Natalie 2016: Intention

Each year I set a theme to focus on instead of doing new year's resolutions.  I love the idea of a theme or Strategy.  It gives you guides but doesn't confine you to something that you might give up in a month. 

For 2015, my theme was Simplify/Streamline.  I revisited my theme in this post if you want to see how I had done half way through the year.  I struggled with some of the individual goals that I made for myself but I feel I did a good job overall of staying focused.  In 2014, it was Mastering the Task at hand and in 2013 was a list of goals.  It's fun to go back and read what I had wanted to focus on that year.  When I began to think about 2016 and what I would like to focus on, I struggled with trying to define it all in one theme.  This usually happens but it's great to get your mind thinking this way and pushing you to really put into words all the ideas in your head.

Before I get started, I wanted to share with you our family holiday picture this year.  So grateful for the year we have had and looking forward to many more adventures in the new year.  There will be ups and downs as every year but I hope to cherish the good and shine through the hard times.  

So, Natalie 2016 is going to be the year of...Intention.

This year I am also going to loosely follow the S.M.A.R.T goals guidelines for setting the different goals based on my theme.  Some won't have all the details because it might be a bit personal but otherwise I'll be an open book.

Physical
Run a full 5K by my 36th birthday. I started the Couch to 5K program recently and had issues with my knees.  I'm going to have to work out the knee issues but I'd still really like to run a 5K.  I may need to find a buddy for motivation as well.

Intellectual
Take at least one class/course/instructional session a month. This can be anything as long as it's something I learn from and can grow from.
Read a book a month. I already was able to start this in Dec and knocked out a short but good book call Fish!

Social
Meet up with one or more of my friends at least once a month.  This can be as easy as a lunch or going to knitting group.

Financial
Have a working budget for our family by March. I've become obsessed with budgeting and getting control of our money.  I've been reading and listening to many different resources about how to figure out budgeting and how to make it work for each family.  A lot of people(me being one of them) always felt a budget was constraining and frustrating but it doesn't have to be that way.  Having a budget is a way to tell your money where to go instead of not knowing and then finding out where it went.  Some resources that have been my go to lately have been Dave Ramsey, which he is a bit extreme but he has a lot of great ideas and things that I have learned from.  Also Derek and Carrie from Better Conversations about Money and Marriage podcast and Dave's daughter Rachel Cruze.  They all say it takes 3 months to figure out a budget that works and so we've been working on that and I'm giving us 4 to get it right.
Pay off a large portion of our debt by Dec 2016.  This won't include our home but the rest of the debt we have. I have a set amount in mind but feel that's personal.
*Savings and Emergency fund goal* For some reason I feel the details of this one are private.

Family
Have a movie/game night for our family once a month
Have at least one date night a month with my husband.

Spiritual
Find a church home by Easter.  This has been a struggle for me.  The church I went to for a long time just doesn't feel like home anymore so I stopped going.  My sisters and I have been trying out different churches and we haven't quite found our place yet.  We will.
Read a devotional daily.  I use the Bible app on my phone and set a reminder.  They have a ton of great devotionals but I think I'm going to re-read the Joyce Meyer year long one.  I've read it before and I really enjoyed it.

 And because this essentially is a knitting blog too.

Crafting
Send my TKGA Master Knitter Program Level 1 notebook by my 36th birthday in May.
Finish the projects I have already committed to making by June.
Always have a project for me on the needles.

I think this is a great start to the new year.  The goals are great but mainly I hope to follow my theme of being intentional with my time, energy, and thoughts.

Thank you for taking the time to visit and read my goals.  I wish you the best of luck in the new year!

Happy New Year!

What are your goals/themes/hopes for 2016?

Financial Budgets

Anyone else on a budget?? My friend Sheryl has been helping me figure out how to get out of debt, save money for my wedding and future, and still survive. She's helped me make a budget. We talked a couple weeks ago and I was telling her all about my finances and talking about the fact that I will have two paychecks this summer. Which is wonderful but I really want it to go to something not just be spent....So, essentially I need a plan. She looked over all my bills and created a budget and a time-line for paying back all my bills. I've wracked up a TON of medical bills with the accident over Thanksgiving and my toe surgery so I need to start paying them all off. One of the things I've decided is that I need to stick to this budget if I'm going to have any hope. We met this morning and talked all about the budget and what I have to do to get started. I'm not sure Special K is going to like my budget but I guess he'll get used to it...I know it's going to take me a bit.

It's never fun talking finances but I think it's one of the most important conversations to have. I guess we are just going to have to work all this out. As the plan goes with no major emergencies happening I'm going to be able to pay half my debt by the end of the year. This is exciting and I can't wait.

I think one big thing will be limiting my yarn/fiber related purchases and staying out of swaps, which I love but I think it might be important. My goal is to only purchase yarn that has a specific purpose and to use my stash as much as possible. I think that might work. I'm still young and the big plans for my future are going to need me staying in financial control. Those words "financial control" are two simple words but have a HUGE meaning.

Well..I hope this break in the knitting/life talk and discussion of money doesn't bother anyone but I just felt like getting it off my chest.

A little about what's going on with me. I've spent a couple hours working on getting some of the dust out of my house. With two big dogs, it is never ending. I also plan on working on my Dog Bone Blanket for my friends baby shower gift. I found out it's next week...not sure I'll be done by then but I need to work on it. I was kind of thinking I don't want to give it to her. A friend at my knit group made a Log Cabin blanket from Mason Dixon Knitting and I really liked it and I think one in two shades of pink would be perfect but that means I'd have to cast on TODAY and finish it in a week. I also want to finish my reversai socks, work on the 9-5 socks, and cast on the Bellatrix socks for the May Sockdown. :) Loads to do and not sure where to start. I guess I'm going to watch some Gilmore girls and finish the toes on the reversai socks while I think what to do about the baby blanket.

Well...thanks for reading and hope everyone is having a great day!!