Saturday, July 9, 2011

2011 GOALS: Midyear Update

On December 31, 2010, I made a list of my goals for 2011. Now, here we are...July...a little over 7 months later...time to look and see where I am and what I need to work on still....


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 am now up to 220. I have been down to 209 then Igained it all back due to stress eating. I am working on exercising and will add eating better and cutting out soda in the 2nd half of this year.
  • 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 done this. I am averaging about 5 books a month so far. Some I have reviewed on this blog. Others I have just read for pleasure.
  • 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 have become more creative in the kitchen. I have tried out one new recipe a month at least. And I am getting more in the habit of cooking more from scratch rather than relying on box meals or fast food.
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 have been on a couple dates this year. We are not doing it every month but we have done better so far.
    • 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. I am more aware of how I interact with her and am trying to become a YES mom instead of a no, or not now mom.
    • 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.
      • I am still reading to Rebecca, but not so to Jacob. I really need to get on this.
    • 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.
      • We do good, then bad, then good, then bad...It is getting better now as I am limiting them in the morning and then again in the evening. They do NOT watch cartoons in the afternoon now, so I guess that is an improvement.
FINANCIAL GOALS:
  • Make a budget and stick to it.
    • Continue to gain Mypoints, Rewards points through bank, Pinecone research money, and swagbucks to use toward gift cards to be used to buy gifts
      • I have done this.
  • Save and KEEP $1000 in the emergency fund---we have had to dip into this a couple times this year and I would love to see it STAY at $1000.
    • We have been able to keep over $1000 in our savings account this year, even with the move and other issues popping up. I would like to continue this.
  • Continue to coupon and write letters for coupons (at least 5 a week)
    • I have continued to coupon. However I have yet to write for coupons.
  • Have 2 no (low) spend months---January and June
    • Yes for January...no for June. I think July is shaping up to be a low spend month due to necessity.
  • Work on paying down the Discover Card bill
    • Not happening
  • Figure out a way to bring in more money by working from home---ideas I am throwing around are tutoring, copying family home movies to DVD, making and selling simple cakes, being a part of the farmers markets to sell home baked goods....
    • I thought I would be babysitting this summer but that did not work out. But I am tutoring once a week from home so that helps a little. Need to do more though.
BLOG GOALS:
  • To write on the blog 4-5x a week.
    • I have done better at this for the most part :)
  • Gain more readers--- I would like to have at least 80 readers by December 31, 2011
    • to do this, I want to join at least 1 blog hop a week
      • I have NOT joined at least 1 blog hop a week, however I HAVE reached 91 Followers! Thank you!!!!!!! I am revising this goal to see if I can reach 100 Followers by Dec. 31st!
And last but not least:


So that is where my goals stand as of today. Some I am doing well on, others not so much.
Have you reviewed your New Year's goals and aspirations?
How are you doing on them?

No comments:

Post a Comment