A New Year...And New Goals

I don't make resolutions like most people. I know I would only disappoint myself if I didn't accomplish everything on the list. I do however make goals. I try hard to accomplish them, but I know that life throws a lot of curves, and so I'm OK if they don't get accomplished.


Here are my 2008 Goals


1. Read the entire Bible ( there are lots of ways to accomplish this, but one that I found recently - and like- is www.oneyearbibleblog.com)


2. Build a closer relationship with Christ ( Being that I am newer Christian, I strive to be closer to him every day. By reading and praying, I hope to build a closer relationship and follow his will for my life.)


3. Build my relationship with my husband ( No one is perfect. And no marriage is perfect. But I strive to work on my marriage. I read a great book last year called 'Created To Be His Helpmeet" by Debi Pearl. I highly recommend it. )


4. Strive to be a better Home Manager (With home school, laundry, cooking, cleaning, pets, and so on....it can be very overwhelming. I am trying to prioritize better, and not feel so overwhelmed and frustrated when I don't finish all my chores on a given day.)


5. Be more focused on Homeschooling ( It is easy to become relaxed when homeschooling and just give them worksheets to complete instead of fully interacting with them. I admit I have fallen into that trap. I started off gung ho, and towards December stopped doing the lap books and other more complicated activities. I strive to jump back in and get dirty ...you know, glue and glitter, and markers!!)


6. Stick to the schedule!! ( I am a list person. I can make a list of things I need to do on a certain day, but always get distracted doing other things. I found a great book called 'Managers of Their Homes' by Steve and Terri Maxwell. It has changed my life!! I can plan the week, put it on the wall, and know what I need to do, and when. I schedule myself time to sew, or work in the garden, and it makes life so much easier!!)


7. Save $1000 on budget for 2008 Seems a bit steep....I know. But I saved almost $400 in 2007, and that was only for 5 to 6 months of trying. I gave up when school started. If you want to save with me this year, or see how close I come to my goal, check out my other blog 'Saving With The Modest Momma'.


8. Cut back on unnecessary spending (You know, the sodas at the check out line, the DVD that just came out, or the clearance item at the craft store you might never use. It all adds up, and I have done my fair share of spending on things I didn't need. )


9. Put together a winter food / money box ( With my husband working in the construction business on 100% commission, winter seems to be the worst season. It seems that November and December are our 'poor months'. Every year I try to plan to have enough food and money for the winter. I have recently found a great plan for this online at The Outlands . If I purchase $5 worth of food (canned soups, canned veggies, flour, ect.) and save $5 in cash ( for fresh meat and cold foods) every week we will have enough food in the winter. Not a bad plan for $10 a week! )


10. Sell items in house we don't use ( We all have them! Those appliances, or clothing, or left over fabric that in the back of your mind you think you will use one day. I have made the choice to sell them. If I have not used it in 2 years, chances are I won't ever use it. Ebay is a great place to sell these things. And, the money I make will go towards the winter food /money box!!)


11. Make at least 1 Christmas gift a month ( I was so bad this year. I waited until December to try to make all the things I wanted to give to family at Christmas. And with 6 brother/sister in laws, and 6 nieces/nephews, I have to start real early this year! )


12. Start using Cloth Pads instead of disposables ( ok, if you're a guy, please leave the room. Ladies, we literally throw our money in the trash every month! I spend about $5 a month on disposable pads. That's $60 a year that can go towards other things. And, think about the land fills and all those pads. Anyway, I started making and using them a while back, and love them!! You can throw them in the washer and dryer and use them over and over. If you would like to try them, I sell them in my Ebay and Etsy Store. )


13. Bake more (I have been wanting to bake more foods like bread and casseroles, but I feel a little intimidated. I didn't learn to cook until I got married. In my single days I ate out a lot, or ordered in. I had pots and pans, but usually only made things that came out of a can or box. My husband bought me a nice cooking set last year, and I received the infamous Betty Crocker cookbook for my birthday. I also love watching Alton Brown on the Food Network. He helps the average person cook with what they have, or can find at a reasonable price. I plan to use these helpful tools this year!!)


14. Exercise more ( I think I use this one every year!! I am so bad at not exercising. Don't get me wrong, I do a lot of walking and housecleaning, but I have learned, that if I want to lose that baby weight ( from 6 years ago!!) I have do aerobic exercise. Wish me luck!!)


15. Make more clothing ( Over the last year my sons legs seem to be the only thing growing! I can't keep him in a pair of pants for more than 3 months. I have learned to make sleep pants, and shorts for him. It helps curb the cost of having to buy nice church and winter pants so often. I do plan to make myself some skirts and my husband some shorts this year to help save money.)

16. Read 1 book a month ( I love to read and always want to learn new things. I have picked out some great books to read this year, and hope to get through all of them. I will post a list of the books I am planning to read on the sidebar.)

17. Crochet more dishcloths ( Over the years we have spent so much money on those smelly dish sponges. They are great for about a week, but then they start to smell and get mildew. And it's more money thrown away!! I have found that crocheted dish cloths are great. When they start to smell I just throw them in the wash with the kitchen towels and they are good as new! There is a great lady on Etsy called 'Rightbrainthinker' that makes and sells them. I purchased a whole bunch from her and gave them away at Christmas. )

18. Include son in building business ( I want to grow my business, but also have a 6 year old that is very interested in what I do. He loves to help and so I am finding ways to include him in my daily work tasks.)

19. Keep up on Blog and Web groups ( As a member of several Ebay and Etsy groups, as well as having 2 blogs, I have had to schedule time to post and interact with other members. I am giving it my all to keep to my schedule so I can post and keep the wonderful friends I have met online.)

20. Spend more time with extended family Growing up with a father in the military meant moving...a lot! I never had a chance to get to know my aunts and uncles and cousins. Now, in my 30's, I live near a few and want my son to get to them. I think it is an important part of growing up. It is good to have a family support group.

It seems like a lot, but most of it is stuff I am already doing, I just want to 'kick it up a notch!!'

Wish me luck!
Melinda