Thirteen for 2013 - Update

With only 2 months left in 2013 it's time to review the goals and the realities.
 
Thirteen for 2013 (Updates in parenthesis.)

1. Improve my photography skills (I am thinking this is a lost cause this year. Only two months left and I really haven't touched the good camera since June maybe. Haven't even really used the camera on my iPhone very much.)
2. Compete in my 2nd indoor triathlon (This got scrapped because of finances not permitting but I do plan on returning to this for 2014. I already have the dates and am working hard to get my oldest daughter to join me. She'll be 12 by then and old enough to participate. I still have some work to do on convincing her it isn't as scary as she thinks it is.)
3. Train for my first sprint triathlon – hopefully compete as well (Just like with the indoor triathlon this goal was scrapped due to finances. I am very seriously looking into a few options next year. I really miss having a race goal to stretch me and my focus on healthy living. Most likely I will be completing my first sprint triathlon sometime near my son;s 9th birthday. He is also interested. We followed the Ironman Kona coverage together this year and he was crazy impressed. His interest is going to play a role in which triathlon I finally register for because only one of the two options I'm looking into has a children's triathlon at the same location the same weekend.)
4. Be able to strongly run 13.1 miles – hopefully complete a half marathon race (I can't cross this off yet but I am getting so very close. I believe I can do this right now if I were to commit to it but as it stands my longest run has been 8 miles. But those 8 miles were solid and I felt wonderful coming up to the finish. I will achieve this goal before December 31st 2013!)
5. Visit Dark Sky Cabin at least 3 times  (I'm crossing this off a little early and with a little sadness. We only went twice as a family and I'm not sure the kids and I will be making it up again before 2014. It is what it is and the reasons for not going are many.)
6. Break free from sugar . . . again. . .  (I did this! And, now I'm in the process of doing it again. It's a vicious cycle. We'll see if I can stay strong with the holidays quickly approaching. I don't want to not ever eat a piece of cake of candy but I need to come to a place where I can say no or only have it truly as a treat and be happy. I'm so close, so close.)
7. Establish an herb garden (This did not get done. Just didn't.)
8. Pay off one significant personal loan (Don't see this happening this year. Financially it was a two steps forward 3 steps back kind of year.)
9. Finish my bedroom – painting etc (The year isn't over yet. We'll see.)
10. Establish successful off site food garden (YES! This we did and were well rewarded for it. This deserves its own post and it will get one. The success and education this gave me more than makes up for the lack of herb garden.)
11. Learn 2 new chords for the guitar – hopefully F & B (I'm still working on this but overall my playing is improving. It's actually pretty sweet. We repaired my blue classical guitar because our son wanted to play. He's beeing playing with me a couple nights a week working through a book. What he doesn't know is I'm learning right along side him.)
12. Bicycle as a family at least once a week in warm weather (This didn't happen. But, we did our longest family bicycle ride in years this summer. We may have bribed them with ice cream at the half way point but they did it and the kids were exhausted but proud of themselves. We really do need to push them out and do it more often. How far did they ride? 13 miles.)
    
13. Faithfully live with both feet in God’s kingdom (I don't think I'll ever be able to fully knock this one off the list. I'm human. It will always be a daily decision. I am working on this and while some times both feet are right there sometimes I wander off to the edges again. Not leaving but looking over the fence and then I decide I don't want to go anywhere.)