2012 Update

Well, a whole month has passed! How are we doing on our resolutions?

1. Pay offs. Welp due to a couple medical emergencies in 2011 we had a few thousand in medical bills. It happens, eh. But, yay we will have these paid off this month and will also paid a chunk on the credit card. Whoot Whoot!

2. We have paid our dues for Sierra Club and started our United Way deduction for TARC and CASA. I am glad I specially selected CASA since United Way is only sending specific donations to them right now. WTF United Way. After working with you all for a couple years and then this I am not too impressed with you right now! But, back to the point, we have not yet paid our dues to La Leche for the year or API.

2. Apparently I had two 2s on my original list. The second '2' was regarding contributing time. I haven't gotten to work on this yet. The night I signed up for harvesters was cancelled, bummer. It is really hard to go there anyways as they don't allow Aurora. I need to remember them for donations when I go to the store and need to make some snacks for Ronald McDonald. I haven't found a way to donate crochet/knit things, but I know there are options out there. Any ideas?

3. I have attended the first Sierra Club meeting of the year. I have yet to attend a La Leche though I really need to so I can talk about leadership opportunities. I am definitely meeting my quota of Fiber Fridays which I LOVE LOVE. Tonight it was at our place even. Matt and Rory have been going to at least one playgroup a week and we have had one parents as teachers visit this year. Story times haven't happened yet, but I hope so soon. Last but not least I have become an active member of the wellness center and make it down several times a week for Yoga class and personal fitness.

4. I am being friendly. Tomorrow is another sewing class with my sissy. The first class we made a swiffer duster and I believe this time we are making a casserole cozy. I have also taken Matt out on a date to the movies and the Burger Stand for some Foosball and pool...and truffle fries, can't forget the fries.

5. So, the certification I need to work for requires I log 1500 hours of project management before taking the exam. I feel like this may not happen in a year. I am taking a course in SQL online, but it is just through work. College course next semester? IDK, haven't decided.

6. Matt and I did not end up attending the finance classes because my dad ended up in the hospital the night they started and so we had no one to care for Aurora and honestly bigger things to worry about. We have read through the books at home though and are working out a better cash management/budget system. I have a meeting this month with Learning Quest for Aurora as well.

7. We definitely take waste more into account and Matt has reported a significant decrease in our landfill waste, but we aren't what I would call zero waste. Some of it is having to be a balance for us. Do we have the ability to buy from the bulk section and make everything from scratch, yes. It that feasible with our schedule and level of involvement in other things, no. Don't get me wrong, we make a TON of things from scratch, but it is winter and I am going to eat tomato soup dang it. I am not going to cook it from scratch, and I am not going to eat out of a can. Yes, the can would be recycled where as the carton would not, but it would also leech BPA. No thank you. Health comes first.

8. It hasn't become nice enough weather for us to fulfill a new level of involvement in nature. We do plan to do the warrier dash in KC though so conditioning for that and looking for either some tournaments for co-rec softball or a league to get on with a team.

9. We are maintaining minimalism and have really internalized it. I can tell we have because we don't feel the urge to buy, buy, buy anymore. Even Matt! There just isn't a ton of stuff we need or want which is so freeing. I haven't unplugged though. Still addicted to the electronics. I am just going to have to force myself by downgrading my phone moving to the country. Yay, I am dead serious. I have done some DIY projects, but not the 12 yet. I have made a crayon roll for Aurora's new beaswax crayons and a baby alpaca scarf in the very particular style my mom wanted.

10. We have set a goal to be move out to the farm by July. We will be in my parent's home until the house is built which suits us just fine. That will allow us to save more and be on site for planning and building. We have a floor plan and a good design. We need to get the details ironed out and set a budget so we can set a good time line. Our thoughts are 1-2 years so it is happening sooner than we thought when we set our resolutions, yay!

Overall I am proud of us. We have tackled a lot and I feel we are succeeding quite well. Life is good.