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Before we dive into my goals for March, let’s take a look at how I did with my goals from last month:
- Memorize Galatians 6:9 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Done! I don’t quite have it word for word, but I have the gist/part of it in another translation, so I’m counting it.
- Paint two picture frames for my family photo wall. I think they’re done, but they may need another coat. I primed them and then painted two coats, but I need to bring them upstairs to see if they need a third or not (the lighting in our basement isn’t the greatest for thorough painting projects).
- Get more information on how Portrait Innovations works and take Colton to have a few pictures taken. I did this, but then I ended up going to Olan Mills instead. Why? I saw some photos taken and Portrait Innovations that embodied everything I hate about studio photography, but had heard nothing but happy reviews for our local Olan Mills. I went there, and am so happy with them! I’ll share photos when I pick up my CD next week.
- Make Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings. I hit a homerun with this one – I made this TWICE!
- Game Nights on Fridays. Eh, we didn’t do this with consistency, but we did spend more time playing games as a family, even on days that weren’t Friday.
So, all in all, February wasn’t a bad month with my goals. Still though, I don’t feel like I accomplished much, mostly due to being out of commission for a week during an already short month. Oh well, on to March!
- Blog three times a week for the remaining four weeks in March. I have become a bad blogger. I guess I had more nap times to work in when I had a newborn. All I know is after the baby goes to bed, I want to go to bed too, not think and blog. But I hate neglecting my blog. Must make this work.
- Go to aerobics class each Tuesday and Thursday I can. I went back to class for the first time since Colton was born this week. It wasn’t awful, but it wasn’t great either. But I had a great time, and I need a set time to exercise and some non-baby active time, so this fulfills both of those for me.
- Print photos, frame them, and create my family photo wall. I’ve been a little hung up on having all of the photos I think I’ll ever want to frame ready before I hang anything, which is dumb. I can add frames and switch out photos.
- Clean off and set the table every Tuesday, then have dinner there. We eat on the sofa after we put the baby to bed almost every night because we’re tired. Which, I know, isn’t a good excuse. We need to eat at the table, so we’ll take a baby step towards having family dinner at the table every night.
- Make my own finger paint and let Colton have at it. He loves to play with his food when it drops onto his tray, so I think he’ll love this. Plus, then I’ll have some instant art!
- Memorize 1 Thessalonians 2:19-20 “For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? Indeed, you are our glory and joy.”
We’re four days into February and I’m just now getting into my goals…yeah, I’m feeling the lack of motivation here. Actually, I thought about skipping goals altogether this month. I’ve been feeling like I put things on here that I know I’m going to do and things that I really have no intention of doing. So this month I’m going to try setting five, focused goals, in the hopes that I actually really get some good stuff done. What do I want to do?
- Memorize Galatians 6:9 So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up. Each month I want to memorize a Bible verse, but then don’t pick one, so it never happens. It’s time to commit before hand!
- Paint two picture frames for my family photo wall. I have a decent idea of what I want to do with this wall, but I need to get on it!
- Get more information on how Portrait Innovations works and take Colton to have a few pictures taken. A friend told me there’s no sitting fee here, and you only pay for the photos you like, so it seems worth looking into. Plus, I realized while working on the photo wall that he’s changed A LOT since his last photos. And I have a cute outfit. Do I need another excuse?
- Make Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings. Why? Because I can. And I want to. And I need a kick in the pants to make something different.
- Game Nights on Fridays. Have to pick a day, or it won’t happen, and it’s something Hubby and I both want to make a priority.
So that’s what I want to do in the next 22 days. But what did I accomplish over the last month? Well, we had some extenuating family circumstances in January, and, as a result, the letter of all my goals weren’t fulfilled, but the spirit of many of them were, so I’m counting some that I worked hard on but didn’t quite fulfill as I’d planned due to some things beyond my control:
1. Purge 111 things in my house, participating in the challenge at Word’s on Wendhurst.
2. Set a prayer time.
3. Memorize one passage of scripture not related to my Bible Study.
4. Exercise 3 times week. I missed two days during a particularly crazy week, but I’m counting this because there was no way I could have worked out more than that during that week.
5. Resist the urge to buy anything unless I remove something else from my house (exceptions made for food, formula and diapers).
6. Have friends over for dinner and games. We didn’t do this, due to some craziness, but I went over to a friend’s for dinner and chatting with lots of other ladies, so half credit?
7. Re-institute our family game night. We never picked a specific night, but we spent more time playing games together.
8. Track our spending for the month.
9. Finish my current book and read another.
10. Work on my wall of family photos. Very little actual work was done, but I think I know which frames I want to use, most of the photos and I have a general idea of the layout I’d like.
Despite having a crazy January, I did pretty well with my goals. I’m looking forward to seeing how my new, focused goals go in February!
I set some goals in December. Here’s how I did:
1. Find a place to store my new (from my grandma) Christmas china.
2. Use our Christmas china!
3. Finish Christmas shopping.
4. Figure out what will become our “traditional” Christmas morning breakfast.
5. Actually take pictures at the Ugly Christmas Sweater party.
6. Print out more photos.
7. Sew (or at least attempt to sew) a bib.
8. Do some exercise. Anything. Something.
Not half bad, but I need to get back on the crafting and exercising trains!
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Before I set any January goals, I decided to look at my over-all goals for 2011. I came up with some general things I aspire to in this new year.
- Live with less (less clutter, less “stuff,” less drama, just less).
- Get out more as a family, spend more time outside together.
- Read more, watch less TV.
- Host get-togethers.
- Find a workable family budget and stick with it.
- Loose 5 pounds, but shoot for loosing 10.
- Pray more, focus on my relationship with God.
- Use my time more wisely.
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So, with those over-arching goals in mind, here’s what I’d like to do in the next month:
1. Purge 111 things in my house, participating in the challenge at Word’s on Wendhurst.
2. Set a prayer time.
3. Memorize one passage of scripture not related to my Bible Study.
4. Exercise 3 times week.
5. Resist the urge to buy anything unless I remove something else from my house (exceptions made for food, formula and diapers).
6. Have friends over for dinner and games.
7. Re-institute our family game night.
8. Track our spending for the month.
9. Finish my current book and read another.
10. Work on my wall of family photos.
We’re two days into December? Really? It seems like I just set my November goals! Alas, I don’t think I really did very well over the past month.
1. Sew two more burp cloths. I know I recently sewed one, and I think I sewed another earlier last month. I really can’t remember. I’m counting it though!
2. Find something to fix for Thanksgiving potluck. I made my grandmother’s scalloped apples. Except I lost the recipe. So I made it up. Then I got the real one after Thanksgiving.
3. Take a picture for, order and get ready to mail Christmas cards. Done! I’ll show y’all soon!
4. Pack a shoebox for Operation Christmas Child. Colton even helped!
5. Run more often; get through three weeks of Couch to 5 K. HA! Like I even went running once.
6. Work out a day for my former boss and his wife to watch the babe for a date night. I feel like half credit for this is appropriate, since all five of us went out to dinner one night.
7. Refrain from buying Colton any more clothes that aren’t a white, long-sleeved polo, size 6 – 9 months.
8. Get Colton’s doorway jumper set up and let him test it out!
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And now, it’s December!
1. Find a place to store my new (from my grandma) Christmas china.
2. Use our Christmas china!
3. Finish Christmas shopping.
4. Figure out what will become our “traditional” Christmas morning breakfast.
5. Actually take pictures at the Ugly Christmas Sweater party.
6. Print out more photos.
7. Sew (or at least attempt to sew) a bib.
8. Do some exercise. Anything. Something.
1. Exercise 3 times a week. Not even close.
2. Choose outfits for our family photos!
3. Find a Clemson outfit for Colton.
4. Post a how-to post on making your own burp cloths.
5. Pick a day to drive over to the next town and visit/help a friend.
6. Send a birthday letter to Janeth.
7. Research and select Christmas gifts Colton wants (I’m trying to pick a few things we really want so we end up with things we like and will use, avoid having stuff we can’t use and can’t return, and keep Colton’s things at a reasonable level.)
8. Look over what we spent and determine a workable, itemized budget.
9. Hang our new dining room mirror, post about our “new” dining room furniture.” Half is good, right?
10. Clean off and organize the desk. Getting closer, but still not there.
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My October goals were fairly successful, but I think I just lucked out; I didn’t really think about working on them. I want to be more purposeful with my November goals, so here’s what I’ll be working on this next month:
1. Sew two more burp cloths.
2. Find something to fix for Thanksgiving potluck.
3. Take a picture for, order and get ready to mail Christmas cards.
4. Pack a shoebox for Operation Christmas Child.
5. Run more often; get through three weeks of Couch to 5 K.
6. Work out a day for my former boss and his wife to watch the babe for a date night.
7. Refrain from buying Colton any more clothes that aren’t a white, long-sleeved polo, size 6 – 9 months.
8. Get Colton’s doorway jumper set up and let him test it out!
I cannot believe it is October. No really. My little flip calendar says its still September 29th. So I still have a day to finish these, right?
1. Get exercise 4 times a week. I did really well until we had a crazy week last week and tons of rain this week. Oh well.
2. Stick to our grocery budget for the month.
3. Record and track our purchases for the month. I did, although Hubby has not yet given me his. Shame Hubby!
4. Write a letter to Janeth. Because I didn’t realize today is the start of October, I am doing this today. And I’m counting it.
5. Lose some weight. Any amount is good. I lost a pound/pound and a half.
6. Take Colton to go meet his SC family, have a fabulous time!
7. Sew some personalized burp cloths, this time made entirely by me, for a friend.
8. Read two books. I think I actually read about four!
9. Have Colton spend a night in his big boy crib, in his, room alone. (Oh my heart, I don’t know if I’m ready for this!) The big man sleeps in his own room every night, and does awesome! He even stayed in his own room when we visited my grandparents!
10. Finish writing Colton’s birth story. Still on the fence if I’ll post it here or not, but I really just want to write it for me.
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I’m thinking October is going to be crazy, so I’m going to try to keep this on the lighter side.
1. Excercise 3 times a week.
2. Choose outfits for our family photos!
3. Find a Clemson outfit for Colton.
4. Post a how-to post on making your own burp cloths.
5. Pick a day to drive over to the next town and visit/help a friend.
6. Send a birthday letter to Janeth.
7. Research and select Christmas gifts Colton wants (I’m trying to pick a few things we really want so we end up with things we like and will use, avoid having stuff we can’t use and can’t return, and keep Colton’s things at a reasonable level.)
8. Look over what we spent and determine a workable, itemized budget.
9. Hang our new dining room mirror, post about our “new” dining room furniture.”
10. Clean off and organize the desk.
What about you? Did you have a productive September? Forget it was already October? What do you have planned for next month?
1. Come up with a cleaning schedule for my stay-at-home self. I didn’t make it myself, but I have one and I’ve been sticking to it!
2. Finish making a present for a friend’s baby shower.
3. Sew a pillow for my couch! Rats.
4. Make a budget and stick to it when I go to the Giant Yard Sale with Sarah and Caroline! I was way, way under. But still got some great finds!
5. Cook at least three meals that didn’t come from my freezer.
6. Do some form of exercise at least twice a week.
7. Successfully stop pumping. This was so easy, it should have never been on here.
8. Make meals for our friends who will have babies this month!
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1. Get exercise 4 times a week.
2. Stick to our grocery budget for the month.
3. Record and track our purchases for the month.
4. Write a letter to Janeth.
5. Lose some weight. Any amount is good.
6. Take Colton to go meet his SC family, have a fabulous time!
7. Sew some personalized burp cloths, this time made entirely by me, for a friend.
8. Read two books.
9. Have Colton spend a night in his big boy crib, in his, room alone. (Oh my heart, I don’t know if I’m ready for this!)
10. Finish writing Colton’s birth story. Still on the fence if I’ll post it here or not, but I really just want to write it for me.
1. Write a letter to Janeth. Include photos, stickers and coloring pages.
2. Don’t let any of the meals brought to us go to waste. Thank you to the people who brought us freezer meals instead of regular meals to help this happen!
3. Get Colton eating well, gaining weight, and fitting into his 0 to 3 month clothes!
4. Find myself some pants that fit. In a size not to be mentioned. *shudder*
5. Come up with something nice to do for our anniversary.
6. Write two posts that have nothing to do with the bambino. Yes! I wrote about a craft we did for Grad Banquet at work, about life and choices (this one did make mention of him, but wasn’t about him, so I’m counting it), and posted a link to an article I thought was touching.
7. Get comfortable taking Colton places in his wrap.
8. Finish planning games and get prizes for a friend’s baby shower. The games, and the prizes, were a hit!
100% success for the first time! Keep your expectations low and you’ll be happy every time!
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1. Come up with a cleaning schedule for my stay-at-home self.
2. Finish making a present for a friend’s baby shower.
3. Sew a pillow for my couch!
4. Make a budget and stick to it when I go to the Giant Yard Sale with Sarah and Caroline!
5. Cook at least three meals that didn’t come from my freezer.
6. Do some form of exercise at least twice a week.
7. Successfully stop pumping.
8. Make meals for our friends who will have babies this month!
1. Prepare two more freezer meals. I didn’t, but my mom did. That counts, right?
2. Finish “The God of the Hive” and “Baby Wise.” Half done. I finished “The God of the Hive,” but not “Baby Wise.”
3. Buy a birth ball.
4. Set up the dresser as a changing table.
5. Pack our bags for the hospital. And thank goodness they were packed and ready!
6. Have our carseat installed by the local firemen.
7. Call the pediatrician I’d like to use and make sure they have openings. Nope. But, I did get the pediatrician I wanted anyway!
8. Write a letter to Janeth.
9. Have this baby!
10. Adjust to life as a parent and with a baby. This might actually still be in process since Hubby is still home, but I’m going to count it anyway.
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1. Write a letter to Janeth. Include photos, stickers and coloring pages.
2. Don’t let any of the meals brought to us go to waste.
3. Get Colton eating well, gaining weight, and fitting into his 0 to 3 month clothes!
4. Find myself some pants that fit.
5. Come up with something nice to do for our anniversary.
6. Write two posts that have nothing to do with the bambino.
7. Get comfortable taking Colton places in his wrap.
8. Finish planning games and get prizes for a friend’s baby shower.
1. Write a letter to Janeth. Written, but not mailed.
2. Memorize 2 passages of scripture. Complete, total and utter failure. Ugh.
3. Freeze at least one other meal.Done! I made and froze easy chicken enchiladas.
4. Write thank you notes to all my friends who helped purchase our crib. Noooo! But I kept up on all my other thank you notes!
5. Wash the crib and basinett bedding.
6. Keep the house clean in anticipation for my May 15th party! We ended up not having it, but I did clean the house!
7. Invite people to come to my May 15th party! See above.
8. Find something awesome and fatherly for Hubby’s first Father’s Day (gotta plan ahead since I’ll either be ginormous, swollen and tired, or exhausted and covered in spit up). Finished! I hope he likes it — its hard to plan a first Father’s Day gift when you don’t have a child yet!
9. Make sure our family bassinet meets firmness requirements. Hubby replaced four of the old springs with new, and we’re adding some cardboard beneath the mattress just to be doubly sure we’re firm enough.
10. Practice learning the settings on my new(!!!!) camera. Yes! Still not super great with it, but I’m taking much better photos, and have turned it off of auto several times!
11. Read BabyWise. Started, but not finished, so I’ll give myself half-credit.
It looks like I had a pretty good month, but I wish I’d staid more on top of some of the things I didn’t do. At least there’s only room for improvement!
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Since we better be should be having our baby this month, I’m going to keep the goals simple so there’s not so much pressure!
1. Prepare two more freezer meals.
2. Finish “The God of the Hive” and “Baby Wise.”
3. Buy a birth ball.
4. Set up the dresser as a changing table.
5. Pack our bags for the hospital.
6. Have our carseat installed by the local firemen.
7. Call the pediatrician I’d like to use and make sure they have openings.
8. Write a letter to Janeth
9. Have this baby!
10. Adjust to life as a parent and with a baby.
Longbrake Living 
