Happy New Year Everyone!!

Well, I've been thinking about my self-improvement goals for the new year.  I listed a few in my last post, but since then I've solidified my resolutions.  Hold on...my timer is beeping.............


Ok, the homemade Mac 'N Cheese needs 5 more minutes.  So. Resolutions. Here they are:

Short Term (Jan-Mar)  (we talked about these already)

1. Lose 5 lbs
2. finish my sweater
3. Potty Train Joe (this starts tomorrow, actually)

Long Term for the year:

1. Get a better grip on our finances by:
1. budgeting in more detail
2. listing our real expenses at least once a quarter to see how our spending matches up with the budget
3. get that credit card paid off ASAP.  We will all eat rice and beans for a month if necessary.
2. menu planning faithfully so as to keep our food budget down.  There has got to be a way to feed a family of 8 for under $800 a month.
3. Oh!  Potty training Joe will save on diapers!!  
4. I will start taking advantage of CVS (our local drugstore) sales/promotions/coupons. They often have decent diaper deals, as well as good coupons for toiletries, and the occasional seasonal items.  I have not done drugstore shopping in the last couple years because it's yet another stop, but I think I need to start this.  

Each of the children have made goals too, or had goal assigned.

Hannah: Write a book.  She's had a whiz-dinger of an idea for a story and is well on her way.

Nathan: Read out loud to someone every day.

Leah:  Learn to read (well on her way), learn cursive (working on it) and learn to roller skate.  She's our overachiever...

Olivia:  Learn her alphabet and numbers up to 25.

Josiah:  Potty train, learn to put on clothes and shoes by himself.

Seth:  Learn to walk, maybe a few words by next January. 

I haven't asked Michael if I can share his goals, so I won't for now.  Also, I have some knitting goals (of course!).

I putting myself on a yarn diet.  I hereby swear that I will not buy any more yarn until I use up 10 skeins in my stash.  I plan to use 6 skeins on my sweater, and I have 1 more skein on a planned project.  Hannah will use up 1 skein for a project she is working on, so that leaves 2 more that I need to find a project for.  I'll think more about that when my sweater is done.

Well, that's our plan.  How about you?  Any resolutions?