Category: Life

I prefer goals over resolutions, goals seem more concrete and have a finish line.

First let’s visit how last year’s goals finished up.

1.  Started as running a 5k then I decided I would rather do a duathlon.  I participated in a duathlon but relay style, I did not do the whole thing, but I did run a 5k.  So goal semi-accomplished and I am happy I tried.

2.  Focus more on Reduce and Reuse.  I am doing this, and I am doing it more and more.  I almost made my commitment to buying used/hand made clothing for myself, but right before we went to Ethiopia I purchase a couple of new tops because I was having difficulty finding used ones that were appropriate for travel (due to the fact that I live in the desert I own a lot of sleeveless tops!).

3.  More gardening and preserving.  I hit a bump on this one, two little precious angels put gardening and preserving on the back-burner.

4.  Continue my goals from 2008.  I am continuing to improve in those areas.  We eat mostly vegetarian.  We did have some issues with food waste, but it is getting better.  Water usage per person is down, adding two more persons helped.  I don’t have final numbers yet so I can’t say if we met our goal of 75 gallons/person, but I can say in the months since the boys have been home we have been below that goal number, which is quite the feat considering how much laundry I am doing!

2010 Goals

1.  I like to keep on with the running thing.  Matt and I are doing the off-road duathlon again and I am hoping to do a duathlon all by myself this year.  For sure I am going to run my first 10k in the fall.

2.  Get more organized.  This is mostly pertaining to being a wife, mom, and household manager.  I need to find a routine that works for keeping this house running smoothly.  I am currently putting everything into ical so I have set days for certain laundry items, vacuuming, etc.

3.  Gardening.  I need to refocus in this area and hopefully have a good spring/summer harvest.  I don’t really know of a concrete goal to set in this area, because saying I would like to harvest so many pounds would just set me up for failure, since not everything is in my control.  I am going to dedicate one day a week to make sure I get out there and do some gardening.

Yep. Aspirations. Stephanie and I are not big on new year resolutions. We do set goals often, and revisit these through out the year. Regardless, a new year brings a fresh blanket of snow, and we are free to make whatever footprints we wish. So i thought i would share some things we have been talking about recently.

As a family:

• Continue to declutter and own less stuff.
• Save more (aka retirement planning).
• spend less time watching tv, and more time reading books together (I have green eggs and ham memorized!)

Matt:

• run more. I was running 7 miles in 60 minutes. I’d like to be at 9 miles in 60 minutes.
• bike more. umm yeah, that is always my goal.
• Read more. I need to finish my pMBA.
• date my wife more than ever.
• Continue to get in better shape. Jan. 2009 i was 228 at 6′ 2″. Jan 2010 I am 190. I’d like to see 180 this year.
• Go camping with my boys.
• redesign this blog.

Well those are mine, Stephanie will share hers later i am sure.

Happy Birthday to Stephanie!

She is the greatest wife, friend, and mother a guy could ask for. And just look at her in the park with her two cute little boys. Isn’t she so beautiful! I am a pretty lucky guy, and I hope she has a great birthday today!