My Over-Ambitious 2011 Goals List

Okay, first, I know I might be overwhelming with the multitude of posts lately! I just can’t seem to find a good rhythm: take a few days off, then play catch-up because I want to post things in a timely fashion (hah, speaking of timely: I have a way-late post tomorrow!).

I thought I should go ahead and post my Over-Ambitious 2011 Goals & To-Do’s before it was March or April. You know how tardy I can be. Right around the start of 2011, I mentioned I was working on my gigantic list. There are so many areas of life to keep track of, isn’t there? Here are just some samplings of each area I’m working on for this year:

Verses to set my heart upon for this year:

Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. ~ 1 Corinthians 15:58

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. ~ Ephesians 5:15-17

Israel, put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is unfailing love and with him is full redemption.~ Psalm 130:7

Books:

Every year, I read a TON of fiction books. It is a way to unwind & refresh for me. I never plan what fiction books I will read because I either read what I have at home (Jane Austen, Harry Potter, Charles Martin, Leif Enger, Francine Rivers, & Sherlock Holmes are my tried-and-true favorites), what I borrow, or what I get from PaperbackSwap (which, after taking a 6-month break from swapping, I am back to listing a TON of old books my mom gave me!). So, I don’t count fiction as a goal because it doesn’t take effort for me to read novels.

Last year I had an absurb book list. Seriously, being pregnant with a toddler & then having a baby midyear–what was I thinking? For this goal this year I am keeping it free of pressure.

I want to finish: Spiritual Depression by Martyn Lloyd-Jones; Spiritual Parenting by Michelle Anthony; What Did You Expect?! by Paul David Tripp (my favorite author!!); & reread parts of Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands by Paul David Tripp.

I want to read at least two of these: Adopted for Life by Russell Moore; If God is Good… by Randy Alcorn; Introverts in the Church by Adam McHugh; or maybe a book about fear such as Running Scared or When I Am Afraid, both by Edward Welch.

Hospitality:

Between morning sickness, loss of appetite, then having a baby & not getting much sleep over a long period of time, Rust & I basically stopped having people over for dinner in 2010. We want to bring that back this year! So we are going to try to have people over for dinner about every 2-3 weeks. We also want to have some planned gatherings where we invite a lot of people for food & fun.

Purge & Organize:

Excited about this! I did so much of this last year, too, getting ready for Noelle, but just in taking a look around our home, sad to say its needed again! In 2011 I want to purge & organize: my favorites (it is scary);  my digital pictures (running out of room on the computer!! I have so much trouble deleting pictures of the girls, even if its a horrible blurry dark picture!); the under-the-stairs closet (again! we just throw stuff in there); my paper supply stash (again!!); & all these childhood books my parents gave me as they purge their house.

Projects: Memory-Keeping:

A 2010 Family Album from MyPublisher (just like our 2009 album) ~ I’m waiting for their new-year fantastic deals to start

Noelle’s baby book ~ So, so sad, it is so blank. I really want to work on this because Anna’s is really nice & almost complete.

DITL Digital Mini ~ Yes! I really want to do an 8×8 digital mini (much like I did for Rust’s momma) from the Day-in-the-Life post! I am still choosing which digital kit I am going to use; I purchased this kit on a whim when it was super on-sale for only $1.00, and I really like it–so that is an option.

Projects: Minibooks:

I always have a running list of what I want to make, so this has to be a separate category!

First, I must finish:

Fall 2010 Mini: It’s just needing pictures from the second half of the fall season! I need to get organized & develop them! I LOVE this mini!, it has yummy colors: brown + yellow in a little binder book.

December Daily 2010: Oh poor empty December Daily. I really want to finish this! I kept my photos really organized for this, I just need to get into gear & select & print whihc photos to use. I am still debating: do I really want to do just one photo + one journaling page per day? Can I really choose just ONE photo to capture the story of that day? Or do I want to treat it like my other mini’s & just mix some 4×6 pictures + photo collages & do whatever I want?

I also want to finish another semi-minibook called Love Letters. I have been working on this for TWO years! I work on it in spurts, and then lose interest for about 6 months. Hopefully I can pull myself together & finish it this year!

I also want to start & finish a minibook I’m calling “Nine Months with Noelle” which will be very much like my most favorite minibook, Awaiting Anna. I have all of it (save the pictures!) in one place; I just need to spend those lovely hours in a creative zone & work on it.

Projects: Home

I finally have a “vision” for the long, dark stairwell in our house. It involves several random projects, including a wreath!

I want to save up & get the last of teh 12×12 clear frames for the good ol’ photowall in our living room.

I want to do some sort of chalkboard something in the kitchen, whether that’s find a frame & paint chalkboard on it; buy a vinyl chalkboard frame decal; or make my own {like this or this}.

An art project for the girls’ rooms.

Mothering:

Anna: Pottytraining & getting her to a toddler bed for this year! I also want to continue memorizing Scripture with her & workong on our Q&A of the Christian faith. We have begun a new devotional. I have other things I’d like to do, but I’m still organzing that! I feel by the time she’s 2 1/2 (in mid-March), we both might be ready for more structured “learning time.” She just really thrives on that!

Noelle: Mostly just work on sign-language with her! I also want to try my hardest to have one-on-one time reading with her, like I used to do with Anna when she was a baby. Love on her, talk to her, include her, snuggle her! Make sure she doesn’t get lost in the shadow of a joyful, exuberant older sibling. : )

Nutrition:

Work on making homemade whole wheat bread weekly or at least biweekly… haven’t done this yet, oops! But I guess I want to be in the habit by the end of the year.

Make my own chicken broth/stock.

Consistently make my own french onion soup mix, taco seasoning mix, & cream of mushroom/chicken/celery soup for cooking purposes.

I have the beginnings of a “nutritional goals” notebook where I’ve tucked healthy substitutes/alternatives recipes, goals, & articles to help me slowly & steadily make changes to our over-processed, unwhole foods diet. : )

Recipes to Try:

Of course, for me, this is a neverending list! But off the top of my head, I’d love to try: a tomato tart recipe for summer, ginger spice cookies for winter, stuffed (stuffing? mushrooms? spinach?) pork tenderloin (for fall), stuffed chicken marsala (a copycate from Olive Garden), & lemon blossoms (for spring). Yum!