- Budgeting | After getting ourselves into a major financial pickle, I decided to change how we handle finances. Now I do weekly budgeting and bills. I cried a lot at first, but it's gotten easier. (But no more enjoyable, let me tell you what.) We're finally out of the red and in the process of rebuilding our emergency fund. We also worked really hard to fund our mission trip to Singapore and Malaysia, and God truly provided. I will continue weekly budgeting, building our emergency fund, and working on some new financial goals, along with raising funds for another Singapore/Malaysia trip in December.
- Meal Planning and Grocery Shopping | This is still a work in progress, but I feel like I've come a long way this year. Due to having a grocery budget, I have to be more mindful in my grocery purchases, which means I have to plan more. I'm not a natural planner, so this isn't the easiest thing for me, but it's getting easier. I'm realizing I need to handle things the way they work for me... not how someone else does it. This has given me freedom. I don't meal plan or shop perfectly, but it works for me, and that's good enough.
- Reading my Bible | I found a plan that works for me, so that's what I do every year. (The one year I tried to do something different was awful! ha!) I was very happy to read my Bible through in 2022.
- Crafting | This year I started and completed four quilts for friends and family: Julianne and Sarah got wedding quilts and my grandparents got quilts for Christmas. I know I made some dresses, too, but the only one on the top of my head is the yellow one I made before we went to North Carolina. I did a lot of sewing and I really enjoyed it.
- Reading | I read 43 books this year. In 2021 I read 100 (a bucket list item for me). While it was doable, it was difficult and cut into time for other things. I averaged my books read per year for the last 10 years (I've been on Goodreads keeping up with my books read for that long) and the average was 40, so that was my 2022 goal. Super doable without having to try too hard.
This year I want to focus more on habits and less on goals.
Habits I want to continue in 2023:
- Budgeting
- Grocery planning
- Daily Bible reading, devotion, and Jesus time - I purchased a new Bible! It's the same daily reading Bible I've used for 15 years (my copy is a little worse for wear) but it has room for journaling! It should come in today!
- Reading - This year's goal is 45 books. I also got some new earbuds so I'd like to listen to more audiobooks while I sew (if this bodes well, I'll raise my goal to 50)
Habits I want to create in 2023:
- Move more: Be it walking or yoga, I want to incorporate moving 3x per week. I've realized it's less about an end goal and more about reminding myself today why I should move today. I always feel better after stretching or walking.
- Turn Sunday into Sabbath by incorporating these things:
- Weekly devotion and prayer time with Casey
- review Wednesday night kids' lesson
- choose a Christian book for Sunday reading
- Gather verses for a "take what you need" instagram story to encourage others
- No social media once I return home from church
- Home: I'd like to work on some house cleaning habits, but I don't know what that looks like yet, so I'm still thinking on it.
I know I've been talking habits, but I do have some crafting goals for the year. This year, I plan to make some quilts for others, but also finish some I'm making for myself. I only have one quilt I've made and I often wish I had a few more. I plan to finish and/or start:
- Fresh as a Daisy (I think I'm about halfway through the blocks)
- Picnic in the park (also probably about halfway)
- t-shirt quilt (haven't started, but want to finish in time to take to SALT in June)
- Summer Pop by Lo and Behold (I purchased the kit when it went on sale--would also love to have this one for summer)
- The tops for the following are done so they just need to be quilted:
- Eye Spy
- Scrappy Summer Quilt Along
- Vintage top I thrifted
- the Happy quilt (pink and yellow patchwork)
- bed quilt (which I accidentally made too big so some of it needs to be removed)
Another exciting thing for 2023: We are starting the adoption process! We've always known we wanted to adopt children, and it feels like the right time to start the process. I'll be looking into enrolling us into an orientation class for foster to adopt soon. I know this process will likely be a long one, but we are excited to start this journey.
