Let's Be Practical

It's about time that I get together the goals I would like to accomplish this year. I plan to be more practical this year. I think one goal under each category is not too much to ask of myself. I am still a believer in dreaming big and reaching for the stars. I am also a firm follower of the concept "expect more, get more." In fact, those things follow me through many aspects of my life. (Some of this comes from being a perfectionist.) So, without further ado...

Romance/Marriage Goals

After reviewing last year's goal's in this area and how badly I failed at them, I decided to retry one of those. They were such worthy goals that I just couldn't let them go!

I would like to write, say, or do something to build up and encourage my husband on a daily basis. He deserves it. Although it may be easy to find flaws, it is important to remember that no one is perfect and that a marriage will benefit from that kind of positivity.

Food-Health Goals

Finding a goal for this one is a bit harder. With all the changes I've already made, it feels like there is so little left. My biggest weakness in this area may be creating health conscious meals that the whole family can eat. I sometimes find myself making a small healthy meal for me and giving everyone else something easy. That is clearly doing them no good!

Educational/Professional Goals

Basically, my only goal here this year is to once and for all decide what I want to do. I need to come to a clear conclusion on if I plan to go back to school or not. I need to decide what degree I pursue if I do. After already completing on degree and many trainings, I am just not sure. A decision will be made this year!

Service Goals

This year I want to learn to serve as a family. I want to teach my children to care for others above themselves. I want to take every opportunity I can to serve as a family. At this point in time I am not sure what that looks like, but it is my goal.

Cleaning/ Household Management Goals

I think it would be reasonable to expect that one load of dishes gets done a day.

Physical Goals

I want to be able to jog 3 miles. Specifically by April when I intend to do the color run!

Blogging Goals

I really want to get at least 15 posts a month between my blogs. The more the better though!

Fashion Goals

We will be talking more about this over the month, but I want to really build and understand my signature style so I can only have pieces I love.

Saving/ Money Management Goals

 Put something... anything into savings EVERY month. If I accomplish this, it will be the biggest feat of all!

Reading Goals

Readers already know my love for self help books, so its not worth including them in my goals this year. I will surely read plenty of them. If I can find them, I will usually read them. However, I do think it would be important for me to focus more attention this year into getting deeper in the Word of God. This year my reading goal is to read from the Bible on a daily basis. Surely this is the most useful book of all that I can read.

So that completes this year's goals. I look forward to going back to these again next year and seeing how I did. I can only hope that I do as well as last year with its hefty list of goals.

Now I want to know, what are your goals this year? Do you create goals for each aspect of your life?

A Year In Review

As I welcome a new year, I have come to grips with the fact that last year was not as perfect as I would have liked. I had big plans for the year. I had lots of hope. I always find new beginnings refreshing, exciting and nerve racking! I figured for my first post of the new year I would do two things. First, I will explain my absence and second I will review my goals from last year. If you joined recently, you can find those original posts here.

As for my leave of absence, there were several reasons. I really needed a break. I was lacking inspiration and suffering from mild depression. Although this is not completely foreign to me, it did seem to drain my writing abilities. Second, I had far too full of plate. I was spread too thin. I was so tired when I got home that writing was really the last thing on my mind. Lastly, my husband and family needed me. We have gone through job losses, illness, and the holidays all in a few short months. Now, after my break I feel more motivated and a little bit more inspired. I sought help, I took a breather, and I am back in the game.

Since my explanation is out of the way, I would love to take a look at last years goals and whether they were accomplished. I'm actually surprised how many were. I was a little bit optimistic when I wrote them!

So, here they are:

Romance/ Marriage Goals

1. I would like to write, say, or do something to build up and encourage my husband on a daily basis. You know, I don't really know if I accomplished this one. If I did, I was not purposeful about it. However, now that I am reading it... it is a super good goal. I may reconsider it.
2. Make it a point to have a "date" on a monthly basis Yeah, this one did not happen. Money was short and kids are hard. I hope for better chances this year.

Food/ Health Goals

1. Reduce intake of sugary foods. Yes, I actually did do this! I have done all three of my food/ health goals. Below I will show an update on my progress!
2. Reduce intake of fatty foods.
3. Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day.

Educational/ Professional

1. Take one class or seminar on an area of interest I went to Bloggy Conference 2014 and it was awesome. I do hope to get some sponsors to go again!
2. Do three professional trainings I did a little bit more than that! I am now a certified Behavior Technician.
3. Do three activities to be more actively involved at my current school I tried, I've done at least one, but this year has been busy like I said.

Service Goals

1. Be involved with some form a volunteer service 3 times this year If working at church counts I more than completed this goal!
2. Knit at least 10 baby caps for the local hospital to be given at the end of the year. Sadly, this is another fail. I never got to the first one!

Cleaning/ Household Management Goals

1. Clean one thing before bed every night. This might have happened once a week.
2. Create and post family rules If you are a loyal reader, you already know this didn't happen. we have rules, just not posted and "official".
3. Give my oldest son a chore list I need to get this up and running!
4. Create and stick to a basic menu and shopping list Nope
5. Create and use a household management binder Made the binder but didn't use it!

Physical Goals

1. Take at least 1 exercise class I rocked both these goals!
2. Do something active (and purposeful) at least 3 times a week.

 Blogging

1. Post at least 3 time a week here on Casseruola Dolce Della Vita
2. Post at least 2 times a week over at Missionary Manda's Musings
3. Post at least once a week at Growing Up Around the Table Let's just say frowny face all around!

Fashion

1. Clean out at least 4 articles from my closet that haven't been used in the past 6 months. That was done, nothing fit!
2. Paint my nails on a weekly basis and my toes on a monthly basis. Another no.

Saving/ Money Management Goals

 1. Put away a little money for each of my boys a month. no
 2. Use more coupons! I did ok with this.
 3. Save at least 50 a month. no
 4. Create a workable budget. I wish I had done better with this one.
 5. Put a small sum into an emergency fund each month. another no

 Reading Goals

1. Read 2 books on household management/ money I don't think I did... I dunno. I read  A LOT of self help books.
2. Read 2 books on marriage Yes
3. Read 2 books for pleasure Yes
4. Read 2 book on parenting Aww, no I didn't do that.

So, that was how I did! Not as bad as it could have been. As you can see my health ending up being my main focus. I will write about it in the near future but for now- here is my progress!

Frosty and I are Cool Like That

I realize I have been gone for a long time! I am so sorry about it too. At the end of October my family and I moved. During the move we had no internet. In fact, I wont have any until the beginning of the new year. At that time I will be back with a vengeance! However, I did make a promise for a post this month that I intend to keep.

At the beginning of the month I was contacted by a very sweet couple. Cameron Von St. James and his my wife Heather asked me to share a simple post of something I am thankful for especially at this time of year. Heather is an 8-year survivor of mesothelioma and she makes it a part of her life to stay thankful, especially for their daughter.

If you would like a little more about their story, you can check it out here.

I realize I have so much to be thankful for. In November I discussed several different things that I am thankful for. I have been blessed with a fantastic husband, two great kids, and a loving extended family on both sides. I'm also blessed to have a comfortable place to live, be employed, and be capable of living this life I love.

Today, I wish to share my thankfulness to YOU, my readers. You have been patient during my absence and fantastic over the past year. I look forward to sharing all the recent changes with you all. I  also look forward to catching up with what's been going on in your life. Thank you for being a part of my life. Thank you for dealing with my whining, pouting, and rants. Thank you for all the encouragement you have provided to me. I now know how much I need you and this blog to stay sane! So, like Frosty, I will be back again soon!


I hope you find something to be thankful this holiday season. I hope you had a blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year!