2014 Aspirations

There are so many great things to learn.  I find myself not doing any of them because I don't know where to start.  In the past I have posted a list of my aspirations for the year here and I found it very helpful and so this year I'll do it again.

To Read:
Joy & Strength by Mary Wilder Tileston (I love, love this little daily devotional)

DONE Mary Slessor from the Heroes of the Faith series (something I found on my mom's bookshelf)

The Sojourner by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings

The Tutor's First Love by George MacDonald (my mom loved this author so this is another from her bookshelf)

Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis

Giving them Grace by Elyse M. Fitzpatrick & Jessica Thompson (It's been on my shelf for a year and I've heard such good things about this book, time to actually read it!)

Boundries with Kids by Dr. Henry Cloud, Dr. Henry Townsend

Healing Lyme by Stephen Harrod Buhner (because Agent H was diagnosed and treated this last summer and my mom's late diagnosis left her in lots of pain)

The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman (EH and I will be reading this with our church small group)

Her Daughter's Dream by Francine Rivers

The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy by Worwood

Mommy Diagnostics by Shanda Parker

DONE The Unwired Mom (an ebook by Sarah Mea)

A Simple Marriage (an ebook) by Corey Allan

There will undoubtably be lots of others that I pick up along the way I just hope to complete this list.  This post by Money Saving Mom really has some nice ideas for finding time to read.

To Learn:
How to give a full body massage with masseuse friend
Look more into this massage certificate program (can I do the hands-on portion locally) *Doing it!* How to make water kefirs
How to successfully make kambucha
More about essential herbs/oils - maybe grow some herbs (lavender?)
Try out the Azure method for making yeast free bread

To Do for family:
Take the kids out on quarterly individual dates (more if possible). *It hasn't exactly been quarterly but it has been more than the previous year!*
Monthly dates with EH *still not very good at this :(*
Scrapbook 4 months of Shortcake's baby album
Finish one other child's baby album

Health:
Buy new glasses - begin eye healing program this summer (The Janet Goodrich Method)
Strive to be stronger - exercise using the 42 Days to Fit program *Done for about 2 months*
Quarterly visits to the chiropractor (including EH!) *better than last year*

To Do:
Write love notes to each family member (in case I get called Home)
Meet with a financial advisor
Find a way to make monthly budget meetings between EH and I actually happen
Set up a new tracking system for our finances
Have 2014-15 school planning done before the school year starts

I'm reserving the right to add on to this list when the next great thought occurs. Like this one: Update the old photos in my blog with the new link so the pictures actually show up.

In 2010 I aspire to

Read the Bible through in a year (chronologically)
Read Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis,

finish Charlotte Mason Companion,

Discipline, The Glad Surrender

& The Hiding Place

Find ways to be more intentional about my life with Jesus

Go cross country skiing

Focus on my Etsy shop or find some way to contribute to the family income
Finish saving our six months of emergency money

Complete our will

Practice investing

Take Agent H & Ebug out on a kid date quarterly (two with me, two with Papa)

Take a monthly date with EH (Second Thursday of the month?)

Learn how to make english muffins & tortillas

Bake 6 recipies from Healthy Bread in 5 Minutes a Day

Complete Ebug's first year scrapbook

Scrapbook first 6 months of LE Babe

BIG news: We are debt free (except for the house)!

Thanks to Dave Ramsey's inspiration.

A follow up on 2009:

- Sew a baby sling (the sooner the better!)

Didn't do, but I altered an existing one
- Read a biography

The Emancipation of Robert Sadler
- Learn how to bake english muffins and tortillas

No, transfer to 2010 goals
- Knit something (a woolie?)

No, but I did finish sewing our family stockings!
- Complete our will

Not done, transfer to 2010 goals
- Relisten to the Dave Ramsey FPU series

Mostly done. I will finish up the first week of January
- Finish quilting 2 quilts

I finished one and am nearing the end of the second
- Potty train one kid (this means you Ebug!)

YES! Now, how to aim . . .
- Do something that makes me feel like a individual and not a mom (not that I don't love that but ya' know . . .)

Sadly no. I did enjoy the rush of shooting a shot gun at a practice target.

2009 Aspirations

Okay here's the list for this year . . . a little late but it really helped me last year to put this in print.

- Sew a baby sling (the sooner the better!)
- Read a biography
- Learn how to bake english muffins and tortillas
- Knit something (a woolie?)
- Complete our will
- Relisten to the Dave Ramsey series
- Finish quilting 2 quilts
- Potty train one kid (this means you Ebug!)
- Do something that makes me feel like a individual and not a mom (not that I don't love that but ya' know . . .)

2008 in Review

I know you're all dying to know how I did on my aspirations for this year. Okay so I guess I just want to see (in print) how I did. :)

* Read a book outloud with EH (Sadly not accomplished BUT we did listen to a couple of the CDs from All Creatures Great and Small while on a trip this last Spring - Thanks to my oldest brother for borrowing them to us!)

* Open on Etsy shop (Done! Although poorly managed over the last 6-9 months!)

* Continue praying through the Power of a Praying Parent/Wife (Done!)

* Give up toilet paper and give washable reusables a try (Um, not done. I wanted to maintain my friendship with certain people who threatened severing ties if we did this. I shall mention no names, you KNOW who you are!)

* Set up a school area in the family room for Kindergarten (Done!)

* Get my eyebrows done (Done! - thanks to Julie - who doesn't read this but thanks just the same!)