Four Month Check Up

I can't believe we are almost a third of the way through the year already. I was thinking about my 11 in '11 and thought I better check in to see how I am doing.

1. Cooking at home more. . . I think I have been doing a pretty good job. We have been balancing from week to week, but overall I feel like I have been doing a better job of using what I have, sticking to my meal plan and cooking at home. Always room for improvement of course.

2. Trying a new recipe at least once a week. I went back and looked at my past 17 meal plans, and other than the weeks that we have done a lot of eating out, not only have we been trying new recipes, but even new cuts of meats and techniques. So now I just need to keep it up. Some of our favorites so far have been
Bean with Bacon Soup and Bacon wrapped Scallops in a Cream Sauce 
Seared Pork Tenderloin with Cocoa Spice Rub
BBQ Pork Pizza Soup
French Dip with Onion Spread Sandwiches
but, my all time favorite dish so far is Penne Gorganzola with Grilled Chicken 

3. Regular exercise. . .it has not happened. But I did do a 7K in March, and I am hoping to do more. I have actually had a tough time with the weather and getting outside, but I know that the sunshine is right around the corner.

4. A trip. Well, this one I have already achieved. However, it was a terrible vacation for me, I have not been that sick in a long time. I was thinking two trips, and was thinking it would be so much fun to go and see our friends in Chicago, so I am going to keep my fingers crossed that we can make that happen. Drive or fly, we can keep in our options open. Even if it is just a long weekend. Our house projects are going to impede a lot of weekends away and trips for a while I think.

5. Read a book a month. Nope, hasn't happened yet. I have gotten one book read so far this year. This is due to lack of me time I think, but I do need to just make more time to read. I am going to try to focus on this one over the next couple of months.

6. Home projects. Oye. We are working on this one.
January - My office - almost done, we still have two things left and then I need to organize it.
February - Guest Bathroom - done, still need to get a valance made, but I am very pleased with the reveal. We also came back from vacation in February to a flooded basement that needed to be gutted. So that has put us back a couple of months.
March - Guest Bathroom
April - Guest Bathroom, Guest Bedroom, Basement
May - Guest Bedroom - this needs to get done as we have our friend K from CT coming to stay for a long weekend, can't wait. The boy and my dad will continue to work on the basement as well. This is going to take a while to complete.
June - Master Bedroom, Basement
July - Hallway and stairway to upstairs, Garage
August - Dining Room, Garage
September - Media Room, Garage
October - Living Room
November - Finish Basement
December - Kitchen

7. De-cluttering and organizing. I am getting there. I have about three bags to go to Goodwill. Need to keep it up.

8. Entertaining. Still haven't had all of our friends over for a big blow out, but I am planning one. We did have friends L & J over for dinner, hosted two wine events and the murder mystery party as well as had my parents for dinner a couple of times. We have both sets of parents coming for Mother's Day.

9. Planting herbs, veggies and flowers. Well. They are sitting in my kitchen waiting for this weather to decide it is done with Winter. I am all over this one.

10. Arts. Nope, hasn't happened. We did take in a show with the boys parents in January. A show while we in New York, but we need to work on this one.

11. Be happy. This has been a tough one. I have been letting work get to me too much so I need to turn this one around for me. I have had fresh flowers on a consistent basis, and this does make me very happy. I need to focus on this one more though.

I am glad I checked in on this to see how I was doing. It reminded me of the things I want to try to stay focused on this year.

How are your goals/resolutions going this year?