Redefining Perfect

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I haven’t done weekly updates, I admit…but I HAVE gotten better about posting in general *LOL*  But, I figured weekly was too much.  I’m sticking to monthly updates.  It’s easier to keep track of the credit issues that way. So anyway, onto the goals and what I’ve done about them!

Goal #1 Body Image
1. I have lost six pounds.  I’m down to 151.  My jeans are fitting differently, but I don’t think it’s because of the weight so much as the:
2. I’ve started doing yoga just about every day. I did not exercise every day in January because there was the whole broken toe to deal with, and getting used to kids being home…but I did start it and really liked it.  This is something I’m keeping up with.
3. I have cut BACK on my pop drinking, but not enough.  I still have bad days that I drink a LOT.  I’m also not drinking more water.  Hopefully that will get better.
4. I have also cut back on my grazing.  I still do it, but not as much – I often try to replace food with a cup of coffee, but it doesnt always work.

In all I think this goal is going well.  It’s not perfect yet, but I’m happy with the baby steps I’ve taken. 

Goal #2 Finances
1. I did start keeping a check register…
2. And we started out strong w/ the budget
3. I’m still using the debt tracker spreadsheet…

But over all this goal went kerplunk before we got more than two weeks into January.  I blew my grocery budget, we only lived on ‘cash only’ for one week. We didn’t follow any sort of budget and I didn’t track the spending like I should have. 

Our goal is refocused for February.  We have our tax refund coming in, but we’re still going to live on the budget while we pay some things off, and fix our truck.  Hopefully we’ll do much better this month.

Goal #3 Home & Family
1.  I made vague meal plans – but didn’t write them down…
2.  I blew our grocery budget within a couple of weeks (not severely, but I definitely went overy by at least $50)
3. I’ve done fairly well with starting the cleaning.  The ktichen at least.  I’ve done dishes almost every day, and doen a good cleaning of it once a week.  I need to improve. I started doing the laundry once a wk (mostly) – but putting it away is not good.
4. And I’ve made tons and tons of breads…more than we needed some weeks.
5. We’ve had a few family game nights.  Not quite every week…but we’re working on it.

On a side note about this…this goal has evolved a bit.  I’ve decided to start homeschooling the girls – and am strongly considering homeschooling Brandon, too.  This has led to me doing some PT-HS w/ Brandon (it’s helped that we’ve had so many snow days).  So, as we approach that goal, this goal will shift and change a bit.  I may end up with my own goal set aside for homeschooling.  For now, I’m goign to keep on the track I’m going. 

In all, I feel our family unit is stronger already – and that was the main goal for this…so we’ll keep working on it!

Goal #4 Personal
1. I’ve started writing again – not quite twice a week every week, but this past week I’ve gotten closer.
2. On that end, I’ve rewritten 6 chapters of the novel and am pretty happy with what I’ve done so far.
3. I’ve gotten better about posting here again, even though I’m struggling some days for posts.
4. I haven’t officially re-opened my writing blog yet, but I’m close to it…I’m just wrapping up the site’s design and adding in some pages that I think are needed.   Hopefully that will come soon.

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Total wrapup: I’m feeling mostly good about how January went.  Not completely great because of the financial road bump…but over all with all four goals – I’m happy.  Baby steps is the point of this…so I’ll focus on my accomplishments and just hope to do better next month!! 

Because I missed yesterday’s post because of my FANTABULOUS* webhost – you get a twofer today! 

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First an update on Hell (or potty training).

Yesterday I leared that the secret of potty training is in the underwear.  When I went grocery shopping on Thursday night I swung by Wally’s baby dept to pick up some diapers and big girl underwear.  At home I knew we had Dora and generics…but I was prepared to get the same – until I saw them.  “My Little Pony” underwear.  The girls have recently gotten into their ponies so I snatched up a set of them.

Yesterday morning I started.  I showed them to Angel and got her on the potty.  After a while she went and we got up.  She started walking around pinching her knees together within about 10 minutes and went back on.  It was on and off for a few hours….but she had no accidents at all yesterday.  She went on the potty several times.  She hasn’t learned to cue me, we’re still going on on my determination, but she’s on the right track.

To add to the mix, Riley decided she REALLY wanted in on those pony panties…and started sitting on the potty, too!  We talked Daddy into going to Wally’s and picking up some for her…and he found TINKERBELL! Riley’s new PJ’s are Tinkerbell, so she’s all over that. 

So Daddy came home with Tinkerbell panties and a new potty chair so we could do both girls at once.  Riley had two accidents yesterday, but overall did well- and Angel had no accidents.  We’re going to stick with it over the weekend and pray for the best!

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A brief update here on what’s going on with this. 
1. For Body Image I managed to work out 3X (so far) this week.  I’m heading down to the gym in a couple of hours. I learned that I can do yoga, pilates and the ball alternating here at home, but I crap out on cardio. Going to the gym gives me a way to do that AWAY from here (i.e. an excuse to get away) – without being annoyed by too peppy hosts. Give me an elliptical!

2. For Finances: First week of living on a budget was tough. We aren’t used to saying “No, can’t buy it I have $5 left.”  The end result was happy, though.  It looks like at the end of the month we’ll have a little cash in savings.

3. For Home & Family: We had sit down dinners I think 3 times this week (I didn’t keep track).  I made dinner (taking pics of some of it) and cleaned as I went – the kitchen stayed mostly clean 3 out of 5 days.  We had family game night just last night.  For the cleaning portion, I found and adjusted for myself a chore list. I haven’t fully put it into effect, but I had Archie laminate it so I can reuse it. It will become a habit eventually, but it’s something I’m working toward.

That’s it for the week.  Overall I’m very happy with the baby steps I’ve taken.  Hopefully they will continue on. 

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*And by FANTABULOUS I mean awful, horrible,  no good, very bad…I’m very unhappy with them at the moment…and unless I’m granted a free year I’ll be taking the terrifying leap of trying a new host. 

Goal #1 was Body Image

Goal #2 was Finances

I decided to separate Home & Family from my personal goals. So there will be a fourth in this series, sorry! *G* This one sort of ties into Finances a bit…and it’s not as many ‘big dreams’ as the ‘baby steps’ part of it.

My family is wonderful, but there can always be improvement, right?  My big dream is to be June Cleaver…okay, not REALLY.  But I want to be the Mom that does things…and I’ve taken steps toward that in the past couple of months (minus sick time) – but I want to take better and more proactive steps.

Big Dreams
1. Be the Mom that does things – goes places and plans at home activities
2. Have family sit down dinners 6 out of 7 nights
3. Have a tween that talks to us, and comes out of his room more
4. Be a fine tuned grocery shopping machine
5. Have a clean, uncluttered home (more likely if/when we get a BIGGER house..but this is BIG dreams )

Baby Steps
1. Start making meal plans weekly, based on coupons and grocery flyer (and helpful hints from frugal blogs)
2. Set grocery limit of $350/mo for now, decrease as I become better.
3. Have family game night at least once a week (already started)
4. Start with kitchen – cleaning it fully once/wk. Dishes daily.
5. Continue experimenting w/ recipes, it’s been fun.
6. Make breads as regularly as possible – send out for new sourdough starter.

That’s it for now.  I’ll revisit it monthly and edit…just like the other goals!

One more tomorrow – Personal.  This will include my crafting ADHD and my writing (which I’m resuming).