We finished up almost 100% of our Christmas to-do list on Saturday so we can just enjoy the next two weeks. It’s been a busy December and I’m looking forward to a quieter week this week–hopefully!
I’m going to be blogging less next week so I can take time to step back and do some planning and goal-setting for 2012 with my husband. I’ll also be making a quick two-day trip to Chicago next week to record The Money Saving Mom®’s Budget as an audiobook. So, to keep it simple, I’m only making 10 goals for the next two weeks.
Here were last week’s goals {I can’t believe I almost finished all of them!}:
Family/Mothering Goals
1. Finish reading These Happy Golden Years.
2. Do some fun Christmas crafts/activities with the children.
3. Continue unwrapping and reading 2-3 Christmas books each day.
4. Take the girls to see The Nutcracker ballet.Personal Goals
5. Finish reading Kisses from Katieand Getting Things Done.
6. Run 8 miles.Home Management Goals
7. Address and mail Christmas cards.
8. Make Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a DayBusiness Goals
9. Film some video segments for my publisher.
10. Write five posts for the 21 Days to a More Organized Christmas series.
And here are my goals for the next two weeks:
Family/Mothering Goals
1. Finish reading The First Four Years.
2. Do some fun Christmas crafts/activities with the children and continue unwrapping and reading 2-3 Christmas books each day.
3. Plan out Personal, Financial, Business, Marriage, and Family Goals for 2012 with Jesse.
Personal Goals
4. Finish reading Getting Things Done, Benjamin Rush, The Now Habit, Personal Investing: The Missing Manual, Recipes for Making Homemade A Little Easier.
5. Run 18 miles {total}.
6. Plan out books to read for 2012.
Home Management Goals
7. Make Homemade Marshmallows.
Business Goals
8. Finish 21 Days to a More Organized Christmas series.
9. Fly to Chicago to record The Money Saving Mom®’s Budget as an audiobook {more details on the release date of the audiobook coming soon!}
10. Get my passport {more details on why I’m getting this coming soon! ;)}
How did you do on last week’s goals? What are your goals for this week? I’d love to have you share your progress on last week’s goals and your goals for this coming week in the comments. Of, if you’ve blogged about it, leave your direct link below. Let’s cheer each other on to live purposeful and productive lives!
You can download a free customizable weekly goal-planning sheet here.
Crystal would you share your progress on your 2011 goals? I’d love to see how your yearly goals worked out 🙂
Oh dear! Is see that it did stick along with the first two! Could you delete #16 and 17 for me! thanks and sorry about that! I don’t see a way to delete it myself or I would.
I love goal-setting, that’s the fun part! After many years of checklists and goal setting not working for me, I found a way to break it down to very doable tasks and I get so much more done now. I look forward to reading everyone’s goals. I hope I linked up ok…first i got it wrong just having my name, then I tried to change it and it wasn’t right either, finally I put in that #16 spot the title of my post and where to find it. Hopefully it sticks. It’s my first time doing such a thing as a link-up! Thanks!
I must have missed a post about unwrapping and reading Christmas books… it sounds like a great idea but the links lead to Amazon… do you have a post about exactly what you’re doing?
This post talks about it some: https://moneysavingmom.com/2011/11/six-free-printables-for-advent.html
Just curious have you been out of the country before? Are you just renewing your passport or is this a first? I have been to seven countries and hope to join the army as a civil service member when I finish my master’s in 2012 (thus leading to more international travel).
I haven’t–other than our cruise, which didn’t require a passport. This will be my first passport and my first official trip outside the U.S.! More details on where I’m going and why coming soon!
Hi Crystal,
This is not so much a weekly goal but a 2011 goal. I’m happy to tell you that I (we) reached our goal of paying $30,000.00 towards the mortgage principal this year. I’m so excited about this because I really thought we were not going to make it to the $30K. You see, we also pay for our son’s college tuition to the tune of $12K a year using cash only. Next year, we are sending our youngest to automotive school (very expensive) and we are hoping and praying that we can continue to pay down this mortgage. As of today, the principal stands where it should have been for April of 2013. If we keep this up, we will be done in 7 years instead of 15 years. I thank you for inspiring me with your “pay with cash house story”. So, Merry Christmas and a happy, healthy and prosperous 2012.
Woohoo!!!!! Way to go!
Congrats Debbie! That is wonderful! We’re also paying our mortgage off quickly but I know it takes effort and discipline. Good job to you and your family!
I’m looking forward to reading your 2012 goals!
Are you planning any 5Ks or anything next year for running?
Do you have any thoughts or plans about a month eating from the pantry challenge this year like you did a couple of years ago? I am at least going to take a few months off buying meat since we have a bunch in our freezer and I don’t want anything to get freezer burned or too old.
Merry Christmas to you and your family and thank you for all you do!
I want to do an Eat from the Pantry Challenge in January, but I decided that, since my book releases in January, it might be unrealistic to try to do both during the same month!
I’m actually aiming for a 10K in 2012. I’m excited–and curious to see if I can do it! 🙂
Sounds like a good plan to wait until life settles down a bit for the pantry challenge. I’ve wanted to do one for some time but then worry about missing a big stock up sale on salsa or something that only goes on sale about once a year.
Best wishes on your 10K! I’m sure you can do it and there are almost always people all-out walking a 10K so don’t ever worry about coming in last (and nothing wrong if you do anyway). Happy running!
That’s great that you’ve gotten your Christmas to-do list done!
We have also had a busy last few weeks… busier than I thought they would be. I am slowing down now so that I can enjoy Christmas at home with my family!
Thanks for spurring us on with planning Crystal. I’m so not a natural planner, but it is amazing how much it helps take the edge off of life!
Oh, a passport can only mean one thing. International travel! I hope it is a fun vacation for you.
Crystal, I saw that you finished Kisses for Katie. My 11 year old told me this week that she wants to be a missionary and I immediately thought of this book. Do you think it’s appropriate for an 11 year old to read? Thanks!
I’d say it depends upon what kinds of books she usually reads. It’s written for adults, but has a great message that all could benefit from. I’d encourage you to read it first or read through it with her.
Thank you!
Sounds like a fun two weeks.
I’m so happy you are recording the book as an audiobook. And a passport! Can’t wait to hear what that is for 🙂
I’m so glad you’re doing an audio version of your book!
Good job with your list! I haven’t posted mine on my blog lately, but I’ve been pretty successful!
Yay for getting almost your whole list done – great accomplishment! 🙂 Hoping I can do that this week, but I’m fighting a cold and all I want to do is sleep!
Posted my link above…
I am so excited for you and your book, but I am even more excited you are doing an audio version and recording it yourself! That is going to be fabulous!
Be careful with such a large jump in running mileage. A sudden change like that can make you more likely to injure yourself or start overuse injuries like Plantar Fasciitis.
It’s for two weeks, so it’s just 9 miles a week–which is just a tad more than I did this past week and well under what I was doing a few months ago. My apologies if that wasn’t clear and thanks for your concern!
Sorry I didn’t read closely! I’ve been fighting plantar fasciitis while training for a half-marathon, and I would not wish that on anyone (the culprit in my case was new shoes).
I was thinking the EXACT same thing 🙂
I’m so excited for you!! Audiobook AND passport – both will be such fun adventures!!
I agree – what fun adventures!
I’m gonna guess that there is a connection between the passport and the secret Compassion project . . . 😉
Best wishes on whatever international travel you are planning! I’ve done a bit of globe trotting already, and have found it to be life/perspective changing!
Ohh, I bet you’re right!!
This is just a wild guess…but maybe an international adoption?!
Come see me in Chicago!
I’d love to! I’m not going to have a car and will have a tight time schedule, but I might be able to work out something on Wednesday evening, depending upon what my publisher has scheduled, if you’d be willing to drive to the hotel I’m staying at. I completely understand if that’s not feasible, but I thought I’d throw it out there since I’d love to meet you in person!
I live in the city (South Loop–about a mile from downtown). I figured you were planning on having a busy trip since you weren’t planning a meet-up–but given I am always walking around, it would be really funny to run into you!
Great job on an accomplished week.
I was thinking about making these current goals be encompassing the next two weeks rather than one too. I really do want to finish this year out with efficiency but also with less chaos and some time for reflection.
1. Laundry and Packing for a two day ski trip with the in-laws.
2. Prepare for our trip home from Canada so it is as UNeventful as possible.
3. Finish the 12 days of Christmas for my husband.
4. Read a Christmas book or two to my daughter.
5. Finish wrapping gifts once we are home.
6. Unpack from our 9-day trip.
7. Catch up on laundry.
8. Personal finances.
9. If I get the full-time babysitting job, try to start getting two babies (under 4months) on a decent daily schedule.
10. Work ten hours on the house (in exchange for rent).
You are my hero! That is a LOT to do! 🙂
Haha, thanks! I feel less if a wimp when you say that! But…those are the *goals*…we’ll see if I can actually manage to accomplish them 😉
Make sure you have a candy thermometer and watch it very carefully for the marshmallows!! I made some recently and the sugar went a little to long- they were good but really chewy!!
jenetta
Can’t wait to hear why you need a Passport! Have a very Merry Christmas and safe travels.