I came up with 12 goals I’d like to accomplish this year with the hopes of being able to cross one off my list per month to make them more manageable. I thought a great way to hold myself accountable to the things I want to accomplish this year would be to do a weekly update.
After all, we all need a little help staying motivated sometimes. Here’s how I am doing so far:
1. Clean, de-clutter and organize my entire home in 30 days or less. – So far this year I have cleaned my closet, organized my kitchen, decluttered my bathroom, organized my office, gutted the garage, and tackled the laundry room. Blah Blah Blah… Sometimes it’s nice to have a messy counter. 😉 All cleaning chores have been canceled for this week. I mean c’mon, it’s summer vacation baby!
2. Fit into the same jeans I wore 8 years ago when we moved into our house. So something funny happened. I stopped worrying about what I was eating and how much I was walking and just started to consume tons of water everyday because of how hectic things have been over that past few weeks with graduation and travelling.
The day after I came home from our trip I stepped on the scale to see how much I had gained from all the delicious food we ate and was surprised to find out I had actually LOST 5 pounds. Weird, huh? Maybe it was stress, maybe we walked waaaaay more than I thought we did or maybe, just maybe the HH did something to that scale. 😉 Who knows, but I feel great. Ignorance is bliss, right?
3. Travel. So far this year The Girl and I have been to Boston, London, Paris and now Portland, Oregon Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia and Virginia. Now all we’ve got left on our “must see” list for this year is Canada. I’m not sure how we are going to fit it in before she leaves for college, but we are going to try.
Has anyone rode on the Victoria Clipper before? We were thinking taking the ferry might be the best way to see Victoria but I’ve never been on The Clipper before so if you have, please let us know about your experience.
4. Send my daughter to college without having a nervous breakdown thus spending a week in bed sobbing. Something pretty awesome happened on our trip to the East Coast that is going to make all the difference in the world when it’s time for her to go to school. I don’t want to say what it is right now, but I’m sure a few of you will totally be rolling your eyes when I tell you. 🙂 🙂 🙂
5. Get 3 new teeth. – I went to the Oral Surgeon on Monday hoping to get a clean bill of health so I could FINALLY get some teeth. 2 of my 3 abutments? sockets? holes in my mouth? were fine, but the other one? Not so much.
So the doctor gave me a few shots and then cut me. I’m scheduled to go back in a few weeks and if the area has healed, I’ll get the green light to go the dentist. Fingers crossed.
7. Finish this primitive folk art rug I started 4 years ago. Gaaaa! You’d think I’d be done by now. Seriously, I only have one star left to hook then all be ready to finish the edges. I was hoping to complete this a few weeks ago but oh well, it will get done sooner or later, right?
8. Family Day. Do one thing together as a family every Sunday. Did I ever tell you the HH has a little convertible? Well he does, I like to call it the Smurf car because it’s so tiny. But anyway… Last Sunday he took it out THREE times. 3. Who does that? Once by himself, once with Monkey Boy and once with The Girl. I guess that could be considered family time, right?
9. Secret Plan #1 – Done! – I’ll tell you about it next month.
10. Secret Plan #2 Still plotting away. Making progress though. 😉
11. Secret Plan #3
12. Convince the HH we should buy a Salt Box Style House in Colonial Williamsburg.
13. Spend at least 1 hour a day working in my garden. Inspector Lucy and I have been hard at work in the garden since The Girl and I got back from our trip to the East Coast. I still haven’t decided what I’m going to plant in the garden bed where we dug up all that garlic. Beans? Beets? Cucumbers? Do you have any suggestions?
So there you have it, my goals for the new year.
How about YOU? How are your 2014 goals coming along?
~Mavis
P.S. YES, I know I wrote down 13 goals. I’m fairly certain I won’t be able to attain one of them. {gee, I wonder which one?} 
But I wanted to add it in there anyway because I believe in miracles.
Kathy says
After spending 2 1/2 months in Florida on a mission of mercy (Momis great, doing fine and we’re both back home in Ohio), my goals are back on track. Purged and cleaned kitchen cupboards, purged and recleaned hall closet, have all crocheting supplies in one bin now, imstead of all over. Washed all the throw rugs scrubbed on hand and kness kitchen and bathroom floors (they are small!). The last big chore of the year? Organization with my desk. Umm, like that’s gonna happen anytime soon. But at least all the spring cleaning was done while it was still spring, 2 days before 1st day of summer I was done. One goal that’s on going is to purge quarterly, so I don’t get overwhelmed again.
Mavis Butterfield says
Way to go Kathy! No worries, you still have 6 months until the end of the year to get your desk cleaned out. 🙂
Carly says
We’ve been on the Clipper. It’s not a bad experience, but it’s definitely smaller than our WA state car ferries. We tend to roam the boat on the car ferries but found that wasn’t nearly as practical on the Clipper. It also travels over some rougher water – or maybe just because it’s smaller than the car ferries – it did make my husband queasy. Never fear if you tend toward sea sickness – they do sell Dramamine by the each. The same person who’s coming around selling snacks and playing cards has them.
Mavis Butterfield says
I think there is also a ferry that leaves out of Port Townsend too, I wonder if that one is bigger?
Cecily says
The black ball leaves out of Port Angeles. That is the one we take when we go to Victoria. As a nice side trip from Port Angeles you can go up to hurricane ridge. If you are going to Vancouver Island I recommend visiting the Comox Valley. It is one of our favorite places (besides Buchart Gardens of course).
Carol says
Sadly there is no ferry to Victoria from Port Townsend. We, Port Townsendites, take the Black Ball Ferry out of Port Angeles, which is great, even in choppy weather.
Cassandra says
You can take a WA state ferry out of Anacortes. Just make sure that you make a reservation well in advance of the date you want to go.
Melissa says
You could do the Victoria Clipper, but we have always preferred just taking the Chinook ferry from Port Angeles – especially from your side of the bridge – it’s an easy drive up there early in the morning, much much cheaper to walk on that ferry than taking the Clipper, and you’re in Victoria Harbor before you know it! So much is within walking distance (although Butchart Gardens is way out, you’d have to take a bus tour if you want to go there) but for the Parliament building, plenty of places to get afternoon tea, the wax museum, the british museum, farmer’s market, etc., you can walk from the ferry dock. We LOVED this little Scottish restaurant’s high tea option – it was cheaper (BY FAR) than the Empress and SOOO delicious – I think it was called The White Heather Tea Room? you’d have to grab a public bus or be willing to walk a few miles roundtrip, but it was worth it to us 🙂
Ellen in Clackamas says
I agree with Melissa. The Black Ball Ferry is a much better option. And so much do in the Inner Harbor (where the ferry docks) you might not have time to go out to the Garden…but try if you manage it.
Karen says
I totally support this! I live in Yorktown, about 20 minutes from Williamsburg! I also need to finish a hooked rug, now I am inspired!
Lilypad says
I also had a VERY queasy trip on the Victoria Clipper and it was very unexpected because I used to go on cruises all the time as a child (my parents were in the travel industry) and I never got seasick. I didn’t have trouble on the trip to Victoria but on the way home, my stars I was the most seasick I have ever been and thank God there was a free bathroom because I hung out in there for a long time. (There really aren’t that many bathrooms so I was quite lucky.) This was in August so I didn’t expect it to be rough. We had a friend go in March and she also had a horrible experience. You do have to just stay in your seat, there’s not much promenading going on when you take the Clipper—and get there early if you decide to try it, seating is first come/first served or at least it was when we went in 2007. Victoria is magnificent, one of my favorite places. You MUST see Butchart Gardens and the Royal BC Museum. We also love Miniature World which has cool dioramas—I remembered it from when I was a kid and loved it still as an adult.
p.s. is that orange kitty on the car your cat? I had one just like that when I was little…
Mavis Butterfield says
It’s Girly Girls cat. 🙂
Marie says
The clipper made us feel like cattle. From their “hurry, hurry-wait, wait” procedures to treatment we witnessed towards a disabled couple, take the Black Ball out of PT or a ferry from Anacortes. You’ll be glad you did!
PattyB says
I’ve got procrastinitis and can’t shake it! I just get bored with long projects. I could NEVER do that hooked rug!
Brian says
I’m going to cast my vote for a tea tree and some current plants! Sure, you wont get anything out of it this year, but just think of the future! Current jelly! Current scones and a fresh cup of tea 🙂