12 Goals for 2012.

A new year is here, although it feels like Christmas was just yesterday.. perhaps because we celebrated our 6th and final family Christmas yesterday? It will take me a while to get used to calling the year 2012, especially considering I've already wrote 2013 on two checks... yep, true story.
I have accumulated a somewhat lengthy list of goals for myself this year. But, they are all things I would love to accomplish so I don't want to leave anything out. I plan to update you all (because I know you want to know) throughout the year on how I'm doing in regards to meeting each one.

1. Organize. A lot of my other goals could technically be subcategories of this one, but I generally want to know where stuff is. Everything needs a place. I may just be craving this now since my house is a wreck and desperately needs unpacked. (Wait, then what am I doing blogging?) I want to organize my time, travels, calendars, meal plans, budgets, just everything.
   
2. Plant and maintain a great garden. I've had gardens in the past and they have done very well considering my neglect. This year I want to make the commitment to see my little seeds all the way through their journey, ending my family members' bellies. I've got a few good ideas pinned already and would like to get some winter sowing done this month. I'm super excited about this.
   
3. Learn how to can. I'm really scared of killing my friends and family via canned goods, so I'll be tackling a fear here also. I got a canning bath/starter kit for Christmas from my sister-in-law, so I gotta do it, right?? My backup plan is to just buy another freezer. I'll settle for plan A or B.
   
4. Attend a craft fair as a vendor. I haven't been to a craft fair in ages, but I would love for Dejigle to have a space at one. I think it would be a really great opportunity for us. Lots of details to work out, but hopefully we can get it accomplished!
   
5. Get out of the house. Mason loves being outdoors and so do I. Now that we live in town and have access to our family car, I see us getting out and about more often. Not to mention we now live 1/2 block away from the park. I can get wrapped up in doing stuff around the house pretty easier, I would love to get out at least once per day.. well, maybe not during blizzards.
   
6. Get moving. I need to start exercising. Not necessarily for my self image or weight, but for my heart and general health. I've been counting breastfeeding as my daily workout for too long. (Anyone else do this, or is it just me?)
   
7. Strengthen communication. If I want to continue down the path of practicing positive parenting (which I do!) I need to work on how I communicate with other people (my husband, mostly). While I'm very good at being patient, not yelling with Mason, he does observe my interactions with others. I bought the book Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life early last year, but had a hard time reading it. I love the idea behind the book, but it just is not an easy read for me. I would really like to get through the book and implement some major self improvement.
   
8. Really DO the Farmers Market. We casually attended the farmers market in Omaha a couple times last year and once in a town closer to us. We went with no plan and it was all kind of on a whim. This year I want to know what I need before we go. I love supporting local farmers and want to get what I don't have in my garden from them. This will require having my meal plan and grocery list ready to go. It would be a double bonus to find a good source of local, organic meat.
   
9. Make a home. As you know, we just bought a house and moved in within the last month. I want to get everything put away, hang up pictures, sew curtains, arrange furniture just so, and all that other fun stuff that makes a house feel like home.
   
10. Greatly reduce my sugar intake. At first I was thinking I should give up pop for the whole year. But after remembering how much I love Dr. Pepper, I decided I just don't want to get that extreme. I'm not a huge pop drinker anyhow, I rarely drink any at home, just mostly when we go out to eat. So, I threw that idea out the window. But, I do consume a good amount of sugar. I love brownies. And cookies and bars of all kinds. The list goes on and on. Sweets are a big weakness of mine. While I am definitely not ready to commit to going sugar free (although there are good reasons to do so) I would like to cut back on my treats. I really don't want to develop diabetes, like, ever. Put the cookie down, Melissa!
    
11. Clean up my routine. As in, I need a cleaning routine. I am going to make myself a schedule and stick to it. I'm a bad housekeeper right now (fun fact - I worked as a hotel housekeeper during highschool and part of college). I think my husband would enjoy coming home to a slightly much tidier home.
    
12. Get off the computer. Sniff sniff. I do love the internet. Perhaps too much. This time I've had with my computer "out of order" has been a good reminder of how I don't need to check Facebook several times a day in order to function. If I'm going to accomplish all my other goals, I need to do this one, big time!