2011 Priority List and Goals – April Check-in

I thought it might be a good idea to review my goals at the end of each month and see if I am still making sure to prioritize them. I also thought this would be a good time to shift, adjust, add, take away as needed. So here we go. This is still going off the list I posted on January 1, minus the few I deleted in Feburary, with status updates for April.

Family
1. Read and do workbooks with David daily (Project A Book A Week with David).
All of April was our new Mystery series. It was fun for both of us and even though we’ve taken a break, I really enjoyed all four books we read in April.

2. Take photo of full-family and write updates weekly (Project Us Right Now).
Still going strong. This project still makes me so very happy. I am so thankful I decided to do it.

3. Write a daily diary of us + gratitude (Project Daily Diary)
Still keeping up with this as well.

4. Start a family night where we all play games or watch movies together (Scheduled for Sunday nights 6pm)
Family night is going strong. We need some new games but that’s in the plan for tomorrow. I love that it’s a little reserved time for all four of us together. We always prioritize it and look forward to it.

5. Sign up for a mommy/me class with Nathaniel (this still needs to be scheduled)
Something I dropped on the floor this year. I did find Nathaniel a music class for the summer so I will schedule it for us during then.

6. Schedule minimum bimonthly date nights with Jake
April had fewer date nights than usual but we’re still doing them and spending us time.

Health (Project Healthy For Life)
1. Do a combination of walking and running daily, work your way up to 5K a day
2.9 miles a day in April for a total of 87 miles. This month also marked 500 miles and 211 consecutive days of exercise.

3. Do strength exercises 3x a week
I am not doing strength but I have done 30 leg lifts (on each leg) and 10 crunches a day. Every day.

4. Track exercise+food+sleep+water using the fitbit
I am still tracking sleep and exercise. And paying strict attention to food. I’ve gotten better about the food planning too. Now that the summer is here, I stock a lot of fresh fruit and salads at home.

5. Get minimum 7hours of sleep every night and 8 on the weekends
A little less-good on this area. Not for lack of trying though. I am going to bed early but unable to fall asleep or stay asleep. Mostly due to stress. I have faith this will resolve itself and summer is coming soon and my wake up time will get a little later which makes a significant difference.

6. Eat at least one serving of vegetables daily and chicken/fish 3 times a week
Doing well on the veggies. Not eating enough protein still.

7. Walk at least 8500 steps a day and work your way up to 10,000
I didn’t add the 15-minute walk I mentioned last month but I plan to do so in May. This will bring me significantly closer to the 10K number.
8. Walk/Run a 10K
This is still a November goal 🙂 Though I must admit I am not feeling it at all. November is not as far away as it used to be and I fear this might not happen.

9. I also want to work on the coffee+graham crackers intake but not sure of the plan here yet.
Bleh. Still on hold with this one.

Art + Photography
1. Draw and paint a portrait six days a week (Project Six Portraits a Week)
Well I am not doing portraits now but I have sketched every single day since April 10. I even did two sketches a day for three of those days. I did 25 sketches in April. I am quite proud of that.

2. Art journal weekly (Project Weekly Art Journal)
This project is still going strong. I am loving the pages and the process. All of it.

3. Sketch something small daily (15-30mins)
Ah, see #1. 25 sketches baby!

4. Go on a Monthly photo excursion alone or with a photo buddy
I completely forget about this for some reason. I need to remember to schedule it. Now that the weather is pleasant again I think it’s easily doable. Will put on my calendar to schedule this for May.

5. Write weekly extended photo articles on my blog
Yeah, let’s just say this is not a goal anymore.

6. Figure out for once and all if I want an etsy shop and what will go in it
Finally progress on this one! I have come up with an idea. It might or might not pan out but I will work on it in May and we’ll see.

Scrapbooking
1. Create one layout a week just for me
Well I did create several layouts in April but mostly for work.

2. Do monthly The Girls’ Paperie layouts
Since the company is no longer, I doubt I have to continue this but I have done my share for April anyway.

3. Do monthly Pink Paislee layouts
I am all over this. I did both my April layouts in one sitting.

4. Do monthly Creative Therapy layout
Didn’t do any more in April. I am still caught up until July so we’re ok here.

5. Do monthly Write.Click.Scrapbook layout + write one more week during 2011
Same here. All caught up.

6. Successfully teach all four scheduled 2011 classes at Big Picture Classes and the one I am a part of in Masterful Scrapbook Design
All done with classes for now.

7. Aim to do 5-6 guest design spots or classes (that I teach) this year
I have a new guest design opportunity coming up this summer. I am not really trying too hard here at the moment.

8. Submit to one magazine a month (maybe, I can’t decide if I want to do this just yet.)
This is another area where I am not focusing enough. I will have to sit and have a good think about it and decide what to do here. It needs to either be more of a focus or not a goal. I don’t like doing things halfway.

Reading
1. Read a book a week (Project A Book a Week)
2. Read one book with David each week (Project A Book a Week with David)
Still reading a lot. Mostly young adult but I love what I am reading so it’s all good.

3. Regularly attend both book clubs
Well mostly down to one book club now but attended it in April.

Writing
1. Write at least one long thought/idea oriented blog post a week
I didn’t do as well as March here but I am still focusing on this. I will see if I can do better in May.

2. Write one new class (if you have requests, please share)
3. Write one downloadable pdf for my site or etsy (if you have requests, please share)
I do have some ideas here finally. We’ll see if anything pans out.

4. Write+email a newsletter each month
Doing this so far! Next one goes out in two hours 🙂

5. Possibly do NaNoWriMo (not sure of this one…)
We still have quite some time till November thankfully!!

6. Journal at least 5 times a day. Even if just for 15 minutes a day.
Yes! Journaling. Daily. Every day. Missed maybe one or two at most in April. Finally doing good here!

Learning
1. Learn to draw and paint portraits (Project Six Portraits a Week)
On hold for now. But learning to sketch!

2. Take 5-6 online classes this year
I’ve already taken 8 this year. I’m taking Chrsity’s class in May and will sing up for Alisa Burke’s watercolor class that she will announce on Monday. I am also taking Soul Restoration II in June. And I’ve finally figured out how I can use the Remains of the Day class so I will sign up for that one toward late summer likely.

3. Learn to write an iPhone/iPad application (sort of out there but achievable – let me know if you have an app you want)
Well I had made some progress but we’re at a standstill for now. Not focusing on this.

4. Learn how to make a stop-motion movie
No focus on this either. I have an idea but haven’t spent effort on this yet.

Community (This is a particularly hard one for me.)
1. Do a weekly-open house for Nathaniel’s moms group
This is still going strong. Some weeks it’s a few of us, some weeks just one and others none. But it’s great just the way it is.

2. Invite guests over for dinner at least once a month
We had girls’ night here and it was great. Already have a May social night scheduled on Monday.

3. Go out to breakfast/lunch once a month (to work or elsewhere)
I did one in April but to be fair I am not really doing a good job working on this.

4. Reach out to people I admire more often (leave more comments/send emails)
Did less so in April. But I believe in this goal and will keep at it.

And that’s it for April. Overall, I think I did pretty great. Lots of good goals met. Let’s bring on May!