April 15, 2009

March and April Goals

Remember the LIST? And the Monthly BREAKDOWN of goals for January? Then the progress report for January? And the progress report for February? Those were nice. Then came March. And baby. And there went all my plans.

So I won’t even bother with grades for March since I’m sure I’m flunking in a bigger-than-life way. I know I have an excuse, but it still doesn’t feel good to know that my year was hijacked and I may not recover. Physically, yes. Emotionally, eventually (hormones are not your friend). But list-wise… I am not seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. School and "getting things done" are suffering a huge blow. This may cure me of my perfectionism yet. God has mysterious ways of working on your character traits.

I decided earlier that I would need to get 12 projects done per month to finish the list off by December 2009. Here’s what I got done in March (wow, I’m glad I typed that out – I look a lot less like a slug on paper):

2. pay off a credit card (2 of them so far)
13. have the baby and take pictures of his wrinkly feet
53. continue reading homeschool/teaching books
66. get Pampered Chef Timer
90. deep clean before baby comes
97. have someone over for dinner this month (we took them out to dinner – does that count?)
108. have kids/dad read to baby in belly (in and out of the belly – much more fun when he’s out of the belly)
109. baby shower for family
111. get playpen, car seat, stroller
113. declutter once a month (kitchen cabinets, pantry, kid’s closets, my closet)
117. kids to cook a meal without help for March (Morgan but not Kaden)
134. make list of photos I want to snap at the hospital when the baby is born
140. work some on indexing blog
146. buy baby book
153. get authors for the Homeschool Post up and running
Not numbered: Go through horrendous process of getting baby to nurse after nipple confusion with little or no sleep (I am the champion!)

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Below are my plans for April (some of these may be carried over from above if they aren't done yet):

149/150. Decorate baby & M’s room/Paint mural and crib
2. pay off another credit card
5. redesign my blog
7. organize children's closets, rooms, toys
10. continue to read books with the kids (we're way behind on our 100 chapter book list!)
13. more wrinkly feet photos before he’s too big (he’s 9 lbs right now after 4 weeks – and he was born at 9 lbs, 4 oz… so I still have a bit of time for hand and feet photos just for fun)
15. get caught up with grading, recording, filing, portfolios for school
17. seed the garden and get it in shape for the growing season (buying dirt soon!)
19. get Ammie's recipes (Chicken Parm, Parm pasta, Green beans, Artichoke dip...)
23. find and get in to homeschool groove
27. work on bedtime goals
28. time each day with the Lord
30. finish GeeArt and start CE
36. more ways to make hubby happy
38. finish the school closet
47. redo school routine (get it written down on paper)
53. continue reading homeschool/teaching books
61. fix the king bed frame
65. keep up with menu plans and eat at home more
75. buy another must-have book for our home library
78. more give-aways on my blog
79. more recipes (3x per week) on Gathering Manna
82. continue to put school before housework
94. print July-December for calendar, make 2008 annual letter
97. have someone over for dinner this month
102. height and weight for kids (measure this week)
103. continue to do James copywork, proof-read when done
105. buy some more lamps and overhead lighting & install
107. read to the kids every day
108. have kids/dad read to baby
115. get loose school papers in closet and binderize them
117. kids to cook a meal without help for April (Kaden to make 3 this month)
130. sell stuff (Xbox, games, books, curriculum, furniture)
132. cat door installed
133. make list of books for the kids (ones they are interested in reading)
140. finish indexing blog (or at least make progress)
147. go see home-bound friend
Not numbered: take walks with the baby, thank you cards sent out, look for a rocking chair on Craig’s List, go through curriculum on homeschool shelves and purge, go through stack of to-do homeschool projects and get them done, plan for King Tut Dallas trip & homeschool conventions, get caught up on paperwork and calendars


That's a lot of stuff to get done – makes me dizzy just thinking about it. Since half of April is already gone, I have a handicap. I also have a little booby-tick that prevents me from getting a lot done around here, too. He’s ever so cute, though. A sweet, cuddly distraction.

How are you doing on your list for 2009?

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ya know, I LOVE this idea. I think I'm going to copy err steal it :)

Monthly goals....yeah!!!!

Anonymous said...

I am a mother of 2 girls and am a teacher. I have been homeschooling them. They are 6 and 4. Tried to put the 6 year old in preschool when she was 4 and she hated it. was very traumatized. (a christian one) She just got out of the hospital. she had strep pnemonia and was on a ventilator. We prayed like crazy and God healed her. It was a miracle. On to my comment, I have been struggling to decide what to do next year. Everybody keeps saying I should send them to school, but they are much happier at home. My 6 year old just skipped ahead in her K math book to the tests. First time doing subtraction and she aced it. I was very happy to find your site and I think our family will be much happier homeschooling for a while. Escpecially after the hospital trauma. Just wanted to say thank you. Our God is and awesome God!! Jen

lori said...

Girlfriend...the fact that you can FIND the list astounds me...We are kindred spirits really though, I have lists upon lists and I've even been known to put down what I did just so I could PROVE I'd done it....to myself...go figure!!

You look wonderful...and you know what a blessing you are in so many lives....near and far!!
love you!!
lori

Julie said...

Ummm....that sure is some list for one month! Wow....I wish I could accomplish those things in a year.

I am getting ready to make my summer list of "to-dos" so this is motivating me. I do love my lists...DH laughs at me! :)

Great blog!

Dana~Are We There Yet? said...

"Booby tick"! SNORT!

Congratulations on your outstanding accomplishments! I always plan 8 weeks of "maternity leave" when I have a baby. Between hormones and lack of sleep, I'm about as useful as tits on a boar hog.

 

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