2012 goals

Before talking about my goals for this year, I thought it would be fun to take a look at last year's goals, especially since we had one VERY big surprise.

So here is what I posted last January...

{1} Spending even more time with my great fiance and getting started with the wedding planning :) - Totally did this! We didn't end up having the wedding we had thought we would have because we ended up moving things up with pregnancy and me starting a new job, but it was absolutely perfect! I wouldn't have changed anything! And now I recall that I never posted about the wedding ...

{2} Eliminating all debt other than the mortgage (I hope). It's just such a crazy time economically, so I hate to have any more payments than necessary! Plus, we plan to continue paying extra on our mortgage every month. Not so great. We did pay off our shed and lawnmower. However, we did borrow some money to help pay for the wedding and ended up buying my new vehicle at the end of the year. Plus we had several baby-related expenses AND we have saved the money to pay all of the medical bills right away.

{3} Traveling! We are hoping to visit my friend Bel in DC, and would also love to go on a beach trip. We never made it to DC. However, we did get the beach trip, with our wedding in Gulf Shores, Ala. We also spent a long weekend in Branson.
{4} Trying out new recipes and working toward a healthier me. Honestly, I didn't do much on the cooking front. I tried a few new ones, but I really didn't cook much during my pregnancy because raw meat grossed me out and I just didn't have the energy/want to cook. Thankfully I could do a lot of fast food/convenient stuff (although I hated doing that much processed food!) without gaining a ton of weight. I'd say that I've cooked more since Cooper was born than I did all summer. And that's just sad.
{5} Being a better blogger and forming more relationships with YOU GUYS. I kinda sucked as a blogger because I got so sidetracked. I mean, I have no posts from our trip to Branson, wedding recaps, etc. Which really sucks because I use this blog as a journal/scrapbook of sorts. However, I have made some of THE BEST friendships blogging, and a few of you girls even got texts when Cooper was born.
 {6} Putting more personal touches on our home. With the spring floods, it's probably  in worse shape! We had to rip down all the trim in our basement due to the dampness. However, we did design a super-awesome nursery, which is now the only complete room in our house. Hey, furniture is expensive!



{7} All of the surprises that life throws my way! I'd say I totally succeeded at this! Between a baby surprise that we totally weren't expecting to moving up our wedding and doing it on the beach to being surprised by Cooper's gender, all the while being blessed with and beginning a new job, we really embraced the unexpected.

Now for 2012:

{1} Really focus on the here and now. I am so guilty of playing on my iPhone or other distractors while I should be spending quality time with my boys. Or looking toward things rather than being in the present. So I hope to put down the computer/phone more, turn off the TV, and just live in the present!

{2} Rebuild our savings, begin a savings account for Cooper, and continue to pay down debt. As I mentioned, all the medical bills have been/will be paid in full. Our tax return, which should be pretty nice, is earmarked for our wedding loan. Hubby's truck will be paid off in March. And the Terrain payment is big, but because we chose to finance for 36 months to take advantage of 0 percent financing. I'm not sure if we can realistically expect to pay off anything but the truck this year, but that's OK - we now have a baby and need more cushion for unexpected expenses. Any "extra money" will go toward either our wedding loan or a vacation fund - I'm really toying between going on a trip or just getting rid of that bill. I'd love to go back to Gulf Shores, but don't know about traveling with an eight-month-old. 

{3} Even if we don't make it to the beach, I want to go on at least one family trip. Hubby and I have talked about taking Cooper to the St. Louis Zoo every year.

{4} Take more pictures, and be sure to print them and make photo books!

{5} Bring more healthy food into our house. If junk isn't there, we won't eat it!

{6} Breastfeed until Coop is at least six months old. Maybe longer. We'll see.

{7} Kick butt at work and lead a successful capital campaign. 

{8} Lose the 15 lbs. I wanted to get rid of before I found out I was pregnant. And finally run that 5K!

{9} Be better at documenting life on the blog!

{10} Just survive! I know that may sound weird, but I really want to make sure my little family is always fed and clean. Ths includes letting go of the little things like having a totally clean house when visitors come (presentable is OK) and being a Type-A personality.