15 in 2015: February Update

1. Write at least 2 blog posts per month. 

Check! 2 posts in February.

2. Read 5 books.

I have read 2 books so far in 2015. I just finished So You Don't Want to Go to Church Anymore. I read it several years ago, but didn't remember much of it (except that I really liked it the first time) so I decided to read it again. Before you dismiss the book, think of the premise more as being the church rather than going to church. It is a fairly easy read and really challenges our modern day notions of "church" in really positive and meaningful ways.

3. Eat more whole foods.

I did really well at the beginning of the month and then about Valentine's Day I discovered that Reese's eggs were in stores and I gave in to temptation and had a lot of them! However, I've still been doing pretty well in this area. I've cooked dinner at least 4 times a week each week, and we've had leftovers most other nights. We're having vegetables with just about every meal and I feel really positive about the changes we're making to our diet.

4. Spend less time on my phone.

I had a realization when I read this blog recently: my phone isn't really the problem for me. My addiction to social media is the issue (and my phone is just how I access social media most of the time). This post resonated with me SO much. I'm working on figuring out how I will "detox" from social media now.

5. Find creative ways to save and/or earn money for our family.

I got my first payment from Ebates this month for $14.81, which was deposited to my bank account.

I've received two payments from the Walmart Savings Catcher this month. I've been going there once a week for my grocery shopping and so far I've received $9.21 back in reward dollars (which go onto a Walmart gift card).

It's easier to save money on groceries when you have limited room in your cart!

I also contacted a Dave Ramsey Endorsed Local Provider (ELP) to find out if we could get a better deal on our home and auto insurance. We got new policies which saved us almost $400 per year combined (with a few other discounts included like paying for the whole year at once, multiple vehicles, combining auto and home, and a low mileage discount for our vehicles).

6. Keep up with my One Line A Day journal.

I wish I could say I was better about filling this out every day. However, I've done well to never get more than a week behind so I can still remember what happened each day and fill out several days at once.

7. Purge our home of 300 unnecessary items. 

I'm up to 170 items so far (and it's only February), so I'm feeling really positive about this goal. Our guest bedroom has been the "catch-all" room for a while now, especially since we cleaned out the other bedroom to make it Peter's nursery, so I imagine I can probably get the other 130 items from this room alone.

8. Spend time outside.

I've been going for a walk or jog outside 2-3 times a week all month now, so that's a start. We've also had a stretch of beautiful sunny days, which helps a lot. I'm excited to be able to go hiking on the weekends soon.

9. Learn how to use our new camera. 

I've been playing around with our camera a lot more recently but that's about it. I asked a photographer friend for some tips and she recommended I read the manual and gave me a few specific things to pay attention to when learning about the camera.

10. Run a 5k.

I'm jogging a couple times per week now. The 5k I plan to run is held the last weekend of May, so I'm working now to get into shape for that. Running has never really been easy for me, so adding the weight of a stroller/car seat/baby that I'm pushing and a dog on a leash around my waist and the hills in my neighborhood...let's just say it's sloooooow going.

11. Complete 6 crafty/house/Pinterest projects.

Nothing completed here yet, but I've got a couple ideas for what projects I'd like to tackle and I'm looking at how to budget for them and when I can realistically get them done.

12. Try 12 new recipes.

I tried three new recipes this month:

Healthy Mexican Enchilada Casserole
PF Chang's Lettuce Wraps
Pulled Pork

I liked all three of them, but Kory wasn't really a fan of the Enchilada Casserole. I would HIGHLY recommend the pulled pork. It was delicious and really easy!

13. Lose 20 pounds.

I've been working on this goal this month but progress is pretty slow. I really feel like nursing is a big part of that. I require so many more calories because I'm feeding Peter also, and I know that's a calorie burner as well, but it just seems like my body hangs on to extra weight more than it ever has before. I'm sure it's a survival mechanism so I can nourish he and I both, and I'm really not worried about a number on a scale, but I do want my clothes to fit better and for me to feel healthier and more energized. I'm going to keep working on being healthier and we'll see where the body changes come in.

14. Organize and file our stacks of paperwork.

I got our taxes done this month, but somehow that means I pulled a lot of papers out of our file box and ended up less organized than in January. Fail. I'll get back on this stat. I've also decided to tackle several other stacks of "stuff" around our house in an effort to get better organized. Before and after pictures will be posted as I get those areas cleaned up.

15. Plant a garden.

Seeds are planted and growing! I am not sure why, but several of these seeds never took, so I'm having to replant several weeks later. I do have broccoli and tomatoes growing really well for now.