StephanieBice.com

Previously, I outlined ten goals I was aiming to accomplish in 2010. In case you missed it – they are:

1. Cook one new recipe a week
2. W rite on this blog at least three times weekly
3. Become a bit more fashionable when it comes to shoes
4. Start two new family traditions this year
5. Take a family vacation (somewhere other than NY or AL)
6. Decorate my bedroom
7. Listen more
8. Talk less (don’t laugh, I’m serious)
9. Fix my wedding ring
10. Become a proficient photographer

We are 5 months into the year, so I thought I should revisit the list to see how well (or not) I am doing.

The first couple of months of the year were spectacular for goal #1, and I made quite a few new recipes, including Baba Ganoush, King Cake, and Garlic Mashed Potatoes, but time has been my enemy here – and my experimentation with food has slowed a bit. I am averaging about 1 new recipe ever OTHER week, but I am happy with that.

Writing on this blog three times a week (#2) has probably been my biggest challenge. Time keeps on ticking, ticking, ticking (yea, yea, cheap reference to the Steve Miller Band) and that has me scrambling to find any amount of time to write.  But, I am working on it. Baby steps folks – baby steps.

Shoes are still my downfall. Susan Wagner wrote a great article on putting it all together. I envy those who can put on the funkiest, coolest pair of wedges or flats and look amazing in them. I am not one of those individuals. Trust me, I wanna be. But for some reason shoes and I don’t mix. I guess that’s why I like Summer so much – I can wear cute flip flops all summer and not worry about shoes!

For now – I am skipping #4. I need to ponder that one more…

As for #5, I am happy to report that I have accomplished my first goal! YEA ME!  This past March, my husband and I took our children to Great Wolfe Lodge in Grapevine, TX. It was a spectacular vacation – and I wish we could have stayed longer. That said, I am hoping my husband and I can put together enough funds to do this type of trip annually. It doesn’t have to be expensive, just somewhere fun for the four of us. I would actually love a road trip somewhere. Corn Palace anyone?

Numbers 7-10 are still “in progress”. And #6? Well, a big fat nothing on that one. Yet.

Let me be clear about something here.

I love summer.

Over the past few months, I have enjoyed sledding down large embankments with my girls, making snow angles, and admiring the power of mother nature’s wrath during the Christmas Eve Blizzard of 2009. But each night, as I sat in my living room in sweatpants, thick Hanes athletic socks and wrapped up in a fuzzy burgundy blanket, I realized how much I missed summer.

I miss flip flops, pedicures (I can’t justify a $50 pedicure in winter when no one will see my toes), and capri pants. I  miss the air conditioner blowing on my face while the sun warms my arms as I drive in my car. I miss afternoons reading a magazine at the pool while the girls make new friends or get reacquainted with old ones we haven’t seen since last summer.

Summers give me a break from the monotonousness (is that even a word?) of the school year. And thanks to my friend JG – I know exactly how many more days I have to endure. Thirty-three to be exact.

Back in 1993 when I would visit my father in San Francisco, I found myself  “wardrobe challenged”.  Compared to Oklahoma, San Francisco has very drastic weather fluctuations. In the morning, it can be 35 degrees, but the afternoons might reach 75. I tend to be cold-natured, so I always wore a coat and long sleeves or something of the like. The problem was, when afternoons hit – I was smoldering. I could never get right. I think it was that summer I realized that warm weather was for me.

What is your favorite season? And Why?

So the past few weeks have been somewhat of a blur.  Sunday, I boarded a plane to New York to attend the SES Conference. Learned a LOT (about SEO that is), but when I returned, I felt completely overwhelmed. Not only was there so much to decipher and integrate into my current marketing strategies, I returned to chaos at home. A birthday party for the oldest that still hasn’t been planned (did I mention we are two weeks past the actual birthday?), pictures to upload for my sister-in-law (that I should have uploaded two weeks ago), documents to get together for the new Gala chairwoman and, Oh – my daughters have NOTHING to wear for Easter (which is exactly 7 days away). This is in addition to the everyday cleaning, laundry, grocery shopping, etc.

So the question is, where does the time go and how I can get more of it? I read some great articles in the latest edition of Real Simple, that focused on this very topic – how to save time. Some I am already doing (create a homework box for daily papers, throw out junk mail immediately), and other topics didn’t really apply.

For those of you out there that are working moms, what are your “time-saving tips” to keeping your life in order?

Two thousand nine will be remembered for some wonderful and not-so wonderful memories. Here’s my recap:

The year started out at a good friends celebrating. A great New Years celebration that had me laughing so hard my stomach hurt the next morning. This was followed by my 13th wedding anniversary (am I REALLY that old??) and the celebration of my oldest daughter’s eighth birthday. In May, we shed a few tears (ok, I did) at the First Communion of our daughter and wrapped up a busy but great school year.

Next up might be the (happy) highlight of the year, our family vacation to Disney World and the Bahamas. Great pictures & memories that I will cherish (Think couples massage on the beach, ice cream for breakfast for the kids, and the first time my husband dared to try tuna tar-tar).

July brought the annual neighborhood fireworks display we enjoyed with great friends. (And some new ones that decided our back yard looked like a great place to come hang out – so they hopped the fence to join us…). The following month we cried (ok, I did – again) when our youngest daughter put on her first school uniform and paraded off to Kindergarden with Mrs. Jeter (singing anyone?).

In September, we made our annual pilgrimage to New York City and enjoyed seeing penguins at the Bronx Zoo and T-Rex at the Museum of Natural History. Oh, and did I mention Crumbs Bake Shop?

Life was hectic, but we were enjoying every minute. In the midst of weekends filled with soccer and Girl Scouts, we managed to spend a Saturday each month enjoying good friends and ethnic cuisine from around the country by starting our very own Supper Club. Each month was a different cuisine (Mediterranean, Italian, Greek, Mexican, French and more..). We enjoyed homemade Chicken Picatta, Cabbage Rolls, Gyros (how DO you pronounce that anyway?) and a wonderful Onion Tart. Great food and adult conversation made for a  nice break from parenthood.

Before you new it, the Holidays were upon us and it was time for turkey, shopping and Santa. Unfortunately that is where the rubber met the road. A few days after our family trip to Alabama to visit Great-Grandma, and only hours before I was to host December Supper Club – the unthinkable. A good friend left this world for the next. Painful. Sad. Though-provoking. A husband, father, son, brother and friend was gone. We switched gears from Holiday planning to focus on more important things – family and friends.

So, needless to say, I have spent the past few weeks re-evaluating. I am not the resolution type- but I have come to the realization that it isn’t such a bad idea to have to have goals. I mean, really; we have goals at work (finish a marketing plan, update a website, or learn a new process) – but how many of us really make goals for ourselves when it comes to life?

I decided to make a list of ten goals for 2010. (I don’t care for the word “resolutions” – goals is more my style.) So here goes:

1. Cook one new recipe a week
2. Write on this blog at least three times weekly
3. Become a bit more fashionable when it comes to shoes
4. Start two new family traditions this year
5. Take a family vacation (somewhere other than NY or AL)
6. Decorate my bedroom
7. Listen more
8. Talk less (don’t laugh, I’m serious)
9. Fix my wedding ring
10. Become a proficient photographer

In the coming days (or weeks) I will elaborate on all of the above goals – but for now, there they are. 364 days – and counting…