My goals for 2017
Get 7- 8 Hours of Sleep Each Night
Another week of getting to bed early is in the books!
Make Saving a Priority, Not an Idea
So I know this sounds totally weird, but paying our mortgage each month is my favorite bill to pay. Ever since we started making additional payments on our loan, it’s been really fun to see how principal go down each month. In the 3 years that we’ve been here we’ve been able to knock an additional 10 years off of our mortgage. In hindsight we should have gotten a 15 year mortgage but since we don’t plan to stay here for long, it makes absolutely no sense to refinance. We have goals… and the best way to turn them into reality is to chip away at them one day at a time. Go Fight Win.
Make a list of the things you NEED vs the things you WANT. And adjust accordingly. I WANT to be mortgage free. I don’t NEED more crappity crap.
Live a little
The Girl and I popped into Starbucks and each ordered our favorite drinks. Me: London Fog. The Girl: A Shot in the Dark. I’ve tried making a London Fog at home at it’s just not quite the same. Have you tried a London Fog? It’s a tea drinkers dream come true. Trust me. You’ve got to try one. Also, when you do… use the name Betty. All the cool people are doing it these days.
Visit 52 REAL Bakeries
This past week I shared White’s Bakery and Cafe in Brockton, Massachusetts.
Have 1 “no spend” week each month
I was planning on having a “no spend” week last but then we went to the farmer’s market… a tea shop and then checked out another bakery. 😉 Ha! It happens, right? Maybe next week. We’ll see.
Start a Line of Rug Hooking Patterns
So far I have 6 patterns available in my Etsy shop. I’m hoping to list 2 more by the end of the week. My original goal was to have 12 patterns finished by the end of the year but now I’m thinking I’ll try for 18. Who knew designing rug hooking patterns could be so much fun?
Turn My Wool Stash into $2,500. Goal accomplished
I sold $411.43 worth of goodies in my Etsy and Ebay shops last week. That brings my total to $3759.45 for the year so far. I’m actually pretty surprised at how high my total is since it’s only May. Usually sales start to drop off around the end of March and then don’t pick up again until around the end of August but hey… I’m not complaining.
Play in The Dirt
Fact: Everyone should own a pair of pink corduroys. They’ll make you feel like a 10 year old and staying out all day playing in the dirt all day seems like a totally reasonable thing to do. 😉 You can see my latest garden pics over on Dig for Your Dinner today.
Purge 250 Items Including Selling Larger Items We No Longer Feel We Need
With the neighborhood garage sale getting closer, I managed to find a few more things to add to my stash. 5 books I am either done with or have doubles of, a chip and dip bowl, 4 votive holders, our old Keurig machine, a duster wand, a sunhat and last but not least… my beloved bowl of potpourri. Apparently nobody puts out potpourri anymore {I’ve been told this several times} so I finally gave in. 🙁 Sniff sniff.
This brings my total to 109 purged items this year.
Learn to Crochet Goal accomplished
Dote on My Husband Even More Than I Do Now.
The HH had a long work week {6 days} so we didn’t get to spend much time together but this week we’ll get to hang out and maybe even hold hands. 🙂 Life. It’s like that sometimes.
Lose the Muffin Top. {again}
Hey! I’m down to a mini muffin and Lucy the puggle princess is starting to get her underbelly curve back. Life is good. Smaller portions are good. All is well and we are on track.
Wear out {most of} the clothing I already own.
Yep Yep.
Try 52 New Recipes
My goal for next week is to make a ricotta pie… stay tuned! If you have a favorite recipe please let me know.
Read 52 Books
Oh Nelly! The Girl and I download the book Lion by Saroo Brierley. It was a doozy. and I highly recommend it. I think we are going to watch the movie tonight. Have you seen it?
Give Back to 12 Different Organizations in My Community
- January – Donated to Quilts from the Heart in Memory of my brother
- February – Donated to Empty Bowls Fundraiser for the Boys and Girls Club
- March – Donated to my daughter’s mentor who was in a horrible car accident
- April – I still need to do something.
And then, there’s those top secret goals we’re not talking about yet.
- Secret Goal #1 – Working on it. 😉 Hopefully I can revel this one by the end of the month
- Secret Goal #2 – Chickens
- Secret Goal #3
- Secret Goal #4
How about YOU? Did you set any goals for 2017? How are they coming along?
~Mavis
Read About My 2017 Goals HERE.
Leslie Grant says
Yes, yes! The movie “Lion” is so good. My husband and I watched it last week. Now I want to read the book. I know it’s supposed to be the other way around but, hey, that’s how I roll sometimes.
Diana says
Lion is a wonderful movie! I really enjoyed it.
Kathy says
Donate to Red Nose Day to help end child poverty! Go to your local Walgreen’s and ask about it! Noses on everone!
Fran says
May I add a book to your list of books to read? It is the greatest book that has ever been written – it was scribed by man, but is the inspired word of God via the Holy Spirit – it is the King James Bible. I have read and studied this great book for many years and inevitably, I will always find something new and wonderful I had not seen before which is why it is called the “living Bible”. Did you know that God talks to us through the scriptures? It’s a fact and I have a lot of testimony on that very subject.
We are all born into sin; our souls destined for hell unless we repent of our sins and become born again, spirit filled, followers of Jesus Christ. It’s a fact. Time is very short because we are now living in the last days. America as we know it will end this year so please, give this a LOT of thought.
I do so enjoy your website and I will add you and your family to my prayer list.
May God Bless you and keep you and urge you to read and study the King James Bible – NOT newer versions which have corrupted God’s word.
HeatherS says
I have never heard of a London Fog, will have to try it! I have 2 small Starbucks gift cards that I have never used as I am not a coffee drinker, now I know what to do with them!
Linda says
One of my favorite posts by you is your goal updates! Great job! We are fast tracking our mortgage too so we can travel anytime and everywhere! We are down to 12 accelerated payments!!
I will confess that I had to Google both Starbucks’ orders. I will be ordering a London Fog! Sounds delicious!
Anna says
I just finished listening to “Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea” by Barbara Demick. So fascinating and I learned loads. Definitely recommend it!
Delores says
My goals… well, it’s life, you know. So, the good: have lost 30 pounds since Jan 1. We are not just eating veg. from the garden, but at least supplementing from it. My life kind of fell apart the beginning of March and the garden was one of the first things to be put to the side. I have read plenty, but most of it just mind candy, so not really counting those towards my 12 “good” books for the year.
As I look over my goal list, I see that I have really dropped the ball. But I am almost done with my part time job and am thinking that I will have more time and motivation afterwards to get back on track!
Keep up your great work, Mavis! These posts are always inspiring and some of my favorite.
Roni Crincoli says
Here is our most Favorite Easter Wheat Pie Recipe
The recipe is adapted from Nick Malgieri’s book Great Italian Desserts. It makes one 9″ pie.
Italian Easter Wheat Pie (Pastiera di Grano)
Cooked Wheat Berries
1 c. hulled white wheat berries (you can use red or brown, but they take a bit longer to cook)..(Just a note, I buy the Wheat already cooked on Amazon, it’s sooooooo much easier.)..but follow these directions if you start with the wheat berries..
5 c. water
2 (2 inch) strips of lemon peel
1/8 tsp. kosher salt
Rinse the wheat then place in the slow cooker along with the water, lemon and salt. Stir to mix. Cover and cook on high for 2-1/2-3 hours until wheat berries are puffed and tender yet chewy. Yields roughly 3 cups. You will use 1 cup for the pie. Save the rest for another use.
Sweet Pie Crust (Pasta Frolla)
1-2/3 c. flour
1/3 c. sugar
zest of half a medium lemon
pinch of kosher salt
1/2 c. unsalted butter, diced
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp. vanilla extract
In a food processor combine flour, sugar, lemon zest, and salt. Pulse until combined. Add butter and pulse to form pea size crumbs. Combine egg and vanilla to blend. Then add to flour mixture and pulse until it just begins to come together. Pour dough out onto the counter and bring together to form a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill 1 hour or longer.
Pastry Cream
3 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. flour
pinch of kosher salt
1/2 c. whole milk
1 large egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Combine sugar, flour, and salt in small saucepan. Whisk in milk, then egg, and mix to combine. Cook on low heat, stirring constantly until mixture comes to a boil and thickens. It should take 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour into a bowl. Cover pastry cream directly with plastic wrap and chill.
Ricotta Filling
1 c. whole milk ricotta cheese
1/4 c. sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 c. candied orange peel, finely chopped (OPTIONAL)
1 tsp. orange flower water I use Orange extract and grated Orange
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
In a mixing bowl beat ricotta until smooth, about 1- 2 minutes. Add sugar. Beat in eggs then add orange peel, orange flower water and cinnamon. Fold in chilled pastry cream. Add 1 c. cooked wheat berries (you can use 1/4 c. more wheat if you prefer a more dense pie). The mixture should be thick.
Egg Wash
1 large egg
pinch of salt
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Roll out 2/3 pastry dough and fit into a 9-inch Pyrex pie plate. Pour ricotta and wheat filling into pastry shell. Beat the egg with salt to form an egg wash and brush around the edges of the pie dough. Roll out remaining pastry dough and cut into 9 (1/2″) wide strips to form a lattice top for the pie. Place the lattice strips on top of the pie filling, then brush the lattice with the egg wash. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the pastry is golden and custard is set in the middle. Cool on wire rack. Chill several hours before serving.
Jill says
I always look forward to your goals update. It’s very inspiring! Can you tell me where you go for the calculator to find the contractual versus actual remaining term on your mortgage? We are also trying to accelerate our pay off and it would be great to have that as a motivator!
Mavis Butterfield says
When making extra payments, I just multiply the principle times extra payments I want to make and pay that additional amount each month. Do you bank online? You should be able to see your amortization schedule online. Or you can just google mortgage calculator extra principal payment and find something that works for you. If not, your paper statement should show your contractual versus actual remaining term amount.