NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS
Last year's and this year's resolutions. I bet there are a lot of bloggers writing their goals in today... it's a good day to do it - there really is nothing else to do on January 1st - besides eating, watching movies - and in our case - we've been building a fort out of blankets and pillows in the front living room. I just hope Kailea can focus on Shrek and leave the blogging to me :)
So taking a look at last year's goals - i had many! I had goals in every part of my life: spiritual, temporal, weight loss - with conditions, artistic, etc. Some goals will definitely carry over into 2009.
(1) 2008 goal: give up refined white sugar.... I did. Well, I don't buy it anymore or bake with it... it's definitely still in store bought or out-to-eat treats - but we don't buy it ourselves and we don't bake with it. I've been buying rietsuiker - aka raw sugar. It's brown. At the beginning of my pregnancy the smell of it really grossed me out... I've used Stevia as well - but not as much. Stevia is expensive - so I stick to regular raw sugar. I had planned on only eating sweets once a month... but we all know that's impossible. After I bought Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World... my goal to limit sweets really went in a downward spiral...
2009 goal regarding weightloss: try and keep up with the kids, take them to the park, play - have fun... and if this doesn't work - sign up for WeightWatchers online... but I'd like to just try and be more active and still enjoy my goodies... I may end up going with WW - it has worked for me in the past.
(2) 2008 goal: Have a baby! Result - got pregnant - but she will arrive in 2009 - that's cool.
2009 goal: try and get pregnant in the later part of 2009 or early 2010... but this could change i realize as I don't have two kids yet... and I'm told that once you do... it changes everything.
(3) 2008 goal: Sew my own clothes. Result - this I did attempt with one pair of jeans. I tried to reuse/recyle the jeans into a skirt. The result was pretty disasterous. I suck at it. The reason for the goal in '08 was to save money - because I figured I'd lose so much weight that I would need lots of new clothes. Ha ha. Anyways...
2009 goal: crochet my first winter sweater using pattern from Lionbrand.com. After that, I will consider buying some cute stuff from etsy stores - b/c I like handmade stuff... but I did get a gift card for C&A - and I will try and be easy on the pocketbook when it comes to clothes... will be difficult to do since I haven't bought anything in a long time since being pregnant. I do need certain things like white t-shirts -- all my white t-shirts are either sitting with holes and have been turned into rags - or they just shrunk or something... this might be in my head since i'm so fat and pregnant at the moment... maybe those white shirts still fit in a couple weeks again.
(4) 2008 goal: Organize my craft supplies and get rid of clutter. Result... um, this will definitely carry over into 2009.
2009 goal: I 've been wanting to organize everything anew. Most everything sits in paper-cardboard boxes and I want everything in plastic bins. Not just my craft supplies, but baby clothes, Christmas decorations, and everything else. And stuff we haven't been using will get donated. We are moving into a new place this year and that's the perfect opportunity to organize this stuff.
(5) 2008 goal: Paintings. Finish King Benjamin's Address. Work on other paintings, paint something cute and whimsical. Result: I did finish King Benjamin's Address - which I have titled: And They Pitched Their Tents Round About. I also started and finished a "faith painting" from Alma 32 - the seed parable. It consists of one large painting in the middle and several painting frame it. It still sits in pieces and will need to be put together and framed. We will hang it in the new house.
2009 goal: "paint" with fabric. I want to work on some felt - textile art this year. One of my goals is to do a Joseph Smith's First Vision with felt. And I want to do other stuff with felt. I really like working with felt fabric. It's fun. I like to use embroidery thread and buttons and fabric paint as well with the felt creations. That's what I want to focus on this year.
(6) 2008 goal: Read Book of Mormon and pre-read all Joseph Smith lessons prior to the Relief Society lessons given. Result: I read the Book of Mormon in 97 days. It was awesome. Everything - as far as the story - makes so much more sense when you read it quickly. I really loved reading it every day. I had time in the beginning of '08 because Kailea still took naps every day. She no longer naps. I only read the Book of Mormon once this year - I'm still back in Alma and will continue to read it. Will I finish it again in 2009? probably. As far as the Joseph Smith book - I did not pre-read any of the lessons... I was lucky, however, to attend the Heerlen ward several times this year and got to sit in on those lessons. I loved that.
2009 goal: Finish the Book of Mormon, then start over again. I'm going to be realistic, I probably will not pre-read any lessons this year - unless I'm asked to teach. I do enjoy the Ensign and I finish that within a few days. I'm still trying to finish reading all of the last conference issue. If I finish that before the next conference I will be very happy with myself.
(7) 2008 goal: Do 100% visiting teaching. Result: ha ha ha. Did not do.
2009 goal: Do 50% visiting teaching - and I think that's a really hard goal at that... hopefully, after we move - I will be assigned people that I live closer too - actually, everyone that I'm assigned to at this point - I will be living closer to once we move. That will be a big help. But lets be realistic, with 2 kids in tow - 50% is a pretty hefty goal already :)
(8) 2008 goal: Church callings. Activities committee - go to all Ward Temple trips. YW calling - attend as many Tuesday night activities as possbile. Results: I did not attend the temple as often as I would have liked. We did in the beginning of the year, but once we bought the house, we spent most of our time - weekends, etc at the house - fixing it up... With regards to YW, I did attend almost every Tuesday night activity. Luckily in the summer we held no activities and I could take a break. I think the other activities we planned for the ward - had great participation this year.
2009 goal: We will definitely do the Halloween party in '09 and of course, our annual Ward Christmas Dinner - that was fun. I'm released from my YW calling. I'm happy about that. I was pleasant to serve in the YW - but my focus will be on Kailea and Ella this year. Those are my Young Women to raise up to the Lord :)
(9) 2008 goal: Missionary experiences - I had high hopes - and unrealistic ones - looking back. I wanted to give out 6 copies of the Book of Mormon. I know I gave out 3 or 4 copies. But for this year...
2009 goal: Focus on the spirit. Live close to the gospel and when I feel the promptings of the spirit, share my testimony or something... but don't just give out literature to give it out... do so when feeling prompted to do so. It will be more meaningful this way. And pray for opportunities :)
(10) 2008 goal: Dutch - pass exam. Result: I did pass my portfolio exam. That was one of the more difficult parts. It's done. I passed!
2009 goal: I suppose I should retake the toetsgespreek test - it's not very high on my priority list - I need to pass it within 4 years... I should try it again this year... maybe in the summer or just before summer.
(11) 2008 goal: Write TJ twice a month. Result: Good - Great! Actually since he has access to LDS missionary email I've written him almost every week... with the exception of a few weeks here and there - every week I've emailed him. I enjoy reading his experience every week as well.
2009 goal: just keep writing him whenever and as much as possible.
(12) 2008 goal: Write Nathan every week while he is in Irak. Result: this I remember I did not do. I tried it for a few weeks but then I'd forget and get busy with other stuff. Luckily, Nathan is back from Irak and doing well.
2009 goal: Keep in touch with the family via myfamily.com and facebook.com and phone calls and email :) -- and let them know about my blog so they can see all the good food and crafts, etc.
So, in a nutshell, my goals for 2009:
1. Read the Book of Mormon
2. Work on my felty-crafts
3. Raise the kids well!
4. Get organized
5. Lose weight... by keeping up with the kids... and if that doesn't work - then WW online.
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