The Rest of My New Year Goals

I have to confess that I am at a loss on the rest of the areas I usually set goals in. With the firm knowledge that we will start looking for our new home in January it is hard to get worked up about much else!

I also don't necessarily wait for the new year to set goals, if something comes up I feel needs to change, I do it. I don't think the Lord waits for the new year to say, "Okay, here are the things we need to work on!", although, of course, He sometimes does! I think very often He nudges us along whenever we need it, encourages us to grow continually, and shows us things that need to change in His good timing.

But just to be contradictory, I think there is also said for taking time to sit down and evaluate certain areas and make goals to help you go in a certain direction. And that time between Christmas and New Year's Day often lends itself very well to that.

Most of my goals were already set. I knew that after I finished reading the New Testament Chronologically, which would conveniently end December 31 I wanted to read the Bible cover to cover again, but after reading the Bible in 90 Days, reading in a year was not enough for me! So reading the Bible twice in one year was a no brainer for me, and a goal set in November.

The goals I am going to share today are ones that I am already working on, or know I either want to work on or need to work on. Some have been ongoing since the summer! But I need to have them all in one place, and this seems like an excellent place.

Homeschooling

I love homeschooling, I adore the mini-culture it creates in our home, and I love seeing the curiosity in the girls! While I do want to stick with the curriculum and schedule we have, I also am looking for ways to start Baby on her path as she is so eager, but still very little, even though she tries so hard to keep up with her big sister! I am carefully considering what subjects to add for Grade 1 next fall, focusing mainly on what we are interested in (Astronomy!) what would help us! (Spelling! Miss Pear has great distain for those naughty words that don't follow the rules! It makes reading difficult! Mama has a hard time disagreeing with her on this one!), and what would glorify God. We want to continue gently and lovingly.

Kitchen

This one has a nice long list I have been working on!

- Completely update my kitchen recipes binder - neglected since before Baby was born!

- Perfect the art of homemade pasta, especially whole wheat soaked pasta! I think my pasta makers from Christmas should be a big help, one extrudes for things like fusilli and macaroni and one makes the nice sheets!

- Become an expert at using up our CSA box each delivery! This is an ongoing one and I am working hard at getting some new ideas and methods in this area!

- Develop a rough monthly menu guide to help us follow our eating goals. This is a work in progress. The things I would like to do weekly are in place, but I want to stretch it out monthly for a little bit more variety.

- Continue to remove plastic from the kitchen where I can!

- Find a reliable but simple pasta sauce that is loaded with veggies, can be made in large batches, and freezes beautifully.

- Find a simple pasta sauce that can be made in large batches an freezes beautifully (I am kind of thinking more of a seasoned crushed tomatoes idea

- Continue to move towards a healthier diet while maintaining our budget.

Home

Let's just start with the big one:

- Find a new home in our price range that we love in January/February.

- Move in April!

- Make our new house a home (April and beyond)

- Set up a workable housekeeping schedule once we move and follow it reliably! Includes updating homemaking binder.

- Set up a freezer system and freezer stocking system that works and MAINTAIN it. Of course, this is also part of the pasta sauces thing!

Beyond that I don't know. I anticipate sitting down in May and thinking hard about things - or maybe God will make it easy and just give me the list. Either way, at least I have a start!