June Goals

From May: 

• Finish shed completely; windows, paint, trim
• Register the ladies for school [gulp!]
• Finalize summer travel plans and budget
• Switch over wardrobes
• Cancel cable [finally!!]
• Make myself a weekly chore sheet 

What can I say? It was a rainy month but the shed is nearly complete thanks to some hard work under the hot sun. That chore chart was a pipe dream, I'll stick to my To-Do lists.

For June and the rest of the summer I'm focusing on personal and family goals. This is our reconnect time and I've decided to take on an extra day at work during the summer which has effectively wiped out my day off. This is not a horrible idea. This is not a horrible idea. This is not a horrible idea. This is not a horrible idea. 

Personal

• Catch up on PL (I've fallen a month behind thanks to all our goings on and exploring)
• Friend Date with Katie
• Blog make-over?

Family

• Family haircuts
• Dinner date with the hubs
• Schedule 5 year check-up
• Pull together summer camp stuffs

Summer is coming! 

March Goals

I made 6 of 10 goals for February. Maybe I'll actually get around to the important ones before spring!

Family

• Haircuts! For everyone. Our house & in-laws house. I think someone should send me to beauty school so I might learn how to do this properly. 
• Book vacations! 
• Take inventory of summer wardrobes.

Home

• Living room walls. Patch them. Now!
• Decide on dining room chairs.

Personal

• Order Feb PL pictures.
• Set up new-to-me photo printer.
• Plan out two more units for preschool.

2013: The Finances

I started, and I tried my hardest. I just couldn't force myself to finish. They were ugly. So I've packed it away and called it a day. I'm starting new and fresh.

There were ups and downs. Nothing really rocked our ship thankfully, aside from the new car. I had this nagging though. Where was the money? Looking at our expenses and income, money was slipping thought the cracks. Less of a slip and more of a broken water main gushing water into the streets. Instead of wallowing over my own financial irresponsibilities, I made a change.

A quick glance was all it took to realize we're spending too much eating out. It's been growing. We topped out at 3-4 meals a week! Hemorrhaging money because of my own laziness. Yes, I've said it before and this place is very familiar. This time I have a plan!

I'm relying on my planner, and focusing on my ladies. The Dr. visit last month gave me the motivation I needed. I'm writing out balanced menus, shopping lists, and even looking at circulars agains. I'm almost like a real mom! In addition to eating better, we're saving money! Apparently more than I realized we were loosing. That is scary stuff. Ten days into January and I've managed to come up with $300 extra dollars hanging around! $300! If I can stay out of Targ.et I feel like I may be a millionaire by March!

Now to just stick to the plan for longer than a few months and all will be well. I've filled out my planner months in advance to help it stick. I've labeled the bills out, and budgeted for food and gas. No more living on a whim! I'm really feeling good about these changes, small changes that will hopefully pack a punch.

December Goals

I did amazingly well in November without really trying! I have nearly all my shopping for this holiday finished and the cards are all signed and addressed, if only I had stamps! I didn't make it out for a night the hubs, but we'll survive. December is another month right?

WRONG!

December is the month from hell! Things to do, places to go, people to see! This month is all about going. Christmas preparations, parties, and concerts. We will most definitely be treading water while trying to look happy and festive for the ladies. Despite being ahead on the Christmas front, I can feel my motivation dwindling. Sensible and realistic goals! Here goes...

Family

• NOT address the elephant in the room at the family Christmas party!
• Get all the games and food together for the party
• Eat at home more
• Plan Christmas dinner menu and logistics
• Plan Christmas morning, my parents?

Home

• Christmas tree
• Decorate the house
• CLEANNNNNNNNNN (I'm not the only one who compulsively cleans for the imaginary fat man who doesn't come down our chimney, right?)

Personal

• Pick up odds & ends
• Wrap before the 20th
• Stockings stuffed by the 20th

November Goals

Ooooooooooh my goodness! Did I accomplish all of my October goals?! Ok, so no hair cut, but success none the less. On to bigger things...

November Goals

Family

• Date Night
• Schedule dentist appointments
• 4 year check-ups *blush*

Home

• Get the heat straightened out- can I get a hell yeah for radiators!
• Build and paint bookcase
• Reorganize the entertainment center and straighten out the wires
• Futz with my Ro.ku

Personal

• Order and address Christmas cards
• 75% of my Christmas shopping finished

Short and simple, but certainly enough to fill my plate.

What are you doing this month?

October Goals

September was a wash. So... moving on.

Family

• O.C.E.A.N.
• Family Picture
• Pumpkins!

Home

• Fall Decor
• Pick up 1x12 board for bookshelves
• Under bed storage <--- excited="" li="" share="" super="" this="" to="">
• Something new to spruce the place up?

Personal

• Create a plan of action to carry me the rest of the year
• Maaaaaaaaaybe a hair cut!

July Goals

I HAVE NONE!

How liberating!

Seriously! I didn't just not post, I have no goals. For the last FOUR years, July has been such a stressful month. I'm always stressed about vacation, and birthday, and life. Not this year. That doesn't mean I'm not getting things done, I'm just not over doing it. Simple friends, simple!

Not having a birthday party, complete bliss! No stress over invites and chasing down responses, no food to prepare, no decorations to fret over. There will be no missing that perfect shot at the party or worrying about stifling heat. I won't break out in a cold sweat looking at a gift pile and wondering where in the H-E-DOUBLE HOCKEY STICKS I'll put it all. No clean up, no left overs, and no post party hangover. 

Best yet, I don't feel guilty. No one says you have to have a party every year. I only had a handful of parties growing up, half of which were thrown by people other than my family. My mother congratulation me and telling me I didn't need to put myself through the stress immediately made me reconsider, yes I'm still a disgruntled teenager, but for different reasons she's right. They will still be celebrated, just differently. I want them to know they are loved and appreciated, and that doesn't mean showering them with gifts. Besides, who doesn't want to redo their room and go on get away for their birthday?! 

Can I tell you I just planned vacation last Thursday? Two weeks before we leave. Yup. No fretting over where to stay and comparing a zillion deals. Rooms were limited, I took what worked. In a matter of one afternoon I went from thinking about vacation to paid and writing packing lists. Beautiful! Am I slightly worried about the weather, of course, who isn't? If you're in even the smallest city, you'll find something to do. If you preface it with for your birthday, you're automatically the world's best mom! 

So here I go, embracing simple!

June Goals

Summer is here already!? Whatever happen to spring??

Last month I accomplished SIX of thirteen goals, although I did decide outright against some of them. I also accomplished sooo much more than what I originally intended in other areas that I'm going to consider May a win. 

However June and the start of summer is upon me. I am unprepared!

Family

• Summer Bucket List- our new family tradition
• Wills (how morbid!)
• End of school dinner date
• Father's day shebang
• B.E.A.C.H.

House

• Deck furniture of some sort
• Pool accessories
• BIG. GIRL. ROOM. Set up beds at the very least!!
• More flowers outback, and some shrubs

Crafting

• PL for May
• Print baby book pictures
• Pick fourth year pictures for book

Me

• Read two books

Yes, don't laugh. I've never been much of a reader so two books is a good goal for me. The stuff I read is rather dry and I can't get into fiction. However if I love it, I'll read it through DH's tv blaring. History, facts, and statistics-love it! First person accounts, biographies, and things covered in dust- I'm there! I'd love to work in almost any archive when I grow up. Not to actually archive, although I'd enjoy that, but just for the exposure. I've started using the ipad for reading and it works out very well for me so I think I'll continue. It's also super convenient, because when I tire of reading about the Gulag's hierarchy, I can pop over to tarjay and look at bedsheets! 

What are you doing this month?

May Goals

Oh April, what did you do to me! Two for twelve isn't my idea of success, especially since my "cleaning of the family room/craft area" only came to fruition because I didn't want the plumber to think I was a hoarder. Gah!

So onto May. It's a busy month for DH, and by association, me as well.

Family

• Date with DH, after some of his madness dies down
• Girls first dentist appointment 
• Spec out summer

House

• Big girl room decor
• Find a living room lamp 
• Decide on mattresses
• Fix drawer slides

Crafting

• Get. A. Binder (yes, I have stacks of sheets with clips holding on with a prayer they don't fall when I move them.)
• Order April photos
• Update PL for April
• Buy fabrics for quilts... *over ambitious I know*
• Buy fabric for tutus
• Lettering on HAM's dress-up cart

Yes, this is terribly ambitious. But maybe, just maybe, all the hustle and bustle of this month will keep me rolling! 

April Goals

For once I nearly finished my goals! The only thing outstanding from March is finding a PL binder. I've found a few, just not ones I love. That hunt will be carrying over!

Family

• Date with DH
• Big girl room planning-hard core edition

House

• Gardening outdoors
• Starting veggies
• DUMP RUN
• Begging father to dismantle and haul my pool
• Maybe, possibly, consider cleaning the family room and craft areas.

Crafting

• Project life binder!
• PL March finished up
• Transfer HAM's March photos to cousin
• Make some more peg dolls!
• Peg doll house!!

So what does April hold for you?!

March Goals

Goal #1: Learn to be on time!

Blarg. February was so hectic I didn't even post goals. Here it is a week into March and I just remembered.

So here goes...

Family

• Book spring break trip
• Find a way to the beach!
• Start accumulating summer wardrobes/supplies
• Renew zoo membership

House

• Mother. Effing. Dishwasher.

Craft

• Print project life photos
• Start assembling book
• Find 12x12 book I love

Personal

• Continue to take pictures for Superhero! I'm loving it just as much the second time around!!

What are you doing this month?

Word

I searched my mind high and low. I have decided, undecided, and re-decided. I really though my word was going to be today.

As in focusing on what I can get done today, focusing on what's around me at the moment. My word last year was action, and I felt that worked well. I did take action on a lot of things, but I still kept my head in the clouds a bit too much. The more I focused on my life right now, the heavier things became. I don't do heavy. I don't like things feeling complicated or out of control. I also have a small problem over thinking everything. Ok, small is an understatement. I still let my mind wander more than I like, but if my mind is wandering and cooking up plans I must not be too stressed... right?

So as I was talking to myself in the shower, I kept coming back to how complicated things are. Possibly it's just how complicated I'm making them, but they stress me none the less. From the ladies starting school, to working on my marriage, to figuring out what I want to be when I grow up; life's demands are growing exponentially.

I need to simplify.

This is the year of simple.

I hope it serves me well. :)

December Goals

I sat down to post about this month's goals and got side tracked...

If my bills are late, I'm blaming Marcia for my new addiction with her extreme generosity!

Where was I, goals....

For November I started half way through and still couldn't finish it all, sigh. A whopping 7.5 out of 10. I do have a defense, the end of the month was really shitty. Yup, I said it. Terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad month! December is my fresh start!

Family

• Pick up new glasses
• Make DH follow-up appointment

House

• Finish painting baseboards and trim. Ignore children and do it!
• Decorate for Christmas (it's on the advent!)
• Better meal planning

Craft

• New Tree Skirt?

Christmas

• Lists to Mother, sigh
• Camera Gifts
• Print pictures
• Finish cards
• Write out cards(TO THE POINT)
• Scrabble gift?
• Order/buy remaining gifts
• WRAP, WRAP, WRAP

So what are you trying to accomplish this month?

Progress & Goals

We have heat! Hooray!

Thankfully it was a simple, AND FREE, fix. I chatted up the repairmen, he gave me guidance in fixing the dryer as well. I also made plans for the car to go to the shop and suck me of more money. Four things off my list!

I'm also fairly sure the mouse has vacated the premises but I'm not jinxing anything...

All this list scratching reminded me I never did my November goals. Since we're half way through the month I don't have much hope of extraordinary accomplishments, so I'll take it even easier on myself if that is possible.

October Goals: 77% accomplished!

I would have died getting a C in should, but I'll gladly take it here!

For November I'm not sure where to start...

November Goals:

Family

• Eye Appointments
• Dinner
• Distribute Christmas lists
• Start the Christmas card production

House

• Porch Carpet
• Living Room Baseboard Trim

Crafts

• Coats and Straps
• Apron
• Shoes

Personal

• Make it half way through my Christmas shopping/making list

Not overly ambitious. Not slacky. Hopefully just right!

October Goals

Septembers goals were terrible. TERRIBLE! So horrible that I'm just moving on and hoping for better month this go around. There's no sense in making excuses, it just saddens me that many of the things I list are things I need to get done! Blah!!

So anywho...

Family

• Mini Vacation!
• A nice family dinner
• Pictures?
• Winter coats for the family

House

• Some painting, somewhere
• Living room decor
• Dryer repair
• Sort my canned goods and store

Crafts

• Must. Make. Coat.
• Shower gifts (Yes, the one I'm not attending! You didn't think I'd actually spend money on her did you?!)

Personal

• New shoes?
• Christmas listing and planning
• Pictures, pictures, pictures!

So what are you planning for this month?

September Goals

Always lofty, and fully accomplished, here were August's goals:

Family

• Girls' dentist appointment
• Our dentist appointments
• Eye doctor appointments
• Dinner with the in-laws
• Meet the BABY!
• Family fun day
• Two beach trips 
• A date night with the hubs

House

• Finish the basement floor
• Replace filter on car
• Call for estimates on car
• Do NOT buy a new car
• Fix the dryer

Crafts

• Mail out a package
• Pull together gifts for baby and big sister
• Photo shoot?
• Fabric shopping for a camera coat

Personal

• Set up a realistic 5 year type plan (things are to fluid to fully commit to one)
• Write out and deliver a resignation

10.5/19 FAIL

That's pretty sad. I'm thrilled to have finished and reclaimed the basement. Beyond thrilled actually. The girls love the space, and I sweetened the deal with some new blocks!

Sweet little ebay find. I got a great price for a large lot, but was a bit worried when it said "very dirty." I had a day of buyers remorse and then a week to wait their delivery. Thankfully they weren't dirty at all! The box they shipped in was, but everything was cleaned and bleached. I was also able to go through some of the ladies' stuff and weed things out. 

I still need to set up appointments, but I wasn't sure how the school schedule was going to pan out. It will be Christmas before I mail anything to Mandy! I'm so terrible at go to the post office! Clearly I haven't quit working, but I have dropped to a limited status and seem to be getting whatever I want. So I'm still counting that as a good thing. I did factor in my "employment" into the very vague 2-ish year plan I made. You would think that it would be easy to set up some sort of plan but I'm discovering the life is no longer just about 'US' and that 'US' can include a wide variety of people and places. I haven't been in much of a mood to write out some rambling chart of what if and possible scenarios to follow. We'll just ride the wave instead.

As for September, since we're a week in already, I'm taking it easy on myself!

Family

• Family Date
• Attempt dinner with the in-laws
• Appointment, appointments, appointments!

House

• Finish basement baseboards
• Basement door shade/blind/curtain
• Switch over everyone's clothes and inventory

Craft

• Camera Bag
• Costumes?

Personal

• Stalk Ebay for new lens
• Stay within budget
• Loosely plan meals

Fingers crossed!

August Goals

Sometimes life gets in the way in a good way. I'm not being too hard on myself because it was a busy month and our summer time is slipping away. It's better to have memories then crossed of lists, right?!

Let's see...

Family

• Complete two planned trips [one to meet Marcia, Mandy, and Deanna!!!]
• Packing lists and itineraries!!!
• Dinner with the in-laws [Technical difficulties]
• Dinner with the hubs [Where was the time?]
• Plan & Host a 3rd birthday party [and not melt]
• Make it to the beach at least twice [Ha!]
• Schedule girls first dentist appointment [can you tell I've put this off?]
• Schedule our dentist appointments
• Schedule eye appointments for next month

House

• Fix the dryer!! DH may kill me if I don't make this a priority!
• LAY BASEMENT FLOOR [60% done]
• Tidy and reorganize the family room
• Sift through the remains of my craft [disaster] area

Crafts

• Party sign
• Favors
• Bunting
• Build my mythical sensory/picnic table [increased failure with each passing day]
• Baby Felicity gift [need to finish]
• Big sister gift basket [need a basket]

So general failure. 

July was busy, busy, busy. We were go, go, go. This month things are slightly more lax. DH returns to work, and life will resume it's normal pace. I've all but stopped working it seems and I'm getting more comfortable with that. We've made it to the beach, and while it's not quite the same with wee-ones in tow, it's still fantastic. 

I just need to get off my a$$ and makes some phone calls!!

August Goals

Family

• Girls' dentist appointment
• Our dentist appointments
• Eye doctor appointments
• Dinner with the in-laws
• Meet the BABY!
• Family fun day
• Two beach trips 
• A date night with the hubs

House

• Finish the basement floor
• Replace filter on car
• Call for estimates on car
• Do NOT buy a new car
• Fix the dryer

Crafts

• Mail out a package
• Pull together gifts for baby and big sister
• Photo shoot?
• Fabric shopping for a camera coat

Personal

• Set up a realistic 5 year type plan (things are to fluid to fully commit to one)
• Write out and deliver a resignation

So there you have it. This looks a bit lofty but we shall see...

Goals?!

Oh yes, I have monthly goals still!

Last month they didn't exactly make it to printers though. I'm a slacker.

What does July hold? Faaaaaar too much!! Most of which is simply things that we are doing, not things that may NEED to get done. Such is life.

Family

• Complete two planned trips [one to meet Marcia, Mandy, and Deanna!!!]
• Packing lists and itineraries!!!
• Dinner with the in-laws
• Dinner with the hubs
• Plan & Host a 3rd birthday party [and not melt]
• Make it to the beach at least twice
• Schedule girls first dentist appointment [can you tell I've put this off?]
• Schedule our dentist appointments
• Schedule eye appointments for next month

House

• Fix the dryer!! DH may kill me if I don't make this a priority!
• LAY BASEMENT FLOOR
• Tidy and reorganize the family room
• Sift through the remains of my craft [disaster] area

Crafts

• Party sign
• Favors
• Bunting
• Build my mythical sensory/picnic table [increased failure with each passing day]
• Baby Felicity gift
• Big sister gift basket

July is such a busy month for us. Can it be August already?? 

May Goals

Oh goals, you won this month. You beat me to a pulp and broke all the ambition I had built up. All my basement goals were left behind. I did clean off my craft table, and as a result have been able to use it! SCORE!

The month wasn't a total waste, I did get some crafting done. I'm 60% finished a deck table. I roughly planned a summer vacation. We had a lovely dinner with the in-laws and to quote my MIL "they're [the ladies] not afraid of me [the wheelchair] anymore!" I worked through planning a baby shower for SIL with my niece. I've also planned out the best birthday party ever in my head for two very special ladies, but getting to happen in real life will be June's goals. I also made a very important appointment, my yearly at the GYN. A yearly that hasn't been so yearly since the girls made their appearance. I also committed to quitting, to being a SAHM, to becoming fully dependent on my husband to sustain our family. And I'm about 98.785% a-ok with that!

But on to May...

 Family Time

Date with the Captain

Dinner with the in-laws

Play date with the ladies

After dinner walks

House

Measure basement floors

Buy drain

Finish deck table

Crafts

Purchase diaper cake supplies

Letter M button craft

Shower decorations

Personal

Eye doctor appointments

Ladies dentist appointments (ahhhh!)

I'd love some baby shower ideas. Something reasonable and not the pinterest fantasy I'm currently living in. I am also eager to find a big sister gift, for a 9 year old! Help!

April Goals

So what happened last month...

Paint living room and hall, no excuses

Continue in basement

Decide on and buy flooring Still need to purchase, waiting to clean out the basement

Flowers around pool And new flower seeds started!

Garden containers

Clean off my dresser Cleaned and dirty again :(

Sew camera coats Dismal failure. Still waiting, but I'm now redoing my craft table so there is hope.

TV stand bought/built/bargain Decided, I now need father to deliver lumber

Think about *working out* Though, started, and puttered out. 

In addition to these things, I am nearly ready for Easter! Easter day is planned and ready to go. That includes stuff MIL needed but does not include the tricycles because I have yet to decide. I'm hating this middle stage of toddlerhood.

I was also able to accomplish two photo books; made, ordered, and on their way to the house. I found, photoshopped, ordered, resubmitted my photo, received, and hung my wedding picture! It only took 4.5 years but I can finally take it out of the back of my head. I am not looking to get one of each of the girls for a photo mural above my bed. I also planned a surprise for the husband and pleasantly surprised myself in the process. More importantly I have almost completed a light table for the ladies, part of taking ACTION on some of my dream projects. Overall I consider this a successful month, minus the TV still sitting my coat closet...

This brings me to April. The sun will be shining and outside will be calling my name. However I have to divert some attention to the basement. I cannot neglect any longer. It has turned into a dumping ground. I walk to the laundry room with my eyes closed! It's like an episode of Hoarders come to life!!

April's Goal:

BASEMENT

Floors
Dump & Declutter
Sort Toys
Craft Area (Holy Jebus my table!!)

Storage
Clean!!!

It's past due. It has to happen. I will have the last week of the month to make it happen, which means I have the  next three weeks to clean and prepare for flooring. 

To hold myself accountable as Marcia would say, here's some public embarrassment to motivate me. 

Yes. It's that bad. 

My motto "just throw it on my table" dies tonight.

P.S. That table isn't a desk, it's a breakfast table. Yeah. I'm totally a hoarder.