Longtime readers know that I adore setting monthly goals, so I’m excited to announce that in 2014 I’ll be hosting an official monthly goal linky with nine other bloggers! I find that blogging about goals gives me that extra motivation and accountability that I need to actually get them done, and I am thrilled to have company on this goal-setting journey!
My main goal for December was to make sure we got plenty of down time as a family. Mike is pretty busy getting settled in his new job, but he did a great job of making time for us as well! My sister drove down from Portland with her husband and two little boys, which was wonderful! Having cousins around helped keep my kids focused on how grateful they are to have family. They loved their time with their two little cousins, and have been missing them since they left! I was also able to get rid of more belongings, and Johnny especially did a great job of sorting through toys, picking several out to give to other children leading up to Christmas! Our Christmas cards are mostly sent out, except a few addresses I need to hunt down. My sister helped me rearrange the furniture in our main room downstairs (living room/playroom/dining room all in one) so that it’s a nicer space to hang out during the day, and I love it. Thank you, C!
- Gratitude: Our family is blessed in many ways, and I always want us to remember that.
- Education: Mike and I are both big believers in lifelong learning and the many benefits that brings.
- Simplicity: I feel that this is the pathway to a peaceful home.
- Responsibility: Making healthy, conscious, and ethical choices.
I also decided to pick a word of the year:
We had a lot of built-in peace in our home in Massachusetts, just because of the very rural area we lived. It’s hard to feel very anxious when you have beautiful trees everywhere you look! In our compact Silicon Valley condo, I feel like like this is an atmosphere that I will have to work a bit harder to create – but it’s definitely still attainable, and having gorgeous weather that allows for more time out in nature definitely helps!
Now for a few specific goals for January:
- Get the kids registered for school next year, ideally either in a school that is closer to home and/or has a specific program that I am interested in. I can’t believe that Lily starts kindergarten this fall. How did that happen?! Themes: education and simplicity
- Continue my quest for home organization. Theme: simplicity
- Plan and organize Emma’s birthday celebrations (which will likely happen in February, but it’s good to be prepared!) Theme: gratitude
MaryAnne is a craft loving educator, musician, photographer, and writer who lives in Silicon Valley with her husband Mike and their four children.
I love the areas you focus on when setting monthly goals. So great!
Thank you, Jen!
Your goals ALWAYS inspire me!
Love this and thanks to everyone for the inspiration.
Your one of the best goal makers…and keepers that I know! It is inspiring to me and I am sure 100’s if not 1000’s of other moms! Thanks for your example!
I love this! I’m not posting goals for January because the main goal is simply to recover from having a baby and the Christmas season! But in February I hope to start linking up! I’m always inspired by everyone’s goals!
That is an excellent goal for January! I would love for you to link up later on in the year :)
Yay for goals! I did a lot of clearing out this past month, and even more this morning. So glad you got your living/dining/play room reconfigured so you’re happy with it. Makes all the difference when you’re there most of the day!!
The new configuration has completely transformed my life – our home is a much more cheerful place to be! Clearing out is one of those things that just has to be done over and over, somehow. I love the feeling of getting rid of unused things.
Another blogger posted her word for the year is squirrel, and I loved that, especially her reasoning for it. I’m really tempted to steal it, but am toying with another word….
I’m thinking through my goals for this year and for the month in general.
What a fantastic word for the year! I look forward to hearing what you come up with.
I’m probably going to break my goal for the month, but it’s to mind what I eat. Not to only eat healthy food, but to enjoy every bite, and even if it’s unhealthy, to only eat them as true treats (instead of mindlessly eating the free chips at work).
I love your idea of enjoying every bite – especially with enjoying treats!
Happy new year! Thanks for setting up this linky I have enjoyed reading every ones goals and I am also taking some simple steps this month!
Thanks for joining up with this linky, and good luck with your goals!
Really enjoyed reading this post – I’ll try to do one on a similar theme and join the linky.
Thanks, Jonathan! I would love for you to join up – love your blog!
I always find your monthly goals so inspirational! I love the focus on peace– my kids wish that I would be calmer. That is a good one for me to focus on! (And exercise helps to keep me calm so I’ll try to get in 3 sessions a week at least).
Thank you! I need to get better about exercise – just worked out a way to bike Lily to preschool, and that should help!
I love reading your monthly goals and I love that you have turned this into a linky! Maybe it will inspire me to start goal setting!!! Wishing you well in finding the right school for your kids.
I would say the word for this year that I want to focus on is Happy! My post is all about yearly goals and Jan Goals too. Thank you for inspiring me, I really needed this push :-)
Happy is a wonderful goal for 2014!So glad you are joining in with setting goals this year!
Love your goals and your word of the year. I can imagine that peace is not easy to get with 4 kids, but, as you say, attainable. My goals post is coming up in a couple of days, and I’ll make sure to link up. Happy New Year!
Happy New Year! I look forward to reading your goals in a couple days :)
I love this link-up. Thank you so much for hosting. I look forward to following everyone along this year and supporting each other through the process!
Thanks for joining in!
I love that this link-up has already helped me to finish one of my goals of starting toy rotations in our house! Can’t wait to support each other in the future months. And, I love the idea of a word of the year. I’m going to have to think about that for my family as well. Thank you for the inspiration!
So glad you’re joining in this year!
What a great idea for a linky! I am planning on hosting more linkys on my blog for 2014. Goal setting is very important! Have a safe and Happy New Year!
Thank you, Cascia! Happy New Year!