100 small things-- work in progress (six month check in)

"EMBRACE" GOALS: 2017
**these are my New Year Resolutions for 2017 that help me "embrace" this life I'm living.**

• 10pm bedtime for myself (9:30pm "turn in")*in progress
• No swearing *in progress
• Read 50+ books *in progress
• Good bedtime routine with the kids (read chapter books, sing songs, say prayers)*in progress
• Blog 3x weekly--map it out *in progress

HOME

• Organize the office- set up my stamping stuff (!!!)
• Get rid of all.the.things (esp. baby stuff)
• --Specifically the filing cabinet
• Buy sheets for Carly's bed/set up her bed
• Purge old makeup
• Learn to coupon
• Buy wool balls for the dryer (THANKS MOM!)
• Make new pantry shelves to utilize space more efficiently
• Burn candles/Scentsy as much as possible
• Clean house every Sunday
• Sort/Purge/Organize every closet & cupboard in the house
• Replace rose bushes out front
• Take out arborvitae bushes
• Spread rocks along the perimeter of the yard & beside the house
• Paint both bathrooms
• Put flower boxes inside closet door for mittens & hat storage
• Clean the stove top twice (every six months)
• Clean dishwasher
• Make our new desk location work for us-- reorganize drawers
• Read Happier at Home by Gretchen Rubin

BODY

• Hike with my dad & boys
• Kayak with my mom
• Workout 3x week average (156 days in 2017-2018)*36 days
• Walk the boys to school whenever possible *in progress
• Do 20 push ups everyday

SOUL

• Afternoon tea, oil or meditation to center myself before dinner (aka "witching hour")
• Gratitude journal at least once a week (make accountability sheet)*in progress
• Read bible weekly (make checklist)
• Meditate daily (keep track on the calendar daily)*in progress
• Journal nightly re: eating & parenting (answer specific questions) *in progress
• Listen to music daily in the shower *in progress
• Spread kindness- tell strangers kind things *in progress
• -Be helpful generally *in progress
• Write out inspirational quotes to hang around the house
• Try more essential oils

MIND

• Screen-free weekdays for kids *in progress
• Afternoon=sacred kid time (no distractions!)*in progress
• 1 weekday screen-free for me *in progress
• Media-free mornings for me= more reading books!
• Cell phone lives on kitchen counter, not in my pocket 
• Watch 3 documentaries *2/3
• Delete old phone contacts
• Make password notebook
• Write out prayers to rid myself of anxiety
• Write out some body positivity mantras

MOTHERHOOD

• No yelling (keep track on calendar with stickers daily)
• Drive myself (+ kids) to Vancouver
• Monthly meal planning
• Try new meats: shrimp
• Try new meats: fish
• Make 3 Pinterest meals
• Haircuts- 6 weeks *in progress
• Print some recent photos
• Get a bike for me
• Get a bike for Josh
• Create a family photo book
• Celebrate Mother's Day for those around us
• Celebrate Father's Day for those around us
• Read 10 chapter books with the boys this year *in progress
• Color with my kids- put up an art show

CHILDREN

• Eat outside
• Kids memorization of addition facts
• Figure out memorabilia system for kids
• Chore system- keep it up, add more responsibility (meds/pull ups)
• Library visit 1x month (Love this reasonable goal, Tab!)
• Monthly "crafternoon" (Brilliant Ashley!)
• Thank teachers & staff at the boys' school
• Continue "family grooming day" Sundays- cut nails, etc.
• Try brownies in a cup (thanks, Ashley!)
• Rotate consistently who sets the table & helps with dinner

HUSBAND

• Trade bedtime duty once a week
• Play Rummikub
• Trade backrubs
• Make his lunches
• Make weekly date night a priority

FRIENDSHIP

• Small group get together
• Keep track of birthdays/anniversaries & send cards according/make calendar
• Call someone (have a list to choose from) when I'm feeling down
• Send 3 (1) surprise packages + Send 10 (5) snail mail letters
• Get together with 3 friends' families in town

TRADITION

• Christmas cinnamon rolls
• Spooky tortillas at Halloween
• Candy corn cupcakes
• Elf on the shelf
• Make sugar cookie ornaments

BLOG

• A Week In The Life
• Introduce "Alaska Living" page
• Month-long blog writing challenge
• Share favorite books: kids + mine weekly
• Write one chapter of my book each month this year
• Finish my blog story (Part One + Part Two)
• Share how we do chores
• Share 2017 reading "bookshelf" from my journal
• Empty my dashboard of Drafts (all.of.them) by August 2018
• 100 Small Things quarterly updates (Nov.1, Feb.1, May 1, Sep. 1)

I am so excited to be (almost) halfway through and have this many things crossed off.  There are some things on the list that are higher priorities for me, so those are more likely to get crossed off than others. I guess we'll see what happens between now & August. 

***