Since I just posted a Weight Loss update, I thought I'd review my resolutions and see how I'm doing with those also. So here they are:
1. Financial freedom and good money management. - Could be better, still not bringing down the balance in the checkbook, still trying to guestimate in my head. Did have one bad check come through the bank ($31 fee), so that really irritates me. Did file our taxes already and have a substantial refund coming our way any day now, so that will catch us up on our bills and get some much needed home-improvements taken care of. Once the bills are caught up, I'm going to make a better effort to involve my husband in the bill-paying and budgeting. Even though he is the sole bread-winner in our home, he has no clue what we pay out every month, and quite frankly, I'm tired of being the only one stressed out about it.
2. Family time - quality and quantity - Due to financial strain this last month, we haven't been able to go anywhere and do anything outside of the house, like movies or roller-skating. We have enjoyed playing some of the board games the kids got for Christmas and working on some of the jigsaw puzzles we already have. But, really, our family time is pretty poor. We do spend a lot of time together, and Ty has been taking the boys with him when he runs errands more than usual, but I just feel we are existing together rather than "doing" things together. I'll need to actually right down specific activities on the calendar next month that we can do as a family. I'm thinking roller-skating, a movie, game-night, and I'll ask the other members of this family to see what they'd like to do too.
3. Healthy eating - for the whole family - At first I was going to write on here that there has been no change but in rethinking it, I realize there actually is a big change. We have only eaten out once time this month and that was Burger King before our homeschool group meeting. I felt miserable afterwards too, and the kids were starved a few hours later like they hadn't eaten anything all day. We also picked up some pizza's from Little Ceasar's once as we got unexpected company and didn't want to serve them bits and pieces of leftovers that we were going to eat that night. Since I'd been making a lot of pizza's lately, the ones from Little Ceasar's seemed rather tasteless to us and I decided to keep the fixing for pizza's in the freezer at all times, then all we have to do is open a can or jar of sauce and assemble all the rest, it can thaw while it cooks. I'll also make sure I keep healthier snacks in plain view of everyone, so they'll grab them instead of something not so great (not that they'll even find junk in this house, they can find it next door at their grandparents house).
4. Organization - in all aspects - Still a work in progress. I did go through all the cd's, vhs's, and dvd's. We are getting rid of the majority of vhs tapes, made a list of the ones I want to replace with a dvd, and straightened the shelves where we keep them. Went through the kid's clothes and coats/jackets and weeded out the outgrown or ones they don't care for. I have pics taken of everything that is worth trying to sell on ebay, just need to take a few minutes and get them listed. Still have lots more to do, but can see where I have been making progress, so that is definitely inspiring to me.
5. Time with friends - The only contact that I've had with friends this past month was phone conversations. While that is better than no contact, I miss the face-to-face. I did however join a new homeschool group and did get to attend a meeting and met some new people and some I've known for a little while. So that was some social contact, and I really enjoyed it, so did the kids. I want to do more activities with the family, and I'm thinking I might extend invites to other friends of ours to join us. That way we'll get to enjoy fun and friends!
6. Record more memories - I took about a 10 second video of the back of two of my kids heads, then they saw me and ran off. Oh, well, I'll try again. I have been encouraging the kids to take the camera and just snap away. Sometimes the take some quite unflattering pictures of me, but I save them anyway (and use them to encourage me to make myself more presentable on a daily basis). I haven't done any scrapbooking and because the dsl was out for a couple of weeks, got out of the habit of updating my blog, so that didn't help with the recording aspect either. Am reminding myself to make more of an effort in this area.
7. Earn money for high quality homeschool supplies (not a "real" job, though) - We have done exceptionally well on eBay this past month, and have purchased a grammar curriculum that I'd been looking at for Chance, now just need to implement it! Still only have a couple of things to purchase to round out our school year, and I'll do that next week.
8. Cleanliness - in all areas (could probably fall under organization above) - Doing better, but keep falling into my old lazy habits. It seems like the more laundry I do, the more there is TO do. Same with dishes. I know if I follow my Control Journal everything falls into place, just need to kick myself in the heiney to make myself do it. This is probably the biggest lifestyle change that I need and want to make. I recognize the problem and know a solution, just need to meld it all together and make it happen.
Hopefully I'll have better updates next month. |
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Friday, February 2, 2007 - BFS~
I will add you on the class roster and you can pull the graphic off of my "HomeschoolBlogger" site under the category Blogger Friend School. I am keeping the class list updated on my blog to make it easy.
Hugs, Tamara