2018 New Years Goals

2018  New Years Resolutions  GOALS

Here we are again, staring down the barrel of another year. Time is such a cruel thief! I know some people, cough my husband cough, don’t really believe in New Years resolutions but who has two thumbs and loves them?? THIS GIRL! For his sake though, lets call them our 2018 GOALS. I wanted to share some with you that I’m going to attempt to make last longer that the 3^rd week in January…

Ideally, my list should be things like: shower daily, don’t let the laundry get above the top of the hamper, stop eating so much chick-fil-a…but why set myself up for failure??? LOL Moms you’re with me.

1. FAMILY MEETINGS

This is something Kevin and I started doing a few months ago. We sit down on Sunday evenings, go over budget, schedules, appointments and needs throughout the following week. Even things like “what do you need this week”. There are times he needs to meet up with a friend for a drink or times where I feel like I need a night off to breathe and be a human without two tiny people attached to me. This has been a game changer (when we actually follow through instead of binging on Netflix) at keeping our weeks running smoothly and checking in with each other! It sets us up for organization, met expectations and a smooth week ahead!

2. MINIMIZE STUFF

When I got pregnant with Colette, something flipped in me and I started feeling suffocated in stuff. My nesting phase was more of a purging phase. Nothing was safe, Wyatt’s toys, clothes, snowboards we hadn’t used in 4 years…the only thing that survived that shouldn’t have was this freaking grey T-shirt Kevin has had since high school that has more holes than a block of cheese…and yes he wore it to Colette’s birth LOL. WOW, got distracted. ANYWAY, we both have been feeling this tug to purge unnecessary things and focus on fewer distractions in our home. A cluttered mess is directly linked to depression and anxiety. A clean, uncluttered and organized living space creates peace and calm. Studies have also been done on children and their play habits. Kids play longer and happier with LESS toys! Cheers to minimizing, friends! Grab a trash bag and join me!

3. OBLIGATORY EAT HEALTHY + EXERCISE

We are usually a Whole30 family but the holidays sure do have a way of enticing us away from those healthy meals and straight to eating cookies for breakfast (ok thats extreme…but we did eat pie for breakfast). Health and wellness are so important to us, January is a great time to get back at it! We do Whole30 for our eating, I use a combo of Kayla Itsines and Tone It Up for my workouts and Kevin likes all those HIIT classes/spin/swimming at the gym. Find what works for YOU! It doesn’t have to be much. WALK! Grab the kids and the dog and walk. Kayla’s workouts are only 28 minutes long. You can swing it! MEAL PREPPING will save your life. Add that to your Sunday night meeting and BOOM. Set up for success. Ok, Im typing all this from my sofa eating leftover Christmas cookies so you should totally take my advice.

4. BUDGET

This word used to induce shivers, maybe an eye roll or just complete anxiety. Its not that I didn’t want to, its just that I was really bad at it! I could do really really well then crash and burn. Kevin has been such an amazing leader in this area and I am proud to report that I have improved immensely! We love Dave Ramsey in this house and follow his ways! Biblical truth about money, practical ways to live like no one else! We have had so much success with his methods. Check him out! Warning: it will involve saying NO to things, NOT keeping up with the Joneses (which is fine because you probably dont like them anyway), and cutting up some credit cards. You’ve been warned! But seriously, do it.

5. FAMILY DINNERS

This one feels like a lost art these days. Tv, phones and one million extracurricular activities provide the perfect environment to keep us distracted and disconnected. We are usually pretty good about this, but we want to make it a priority going into 2018 now that Wyatt is almost 5 (sobbing). Dinner time is such a great way to connect with our kids, have meaningful conversations and even have FUN! I will do another post on how we cut TV and all the benefits that we reaped from doing that!

6. DATE NIGHTS (oh hey kev!)

I believe that having a strong marriage is the foundation to healthy thriving kids and a solid home. Making time for each other with a toddler and newborn, two jobs and LIFE was hard last year! I used to be under this belief that kids are the center of the family all should be done to make sure they are completely cared for. While I still agree with this to an extent, I have learned that our marriage being healthy is crucial to the proper care of our children. They will learn so much about life by just watching how Kevin and I love each other! No pressure. We are making this a priority this year, and every year! Date your spouse, forever and ever. AMEN

7. FAMILY DEVOTIONS

Ever go to church and feel like God reaches down and SMACKS YOU IN THE FACE? Had that the other day! Our pastor was talking about family devotions and while we talk a lot about Jesus and pray together, we don’t study the Word with our son on a daily basis! This is happening in 2018! Raising kids in 2018 is scary, hard and raw. Equipping them with the gospel is our number one priority. The books we love are this one and this one.

8. SERVING

Big or small. Long or short. Well planned or on a whim. I want serving others to become second nature not only for me but for my kids.

I sincerely hope this was helpful in inspiring you to make some goals for yourself!