Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Goal Setting

Money Saving Mom has a good, simple goal setting format that I think would do me some good. I have plenty of goals for the children and homeschooling, but I also have plenty of personal goals. I tend to overdo and overplan, so if I put these goals down in print, I have a better chance of scaling them back to reasonableness.

The goals in green print are the ones that I am not sure I will accomplish this year.

Goals for School Year 2012-2013

Personal:
Scripture study every morning.
Go to church and Sunday School every Sunday that we're home that is feasible. Otherwise, the Daily Office from The Mission of St. Clare.
Follow my personalized Rule of Life plan.
Run in at least three 5K races.
Complete Hal Higdon's Novice, Intermediate, and Advanced 5K training programs (8 weeks apiece).
Clean daily along the lines of my online friend Valerie's methods and plans.
Get dressed and ready every day (with a semblance of style) using The Perpetual Student's Wife as a model. Outfit, make-up, hair in 15 minutes. Shower at night. Only with extra time can I do jewelry, nails, etc.
Commit to keeping a journal (daily).
Meal plan and cook every day using categories of food for each day and some freezer cooking.
Finish current knitting projects (mustang, baby hat and booties, charity bear, napkin rings, socks, Nana's Bath Mat).
Do ongoing service with Xander and/or whole family.
Begin studying piano on a regular basis using the Alfred books I have.
Put together a photo album for the year using Shutterfly or something similar and order it.
Put together a scrapbook/portfolio at the end of the school year showing some of Xander's work.
Learn to use the Singer sewing machine from Grandma (study manual).
Finish envelope back cushion covers for living room.
Get Locks of Love hair cut.
Go running every other evening or more.
Do strength training (Jillian Michaels's No More Trouble Zones) twice a week.
Slim down in a healthy way using my adapted plan from Ask Lauren Fleshman.

Marriage:
Try my best to have a focused conversation with Erik every day when he gets home from work without kid interruptions ("couch time").
Have monthly date nights with babysitting by YMCA or family/friends.
Spend most evenings with Erik after my run. Include playing board games, watching "our shows," and movies.
Other goals I'd rather not publish.
Re-read The 5 Love Languages.
Try to eradicate complaining from my life.
Start to use Cozi as our family calendar and list-keeper so Erik and I can both view and edit.

Children/Homeschooling:
Finish 1st grade material with Xander (can extend through summer months if I want).
Incorporate work travel with Erik into school through journaling and travel scrapbooking. Get Xander a digital camera.
Go through What Your Preschooler Needs to Know and the Activity Book 1 with Nick (can extend through next year if I want).
Attend Preschool Academy through Parents as Teachers with Nick (can extend through next year).
Sign them both up for a sports team this year.
Continue to teach both some swimming skills in a non-threatening environment.
Go on at least one field trip per week (can be nature hike, museum, special park, class, farm, factory, etc.).
Follow our adapted Plan from The Parenting Breakthrough with each boy.
Look more into Lone Scouting.
Teach Xander/have him practice riding his bike, with and without training wheels.
Teach Xander to tie his shoes.
Finish The Hobbit and then watch the movie.
See if I can have Xander send monthly letters (with photos or drawings of where we've been) to Bailey and JT.
Get Xander's tonsils out in November.
Maintain this blog for anecdotes about the boys, homeschooling logs, and personal goal setting.

Service/Family/Friendships:
Spend some time on the Chronicles of a Babywise Mom Google group on Sundays.
Possibly spend some time on the Fascinating Womanhood ~ Alaska Alumni Yahoo group on Sundays.
Possibly do an occasional blog post on my Fascinating Ways blog.
When we are home, invite a family over for dinner every week or two.
Do the same for playdates for Xander.
Keep knitting for the Mother Bear Project.
Write at least two notes, cards, or letters per week.
Call immediate family members once every week or two.
Spend Sundays on rest, church, service, family, and nature activities.

Writing/Business:
Learn to knit [this pattern] which can be sold with her permission. [can't find it again; keep looking]
Write for a half hour on Homemaking Cottage articles every other day. When articles for the month are done, work on improvement of expository writing, photography, and vlogs.
Do National Novel Writing Month again if Xander wants to do the Youth version (can incorporate into school time, thus freeing some of my time as well).
Keep learning. Any of my learning could come in handy in the future if I progress baby step by baby step.

Financial:
Follow new budget plan for saving/paying off car.
Tithe 10% or more of my own income. Give to local food pantries, etc., with extra money.
Check for surplus over $3K or $4K on the 10th of each month to put toward paying off the car/savings.
Make sure homeowners policy is changed for rental.
Get haircuts with coupons - one person per month - and do manicure/pedicures at home (as always).

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