20 2012 To-Do/To-Enjoy List

This year I decided to do my resolutions, to-dos, goals, etc. a bit different. Instead of listing them out somewhat arbitrarily, I decided to look at it more in the lines of what I hope to do each day, week, month, quarter, etc. - this way I could focus a bit more on what I really want to do! I also took the number down to 20 things - again, more doable. Yes, things come up. Yes, I may not get to it all. And yes, many of these are from last year. But that's okay! I truly enjoyed sitting down and really taking the time to think about what I want to do next year - the sky's the limit! And then paring back to make it as realistic as possible. So, without further ado, here is what I hope to-do/to-enjoy in 2012!


Daily To Do/To-Enjoys


1. Each day I want to focus on the positive, enjoy my family and puppers, think about/call/email loved ones, blog (even if it's just a photo), read blogs (even if it's just one post from one of my favorite writers), do something active (even if it's just stretching on off days!), eat healthified, home-cooked meals, and read something inspiring or motivating! Definitely carved out a lot of 'me' time in 2012 - i'm proud of this, and hope it continues as life is about to get crazy with Beckett's arrival!
2. Track calories until goal weight is reached (115). Pregnant in May so this wasn't really an option!

Weekly To-Do/To-Enjoys 

3. Have date night.going well! Need to make sure to keep this a priority after Beckett's arrival!
4. Measure on Thursdays. (to help show progress the scale may not show!) was going well, but stopped measuring/weighing/etc. once I got pregnant - didn't want to stress myself out
5. Relax: Read a magazine and do at least 30 minutes of yoga/stretching. This went well! Kept up my stretching during the pregnancy and think it helped.
6. Try out churches in our area - hopefully find one! didn't happen this year. :(
7. Make at least 1 new recipe. didn't happen each week. I posted about 40 recipes in 2012, but the cooking/trying new things went down A LOT with the pregnancy as Beckett wouldn't let me eat meat for a few months, never let me eat seafood, and, to be honest, most food just sounded gross for most of the pregnancy. 

Monthly To-Do/To-Enjoys 

8. Make and follow monthly workout plans (to include P90X/strength training, spinning, and running). was going well; once I got pregnant, I kept up walking 3- 4 days per week, but stopped running for sure.
9. Read 2-3 fiction books and 1 nonfiction book. (40/year). Attend book club! Didn't do well at ALL with reading - was too busy reading 'baby stuff' and baby books which I didn't review like normal food!
10. Make 1 'fun with food' recipe - bentos, snacks, etc. Hope to get into this more once Beckett is here, especially since most of it is 'kiddie' food for when she's older!
11. Find, edit and healthify 5 recipes to prepare for cooking. Gave this up around mid-year, but hope to do A LOT more healthifying and cooking in 2013.

Quarterly To-Do/To-Enjoys

12. Create a step-by-step meal plan. Definitely didn't do this each quarter - wasn't cooking much. :(
13. Do a family videos (1/quarter - spring, summer, fall, winter!) Didn't create ONE video this year, don't even know where the camera is. Sigh!

One-time-only/Ongoing To-Do/To-Enjoys

14. Find master bedroom items: small bench for Remy & reupholster chaise; focus on updating the laundry room, bathrooms and the hallway. Did a good bit of this - no luck on bench or chaise, but did update the bathroom, kitchen and did a good bit of home reno!
15. Do home upgrades including 'stairs' project, flooring in guest bath and printing/framing more pictures! We did the pictures - we had the other projects quoted and don't feel it's worth it; have decided to only put $ into things we can take with us when we move.
16. Make 2010 photo book; make 2011 photo book; make wedding book. My goal is to work on some 'back log' books during maternity leave (assuming I have any downtime) - and to just be okay with them not being perfect, maybe some photos will be missing, etc., but they'll be done and will help us remember such great times!
17. Do a household budget. a LOT of progress made - we're hoping to finish by end of year (have time off this weekend)
18. Learn how to sew on a button, how to use my food processor and how to use my steamer. Never learned to sew a button.
19. Reorganize my career goals/notes/tips/etc.; share my 20 under 20 minute recipes;  reorganize my to-make recipes; . 
20. Accomplish fitness goals: build to where I can run 6 miles straight at 6.3 mph (9.5-minute miles); run 3 miles straight at 7.5 mph (8-minute miles); run a 5K race (first race ever!). Nope - but these can become post-Beckett goals! First step post-Beckett related to workout? Starting C25K again! And probably doing P90 again.

Overall, I just hope to have a happy and balanced 2012 where I can be present in what i'm doing and not worrying about how much I have to do because I've spread myself too thin. I want to see my family and friends as much as possible. I want to be active, eat healthy and reach my goal weight again where I feel the most positive physically! I want to continue organizing, traveling, cooking and enjoying Atlanta. Here's to an AMAZING 2012, starting with seeing Auburn in the Chick-fil-A bowl on New Year's Eve, then flying out to Breckenridge, Co., on Jan. 2. Already SO excited for what all the new year will bring!

Q: What are you looking most forward to in 2012? All I can say is balance - i'm truly hoping and planning for a more healthy work-life balance.