Happy New Year!!

I have so many goals for this new year. It is starting out crisp and clean and full of possibility. I am excited to take hold of this opportunity and make the most of it. To this end, I have a list of goals that I would like to achieve in 2011. I am not going to call these resolutions as resolutions go by the wayside within days usually. These are goals which, if achieved, will benefit me personally as well as my family.

1. Daily Personal Devotion
- To this end, I have acquired a book called "Faith Alone: A Daily Devotional" which is a devotional based on Martin Luther's writings. Thanks to the thriftiness and dedicated saving of my husband, I now have an iPad. I purchased the digital copy of this book which I can view on my computer at school or my iPad as well as my phone. That should be very beneficial in completing this goal!

2. Read the Bible cover to cover
- I have also purchased a digital copy of the Lutheran Study Bible which I have begun reading over Christmas break. I just finished Genesis and am ready to begin Exodus. I would like to do this by the end of the school year, but realistically I know that my time is limited so I am giving myself a year in which to finish it.

3. Pay off Dan's car
- We are so close to debt free (except the student loans, which I have a plan for, so they don't count!) The last thing in our debt snowball is my husband's car. We have a plan which - if we are able to stick to it - will have it paid off in 6 months. Awesome!!

4. Wellness...
- Over the last several months, I have made a healthy lifestyle a priority due to my part time job. (www.itworks.net/wingit) I managed to lose 45 pounds since last August. I managed to gain 5 of them back in the last two weeks of binge eating, chocolate, holiday parties, chocolate, late night snacking, chocolate, alcohol, chocolate, no exercise and chocolate. I am going to try and do the 6 week slim-down challenge to jump start this, but I really want a lifestyle change for myself and my family. We were doing very well before Thanksgiving and I plan to pull us right back on track!

5. Cleanliness
- I have a schedule and I intend it keep it... :-)
(How awesome that I have been cleaning like crazy for our open house and will start out Monday fresh with a newly clean house?!)

6. Frugality
- Using the words "I want" a little less often and using the words "I don't need it" a little more often. I have gotten much better with doing this with the kids, I need to apply it to grocery shopping and Walmart more consistently.

7. Intentional Living
- I want to plan my life a little bit better. My goal is to sit down every Sunday and go over my week. I will plan my menu as well as my goals to accomplish for the week. Organization leads to less stress - something we could all use around here.