2012...here I come.

So here's my 2012 goals:

This year I want to challenge myself to several 30 day challenges. Now when I say 30 day challenge, I'm not saying that they must be done 30 days in a row but that I will do them till I've done it for 30 days or 30 times. I would like to make some new habits, try some new things and "spice" up life. Some challenges will be done at the same time and others I will focus on doing just one thing.

Oh...and the key part of these challenges will be blogging about them along the way. Look for a new blog starting soon and a new format.

Here are a few of my ideas:
1. Clean (and I mean deep clean, purge & organize) 30 different areas of my home (as small as a draw & as big as a room)
2. Crock pot cook for 30 days (this I would like to do 30 days in a row)
3. Cook 30 new & different recipes
4. Try 30 new spices in my cooking (some may be in my cabinet that I've never used...toss the ones we don't like)
5. Don't eat out or order pizza for 30 days (great one to be combined with 30 days of crock pot cooking)
6. Knit 30 new & different projects
7. Read 30 new books (obviously this will take more than 30 days)
8. Walk/Jog/Run 30 miles every 30 days (so that will keep me going to the gym more regularly)
9. Go 30 places I've never been (explore Colorado a bit)
10. Hike 30 trails

That's all for this challenge. I figure 10 different 30 day challenges will probably take me the entire year. As the year progresses I plan on reevaluating these challenges maybe scraping some that don't work and adding new ones that sound interesting.

As to my other 2012 goals:

Spiritual goals (as they are every year): 1. Grow closer to God 2. Walk with confidence in the Calling God has on my life right now (the right now part is the crucial part for me this year) 3. Invest spiritually into my loved ones (family and friends).

Personal Goals: 1. Blog more 2. Facebook less 3. Grow my knitting business

Relation goals: 1. More date nights with the kids 2. Be more intentional 3. Listen 4. Let go

Physical goals: 1. Get back to my work out routine 2. Eat Healthier & Cook more

Financial goals, though most of these are private I do have these: 1. Stick to our Budget 2. Make a profit at my knitting business

Last Blog of the Year...

It's been an interesting year. Many things have happened that I would have never imagined. I'm not sure that I could have expected this year or planned for it and don't know if I've really "recovered" from all the events of the year quite yet.


I looked back to see what my 2011 goals are and there are many that I have completely fallen short of even being able to say I completed them. There are others that I did "better" than years previous and some that I feel proud to say I accomplished my goal.


So as to the 2011 recap, I have several different goals categories: Spiritual, Personal, Relational, Physical & Financial. 


I would say my Spiritual goals are always a work in progress. I feel closer to God and have felt His calling on my life strongly this year. I was able to travel to Africa and while I did struggle being there because of family struggles at home. I felt God move in my life while there. Many things became clear in my journey in the very last moments of the trip. I was able to see God in a new way and find a passion that I have always prayed God would instill in me. 


Our family journeyed away from Vanguard Church. It was a painful move in that we didn't want to go. We loved our family there and that community is one I can say I learned what community truly was but God was very clear and we obeyed. We found a new church home at Boulder Street church and are looking forward to what doors God may open for us in ministry and leadership as well as growth for this church. Our kids are on fire for God and that excites me as a parent. 


This year has been a year of spiritually investing in my friends. It has been a give and take. There are some amazing women (and you know who you are) that have prayed over me, with me and for my family. I have been able to walk with several friends through dark valleys and high mountains. I have cried with almost all of them and feel blessed to pour into them all that God has blessed me and receive all the blessings they pour on me. Thanks ladies! I love you all! Life is beautiful and blessed somewhat because you remind me that it is!


As to my personal goals I can say that I did Blog more, read more and Facebook less. I didn't journal at all nor write letters to my loved ones. I think the Blogging served as journaling and there were many blog posts that never got published being they were very private so in some ways...I guess I did journal. I guess I was partially successful here.


My relational goals are also like my spiritual goals and always a work in progress. We did instill date nights with the kids and so far they have gone really well. We haven't done as many as I would like but I have to remind myself we have 4 kids! I think we each have had a one on one date with each kid. Our kids are enjoying it and looking forward to it. Some of the dates have been a lot of work and others just flowed. It's interesting to see what the kids want to do. I actually sat at a yarn store with one of the kids and looked at pattern books for a couple hours. Afterwards, she said she would love to do that again. It was a moment when I realized that though it was something I enjoyed, she loved just spending time with me and seeing what I liked. She keeps asking when we'll do that again. I feel blessed to have kids that love me and my passions and want to be apart of them because sure feel the same way about them!


As to my physical goals...this year is a bust. For the first time in my life, I have not worked out consistently. My girlfriends and I were talking about this for a bit because it really bothered me. I have always been the friend in my group that got them to go outside and walk or jog or run (okay mostly walk). I have been the one that got up before my family woke up to walk or swim. I like to be active. The only time in my life I wasn't working out was post babies (c-sections & working out don't mix). I'm a bit of a health nut and in fact it was one of the first things one of my friends remember about me. I made a salad for a pot luck and everything in it was organic. I like to be the one that can eat what I like but work out to afford that luxury and I would rather eat raw, organic cheese and rice crackers than any sweets ever. When Ryan and I married, it was one of the things we loved about each other...we loved to be healthy. I changed a lot of the foods in our diet and have stuck to most of it. This year, something happened and I haven't been to the gym in SIX months. I think I've worked through most of the things that I think have been apart of that and hope for a more successful workout year.


As to our financial goals, mostly we keep those private but I will say this year we have done what we said we would. We have stuck to a budget and made future plans. We have been able to do many things we wanted and still have several long term goals in the works. 


All of this was really for me. I needed to see in black in white what I've done this year. I'm by no means patting myself on the back but I am saying that 2011 was a year that I did move forward. I'm looking forward to 2012 and hope to put some goals together in the next several days and blog a little about that then. Like I have said before, I don't believe in resolutions but goals. If I'm going to resolve to break bad habits and make new ones, I'm not going to wait till January 1st to do so. I need to take those things on as they arise. I feel I've done that this year. So here's to next year...it's a way to mark the time, reflect and celebrate. I plan on doing all of that today!


As always, thanks for listening.

New Years Goals...ready...set...go!

I don't believe in New Year's Resolutions. Let me rephrase that. I don't believe in resolving to "mend my ways" as the Merriam-Webster dictionary put it. I instead look forward to making goals and most of my goals do not begin at the New Year. I tend not to be the type to wait for a date to start making a difference in my life or other lives. When it is time for change, it's time and January 1st is usually not that time for me.

This year I have one clear goal that began at the beginning of this year and will end on December 31st. As I stated in my last blog, I would like to read the entire Bible this year. Other than that, none of my goals are for 2011 and only 2011. But, nevertheless, I have goals. I have several different goals categories: Spiritual, Personal, Relational, Physical and Financial.

My spiritual goals are almost always the same: 1. Grow closer to God 2. Grow into the woman of God that He has called me to be 3. Invest spiritually into my loved ones (family and friends).

My personal goals include: 1. Blog more 2. Journal privately more consistently 3. Write letters to my loved ones (some I will give them and others I save for the future) 4. Read more 5. Facebook less

My relational goals are mostly considering my core family, but also friends: 1. Be more intentional about relationship 2. Spend quality time with each individual family member (I see a lot of date nights with the kids in the future) 3. Listen 4. Be true and honest (even when it's hard)

My physical goals are not really public but include continuing to go to the gym and work with my trainer...oh and stay at the head of the pack on this summer's hike on vacation (I was at the back of the pack last year).

My financial goals are not public either but do include a personal commitment of NO personal spending for at least 30 days. I'm part way through it and it's tougher than I thought it would be. I also have a personal savings goal with hopes of surprising the family with a fun experience towards the end of the year.

I think putting this out here does a few things. First, I can't forget my goals because I always know where to find them. Second, I can be held accountable by my accountability partners because now they know what my goals are and where to find them. And last, I hope to encourage you to write down your goals whenever you started them for however long they will last. We are probably more likely to meet our goals when we don't forget what they are. And as always, thanks for listening.