Has another year really already gone by? Wow. With a new year my mind is buzzing with all sorts of new goals to accomplish, and sadly some are still the same old goals from previous years–never attempted. I always find that at this time of year I want to purge every room in the house, declutter and simplify, and get my health back on track.
Here are some of my goals for 2014–we’ll see how many I can actually meet 🙂
1. Get healthy eating habits back on track.
Our family’s meals and eating habits have gone a little haywire lately. Although we have really no excuse, a lot of times we were too tired or busy or caving in to cravings to plan healthy meals made from scratch with locally-grown or organic products. We did a good job of eating from our garden and of course fresh eggs from our chickens, but I want to go all the way organic and strive to eat mostly locally grown, in-season foods. I’m hoping to completely eliminate processed foods and severely limit white and refined sugars and grains. We also plan to buy local meats.
2. Consistently do a family devotional and read Scripture each evening as a family
We are not very good about reading the Word together, and even though I have my own quiet time it sometimes gets pushed aside with the craziness of life and new babies. I hope to establish my personal time of prayer and scripture reading in the morning, and then a family devotional in the evening; perhaps at the dinner table after eating.
3. Read more and watch less TV
I think this is pretty self-explanatory. Yes, we have our favorite shows to watch, but I will no longer aimlessly sit in front of the tv at night to relax and let the time slip away.
4. Participate/contribute more to church activities according to the Spirit’s leading
I used to give more of my time to our church and its ministries and lately I’ve been more selfish with my time. I’m striving to deliberately make more time for church activities, service opportunities, and ministry as God leads me.
5. Be better about sending cards and well wishes for birthdays and encouragement for the sick.
6. Be consistent about going to yoga class and participating in other exercise regimens. I must lose the rest of this baby weight from the twins! (about 10 more pounds to go!)
7. Stay on top of the gardening duties
The garden can get overwhelming if we don’t stay on top of things. Starting seeds, planting schedules, weeding, harvesting and processing, and composting/fertilizing are all things that have to be done. If we can do a little each day and a fair amount on the weekends I think it will help to make our backyard garden a bigger success.
8. Find a source for raw milk and attempt to make our own dairy products.
I’ve wanted to do this for a long time. It will be difficult though, considering North Carolina’s tight regulations on raw milk consumption. Hopefully I will be able to at least once try my hand at cheesemaking, homemade butter, cream, and butter milk. Yum!
9. Don’t forget to spend a little time each day playing with my babies, not just taking care of them.
My twin girls will only be babies once, and I have to relish every sweet moment with them at this fun stage 🙂
10. Bake bread weekly.
I love fresh bread, and we have a wonderful flour mill very close to us that makes their own organic spelt/sprouted whole wheat flour. I can buy it directly from the mill in bags for only $3 each! It makes a great tasting bread that’s healthy too!
11. Practice better poultry husbandry habits, and inspect birds regularly.
As much as I hate to admit, when our lives get super busy, the chickens often get neglected. This next year I want to make sure we are taking the best care of them so that they don’t suffer from something we didn’t catch early on.
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What a great list of goals! I especially like the dinner table devotional one as I've wanted to start doing this for awhile now. 🙂 And wow only 10 lbs left too lose?!? Way to go!!!
What a great list of goals! I especially like the dinner table devotional one as I've wanted to start doing this for awhile now. 🙂 And wow only 10 lbs left too lose?!? Way to go!!!
What a great list of goals! I especially like the dinner table devotional one as I've wanted to start doing this for awhile now. 🙂 And wow only 10 lbs left too lose?!? Way to go!!!
Those are great goals! Don't fret over less time in church ministry. God has given you a full time ministry right in your home! You're not being selfish with your time, you're guarding it, and rightly so!:) Blessings!:)
Those are great goals! Don't fret over less time in church ministry. God has given you a full time ministry right in your home! You're not being selfish with your time, you're guarding it, and rightly so!:) Blessings!:)
We have many of the same goals. Mostly right now we're trying to get back on track with our eating habits. We've been drinking green juice each morning since the new year and I haven't used white sugar. Trying to cut back on sugar and use honey if I do need any sweetener at all. Reducing processed foods is a big goal!
We have many of the same goals. Mostly right now we're trying to get back on track with our eating habits. We've been drinking green juice each morning since the new year and I haven't used white sugar. Trying to cut back on sugar and use honey if I do need any sweetener at all. Reducing processed foods is a big goal!
We have many of the same goals. Mostly right now we're trying to get back on track with our eating habits. We've been drinking green juice each morning since the new year and I haven't used white sugar. Trying to cut back on sugar and use honey if I do need any sweetener at all. Reducing processed foods is a big goal!
You have a lot on your list, Megan! I think the new year motivation blew right past me, but I am plodding along with improvements I thought about late 2013. I'm interested in your 2, 4-7 and 9 for our home. So agree with FarmlifeChick – I grew up in a church that pushed for crazy amounts of activity – now, I guard my time – even from guilt trips! LOL
I'm focusing on continuing the Trim Healthy Mama eating plan – my husband and I both just love it. It sounds like you might, too. It's faith and real food based, but not so lofty in its presentation that it can't be achieved. They have a website, forum and Facebook, if you want to check it out.
Ultimately, it's none of my business, but humor me and let me write, please, please be careful with the raw milk thing. Mamas around here seem to think its part of the plan of salvation – they believe in it like it will save them and their families. I can get a milk share in my state, but don't. Even if I had a milk cow, I would pasteurize it on the stove top. We just don't think raw milk is smart – husband's graduate level education in ag advises our choice. Even my veterinarian pasteurizes what he and his family get from their own cow. Don't want to open up a can or offend because people who want the raw milk probably would find my comments something to react to, but please, please use good judgment. Louis Pasteur did a good thing – and helped a lot of country women when he shared pasteurization in the mid-1800s…it is an old-fashioned practice, too! K, thanks for letting me share that.
Best to you in all your 2014 goals! Those twins are just adorable!
You have a lot on your list, Megan! I think the new year motivation blew right past me, but I am plodding along with improvements I thought about late 2013. I'm interested in your 2, 4-7 and 9 for our home. So agree with FarmlifeChick – I grew up in a church that pushed for crazy amounts of activity – now, I guard my time – even from guilt trips! LOL
I'm focusing on continuing the Trim Healthy Mama eating plan – my husband and I both just love it. It sounds like you might, too. It's faith and real food based, but not so lofty in its presentation that it can't be achieved. They have a website, forum and Facebook, if you want to check it out.
Ultimately, it's none of my business, but humor me and let me write, please, please be careful with the raw milk thing. Mamas around here seem to think its part of the plan of salvation – they believe in it like it will save them and their families. I can get a milk share in my state, but don't. Even if I had a milk cow, I would pasteurize it on the stove top. We just don't think raw milk is smart – husband's graduate level education in ag advises our choice. Even my veterinarian pasteurizes what he and his family get from their own cow. Don't want to open up a can or offend because people who want the raw milk probably would find my comments something to react to, but please, please use good judgment. Louis Pasteur did a good thing – and helped a lot of country women when he shared pasteurization in the mid-1800s…it is an old-fashioned practice, too! K, thanks for letting me share that.
Best to you in all your 2014 goals! Those twins are just adorable!
You have a lot on your list, Megan! I think the new year motivation blew right past me, but I am plodding along with improvements I thought about late 2013. I'm interested in your 2, 4-7 and 9 for our home. So agree with FarmlifeChick – I grew up in a church that pushed for crazy amounts of activity – now, I guard my time – even from guilt trips! LOL
I'm focusing on continuing the Trim Healthy Mama eating plan – my husband and I both just love it. It sounds like you might, too. It's faith and real food based, but not so lofty in its presentation that it can't be achieved. They have a website, forum and Facebook, if you want to check it out.
Ultimately, it's none of my business, but humor me and let me write, please, please be careful with the raw milk thing. Mamas around here seem to think its part of the plan of salvation – they believe in it like it will save them and their families. I can get a milk share in my state, but don't. Even if I had a milk cow, I would pasteurize it on the stove top. We just don't think raw milk is smart – husband's graduate level education in ag advises our choice. Even my veterinarian pasteurizes what he and his family get from their own cow. Don't want to open up a can or offend because people who want the raw milk probably would find my comments something to react to, but please, please use good judgment. Louis Pasteur did a good thing – and helped a lot of country women when he shared pasteurization in the mid-1800s…it is an old-fashioned practice, too! K, thanks for letting me share that.
Best to you in all your 2014 goals! Those twins are just adorable!
What a list… My wife and I have a similar list but I think you have gotten me beat by a couple! I linked to your site form another blog and I am glad I did. I see you have twin girls, congratulations! We had triplets many years ago, your babies are beautiful!! 🙂
visit my site sometime if you get time,..
http://michaelswoodcraft.wordpress.com/2014/01/23/making-creme-brulee/
Michael 🙂
What a list… My wife and I have a similar list but I think you have gotten me beat by a couple! I linked to your site form another blog and I am glad I did. I see you have twin girls, congratulations! We had triplets many years ago, your babies are beautiful!! 🙂
visit my site sometime if you get time,..
http://michaelswoodcraft.wordpress.com/2014/01/23/making-creme-brulee/
Michael 🙂
What a list… My wife and I have a similar list but I think you have gotten me beat by a couple! I linked to your site form another blog and I am glad I did. I see you have twin girls, congratulations! We had triplets many years ago, your babies are beautiful!! 🙂
visit my site sometime if you get time,..
http://michaelswoodcraft.wordpress.com/2014/01/23/making-creme-brulee/
Michael 🙂
Excellent goals, I share the wanting to make fresh bread…can you share your recipe? My attempt last week was only so-so 🙁
Excellent goals, I share the wanting to make fresh bread…can you share your recipe? My attempt last week was only so-so 🙁
Excellent goals, I share the wanting to make fresh bread…can you share your recipe? My attempt last week was only so-so 🙁