Reflections on 14 goals

Last year I said I wanted to do all of these things in 2014.

I wanted to blog weekly. In 2014 there were 49 posts (I just counted), so not quite 56. And there were no posts all summer (from May to September) and the fall/winter was sparse. I'll keep blogging and maybe try to post at least once a month during the busy summer and fall. I expect things to be just as hectic but hopefully more exciting with progress instead of "we're still fostering, we're still pregnant, we're doing the usual every-day-chores-and-there's-no-creamery-yet".

I wanted to make soap. Lots of soap. Done and done. We don't buy soap anymore and it's so satisfying!

I wanted to read a book monthly. I read 42 books. In fact, instead of blogging time, I was reading. I love reading. Always.

A personal photo project ... I thought about this all year and came up dry. But I think our family is my project right now, in terms of personal photography. This has been lagging and so in 2015 (which starts with 5 months of birthdays - so 5 months of photoshoots) I want to give myself permission to value photographing my own family.

Blocking out time with each family member happened, and it's a time I value. The girls are really good at seeking me out for time; with Noah I have to be more conscious. Every time I snag a minute or 30 with Noah, I'm reminded how cool he is! I love spending time with him.

Being present. I think overall this year, I've taken each moment as it came and just rolled with it. For me, this is being present. It doesn't help to freak out (and there have been times that have been freak-out inducing!).

Pride in small achievements go with this. Laundry has been kept up to date, for the most part (sometimes 5 loads in a row to catch up!)

Finding and making a healthy conditioner was quickly abandoned. Suave Naturals works, and so for the most part, that's what I use. This time of year I'll do some coconut/olive oil mix. And right now I'm thankful for two showers a week :)

Sugar cookies were not made, gingerbread was (never again -it wasn't hard, but the pieces didn't stick together to make houses, so that was disappointing - for me, the kids had fun!), and eggnog was made obsessively until I came to terms with the fact that it was too much sugar for this pregnant momma.

Making socks proved much more time-consuming than I thought - so I just asked for wool socks for Christmas and now I have plenty and my feet are nice and toasty.

Homemade gifts by June?! HA! There were no homemade gifts this year. I felt guilty about this, because every year the "kids" make homemade gifts for family members. Thankfully, my mom took the kids out shopping for family gifts and it was sweet to see what the kids were so excited to give (a pen for Poobah, a back scrubber for me).

Canning happened this year, but not with the enthusiasm I felt in January :)

Using new recipes? Good idea - I'll get on that. I barely cooked this year! Lately scrambled egg sandwiches are my favorite yummy go-to dinner.

Spending less happened, I think. And this year I need to buckle down more. We really want that creamery built and it's not free. I was really conscious of not spending in the beginning of the year, and the last couple months have been a $7 bagel sandwich almost every week and a coffee here and a new hat there. So yeah, there's room to spend less.

So all goals still apply for 2015. And the 15th goal can be: birth a baby.

What are your goals this year?!? Inspire me!