2011 Personal and Family goals: JANUARY UPDATE

On January 1, I set myself goals and resolutions that I would like to achieve this year. I know that this is something I want/ NEED to do this year. So each month I will review how I did that month and what improvements I can make for the following month.

PERSONAL GOALS:

• Lose 20 lbs. --- Right now I am at 218lbs :( and I would love to be below 200. I was at 199 on the day of our wedding (2005) and I would LOVE to be there again. I had so much more energy then. To do this I plan on:
• exercising 20+ minutes a day Monday- Friday. During the winter, I will do this after the kids are in bed (9pm) and then shower before bed. When warmer weather comes, I will reevaluate this and see about doing more outside. I will begin by doing 20+ minutes on the Wii Fit.
• I will work on drinking more water. I drink way too much soda and need to focus on getting healthier.

I have worked on exercising. I have exercised more this month than I think I ever have. I have seen up and down numbers on the scale. But I am now at 216lbs. I am doing the Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred and am going to implement calorie counting. I am also definitely drinking more water. I do not drink pop, except if we go out to eat.

• Read 26+ books this year.--- One of the passions that I used to have was reading. I LOVE to read. Unfortunately with having 2 young kids and dealing with issues in life, this hobby has been put on the back burner. This year I want to reignite that passion by reading at least 2 books a month. I would love to do 1 a week, but I want to be realistic as well.

I have read 4 books so far, so I reached my goal of 2 for the month of January!

• To try out at least 1 new recipe a month.--- I have gotten into the habit of making the same things over and over, and while there is not a problem with that, I am growing tired of making and eating the same things. I also received 5 new cookbooks for Christmas so time to put them to good use.

I tried 1 new recipe in January...Crispy Cracker Chicken, which was a huge hit with the family!

FAMILY GOALS:
To better my relationships with Bill and with my children:

• I would like to implement a date night at least 1x a month with Bill. This could be dinner out, movie out, movie in after the kids go to bed, getting chinese takeout and eating after the kids are in bed, etc. Right now we are averaging going out for our anniversary and maybe 1 other time a year and that is NOT good.

We had a date day! We went to the Massilon Museum and had yummy Mexican for dinner! It was a lovely time!

• I want to be more patient with my kids. I tend to lose my patience quickly with Rebecca and need to work on becoming more patient with her. I may do this by making and planning activities to do with just her.

I am trying on this. Some days are better than others. Need to keep working at this!

• To read for at least 10 minutes a day to Jacob and for at least 30 minutes with Rebecca. We are doing well reading to Rebecca; however we have been really slack about reading to Jacob. I will do this by beginning to read to Jacob before he goes to bed every night.

Again, I am trying. Some days have been much better than others. I have read to both kids probably 50% of the time this month. I NEED to increase that.

• Make a schedule and stick to it to limit TV watching for the kids. Right now they watch way TOO much TV and it is beginning to show in their behavior.

Ummmmm.....I haven't even thought about this. I NEED to do this though, so it will be a priority for February.


So, some ups, some downs....but I think it is a good start. I want to keep the momentum going for February!~ How are you doing on your New Year's Goals and Resolutions?