It's a New Year

Happy 2012! I realize I'm a few days late, but the flu has hit the Osborn home over the past few days. The marriage vow, "In sickness and in health" has really been lived out (and tested) over the past few days! But we are all on the recovery and ready to start a new year together.

After a busy holiday season, I am definitely ready to get back into a routine and get Silas back onto a schedule. I'm also ready to tackle my list of goals for the new year. There have been several things I have wanted to do, wanted to try, wanted to make, or wanted to read but for whatever reason, I have placed them on the back-burner, and have labeled the someday goals. Well that some day is this year!

I am being (or at least trying to be!) realistic and setting up a few things to do every month. I realize life happens, so things might not get done in my planned time frame, but that is why they are called goals!

One of my biggest goals for the year is become more self disciplined, and from that stems a list of things that I want to work on this year. Here is a list of my goals broken down by priorities:

Spiritual

• read through the Bible in a year. I have downloaded the YouVersion app on my Kindle, and through that I am following the ESV version. I started in mid-December, and have been pretty consistent about reading it so far. My favorite feature is the audio because I can listen aloud to the Bible, which really comes in handy especially in the Old Testament.


• Pray more- I have downloaded a prayer calendar for praying over Brett and Silas. Plus I have placed a few books about prayer on my reading list.


• Memorize the Book of Colossians

Marriage

• pray for Brett everyday


• go on at least two dates, away from the house, a month


• pray and read the Bible together every night


• spend time together every night talking about our day, and just enjoying being around each other

Parenting

• pray for Silas everyday


• read aloud from his children's Bible everyday


• pray with Silas everyday


• read aloud stories everyday


• be more consistent with a daily routine and discipline


• begin planning, organizing, and implementing early learning at home resources and strategies


• plan one weekly outing together and/or as a family


• create a Motherhood Mission Statement

Health

• continue to work off baby weight


• walk at least three times a week


• go to the gym at least three times a week


• begin introducing more real foods and eliminate more processed foods from our diet

Home Keeping

• follow our daily routine more consistently


• keep the house picked up


• follow a weekly and monthly chores plan


• learn to cook more real food options


• continue to learn about and incorporate more natural cleaning methods

Personal

• read at least four books a month, including at least one fiction book


• tackle my list of projects, hoping to accomplish at least two a month


• stay up to date on photos and memory books for Silas and the family


• Cut back on our TV viewing- I have been turn off the TV during the day, and I have to admit how much more productive I am and purposeful with my time. I should mention that I have not been sitting around watching TV all day, but have gotten into a really bad habit of just leaving it on as background noise, or watching it while I was nursing.


• Limit my Internet time to one morning session and one evening session. I have to admit that this one will be a lot harder for me, but this goes back to my goal of being more self disciplined this year and a better manager of time.


• blog more consistently

Ministry/Relationships

• Continue to serve one Sunday a month in the church nursery


• look out for opportunities to serve in my church or community at least once a month


• being more diligent at preserving friendships, both local and long distance


• continue to be apart of my weekly Bible study at church


• work on loving and communicating better with some difficult family members

Financial

• continue to tithe to our church and support our current missionaries and ministries


• adapt a Cash Only spending plan


• continue to pay off debt


• save to pay with cash a new washer and dryer


• aim to help supplement our income by subbing at least four times a month


• continue to meet with my husband once a week to go over our finances and plan for goals

So these are the goals I have for the 2012 year. I have really spend a lot of time over the past few weeks to examine where my priorities are, and where they should be. I have created a book list of books that I would like to read this year, as well as create a list of projects and things that I want to try. Apart from being more disciplined and a better manager of time, I have also been very convicted of how I spend money too. Not that I am an extravagant spender, but really more mindful of daily purchases, and better at planning to save up for more big ticket items.

Here is the list of projects that I am going to be working on in January:

Books to Read

A Hearth in Candlewood by Delia Parr 168 Hours: You Have More Time Than You Think by Laura Vanderkam Tell Your Time e-book by Amy Lynn Andrews
Cut Your Grocery Bill Half with America’s Cheapest Family by Steve Economides
When I Lay My Isaac Down by Carol Kent
One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp
Totally Together: Shortcuts to an Organized Life by Stephanie O’Dea
Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Marc Weissbluth- limited library

Projects

1. 
   
   make soaked whole grain bread


2. 
   
   make homemade shaving cream

So here's to a new year and to goal setting. It is my plan to update my blog more consistently as I am working through these goals, as an act of accountability. What are some of your goals for the new year?

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