Mid-Year Goal Check-in

I love reading and writing about goals.  I  read other blogger's goals because it inspires me to new things, plus it's a nosy little peek into their lives.  Maybe that's just me.  I write about my own goals to track my progress, see what I still want to accomplish, and even evaluate if a goal still remains important to me.   I abandoned a few of my goals last year...without guilt!

The first half of the year has flown by and it's time to check my goal progress and, of course, include a few links and photos.  My goals are bulleted while my notes are written in teal.

• Experiment in the kitchen.  Try making my own granola bars, yogurt, vanilla, sourdough bread, and marshmallow cream.   

I accomplished much in the kitchen over the first quarter of the year and I included details and photos in my March goal post.  I still have not started my vanilla, but I continued to bake sourdough bread about once a week.  I've been eating sourdough toast and a boiled egg for breakfast almost every day for the past 2 months!  It's just so good. 

Speaking of  breakfast habits, Brian likes to eat a granola bar and a piece of fruit on his morning commute to work.  After sampling a batch of these granola bars, he declared them far better than store-bought bars so now I try to always keep homemade granolas on hand. The recipe makes a large batch and they freeze well.  Owen loves them, too, and we're experimenting with new add-ins.

• Eat at Chipotle.  (Am I the only one who hasn't been?!)

I crossed this goal off in February and I talked about it on the blog here, but on the evening before my half-marathon, I got to introduce Brian to Chipotle (and carb-load in the most delicious way!). 

• Run a 2-mile race with Brian.

I accomplished this goal back in February.  I shared a photo and details from the race here. 

• Train and run a 1/2 marathon. 

I did it!  I trained hard for over 3 months and then on a cool, clear morning, I ran my heart out.  I shared a few things about the race that surprised me and then I gave a full race report here. 

I had major let-down when the race was over.  It took time to get my bearings again and set new goals.  Still strong from my training, I decided to run a 5K in June.  I came in just short of my time goal of maintaining a 8:30 pace, but I did win 2nd place in my age category.

In the first half of 2014, I've run 465 miles. 

• Build my upper body and core strength.  Hold a plank for 4 minutes.

I started the 30 Day Plank Challenge  last November, but could not get past 2 minutes, 40 seconds.  Brian and I started The Challenge together in February, but we kept forgetting about it and lacked consistency.  At the beginning of April, I forgot.  At the beginning of May, I forgot again.  Sense a pattern?  Finally in mid-May, I decided to jump in and do it my own way.  I skipped the first few days of The Challenge because I already knew I could hold 20-30 second planks.  I also choose not to plank everyday, but I progressed with the ultimate goal of getting to day 30 and holding a plank for 4 minutes, 30 seconds.  

I'm happy to report that on Sunday, June 15, I finished the 30 Day Plank Challenge.  My arms were shaking and my legs were burning, but I did it.  Did you know you could break out in a sweat and get out of breath while holding perfectly still?  You should try a plank.

• Learn to change the oil in the van and learn to change the wiper blades, too.

This is a leftover goal from 2013 and I will do this someday! Hopefully. When it's not so hot outside.  I'm a wimp.

• Take each child out individually for a meal at a restaurant they would enjoy.

Accomplished...and I included a few details in my March check-in.

• Read 50 books-- not including books I read aloud to my kids or books we read for school.

I set this goal with the idea that I would read approximately 4 books a month, maybe 1 a week.  I underestimated myself and set this goal too conservatively.   By the end of June, I will have completed 46 books.

I've added 2 secondary challenges to my goal.  I want to read most of the books from the 2014 Sisters Book Challenge I'm doing with my sister.  I've read 5 of her 10 suggestions.  (It would have been 6, but my June choice was checked out of the library to someone else and I had to wait for it to come in.)  Plus I've chosen 4 classics I want to read by the end of the year.  I picked one to read each season and so far I've read To Kill a Mockingbird (can't-say-enough-about-it-excellent!) and The Secret Garden (pretty good).

• Develop a new chores system for the kids, including responsibilities for the two youngest.

I gave a brief explanation of our new system in my March check-in and went into greater detail in a separate post about chores. Our system has been in effect since January and it is working like a charm.

• Take (or have someone else take) new non-candid photos of my kids. 

My sister volunteered to do the photography for me and she did photo shoots on three Sundays at the end of spring. I chose a favorite photo of each of my kids and have them displayed on my blog's right sidebar. She shared some of her favorites on her blog if you want to take a look.  

Spring Photo Shoots-- Maddie and Alaine

Spring Photo Shoots-- Gavin and Ben

Spring Photo Shoots-- Owen

Now I need to print and frame some for my house. 

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At this mid-way point of the year, I've decided to tack on a few more goals.

• Plan our 2014/2015 school year and write a loose daily schedule.
• Focus on teaching kids to take initiative for their hygiene, school work, and responsibilities.
• Run a 5K and a 10K in the fall.

I'll do another goal check-in at the end of September.  Did you make any goals this year? How do you plan to accomplish them?