Update on my goals again

Updates (so far) on my goals:

1. To spend more time focusing in God's Word. UPDATE: I have been doing my daily devotional, praying more and reading more from my Bible.

2. To spend more quality & quantity time with my children. I want them to remember me as a mommy who loved them, not just because I tell them so. I want to try to do at least 1 fun thing with them each week, so they will remember their mommy time. UPDATE: Need to re-start this, the kids have been making messes in their bedrooms and spent a lot of time "cleaning" (yeah right) instead of family time.

3. Don't nag so much at my family (dh included). Instead of nagging, if I will just do things myself, there won't be anything to nag about. Maybe then kids & dh won't be so reluctant to help out when asked. Especially if I ask less often. UPDATE: My allergies got the best of me, and I got the flu, everyone let everything fall apart while I was sick. So, I had to ask for help, didn't get it & got frustrated. Made me feel like such a hag to keep harping on getting help & then not getting it.

4. To make my house a "home". Not only would I like to take 2008 to try to decorate my home, I also would like it to become more of a place of bliss for my family, rather than a house we all reside in. UPDATE: Have not decorated the master bedroom yet, or Jacob's room, but have bought a few things here & there to make our home more "homey".

5. Declutter/Organize my house and try to keep it clean so it maintains itself. This has been a long on-going goal for me:) I want to create routines/schedules that I can achieve, rather than feeling let down at the end of the day, for not finishing. Also a big part of this, and #4 is that I want my family to come home to a clean home daily. I don't want any machines (dishwasher, washer/dryer, etc) going when they come home. I want it all to be "done" when they get here. The only thing that should be running is the stove/oven (because kids get home 90 mins before dh & if dinner is already ready when they get home, it will be cold when he gets home). I think this would add to the relaxed atmosphere I am striving for (thanks for the tip Nichole). I also want to thank my dear friend Tami for challenging me & working with me on weekends:) UPDATE: I've been working on this. I try to have everything except the crockpot turned off by the time the kids get home from school. As far as the house running itself, I have been playing catch up instead, due to being so sick.

6. To take time at least once a week and do something I enjoy...whether it's scrapping, or watching a chick flick (rather than disney movies, lol). UPDATE: Maybe once I get caught up again...grin.

7. To find a way to make more money from home, so I can feel like I am contributing something, and also to make things not so hard on dh and the kids. I already sell Pampered Chef, but don't make much money and I do bookkeeping/taxes, but that's seasonal. UPDATE: Haven’t yet figured out a way to do this.

8. To start saving money, instead of spending every penny that falls into our hands. I want to have money put aside for the future.
UPDATE: Haven't started saving yet, but have made sure the bills were paid on time, instead of letting any be late. Our goal for 2008 is to get a new, BIGGER house. So, our first goal is to pay bills on time (have done so far), start paying on old bills accumulated when dh was out of work 3 years ago for medical reasons (will start this month...hope to be paid off by end of May), start paying extra payments on house, so we will be ahead, until we can get a new home (will start after old bills are paid off, and start saving $$ for a down payment on a new house (will hopefully start by this summer).

9. To become more self-sufficient. Like growing all of our produce for the year, except things that have to be fresh (like salad stuff, etc). To learn to can, to start raising our own meat/poultry.UPDATE: Will be starting our seeds indoors this month for transplantation in April. Please pray that our kids will not destroy these in the meantime (grin).