2023 Goals

It's a brand new year, which means brand new goals!

And we've got the goals!

This year I am trying to be SMART about my goals so that I have a better chance of landing them all.  SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.  Last year I had goals, but they didn't quite measure up to a SMART plan.  Despite this, I did made some of them, so that was great!

Last year's goals included finishing a first draft of a story I've been writing for too many years and winning NaNoWriMo.  I didn't make either of those, sadly.  I also wanted to declutter and organize each room of the house.  Fail...  But I am doing Bible reading and prayer time nearly every morning!  Failed at getting a daily family devotion, but I did get it in for school Morning Basket time nearly every school day!  My school goals included having a plan and sticking to the plan (did pretty well at that) and to have 8 fluent readers by the end of 2022.  I made that goal, plus the last 2 are emerging readers!!!!  Woo-hoo!

My last post also told about a last minute goal I made on January 1st last year, reading 100 books in 2022, which I also made!  Probably because it was a SMART goal by accident.  LOL  In fact, if you look at the goals I did accomplish in 2022 (Bible reading & prayer time every morning, daily family devotion, having a school plan to follow, and having 8 fluent readers), they all had that SMART aspect to them.  Coincidence?  I think not!

Another thing I learned about people with ADHD is that goals mean nothing if they are not habits, as well.  I resonate with this so much!  If I can create a habit, especially hooking it to something I already do anyway, I am much more likely to succeed and build better habits & goals.

So let's see if my 2023 goals can be accomplished if I make them all SMART habits!

My first and most important goal this year is to read the entire Bible twice.  I've done once per year before, but I've never attempted to do it twice.  I found a plan on Pinterest to read it through in a month, but I thought that might make me a little too overachiever...  I downloaded a free bookmark from Answers in Genesis to read through chronologically, so my plan is to do that one first and then just go through from Genesis to Revelation after that.  What makes this goal SMART?

• Specific - Read the entire Bible twice, two different ways (chronologically and straight through)
• Measurable - The bookmark is checklist style, so I can just check off each section as I go.  For the second time through, I found a Bible reading chart through Pinterest several years ago.  I print one of these off for anyone who wants one for themselves or when we finish it as a family.
• Achievable - OK, jury's still out on whether or not it's achievable, but if I can read 100 books in a year, I think this is doable.
• Relevant - I want to dive into God's Word a lot more this year!
• Time-Bound - Hello, it must be done by 11:59pm on 12/31/2023
• Habit forming?  Yeah, this will build reading God's Word into my daily routine so that it becomes a habit for life!

My second goal is to continue my physical therapy and exercise routine.  Ever since my back issues and surgery in 2021, I have known it's time to make some physical changes.  Last year after surgery I began physical therapy to strengthen my core and my lower back.  But when the war in Ukraine broke out, I fell out of that habit due to grief (a good friend of ours died in the first few days, and we have many, many friends over there), and by this past fall my back was getting sore to the point that my doctor recommended physical therapy again, if for nothing else but to get me back into the routine.  On my closet door I have an exercise checklist with 31 boxes after each so I can know what I need to do, how many, and if I actually did them that day.  I do take Sundays off as a Sabbath rest to my body, but most other days I've been pretty diligent about getting those exercises and stretches done.  My body definitely thanks me for it!  I also need to lose a little weight, and I need to trim up my tummy and thighs.  It's not a crazy goal.  I don't need to be an entire size or two smaller, just 10 or so pounds, and the majority of that is in my tummy and thighs from all my pregnancies.  I'm mainly looking for a habit of healthy than a specific number like most people do at this time of year.  So what makes this goal SMART?

• Specific - A list of stretches and exercises to help my back and body get back on track, at a specific time of day (mornings right when I get up).  By the end of the year I also want my weight down and my tummy and thighs stronger and less flabby!  (Don't worry, the specifics are on my tracker - just don't want it all publicized!  LOL)
• Measurable - I can check off each exercise as I do it every day and track my weight monthly
• Achievable - I know I can do my exercises daily because I have done it before, and I know I can make this a daily habit.  If I'm exercising daily, my weight, tummy, and thighs should also cooperate.
• Relevant - I need to help my back since it doesn't have as much cushion between discs anymore, and I need my body to be strong and healthy to perform my duties as wife and mother (and someday grandmother)!
• Time-Bound - This year is for building the habit, so after 12 months, it should be well ingrained
• Habit forming?  Um, yeah, that's the whole point!

My third goal this year is a school goal: Have a Plan, Stick to the Plan.  This is the same goal I had for last year, and it worked out pretty well.  Not perfectly, but well enough.  So this year I want to try it again because I'm a perfectionist who gets bored with routine and also can constantly find ways to "improve."  Hopefully by making this goal SMART this year, it will help me really solidify this habit.

• Specific - I have a plan for the rest of this school year (I'm not changing a thing from last fall, though I nearly did!), and I'm going to just stick with it the rest of this year.  I will come up with a summer plan, and then I will plan for the following school year.  Highlighting dates we have off school in my Not Consumed planner has been incredibly valuable to keep me going.  It means I don't have to call off school so I can make it "better" every time we have a bad day, so I can specifically follow the specific plan I have already laid out.
• Measurable - Did I follow the plan today?  Yes?  Woot!  No?  Well, shoot.  But I can keep track of the days that I did school with the kids and didn't break down into a puddle of "it's not good enough!" tears.
• Achievable - Like I mentioned, highlighting my days and weeks off when I'm allowed to regroup and rest has been a game changer for me.  I now know when I can take off a day or two, when I plan to take off for vacations, and if something really truly is not working, it still gives me permission to rethink one thing if needed without making me feel like everything is an emergency and must be revamped yesterday.
• Relevant - Um, this is my literal job, educating my kids, so it's definitely relevant. LOL
• Time-Bound - I only have to follow this specific plan until the end of the school year (with permission to fix ONE or maybe two things, if necessary).  I only have to plan one summer term.  In May or June.  I only have to plan next year's school year NEXT SUMMER, not now.
• Habit forming?  I've begun this habit in 2022.  In 2023 I hope that keeping with the plan without indulging in revamping will help to build this habit into a long-term pattern.

I hesitate to make a fourth goal, but here goes: Build a writing habit.  I love to write.  Poems, short stories, novels, fiction, non-fiction - I love it!  I am never more relaxed and in my happy space than when I'm reading or writing.  Words are awesome!  I discovered a magazine at the library called "Writer's Digest" that has an example of a different poem form every month, and every so often I try to write a poem using the directions and sample as a model.  That's been both entertaining and challenging!  I have submitted entries to a poetry contest at the library this year and the MACHE flash fiction contest two years in a row (and won both times).  It's not like I don't write; I'm just not consistent.  I have been trying to build this habit for several years now, but I just can't seem to fit it in well.  I have never made a SMART goal out of it before, though, so here's hoping it is what kicks me into writing gear!

• Specific - My goal is to write a blog post and a poem every month.  I also want to spend 30 min. writing, revising, or editing every day.
• Measurable - I need to create a checklist like I use for my exercises to help keep me on track for my daily writing goal.  I'll add a spot to track if I've written a poem that month.  And posting my blogs will measure that.
• Achievable - Um, I think so?  I told you I hesitated to add a fourth goal, but I really want to build this habit, so....  I will make it or die trying!  LOL
• Relevant - Have I mentioned I love words?  Nothing is more relevant to me than reading and writing.  LOL
• Time-Bound - Twelve months, twelve blog posts, twelve poems.  Writing every day for 365 days (or at least not the days I'm too sick to type or pick up a pencil).
• Habit forming?  That's the goal!

Of course I will still be reading a lot, but I am not making a specific goal for that this year.  I do write all books I read in my Commonplace journal, and it's so much fun to go back through the years and remind myself what books I've read.  I should really use the Commonplace as it was meant to be used, too, writing quotes and things I've learned from the books, magazines, etc that I read over the year, but that's a habit for another year (unless it accidentally materializes).  And of course I'll continue my habit of Bible and prayer time in the mornings.  I do this after my exercises and shower but before the kids start getting up for the day.  This is probably where I would attempt to add writing, or possibly during the kids' Quiet Time.  I also want to continue decluttering, but since that is never going to be a once and done sort of thing in a house of a dozen people and three animals, it will just have to be an "as I have time" sort of deal.  LOL 

I'm curious what your goals are for the new year.  Share them in the comments!

101 Books of 2022

I made a goal this year to read 100 different books.

I am so excited to announce that I have made and exceeded that goal!

Many on my list are children's books (hey, I have kids!), and some are definitely adult.  Most I would highly recommend and a couple I would most definitely NOT (Summer Sisters).  I tried to get a good variety in my reading this year and not get stuck in a pattern (though series, such as Enola Holmes, are so much fun!).  My list includes a lot of fiction with some non-fiction mixed in.  Some were on the library recommended shelves or app (Walking in Tall Weeds) or had interesting covers (The Tripods) or titles (Fortunately the Milk).  Some I read to the kids as read-alouds (The Green Ember), but most I read on my own.  Several I started reading and thought, "This is weird...  Should I keep going?"  (Snared trilogy)  But most of those ended up being some of my favorites, so don't get stuck on the first few pages or chapters of a new book!  I have to admit, a handful were also prereading before handing to my kids for school (such as Lies Young Women Believe).

Each of these books has made a lasting impact on me.  As I typed up the list for this post, I relived each book in my mind and smiled.  They're not "just" books.  They all are a part of me now - a part of what makes me who I am. Nearly all of these books made me stop and think.  They helped me grow as a person, as a Christian, as a wife and mother, and as a homeschooler.  Charlotte Mason may consider a good portion of them twaddle, but I have learned through this experience that even "twaddle" can be edifying and benefit one's growth.  Getting out of my comfort zone through several of these books has also taught me a lot about what I believe and why and how others see the world and why - even those couple of books I would definitely NOT recommend.

I know you're wondering how I made time to read so many books.  And the answer is, I have no idea!  LOL  I always read during breakfast and lunch and of course read-aloud time with the kids.  But this year I sometimes read during the kids' Quiet Time (this is their Bible, prayer, and reading time).  I also read in the afternoons and evenings, sometimes before bed, and any other little snippets I could grab (like standing in the kitchen waiting for something to boil).  It was challenging to fit it in, but by the end of the year, it is second nature to pull out a book instead of my phone or sitting in front of the computer or TV.  I am well pleased with that outcome of my experiment!

Would I recommend such a lofty goal to others?  For one year, yes, I definitely would!  It was so much fun and a great challenge!  But I do feel very behind this year because I concentrated on reading instead of on other things.  On the other hand, I also believe this stretched me to not overplan or constantly replan.  It forced me to arrange my time to accommodate different priorities.  For that lesson, I am truly thankful!  My kids had a pretty consistent year of school without me constantly trying to make it "better."  Hence I think I have also learned the secret to "However Imperfectly," the title of a book by Andrew Pudewa of Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW).  My kids' education doesn't have to be perfect, or even perfectly consistent.  It just has to be.

Another happy consequence of this venture?  Because they see Mom reading so much, I notice some of the kids reading a little bit more, too.  Now that is something that truly makes my heart sing!

By the way, this list does not include all the magazine & newspaper articles, blog posts, etc that I've read.  All books on my list were chapter books or longer (so no picture books), and I didn't even include a few chapter books because they were SO short.  Yeah, I read a lot...

So without further ado, here are the 101 books I enjoyed in 2022:

1. Lies Young Women Believe by Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth & Dannah Gresh
2. Summer of the Wolves by Polly Carlson-Voiles
3. Socks by Beverly Cleary
4. Henry Huggins by Beverly Cleary
5. Ellen Tebbits by Beverly Cleary
6. Henry and Beezus by Beverly Cleary
7. Henry and Ribsy by Beverly Cleary
8. Gory Deaths by Jonathan Schkade
9. Summer Sisters by Judy Blume
10. The True Story of Noah's Ark by Tom Dooley
11. Otis Spofford by Beverly Cleary
12. Beezus and Ramona by Beverly Cleary
13. Fifteen by Beverly Cleary
14. Henry and the Paper Route by Beverly Cleary
15. The Luckiest Girl by Beverly Cleary
16. On the Wings of a Whisper by Lynnette Bonner
17. A Distance Too Grand by Regina Scott
18. Nothing Short of Wondrous by Regina Scott
19. Emily's Runaway Imagination by Beverly Cleary
20. A View Most Glorious by Regina Scott
21. Henry and the Clubhouse by Beverly Cleary
22. Jean and Johnny by Beverly Cleary
23. Leave It to Beaver by Beverly Cleary
24. Ribsy by Beverly Cleary
25. Lost in Darkness by Michelle Griep
26. The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary
27. Mitch and Amy by Beverly Cleary
28. The House at Pooh Corner by A. A. Milne
29. Sister of the Bride by Beverly Cleary
30. Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary
31. Runaway Ralph by Beverly Cleary
32. Ramona the Brave by Beverly Cleary
33. Ramona and Her Father by Beverly Cleary
34. Ramona and Her Mother by Beverly Cleary
35. Ramona Quimby, Age 8 by Beverly Cleary
36. Ralph S. Mouse by Beverly Cleary
37. Blubber by Jude Blume
38. Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman
39. Fade to Us by Julia Day
40. E. Aster Bunnymund and the Warrior Eggs at the Earth's Core by William Joyce
41. Muggie Maggie by Beverly Cleary
42. Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary
43. The Tripods: The White Mountains by John Christopher
44. How They Croaked by Georgia Bragg
45. Ramona Forever by Beverly Cleary
46. Strider by Beverly Cleary
47. The Wolf Keepers by Elise Broach
48. The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
49. Hansel and Gretel by Neil Gaiman
50. Tumtum and Nutmeg: Adventures Beyond Nutmouse Hall by Emily Bearn
51. Ramona's World by Beverly Cleary
52. The Tripods: The City of Gold and Lead by John Christopher
53. Tumtum and Nutmeg: The Rose Cottage Adventures by Emily Bearn
54. The Tripods: The Pool of Fire by John Christopher
55. The Tripods: When the Tripods Came by John Christopher
56. The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. & E. B. White
57. ADHD & Us by Anita Robertson
58. Enola Holmes and the Black Barouche by Nancy Springer
59. Alice I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin
60. Enola Holmes and the Case of the Missing Marquess by Nancy Springer
61. Enola Holmes and the Case of the Left-Handed Lady by Nancy Springer
62. Enola Holmes and the Case of the Bizarre Bouquets by Nancy Springer
63. Enola Holmes and the Case of the Peculiar Pink Fan by Nancy Springer
64. Enola Holmes and the Case of the Cryptic Crinoline by Nancy Springer
65. Enola Holmes and the Case of the Gypsy Good-Bye by Nancy Springer
66. The Read-Aloud Family by Sarah Mackenzie
67. Redwall by Brian Jacques
68. Mattimeo by Brian Jacques
69. Teaching from Rest by Sarah Mackenzie
70. Enola Holmes and the Elegant Escapade by Nance Springer
71. Walking in Tall Weeds by Robin W. Pearson
72. Sweep: The Story of a Girl and her Monster by Jonathan Auxier
73. Homeschooling Gifted and Advanced Learners by Cindy West
74. Fortunately the Milk by Neil Gaiman
75. Mossflower by Brian Jacques
76. The Bride of Blackfriars Lane by Michelle Griep
77. Bed-knob and Broomstick by Mary Norton
78. The Reformation: How a Monk and a Mallet Changed the World by Stephen J. Nichols
79. A Week in the Woods by Andrew Clements
80. Passion and Purity by Elisabeth Elliott
81. Saving Normal by Allen Frances, M.D.
82. The Homeschool Experiment by Charity Hawkins
83. Wonder by R. J. Palacio
84. The Boxcar Children Creatures of Legend: The Secret of Bigfoot Valley by Gertrude Chandler Warner
85. Auggie and Me: 3 Wonder Stories by R. J. Palacio
86. A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket
87. The Green Ember by S. D. Smith
88. The Black Star of Kingston by S. D. Smith
89. Holy Hygge by Jamie Erickson
90. Brother's Keeper by Julie Lee
91. Snared: Escape to the Above by Adam Jay Epstein
92. The Devil's Arithmetic by Jane Yolen
93. Attack of the Black Rectangles by Amy Sarig King
94. Snared: Lair of the Beast by Adam Jay Epstein
95. Snared: Voyage on the Eversteel Sea by Adam Jay Epstein
96. The Other Side of the Wall by Amy Ephron
97. Abel's Island by William Steig
98. Knight's Castle by Edward Eager
99. The Castle in the Mist by Amy Ephron
100. Never After: The Thirteenth Fairy by Melissa de la Cruz
101. Never After: The Stolen Slippers by Melissa de la Cruz

Have you ever read any of the books on my list from this year?  What books would you recommend to me for 2023?

God Asked Me a Question

I've been slowly working my way through the book of Isaiah lately, and as I began chapter 55, I stopped at the second verse, unable to move on because it spoke so clearly to me.  

"Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy?" (NIV84) Isaiah asks.  

"Good question," I replied.  But I found myself pondering my current life.  I have felt behind most of this past year, both with time and with money.  My life is hurried and anxious.  I realize my priorities need to shift, and Isaiah's question prods me to rethink how I'm spending my precious resources with which God has blessed me.

Humans have a sinful tendency to misspend time and money, but in exploring my own personal reasons for doing exactly opposite of my good intentions, I have discovered several habits that need pruning.  Firstly, I am forever seeking satisfaction - perfection, really.  I want things to be "right" and "just so."  It seems that if I could only find the right thing, person, behavior, I can fill the hole in my heart that so desperately needs filling.  Through the process of refining myself, my family, and my home, I convince myself that I will look good, or at least better, to others.  Good impressions are important to me, for better or worse, and perhaps people will like me or accept me if I was more organized, less forgetful, had better behaved or academically brighter children, and the list goes on.  Admittedly, sometimes I do wish my life was different.  I love adventure and "new," and sometimes my life feels dull and repetitive compared to others' Facebook, Pinterest, or fictional book lives.  I get stuck in my favorite pet sins: breaking good habits, overplanning, perfectionism, and forgetting my place in God's hierarchy, all stemming from being caught in Satan's lies, especially, "Did God really say," the same lie he's been telling humans since the Garden of Eden.  Listening to him and his many variations on that lie creates a busy, hurried life, in turn causing anger, hurt, and frustration for everyone in my household.  Misspending my time and money on account of my own sinful flesh hurts more than just myself.  It hurts my family, other relationships beyond my front door, and, most importantly, it destroys my relationship with God.

Am I wasting my life away?  I feel like I am missing my childrens' childhoods, time racing by.  In only five years, more than half my kids will be adults.  That realization hits me hard.  They'll be gone before I know it, and here I am wasting precious time making sure they have a perfect homeschool experience.  Except I can't make it perfect.  I can only aim high, fail, get behind, aim higher, and fail again.  Why am I spending my labor on what does not - cannot - satisfy?  Why am I wasting my life away?

Worse yet, I am missing out on that amazing relationship I could have with my husband, the relationship God intended and purposed for us.  Instead I have put the kids first and, selfishly, myself and my own goals.  I am his helpmeet and no one else's.  God wants me to enjoy the spousal relationship in which He has placed me.  I have so often brushed it aside in favor of other, seemingly more pressing, matters.  Satan's lies have won me on far too many occasions.  The husband-wife relationship I crave is in grasp, if only I would look at what God has placed in front of me.

Still, too, in my busyness I have missed out on fostering relationships outside the four walls of my home, new and old.  Those relationships, fostered or neglected, could have eternal consequences, positive or negative.  I could be making new friends who can teach and encourage me instead of hiding behind my busy to-do list in order to mask my anxiety and fear.  I could be strengthening family and extended family ties.  I could be winning souls for Christ.  I should be busy building friendships that honor Jesus and all He's done for me.

I must turn my attention, my focus, my eyes on what does satisfy.  God's Word fills me, satisfying every desire.  The love of Jesus and His forgiveness of MY sins, MY shortcomings, and MY good I've left undone washes ME clean and leaves me willing to do HIS will.  As God fills the hole in my heart, it spills over into my daily interactions with people - my spouse, my children, and all those beyond my front door, neighbor, friend, family, and stranger - strengthening relationships so that they may see the love of Christ shining like a welcome beacon of light through ME.  Then I use my God-given strengths and talents to do God's good work in my life, whatever He has called me to, daily submitting to Him and His will for me.  All this brings about His peace, love, and joy, growing me into who He wants me to become, preparing me for tomorrow's service, cultivating in me the spiritual growth needed to bring me closer to Him in truth and love.  The fruits of the Spirit are the natural culmination of God's working in and through me.  Satisfaction in this world comes only when I turn my focus and life's work on Him who did it all for me.

God has bestowed on me such amazing blessings and resources.  The blessings of other people in my life should prompt me to spend my precious resources of time, money, and energy on those other humans and especially on the Giver of all.  I must focus on Jesus and the cross in order to keep my priorities in the correct order.  

"Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy?"  

Good question, Lord, and thank You for asking it.

Glory to Ukraine - A Tribute to the People of a Nation I Love with All My Heart

 GLORY TO UKRAINE

To all Ukrainians fighting

For Serge who gave his all

        Not only for his country

        But for every child he fought for

                Every child that found his way to a loving family

                Every child who needed love

                        And a mama and a papa

To my friends – fighting, trapped

        Hungry, cold, broken

                But fierce

                        Strong

                                Brave

We stand with you

If our governments do nothing

        We stand with you

If the attacks grow worse and desperate

        We stand with you

With pride of your country

        Your land

                Your strength

                        Your endurance

                                Your beauty

                                        Your grace

We stand with you

May you win this fight

May you win this war

May you triumph over evil

        But most of all

May you turn your hearts to God

May you rest easy in the peace of Christ

May you strengthen your faith

        In Him who sets you free

        In Him who sees your hurt

        In Him who knows your pain

                Your suffering

                Your agony

May you rest in the arms of Jesus

Even as you do hard things

We stand with you

And our prayers are with you

Слава Україні!

Glory to Ukraine!

It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Homeschool - A Parody

In the midst of cleaning and organizing our poor dining room (which doubles as the homeschool room), I began humming a tune in my head (as per usual), and pretty soon "It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas" tumbled out (because I'm in the Christmas spirit already, apparently).  And since I was in the middle of organizing homeschool books 'n' things - well, here's what I ended up with.  Just you try not to sing it.  LOL

Enjoy!

It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Homeschool
    A Parody
        by Me

It’s beginning to look a lot like homeschool
Everywhere you go.
Take a look in the dining room;
Workbooks and pencils, too,
With books and timers, computers aglow.

It’s beginning to look a lot like homeschool -
Toys in every room.
But the prettiest sight to see
Is the whiteboard that will be
In the dining room.

A game that teaches you math
And the textbook of wrath
Are the bane of Lizzy and Drew.

Penmanship, grammar,
And studies of war
Are the woe of Abby and Ruth.

And Mom and Dad can hardly wait for school to start again.

It’s beginning to look a lot like homeschool
Everywhere you go.
There’s a clock on the dining wall,
One in the hall, as well -
The sturdy kind that make you think to know.

It’s beginning to look a lot like homeschool.
Soon the fun will start!
And the coziness of the home
Is the way the learning comes
Right within our hearts!

My 2020 Goals

Happy New Year!!!

I am not one to make resolutions very often.  And when I do? Well, I don't follow through too well.  I suppose I'm like a lot of people who attempt New Years' resolutions.

Despite my less-than-stellar track record, I really wanted to make some sort of resolution. So Instead of trying to “change myself,” I made concrete goals that I’d like to accomplish this year. I managed to come up with 12 goals for this year, 4 each in 3 categories.  They're not arbitrary ("I want to work out more" or "I want to read more").  They're specific, realistic (I hope), and measurable. I need myself to be held accountable with a way to daily gauge my progress.

So without further ado, here they are!

Writing Goals

Though I’ve always written a little here and there through the years, I am actually quite new to the writing world. Poetry, stories - some I’ve deleted into oblivion forever, some remain tucked away either in notebooks or on a hard drive somewhere - most unfinished, unrefined, unedited, unpolished. This past November’s foray into NaNoWriMo propelled me into a writer again and gave me the drive to get something published. Publishing has always been a dream of mine – anything – to have my name on a book. Poetry or novel, fiction or non-fiction – I don’t care. So to that end, here are my 2020 Writing Goals:

1. Write at least 200 words every day. This is part of the Bestseller Experiment Challenge I signed up for. I like challenges, apparently.
2. Finish revisions & edits on my NaNo story. This would get it ready to publish, IF I can publish it at all. Since it’s fan fiction, it’s not always possible to publish, depending on the legalities of the original publication terms. Even if not, I can still self-publish a few copies for immediate family and friends, or some people publish a chapter a week/month on their blogs/websites. Lots of possibilities for this book!
3. Finish the first draft of my other Work in Progress (WIP). This one I’ve been slowly working on for 3 years now. I keep editing and changing the story as I write. Apparently I work better under pressure, so this one will get the NaNo treatment soon. Maybe an April or July NaNo camp option?
4. Win NaNoWriMo in November (again!). And yes, I already have the idea in my head. I just need to research for it before November rolls around.

Home/Life Goals

Of course, a new year with new goals wouldn’t be complete without something to accomplish in my life or my home. There’s always something to improve upon, but I didn’t want to force something on myself that I didn’t truly believe in doing. And sometimes, simple is better.

1. Finish setting up the house from the move. You’d think after 7 months that I’d have this done. Well, it’s somewhat done, but things are here and there and up and down, and I haven’t even begun to put together the play and art areas downstairs. The kids just basically ransack that area. Ha! So finding homes for the rest of our things, or donating/trashing what we don’t want/need, is on my list this year. It won’t be perfect (ever), but at least I will feel like it’s ready to be lived in properly and not still “living out of boxes.” Which we aren’t anymore, just to be clear, but sometimes it still feels like it.
2. Read 3 fiction books per month. Yeah, this should be easy. :) But I wanted to be sure it was easy to meet my goal. Life happens, as we all know, but 3 means I could read 3 super short ones in a busier month or 2 short and 1 really long novel, or whatever. Right now I’m almost done with North & South by Elizabeth Gaskell. Great classic novel, by the way!
3. Read 1 non-fiction book per month. Why only 1? Usually my non-fiction books are deep and/or a lot of information. I can only handle so much of that at one time, so I read non-fiction a lot more slowly than fiction. I also tend to take a lot of notes while I read non-fiction.
4. Have a family devotion at supper every day. We aren’t the most consistent people on the planet. :) We started to work on this throughout 2019, but we need to get better into the habit. It would also help if we had supper at a regular time every night. Yeah….

School Goals

Since homeschooling is my life, of course I need goals for that, as well. I’ve decided to make these even simpler since, again, I’m not the most consistent person in the world. But my kids deserve to have Mom on top of her game to lead and teach and train them, right? Right. Not to mention, I have a few in public school, and as their school is closing after this fall, we are also researching various plans for all of the kids, whether that be homeschool, public school, private school, online school, charter school, co-ops, or something else. Let me tell you, there are so many options out there nowadays, no one should ever have an excuse to just let their kid fail to thrive in any setting. But I digress. These goals will pertain to only those homeschooling at any time in 2020. Although if I do some in the evenings, then everyone would get the benefit. I just know myself better than that. Consistency, remember?

1. Have a Plan; Stick to the Plan. I tend to knee-jerk react sometimes. I also tend to worry and fret and basically act like a pinball machine. So I’m going to make a plan and STICK TO THE PLAN. No matter what. Unless it really does need to be changed, in which case I will consult my hubby and close friends and a hive mind before I change anything. See? Accountability!
2. Read aloud 1 picture book per day. I’m not a read-aloud person. I wish I were. I have always tried to be, but I’m just not. Why, I do not know. I’ve started digging into that a little bit this past year or so, but I’m not ready to say why with confidence. Also, consistency is not my forte. Despite my aversion to reading aloud, all of my kids LOVE books. Woot! Win for the book-lover!
3. Read aloud 1 chapter of a fiction book per day. Yeah, I really want to try to read aloud more.
4. Read aloud 1 chapter of a non-fiction book per day. For consistency, of course. ;)

So there you have it. My goals for the year 2020!

Now how will hold myself accountable? I’m working on some planner pages to keep up with my goals daily. I’m building my goals into my daily routine. I write between 7 & 8am, for example. The kids wake up on their own and don’t need me to get after them to hurry up until about 8am. I printed out my goal list, which I will hang on the wall by my desk after my toes heal. I broke two the day after Christmas. Fun times around here! And never a dull moment. These goals will be in my face, reminding me and haunting me to keep me on top of things. Well, hopefully not haunting….

And if I fail? Well, it happens. I won’t beat myself up over it. Wife and mother always come first, and all these 2020 goals are second to any of that.

May the year 2020 be a great year for all of us! May God bless us all in this exciting new decade!

Lessons from NaNoWriMo 2019

I participated in National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo, for the first time this year.  I've been thinking about it for the past several years, but this year I took on the challenge with a vengeance.  The challenge of NaNoWriMo: write at least 50,000 words of a novel in the month of November.  I thought for sure I would never be able to do it.  I mean, that's a huge amount of words!

Turns out, I could do it!  And did it, I did!  All the way to 83,333 words!

I finished my novel in 30 days.

Oh, there were days when I wanted to give up.  Days when I thought, "This is the worst story ever."  "Why on earth did I start this stupid thing???"  "This sounds terrible!"  "I am the worst writer in the history of the universe!"

But then there were days when I wrote 6,000, 7,000, even 9,000+ words in one day!  Those were the days when I felt excited, elated, over the moon.  Those were the days when I loved my story.  My creation.  My baby.  My characters are my children, and believe me - they have minds of their own and changed my plot line on several occasions!  (Not gonna lie - I've had words with my characters a number of times.  "What on earth are you people doing???  This is NOT the way this was supposed to go!  Are you going to let me in on what it is you think you're up to???")

This experience carried with it a roller coaster of emotions.  Elation, deflation.  Happiness, sadness, anger.  Hurt and frustration, excitement and defeat.  Suspense and anxiety, worry, nerves frayed.  I dreamed my story, lived in it, felt it.  I dealt with kids who couldn't get along, lack of routine, frustration from my husband who just wanted me to get back to being Mom and Wife instead of Writer, got behind on planning for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Through it all, I stuck with my goal.

And I love my story!

Oh, trust me, it sucks right now.  LOL  I used "said" too often, and "very," and a whole bunch of other words and phrases because I got stuck in a rut as I was trying to get the story out as fast as I could.  Descriptions are sorely lacking.  Conversations sound forced and uninteresting.

But I'm on the revising and editing stage, Round One.  And I know I'll make it better and better and better, until it's perfect.

You know what this whole NaNoWriMo challenge taught me?

I can write a pretty good story.  All this time I thought I wasn't very good at writing, at crafting, at creating.  But I actually am.

This isn't to brag.  My eldest daughter said to me a couple of years ago, "You actually are a really good writer, Mom."  She'd read the opening scene of a story I'd been working on and was sucked into the story.  She's impatiently waiting for me to finish that one.  My mom and husband and kids also love my poetry.

It's also taught me that I can indeed focus on one project at a time.  Normally I flit from one thing to another, never really finishing anything.  But this story?  Oh, was I ever focused!  And still am!

I'll get back to that other story soon.  She still asks about it occasionally.

First, though, I have to finish 

my NaNo project.