Progress Report

Now that it's April I figured it would be a good time to let everyone know about the progress about the goals I set for myself this year. (Plus, this is a good way to keep me accountable!)

1. To put money into our online savings account at least once a week. I've actually been doing really well with this. But, I have to admit I got really frustrated with myself at first. You see, I always thought that in order to save I had to be saving a large lump sum at one time. There have been weeks that literally all I could put into savings was $25. If only I had this mind set two years ago, that adds up to $600 plus interest! Besides, doesn't the saying go, "A penny saved is a penny earned". Another thing that has helped me is that I've started a schedule for ourselves. My husband gets paid every week, so I've made a list of his pay days, and then I write what bills I have to pay that week, then I leave about $400 for our spending money/grocery shopping/gas for the week, then I put the rest into savings. It's really been helping!

2. To apply for our passports. I still haven't done this, but I did find the applications! That's a start, right?

3. To read all of Sophie Kinsella's books. I actually read the last one last week! But I also discovered that she also pens novels using a different name. So...maybe those will be on my list for next year!

4. To write at least the first section of my book. Nope...I haven't done this yet. To be frank, I haven't even wrote another word since I posted my goal list. Those puzzles I've been doing had me distracted!

5. To loose 25 pounds. I'm excited to say that today was my weigh in for Weight Watchers and I've lost 8.2 pounds since starting my weight loss journey! Yay! Only 16.8 to go. Ugh!

6. To finish the Harry Potter series. I plan on starting book five next week!

7. To pay off our Gordon's account. I did this! Well, actually, I kind of cheated and just took money out of savings to pay it. But, I'm pretty sure that's what Suze Orman would have told me to do!

8. To grow my hair out longer. Maybe it's just wishful thinking, but just the past two weeks I really have been thinking that my hair seems longer! Since I started WW, I also began taking a multi-vitamin (Vitamin Code for Women). I'm kind of thinking that those may be helping! And now that we have our bike I really would like my hair to be long enough to braid again so it won't be so wind-blown while we're riding!

9. To deep clean the camper at least once a week. I have been so awesome about doing this! Thursday has been my designated "clean" day. And several people laughed at me when I tell them this and say, "Oh I bet that takes twenty minutes". I wish! Try two hours! This is what I do: Everyday I wash the dishes, make the bed and vacuum. But on Thursdays I also, clean the microwave, clean the oven, clean the kitchen and bathroom sinks, clean the toilet, dust, scrub the shower, mop, Windex the mirrors, and sometimes give Shady a bath!

10. To actually get the pictures that are taking up space on my laptop printed, labeled, and in a photo album. Okay, I actually just started this one on Monday. Oh. My. Gosh. This is an even bigger task than I imagined. I literally have pictures from way back in 2002. So far I have the pictures divided into years. Now I'm going through and trying to put them in chronological order. I've also ordered about 100 pictures that were on my camera yesterday. And I have also started going through my files on the laptop to see which pictures still need to be printed off. (I even came across a picture that was taken of me back in October. It's one that I'm not too proud of because it really shows how much weight I had gained. So if I'm brave enough, I may use it as a "before and after" pic when I reach my goal weight!) Then, once I get every single stinkin' picture printed and in order, I start the mundane task of putting them in an album and labeling them. The upside is that I found pics of Greg and I when we had just started dating! I was so skinny, my hair was super long and a lot curlier (don't know where my curls have disappeared to over the years), and it was when I died my hair darker and wore green contacts! Hmmmm....and Greg was so adorable! With his tan face and highlighted hair! It was so much fun walking down memory lane. We even found a pic of us with our old Honda Shadow!

So there you have it! I'll be sure and post more updates in a few months! Stay tuned!