goals, goals, goals

I should totally be working.  I haven't been motivated at the job for many days since I came back from maternity leave this time.  It's sad.  I'll get stuff done, though.  I promise.  Anyway, last year I wrote this post that including what Life List items I wanted to work on for the year.  It included:

1. Have that second child.
2. Find the perfect mac and cheese recipe.
3. Make a baby quilt for that second child.
4. And keep the beginnings of a good baby book for that same kid.
5. To work on my posture.

Well, I accomplished numbers 1, 3, and 4.  I don't think I made mac and cheese once, and my posture is still poor.  But, come on.  Number 1 is kind of a biggie so I'm still considering it a successful year.  I also mentioned in that post that we were going to try to sell our house, buy a new one, and for me to change positions within my company.  Cross all 3 of those off the list.  So I'm a schlumpy, non-mac-and-cheese-makin' person.  Tiny, tiny unmet goals in the grand scheme of things.

In that post I also declared 2012 the year of balance.  Um, yeah.  I'm still not sure how to do that.  I'm declaring 2013 the year of balance again.  But I mean it this time.  BALANCE.  I'm going to really put some thought into what this means and what it will look like, how I'll know when I've achieved it.  I'll keep you posted.

As for the Life List items for 2013, let's shoot for these:

1. Find the perfect coconut cream pie recipe.  My father-in-law and I might get fat, fat, fat since no one likes coconut.
2. Finish the bulk of Baby #2s baby book.  Most of the book is everything that happens in the first year.  I've done an ok job so far but am a little behind already. (Wee! I think I've done this one!)
3. Find the perfect mac and cheese recipe.  For real.
4. Uh, yeah...

Non-Life List things:

1. Add to the Life List.  Upon review, it seems that many things listed won't really be possible for awhile since we have these two little kids.  (Added 3--and completed 1--item(s) in January.)
2. Eat lunch with someone one day a week.  This will be part of the whole balance thing.  My current job leaves me with even less socialization than before.  And I miss my friends. (maybe about 1/3 of the time?)
3. Accomplish more on the house.  Geez, this is slow goin'.  I'd like to finish the kitchen and dining room.  And make some progress on the landscaping.  Really I'd like to do about 100 things but I'll try to be realistic.  (Kitchen and dining room done. Well, I'd like art in one place in the kitchen and to re-stain the table and chairs. But mostly done. Plus, all house trim painted (while we were on vacation--even better!).  Had foyer and front porch lights installed.  Front yard done for now plus work completed in 2 of the backyard beds.  Guest bath finished. Living room painted, started re-staining furniture, hung gallery wall, rearranged furniture. Ripped down the wallpaper in the kids' bath.)
4. Throw really good birthday parties for the kids.  This helps with balance, too, oddly enough.  I like entertaining and I'm learning how to do it while having small kids.  And I like being creative so this is a fun way to do that.  (Successful party #1 and #2!   Oddly enough, party #1 was for a 2nd birthday and party #2 for a 1st.)

That's probably enough for now.  Perhaps after thinking about the balance thing, I'll come back and add more.  How about y'all?  Any goals?  Any tips on being more balanced?  I asked this last year, too, and only heard crickets chirping.  Or perhaps not responding to blogs keeps y'all balanced? 

*Update*

After more pondering, here are some additional items:

• RUN a 5k.  Like, the whole thing.  Adding this to the Life List--thought it was already there actually.(Completed on January 5th. Take that, 2013.)
• One fun outing a month with either the entire family or just me and one/both kid(s).  I know it seems like this should be easy to accomplish but it really isn't for me.  And I know that even a shopping outing can be fun for Chicken but I'd like it to be a little more memorable than that. (January--Playa del Carmen; February--SuperBowl party; March--bluebonnets, church Easter egg hunt, Opening Day, Yo Gabba Gabba; April--kite flying, zoo, Galveston; May--?, June--Family Reunion, July--fireworks!, August--?, September--Astros game, October--Haunted high school, pumpkin patch, Galveston, November--Armand Bayou, Disney on Ice, wedding, December--shopping, tree decorating, Nutcracker, Walk thru Bethleham)
• Date night/excursion at least once a month with Hubby.  Again, should be easy but isn't.  I think we've had one (one!) since Buns was born.  I'd like at least one of these to be Dinner and a Marriage.  (Going to count our shopping and meandering in Playa for January, February--Dinner and a Marriage, March--dinner and shopping, April--dinner and movie, May--NY trip, June--Blue Man Group, July--dinner and shopping, August--dinner?, September--?, October--dinner in Galveston, November--wedding, December--Christmas parties)
• While we're at it, I'd like to make it through the Marriage to the Max podcasts as well.  We've listened to 2 so far.  (Might I add that I think this is going to make the Hursts famous and I'm going to be able to say "I knew them when" and "He married us.") (We went to D&M in February and have listened to a few more podcasts. Also had brunch with half of the Hursts.)

Ok, that seems like more than enough.