Late! Report Card

I've been the worst blogger. Here is my report card for 11 in '11 in February (now that March is 1/3 over...)

• Keep saving $100 a month: A+ I saved $100 last month, and I put my entire federal tax refund into savings as well.
  
• Start an Etsy store: C I really have done nothing else here, and that's sad.
  
• Try a new recipe every month: F I left this as N/A last month, but I did end up trying a new recipe. It wasn't great, and I didn't make anything new in February. I haven't been cooking much at all, actually.
  
• Send birthday cards: A+ My sister was the only February birthday, and I sent her a whole birthday package.
  
• Finish every project: F I... don't know if I even started any projects in February. But I still haven't completed those January projects, so, uh...
  
• Read 12 books: A+ I read 3 books in February and finished another on March 1, so technically I read 3 and most of a fourth book.
  
• Spend more time outside: B, It's been gorgeous here lately, and I have been spending lots more time outside. I imagine when the time changes and there's a lot of daylight left when I get home from work, I'll spend even more time out there.
  
• Keep one houseplant alive: N/A Still haven't decided what plant to get.
  
• Walk 365 miles: F Oh yeah, that. I probably should take this goal off.
  
• Throw a party: N/A Still not yet. But I will be throwing the party of the decade in 2012. Stick around til the next post to hear about it!
  
• Date night every month: A+, We had another date day, and it was the best. Bike riding by the river, sitting by the dam for a rest, then frozen yogurt before heading home? Perfection. And he was responsible for all of it.

Areas to improve:

• I don't think I'll be walking 365 miles this year. I did get a bike, though, for our 2nd anniversary, and I want to start riding it regularly. Maybe I'll keep up with miles on it.
• The Etsy store. If I want to do that, I should, well, do it.
• Trying a new recipe. I just kind of fell out of like with cooking. I did buy a new recipe book, so hopefully I'll try a few things in there. It's hard to get motivated to cook when I eat by myself (because the boy works at night).

Overall:

C Yikes.

Report Card

I think I will try to post an 11 in ’11 update each month, report card style, to keep myself on track. So here goes:

• Keep saving $100 a month: A-, because I did save the $100, but I had some extra I could have saved this month and did not, so that extra was whittled away, spent on silly little things (but also some good things, like dinners out with friends)
  
• Start an Etsy store: B, because I have begun the process but really could have done more
  
• Try a new recipe every month: N/A yet, because I have the new recipe and all of the ingredients. I plan to make it tomorrow night
  
• Send birthday cards: A+, because I sent birthday cards to the 2 friends with January birthdays
  
• Finish every project: C, because out of two projects I began in January, one is complete and the other is about 75% complete, staring at me from a prominent spot in the living room
  
• Read 12 books: A, because I finished one book and will have another finished before this month is over
  
• Spend more time outside: D, because I need to do better, but it’s cooooold!
  
• Keep one houseplant alive: N/A, because I haven’t yet found The One
  
• Walk 365 miles: F, because I have walked on the treadmill exactly twice this month, ugh
  
• Throw a party: N/A, because, not yet. But I have definitely put a lot of thought into exactly what kind of party I want to throw this year
  
• Date night every month: A+, because we had Date DAY Sunday, and it was such a great day, and I can’t wait to have the next one!

Areas to improve:

• I definitely need to make more of an effort to get time on the treadmill. The days that I did it, I just came home and immediately changed into walking clothes. I didn’t give myself time to sit down or try to talk myself out of it, so I think that’s the key. I think 365 miles is still doable, because while I am only walking .5-1 mile at a time right now, I am hoping to build up my stamina and be able to walk much longer distances. I know, I am beyond out of shape. It’s pathetic.
  
• I need to get outside more, I know this. I really will, once it gets a little warmer outside. I do love sitting outside on the porch swing, just not when it’s 30-40 degrees outside.
  
• I need to begin the search for The Houseplant. The One I am going to keep alive all year. Such a lofty goal.

So there you have it. I think overall I’d give myself a C+/B-. Anyone else make goals for 2011 that you want to report on? Make me feel better about my less than stellar grades!

11 in '11

I mentioned Saturday that I have 11 goals for 2011. I came up with this idea last month, and I shared it with a couple of my friends, who also decided to come up with 11 goals for this year. One of those friends shared her goals with me, and I created a journal for her to keep track of her goals. In turn, she gave me a journal for Christmas to keep track of my own goals. I spent some time today altering the journal, and I'm really pleased with how it looks so far. There are still a couple of things I want to do with it, including creating a place to keep track of books/movies/favorite quotes throughout the year.

Here are the pages for my goals. Click to see it bigger.

And here is my list of goals:

• Keep saving $100 a month
• Start an Etsy store
• Try a new recipe every month
• Send birthday cards
• Finish every project
• Read 12 books
• Spend more time outside
• Keep one houseplant alive
• Walk 365 miles
• Throw a party
• Date night every month