Monday: Goal Check 1!

Here we are another Monday. I am running a goal check. This helps keep me on track and remind me that I AM reaching those goals and actually doing something!

Business goals:

• Finish three two afghans (I have two left to finish this goal. Currently I have three afghans started....

 

The zig zag chevron stripe is finished. The one on top is started....and I have a granny striped started in my new yarns, and a sampler granny square afghan started.

• Start three more afghans


• Sew 50+ cup cozies in new styles ( I prepare for the holiday buying season in advance, because I also home school.)


• Sew the 30+ new items I need him to photograph


• Make the new Christmas items....


• Blog more consistently (I have been writing ahead and found my blog planning pages...)


• Write a business plan

Family goals:

• Take two summery day trips every week


• Make some meals for the freezer for THOSE days when I just really need them (one lasagna down...)


• Help K get her things ready for College.... (two major things marked off our list.)


• Take T for driving practice


• Exercise (walked and/or exercised three times last week.  YAY!)


• Make the kitchen a better place to be, using things I already have. (It seems small and I really have to work at loving being in there.)


• Make the curtains in the living room fit the windows better and the hems the same length (I put these curtains up super quick when I realized that the bamboo shades are see through at night with the lights on.) 

Rather lofty goals aren't they. I also have some personal ones that I have not added to this list.

Personal goals:

• Work through my Bible study that I stopped this Spring.


• Have us sit at the table for dinners 5 nights a week. (Totally missed out on this one this past week, but we have another week ahead of us!)


• Keep my kitchen and laundry caught up and ready for action. ( Frankly, got clothes washed but not folded or put away. Laundry is my most hated chore. It is never finished)


• Have some friends over for dinner...or coffee or dessert or something.


• Read some books about homeschooling


• Attend the home school curriculum sale this weekend.  (Totally missed out on this. Now, I need to find inspiration in another place...)


• Help with the Youth at church at least 2 times a month.

Well, those are my rather lofty goals. I hope that things get better and I get more organized at meeting my goals.

Things I/we accomplished that weren't on my list of things to do!

I started cleaning and organizing my studio areas.We also moved the furniture around in this area and I need to finish organizing, pitching or donating items.  I have a lot of boxes left to go through but we are happy with the new arrangement of the room and how it is starting to come together.  I re-opened my Amazon.com shop by listing more books for sale. We did a quick check up on our budget and re-affirmed our money goals. I sat down with our calendar and checked dates and times of appointments as we missed some important things last week.

Talk to you later,

Karen

 

 

Wednesday Squared: square 1

I enjoy the mindlessness of crocheting granny squares. I have long felt that I need to try some new squares. I have been intrigued by this

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crochet blanket and I have long wanted to put together my own crochet sampler. Here is my square a week.



This pattern is taken from Beyond the square Crochet Motifs by Edie Eckman.

I think I will use at least four of these in my crochet sampler blanket.

What are you doing new this week?

See you later,

Karen

 

24 years and Counting!

Today is our anniversary. I wish I could say that it has been rainbows and happiness the whole time. It hasn't and we live an normal average life.We have had all of the average problems, health issues, money issues, parenting issues, car issues, dog issues. Some of those are better now that the dogs are older and the cars are younger. So instead of bragging about how forgiving we are...how we don't carry grudges, how we never fight, how miraculous it is being married to such a perfect person.  (Please don't spit the coffee out on the laptop, computers don't handle moisture well.)

I am writing a thank you to all those that have invested in our marriage and helped us through the hard spots, because frankly we are real people just like you.

If you ever watched our kids (wild as they were) when they were young and we were too, thank you so much! You allowed us to touch base again and remember how much we do enjoy spending time together.

If you ever taught us at church or a Bible study, thank you, because you enabled us to see that God has the ultimate hand in our lives and also in our marriage. You probably taught about money, forgiveness, how much we fail, how much we need to forgive others, the list is endless.

If you ever went out for coffee as friends to either one of us, you have helped to keep us sane and helped us laugh hysterically or listened to us as we spilled our hearts.

If you ever spent time just hanging out, you have helped us feel not so isolated.

If you ever talked about your life, kids, marriage, life issues or money, thank you because you helped us to remember that life at times is hard for everyone.

If you ever brought a meal when one of us was recovering from surgery, thank you; you helped us make it through another day with less frustration.

If you ever allowed us to help you, thank you because you have and are teaching us to reach out and not be so focused on ourselves.

I guess what I am saying is that it takes a lot of people helping to help a couple make it that long. Thank you for sharing your lives and friendship. When you reach out to someone you are making a difference in their lives and marriage.

Karen

P.S. Thank you for sticking through the thick and thin times! I still love to hold your hand.