I'm still here!

I know that I've completely fallen off the map with my updates here, but I have been trying to complete this challenge. Today is the last day, and I am going to do my best to finish updating by tonight, but since I have a lot of ground to cover, I'm not sure that I'll be able to.

Either way, updates and the final wrap-up are coming.

# 33

33. Send Christmas cards each year (3/3)

Got our cards out at the beginning of the month this year, with just a few stragglers of addresses that I was missing (and waiting for some to move into their new house).

One more item done!

# 25

25. Get together with friends once a month (19/34)

Early this month, we got together with Kristin, Austin, Christine and Tedd. Everyone has a very busy December this year, so we decided to get together to celebrate the holidays early. For the first time in a long time (other than the wedding) we went out just the grown-ups. It was nice to get to hang out and not worry about waking Peter. We had an absolutely delicious dinner at a restaurant near us that I hadn't been to in years.

# 19 and # 20

19. Use the crockpot for dinner sixty times (40/60)
20. Try at least two new recipes a month (41/68)

Sweet Turkey Chili

In December (so far), we've tried two new dinner recipes. The first was Sweet Turkey Chili, which came out pretty well, although it took longer than I anticipated to cook the turkey. Geoff loved it, and I will definitely be making it again, especially with the cold weather coming. The second was a Vegetable Beef Barely soup that I got out of my Betty Crocker cookbook. It was ok, but I ran into the problem where my slowcooker wasn't big enough (we only have a small one), so not everything fit. I will have to try it again sometime, hopefully after I've gotten a larger slowcooker.

October and November Updates

So I've fallen very far behind on posting both here and on my 365 Project. I have been taking pictures, and I will work on updating that blog once I finish updating here.

I don't have much more to update for October and November than was already posted. We went to church on Thanksgiving, and we've been doing our deep clean every month. I did manage to finally catch up with the completed items for my New Years resolution, and I have a few that I expect will be completed in December, so I should come out there ahead.

Other than that, not much to report here. Now I just have to work on catching up for December.

# 14 and # 20

14. Bake a pie for each Thanksgiving (3/3)
20. Try at least two new recipes a month (39/68)

For Thanksgiving, I made two pies, the apple pie that I've made in the past, and a pumpkin pie using a dairy and soy free recipe. The apple pie I made completely from scratch again, but I did use a store bought graham crust for the pumpkin pie (dairy free, but with soy). They both went over very well, apparently the pumpkin pie tasted no different than a regular dairy-filled version.

And so now I've made three years worth of pies for Thanksgiving, and I really enjoyed it, I will probably continue to do it in the future.

# 11 and # 20

11. Make bread from scratch
20. Try at least two new recipes a month (38/68)

On the eve of Thanksgiving, I finally got around to making the pumpkin bread that I had been putting off. I didn't follow the directions exactly, since I didn't have the right size pan. Instead of two medium loafs, I tried to make one large loaf. Even though I cooked it a bit longer, it still didn't cook completely through in the middle (and collapsed, as seen in this photo). Tastewise, the cooked parts were great. I am planning on getting another medium pan so that I can make this again.

So even though I wasn't nearly as successful as I would have like, I am calling this one done.

# 84

84. Read 2 new books a month (18/68)

Also in November, I finally finished A Dance with Dragons, the fifth book in George R. R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire Series. I loved it, and I am very sad that the next books aren't written yet. It also doesn't make me feel better how long it took him to write this one, it will probably be years before I know what happens next.

Now to start on another series to tied me over.

# 20

20. Try at least two new recipes a month (37/68)

Back in November (I know, I'm really behind on posting), I finally tried the roasted chicken recipe from Cozi that I had been eyeing for a while. Of course I ended up making it on a night that Geoff wasn't home, but that meant that there were plenty of leftovers (and there would have been leftovers even if he was home, just not as much). I really liked it, and Peter seemed to like it as well. The next night, we ended up having the leftovers, and it was just as good the next day. It really wasn't too difficult to make, so this is something that I will definitely be making again.

# 9

9. Go through and organize items in Dan and Sue's basement

I didn't even realize that I never marked this item as complete, and now I don't remember when we did it. I know that it was warm out, so I'm going to guess it was some time in October. We went through everything that we had pulled from Dan and Sue's basement, and Peter had a blast hanging out in the Ergo.