2018 Resolutions

I have big plans, big things I want to accomplish this year!  How much will I actually manage to get done?  There's a lot of change coming in the next year, and so many things I want to do.  Hopefully I can get them all done.  I've found that by keeping track of my resolutions on the blog, I actually manage to make most of my dreams happen!

1) Participate in the No-Spenduary Challenge
I've done this several years now, and every year I find that it has been well worth my time and effort.  Money is saved, debts are paid, and home improvement projects are done with the money that is saved.  Traditionally done for the month of January, you can find more information here: http://www.frugaldebtfreelife.com/main/2015/1/1/starting-the-new-year-with-a-no-spenduary-challenge.html?rq=nospenduary

2) 40 Bags in 40 Days
The idea is to clean out 1 bag of "stuff" out of the house every day during Lent.  It's a great way to get junk out of the house!  I'm looking forward to doing this one again!  You can find the challenge here:  White House Black Shutters.

3) Get Away With My Husband Twice
What did I read in the back of Debbie MacCombers last book?  They've begun their "Adventure before Dementia".  It's time for us to do the same.  Time to start knocking some places off of our bucket list.

4) Pay off 1 Big Debt
Gotta get it done!

5) Finish Daughter's and Husband's Quilt
I need to close the edges of husband's quilt.  I've repaired the quilt top made by my Mother in Law before he went to college. I put a new back and new lining in, and I retied all the layers together.  Now,  I just have to sew the edges together now.  Daughter's quilt needs to be finished - it's over half quilted now.  I need to finish quilting it and then sew it together.

6) Get out to visit Middle Child this year
Since he now lives halfway across the country, I want to get out to see him at least once this year. 

7) Replace the Roof on the House
We're missing shingles now.  Husband got up on the roof and did a temporary repair - but it needs to be professionally fixed.  I'd like to get a front porch added when we replace the roof. 

9) Exercise MOST days during the week.
This has been more of a challenge than I'd like to admit since I've gone back to work full time.  I'm going to define MOST of the week as 4 days.

10) Make my Christmas gifts this year.
This one is tough.  I've made Christmas gifts for my extended family in the past, but I quit when I found out that my relatives gave away the hats, scarves, etc. that I made for them.   Kind of disheartening when you realize that the $40 worth of yarn I spent weeks making into a felted hat was thrown out.  For them, I go with gift cards.  I'm thinking more about my very close friends and co-workers.

11) Cut my grocery budget to $250/month.
So, now that we're down to just me, my husband, and the youngest child.. . I need to cut down our expenses.  I've been a little out of control over the last six months of the year with middle child home and having gone back to work full time.  So, I'm going to keep a closer eye on our spending this year on keeping this under control.  With only  of us living at home, we can easily keep our expenses down if I really put an effort into it.

12) Turn my yarn and fabric stash into something more... (but what?)
I've got a lot of yarn, and a lot of fabric.  What am I going to do with it all?  This will be the challenge of the year!

13) Take one item off of my Bucket List
Which one?  Where to begin?  What to do?

14) Have one Media Free Day per week
There is so much noise going on in our world... and so many distractions.  And my job demands constant media exposure and knowledge.  One day a week, I'm going to shut them all out and spend the day in peace with just myself.  Who knows what great things I'll accomplish on my day off from the media?


15) Visit 12 libraries I have never been to before
I know, I work in a library.  But, I absolutely love visiting libraries!  I want to go to 12 libraries I haven't been to before and then post pictures.  How about you?  Would you be willing to share your library photos with me?


16) Get Away With My Husband - Just the two of us - Twice
After last year, I'd like to add the caveat that it not be for a funeral.  I'd like to just get away and spend time away from home being just us.

I have a couple of professional goals I want to meet, too.  I'm not going to list them here, but they're in the back of my mind!

1) PG #1

2) PG #2

It's a long list!  I didn't knock them all out last year. Can I do it this year?  

What about you?