend a performance of the Seattle Symphony. I was kind a hoping we’d have the money to attend a Christmastime performance, but we just didn't this year.

12. Go through a corn maze. Honestly, we discussed doing this and it kinda freaks me out. I’m afraid we’d lose the boy. Maybe next year. Malachi and Shaun did a little maze at the Cider Mill though.

13. Grow a vegetable garden. Nope – lived all summer in a house with no yard. Couldn't use the sprinkler, let alone have a garden. Next year.

15. Sew something for myself. The sad part about this one is that I was going to sew some PJ pants for our Christmas Eve Box, but I didn't get to it, so my mom made them for me.

16. Keep a prayer journal. Epic fail. Didn't even remember this was a goal. =)

Reading Goal Completed!!

I've done it! Even having a baby this summer, I've managed to finish my goal of 50 books read this year. This includes Sisters of the Quilt which was a Trilogy  but only counted as one and Wool which was five novellas in one. I was not sure I could do it - as you can see from my reading list,  I didn't finish a single book in July. AND I still have a couple weeks left - 60 books for next year maybe? =)

“It is not true we have only one life to love, if we can read,

we can live as many lives and as many kinds of lives as we wish.”

- S.I. Hayakawa

Update:
I didn't want to make a whole new post, so I'm placing my 2012 Reading List here. =)
December:

• Scarlet by Marissa Meyer (Chapter's 1-5, Lunar Chronicles #2)
• The Queen's Army by Marissa Meyer (Lunar Chronicles #1.5)
• Glitches by Marissa Meyer (Lunar Chronicles #0.5)
• Cinder by Marissa Meyer (Lunar Chronicles #1)
• How Do You Tuck In A Superhero? by Rachel Balducci
• Wildflowers from Winter by Katie Ganshert
• The Apothacary's Daughter by Julie Klassen
• A Change of Fortune by Jen Turano

November:

• A Tailor-Made Bride by Karen Witemeyer
• The Doctor's Lady by Jody Hedlund
• Unending Devotion by Jody Hedlund
• Wool Omnibus (Books #1-5) by Hugh Howey
• The Preacher's Bride by Jody Hedlund
• A Wreath of Snow by Liz Curtis Higgs
• Promise by Kristie Cook (Soul Savers #1)

October:

• Abby: Mail Order Bride by Verna Clay
• Persuasian by Jane Austen
• Insurgent by Veronica Roth (Divergent #2)
• Divergent by Veronica Roth (Divergent #1)
• Legions by Karice Bolton (The Watchers Trilogy #2)

September:

• Awakening by Karice Bolton (The Watchers Trilogy #1)
• Unlocked by Courtney Milan
• Twice A Bride by Mona Hodgson
• Almost Amish by Kathryn Cushman

August:

• Inescapable by Nancy Mehl
• Short-Straw Bride by Karen Witemeyer
• My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade
• Finding Our Way Home by Charlene Ann Baumbich

July: - Nothing!

June:

• Bridesmaid Lotto by Rachel Astor
• The Marriage Bargain by Sandra Edwards
• Midnight Sun by M.J. Fredrick
• The Spy Who Left Me by Gina Robinson
• The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross
• Underworld by Meg Cabot (Abandon Trilogy #2)
• Overbite by Meg Cabot (Insatiable #2)

May:

• The Messenger by Siri Mitchell
• Spellbound by Cara Lynn Shultz
• Fifty Shades Freed by E.L. James
• Fifty Shades Darker by E.L. James
• Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James

April:

• The Marriage Pact by M.J. Pullen
• A Better Reason to Fall in Love by Marcia Lynn McClure
• The Scent of Cherry Blossoms by Cindy Woodsmall

March:

• The Lure of Shapinsay by Kristen Holle
• Always the Wedding Planner, Never the Bride by Sandra D Bricker
• Bad Blood by Kristin Painter (House of Comarre' #3)
• Intentions of the Earl by Rose Gordon
• Lioness Arising by Lisa Bevere
• Mrs. Tuesday's Departure by Suzanne Anderson

February:

• Sisters of the Quilt The Complete Trilogy by Cindy Woodsmall
• The Soulkeeper's by G.P. Ching

January:

• I'm in No Mood for Love by Rachel Gibson
• Jessicas Guide to Dating on the Dark Side by Beth Fantaskey
• Mr Darcy Broke My Heart by Beth Pattillo
• Paradise Valley by Dale Cramer (Daughters of Caleb Bender #1)

51/50 The Magical Adventures of a Single Life by Kristen McGuiness

Currently...

1. I just finished the second book in the Divergent Trilogy by Veronica Roth. I can't believe I have to wait A YEAR to find out what happens. Seriously... this is why I usually wait until the whole series is out before I start reading it.

2. I have a lot left to unpack from our move, but I've squirreled most of it away into the back bonus room so that Malachi is the one who has to look at it most of the time. =)

3. I have been spending WAY too much time on Pinterest lately.

4. I am planning a Jane Austen bunco party at my house next month - and getting super excited about all the fun prizes and food and decoration I'm going to have.

5. Our new house has a fireplace with a mantle! I've been super excited to decorate it. Here's the beginning of my Fall mantle:

Oil lamp from Grandma's | Harvest jar candle | Picture of Malachi | 3 votives covered with burlap | Pumpkin 

pillar candle w/ acorn & leaf ring from World Market | Two old frames from Grandma's | Malachi's baby 

pumpkin from the Cider Mill | Hurricane holder from Partylite | Leaf garland from Dollar Tree 

I have a burlap project to finish it off.... but I've either misplaced or used up all my burlap...

6. I'm trying to get through the BBC's version of Jane Austen's Persuasion. Usually I don't like to watch a movie before I read the book, but Austen novels are the exception. I've decided the novels are so involved that it actually helps me keep it all straight to watch a movie first. So... the next book on my list is Persuasion, which will fulfill one of my Fall reading goals and 2012 goals. =)

7. Last night I baked my first pumpkin recipe of the season - Banana Pumpkin Muffins. The recipe said it made 12 muffins, so I doubled it. We got almost 3 dozen muffins... hmm...

8. My friend Lisa came over a couple days ago and helped me cut Malachi's hair with our clippers. I usually spend about $18 every couple months to take him to the local children's salon. He has a crazy cowlick in the back and it always grows out weird. I'm thinking I can do this... and save myself some money and cut the cowlick back whenever it needs it, rather than when I have the money. Apparently I need to get some thinning shears though....

Time to Read?

Ha! That last book I reviewed took me a month to read! I started it before Zachary was born and just finished it. I had been on the verge of finishing it for a couple weeks at least, but just couldn't get those last couple chapters read.


I have four more books on my shelf that I've committed to reviewing for various publishers.... it's going to be pretty sad if I can only get through one each month! I just had to restrain myself from ordering another for review.... I figured I'm far enough behind as it is without adding to it... but it was so tempting! I love to read so much that it's hard to turn down those opportunities.


Aw well... starting the next...

Reading Goal Progress 2012

I am excited to realize that I've made it halfway through my Reading Goal for 2012 which was to read 50 books this year! The part that worries me is that in one week I'm going to have a newborn baby.... and somehow I'm thinking that I'm not going to be getting the same amount of reading finished the second half of the year! Oh well.... I still have a week to get ahead - haha


Find my current reading list for this year on the sidebar or become my friend on Goodreads for more book reviews or previous reads.

Nice Days and Mommy School

The weather has finally warmed up around here and we've been trying to spend some significant time outside! I have discovered a park/wetland area next to our development and we've been taking lots of walks over there...

I'm back doing Mommy School again this month! I've felt so bad because I've been working so much and I've been so tired that Malachi and I haven't really been doing anything productive together. I feel like this has added to some behavior frustrations between us also. So.... regardless of my work schedule and how I feel, I decided I needed to DO something with him.

Since we just went to the zoo in April, I decided it would be fun to do the Z is for Zoo unit.

We're working on identifying the Letter Z and Number 6. He can usually count from 1 to about 13 or 14 pretty well, but his identification of the individual numbers is a little lacking.

We also have been doing some of the activities like this one where he identifies the largest or smallest animal. Or the tallest or shortest. Fairly easy for him now, but still fun.

We also got some new books from the library for this unit. Our favorites so far are:

• I Love My Mama by Peter Kavanagh
• Welcome to the Zoo! By Alison Jay
• Caps for Sale by Esphyr Slobodkina
• Curious George Visits the Zoo by H.A. Rey

Welcome to the Zoo is unique because there is no text. You can go through the book multiple times and pick out something different to look at or focus on each time.

We were excited to find a copy of Caps for Sale at my grandma's house the other day when we were cleaning it out!

2012 Goals

So I thought I'd follow up my depressing life post with something a little bit more fun. =)

I decided I wasn't going to make actual Resolutions this year... but I'd just set a few goals for myself and see where it takes us. Some are personal goals and some are family goals.

Goals 2012:

1. Go on 12 dates with my husband

2. Go to a movie at the drive-in theater

(I have always wanted to do this - and we never make it there)

3. Take my son to the zoo

(I already have Groupon tickets for this!)

4. Take my son to NW Trek

5. Take my son to the Hands On Children’s Museum

6. Go camping at least once

(I had twice, but I'm going to be pregnant or with a new baby this summer..... sooo)

7. Read at least 50 books

(My goal this year was 60 and I didn't quite reach it. I figured with a new baby I'll be lucky to make it to 50)

8. Attempt one craft a month with my son

9. Read a Jane Austen novel

10. Go fishing

11. Attend a performance of the Seattle Symphony

12. Go through a corn maze

13. Grow a vegetable garden

14. Attempt to can something besides jam this summer

15. Sew something for myself

16. Keep a prayer journal
17. Make monthly freezer meals

18. Do a monthly Mommy School-type unit with my son

Are you doing resolutions this year?? or some type of goals??

I'd love to read them... sometimes I get inspired by other people's ideas.

Link it up if you have a blog or just post in the comments!