Apr. 1, 2008 - First Quarter Goal Update

This year, I decided to post my goal updates quarterly, instead of weekly like I did last year (or should I say "meant to do"?).  After I set my 2008 Goals, I read somewhere that it's good to break down yearly goals into quarterly, monthly, weekly, and daily goals.  I'm going to attempt to do that this week.  This quarter wasn't too impressive.  I'm still trying to get into a regular routine after moving in December.  For some reason, it's been harder than I thought it would be!  Anyway, this is how things are going so far this year: 

1) Lose Weight.

I don't even REMEMBER how much I weighed at the beginning of the year.  I guess I need to weigh myself and start over.  I do know one thing, I haven't GAINED weight this year.  Thanks to goal #2!

2)  Exercise at least 3 times a week.

Recently, the kids and I started walking at a track close to home.  We try to go M-F early in the morning before we start school.  We haven't done it EVERY week, but at least we do it most of the time.  It's amazing the difference you feel after only a few days!

3)  Make water my "drink of choice".

Well, um...I could do better, let's just say that! 

4)  Restart my "Total Money Makeover" and get to step 3 

Got the first part done--I restarted it.  I have quite a while to go before I'm to baby step 3 though.  Who am I kidding?  I have a LONG way to go to get baby step 1 finished!  I just don't have the disposable income to save huge amounts of money at this time.  I AM saving though...and budgeting,  which is more than I was doing before.  I may be getting a part-time job soon to get baby steps 1 & 2 done faster.  We'll see...

5)  Read at least 50 Christian books.

Ok.  I like to read and all but maybe 50 books was a little ambitious.  I just don't seem to have the time to read like I once did.  I should be done with 12-13 books at this point.  Yet, I've only read 2--count 'em--2 books so far.  Maybe 25 would have been more realistic.  Either way, I will try to get more reading in.

6)  Go to bed early and wake up early.

It's almost 2 in the morning and I'm on the computer, does that tell you anything?  WHEN we go walking in the morning I tend to do better, but I still have trouble going to bed as early as I should.  I think this is going to be the hardest habit to break!   

7)  Have a consistent quiet time.

Not doing too well in this area either.  That's why I joined the "30 Day Bible Reading Challenge".  I REALLY want to do it in the morning before the kids get up.  I do SO MUCH better on the days when this happens!  Just another reason to improve on goal #6!

8)  Start a home business.

I did the "work from home" thing for a couple of months.  It didn't work out too well so I had to resign.  I'm not sure if this is the time in my life to start a home business, to be quite honest.  I am still looking into it for the future though.  I have a few ideas.  I'm just waiting for God to show me which direction to go.

9)  Find a schedule that works and stick to it.

SO MANY THINGS are tied into #6.  This being just one of them.  It's hard to have a schedule when you don't have consistent wake up/go to sleep times.  I guess I should start there!

10)  Go on a short-term mission trip.

I started talking to people and researching mission trips in January. The only thing holding us back at this point is the money.  Hopefully, we'll find a way to go this year.

11)  Make this new apartment "home".

This is SO HARD to do without money.  We have so much we need to buy.  Yet another reason I'm thinking of getting a part-time job. 

12)  Give my blog a "face lift"

Aha!  Now there's one thing I have done!  I can't take all the credit though.  Ali at Mission Field Designs made this new template for me a couple of weeks ago.  I JUST LOVE IT!  I'm so glad I asked her to do it!  It saved me SO MUCH time!  Now all I need to do is add lots more info to it and this goal will be completed!

Well that's it for now.  It's WAY past my bed time!