Planning to achieve goals for 2014

I think the reason why I always had trouble sticking to new year resolutions was because I never made a plan.  It's all good to have goals, but you need to figure out what you'll do to get there.  So a few days into the new year I did that.  I sat down and wrote out things that I can do this year to help me to achieve my 7 goals for 2014. 

To make myself accountable this year, I am going to write those lists here. 

1.  Get finances in order

- create and follow a working budget
- shop sales only
- know needs vs wants *priorities
- reserve $ for debt payments
- not use credit cards/pay off immediately
- use of organizer to plan for bill payments
- pay bills on time
- savings - replenish; year savings plan
- tithe
- pray! :)

2.  Become more organized

- use an organizer
- finish organization projects: label craft drawers, playroom
- put away things in proper location, the first time
- record finance and work payments
- file regularly
- find new ways to stay organized
- cleaning closet
- do up a cleaning schedule/ checklist (daily/weekly/monthly)

3.  Make health a priority

- more fruits and vegetables
- more active play
- more outside playtime
- healthy meals - make meal plan in advance and plan with grocery shopping
- less snacking
- less sweets

4.  Grow a garden and preserve for Winter

- plan and order seed by February
- rototill /break ground in March or April
- prepare soil
- plant May long
- container gardening and in ground
- schedule regular weeding
- water and check daily
- fertilize as required
- plan harvests
- find new recipes for preserving

5.  Spend more quality time as a family

- family games nights
- family movies
- family outings/vacation
- Use our camper frequently this summer

6.  Less technology

- Delete Facebook from phone
- Check Facebook 1 time a day
- manage and limit internet time
- limit tv time (both self and child)

7.  Live a simpler "greener" life

- use reusable grocery bags
- recycle what is recyclable
- shop used
- cleaning products - use less chemicals
- make homemade laundry soap
- make own deodorant
- declutter
- get rid of non-essentials
- use less electricity

Feeding a family of 3 on less

Last night I made a meal of baked salmon, sweet potatoes, rice and sauteed mushrooms. 

Anytime we go to the Chinese food restaurant, Lu loves the mushrooms, can't get enough of them.  So since attempting to make health a priority and trying to eat more fruits and veggies, I've started making them myself when the mushrooms start to brown. 

What makes this meal less?  Why how much I made. 

The salmon was on sale at the local Foodland for $1 for a fillet.  They were individually wrapped.  Lu doesn't eat a lot so her and I share one. 

I used one sweet potato.  I peeled and chopped and boiled.  Then when finished, I mashed with butter, maple syrup and some walnuts.  YUM!!!

I made up one cup of rice (the 10 kg bag was $8.99 at the local Foodland). 

Lastly the mushrooms, which would have gone bad had I not quartered them and fried them up in butter. 

So in total I think our supper cost us maybe $6.00. 

Tonight, we're feasting on two frozen pizzas, one was $2.88 and the other $3.49.  Yay for sales.  (It's a music lesson night!)

Homemade Chicken Stock and Chicken soup

You may be asking yourself, what does chicken soup have to do with the 7 goals for 2014.  Well in many ways it's one way to achieve a number of my goals for this year.

For one, by making chicken stock, I'm creating something that is healthy for my family.  Commercial chicken stocks are usually packed full of msg (Maybe not packed, but when you have an allergy to, and a disgust for, it might as well be packed full) and usually include non-natural ingredients and preservatives.  My homemade chicken stock is made with real ingredients that you can pronounce and find in your pantry or produce drawer.

Not to mention, making my own chicken stock is less costly than buying chicken stock at the store.  I paid less than $2 for the chicken backs, used two stalks of celery, one carrot and an onion.  Pretty sure my 3+ litres of chicken stock was more affordable than the 1 L cartons would have been at the grocery store.  (I wouldn't know though, because I don't buy them).

Oh and life is simpler with real ingredients.  :)

So, I think I did well!  ha ha

Last night I made 13.5 cups of homemade chicken stock.  I made this by simply boiling chicken backs with rough chopped (large pieces) of celery, onion, carrots and garlic, some coarse salt and parsley. 

The results were quite yummy.  I packed 6 cups into the freezer (with my hubby's help).  So, now we have chicken stock for a variety of future uses.  The other 7.5 cups was used to make tonight's supper:  Chicken Root Soup!  (named appropriately by my hubby).

I didn't need to add as much salt as I did when making the soup, it turned out quite salty, and unfortunately I'm notorious for not measuring when I cook.  oops! 

Now soup is a very affordable meal to make.  And on a day as cold as today, it is very yummy and good for the tummy. 


These are some of the ingredients:

 

 

And the rest (minus the spices):

- 1 onion, chopped small



 - 2 stalks of celery, chopped small
- 1-2 carrots, chopped small
- sweet potato, peeled and cubed
- regular potato, cubed (I peeled)
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped fine,
-7.5 cups chicken stock
- 1-2 tbsp. butter
- 1-2 tsp coarse salt
- handful of dried parsley
- 1 large bay leaf
- pepper

 Melt butter in bottom of soup pan.

 Add carrots, celery and onion and coarse salt.  Allow to cook and let out juices from veggies.

 See those yummy juices?

 Add garlic and sprinkle pepper on top then cover with enough stock to fully cover veggies.

 Add remaining stock, spices and potatoes.  Bring to boil then reduce temperature to low/simmer. 

 Cook until potatoes are tender.

Remember to remove bay leaf before serving.  Eat and enjoy! 

It's a New Year, time to make those resolutions.

Yesterday I touched a bit on Facebook about resolutions.  It looked like this:


"New year resolutions? Well, most years it is to get healthier, exercise more and lose weight. This year the weight loss will just have to wait...but today I WILL get more exercise climbing the stairs to put away all of this laundry, after it's folded of course. Then it's go time for the Christmas decorations! It's been fun, but it's time! Have a great first day of 2014 with all of your loved ones. Make it special! Even if you're still doing daily chores like I am!"

 

 

I am happy to say that I did get it all folded.  Plus a couple more loads.  I have more to fold today however.  Such is the life of a stay at home mom and housewife...

 

But this brings me to the point of my post today:  Resolutions. 

 

I normally hate resolutions.  I rarely follow through, and they are usually the same year after year. 

 

I'm hoping this year however will be different (I'm sure I've said that before).  2013 was a crazy year, but it was also a year with many blessings.  2014 may be the year that we turn things around. 

 

For the month of January I propose to devote my blogging to not only voice my goals for 2014, but to come up with some clear plans about how I will achieve those goals.  We need to have steps to achieve our goals, or we'll never get there. Maybe that is why my "resolutions" never panned out before. 

 

My Goals for 2014:

 

1.  Get finances in order.  (This is a big one and a must, with a new baby on the way, and only one income!)

 

2.  Become more organized.  (This one is very difficult for me!)

 

3.  Make health a priority.  (Notice I didn't say lose weight!)

 

4.  Grow a garden and preserve for Winter (in a way this goes with goal 1, but gardening is a huge part of my heritage, so I want to make this a separate goal).

 

5.  Spend more quality time as a family.

 

6.  Less technology. 

 

7.  Live a simpler "greener" life.

 

 

I reserve the right to add to this list at any time during the year! 

 

 

What goals did you make for 2014?  How do you plan to achieve these goals?