2012 in Pictures and in Goals

2012 ended up not having quite as much time in it as I needed.  There are still so many things I wanted to get done, so much more I wanted to accomplish.  So thank goodness the Mayans were wrong, and I still have time.

Part of not having enough time is that I am going to combine two posts here.  It may make for the longest post ever, resulting in boredom half way through, but that's the way it's got to be.

I love looking back on all the photos I took over the last year, reminiscing about all the things we did, how much the boys have grown, all the places we went. I then choose a handful of pictures that are my favorite or best represent that year.

Also, it's time to reveal how I did on my Project 52 goals, a list of 52 things I wanted to accomplish in the 52 weeks of 2012.  Granted, some of my goals were derailed by a certain little person, but it has absolutely been worth it. 

So here we go: my accomplishments, randomly intermixed with my favorite pictures.

1. Find one drawer/closet/cupboard to clean out each month. Done (not necessarily each month, but the equivalent number was accomplished.)
2. Get to know my neighbors. Umm...not really
3. Finally overcome my blogging insecurities, and submit posts for SITS. No. I'll do this next year. Maybe.
4. Visit Chicago again. Twice! Spring Break and over the summer.

5. Plan a great spring break vacation. Nothing says awesome like waterslides.
 

6. Get a rain barrel. Nope.
7. Start posting my menus on my blog. Yes.  They are on my side bar if you didn't notice.
8. Share some recipes. I did this here.
9. Get a plant for inside my house. I have a lovely ivy in the kitchen, and some bean plants from Monkey's first grade class.
10. Visit three new places. Minneapolis, Wisconsin Dells, and a couple of local places.
 

11. Get serious about finding a job. I have a job!

12. Break out the oil paints and put brush to canvas. Nope. But I painted a room.
13. Cook with an ingredient I have never used before. Do this three times. Yes.
14. Do the Couch-to-5K program.  I started, but didn't finish, due to my pregnancy.
15. Make a bedtime and stick with it.  We're getting better.
16. Make new chore charts for the boys. Done.

17. Send a handwritten letter to 5 friends. Done
18. Do something special for turning 30. Well, I turned 30.
19. Donate money to something. Yes.
20. Get through my anesthesia question book twice. Done
21. Introduce my boys to art. Umm...
 

22. Get my boys in the kitchen cooking with me. Yes. They can now crack eggs and measure ingredients.
23. Get a pedicure. This is now my favorite thing.
24. Make bread. Ha, ha, ha.
25. Go to a drive in movie theater. Yes.  It was awesome.

26. Go ice skating. Nope.
27. Ride a train. Does the little train at the park count?
28. Read a parenting book. Done. I highly recommend 5 Love Languages for Children.
29. Learn to take a compliment. This is an ongoing issue.

30. Do three home improvement projects. Yes.(Notice, it did not say finish those projects.)
31. Plant a garden. I tried to plant tomatoes.  Dang raccoons.
32. Make maple syrup. Yes.
33. Visit two museums. Yes.

34. Volunteer at the school. This didn't happen this year.
35. Start family sharing at the dinner table. Yes.
36. Get a better handle on our finances. Slightly better, but still not complete.
37. Write at least 10 blog posts a month. Ha. No.  
38. Dance in the rain with my children. Yes.  And splashed in puddles.

 
39. Make a baking soda-vinegar volcano. Yes
40. Work on the boys (not so) baby books. No, but we did look at the one I started.

41. Print some of my pictures. Well, if my printer didn't suck so much...
42. Clean the garage. Yes!
43. Ride my bike to work at least 10 times. This was put to a halt due to pregnancy.
44. Visit family. How about have family come and visit?

45. Invite friends over for dinner. Yes!
46. Let go of the clothes that don't fit. Well, now I would have to let go of everything...

 
47. Buy myself flowers twice. Yes. It was lovely.
48. Surprise Hubster with a date night. Yes.  Well, it was more of a date afternoon, but still.
49. Sew something. How about two things! A quilt and a tent!
50. Sign the boys up for swimming lessons. I tried.  Tennis lessons instead count, right?
51. Go camping three times. We went twice. That's good enough, right?
 

52. Get my passport. Again, no.  But then I have no immediate plans for leaving the country.

 
That is 29 goals completely done, 3 things started or some what done, leaving 20 things I didn't do. And I had a baby! This actually may have been my most successful year (goal wise) so far. I look forward to carrying that momentum forward into the next year.