2014: Resolved

From the look of things, it seems as if this will be my "a step behind" year.  Seeing how I am blogging about goals for the new year and it is practically February and all.  But if this says anything about me, I hope it says that I firmly believe that it is never too late to make a fresh start, to begin anew.  Frankly, I have to do goals each year- I'd be lost without them.  Unlike what it seems most people say about resolutions being made and then forgotten...in my case, they help me to strive toward something greater, better...and actually, in fact, often bring me much closer to my goals.  I liked what Lydia.Purple said in my comments the other day~

 " You know what, having goals (like your financial ones) somewhat in the ridiculous high realm, might actually be good to keep us striving for more.If we keep the goal in the nicely reachable level we might just lean back and go nowhere. It's like facing holiness, we can't reach it in this life yet, and we could lean back and say, well I am never gonna reach it, so I won't try. Or, we take the challenge and see how close we can get. I'd rather live a life trying to reach the unreachable than just leaning back in the comfort zone."  

Isn't that great?  Yes, Lydia.  Me too.

So...with that in mind and without further adieu...  my hopes for 2014:

 Personal Goals:

• Have all homescool arts in place by the first of each month.  (Composer, Artist, Poet of the month.)
• Mail Opa and Aunt Mate notes or pictures at least TWICE a month.  (Once a week is a goal that I can never seem to reach, unfortunately.)
• Write five other letters each month.
• Exercise at least three times a week.
• Begin writing a book.
• Get up to send Matt off to work each morning.  
• Personal Bible reading- 15 minutes each day.
• Decorate the children's rooms, thriftily and handmade.
• Read more fiction.  Not fluffy fiction.   (The reason I got out of fiction in the first place.) Worthwhile fiction.  (Any suggestions?)
• Begin a new afghan project.
• Clear out the bottom of the granary this year.  Matt said it could be "MY SPACE" and that is a lovely thought.
• Downsize and work to get rid of more clutter.  Specifically, craft supplies I do not use.  Clothing bins in storage we do not need.  Books we do not have room for.  Etc.
• Finish a sheepskin.
• Make 1st year albums for Adele' and Judah

Financial Goals:

• Save $5,000 for a replacement van.
• Put our whole tax return toward that cause.
• Save $1,000 for savings.
• Put $1,200 toward principle of mortgage (in addition to mortgage payments.)
• Matt to add to a bandmill fund as he is able.  (money from logs, etc.)
• replace our dinosaur of a computer before April and Windows XP expires (or whatever that whole hubbub is about.)

Homestead Goals:

• Plant two fruit trees.  (Likely, cherry and pear?)
• Plant two more blueberry bushes.
• Plant a few more rhubarb plants.  (I am doubtful the ones I planted last year made it.)  
• Plant grapes and make grape trellis.  Okay- the trellis bit is more of my goal for MATT  ;-)
• Divide filbert trees to double (triple?) them.
• Prune apple trees, roses and lilacs.
• Propogate hydrangeas.
• Make maple syrup ourselves without the fancy sugar shack.  The redneck way.  :-(  (Matt's parents got rid of their syrup house and boiler. *sniff*)
• Become an expert cheesemaker. (Okay, maybe EXPERT is pushing it  But GOOD, anyway.)
• Learn how to milk a cow.  I'll be needing to know that.
•  Research and make plans for a root cellar.  (Though the actual making of one will probably be a 2015 thing.)
• Fence off pasture.
• Get a new batch of piggle wiggles.  (I miss bacon!)

There is one more goal for 2014 and it is a BIG one.  So big, it needs it's own post.  

That's coming.   

Soon.