Goals 2019

I have started compiling a list of goals for each year, thanks to my amazing lifelong mom friend, Evan.  She is exceptional at crafting goals and making them work for her!  I have been following her example with goal setting, now I just need to follow her example in goal completing....

So, here's my list for 2019.  I want to focus more on taking care of myself and my health so that I can take care of my family and enjoy my life.

1. Read a book to the kids, with the kids at least 3 times a week.  Often, bedtime is so rushed and that time to connect needs to happen.  I need it and they need it too!
   
2. Exercise 4 times a week.  I'm going to make this a top priority because it will help with my physical, mental, and social health.  It makes me a better wife, mom, and teacher when I feel good.  And we all know what Elle Woods said about exercise and endorphins...
   
3. Plan trips, not gifts.  I want to put a plan in motion to go DO THINGS with my people.  I would like to cut back on the things and make a point to go to places with them.  See another later goal that ties into this...
   
4. Simplify things.  Clean out closets, storage containers, and cabinets.  Donate or sell items that can be useful and clean out garbage that is no longer useful.
   
5. Read 2 books a month.  One to help me and one for fun.
   
6. Track macro nutrients every day to maximize health and weight loss.  I plan to focus on my health this year and establish better habit with my diet and my fitness. 
   
7. Run 5 5 ks this year.  Health y'all.  It is so important and I plan to maximize mine this year.
   
8. Well checks and doctor visits for my children need to be a priority.  We rarely do those as recommended, because they are pretty healthy.  We need to schedule them as they should be done and follow through.  I will make that happen.
   
9. Have a friend night once a month.  With my new neighbors, with old friends, with women I love.  I love having a community and I know that I need to make connections regularly.
   
10. Join a small group at church and find a place to serve.  I love my church and our church family.  I have been out of the loop with service for a while, and I miss it.  I would like to find a place for that again!
    
11. I am going to prepare one new recipe weekly this year!  I love the kitchen and I love being able to cook new things, so I feel like this will be fun!
    
12. Host a family lunch once a month. 
    
13. Finish things.  The book shelves, the hanging of the decorations, printing of the pictures, projects I begin...
    

I am straight copying a few goals from people I follow via social media, but they fit me perfectly!  I cannot wait to journey through 2019 and improve myself as I go.  Thanks for following along and being a blog friend!

Goal Updates: March 2016--more like April.

1. Grow produce this summer.  Start a plan in March and proceed forward with tomatoes and peppers for the summer.  I think I can handle two things.
   
   I should start that now, right?
2. Clean out and organize one room each month.  It will break my little hoarder/sentimental heart to trash some of the things, but it needs to happen.  Starting in the girls' room tomorrow morning.  Closet and drawers need attention.  Hayes' room is in February.  Bathrooms upstairs in March... that's my first quarter done...
   
   I am making major progress with this goal!  Playroom done.  Kids clothes done.  My closet done.  Working on the rest of the house a little at a time.  We got a MAJOR upheaval in April since my sis and bro in law are going to be sharing our space for a bit... So we had FORCED cleaning out of some space.  It was MUCH needed.
3. Paint the rooms... living room, office, dining room... and patch the ceiling kitchen.  While you're at it, let's just go ahead and fix the wires in the living room too., okay?  And purchase new furniture for the living room.  I decided all house updates had to go in the same goal, so I'll have to also repair the master bath wall/ceiling as well.
   
   Living room done.  Dining room next.  Ceiling patching and repair and repaint in June.  New furniture was gifted to us in April!
4. Exercise for 30 minutes at least 3 times a week.  Dance parties in the living room count as cardio.  Running counts.  Weighted toddler carry time does not count.
   
   Yeah, no.
5. Become a Mary Kay sales director.  I desperately want to work a job with some flexibility for my family.  I also really like Mary Kay and the company.  Products are good, company philosophy is good, and the atmosphere is positive.
   
   Still a legitimate goal.  Still working towards it.
6. Plan a trip to Disney for 2016.  Purchase a $100 Disney gift card each month to start piling money away for it.  Kroger fuel points AND a Disney trip.  Two birds;  one stone.
   
   Nope.  Not yet.  I'm only 4 months in, so I can start now... right?
7. Complete a Bible reading plan.  I'm looking at a few, but I'm open to ideas and suggestions people!
   
   I'm a spotty reader at best.  I still love Jesus Calling and I read it sporadically... at best.
8. Schedule a fun date with Daryk each month.  I'd really like to call it my Groupon event... I would love to buy a Groupon/Living Social/Scout Mob date and go do something different each month!  January and February are so difficult because of wrestling, but we can figure something out!
   
   We do this by default, but not as organized as I would like for it to be!
9. Plan and HOLD 5 Mary Kay Skincare and Glamour classes each month.  Who wants to come over and play makeup with me!?
   
   Still working towards this as well.  I need to up my MK game.
10. Develop a family routine/plan and follow through with it.  Weekly plans in progress now...
    
    This seems impossible, but I will keep working towards this goal and complete it eventually.

Goals 2014: March Update

My 2014 To Do List

1. I am going to grow plants this summer.  I'd like to grow a lot, but I'll settle for a few.  Tomatoes, beets, cucumbers, carrots, squash, and zucchini, to start with.  I'm researching methods via Pinterest right now and will start seedlings as directed once the time is right.  I suppose I'll need to do this on the back porch or in the garage for the meantime.  I plan to use the small area by the garage to grow my veggies in large planters or raised beds.  Who wants to build me those?
   
   Bought some seeds.  Starting seedlings in a few weeks!
   
2. Run races.  As in, plural.  I have run my pregnancy races and I have one more to go.  I'd really like to be able to run a few more races after the baby comes.  I know I'll need time to heal since I will be having a child via surgery in April... I'm hoping I can schedule some races in June/July.
   
   I'm just not sure I might get to an organized race before baby gets here.  I'll let you know.
   
3. Buy the dang minivan.  This is a lingering 2013 goal... I wonder if I knew that my husband was going to let me have another baby AND we were going to and that's why I made that goal in 2013?  Either way, I cannot wait to be the proud owner of a minivan.  I see this happening in March.
   
   DONE AND DONE!  I will post about that adventure this week!
   
4. Build my business.  I suppose this means I need to work on the business.  I have several of them I could work on, but none that I really focus on.  I love Advocare products.  I use them regularly.  I also love Mary Kay products, they are lovely.  I have a great love for my sewing machine and should use it more often.  I would like to be able to grow one or all of those into something successful that generates income so that I could stay home with my babies one day. Yep, another goal for another year, but I'll work on it in 2014.
   
   Started working more often with Mary Kay and I'm planning to attend a career conference with them end of March!  I cannot WAIT!
   
5. Paint and decorate the kid's rooms.  We have to move Libby to the bigger room and put Hayes in the smaller room since we will be housing two girls.  This project was on my agenda for Christmas break, but it is not likely to happen this week.  I have to buy Libby bunk beds and then we can make the move.  Hoping for February?
   
   Bunk beds for Libby have been purchased.  The prep for moving and changing rooms has been a popular conversation as well.  Hayes has informed me that he wishes to sleep in the bunk beds with Libby and Spencer.
    
6. Plant flowers in the yard this spring and summer.  I love seeing my neighbors lovely yards and I'd like to have my own this year.
   
   Flowers will come soon.  I keep thinking I'll wait until mid March in hopes to avoid any more freezing weather...
7. Develop a budget/plan to save for future Disney trips and eventually yearly passes.  I love going to see The Mouse.  I love that my kids want to go there often as well.  I want nothing more than to take them there all the time.  As a matter of fact, we could just move there and I'd be thrilled.  I'm working on this part.
   
   Made 2 payments for Disney this year.  We will go in September and I am pumped.  Created a savings plan for 2015.  I want to take Daryk to Star Wars weekends!
   
8. I would love to be able to use my blog as a venue to make some extra income for my family as well.  I am going to investigate that and look for income via my blog while on maternity leave.
   
   I haven't looked into this, but I have been diligently increasing my traffic to the blog and plan to continue that through Facebook and Pinterest.  Hopefully I can be blog famous one day (or at least make mom-ney, so I can stay home)...
   
9. Purge.  Clean out the closets, rooms, drawers, cabinets, and garage and rid this house of unnecessary objects, clutter, junk, and excess.  We need to learn to live with less and be happy with that.
   
   Cleaning out all areas of the house as part of my random 'nesting' occurs.  So far I've found a ton of things to donate and decorate with.
   
10.  Wake up earlier during the week and make time for myself.  Enjoy coffee, or a book, or the quiet.  I could make breakfast for myself or the littles, or just put on my makeup like a normal person.
    
    Yeah, just no.  Just not happening.  I think I might be a failure at this goal.  Oops.
    Echoes of last month... I just can't make this happen.  I might attempt to work on this one later in the year, but I might just be crazy.

Pizza Painting

I'm typically a 'one thing at a time' kinda mom.  Last weekend the kids were really into their artwork right about the time I was ready to serve the dinner that Papa Johns just delivered. I mean, isn't pizza better when its hot!?  My children do not share that same thought and would prefer that everything be lukewarm or cold.  Ewwww.  I felt bad interrupting their painting session for pizza, so I just let them eat while being little artists.

Hayes was a little more concerned with keeping his artwork and pizza separated so that his pizza didn't mess up his artwork.  Elizabeth could not get enough pizza while painting and could not have cared any less about the two messing each other up.  She dives right into both with little regard to what might happen.  

I love it when I get her hair up in this little bun thingy.  It is so cute and makes her look so grown up!  She typically spends most of her meal time wiping her face with a napkin and pushing her hair out of her eyes.  I try to keep it off her face, but sometimes that fight isn't worth the fight.  I remember on this particular night I traded the painting for the hair fixing. It was one for the other and I got the better end of the deal!  

Notice, he's completely moved the paper AWAY from his pizza, as in... you cannot see it... while he's eating.  After he was finished with that bite and put the pizza back down, wiped his hands, and mouth... he would pick up the artwork from the chair located on the left.  Smart kid.  Sometimes too smart... for his own good.

Gators

The week before Thanksgiving Papa was really sick.

BeBe was in charge for a few days.

Hayes got to do new artwork while BeBe was in charge!

Gators are coloring.

Deep concentration is required

See, the strategically placed tongue?

He loves to color and draw and write.

Especially if his sister is busily doing something else and he's not guarding his paper.

If he's guarding and creating artwork he gets angry.

As long as it is just Hayes, he's a happy little artist.

For Ten Days

Soooooooooo, every summer Daryk goes to Fargo ND to coach wrestling.

And every summer I want to die around day 3-4 because my children are nuts.

And thus, driving me nuts.

He stayed with me one summer because I was about to have a baby, thankfully....

But every other summer, 10 days with no Daryk/Daddy.

I die.

So this year, I had to work and sent the kids to the lake for a few days.

Then Hayes had summer camp for 2 days.

Libby had gymnastics and we took a lot of naps.

After that I begged for sitters to help so I could embark on my makeover adventure.

This picture that started it all.

Hobby Lobby is the death of me.

I found this on clearance for $11 and I decided that I wanted it.

Now, for a place to put it...

That's how I decorate.

I buy things I love and then take them home to figure out what to do....

Is this logical?

Probably not, but it works for me.

My life motto.

Positive Polly over here.

 

I found these lovies to hang in the bathroom for towels. 

Also, Hobby Lobby 50% off.

I decided to be adventurous and spray paint the light fixtures.

I found a you tube tutorial and watched it a few times to make sure I knew what I was doing.

I also flipped the breaked so I wouldn't die of electric shock.

Primer...

Final color!

The bathroom looks like a high lighter yellow/green.

It is bright.

I love it.

The master bedroom is a green/minty/ish color.

Also in love.

Bed quilt was a TJ Maxx find.

Shams and pillow cases from Target clearance.

The lovely blue flowers were a Hobby Lobby clearance find!

I have plans to finish the room and change the lamps.

I love it!

Daryk even said he could deal with it.

I have a few more finishing touches to add this week...

Update 2013

So, its 2013.

I vow to complete at LEAST 13 tasks.

I thought I'd provide an update on my 2013 life goals.

I'm still working on some of them.

1.  Run one race a month.  Half marathon, 5k, 10k, something.  Every month.

Let's just assume this one isn't going to happen.
It is July.
I have run zero races...
I have one scheduled in August, but um... 

2.  Pay off all the medical bills.

Welllllll, Daryk hurt his knee, again.
We are in the hole again with that one, but that is the ONLY one right now!

3.  Pay off Daryk's truck.... and buy a minivan.

Writing the last check for that truck in August.
Saving for a mini van for 6 months and then going to buy one... or something of the like.

4.  Learn to focus on the task at hand.

I am going to assume this is something God is teaching me daily.
I am still working on it and trying to get better.
I would venture to say that this goal has made taken my list making to a whole new level.

5.  Grow a summer garden consisting of tomatoes and herbs.

No garden for me, yet.
Thinking of growing some herbs this fall inside the house.

6.  Create or craft something new every month.

Doing very well with this one!
I've been making headbands, baby carriers, shorts, and I'm tackling skirts this month!

7.  Play soccer with grown ups.

I played in an adult women's league for FUN this spring.
I LOVED the calorie burn, the friendship, AND the fact that I got to play soccer.

8.  Read one book every month for fun.

I read 3 books for FUN at the beach in one week in July.
3/12 months... I better get another couple in the que.

9.  Use my food dehydrator for fruit and such.

I tried this and concluded that it was more work than it was worth.
Anybody want a dehydrator?

10.  Blog at least four times a week.

Yeah, no.
I'm better about it though!
Perhaps my more realistic goal would have been 2-3 times a week.

11.  Print pictures of my kids every month to give or mail to my family.

Oh my goodness.
I need to work on this one.

12.  Paint and decorate.  this.  house.  

We painted the kitchen.
I'm hoping to tackle the master bedroom and bath while Daryk is in Fargo.

13.  Organize the bleeping garage.

Garage was done in May.
It was a team effort with help from Daryk.
Funny story about that day....
It was a Friday morning and while we were cleaning the garage.
I bet 4 people stopped to ask if we were having a garage sale....
Nope.
We just have a lot of crap.

And these are the others that are floating in my head....

clean out the closets and storage areas of my home
worked in the kids closets some
cleaned out the master closet some as well
planning to work in the other areas this week

reward my fitness efforts with yoga pants, not for yoga, just lounging because I love those pants.
bought lots of walmart fitness clothes
love those!

potty train Libby James late summer
she is ALMOST done
almost

I shall update you all every month on how the list is coming along and what I get done, or not...

Obviously, some of these things will not get done until later in the year.

They are my goals.

My tasks to complete.

Spring Break: 3 days in.

Kitchen has been repainted.

It was a heinous yellow color that was almost blinding it was so bright.

Now it is a glossy sorta green ish that barely looks like a color, but it is.

I love it.

I'm pretty excited to get some decorating done!

My step mom was kind enough to come help me paint it!

She's also taking my kids the last half of the week....

I'm going to shop at some thrift and antique stores for some decor while they are gone!

We went to play at the park today.

I didn't feel so well, so I didn't play too much.

The kids had a BLAST!

Success with the sewing machine today!

I bought a headband like this online a few weeks ago.

Actually, they were on sale so I bought four.

I became obsessed with them.

They stay put on my hair all day long, through any activity.

They are amazing!

I decided I would figure it out and make my own!

I ventured to Hobby Lobby (the mother ship as Kitty calls it) last week.

Got the ribbon, the backside ribbon, and elastic needed.

Made the headband today.

I might decide to sell them and pay back my college loans with the profit.

I need a catchy name...

Any ideas?

Got 3 things on my to do list done this weekend!

Maybe I need to add a few more things to the list?

If I have enough time and I'm brave enough I'll make a skirt or pants for myself...

Spring Break Goals

We moved in August. 

I have yet to paint any of the house on the inside.

It is beginning to annoy me.

Mind you, I'm the WORST about starting a project and not every finishing it.

THE.  WORST. 

Just ask my husband, it is probably the most annoying trait I have.

I have grand ideas about things.

Very lofty ideas.

And I start the project, get about 1/3 of the way through, and find something else to do.

Maybe I just have extreme adult A.D.D.

Either way, I'm beginning to annoy myself.

So, I have a week off from school and I have a to do list.

Here's hoping I'm going to check at LEAST half of them off the list. 

My goal is 100% completion, but I'm not going to beat myself up if I don't get it all done.

Clearly, #4 & #5 take priority.  :) 

And I can't take good care of the babies if I don't take care of me.

# 6 & #7 are also pretty important as well. 

The rest are just things I want to get done.

Here's hoping the babies take long naps during the week!

Update Checklist 2013

I set myself some goals this year.

Not a 'new years resolution', but an actual SET of goals.  

My original post is here.

And here's my update for now... 

1.  Run one race a month.  Half marathon, 5k, 10k, something.  Every month.

I'm going to need a small loan to finance all those races.

I didn't run a race in January.

Between being super poor and living on teacher welfare, I chose to avoid that expense.

I did however log almost 50 miles in January.

I'll just have to run an extra this summer to compensate for it.

2.  Pay off all the medical bills.

Between the summer of ear infections and Daryk's gall bladder... we have a handful.

Thankfully, we also have jobs to pay for them.

And auto pay through our bank which is all set up and should be done paying in August.

In progress.

Almost done paying for Elizabeth's birth.

Good thing they don't repo your kids for slow payment....

3.  Pay off Daryk's truck.... and buy a minivan.

There, I said it.

We're buying a minivan.

Daniel says I should make Daryk drive it.

I think he would do it with pride.

And he would rock it.

Debating this purchase in August-ish.

Closer to the end of the year for sure.

Hoping to bank some money for a down payment before we splurge on the amazing minivan!

4.  Learn to focus on the task at hand.

Stop spending time trying to accomplish 14 things at once, do one thing.

Finish that task and move to the next one.

This will be the biggest struggle for me.

I'm working on this one!

I have been doing much better with this at work.

Just have to wrangle my home tasks to this goal....

I have a REALLY hard time staying focused on ONE thing until I complete a task.

Hence, this is my GOAL for this year.

5.  Grow a summer garden consisting of tomatoes and herbs.

I love tomatoes in the summer.

And I'd LOVE to be able to cook with fresh herbs all summer.

I'll let you know how this goes when the weather stops being bipolar.

Also, when spring hits I can plant flowers and such.

For now, we're all freezing, literally.

6.  Create or craft something new every month.

Doesn't have to be a HUGE craft or creation, but something,  nonetheless.

Turned an old diaper wipes box into a hat box for the garage for the kids!

Used scrap fabric and covered it, then stuck it out in the garage for hats!

So proud!

7.  Play soccer with grown ups.

And have fun.

This should start around spring-ish.

COUNTING DOWN THE DAYS.

8.  Read one book every month for fun.

Grand total of 12 books.

If I read MORE than that, I'll make myself cupcakes.

Just got a new book from my favorite author of all time....

Jill Conner Browne.

Fat is the new 30.

Go buy all her books NOW.  

RIGHT NOW.

9.  Use my food dehydrator for fruit and such.

New adventures for healthy snacks for me and the kiddos.

Working on this soon.

I should probably get the dehydrator out of the box first...

Hmmmm....

10.  Blog at least four times a week.

Ehhhh, 15 blogs in January.

Clearly, I need to work on this one a little bit.  

But that's an average of 3 per week... so I'm not too far off!

11.  Print pictures of my kids every month to give or mail to my family.

Complete failure this month.

I'll get on that stat.

12.  Paint and decorate.  this.  house.  

Starting with the kitchen.  

Like, yesterday.

Ughhhhhhhhhh, waiting on my beloved tax return.

You know that money I earned that someone else took....

When I get that back, I'll be browsing paint colors at Lowe's.

Y'all are coming over to help, right?

13.  Organize the bleeping garage.

Will be the death of me and a never ending task, but alas, it must be done.

I cleaned off one shelf.

Bad news, we have about 20 shelves.

Looks like this one will keep me busy ALL year long.

My goals for 2013

I finally nailed some goals down for sure last night.

I started with this idea that I found via pinterest.  

I mean, it's pretty basic and should be easy right?

Then I thought about all the things I wanted to do,  as I have a list of about 250 things I'd LIKE to do...

And this made me think of my sister Leigh Anne and her swift ability to decide, well, nothing... ever....

via pinterest as well

I am hoping that my resolutions will stick a little bit better than this picture indicates.
Bleh for getting older and not following through with commitments.

Found this gem via pinterest as well, alarming and so sad!
I vow not to be the old people who accomplish nothing this year!

So, its 2013.
I vow to complete at LEAST 13 tasks.

1.  Run one race a month.  Half marathon, 5k, 10k, something.  Every month.

I'm going to need a small loan to finance all those races.

2.  Pay off all the medical bills.

Between the summer of ear infections and Daryk's gall bladder... we have a handful.

Thankfully, we also have jobs to pay for them.

And auto pay through our bank which is all set up and should be done paying in August.

3.  Pay off Daryk's truck.... and buy a minivan.

There, I said it.

We're buying a minivan.

Daniel says I should make Daryk drive it.

I think he would do it with pride.

And he would rock it.

4.  Learn to focus on the task at hand.

Stop spending time trying to accomplish 14 things at once, do one thing.

Finish that task and move to the next one.

This will be the biggest struggle for me.

5.  Grow a summer garden consisting of tomatoes and herbs.

I love tomatoes in the summer.

And I'd LOVE to be able to cook with fresh herbs all summer.

6.  Create or craft something new every month.

Doesn't have to be a HUGE craft or creation, but something,  nonetheless.

7.  Play soccer with grown ups.

And have fun.

This should start around spring-ish.

8.  Read one book every month for fun.

Grand total of 12 books.

If I read MORE than that, I'll make myself cupcakes.

9.  Use my food dehydrator for fruit and such.

New adventures for healthy snacks for me and the kiddos.

10.  Blog at least four times a week.

11.  Print pictures of my kids every month to give or mail to my family.

12.  Paint and decorate.  this.  house.  

Starting with the kitchen.  

Like, yesterday.

13.  Organize the bleeping garage.

Will be the death of me and a never ending task, but alas, it must be done.

And these are the others that are floating in my head....

clean out the closets and storage areas of my home

reward my fitness efforts with yoga pants, not for yoga, just lounging because I love those pants.

potty train Libby James late summer

I shall update you all every month on how the list is coming along and what I get done, or not...

Obviously, some of these things will not get done until later in the year.

They are my goals.

My tasks to complete.

Winning!

I crossed about half of my Christmas list off the paper today!  I'm totally feeling accomplished and really excited about the whole holiday season.  I have a few more things to get for the family and the kiddos.  The last thing I'll get done is the opening of savings accounts for the kids.  I know, not very exciting, but college is pricey and we are planning ahead.  Besides, they would rather play with toilet paper rolls, fly swatters, and empty vitamin bottles.  Why bother with toys?  I get to host Thanksgiving at our new home this year and I cannot WAIT to see my entire family here!  I'm working on a menu and trying to figure out what would be best for us all to bring.  The kids will be thrilled to have the whole family here too. 

I am ready to PAINT this house.  Any volunteers to help?  No?

New House

Interior of the house.  I ran out of good daylight for the outside. 

Enjoy!

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In the event that you cannot see the slide show, here is the link to the album.