"In Progress" Goals

I wanted to give you all a update on how things are going.  When I started this, I was completing goal after goal so fast, and now, I'm slowing down.  I guess I'm not as motivated about it as I was when I first began (typical bad habit of mine).  I'm making progress on a few of my goals, but it's taking longer than planned.  So, I wanted to give you an update of those that are "in progress."

17 - Take 1 photo a day for a year.  So far, I've completed January 1-10.  I'm using the hashtag #bde101in1001 on Instagram to kind of keep track of each day.  If you don't follow me on Instagram, you can click the link on the right of my page, or search for me (bdenglebert).  You can follow as I go, or wait until I have completed this one.

20 - Finish reading the Hunger Games series.  I've finished 1 and 2.  Started #3, but got very bored.  As much as I'd love to be, I'm really not a reader.  So it takes a lot for me to finish a book.  But, the second movie is coming out this year (I think) so I'm hoping this will motivate me to finish the series.

22 - Lose 40 pounds.  This one has been in progress since last summer, but I fell off that band wagon and gained every single pound that I lost and then some more.  I started dieting again right after Christmas and lost weight fast (couldn't eat much because I was sick).  I'm down a total of 6 lbs as of Sunday.  I believe if I would actually get up and move, the weight would start pouring off.  Exercising makes me feel so good when I'm done, so I don't know why I never do it.  BTW - I just had an AWESOME Zumba Wii workout.  :)  (One of my goals for 2013 - I do goals, not resolutions - is to lost weight.  I have a few more I'll mention throughout the blog)

38 - Read every chapter of the Bible.  Another 2013 goal - read through the Bible in one year.  I found a neat plan that goes through chronologically.  So far, I've stuck with it.  I've read Genesis 1-11 and Job 1-28.  If you'd like to check out the plan I'm using, click here.  I encourage everyone to do this if you're not already - it's not too late to start!  You'll only have to catch up a few days!!!!!

47 - Devote 30 to 45 minutes each day to God.  I started this one out on the wrong foot, but am happy to report that I'm spending true quality time with the Lord.  Spending time in the Word and talking with God each day has made me feel so much happier and more at peace with things.

50 - Laugh out loud everyday.  I LOVE to laugh!  It's true that laughter is the absolute best medicine.  When you're having a bad day, try it!

58 - Save all my change for 1001 days and cash it in when the challenge is done.  At Christmas Village I got this glass jug that says Rollin in the Dough.  I now put all my change in it instead of spending.  I don't care cash much, but have got a good bit saved in there right now.

62 - Do 10 nice things for random people I know without telling them.  So far, I have found the opportunity to do this twice.  One person did find out that I did the random act of kindness.

80 - Complete all the workouts on my Zumba for the Wii.  As I said before, I had a fabulous Zumba workout just tonight!

81 - Complete 10 DIY projects from Pinterest.  I'm sad to report that I have only done 2 since this began.

82 - Try 25 recipes from Pinterest.  I'm slacking on the projects, but I've been a cooking maniac!  I've done at least 20 of these!!

So these are my "in progress" challenges.  I hope to put a huge dent in my list in 2013.  As expected, there will be some things that though I thought I'd be able to afford, I won't before this list ends.  But, that's ok.  It's just good to have goals.

One other 2013 goal that I didn't mention - learn to budget.  My sister will be moving out in May which means I'm short a roomie.  However, I'm ok with that because it will be a learning experience.  My dad tells me almost every time I see him that I really need to start a budget.  I agreed, but blew it off and was LAZY and never did one.  I made one for January and it's a real eye opener to how much money I really spend.  So, I'm learning to budget this year and learning to really manage my money.

I'm excited to see what all is in store for this year!  I hope you all have a fantastic 2013.  Stay tuned for more updates!!

Numbers 18, 19, 89

Wow!  I have not blogged about any of my projects since September!  I've been a slacker.  I haven't even thought about my list in the longest time and didn't realize that I had a few things on the list I could mark off.  So where do I start?  Let's start from the least exciting...

First, I got a nice new Keurig plus a ton, ton, ton of coffee!  I LOVE it.  I love it so much, day 2 with my Keurig, I drank about 5 cups of the different drinks I had and got very sick.  Oops...overdid it just a little bit.   My favorite drink (and I highly recommend it if you have a Keurig):  Cafe Escapes - Cafe Caramel.  YUMMY!  However, it is a tad more fattening than the plain coffee.

Secondly, I got a New Year's kiss from James Paul.  New Year's Eve 2011, we decided not to be together.  So, he stayed with his family, I stayed with mine which meant no sugies to bring in the New Year.  Well, this year I got it, but it was not very exciting.  I was SICK and told him not to even come near me actually, but he insisted.  Sweet boy knew how bad I wanted a New Year's kiss before I was sick, so he thought it was important I got one.

Last:  I got that bug, ugly TV out of my shed.  That sounds exciting, right?  No, not really.  And it wasn't an exciting thing, but what an eventful day that was!  I had been on an overnight work trip to Louisiana (and sick - Alabama weather really kills my sinuses) and returned home tired and ill.  The electric fence had not been working and Riley was hitting his body as hard as he could against my semi-new sliding glass doors.  Set off #1.  Anyway, being the sweet roomie that I am, I had decided that even though I was sick, I was going to get all the Christmas decorations out because the roommates had wanted to decorate a little early so that they had plenty of time to enjoy it before going home for the holidays.  I opened up the shed only to find a jumbled up mess.  I couldn't get to any of the decorations.  Set off #2.  So, I'm sick, tired from traveling, and MAD.  I notice that big TV in the corner of my eye and decide it has to get gone right then and there, and I am going to do it all by myself.  Well, it was a lot heaver than I thought and I couldn't slide it through the yard to the street.  So, I decided to try to shimmy it through the yard.  In the process, I pulled the TV over my foot, snagging my toenail.  I have lost a toenail before, but this was worse.  The nail stayed in tact, but was ripped from the skin a little.  It hurt and bled worse than when I actually lost my toenail.  That's been two months ago, and I still have a nasty brown toenail, but I've still got it!

Number 5

I haven't seen my friend, Haley in over a year. We have maintained a very good long distance relationship, but I still miss her. Well, this week I had the opportunity to see her! We had a nice lunch date to Panera Bread and then did a little shopping at Kohl's. Haley is the queen of bargain finds at Kohl's. I'm very glad I was able to spend a little time with my friend!! :)

Number 25

See that satellite dish?  I haven't had DirectTV for a couple of years now.  I have U-Verse (which is awesome by the way and doesn't include some ugly metal piece to go somewhere in your yard).  When I cancelled DirectTV they said "Oh, by the way, you are responsible for removing that dish." ...oh great...

I have mentioned to Paul a number of times (especially when I'm mowing the grass and have to go around it) that when WE have time  I would like to get rid of that old thing.  I also emphasized that there was no rush.  Just needed it gone at least by the end of my 1001 days. 

Three weeks ago my amazing boyfriend was weed eating my yard.  It was a very very hot day and he had to take a number of milk breaks (Yes, milk, not water...).  He finally came in and I could tell he was so exhausted.  I told him to just wait and I'd maybe weed eat the rest during after work one day.  He only had to do the back yard, and it really wasn't more than I could handle.  He then explained to me that he wouldn't be so exhausted had he not tried to dig up the satellite dish.  Of course, I don't have a single tool in my shed to make removing the dish easy.  He basically bent the thing back and forth until it snapped in half only to realize that it was in about 2 feet of cement under the ground. 

Oh, that boy is crazy, but he loves me and that's why he did it and didn't ask for help I guess.

So now the yard looks much better.  No more ugly dish.  The cement is still there for the moment, but it's underground.  Also, this picture is just after the tornado - which is why you see such a mess.  All of that is gone as well.  So my yard looks quite nice!

Number 4

We made it to Montgomery Zoo! 

Going to the zoo has always been mine and the girls "thing."  We go at least once a year, and every time we talk about how we need to plan a trip to Montgomery.  Birmingham Zoo is great, but a change of scenery sounded nice. Fourth of July we planned to go on this date, and nothing was going to stop us...not even a 60% chance of rain (By the way - it didn't rain.  Thank you, Lord).

It took us almost 3 hours to walk through the entire zoo.  It was split up into continents - South America, North America, Africa, Asia, and Australia.  A few of the animals I had never even heard of - Like the mix between a deer and a rabbit (can't remember what that one was called, but it was interesting looking.)  We saw 2 bears - Birmingham Zoo took theirs out years ago.

The highlight of our trip was feeding the Giraffe.  Each of us were able to feed some leafy greens to a certain giraffe.  He had the biggest tongue and licked our hand whenever he'd try to eat the leaves.  Paul tried to hold a green up against his cheek to get a kiss (yuck...) but no luck.  The giraffe was smarter than that. 

After we left the zoo, we decided to visit the Capitol.  The Capitol wasn't open, but we were able to tour the first white house of the confederate.  It was really neat and beautiful.  Then, we visited the Alabama Department of Archives and History.  As soon as we walked into "Grandma's Attic" I remembered visiting this museum in the 4th grade.  Grandma's Attic is a "hands-on" area for kids.  The reason I remember it:  my entire class dressed up, and we did the same today.  Even Paul dressed up a little.

We ended the day with dinner at O'Charleys and jammed out to some Disney, Phantom, and Aaron Carter on the way home.  We had the best day!  I'm so glad we FINALLY made it!

A goal in progress...

I have put this little guy here to track my weight progress.  One of my goals is to lose at least 40 lbs.  Before starting this ticker, I have lost 9.  But I thought you guys would be interested in seeing my progress as well!

Number 10

Wyatt Dee was born today, which means I completed a goal - Hold a brand new baby.  And this baby was less that one hour old!  This may seem silly to some of you, but I have never held a baby that was less than a day old.  When Loralei was born, I wasn't feeling well and didn't want to touch her and get her sick.  I didn't hold her until she was back home. To make completing this goal even more special, I was the first person to hold Wyatt besides his mommy and daddy.

This is going to be one spoiled little boy (just like his sister). These two have so many people who love them!  I am so blessed to have such a close, loving family.