Update on my '09 goals and a writing challenge

So far on some of my '09 goals, I'm right on track but on others I'm way off. First, I'll concentrate on where I'm going right and then I'll discover where to improve next. I'm planning on reading 25 books overall and so far I've read and reviewed six books. I feel this is going great! I also have a few extra books that I read in February, since that was a huge reading month for me, that I'll be counting in as I review them on 5-squared.
My next goal that I'm on task for is writing poetry. I'm planning on 10 poems and I've written three so I'm staying strong with that. I feel it will come and I'm making sure to write down the bits and pieces of inspiration that come which I can later create into a poem.
Here's my discovery part of my goals given the fact I need a lot of improvement in my next few goals of '09. I'm behind on two of my stories to my sister which I'm going to remedy in the next three days and send them to her. I haven't been working on conversational Spanish like I had hoped with my children so I may give that up for now. I have walked some but not every day like I should be. Although, I have read my scriptures here and there, I'm behind on the actual lessons for Sunday School but I'm not ready to give up here. I do have excuses, perhaps even valid ones, for my lacking to do what I intended but who doesn't? I'm ready to do better and I will eventually.
Lastly, I'm going to put a lot of things on hold and concentrate on Tristi's Writing Challenge in April. I plan to wildly write as much as I can. I plan to write a series of short stories. I plan to write a first draft down that I'm aiming to be a novel. Of course, I'll still add to my poetry & three more poems would be great too. I'm not getting any younger and I do have writing that I dream of doing but I'd like to make that more of a reality now. This will be my first writing challenge ever! I'm looking forward to it and I know this excitement will carry me thru to the end of April.....and beyond!

I'll keep updates on this challenge here.

2009 Looking Forward

A New Year is here again! Here I go pondering about my life and I'm looking forward with some new goals for 2009:

1) I plan on reading 25 books and posting the book reviews on 5-squared. I broke it down to 2 per month with an extra book thrown in one of those months. I plan to attend, as consistently as I'm able, the Classic Lit. book group and Focus book group and these reading selections will help me achieve this goal.

2) I plan on writing one personal story from my life each month and mailing it to my sister, Bonnie. I would like my sister to get to know me better and I'd like to record bits and pieces from my life. I would also like to include writing a poem here and there as well. (10 poems/12 stories)

3) I plan on continuing to make tote bags for people. I would also like to use re-usable tote bags at the grocery store and get in this habit of becoming more eco-friendly.

4) I plan on helping my children learn some basic conversational Spanish, having regular trips to the library with them and scheduled reading time too. Also, I'd like to help them learn their math skills better, esp. multiplication facts, including re-memorizing some myself.

5) I plan on going on a walk every day. I'd like to be ready to participate in the "Light the Night" Walk or the "Walk Now for Autism."

6) I plan on reading the scriptures for the Sunday School lessons for church. Teachings are from the Doctrine and Covenants this year. Our Heritage is suggested to be read along with this, so I'll read this too. I would also like to read these chapters from the Holy Bible in Genesis, Pslams/Proverbs, Job and the Four Gospels.

I'll update and re-evaluate my progress, even if just to myself, from time to time.

When we are motivated by goals that have deep meaning, by dreams that need completion, by pure love that needs expressing, then we truly live life.
~Greg Anderson

Timothy T.C. So wrote this great article on setting goals - Check it out!

2008 In Review

In the beginning of 2008, I don't remember a whole lot since I had my baby, Noah, in Oct. '07 and I think I was still recovering with that somewhat into the first part of the year. I know I thought about goals, since I usually do at this time of the year, but I can't find my journal entry or sticky piece of paper or wherever I may have written my '08 goals. So, I'll do my best to see what I can remember. I think my year really started to be a bit better in April of '08 - thanks to a re-evaluation, started to blog and some encouragement from my friends too.

1) I do remember making some sort of weight-loss goal. I'm embarrassed but the truth is I didn't stick with it at all. I tried a little bit on my own and created a SparkPage at SparkPeople.com. I had good intentions but didn't bring them to action so I'll have to re-evaluate for '09.

2) I had a writing goal and I attended a few writing groups as I could throughout the year. Although, I didn't get my novel written or any super great stories, I did manage to write a couple handfuls, or a bit more of poetry. I do like the poems I have written this year.
Also, I participated, in March, as a guest editor to the San Antonio Express News. I read & chose some poems that others had written for print in the paper. I really learned a lot. It was a good experience.

3) I made a goal to read more books. I continued taking part as I could in the Classic Literature Book Group at my local library. My friend, Amanda, is the moderator for the group and she does a great job so I enjoy this book group. I plan to continue next year.
In April, she set up an amazing book review blog called 5-squared and she invited me to participate in reading books and writing the book reviews on the blog. Personally, I was flattered for the invitation and this inspired my reading goal. My goal was 17 books last year and I have 15 posted on there right now. I have one last book review to write for '08 and that will be 16/17 books for me! I'm happy about that! (Jared , I did make your challenge of 8 books!)

4) I can't remember my original art, scrapbook or craft goals but I did end up learning some new skills and doing a few projects. I've enjoyed a bit of rubber stamping, beading, and sewing. I've posted most of that here on this blog.
The highlight of my craft projects this year would have to be the tote bags that my brother-in-law, Nathan taught me how to make. I was amazed at how quite a few things I had learned about sewing in my childhood, from my watching or helping my mother, came right back to me. I completed 5 tote bags, with Nathan's help, and I have 4 others in the works. Perhaps, I'll post a sneak peak later.

5) I've been participating in a Joy School for Gracie this year too. We've had some fun times and it has been so fun! I'll post our Halloween picture and what we made thanks to my sister, Bonnie and her fabulous idea to make the ghosts!

Sure, I have things to improve upon but I did accomplish some things. I'm sure as I keep thinking about '08, I might remember even more. All in all, I did alright! Here's to bigger and better things in '09!