New Year's Goals

UPDATED: one more rather important goal* has been added at the bottom...

Yes, New Year's goals, not resolutions. The following are things that we will be working at throughout the year -- goals. If some of them don't work out, it is a goal not fully met vs. a failed resolution. See the difference?

So, here are our goals:

Budgeting. Now that I have more time, I am going to work on a budget for us. I never tried before but I found this budget form for fluctuating incomes and I am going to give it a try. I am hoping with budgeting that we will be able to start putting more money away into savings and Amelia's accounts. Oh yeah, and we want to take a small trip**, just the 3 of us (ie- not home), to celebrate graduation.

**Right now we are thinking Chicago might be easiest (and Jason hasn't spent much time there, ever). We would like to stay in a hotel, in the city, for a couple of nights and go to some museums.

Losing the "senior 20". That's right, the "senior 20", similar to the "freshman 15". I started this past semester in the habit of exercising regularly and then in mid-October I began my bad habit of working at the computer, eating. Eating a ton. I put all the weight I had lost in the previous 8 months back on. It is time for it to leave, again. Jason is also heavier than usual. He did quit smoking a year ago, which is great, but as a side-effect, he has been putting the weight on. So, we are not dieting...diets don't work (for me). We are aiming to watch what we eat more closely, follow the portion recommendations on everything we can etc. We are hoping that by eating better we can develop better life habits and in return, put some of the weight off. Which brings me to our next goal...

Exercising. As clique as it sounds, we want to exercise more this year. We are not running out and getting gym memberships or anything, yet, but we are going to try and make a better effort to get moving. It is a bit chilly here in Wisconsin, but we are going to try and start going on walks a couple of times a week. You gotta start somewhere! By the time spring comes we will hopefully be in the habit of walking and eager to go out more, in the nicer spring weather. As the year goes on I am sure we will find more ways to exercise and get moving.

Reading Hour. This one was Jason's idea, which was shocking to me. Jason, not the world's biggest reader, has suggested that we try and read, as a family, for one hour each day. He would like for Amelia to grow up in a house that reads. I agree. My parents are avid readers and I used to be, sometimes reading more than one book a week. I have been looking forward to being able to read, now that school is over, so a reading hour will help with that.

Cover to Cover. I have set out to do this before, more than once. I have never done it. I would like to, finally, get through the Bible, cover to cover, within the year. I found a plan, here, that I am going to follow. This one will be hard for me, as I have not finished more than once in the past. I am feeling good about it this year. Only time will tell.

*Correspondence. In the past year I have gotten even worse at keeping in touch with people (it was possible!). I went from phone calls, to e-mails to Facebook messages. Yikes. I had a busy year, at least give me that :) I am hoping that this year I can make it a point to be in better touch with friends and family (other than my mom, who I still talk to almost daily -- sometimes multiple times daily...). I need to get over the "fear" of calling someone. It's really not that bad. I am just more comfortable with writing things to people which isn't always the greatest.

Those are our big goals. I am positive that there are many more, smaller, things that we want to accomplish in addition to the ones listed. The neat thing about having this blog, and posting this entry, is that I will have something to refer to next New Year's Eve and see how we did!

Linked to Kelly's Korner - "Show Us Your Life Friday" - New Year's