Out with the Old & In with the New

 

Clearly 2012 was not a good blogging year for me. In my defense, I was really, really busy... and I am pretty glad "blogging more" did not make my 2012 list of resolutions. That being said, blogging more IS on my list of 2013 resolutions, so I do promise to be better. So before I do a massive recap of the last 10 months of our lives (so sorry, again, for going MIA that long), we should probably review how I did on my 2012 resolutions.

I really did pretty good! Out of the 12, I would say I successfully accomplished 5, somewhat accomplished 4, and completely bombed on only 3. Here they are clumped in their "success" categories:

ACCOMPLISHED:

4.) Get a real job - as in, a job that pays. After 50+ rejections this fall, I'm a little down on this one but hey, there are still 360+ days in 2012. If anyone knows someone who is hiring....

- I definitely accomplished this one. It was not on my own timing, the way I would have predicted or even if the sector I anticipated, but as of my 26th birthday in September, I am officially a 40-hour a week-working, tax-paying, vacation-accruing real employee... with benefits! I'll cover more of this in my review of 2012.

5.) Grow a successful summer garden. I was about to give up my quest to have a garden on my patio until those broccoli and cauliflower plants decided to actually do their jobs. And hey! They survived while we were at home for the holidays. One of my favorite memories was when we had a summer garden in our backyard that grew okra, peppers and squashes. With a little luck, my patio will have the same success in a few months...

- I definitely accomplished this one too! I grew tomatoes, sweet and hot peppers, strawberries, squash, eggplant, asparagus, green beans, herbs and lots of other tasty summer veggies. I'd brag more but I don't want to jinx my current winter garden...

 7.) Get more involved in our church. I got more involved last year by going on a Turkey mission trip last spring, joining a women's bible study in the fall and hosting a table for the annual ladies tea. In reality, what I really want to do is join the church choir. I've already chickened out once - I meant to go last night and then talked myself out of it. I'm not sure why I'm so intimidated, but I really need to suck it up and just go. Maybe next week..... I am planning on starting a new ladies bible study this weekend.

I'm definitely calling this one a success too. Last March, I went on our church's mission trip to Russia and LOVED it. I also joined the choir in January, sang in the Easter service, sang in a summer patriotic program and survived my first Living Christmas Tree (more on this to come). 

 
8.) Leave the country. I know, I know, I'm addicted to leaving the country. But I just LOVE it. This year I'm hoping to make it back to my old stomping grounds in Russia. We'll see : ) 

- Given my above-mentioned trip to Russia, I can check this resolution off as well! Plus I made 2 trips to Tuscaloosa, Alabama... that counts, right? Just kidding Grace :) 

  

10.) Continue to expand my baking abilities. Lately I've been mastering the art of the cake, but I'd really like to be able to make great cookies too. Between leftover Christmas money and the last of our hoarded up wedding gift cards (and some much needed encouragement from my sisters and mother in law) I bought myself a Kitchen Aid stand mixer for Christmas. I can't wait to start using it!

- I LOVE baking. Which is a good thing since I spent so much of 2012 doing it - I even catered a few events for friends and tossed around starting a small business: Steph O's Sweets! I would definitely consider this a success!

SOMEWHAT ACCOMPLISHED:

2.) Run the Marine Corps Marathon OR Half-Marathon with my sister. I am already regretting this resolution. I LOVE that I have a joint goal with my sister and think we'll have a lot of fun with it - but the thought of actually having to run lots of miles is just not fun to me. Oh well. Onward....

- I'm giving myself half-credit on this one for a few reasons. First, I actually did register and pay and even picked up my bib and free t-shirt. My training was a tad lacking and Grace wasn't able to come up and run with me, but I was going to suck it up and run it because I hate to quit things. Well... that night the hurricane showed up and somehow Scarlett scratched her eyeball so we made a 4am trip to the emergency vet and by then it was too late to get into the city, so.... yah. My intentions were good but clearly the universe was conspiring against me that day. This won't happen in 2013...

 

6.) Actually get my dogs somewhat trained. Scarlett has now gone through obedience school twice and Rhett once. Scarlett will sit and lay down on command.... sometimes.... if there is a treat involved.... Rhett will look at you when you say her name, and is STILL not completely potty-trained. So ya..... dog training is definitely high on my list. I would like them to at least sit, stay, lay down, come and walk nicely on the leash by 2013.   

- Well, we made some progress in this area. 2012 proved to be the year that Scarlett turned into a good dog. She is very sweet and spends about 80% of her time laying on my pillow or napping on the couch.... I believe she just decided to be good, although it could be because I let Caleb whip her for awhile and/or all the puppy prozac she took as a puppy finally kicked in. Either way, she's awesome. Now for Rhett... she's definitely better than she was a year ago, but still having a few accidents and is just a wild child. I can't decide whether to let Caleb start whipping her or put her on puppy prozac... I guess only time will tell. 

11.) Learn how to use my nice new camera. I'm super excited about it, but it still really intimidates me. Caleb told me the place he bought it had classes so I spent several hours the other night researching classes to take. When I went back to the site the next day to actually register for the classes, the company had declared bankruptcy and cancelled all classes.... of course in the 12 hours I was sleeping on my decision. That figures. So if anyone out there knows where I can get good, affordable camera lessons. Let me know!

 

- I never did take a camera class, but I have fooled around with my camera enough to know how to use it and change the lenses and such. I even took the surprise pics when my brother proposed to his fiancee at the Jefferson Memorial. They didn't turn out too bad! I wish I used it more and new more cool things to do with it, but I think this was a mild success for year 1.  

 

12.) Encourage Caleb more. I have to admit... encouragement is not one of my finer qualities. I am much more prone to be a tough love and problem solver type. It is hard for me to remember to actually be encouraging. Caleb is much better at this than I am. So in 2012 I would like to be more encouraging - law school is stressful.... add in working part time and commuting and the pressure that he puts on himself and he is just a total stress ball. If anyone has any tips on how to remind yourself to be encouraging... especially if this is a hard skill for you... I would love some advice!

- I feel weird judging myself on this. I personally think I did pretty good. I know I was nicer than in 2011 but I probably still have a pretty good ways to go. So I'm classifying this as a somewhat success and hoping to still do better in 2013. I'd say ask Caleb how I did, but I'm not sure I want to know the answer... 

 

TOTALLY BOMBED:

1.) Lose the remaining weight to get to my goal weight (where I was when I went to college). I was doing SO good this fall and halfway there... and then my dumb appendix got in the way. So.... now that I am allowed to exercise again, I'm back on track and hoping to be at my goal by graduation in May!

- Yeah... about that. I totally went the wrong way on this one and gained even more weight! Argh! I'd like to list a whole bunch of excused, but honestly, they're all terrible. I have no excuse and I'm pretty embarrassed that this was my #1 and I COMPLETELY flopped. But, instead of beating myself up, I'm starting over, and although I have further to go, Caleb and I have decided to "bring sexy back" in 2013 and we're getting healthy together :) 

3.) Eat more meals at the table. When people treat us like we are just college students up here, I always joke with people that Caleb and I are going to be REAL adults one day. The more I started thinking about it, if we want to be treated like real adults, maybe we should lose some of our college-like habits.... including but not limited to... sitting on our living room floor and eating our dinner off of the coffee table in front of the television.... (don't judge us too much). 

- Wow. This might be my worst flop. I think we ate a grand total of 3 meals at our table. January 1, 2 and 3rd. After that the table went back to being a junk heap and the chairs our coat hangers. But after a year of us eating dinner off of it, our coffee table is now barely holding it together so I guess we have incentive to move back to the dining room.

9.) Do a better job saving money. I don't want to live in an apartment forever.... haha. Seriously though, we aren't major splurgers or anything, but we haven't been doing a good enough job of putting money in savings. I am declaring 2012 the year of the save!   

- This was bad too. I think the whole interning for the government and making nothing, interning all summer and half the fall and the 3 months of a real salary and Caleb's intern salary just got in my head. We made it but definitely could have saved more. And as we look to 2013 I am really wishing we had. Oh well, 2013 will be the year of frugality if it kills me! 

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Phew! That was a really long recap. But seriously, I think I did pretty good for having 12 resolutions. But there is definitely room for improvement. So, without further ado, because I am competitive and always up for a challenge, here are my 13 resolutions for 2013!!!

1.) Hit my goal weight. SERIOUSLY! Honestly its less about the weight and more about feeling and living healthy again. And this year, instead of doing it myself, Caleb and I are going to do it together. We have declared 2013 the year of "hotness!"

2.) Stick to a budget - and I do mean stick to it like super glue. I know we will make mistakes along the way, but I'm hoping that some of those crazy genetic characteristics I've gotten from my dad (like mega cleaning the house before we go out of town, organizing all of our paperwork into binders, obsessively cleaning, etc) will continue to show up and I'll be a master budgeter. We'll see....

3.) Run either a 10k or half marathon. I would really like to run a half if possible - I do like a challenge. So, for all my DC running friends, I am inviting anyone who is patient, non-judgemental and who won't make me feel bad about myself to be my running buddy/trainer/slave-driver. Who's up for the job!?! : )

4.) Do the best job I possibly can this year at work. It'll be my first solid year on the job and I really want to do well. I love what I do, so that shouldn't be hard, but I still want to focus on it!

5.) Stop biting my nails. This is a gross habit, I know. I've tried EVERYTHING!!! So, I'm just going to quit. That's it. (we'll see how this goes...)

6.) Join the Sunday night Women's Bible study at church. I really miss having just a group of girls to study the Bible with. I know 1-2 people in the Sunday night class, so I think I'm going to give it a try. It starts this study and looks like we'll be doing the Beth Moore study of Daniel. Can't wait!!!

7.) Leave the country. Just a warning, this will probably be on my list for the rest of my life... Doesn't really go well with saving money, but there's always the dream...

8.) Pursue Friendships - This one probably seems weird. I have friends, lots of them, all over the world, but since we moved to DC, I've really felt so focused on our school and getting jobs that I have not put the time and energy into them that I should have. So, if you are a friend who has been feeling neglected, watch out, because I'm coming for you! 

9.) Read through the entire Bible. My mom has done this for as long as I can remember. I've never done it. I'm a little behind given that today is January 3rd, but I am definitely going to give it a try. If anyone can suggest guides to keep you on track send them my way!

10.) Learn how to make macaroons. They are just so beautiful and delicious and I swear they are impossible to make unless you are French. I have tried and tried and either they don't have feet or the don't rise. Ugh. I will master these beautiful creations in 2013!

11.) Close the "Incessant Schooling" chapter of Caleb and my life. The entire 6 1/2 years we've been together has involved school of some sort - my undergrad, Caleb's undergrad, Caleb at Seminary, Caleb's MA, my MA, Caleb's law degree... That's alot! I am ready to be done with school and move on to the next chapter of our lives!

12.) Continue to improve my knitting. Yes, I have taken up knitting. This is what happens when you make fun of your mom for too many years... you start picking up the very hobbies you made fun of! Seriously though, I enjoy making things for people and it gives me something to do with my hands (hopefully instead of biting my nails!)

13.) And last, but not least, to blog more!!!!!

So there are my 13 resolutions for 2013. I'm hoping to beat my 2012 record of 5-4-3! Hopefully I'll stick to them and be back in a few days to recap our 2012!