How did I do?

Each year I like to look back at my resolutions from the beginning of the year and see if I completed them or not. I will now share the horror and disappointment (okay, not really) with you:

1. Get organized: I want to clean my house and keep it clean (for the most part). Everything will have its own place and I will have not a single junk drawer in my kitchen. My closet floor will not be littered with clean clothes that I end up stepping on thus making them dirty.
Half-check. Sort of. I would have been a champ at this had I not started working out of the home full-time back in February. The house never got scary messy.

2. Keep up with the laundry. I mean it this time.
NOPE. Still a fucking mess.

3. Read more. I don’t want to say that I’ll read a new book every week but I think that I should make the attempt to set aside time every day to read books. Not blogs, books.
Nope. I read a little bit but again, finding time to do it was a challenge.

4. Write more. Like, a lot more. I would like to participate in projects with other bloggers and spread my name and talent far across the blogosphere.
Nope. I abadoned my blog for months at a time. I switched from Mommy Is Rock ‘n Roll to LaurenACarlton.com and basically lost my momentum. I did participate in NaBloPoMo in November.

5. Get a writing job that doesn’t pay pennies per page view. While I like the flexibility of freelance writing (ya know, when I actually get an offer) it would be amazing if I could land a gig that would give me a consistent paycheck.
CHECK! I work full time with an online auction company writing creative copy for the jewelry category. I have a desk! In an office! With coworkers! Also, in October I scored a freelance gig with CBS that, so far, sends me work every month.

6. Spend more time outside and around the house: Rather than walking around the mall and taking Avery to the play area at the mall I want to try to take her to the park on our block and play in the backyard. We don’t live near anything so staying closer to home would keep gas costs down and hey, sunlight FTW!
Check. Once I started working this was easier to do. After work I pick Avery up from the sitter’s and take her to the park. We play at home a lot more now.

7. Grow a kickass garden. Last year was alright for our first attempt but I think that we can rock it this year. I want fresh organic produce in my own backyard. Maybe this year my squash won’t look as weird.
Half-check. We did grow some produce but it wasn’t as plentiful as the previous year. I need to figure out how to maximize our space without overcrowding the crops.

8. Eat more whole foods: I’m no longer vegan (still vegetarian) but I need to to cut way back on the breads and dairy.
Half-check. For the first half of the year I did really well but I have slipped and it shows.

9. Learn to bake. I want to master at least one recipe. I want to be the mom who bakes her children’s birthday cakes and I’d like to give homemade goodies as gifts but I’m too embarrassed by my shitty abilities to do it.
Half-check. This December I made melt-in-your-mouth banana bread. I also baked cookies that were a total failure. It’s a work in progress. However, I have gotten a lot better at preparing and cooking meals.

10. Lose weight. There. I said it.
Half-check. I lost some weight at the beginning of the year but didn’t maintain my healthy new lifestyle so while I haven’t gained it all back I’m definitely going to have to start over.

Not terrible, right? I mean, I DID land a full time writing job as well as a freelance one! That’s HUGE! So, ya know, kudos to me on that one. However, nailing that one resolution set in motion my almost total failure to complete the other ones. But that’s okay. That’s life, right?

Stay tuned, I will be posting my goals/resolutions for 2012 on Sunday. Tell me yours! I need some ideas to help make next year kick so much f’ing ass!