I posted this blog over a year ago and just went back to it. I love seeing how things change and improve over time, and I think it's encouraging when you can see real goals that you have actually accomplished. Of course, there are some goals that you set that may change or you just don't actually get to achieve, but I think it's better to look at that as a challenge rather than a discouragement. I wanted to revisit these goals, and fill you in on the year that followed this post. The original goals are in black - the outcome, in red :)
Hopes, Dreams and Plans for the Next 365 Days (originally posted April 23, 2011)
1.) Finish writing and defend my PhD proposal to officially become a "Doctoral Candidate."
Done! I defended my proposal in February of this year! I am officially a PhD candidate :)
2.) Plan a stunning beach wedding in the Caribbean for next May!
Done! I got to say my vows to my best friend and the love of my life, on the beach in Cozumel, on May 19th of this year. It was more perfect than I could have possibly ever imagined.
3.) To get ALL of our debt paid off.
DONE! AHH! It feels so good to say that on this one, for sure. We successfully paid off over $18K on hubby's truck...I think in August of last year. And we made the final payment on his over $18,500 worth of student loans in May of this year. We are so happy to finally be debt free and working towards bigger and better goals!
4.) Start downsizing on a lot of our stuff before the wedding...gotta make room for the bridal shower gifts, and get rid of some things before we move...I'm hoping to have a really good garage sale!
No garage sale, but we did get rid of some stuff! We got a whole heap of awesome kitchen stuff for our wedding, so we gave most of our old stuff that we either didn't use or got replacements for to his little sister. We didn't end up moving away for good this summer, as we had originally anticipated, so this one kinda got pushed to the back burner. We have some work to do before May 2013 ;)
5.) Complete the entire 60 days of INSANITY by Beachbody. I've started it two different times before, but I usually get about 3 weeks in and get distracted and get off track. I really want to get all the way through it sticking to the daily workout schedule at least once, hopefully twice over the next year!
Unfortunately I can't say I accomplished this one :( However, I did get through 7 of the 9 weeks, just before the wedding! I felt really good about that, and felt really accomplished. Insanity is a hard, yet amazing, workout program. We actually just started it back up this week, only this time, Husband is doing it with me! I will keep you posted on our progress :)
6.) Plan a nice weekend getaway to Lake Tahoe during the two weeks of my soldier's mid-tour leave in August. Neither one of us have ever been to Tahoe, so we are super excited!
As usual, the Army had other plans in mind. His leave got moved back about 2 months, so by the time he got to come home, I was already back home and not in California. BUT, we did end up having a nice little weekend getaway to Branson, and we got to surprise his entire family because they didn't know he was getting leave...it was so neat! :)
7.) Publish my 2nd journal article over my research, and hopefully get enough data to be working on my 3rd.
Unfortunately, not done. But I did get my graduation pushed back a year after completely changing my dissertation project, so let's try this one again!
8.) Have my dissertation either done or very close to it. I think I have to have it in by May 6th of next year to graduate that semester!
See #7.
9.) Purchase an anti-bark collar for my dog. Random though, I know...but Koda has been awfully mouthy today...
Ha. I think I must have been really annoyed with my dog the day I wrote this. Koda has gotten much better about his barking now that Daddy is home. He still has moments, but shocking him into submission isn't quite as necessary anymore ;)
Whew. Now that those are out of the way (or still in progress), here is a list from another blog post on September 7, 2011:
My 3/4 Year's Resolutions
1.) Run a half marathon.
Done! I did the Route 66 Half Marathon in Tulsa in November. It was hard, but I am so glad I can knock that off the bucket list!
2.) Finish writing and defend my PhD proposal.
2.) Finish writing and defend my PhD proposal.
Done! See above :)
3.) Pay off all debt, except for the student loans (when we both have big kid jobs, those will go quickly), and build up a solid savings of 3-6 months worth of expenses.
3.) Pay off all debt, except for the student loans (when we both have big kid jobs, those will go quickly), and build up a solid savings of 3-6 months worth of expenses.
Done! And we actually paid off the student loans a lot faster than we thought was possible. We also have the solid savings, and we are now focusing on saving up for a down payment on a house when we officially move next summer :)
4.) Complete the entire 60 days of INSANITY by Beachbody.
4.) Complete the entire 60 days of INSANITY by Beachbody.
See above :)
5.) Spend more quality time with my family. After ten and a half weeks this far away, I realize how much I have taken for granted the fact that I am typically only an hour and forty minute drive away. Knowing that I will have about 8 months back home in Arkansas before I return to California next summer, and then another 8-9 months before we move out here for good, I want to take advantage of the time I do still have.
5.) Spend more quality time with my family. After ten and a half weeks this far away, I realize how much I have taken for granted the fact that I am typically only an hour and forty minute drive away. Knowing that I will have about 8 months back home in Arkansas before I return to California next summer, and then another 8-9 months before we move out here for good, I want to take advantage of the time I do still have.
I do feel like I got to spend more time with them, though not as much as I would've liked! I will say this though...one of the coolest things to me was seeing our two families intermingle the couple of days leading up to the wedding in Mexico. So neat!
6.) Plan a stunning beach wedding in the Caribbean in May! (8 and a half months!)
6.) Plan a stunning beach wedding in the Caribbean in May! (8 and a half months!)
Done! :)
7.) Do some serious downsizing of our junk and getting rid of things we don't need, particularly in the office/spare bedroom. Maybe even have a garage sale!
7.) Do some serious downsizing of our junk and getting rid of things we don't need, particularly in the office/spare bedroom. Maybe even have a garage sale!
Done-ish. See above ;)
8.) Buy a sewing machine and learn how to use it, at least to make simple things.
8.) Buy a sewing machine and learn how to use it, at least to make simple things.
Ahh. Well, I did buy a sewing machine. Got a great deal on it on Black Friday actually :) And then found out when Walter got home (a week before Christmas) that he was planning on getting me one for Christmas...oops :/ But I haven't learned how to use it yet...haha. That's still on the to-do list. Sewing lessons are in order for the Fall, hopefully!
1.) Get LASIK eye surgery done.
1.) Get LASIK eye surgery done.
Not done. Maybe I can convince my husband that this would be a good graduation present ;) But we are trying really hard to save every penny we can to put towards buying a house less than year from now, so that one may have to wait :)
2.) Watch at least 2 of my nephew's football games this Fall.
2.) Watch at least 2 of my nephew's football games this Fall.
Done! I was so sad I didn't get to make it to any baseball games in the Spring/Summer though :(
3.) Watch at least 2 of my niece's soccer games this Fall.
3.) Watch at least 2 of my niece's soccer games this Fall.
Done! She is a little superstar! I can't wait to see her play more :)
4.) Participate in Warrior Dash on September 24th.
4.) Participate in Warrior Dash on September 24th.
Done! And it was so much fun! I posted a blog about it a while back, if you would like the details :)
5.) Run the 10K at the Chili Pepper Festival on October 15th.
5.) Run the 10K at the Chili Pepper Festival on October 15th.
Didn't do this one, but I did to the Freakin' Eurekan 15K trail race (less than a month after a car accident I might add...) haha...it was rough!
Done! See above :)
7.) Complete 4 weeks of Boot Camp, using my Groupon :)
7.) Complete 4 weeks of Boot Camp, using my Groupon :)
Also done! I blogged about it too :)
8.) Start eating bigger meals so I don't wither away with all this running and exercise...haha
8.) Start eating bigger meals so I don't wither away with all this running and exercise...haha
haha...this has not been a problem...I should probably cut back on the food! ;)
9.) Defend my PhD proposal by the end of the semester (I was going to try to do it by October, but now that I am changing my project a bit, I'm going to need a little more time).
9.) Defend my PhD proposal by the end of the semester (I was going to try to do it by October, but now that I am changing my project a bit, I'm going to need a little more time).
Done! See above :)
10.) Have my 2nd first-author publication submitted by the end of the year.
10.) Have my 2nd first-author publication submitted by the end of the year.
Not done. See above :(
11.) Pay off the truck no later than the 1st of November.
11.) Pay off the truck no later than the 1st of November.
Done! Yes!
12.) Get my wedding dress altered in time to do some bridal pictures when all the trees are pretty colors :)
12.) Get my wedding dress altered in time to do some bridal pictures when all the trees are pretty colors :)
Done! I got it altered just in time, and my amazing friend Erin did the photo shoot for me on the University of Arkansas campus (I seriously don't think there are many places that can beat Fayetteville in the fall)! They turned out amazing!
Well, that was fun for me :) I feel like I have accomplished most of the things I set out to do. Time to clean up those stragglers, and start verbalizing some new goals! I think I always have ideas floating around in my head of what I would like to accomplish, but I think putting those thoughts into words and claiming them as real goals is really important. I am certainly going to start working on the new list! :)
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