HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

I pray everyone had a great New Year's Eve.  I know I did!  I spent the day with my dear children.  Since we took the week before and the week of CHRISTmas off, we are having school this week.  But we are only doing a light week, to get the kids ready for the upcoming new schedule.  The kids and I then went and brought dinner to the DH.  We didn't really have an eventful day but a day of being together is what brings happiness to me. (Wish the DH could have been with us).


Have you had a chance to think about your goals or ideas for 2010?  I know I have; my brain won't stop spitting out new ideas.  God has been able to show me areas that I need to really work on myself and to start implementing new things with my family in 2010.  I know that by listing my goals I will be held more accountable ;)

My Goals for 2010:

1. To read the entire Bible in a year.  When attending our church in Maryland, they handed out a book called a Life Journal.  The journal consists of a reading schedule, page to list prayers, a Table of Contents (which you create when you write a new journal page), and pages for you to journal in.  They suggest to journal about a scripture that really spoke to you that day.  I hope that made sense :) I attempted it last year but I am going to start and finish it this year.

2.  To STOP drinking soda, and drink more water.  Anyone who knows me, knows that I have my favorite soda and I HAVE to keep it in the house.  Knowing how much sugar, and how bad it is for me I still choose to drink it.  Another thing, living here in Alaska the soda is SO much more expensive than the lower 48 states.  If I want to lower my grocery bill, this is the one thing that has to go.  (This is towards my physical goal).  Which in turn I pray it will help me lose a couple of pounds.

3.  To get myself and my children on a schedule for school.  Right now we do not have a set time on when we start school.  Our schedule right now looks like this: wake up whenever, eat breakfast, get ready for the day, do some chores, and then start school.  Lately, it has started around 10 or 1030am.  I would like to get out of bed when the DH gets up for PT around 5am.  I then am able to be ready for the day, do my Bible reading, and then wake children up around 8am to start school by 9am.  But I do have to say this, the whole darkness until 1030am in not helping any.  I pray that when that big, yellow, bright thing in the sky called a sun starts showing more it will help us get out of bed!!!

4.  Get rid of plastic containers and start using more glass or stainless steel products.  I want to cut out as much BPA's as possible.

5.  Stop buying paper towels.  I would like to purchase more cloth napkins either from clearance shelves, thrift stores or yard sales to have a good stock.  Right now I only have about eight cloth napkins; that is not enough to cover spills or when we have company.  I also will be going through our old clothes to see what I can turn into rags.

6.  Start using homemade cleaners.  One it is cheaper, and two it is better for the environment. 
7.  Start our baby emergency fund.  The DH and I are following The Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey, and Dave says to have a baby emergency fund of $1000.  Dave says to get it done fast and within a month.  We would like to have this done by the end of February.  (I know it is more than a month) ;)

8.  Stop using Credit Cards.  We will be taking the credit cards out of our wallets and will stop using them. NOTHING BUT CASH NOW (and debit card)!!!!!

9.  Pay cash for our CHRISTmas gifts.  This is part of our financial goal but this is a goal that means a lot to me.  I have ALWAYS used credit for gifts, but not this year.  I plan on starting to put $40 a month away for Christmas. 

10.  Read more books.  I love reading!  The type of books that I want to read is natural living, going green, homemaking, gardening, and cooking.  I don't have titles, but I will periodically list books that I am reading, or planning on reading.

11.  Teach myself to knit.   I would like to know how to knit, so I can teach my daughter.  That is the goal, to teach myself to knit, then maybe I can make a scarf :) One can never have enough scarves here in Alaska.  Although, I have a vision of my children wearing sweaters that I have knitted and one sleeve is to long, or the sweater could fit a moose.  We will have to see!

12.  Organize my cupboards.  When we were in Maryland I had a pantry and a lot of cupboard space.  Here in Alaska not so much.  We had to buy one of those metal shelving units to put in our laundry room to store food.  In the kitchen there is more drawers then I would like.  So I plan on organizing them to work for me, not against me.  I will post before and after pictures.

13.  Purge our storage area in our basement.  We have some boxes from our first duty station (ten years ago) that I have no idea what they all entail.  Could be scary!!!!  I want to get rid of the boxes and replace them with storage containers, and turn the eyesore into something worth looking at.  I will post before and after photos. 

14.  Lose the weight I gained since living in Alaska for the last three months.  I will be using my new Wii game that hubby bought for me, my Wii fit, and when the weather turns warm in August, just kidding, I plan on going hiking and doing a lot of outdoor activities.

So there it is...my goals for 2010! I am very excited about them and after looking at the list I feel really good about them.  I believe I can get them all done before the year is over.  Monday I will be posting my goals for my blog and will be linking them up at Savvy Blogging. 

I would love to hear about your goals, ideas or resolutions for 2010.  If you would like please leave a comment with your 2010 goals!!!

May everyone have a blessed New Year!!

Head on over to The Happy Housewife for more 2010 Goals.