Workin' It Wednesdays: New Year's Goals

Happy Wednesday friends! Today, I'm linking up with Shay and Erika for Workin' It Wednesdays! I'm kind of excited about this monthly series! Take a look at the topics! 

This week, we're sharing our New Year's Goals, and at the end of 2016 and the last 11 days, I wasn't really sure that I had many goals for the year. 

I mean, last year, I blogged about my Resolutions and then did a monthly update, and fell off the bandwagon in the middle of the year, and some years I focus on a word. I had thought I would focus on a word this year, but I couldn't come up with one other than "me." And, how selfish does that sound?

So, I have been thinking about how I exactly want to incorporate 'me' in a non-selfish sort of way, and what goals I really do need to re-shift my focus on. 

1. Working Out. 

I joined a gym the first Monday of the year. I tend to be frugal in certain areas, and over the last three years, I have refused to pay the price of a gym. However, it's taking it's toll and despite my efforts of working out and running, I am still not loosing the baby weight that has been attached to my body since I got pregnant with Adalyn (4 years ago). And, a gym finally opened close to our house and they have childcare. So, i'm determined to take care of me and to work out, get in shape, loose weight. We have a cruise coming up and a vacation planned this summer, and this mom would like to at least feel comfortable in her tankini again. 

2. Housework

Let me be honest, fall stresses me out. I always have high hopes and anticipation going in to a new school year, but this year took it's toll on me. In the fall, I'm often single-moming it, and I simply cannot do it all. I have always felt like I stay pretty caught up on housework, but I needed a better plan. So, this year I'm tweaking my housework plan. 

I'm going to run our dishwasher every single day. Whether it's full or not. I try to start it before we leave in the morning, but if that doesn't happen, i'll start it every night. 

I'm also going to complete one load of laundry every day. I did really well with this last week! I would put a load in at night, and set our washer to begin around 4 in the morning. This way, I could immediately put it in the dryer in the morning. And then I would start another load in the morning and set the washer to start later in the afternoon. When I get home in the evenings, I have one load ready to be folded and one load ready to be put in the dryer. We're also going to fold and put away the loads every day. I usually wait until we have full loads, or I try to catch up on a load in the middle of the week, and then it never gets folded or put away. Nope. Not this year. Even if it's a small load, it seems like it will be more manageable. 

This year, I got a Roomba for Christmas. Praise. I'm going to sweep and run the real vacuum cleaner on the weekends, and then i'm going to run the roomba every day downstairs. 

Make the bed. I already make our bed every day, and it just seems like our house is much cleaner when it's made. 

3. Be Prepared

I need to make sure the girls are prepared and ready, so our mornings are hectic and crazy. I'm in a pretty good habit of setting out Adalyn's clothes each day. However, Megan is often mismatched. So, I'm starting the habit now of setting out clothes for both of the girls. 

I'm also working to set out some time where I actually fix the girls hair each day. At the end of last year, Megan would often get to school with her hair partly brushed and never fixed, and she would look like a total rag-a-muffin, and those days are done. 

I need to do some lunch prep and dinner prep on the weekends, remember to set things out, and plan our meals. We got in to a really bad habit of eating out or grabbing some quick during the season, and it's time to get out of that habit. 

4. Read and Bible Study

DJ bought me several books for Christmas and I would like to pick up my Bible study where I left off last year. I need to carve out some time at least once a week to do some reading. 

5. Grace

I know that I cannot do it all. Football season will roll around again, and I will be single-moming it and life will get busy, and chores won't get done. I may skip the gym and I may eat my weight in chocolate chip cookies or pick up an ice cream. And through it all, I will need to remember to extend myself grace, and pick up the next day and start again. 

There are some other areas where I want to focus my time and attention to this year.... as always, I want to be present and all in. (I have the book Present over Perfect on my reading list) and I want to continue to grow in my Young Living business. I want to work on connections and loving people for who they are and where they are in life. I want to let go of the excess and ask for help when I need it. I want to travel and enjoy the people God has placed in my life. 

So, all of this to say that that's why my word for the year is 'me'. I just want to be a better me along the way. 

Here's to 2017.