15 in 2015 Update

It's been a while since I did an update on my 15 in 2015 goals for the year. I feel pretty good about my progress so far, especially considering that I forgot about these goals for a few months...oops! :)

1. Write at least 2 blog posts per month. 

Not exactly. BUT this is post #16 in 8 months, so it averages out, right?

2. Read 5 books.

Check!

1. American Sniper by Chris Kyle
2. So You Don't Want to Go to Church Anymore by Jake Colsen
3. His Needs, Her Needs by Willard F. Harley, Jr.
4. The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo
5. Interrupted by Jen Hatmaker

3. Eat more whole foods.

We've done better than last year overall. My motivation comes in waves and largely depends on my energy and motivation to cook.

4. Spend less time on my phone.

This really depends on the day. Lately, I've made a "rule" that I can only be on my phone (specifically, social media) first thing in the morning when I wake up and then at night after Peter is in bed. It's going pretty well, but it's hard to break the habit of picking up my phone when I'm bored or avoiding work.


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

A few months ago, I started watching a little girl one day a week while her mom (a dear friend) works at our church. She's 11 months older than Peter and it's given me a glimpse into how fun and completely exhausting it is to have two babies close together.

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

Success. I'm up-to-date on this one.

7. Purge our home of 300 unnecessary items. 

I quit counting at 500 items, but I've donated/sold 5 trash bags full of stuff since then. I'm on a purging binge right now and am getting rid of SO much unnecessary junk in our house. It's kind of addicting actually.

8. Spend time outside.

Well, we've had the hottest summer on record this year, so that hasn't helped much. I was running in the Spring/early Summer so that helped. We've definitely spent some time outside swimming, picking fruit, laying in the hammock, and going for walks, but we still spent more time indoors than I would like. Once I'm outside, I always enjoy it, but sometimes I have a hard time motivating myself to actually get out the door.

9. Learn how to use our new camera. 

I would say this is mostly a fail. I still haven't read the manual and I am not that much better than I was in January. I have practiced taking photos a fair amount this year, but I don't know much more about technique or lighting or anything to help me take better pictures. Thankfully I have a cute subject, so that makes up for my lack of knowledge/skill.

10. Run a 5k.

Check! I did the Run for Ohm in June. I haven't really run at all since then, but that's beside the point. I don't remember what my time was (slow! 38 minutes maybe?), but my goal was still met.

11. Complete 6 crafty/house/Pinterest projects.

I've made four projects so far. The first two were for my niece, Lucy.

I sewed a set of tea bags to use at a (pretend) tea party. This was, of course, a find on Pinterest that I made my own.

The Merenesses are really into drawing (and good at it! let's hope Peter got Kory's artistic skills and not mine). I made this little drawing pad/crayon roll for Lucy to use at church or in the car (or anywhere else she wants).

The next item I made was for my dad for Father's Day. He loved it and the message couldn't be more true!  

These twine-wrapped jars were pretty simple to make. I also wrapped a few in burlap. I'm using most of them to grew herbs in and the others are currently holding flowers left over from a baby shower I hosted a couple weeks ago.

12. Try 12 new recipes.

I should have kept track of this better. I know I've tried several new recipes, but I can't remember what they were. One that I do remember was Pork Carnitas from Alisa at Family Meal Blog. They are SO delicious and seriously easy. I'm talking "put salt on the meat and put it in the oven and then eat it" easy. You've gotta try it!

13. Lose 20 pounds.

So it would help if I actually remembered what I weighed when I made this goal. haha I'm pretty sure I am down 10 pounds since then, which means I have about 10 pounds left until I'm at my pre-baby weight.

14. Organize and file our stacks of paperwork.

Winning! This is one area where I'm succeeding big time. I've actually combined this goal and the one to get rid of 300 items and am organizing our entire house...and I do mean EVERYthing. The only paperwork I have left is keepsakes/greeting cards and that's going to take a while to sort through.

http://koryandmandymereness.blogspot.com/2015/03/junk-drawer.html

The bags on the right are papers I'm getting rid of and the file box contains the only papers we're keeping.

15. Plant a garden.

Check! This year I've grown zucchini, tomatoes, cucumbers (lemon and regular), jalapeños, broccoli, and cauliflower.

Pinterest Reviews #3

It's time for me to share again about some of the recipes and projects I've seen on Pinterest and then attempted to recreate. These have been done over the past year, so don't go thinking I've been amazingly productive recently.

Project: Homemade Pretzel Dough
Link: http://smells-like-home.com/2012/01/soft-pretzel-bites-with-cheese-sauce/
Verdict: Yummy! I took them to an Oscars watching party last year and they were a big hit with the fondue.
Best Part: They were soft and golden brown and just the perfect mix of buttery/salty.
Advice: When the recipe calls for parchment paper, don't ignore the labels and use wax paper instead. There is actually quite a difference between the two.
Next Time: I will use parchment paper so that I don't have to cut the bottom off every pretzel bite that has burned to the wax paper.

Project: Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix
Link: http://cincyshopper.com/homemade-taco-seasoning/
Verdict: Easy and tasty!
Best Part: You get delicious taco taste without the added junk you find in a pre-made packet.
Advice: Make a large mix while you have all of the ingredients out and are measuring everything.
Next Time: I will add a little more chili powder and red pepper to give it more of a kick. It tastes good, but I would like it to have a little more of a kick.

Project: Crochet Headband with Flower
Link: The one I used is now blocked...sorry. I can't find it again.
Verdict: Very cute!
Best Part: It's a pretty simple stitch so you can easily create the whole thing in one sitting.
Advice: Try the headband on several times as you go to make sure it's still going to fit your head comfortably.
Next Time: I will make one for myself. I keep making them for other people and really want one for me to wear!

Project: Lasagna Roll-ups
Link: http://www.cookingclassy.com/2012/02/lasagna-roll-ups/
Verdict: So much better than Stouffer's! (And I love Stouffer's!)
Best Part: Single servings make for great and easy left-over storage.
Advice: Follow the recipe writer's advice and grind the beef/onion mixture for better texture.
Next Time: I will get some help so we can assemble these quicker. It took me a long time because there are several steps and I had a hard time juggling the noodles and sauce and meat/cheese to get them all assembled and cooked.

Project: Easter Egg Wreath
Link: http://momandwife.com/2011/03/diy-easter-egg-wreath/
Verdict: I really love it!
Best Part: I got my plastic eggs from Walmart and they were super cheap and had fun designs.
Advice: I left the grass off my wreath, mainly because I thought it would be messy. I think it actually looks cuter without it, so I'd advise you to go with just the eggs also.
Next Time: I really don't know that I'd ever make another one. How many Easter wreaths does one need? One seems plenty for me. If I did, I would roughly plan out the egg placement before getting started.

Project: Date Night Jar
Link: http://theraysofsunshine.wordpress.com/2012/09/27/date-night-in-a-jar/
Verdict: Great in theory...
Best Part: I already had the jar and markers, so I only had to purchase the popsicle sticks.
Advice: Well, I hardly have room to give advice since I made this over one year ago and we have not used it once. I had the best of intentions...
Next Time: I'm sure there won't be a next time since we never use the one I already made.

Project: Valentine's Snack Mix
Link: http://www.glorioustreats.com/2013/01/valentines-snack-mix.html
Verdict: Delicious! Two thumbs up!
Best Part: Melted white chocolate covering everything.
Advice: Use the Ghirardelli white melting wafers you can find in the baking section. They are especially decadent.
Next Time: I will not pour the popcorn out of my paper bag directly into the mix because then the un-popped kernels fall in there and you have to pick them out individually by hand.

Pinterest Recipe: Southwest Stuffed Bell Peppers

I got my wisdom teeth and a baby tooth pulled today, so I've been home from work and confined to the couch all day. That has actually been good in that I have been able to catching up on blogging. I had 5 posts that I started in the past couple months and never finished, so I'm going back and posting them all now.

I found this recipe on Pinterest last summer and have made several times in the past few months. It's fairly healthy, really yummy, and not too difficult. Hope you're able to make it sometime and enjoy it with your family. Or, better yet, come over and I'll make it for you :)

Ingredients: 

Olive Oil

4-6 Bell Peppers, Halved and Seeds Removed

1 lb Ground Turkey

1 Cup Chopped Onions

2 Tbsp Taco Seasoning (Homemade is best!)

1 Can Black Beans, Drained and Rinsed

1 Cup Frozen Corn

2 Cups Cooked Quinoa and/or Rice
1-2 Cups Salsa

Shredded Mexican Blend Cheese

Cilantro

Sour Cream

Directions:

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly coat the peppers with olive oil and roast in a baking dish about 20-25 minutes just until cooked thru. Remove the peppers from the oven and allow to cool until you can handle them.

While peppers are roasting, cook the ground turkey and, after draining the turkey, sauté the onions with the meat. Add the taco seasoning, black beans, corn and rice (we use this rice/quinoa blend from Costco) to the skillet. Add in the salsa and mix well.

Carefully spoon the turkey mixture into each half of the bell peppers and place back into the baking dish. Cook the peppers for another 15-20 minutes or until the peppers are cooked all the way thru. Before removing from the oven, sprinkle the tops of each pepper with shredded cheese. 

When the cheese is completely melted (just a couple minutes later), remove from the oven and top with fresh cilantro and sour cream and serve. I usually have some "filling" left over and use this to make yummy burritos the next day. You could, of course, just make more bell peppers, if you prefer. 

One more note: Last time I made this recipe, I didn't have any salsa, so I added diced green chiles instead (including the juice). It turned out really well and I would highly recommend it if you're a green chile fan like I am. 

Pinterest Reviews #2

Now we're moving on to craft projects and other great ideas I've tried from Pinterest. In the interest of full disclosure, I want to make sure you know I'm copying these pictures straight from their original websites. I did not take those food pictures...though I wish I was that skilled!

Project: Homemade Makeup Remover Wipes

Link: http://www.onegoodthingbyjillee.com/2011/09/if-youve-read-my-blog-lately.html

Verdict: Disappointing. While they worked great at first, they were moldy after just 5 days. 

Best part: Very cost effective. I did the math and it came out to $0.006 per wipe once you have the container and coconut oil (which I did).

Advice: Add a couple drops of essential oils to make the wipes smell a little bit better. 

Next time: I am not sure I'll make these again due to the mold issue. I assume it stems from living in such a wet place. Maybe it would be better for those of you in the desert. 

Project: Cloth Diaper Burp Cloths

Link: http://www.petitelemon.com/blog/2011/03/28/how-to-make-a-burp-cloth/

Verdict: Cute and easy! I plan to make several more of these this Fall.

Best part: You don't need advanced sewing skills to make these. Perfectly straight lines aren't even necessary!

Advice: Use a zig-zag stitch to attach the fabric to the diaper. This will help it last through future washes.

Next time: I'll do a better job measuring and cutting the fabric so it fits better. 

Project: Shoe Organizer for Cleaning Products

Link: No real link, just a picture I saw online. 

Verdict: Cheap fix and extremely easy to put up.

Best part: All your cleaning supplies are in one spot and aren't taking up any cabinet space.

Advice: When filled with cleaners, open door carefully as the hanger will bang up against the door a little if you open it too quickly.

Next time: I will arrange cleaners by type or use instead of just randomly throwing them in an open spot.

Project: Soft and Silky Legs

Link: http://glutenfreenavywife.blogspot.com/2012/01/softest-silkiest-legs.html

Verdict: Incredible! I must do this more often.

Best part: I already had all the ingredients in my fridge/pantry.

Advice: I think you should do this in the shower versus the bath so you don't have all this stuff (and hair!) floating in the bath water with you. 

Next time: I will make a larger portion of this so I can store it and use it on a regular basis.

Have you made any great Pinterest finds recently? 

Pinterest Reviews

Since I have actually tried quite a few things I've pinned on Pinterest now, I thought I'd blog and review the recipes, crafts, and projects I've attempted so you can learn from my experience (both good and bad).

Recipe: Tomato, Basil, and Cheddar Soup.
Link: http://morefruitplease.net/2012/04/23/tomato-basil-and-cheddar-soup/

Verdict: Yummy!! Will definitely make again. Easy, yet delicious.

Best part: Uses greek yogurt instead of cream and, therefore, is much healthier.

Advice: Plan other recipes to use the rest of your greek yogurt so it won't go bad like mine did.

Next time: I will serve with some bread instead of just crackers. 

Recipe: Mini Caprese Salad Bites

Link: http://www.livingeventfully.com/2012/02/mini-caprese-salad-bites.html

Verdict: Two thumbs up! I could probably eat a whole plate of these myself.

Best part: Looks kind of fancy, even though it uses string cheese (i.e.: not fancy at all).

Advice: Buy the cherry tomatoes from Costco because they're much larger and hold more.

Next time: I will cut the string cheese into smaller pieces so it fits into the tomato better.

Project: Re-grow Green Onions

Link: http://homemadeserenity.blogspot.com/2011/03/putting-food-by-beef-onions-and-vanilla.html

Verdict: Works like a charm! I use this on a regular basis.

Best part: It saves money since the only expense is a tiny glass of water (costs pennies at most).

Advice: Change the water every 2 days and rinse the roots off to prevent a strong onion smell.

Next time: Nothing to change. 

Recipe: Pan-Roasted Chicken with Lemon-Garlic Green Beans

Link: http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/pan-roasted-chicken-lemon-garlic-green-beans-10000000780291/index.html

Verdict: Whoa! WAY WAY WAY too lemony. I followed the recipe exactly and we could barely even eat because the lemon was SO over-powering. 

Best part: Using only one pan saves on dirty dishes. 

Advice: Use SIGNIFICANTLY less lemon than the recipe calls for, I'm serious.

Next time: There probably won't be a next time, honestly. This dish is probably ruined for us, sadly.

Recipe: Cheesecake Stuffed Strawberries

Link: http://www.thesweetslife.com/2011/08/cheesecake-stuffed-strawberries.html

Verdict: Decadent! These won me major bonus points at the office potluck.

Best part: They make a great finger food and you can have several without feeling guilty.

Advice: Don't make them much ahead of time, if possible. My got kind of soggy overnight. Also, a strawberry huller saves a ton of time!

Next time: I will make them closer to eating time and keep more at home for Kory and me :)

Recipe: Pioneer Woman Key Lime Pie

Link: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/03/happy-pi-day/

Verdict: You can't go wrong with PW. This pie was out of this world AMAZING!!

Best part: Everything is made from scratch and the time investment is so worth it.

Advice: If you hand-whip the cream, you'll burn enough calories to justify eating the whole pie in one setting. Or at least that was my excuse.

Next time: I will add more butter to my crust so the graham crackers aren't so crumbly. (The recipe is probably right, but my butter boiled over in the microwave and so I had a smaller amount mixed in.)

Recipe: Lasagna Roll Ups

Link: http://cookingclassy.blogspot.com/2012/02/lasagna-roll-ups.html

Verdict: Delicious! This even beats Stouffer's, which is pretty difficult in my opinion. 

Best part: Individual servings make for excellent lunches during the work week.

Advice: Don't spoon too much meat sauce into the lasagna noodles so you'll have enough left over to cover the top. 

Next time: I will add fresh herbs from my garden.

I hope you can find some menu inspiration from this post! Next up, I'll review some of the cleaning and craft projects I've tried from Pinterest.