Updates

I've been working really hard at my 2020 goals, but who can tell the future?  I messed up my knee and exercise has been difficult.    Also COVID-19 really threw a wrench in all my goals.    Ugh do I continue to hit debt...or save for the EPIC rainy season that is 2020....

1.  Play with my littles 30 minutes a day.  (stuck home with them all day, everyday.  Nailed it)
   
2. Exercise 5 times a week (Tore my meniscus at a trampoline park...so I've changed this goal to exercise, do PT, or walk 10,000 steps)
   
3. Lose 40 pounds (to get back to pre-baby weight) (Haha...that's funny.   I'm a stress eater so COVID-19 has not been kind for my diet)
   
4. Pay off my little student loan (not the big one...) and my new HVAC system.  That's about $14,700 in debt this year!  (We've paid off the HVAC system, and I'm itching to pay off the little loan.  However, the hubs may lose his funding...ie, employment.  So this goal is on hold while we save like crazy for unemployment)
   
5. Read 52 books (Check out my book blog:  http://dogears-happytales.blogspot.com/)
   
6. Create 52 works of art (Check out my art blog:   http://katiedarrdesigns.blogspot.com/)
   
7. Sell 6 pieces of art (sold: 2)
   
8. Go on 1 date a week (FAIL)
   
9. Improve my handwriting by working through 2 books. (FAIL)
   
10. Save $10,000 (DONE!)
    
11. Declutter 200 pounds of crap  (No idea...probably done?)
    
12. Communicate with my loved ones more by calling or writing someone once per week  (um...yeah!   What else is there to do?)
    
13. BONUS Kid goal: read 5 new books a week.   (Good thing we were really ahead when quarantine started...because the library is CLOSED). 
    

2020 Breaking the Screen Addiction for a Life of Intention

Intention.   That's my word for 2020.  I want to be intentional with my time, my energy, and my health.   I sat my family down with an assortment of worksheets on January 1st.  As part of our celebration of the New Year, we set goals together as a family.   Chase and I each set 12, and the kids set whatever number they chose.   Live with intention and dare greatly.

1.  Play with my littles 30 minutes a day.
2. Exercise 5 times a week
3. Lose 40 pounds (to get back to pre-baby weight)
4. Pay off my little student loan (not the big one...) and my new HVAC system.  That's about $14,700 in debt this year!
5. Read 52 books
6. Create 52 works of art
7. Sell 6 pieces of art
8. Go on 1 date a week
9. Improve my handwriting by working through 2 books.
10. Save $10,000
11. Declutter 200 pounds of crap
12. Communicate with my loved ones more by calling or writing someone once per week
13. BONUS Kid goal: read 5 new books a week.  

So far I'm pretty behind at play time, but working to catch up!  I blew a meniscus during week 2 and the doctor placed me on strict rest for 4 weeks so exercise has been difficult as well, but I'm starting back on that goal this week.   I've lost 14 pounds on Weight Watchers.  We've paid off $5000 of our debts. I've read or listened to 7 books, and created 5 new paintings.  I've already sold 1 piece (to my mom but it still counts).  Going on dates...welll that's not going so well.  Handwriting...also stalled right now.   Saving will wait until after our debts are paid.  Decluttering and communicating more are right on schedule.    We read 65 new books to the children so far!

How does one do all that?  Well...I decided to stubbornly enforce rules of cleanliness from my family.   Every night I ask that we do 12 things as a team:

1. Shoes and Coats to appropriate are
2. NO dishes on sink or counter
3. We eat at the table (not on the couch)
4. Make your bed
5. Dirty laundry goes in a basket.  Clean laundry goes in drawers/hangers. 
6. Put away toys/clutter
7. Flat surfaces free of clutter in master bedroom.
8. Sweep up crumbs
9. Wipe table and counter
10. Cans and cardboard out to recycling
11. Kitchen trash out if full and put in a new bag
12. Compost out

Now that everyone is pulling more weight on the housework, I have more time to do things.  Amazing how that works...I'm also putting down my phone and refuse to watch TV.   I can't wait to get to the end of the year.  How much will my painting skill improve with more intentional practice?  How much closer to my children and how much happier will the be with intentional play and my undivided attention?  What can I do with the extra money with no more payments to debt (other than my big loan)?  How much easier will it be to keep my house clean without all that clutter?  How will I feel at a healthy weight with strong muscles? Maybe I can stay out of physical therapy this year...or just sneeze without a back spasm!   Visualizing the end goal and who I want to be is my driving force.   I don't want to be overweight, orthopedicly unsound with nothing to show for my time other than endless wasted hours on Facebook.  I want live with passion, creativity, and INTENTION.