9 September 2011 Goals

You don't even want to know that craziness that has been our life lately.  There's been many ups and downs, nothing too major - just enough to stress you out good for about a week at a time.  Many things at this point still need to be finalized in lots of areas in our life - but I needed to get back to blogging.  I missed this; this blank field to type away my thoughts in, and I'm glad to be back at it, back to less stress and more goals.

1. Focus on getting a few things getting some things crossed off my "27 Before 28 List."  Some of the things I want to work on and complete are: mail my hair for my donation, start reading another book, finish off entries I started in my blank book (which I am documenting all twenty six items on my list), start reading the book Brittany lent me, plan a weekend getaway for Justin and I and surprise him with it, have a picnic in front of the fireplace - just to see more progess, as I've only crossed one thing off my list so far. 

2. Do something off of my Pinterest boards (cook it, decorate it, make it, do it).

3. Get my brother to make me a CD with fun songs on it that I've loved for a long time, but have come back into my life recently due to the radio station that I've been listening to lately. For instance: Prince "Raspberry Beret," Men At Work "Land Down Under," Golden Earring "Twilight Zone."

4. Enjoy our long weekend together, as it will be the last weekend (probably in three months) that Justin and I will get to spend together. Hunting is all that boy can think about lately. And now that he's taken up bow hunting, it's expanded hunting season from about one month to about three months! All I am reminded of this year, is what my cousin Amanda wrote as advise for me at my bridal shower "take up a good hobby - hunting season is long!"  (Pictures are between Great Falls and Shelby on I-15 on our way back home on our first anniversary on August 21, 2011.)

5. Do five spontaneous things with Justin during the week (as he'll be gone 3/4 weekends, and taking the 9th off as well).  Justin and I have major issues with spontaneity, and I don't know when it really happened, but we need to shake it up a bit here and there.

6. Cook ten fall meals.  I'm talking soups from scratch, casseroles, crock pot meals, and meals cooked in my tupperwear stack cooker.  Good, wholesome, warm and flavourful dishes!

7. Take more pictures, and blog more.  I'm thinking to get started back into blogging again, to do ten more blog posts during the month.

8. Have a relaxing bubble bath at least once a week.  The cooler temperatures just make me want to jump into a warm bath!

9. Get another hair cut.  Seriously, my hair has grown SO much since I chopped it all off.  And I can't believe now that it was ever that long, when this comparatively short cut is driving me nuts!

Now for June's update: 0/6 completed to what I see as successful.  I honestly just didn't want to think at all during the supper, and it was really evident in this resulting grade!

6 June 2011 Goals

Another month is done, and we are now half way through the year. Sorry, that's kind of depressing isn't it? This morning I woke up all excited, now starting a new month brings a new challenge to me; a blank slate. I love this feeling!

1. This is the start of Justin's and my first summer as Mr. and Mrs. And I'd like to start being able to remember all the little things. (My "One Second Journal" that is a goal of my "26 Before 27" list is really helping with this too.) I want to take at least one photo each day of June with my phone and edit it (either on my phone or on the computer), and then create a mini album a la Amy Tan to capture it all. My thoughts for the photos are along the lines of the instagram app that the I-Phone has. Okay, this app makes me wish I would have gotten this phone now, and it's a bit upsetting since I love my android, but I really haven't found a similar app for my phone - hopefully soon they'll make one for it. I really have no concept of how this album is going to turn out, and I kind of like it this way; I just want to have fun with it! Here's the cover for my album that I whipped up Monday night.

2. This is part of a much bigger plan in my monthly goals, but the first step in this massive undertaking of a goal is to walk at least twenty minutes each and every day. Really I'd like to plan for half an hour, but I know some days that's just not possible (like when the hockey games will be on). Starting small, working up to a much bigger goal here.

3. Do something to the inside of the house. I'm talking paint a wall, hang up some more art work or photos, pot a plant - something to be able to make it feel more like home. We'll have been living here for two years on the twelveth, and I'm ready to really start making it our own - no more painters beige (or at least not as much of it!). We have a goal to have the house all completed in two years, and we better get at the inside!

4. Something just for me now. I want to do something to feel sexy twice a week. Just to feel lushious, and extravagent. It doesn't need to be much, just something to make me feel this way.

5. Back with the Flylady again. Since re-reading the book back in April, I've been good about only a couple things. I've been cleaning the house weekly, and I make my bed daily. I want to broaden my daily routine, and I'm adding shining my sink daily to my goals for the month.

6. Recently Justin and I haven't been eating as well as we could be. So, I want to eat one fruit and about a cup of vegetables daily. And I'd be ecstatic if I ate more than this amount!

Now for May's updates: 4.5/5 completed to what I see as successful. I bought a new pair of work pants from Reitmans (this style but black with white and purpleish pinstripping) on May 26th; - love them. I spent some time doing some reasearch on what I believe in, I have a New Testament and the Book Of Morman, and Amanda is going to let me borrow some of her religion textbooks from her course - now I just need to read them (this is why I'm only counting this as a half point); and there were many, many calls to my brother discussing and debating beliefs. There were yummy meals ready and waiting in the crockpot when we got home, twice a week like planned; my recipes would be the pork tenderloin in au jus, and the steak stroganoff. Every single day I drank tea; there was however one day out camping that I was just too tired to drink the whole mug, and a couple days that I made a chai latte - this was one of my favorite goals; there is just something about drinking a hot mug of orange pekoe with a couple of scoops of sugar, while it's raining outside. And we had a great time out on that camping trip , the first of the year!

5 May 2011 Goals

I've realized that I like to accomplish things, challenge myself, cross things off a list and see improvement this past little bit. Since my birthday, I've been working hard at my "26 Before 27 List" (eventually I'll post this list once I make a layout about it); I've been researching and making some plans (mostly in my head) for some items on my list and finishing lots of parts of a whole tasks on others (like completing one of twelve of something). Doing these monthly goals helps me out monthly, and my yearly lists helps to keep me progressing on bigger plans throught the year!

1. Now that the trailer is back, I want to get out camping. Justin and I have a goal to go twice a month, lets make this start in May! Between all the good times, good food and wonderful memeories (and seeing as how we only made it out three or four times last year), we really want to jack up our camping trip ratio! (Amanda Sipko's photos from our camping trip with them September long weekend in 2009.)

2. Drink a warm cup of tea each and every day. This has kind of been floating around in the back of my mind for awhile, and I think it might be able to help me de-stress a bit more.

3. Since the last few books I've read lately have been about spirituality (especially Eat Pray Love), I think it would be a good idea for me to sit down and come up with some of my beliefs in life. This will most likely include a bit of research, and maybe getting a couple more books read.(Photo taken March 30, 2008.)

4. Buy some new work pants. This is long over-due, (don't even ask me why this has been something that I have procratinated on) and it's time I just go and do it! (Photo taken March 17, 2008 - St. Patrick's Day.)

5. Cook two meals per week in the crockpot. After last month's goal of not eating out, I found it always easier if there was something quick on hand to eat, rather than having to make something when coming home from work tired. Well, I can make this even easier if the meal is already cooked when we arrive home!

Now for April's update: 3/4 completed to what I see as successful. I decided while out for supper one night (I know, I know), that if I could make it to 80% efficiency with not eating out, I would consider that a success - and I made it (at 83% and spending about $183). I did a resoundingly good job reading Flylady and tackling my cleaning "duties;" I've done my weekly home blessing hour each Saturday since reading the book, (and I surprise myself each time that it actually does only take an hour to accomplish), and it's making my life much happier! And I really liked doing things daily that wre just for me; some of my favorites: having a bath, shaving my legs, spending the day reading Eat Pray Love and then watching the movie.

4 April Goals 2011

For the last couple weeks, I've been wanting March to be over and done with. I'm really ready for a new month to come, along with some new goals for myself. During the month, I wrote down every little goal idea that entered my brain on my calendar at work. That way, I had some to choose from, and some that I had given thought to, and knew that I wanted to accomplish them!

1. Read her book (again) and follow Flylady. It feels that I'm in this spring-cleaning mode right now. It started the night we got home from Mexico, when I decided to organize the entryway closet while I put our shoes away. It seems like the right thing to start now. And I'm hoping to carry this one on longer than just this month.

2. Cook at home every night, (basically just no eating out, this doesn't mean we can't go over to other peoples houses to enjoy thier meals). The one exception could be my birthday, but I already know that my mum is making me my cake rather than getting it from Dairy Queen like normal. Basically this will exclude everything not bought at a grocery store, and if it's not packed with me in my lunch/snacks then it's not getting eaten just because I want it! Most of the time, homecooked meals taste WAY better than anything you could order at a restaraunt; case in point is my aunt and uncles homemade wonton soup - SO much better than anything that can be purchased, theirs is beyond compare! (Photos are from Brittany and Sheldon's October 2010 trip, and from Justin's and my Easter 2008 trip.)

3. Follow the "cash only" way of life put forth by Gail Vaz Oxlade, and keep track of our spending for the month. I'm kind of curious to see just how much money we can save with not eating out at all, and this way I can have an idea.

4. Spend more time taking care of myself. I'm thinking something selfless just for me each day. Masks, pore strips, doing my hair, getting dressed up prettily, a nice glass of tea or hot chocolate (I'm thinking I need to start wearing more dresses!) - just doing something for me that I normally wouldn't do. (Photo taken during an attempt at doing yet another 365 day project of self portraits. This ways day seven, September 9, 2007.)

Now for March's update: 2/3 completed to what I see as successful. I did fantastic on keeping my diary for the month; 21/31 days - way more than I innitially thought I would actually get written up (okay, I guess 68% efficiency isn't the greatest - but it was the first time doing this in many, many years)! And, I'm pretty sure, everyone can tell that we had an amazing time in Mexico!

3 March Goals 2011

I honestly don't know as I go to type out my goals for this month what they are going to be! I decided one of them just yesterday, and the other two - we'll have to see what my fingers are going to type!

1. Have a good time, take tons of pictures/videos and relax while in Mexico. Justin and I have never had a holiday like this; one where we have no agenda, no set be-to-this-place-by-this-time scheduale. This will be the kind of vacation where we get to lounge by the pool, swim when it's too hot, dip our toes into the ocean, and soak up the sun. Right now it's about -30 here, a few days ago (Friday) the wind chill was -40 to -45; we need this vacation, and I can't wait until it's +30! (Photo taken August 2, 2009 in Grand Teton National Park outside of Jackson, Wyoming. This was the most rushed trip that we've ever taken, on a shoe-string budget to-boot. But it's one of our most memorable trips - and why I like Walmarts at night, and their parking lots!)

2. Keep a diary for the month. I know this month is going to fly by, and I want to record as much of it, and how I'm feeling as possible. If this process makes me happier and less stressed - all the better!

3. Take a self portrait on everday of the weekend (this includes Friday), and make a list like Amy Tan does: watching, eating, drinking, reading, wearing, feeling, weather, wanting, needing, wishing, thinking, wondering. This goal took me SO long to come up with (it's actually March 2nd as I'm typing this), I had no idea of what to do. I knew I wanted something fun and random - and this is exactly that! (This goal will also help get me showered and dressed on weekends, as I tend to have a habit of living in my pajama's if I don't have to leave the house!)

Now for February's update: 0/2 completed to what I see as successful.

Okay - that is a horrible score, and I need to clarify my poor job! I picked a horrible time to do the $20 date nights; we've been trying to scrimp and save as much as possible to get a few things paid off, and it just seemed this wasn't a priority. We were just as happy at home, spending no "extra" money! As for my exercising plan, I completely failed at that. There was a few nights (six I think), of aquafit, and a night of bowling - I didn't come even close to meeting my goal!

2 February Goals 2011

I decided a couple weeks ago what my two goals would be for this month. I seem to be thinking along the theme of improving upon myself and my life; which I actually want to continue for the rest of the year.

1. Go on a $20 date once a week. I'll plan them, decide what we'll do, and Justin can just go along for the ride! With four weeks, I want to see the different kinds of things we can do and creative I can be for just twenty dollars. (These photos are from March 15, 2008; we went for a drive to see whereabouts we'd be camping in May. Whenever we want to go for a drive, it seems we always head out along Highway 22, and the Porkupine Hills. It all started in 2005 on one of our first dates, and it just so happened it that we were married in that area, just off that highway. While I was looking at old photos on the computer a couple months ago, I realized that I had taken a picture of the ranch sign when we were on this drive - way before we knew it was Brent's brother and sister-in-law that owned the ranch, and way before we seriously started planning our wedding! I still remember my dad, while we were sitting and waiting for the JP, saying that it was the perfect location; he couldn't imagine us getting married anywhere else and I couldn't either. Justin looks so young, and you can really see how much weight he's lost. I really hate my glasses, they just seem too small for my head!)

2. Exercise, and do crunches video (I have an app on my phone) four times a week. "Exercise" will consist of my Leslie Sansome DVDs, skating, aquafit, or dance nights of an hour or more (basically me dancing like a fool in front of the computer listening to random You Tube music videos).

Now for January's update: 1/1 completed to what I see as successful. I admit, I could have been a lot better,(I kept track of the little bits of extra things I ate, including two that I decided wouldn't count: to celebrate New Years I had a chocolate cup with Kalua just after midnight, two fortune cookies, really small slivery bits of hard candy, bits of oatmeal with brown sugar, one peice of healthy fruit snacks, a box of Del Monte fruit twists, Reese cereal, two large frozen yogurts, sugary peach juice, and a couple glasses of regular pop), but I did way better than I ever thought I could do - it just goes to show what I can actually do (or not eat) when I actually put my mind to it; and a big thanks goes out to Justin for hiding the left-over wedding candy from me - it was the weekends while he was gone that were the hardest on me, and I know I would have indulged if I had known where the candy was!

1 January Goal 2011

I have been giving a LOT of thought to this months one goal. I had a few options to choose from, but narrowed it down finally. Justin and I have been deciding latley what goals we want to accomplish this year, what we're working on to achieve a better day-to-day for us; I know we are going to make major strides this year in our life - and enjoy a LOT more camping!

1. Eat no sweets. This includes (but is not limited to): chocolate, gummy candy, wine gums, rice crispie squares, ice cream, pie, cheesecake, cookies, hard candy. Things I will not include in this category: hot chocolate, mochas, Special K Vanilla Almond cereal, chocolate milk, Jenny Craig honey and peanut butter bar, apple cider, gum. (Photo taken February 22, 2010.)

Now for December's update: 10/12 completed to what I see as successful. Although I went skating two more times after my foot injury (once the week afterwards, sorry Mum and Amanda), my foot healed up and really isn't bothering me anymore; I'm planning on going every Saturday for the rest of this month. Of course we spent New Years with my crazy family at Terry and Gerald's - I seriously think I love them more and more after each time I spend time with them! We bought all our Christmas presents and wrapped them up nicely under the tree. I enjoy how my goal was to "set up Christmas Tree" - we did exactly that, and I know I'm not the only one who set up their tree the way Justin and I did (thanks Sara)! I enjoyed my first New Years kiss with my husband. Slowly but surely the laundry mountain became a hill, then a pile - and now it's gone; I even got the bedding washed for the spare bed! I'm thinking I enjoyed this month of wintery weather to it's fullest, although I didn't ski, make snow angels, go sledding, build as snow man or go ice fishing; my gloves and toque made it pretty easy after I got them for Christmas! I got all my Christmas cards made, (all different), and I believe everyone got theirs in time for the holiday. Although my December Daily album isn't made, I know that all the memories are blogged, and theres a ton of photos to go with them; while Justin is away on the weekends and during that ten day span, I plan to get this created.

12 December Goals 2010

Let's see if you can spot a theme with my goals this month! (All Christmas/New Years pictures are from 2009).

1. Enjoy this festive, magical, wintery wonderland as much as possible.

2. Rest my foot. I went public skating for the first time in five years last Saturday, now I'm stuck with an achilles tendon with tendenitis. I go for an ultra sound today to make sure it's not torn, and also rule out a blood clot. This is what happens when you try and show off to hockey players and prove that figure skaters are much better!

3. Spend New Years with this crazy bunch, its a family tradition that's been going strong since 1999!

4. Make, fill out and send all my Christmas cards.

5. Shop for all my Christmas presents. (Before we can start shopping, we need to have a "Christmas Meeting" with my family to determine important details: how much we're alotting this year for gifts, and who we're buying for).

6. Get to the bottom of my laundry pile. Because of my foot pain, it's pretty hard to lug a laundry basket full of clothes up and down two flights of stairs. I need to work on the pile this weekend though (with Justin's help) as I'm running out of clothes!

7. Start and complete the post about our honeymoon.

8. Jump on board of the December Dailies train, take a picture, write a blurb about each day then make it into it's own mini-album.

9. Have a date with Justin that involves lots of Christmas movies, fort building and stuffing our faces with hot chocolate, popcorn and candies!

10. Have a fantastic New Years kiss - the first of its kind with my husband!

11. Set up our Christmas tree.

12. Make a snowman! (I'm good with this size of a snowman, but maybe out of snow, and without the bottle of Crown Royal!)

Now for November's update: 7/11 completed to what I see as successful. Amanda came over one night, and we baked; we had planned to make a lot, but only ended up making pumpkin pie and fudge - now I know this isn't peanut butter cookies - but I'm counting this as complete! We had a fantastic time in Vegas with Corey and Nicole, and would do it all over again in a heart beat. While we were there, we helped them out with some wedding arrangements; and Nicole and I set up an assembly line one night to get a good start on the invitations. I've started this little book, and my plan is to write down things that I did that made me a better fill-in-the-blank; I like that it keeps me having contious thought about this continuously throughout the day. Nicole and I made it to aqua fit one night right before Vegas, and my skating was another plan to get more exercise, but now it's looking like it'll be awhile before my foot can handle these activities; as for eating better - I think I'm on track with this - I'm not even really craving sweets at all! Two weeks ago I pulled out $40, and told myself it needed to last me for the week - I've been a lot better with not using my debit card lately. Although not spectacular photos, I was able to get a few that I liked while we were out at the farm moving cows this past weekend. Success all around!

11 November Goals 2010

Here we are, it's round two for my list of goals. At the end of my list, I'll think back and see what I accomplished in October.

1. Go to Vegas! We're heading down with Corey and Nicole on the 19th to see Garth Brooks in concert - and we're itching to go and get away! Can't wait to eat at Toby Keith's I Love This Bar And Grill again; the food blew me away! (Photos from separate trips in 2008 and 2009).

2. Start getting healthier. Lately Justin and I have been slacking on this part of our life. We originally made this a New Years Resolution that has seemingly died since the wedding - but with Mexico coming up in four short months (really?) we need to kick this into high gear!

3. Go out for dinner on the 21st. We haven't really had an "official date" (you know: one that you look forward to for a while, want to get all dressed up for, and have those butterflies) since we've been married.

4. Help out Corey and Nicole in any way we can in order for them to not stress out, and enjoy the planning process of their wedding as much as possible. This includes drinks and nachos at Original Joe's! (Photo from August 2010.)

5. Be a better version of me. A better wife, mum to Lowie, daughter, daughter in law, sister, friend. Be more creative, be a better house keeper and cook more often.

6. Make sushi one night when Justin's either out of town or hunting (he's not the biggest fan). (The rest of these photos are from July/August 2008 during my time off to heal from appendicitis.)

7. Start using cash instead of my debit card. My spending (mostly Booster Juice and lunches) have kind of gotten out of hand. I know that if I'm forking over money and not plastic that will curb this habit!

8. Bake some peanut butter cookies.

9. Head out to the farm and take some more amazing photos that make me glad I brought my camera!

10. Start up the $20 date night again. I have a fondue set that I borrowed from my mum close to two years ago that I got for one of these dates, that I've never done. I need to do this and I've been planning other ideas also. Once a month was my original goal, but let's just get this one done for now!

11. Go for a walk (with Justin) in the park by our house.

Now for October's update: 5/10 completed to what I see as successful. That's probably a lot better than I would have done without the list - so mission accomplished! Justin found the memory card with the honeymoon photos on it, "in a satchel in the pantry" - I would never have found it! I had a Halloween costume for Josh and Chelsey's house party: I was a French maid and Justin showed up in what he wore that day - he was a hunter. Instead of the deep-fried turkey, Justin made lasagna and we had everyone over (and in addition, on another night the future Pearse's came over and we deep-fried a chicken). I completed all the thank-you cards, and sent out all but one of them (we hadn't recieved the gift yet at the time I mailed them out - I'll get the one done to Auntie Faye soon). Our photographers did complete the editing of our wedding photos, and they're up on their proofing site - now just need to get ahold of them for the disc and get copies out to everyone.

10 October Goals

Okay, I must either have completely lost it, or I'm feeling overly creative. Here we go again, another addition - monthly goals (number of goals based on what month it is - to a maximum of twelve). This time I was inspired by Amy Tan. Here goes nothing.

1. Enjoy married life with the best husband! As long as Justin and I aren't sick, I can see us going out for supper this time on the 21st.

2. Pester our photographers for out wedding photos and scrapbook more photos.

3. Go to Calgary to see these two fabulous people! It's been over a month now since I saw them, and that's far too long!

4. Complete and send out about 45 thank-you cards for gifts from the wedding.

5. Scrapbook at least two pages off of my list:
New Years party
100 days
3 months
May Long weekend
branding cattle
Justin's stagJulie's staggette
bridal shower
July Long weekend
street wheelers
Makayla

6. Deep fry a turkey and invite these crazies over to enjoy it with us:

7. Continue practicing my photography and doing project 13. (Photos 9, 11 and 12 from yesterday.)

8. Plan a trip to get out of town for the weekend just Justin and I (I was thinking just down to Great Falls - but Vegas would be sweet - photos from separate trips in 2008 and 2009).

9. Think up our halloween costumes for Chelsey's party on the 30th. (Photos from Halloween 2008 - we dressed up as Hutterites).

10. Find the memory card with our honeymoon photos on it.