2013 Goals...Mid-January

I love setting goals I'm just really bad at doing it consistently.  Last year was a non-goal year and I can tell. You aim for nothing, you will hit it every time!  Although I consider feeding, clothing, and home schooling my children while still managing to say hello to my husband and keeping the laundry done are worthy goals that I strive to meet each day...this year I am going to aim a little higher.  Just hold myself accountable more.  I have to give credit to my friend whose blog inspired some of these ideas!  Maybe these could inspire someone else too...

Spiritual

 Read through Proverbs each day

            Complete 3 in-depth Bible Studies

Last year one of my only goals was to read through the Bible in a year.  Besides a couple chapters in January, I completed this goal.  It was amazing!
This year my parents' church is reading through Proverbs each month and has blog post commentary/thoughts on each chapter each day.  I want to do this along with 3 Bible Studies this year.  I am open to suggestions on great studies if you have any!

Fitness

       Run a 5k within 3 months of c-section
Strength training & cardio 3 days a week
Yoga 1 day a week
Try Crossfit

Working out has been a big part of my life since my senior year of college.  I really, really enjoy time in the gym.  At Fort Drum I developed a love of racing and competitions (notice I did not say a love for running:) leading to running several 5ks, a 10k and a triathlon.

A couple things have hinder that routine and drive in the past six months.  Some medical issues have prevented me from working out and then terrible morning sickness for 15 weeks didn't give me the drive to get back into it.

Another issue is the gym here at West Point does not have childcare, which has totally thrown a wrench in my normal routine.  I can't justify paying for a gym 25 minutes away when a free gym is right down the hill.  Chad is home a lot, and I do have time to go...just a matter of getting into the habit of leaving my family to do it.  When I was taking the girls with me it just felt different.

Over the past year though, Chad and I have been doing workouts at home called Max T3.  It is a metabolic burst workout series similar to some of the Crossfit WODs developed by our chiropractor in GA.  It takes 12-20 minutes and does amazing things!

I know so many people on the Crossfit bandwagon these days and I have yet to try a WOD.  I love the idea of doing something different everyday but I do not want to have to search for equipment or turn my house into a gym.  Love the concept though and I am interested in looking into the Crossfit maternity program.

Long story short - get back in the saddle with workouts and not let the lack of intensity during the pregnancy bother me too much! Then I look forward to getting back into running and doing a 5k in the fall! 

Personal

                     1. Read 12 books
I love to read its just a matter of picking up a book to start.  These are all books on my shelf that I have yet to read.  I figured this was a good place to start.  I am very open to book suggestions - clean fiction or non-fiction!  One book that is on my list but not pictured here is Andy Stanely's book Deep & Wide.

2.     Express Gratitude each week
This is an idea from my friend Regan.  I cannot express how many times I think about writing a note or thank you note and simply forget.  A schedule will help me to follow through!

3.     Monthly date nights with Chad and weekly family nights
Finding a babysitter will be key for this!  Living so close to NYC, we want to make sure we take advantage of endless opportunities of things to do!  Chad and Addison are going to a Broadway show (Mary Poppins) in February for a Daddy/Daughter date night.

4.     Be more diligent to follow a weekly/daily schedule
The other day I heard someone say, "The more time you have, the more time you waste."  That is so true.  Homeschooling and generally being at home a lot can lead to a lot of wasted time if you don't have a schedule.

5.     Scrapbooking: start and complete Mya’s baby book, Lucy’s baby book, Disney book. Clean out all other materials I don’t need.
I love scrapbooking, but I have some to grips with the fact that I don't have the space to do it consistently.  I do want each of my kids to have a baby book and to scrapbook special trips like Disney.  All other memories will be documented here on the blog.

6.     Blog on a weekly schedule
Again, another suggestion from my friend.  I know I will blog more if I put it on the calendar and have a schedule of what posts I am working to complete.

7.     Complete one pinterest project each month
I hate having a bunch of ideas in my head and never carving out time to do them.  Putting a date on the calendar will help me actually do some of the projects I want to do.

8.     Use my sewing machine
Its a shame to have it and never use it!

9.     Maintain a level of cleaning eating for our family

This has been a source of joy and a source of heartache over the past 6 months.  I have realized a couple things about myself:

People think I eat healthier than I do.
I have a lot of willpower so I don't eat unhealthy most of the time, but the desire to be "normal"  and eat whatever is constantly there.
Healthy, balanced food on my kids' plates is a higher priority to me than my own plate.
I focus on what other people eat too much and let it bother me.  Grocery store = bad place for this mamma!
Getting very discouraged because other people can eat terrible and not have the same problems I would after eating a teaspoon of peanut butter.

What is healthy for our family is still evolving, but for me, I try to maintain a pretty sugar free, gluten free, very low carb diet.  While my family eats similar and I certainly don't cook separate meals, they do have an occasional sandwich and my girls are still firmly attached to peanut butter. My goal this year is to find a consistent normal that works for my health, our values and our budget.

10.  Take a picture each day
I have neglected my camera so much in the past 2 years.  I hope this simple goal will help me capture more priceless memories.