resolution check-up....had to see how I was doing...how are YOU doing?

So, back in December, I made these resolutions for 2011:

• 1-get back to daily workouts

  2-learn more frugal recipes and cook double batches of meals so that we have them ready for nights when things are really crazy

  3-work through the stashed fabric and actually finish outfits for myself and the children (DS just wants more cargo pants, but DD and I have enough outfits for whole new wardrobes....but all still in the flat-fold fabric stage...lol)

  4-learn how to do more than make pickles

and from another group (still my responses):

• 1- to do better at planning so that we don't get caught between paychecks with little money in the bank

  2-to spend less on spur-of-the-moment purchases

  3-to go to the store without the children when I can

  4-to make the clothes that I bought supplies for (mostly me and DD) instead of purchasing cheaply made things from mass-market stores

  5-to learn how to make pet treats because store-bought ones are WAY too expensive

  6-to learn how to can more things (though apparently the pickles are a HUGE hit) and how to do other preserving

  7-to make double batches of certain meals so that we have them ready for those nights when things are just too crazy

  8-to NOT have fast food in the house more than once a month

Now that it's July 2011, I thought I should do a little check-in with myself to see what still needs improving....

Part A, #1...daily workouts....yes, I'm getting back to them, even if it's mostly just cardio and Wii fit since my wrists are still sore and I still have no explanation for the pain.

#2 have tested probably a dozen or so new recipes.....1 was a total bomb, the others weren't too bad, and are getting added to the meal rotation list

#3 yeah, *SO* not there yet and #4 just waiting on the tomatoes to start making sauce....have 2 batches of pickles already done for the next year...might make more, depends on the verdict of the main pickle eaters in the house.

Part B, #1 have done pretty well with this one...only one time did things get really tight, but that was due more to unexpected issues that arose than my poor planning

#2 definitely doing better on this. It was hard when it was business-related purchases, so now I take the time to research the supplies and prices, figure out what I could actually charge for the finished product, then decicde if I can actually afford to do it....definitely saving $$ and stress this way

#3 so-so on this goal. When I have to do my *major* shopping trips, I tend to do them on the weekends or at night when my husband can be home with the kids. For quick trips, I take them with me, but we have the talk about WHAT we are going to the store for and that NO, they can't get toys/candy/etc. since we are ONLY going for specific items....it's working fairly well so far

#4 working on this...she's getting pickier about her clothing, so it might be that she needs her sewing lessons SOON so that she can see the time and such it takes to get things done properly.

#5-7 not so much...just haven't taken the time

#8 This is probably the hardest one.....we ALL have those days when we just don't want to cook, everybody is tired, but crochety about what they want to eat...blah blah blah.....I think we are down to no more than twice a month...and that has to be when things are really rough....it's working...kids aren't exactly happy about it, but it IS a money saver (not having fast food all the time).

So.....where are YOU in your resolutions???