2018 Resolutions August Update

July has been a very busy month.   I haven't had a chance to post much, but I've gotten a lot accomplished this month outside of the blog!  I've spent time with kids, with friends, and cleaning out the house.  Much progress has been made in reclaiming our basement!  FINALLY.  13 years after we moved in, I think we might finally be able to call the basement our own by the end of the year!  (Well okay, most of the basement.  Let's not be hasty here.)

My goals this year were lofty.  It's time to check in on them and see how I'm doing!

1) Participate in the NoSpenduary Challenge.
Did this!  No spending in February and March.  We're back in minimal spending mode now, tyring to build the savings back up again.

2) 40 Bags in 40 Days.
17 boxes at the end of June.

This month, I've done my best to get stuff - lots of stuff - out of the house.

Boxes to Good Will - 4
Bags O' Trash - 3
Miscellaneous Furniture -
1 Freezer circa 1972
1 Dehumidifier circa 1975
3 (2 drawer) file cabinets
1 desk top to fit over 2 of the file cabinets
3 dressers  (yes, you read that right, I had 3 empty dressers in my basement)
2 twin beds
1 old mini van

Total Items for July - 19

Total to Date: 36

Just 4 more boxes and bags!  I can do this!

3) Get Away With my Husband - TWICE
      1) Australia
      2) I've got a rough plan.  Need to start making some reservations!

4) Get One Big Debt Paid Off this Year
Working on getting the Civic paid off by the end of the year.

5) Finish Daughter's and Husband's quilts.
I'm sitting here as I type this, looking at the quilt.  And the hoop.  Every time I put the quilt in the hoop, Hobbes likes to pounce into the hoop.... it's making it impossible to finish the quilt!

6) Get Out to See Middle Child This Year
Hooray!  We got to see him over Memorial Day Weekend!  Now, we've got to find a way to get out to see him sometime over the holidays.  Maybe we can get him out here for Thanksgiving?  I'm trying to figure this out...

7) Replace the Roof on the House
I don't think it's going to happen this fall.  I want to make certain we've got the cash on hand to pay daughter's tuition this winter.  We're so close!  She graduates next spring.  As of this semester, we have run through the last of the Pre-Paid College Trust.  We'll be on our own for the Spring Semester Tuition.  I want to make certain we have it set aside well ahead of time.  So, the roof will have to wait until next spring.

8) Exercise Most Days During the Week
Done and doing this!

9) Make some of my Christmas Gifts this year.
Working on this.

10) Cut my Grocery Budget to $250/month
 Well, I've stopped keeping track. I'm giving up on this one.
I honestly don't have the time to keep track of everything I spend at the grocery store.

11) Turn my yarn and fabric stash into something more... but what?
Graduation present for daughter's boyfriend.
Baby Blanket for a Co-Worker
Turned a spool of tulle and blingy sparkles into a Fascinator for the Royal Wedding.


I'm currently working on a shrug for myself with yarn that I purchased for that purpose 4 years ago.  It's a beautiful, sea green and blue yarn.  I've found a wonderful lacy vest pattern that I purchased online.  Too bad that I just can't make that lace work!  The shrug will still be beautiful, but it won't be a lacework pattern.

12) Take One Item Off my Bucket List
 I did it!  And it was a big one!  I went to Australia with my husband!

13) Have One Media Free Day per Week
Not been a problem.

14) Visit 12 Libraries I Have Never Been to Before

Laurel Public Library

Lawrence Public Library Truman Library and Museum
New South Wales Library
Central Rappahannock Regional Library Porter Branch
Laurel Public Library
Elkridge Public Library

Catonsville Public Library

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


Professional Goals

1) PG #1

I had an article published! 

2) PG #2

2018 Resolutions - July Update

I love keeping track of my resolutions on my blog!  It ensures that I actually keep my resolutions!
Who knew that keeping my resolutions would be as easy as announcing them publicly?

I've been working at it.  I don't know that I'll meet all of my resolutions, but it sure is fun to try!

1) Participate in the NoSpenduary Challenge
No Spenduary helped to pay for the unexpected trip to Australia.  I'm not currently in a "no spend" mode - but I am actively saving money to pay to replace the roof on the house this fall.

2) 40 bags in 40 days
Well, this didn't work out during Lent.  I'm still working on getting boxes and bags out of the house.  Husband has been on a mission trip the last week in June, so I've actually gotten a lot of stuff out of the house this month! 

10 bags/boxes at the end of May
  7   bags/boxes in June

 17    Total Boxes/Bags at the end of June.  Just 23 more to go!  I hope I get this done by the end of the year!

3) Get Away With my Husband - TWICE
        1) Australia
        2) Where next?

4) Get One Big Debt Paid Off This Year
Working on paying off the Civic

5) Finish Daughter's and Husband's Quilts
Once again, no progress on this.  I hope to pull out the sewing machine, suck it up, and finish husbands quilt this month.  No excuses.  Just do it!

6) Get Out to Visit Middle Child this Year
HOORAY!!!!  We spent a long weekend with him over Memorial Day!  The entire family! 
HOORAY!!!!  I'd like to think I'll get out to see him one more time this year.  Maybe we'll make it for Thanksgiving?  I'm not sure - daughter is still in college, and her school tends to run classes through Wednesday.  We've got time on this one.

7) Replace the Roof on the House this Fall
 Working on this one!  The dream is to have enough cash to not only replace the roof, but also the gutters, and maybe add a front porch.  That's do-able, right? 

8) Exercise Most Days During the Week.
I've done it!  I'm at 4 days a week now!  PLUS -  I am getting over there at 5:45 am now.  Holy cow! What a great start to my day!  (It's a really early start, but it's a start!)

9) Make some of my Christmas Gifts this Year
I need to get moving on this one.  What do I get kids who are grown and living on their own?  The boys are going to be a problem...  Maybe a sweater?  It's a lofty sounding goal....

10) Cut my Grocery Budget to $250/month
 Well, I've stopped keeping track. I'm giving up on this one.
I honestly don't have the time to keep track of everything I spend at the grocery store.  

11) Turn my yarn and fabric stash into something more... but what?
Graduation present for daughter's boyfriend.
Baby Blanket for a Co-Worker
Turned a spool of tulle and blingy sparkles into a Fascinator for the Royal Wedding.


I'm currently working on a shrug for myself with yarn that I purchased for that purpose 4 years ago.  It's a beautiful, sea green and blue yarn.  I've found a wonderful lacy vest pattern that I purchased online.


12) Take One Item Off my Bucket List
 I did it!  And it was a big one!  I went to Australia with my husband!

13) Have One Media Free Day per Week
Not been a problem.
 
14) Visit 12 Libraries I Have Never Been to Before

Laurel Public Library

Lawrence Public Library Truman Library and Museum
New South Wales Library
Central Rappahannock Regional Library Porter Branch

Laurel Public Library
Elkridge Public Library

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!


Professional Goals

1) PG #1

I had an article published! 

2) PG #2

2018 Resolutions - June Update

1) Participate in the NoSpenduary Challenge
We saved in February.  We're holding back on spending this month and next month, too.

2) 40 Bags in 40 Days
So, we were out of town for a good chunk of Lent, so I didn't get 40 bags of crap out of the house.  I'm still trying to get the 40 bags of junk out of the house.

The end of May count is 10 bags and boxes.  Just 30 more to go!


3) Get Away With My Husband - Twice
Australia was the big one!
I've got one more to go for this fall.  I am thinking we're going to head off to the place I thought we were going to go last year before my plans got turned upside down when I got that unexpected promotion.

4) Get 1 Big Debt Paid off this Year
The goal is to get the Civic paid off - or mostly paid off - this year.  I'm a good chunk of the way there now.  Less than $5,000 left now...

5) Finish Daughter's and Husband's Quilts
I've gotten daughter's quilt back out.  Hobbes really likes to play with the thread when I'm trying to quilt.  I'm not certain how I'm going to get around this.  It's not like I can haul my quilting frame and all the assorted supplies out to Starbucks and work on it...

6) Get Out to Visit Middle Child this Year
HOORAY!!!!  We spent a long weekend with him over Memorial Day!  The entire family! 
HOORAY!!!!  I'd like to think I'll get out to see him one more time this year.  Maybe we'll make it for Thanksgiving?  I'm not sure - daughter is still in college, and her school tends to run classes through Wednesday.  We've got time on this one.

7) Replace the Roof on the House this Fall
All of the money we put aside from the NoSpenduary Challenge is being set aside to replace the roof on the house.  If we can set enough money aside, I want to add a porch onto the front of the house.  We'll see how things work out!

8) Exercise Most Days During the Week.
I've done it!  I'm at 4 days a week now!  PLUS -  I am getting over there at 5:45 am now.  Holy cow! What a great start to my day!  (It's a really early start, but it's a start!)

9) Make some of my Christmas gifts this year.
Watching my daughter and her boyfriend exchange home made gifts has inspired me to think outside the box. I'm still not sure what I'm going to do, but I will do something.

Starting with fun and funky socks for the girl.
I really enjoy making socks!

10) Cut my grocery budget to $250/month.
Well this has gone down the drain.  I haven't kept track of groceries at all while we were gone.  I need to get back on the wagon and keep track of these numbers..  June is a new month, with all new goals to meet.  We have been eating out of the freezer a lot this month, so I have only been "doing" one big shop a month in addition to the $25 produce bundles from my favorite farm.

11) Turn my yarn and fabric stash into something more... but what?
Graduation present for daughter's boyfriend.
Baby Blanket for a Co-Worker
Turned a spool of tulle and blingy sparkles into a Fascinator for the Royal Wedding.
What's next? 


12) Take One Item Off my Bucket List
 I did it!  And it was a big one!  I went to Australia with my husband!

13) Have One Media Free Day per Week
Not been a problem.
 
14) Visit 12 Libraries I Have Never Been to Before
Lawrence Public Library
Truman Library and Museum
New South Wales Library
Central Rappahannock Regional Library Porter Branch

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

I had an article published! 

2) PG #2

2018 Resolutions - May Update

I missed last month.... so we've got a huge update this month!

1) Participate in the NoSpenduary Challenge
We saved in February.  We're holding back on spending this month and next month, too.

2) 40 Bags in 40 Days
So, we were out of town for a good chunk of Lent, so I didn't get 40 bags of crap out of the house.  I'm still trying to get the 40 bags of junk out of the house.  As of this writing, I've gotten 7 bags out of the house... just  33 more to go.

3) Get Away With My Husband - Twice

Emporer Penguin, Sydney Aquarium

First get away is done!  Now, to get another one planned for the fall!

4) Get 1 Big Debt Paid off this Year
The goal is to get the Civic paid off - or mostly paid off - this year.

5) Finish Daughter's and Husband's Quilts
I've gotten daughter's quilt back out.  I'm curious to see if I'll actually be able to quilt without too much interference from Hobbes.

6) Get Out to Visit Middle Child this Year
We're hoping he's going to be home the weekend we head out there.  I'd really hate to spend a weekend in Kansas and have him not be there.

7) Replace the Roof on the House this Fall
All of the money we put aside from the NoSpenduary Challenge is being set aside to replace the roof on the house.  If we can set enough money aside, I want to add a porch onto the front of the house.  We'll see how things work out!

8) Exercise Most Days During the Week.
It's a struggle.  I'm at 3 dedicated days/week.  I am struggling to get that number up to 4.

9) Make some of my Christmas gifts this year.
Watching my daughter and her boyfriend exchange home made gifts has inspired me to think outside the box. I'm still not sure what I'm going to do, but I will do something.

10) Cut my grocery budget to $250/month.
Well this has gone down the drain.  I haven't kept track of groceries at all while we were gone.  I need to get back on the wagon and keep track of these numbers..

11) Turn my yarn and fabric stash into something more... but what?
Graduation present for daughter's boyfriend.
Baby Blanket for a Co-Worker
What's next?

12) Take One Item Off my Bucket List
 I did it!  And it was a big one!  I went to Australia with my husband!

13) Have One Media Free Day per Week
Not been a problem.
 
14) Visit 12 Libraries I Have Never Been to Before
Lawrence Public Library
Truman Library and Museum
New South Wales Library
Central Rappahannock Regional Library Porter Branch

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

I had an article published! 

2) PG #2

2018 Resolutions - March Update

This month has been consumed by the No-Spenduary Challenge!  I've been *mostly* good about not spending extra.  I've taken my lunch every single day, we've cooked from scratch, eaten leftovers, and done just about everything else we can to cut corners and build up that savings cushion!

1) Participate in the NoSpenduary Challenge
Done!  And I think ALL of our electronics need to be replaced.  I'm going to have to replace them slowly, or I'll end up undoing all of the good effects of the NoSpenduary Challenge in one week!

2) 40 Bags in 40 Days
4 bags and 2 boxes to date.

Keep in mind, I'm writing this on a borrowed laptop, and I'm writing it a little far out.  I'll have a more accurate count next month!

3) Get Away with my husband - TWICE.
Plans are in the works.

4) Pay off 1 Big Debt
Yes, get the Civic paid off this year, if I can.

5) Finish Daughter's and Husband's quilts.
See this post about the kitten and the quilt.

6) Get Out to Visit Middle Child this year.
I've set a date.  He knows he's traveling somewhere on business that month, so we're waiting for him to get the final word on whether or not he'll be in town that weekend.

7) Replace the Roof on the House
This needs to be done before this fall.  The money we save during NoSpenduary is going towards the roof replacement.  My dream is to be able to add a porch onto the front of the house when we replace to roof.

8) Exercise most days during a week.
It's better this month.  Not a solid 4 days every week, but it's averaging out to 4 days a week.

Interesting Steeple!  Independence, MO

My nifty little spreadsheet is on the laptop - you know, the one that's not working?

9) Make some of my Christmas gifts this year.
Watching my daughter and her boyfriend exchange home made gifts has inspired me to think outside the box. I'm still not sure what I'm going to do, but I will do something. 

10) Cut my grocery budget to $250/month.
We've been eating fairly low on the food chain this month, and eating through what we have in the freezer and the cupboards.  The Instant Pot has been heavily used!

Total spent this month: $150
Total spent year to date: $600
 
(over)under budget for the year: ($100)

11) Turn my yarn and fabric stash into something more... but what?
I took the grey yarn I had in the stash, bought some more, and made it into a very large blanket to give to daughter's boyfriend when he graduates later this spring.

12) Take one item off my bucket list.
Reservations have been made.

13) Have on media free day per week.
Not been a problem.

14) Visit 12 libraries I have never been to before 
Lawrence Public Library
Truman Library and Museum

2018 Resolutions - February Update

A little late this month!  So sorry, this week has been crazy beyond words.  I'm sitting here on this lovely chill morning, having been to the gym and now attempting to recover before heading on about my day and tackling the massive to do list.  Anybody watching the Super Bowl tomorrow?  

I started keeping track of me resolutions online a few years ago.  It keeps me focused when I check back in on them once a month.  I make more progress when I do it this way.  If I make a list and put it in a drawer, I tend to forget about it by the end of January. So, here's my list for this year!



1) Participate in the No-Spenduary Challenge
That begins this month!  We're already spending less since we have fewer kids living at home right now.  It's going to be fun to cut back!  All of our spare time will be spent getting those 40 bags of trash out of our house!

2) 40 Bags in 40 Days
Lent starts on Valentine's Day, and that's the official starting gun for the challenge!  Ready, set, clean the house!

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!  We've made a plan for this year. 

4) Pay off 1 Big Debt 
Working on that right now...


5) Finish Daughter's and Husband's Quilt
Trying to finish off daughter's quilt before I pull out the sewing machine again.

6) Get out to visit Middle Child this year
Kansas is a ways away.  When are we going to get out there?

7) Replace the Roof on the House
We're missing shingles.  This is a high priority for this year.

8) Exercise MOST days during the week.    
I'm stuck at 3 days per week.  I need to get that up at 4 days per week.  I made a spreadsheet to track my progress on meeting this goal this month.  Not as good as I'd like.  Look at that - 13 Days out of 30.  Not even half of the days in the month.  I really need to fix that.

Sun.	Mon.	Tues.	Weds.	Thurs.	Fri.	Sat.
	1	2	3	4	5	6
7	8	9	10	11	12	13
14	15	16	17	18	19	20
21	22	23	24	25	26	27
82	29	30	31

9) Make SOME of my Christmas gifts this year.
In years past, I've hand made Christmas gifts for family members only to find that they threw out what I made.  From hand knit blankets and ponchos, to tote bags made with extra long handles and interior pockets, to quilts.... If you're going to give it away or throw it out, I'm not going to make it for you any more.  I've got to start thinking now about what I'm going to make for those who appreciate a hand made treasure.
 
10) Cut my grocery budget to $250/month.  
That will be a total of $3000 on groceries this year.

I didn't update this week.  I spent $25 on a produce box at the Farmer's Market on Saturday.  We ate mostly out of that box for this week.

So, for this month, this brings my total up to: $450
(over)/under budget for the year: (200)

11) Turn my yarn and fabric stash into something more... (but what?)
I took the dark red yarn and made it into a baby blanket for one of my co-workers!  I didn't have to buy any yarn, and I really like the pattern!  Even better, the yarn is one of those synthetic blends that can be thrown in the washing machine.  Always a plus when you've got something you're using around a brand new baby!

12) Take one item off of my Bucket List
A plan has begun to form in my head.  And it involves getting away with the husband.


13) Have one Media Free Day per week 
As I find myself having more and more problems with my laptop, this is getting easier and easier to do!  I'm going to have to replace the laptop soon, but in the meantime, I'm enjoying the laptop when it works, and taking advantage of the excuse to do other things when it doesn't work!

14) Visit 12 libraries I have never been to before 
Lawrence Public Library
Truman Library and Museum

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

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?