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12 Goals for the New Year

My 22 Goals for 2019 – Week 50 of 52

By Mavis Butterfield on - 61 Comments

My 22 Goals for 2019

Goal #1 — Spend More Time Doing What I Love – Blogging

So. I don’t think I’ll be leaving the house on Thursday. šŸ˜‰ We had the oil tank filled last week at the bill was $461 {I don’t know what the size of the tank is, but the tank was probably somewhere in the 85% empty range.

The HH and I both think the fuel will last 6 weeks. We’ll see. We both LOVE the radiator heat and think {oddly enough} that this house is the warmest house we’ve ever lived in. Who knew an old house could be so warm?

Goal #2 — Garden, Garden, Garden Done for the year!

Garden chores are done for the year and I’m pretty excited about that.

Goal #3 — Plant an Orchard {Calling it Quits on this one.}

Can someone please tell me why the floor is sticky under my lemon tree? I don’t get it.

Goal #4 — Gussy Up the Potting Shed Done!

Goal #5 — Grow Enough Extra Vegetables, Eggs and Flowers to Earn $1500 at my little roadside vegetable stand.

It was totally my intention to grow a ton of fruits and vegetables to sell at the farm-stand when I made my list of goals for 2019 last winter, but then we moved. So, that whole goal was sort of a bust. I do miss the vegetable stand.

Goal #6 — Finish Every Single Unfinished Rug Hooking Project in My Pattern Bin + 10 Things from back Issues of Magazines/Books I’ve Been Meaning to Make.Ā 

While I didn’t add any new finished hooked rug pieces in my Etsy shop this past week, I did make good progress on my big twin kitties rug. Now all that’s left is to finish filling in the cats and add it to my stash of rugs for my next big Etsy listing on January 3rd.

I’m not exactly sure how I’m going to finish the rest of my hooking projects by the end of the year {especially with all the napping I’ve been doing lately} but who knows, miracles happen. Even for hookers.

  • 73 rugs in my pattern bin {now down to 16} <– SO CLOSE!
  • 183 hooked flowers {finished 150, now down to 33}
  • 10 “things” from back issues of magazines {finished 0}

Goal #7 — Create 12 New Rug Hooking Patterns {with at least half of them being large ones} DONE!

So far this year I’ve added 12 new rug hooking patterns and 14 beginner rug hooking kits to my Etsy shop.

New rug hooking patterns I’ve created and added to My Etsy Shop this year:

Rug Hooking Kits

Goal #8 — Split and Stack 2 Cords of Wood for Next WinterĀ 

All that firewood! We sold it. šŸ˜‰

Goal #9 — Do Something with the 5,002 Photos on My Phone

Down to 2174 pictures. Cloud. I don’t need no stinking cloud.

Goal #10 –-Lose the Muffin Top Done!

Sweet digity! And I did it while eating pastries too!

Goal #11 — Run, Walk or Crawl a 5k, 10k, Half Marathon and Marathon DONE!

Glad to have finished the half marathon and to have the goal checked off my list. Mark my words… I am done with half and full marathons. I would rather eat cake and take Lucy on long walks.

Goal #12 — Read or Listen to 26 New Books {21 down, 5 to go}

No new books this week but I’m still on the waiting list for a few.

Books I’ve Read or Listened to So Far This Year:

Goal #13 — Try 52 New Recipes.

40 down, 12 recipes to go. This past week I shared a recipe for pineapple Habanero Pepper Jelly

Goal #14 ā€” Clean Up 52 Old Recipes on the Blog

9 down, 44 to go. Why did I make this goal? Note to self: Make fewer goals for next year.

Goal #15 — Fill 100 Canning Jars 81 down, 19 to go.

We made some more jelly this week to give as gifts.

So far this year I’ve I canned:

Goal #16 — Finish Furnishing Our House

We picked up a dresser on Craigslist. šŸ™‚ But nobody wants to see that so here’s a picture of Lucy.

Goal #17 – 52 Dates with the HH {46 down, 6 to go}

The HH and I went on 2 date days this past week and one of them was to the tile store.

I had the HH remove one of the ends of a kitchen drawer so we could take it with us because our kitchen cabinets are a cream color and I wasn’t sure what would go with them.

And you know how it goes, you get in there and at first you’re only looking at tile for the back splash and then you start talking about replacing the kitchen counters {him, not me} and then I counter back with well if we are going to replace the counters, I would rather just replace all the cabinets because if we moved the stove over to where the microwave, is the layout would be better and wouldn’t it be nice to have a long span of uninterrupted counter space oh and while we’re at it let’s put in a farmhouse sink too. That would look really dreamy, don’t you think?Ā 

And then he’s like, no no no, we {who is this WE person?} could just change out all the hardware and paint the cabinets out white, get a new counter top and back splash, a new sink and update the kitchen appliances.Ā 

And then I roll my eyes and we go look at counter tops. He liked the white quartz, and I liked the black. Neither of them go with the only back splash we can agree on {chunky white subway tile} and the cabinet color we currently have though.

And then I’m like… you know what I think we should do? We should just replace the back splash and that’s it! That would be the sensible thing to do. We aren’t going to live here forever you know, and I think we can update the kitchen with just paint and a simple back splash.

BUT WHAT DO I KNOW? I’m just the little woman, and you’re the guy who in all of 25 years of marriage has only picked out 3 things for our homes {a set of ugly candle holders, a beaded tree and a leg lamp}. But again, WHAT DO I KNOW!?Ā 

And so we left.

So tell me my dear friend across the computer screen, are you on Team HH {let’s do it all} or Team Mavis {we can get it done with back splash and paint on the walls}. Curious minds want to know.

Goal #18 — Take One Adult Education Class Done {I’ve taken 3!}

Next year I think I might want to take a painting class. Or maybe even ukulele lessons.

  1. Block Printing Class with my neighbor.
  2. Spoon Carving ClassĀ with Heather.
  3. Mini pottery lesson {I loved it! and now I want to sign up for a full class}

Goal #19 — Secret Holiday Project{s}

Goal #20 — Create 12 Wowie Zowie Party Platters

8 down, 4 to go.

This goal is not going as planned and I have no idea why. Side note: Did you know you can order a Cheese Lover Artisan Wedding Cake from Costco? Yes, yes you can! How cool is that?

Goal #21 — Visit 12 General StoresĀ 

10 down 2 to go. I totally forgot to tell you about the general store we went to last week. Oops.

Goal #22 — Compete with Carole….. Get on My Front Door Game On

I can pack this up on December 26th, right?

Front Door Bling I’ve Made So Far This Year to Compete with Carole:

  • Late January : Valentine Heart
  • Late February : Shamrock
  • Late March : Giant Carrot
  • May: White wave petunia hanging basket
  • June/July: Tin Star and Flag Bunting
  • August : Sunflower
  • September: Indian corn and pumpkins
  • October: Pumpkins and spinner do hickeys
  • November: Indian corn and big pumpkins
  • December: Leg lamp and nutcrackers in the window and giant Christmas balls on the porch

**************

How about YOU? What are your goals for 2019? If you told us about them HERE, check in! We want to know how you are doing. Because seriously, it’s so much easier to get those goals checked off your list when you have people rooting for you! šŸ™‚

Have a great day everyone,

♥ Mavis

You can read more about my 22 goals for 2019 HERE.

Have a Great Day!

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Comments

    • Christa says

      I agree, scale would happen in my lemon tree when I moved it indoors. They suck sap and secrete a sticky syrup (which sugar ants will farm, oddly enough). I’d find it on the floor and pot of my lemon.

      Reply

      • Diana says

        Agreed. Also, check for any black on the leaves or stems of the tree. My citrus trees get attacked by mealy bugs and that leaves a lot of stickiness. I use soapy water applied with an old sock on my hand to clean the leaves and stems of any stickiness and bugs. That usually does the trick for a long while…

        Reply

  2. Fifitr says

    If the leg lamp is anything to go by, no one should ever trust your HH with design decisions, anywhere, anytime, anyplace except a kitsch brothel. However, if you plan to stay in the house for more than two or three years then I am on his side – you should change your kitchen completely. I say this because you both enjoy cooking so why not have an optimised space in which to enjoy doing that and because you have quite neutral taste so whatever you did would, I suspect, be attractive to a lot of potential buyers if you did move in the next few years, as well as providing a sympathetic upgrade. Having just had my first new kitchen in over 20 years I would say you cannot underestimate the pleasure of cooking in a space where everything is to hand and you have the room to do what you like.

    Reply

    • Julie says

      1. I’ve been anxiously awaiting what you will do with the 10 projects from magazines. Will she toss them or keep them?
      2. You’re not staying in this house?

      Reply

  3. Mary3M says

    I would do it all in one fell swoop. Once you have the kitchen the way you like you will be happier and not so inclined to move within a year again. Love the farmhouse sink idea and if I ever redo my kitchen, that’s the first thing I want. Good luck. No pictures of the door ‘bling’?

    Reply

  4. Lindsey says

    Iā€™m on team Mavis. Iā€™m not sure about the white subway tile with the cream cabinets though. I would do more natural stone colors.

    Reply

  5. Kim says

    I have regretted having a dark countertop. It is hard to see things, believe it or not.
    At the least, I vote for painting cabinets white. But, if I am spending YOUR money, I say go for the whole enchilada. (Please forgive me for siding with the HH.) Merry Christmas!

    Reply

  6. Lynne says

    Always my favorite post of the week, although I’m hyperventilating here over the realization that there are only two weeks left in the year. Yikes.

    I think I’m on Team Mavis, mainly because the reno the HH seems to favor is the sort of thing that usually keeps growing, is very messy and takes longer and costs more than you anticipate. I’m not sure how frustrating you find the current situation in your kitchen. Maybe hold off on even doing the backsplash to look more carefully at what you have and consider (maybe as a goal for 2020) what would add a fresh look and style to your space to make it work best for you. It might end up being just the backsplash, but it might make more sense to think about a bigger project. Good luck!

    Reply

  8. Christa H. says

    Love that you are near the water! I would like to see the dresser though.
    My last house had cream cabinets and black granite. I liked it at first and then I didn’t.
    This house we did white shaker cabinets, white subway tile with very light grey grout, and white quartz with a little bit of grey veining, and black squared off pulls on all cabinets and drawers, and two farmhouse deep stainless sinks with modern stainless faucets, wood floors throughout. I have a sink at the island for garden/cooking prep and another at the dishwashing counter. It is the kitchen of my dreams. I wouldn’t change a thing. Everyone who sees it falls in love with how cheerful and clean everything looks when all white. It makes you feel good being in there to cook plus that would be an easy sell if you ever move.
    If you don’t want to change out the counters, then I think you should paint the cabinets white and get white subway tile to go with your dark counters. It’s classic.

    Reply

  10. KC says

    Eh.
    1. larger renovations means being without a kitchen for longer
    2. if you keep it neutral, renovations will probably increase your home’s resale value (but not necessarily by the value of the renovations
    3. I don’t know how much longer subway tile is going to remain “hot”
    4. Kitchen layout is gold, personally, but a lot of kitchen layout optimizations depend on how exactly you use the kitchen, and the more atypical your kitchen use patterns are, the harder it is for someone else to “fit” them.
    5. Newer appliances often fail faster than dinosaurs.

    So if you’re going to be in this house long enough to enjoy it (specifically: long enough to make it worth both the time/effort/time-without-kitchen/dust-all-over-the-house *and* the money), then do the whole shebang including layout change. Otherwise, just go with the backsplash and repainting and see what you think.

    Reply

  11. Vivian says

    Mavis, I made the pineapple habanero jelly yesterday and it didn’t harden up. Is is supposed to be runny? Inquiring minds want to know. Thanks!

    Reply

  12. Daisy says

    I’d say do all or nothing. if you do the backsplash do the rest as well. you’ll only have the dirt and mess once.
    White subway tile (WHITE grout), black countertops and white or grey cabinets. Stainless Steel Handles. You can add any kind of colour or dekoration to it.
    Even if you move out again, wont it increase the resale? it always does in those remodelling shows šŸ˜‰ .
    Maybe you could find another “Chino the Handyman” and struck a new deal

    Reply

    • Lindsey says

      Mable, have you ever had any kind of stainless steel appliance? If not, RUN, RUN, RUN in the other direction. I redid our kitchen and fell for the hype and have regretted it every single day. Always looks dirty, hard to clean…if I had the money I would replace my fridge, oven and dish washer tomorrow, if not sooner.

      Reply

  13. Kim says

    I like to keep everything as simple as possible, and I am cheap, so I would stick with paint and backsplash if I could do just that much and live with it. But, you and HH have to decide what you can live with.

    Reply

  15. suzanne says

    Is it possible to change the layout of your kitchen with your current cabinets? Just shuffle them around a bit? They are a classic style you may be able to just purchase a few more cabinets if the current one’s can’t be logically relocated. You are going to repaint anyway a slight deviation will never be noticed.

    Reply

  18. cathy says

    our first house had the radiators and I wanted them when we built our 3rd house and everyone just shook their heads and laughed. I didn’t get them but you are right they get hot they stay hot for a long time. I loved them. Great for drying mittens and warming up a throw before hitting the couch.

    Reply

  19. Heidi p says

    Redo your whole kitchen. Kitchens sell houses and you will get to enjoy it until your next moving adventure!

    I too look forward to your Sunday goals post, as well as, Mondayā€™s week of meals/ spending.

    Itā€™s unbelievable how fast the year has gone. 2020 here we come.

    This past year I too had lofty goals and because the year is almost up and the odds are slim I will slip up I will share:).

    I stated (repeatedly until my hubby was freaked out) that 2019 was the year of ā€œHeidiā€. I was going to take control of the controllable aspects of my life. Iā€™d been fighting health issues for 5 ish years. Ultimately pancreas issues that left me hospitalized for weeks, On life support at times, and bed ridden add in over weight and lethargic at best. Living in pain was the pits. So 2019 came and I got really sick again and was told I had developed type 2 diabetes. Yikes! Docs wanted to put me on meds and I said ā€œnope, diet and exerciseā€. They gave me three months to get myself under control. Game on!

    To make a super long story short Iā€™ll cut to the chase. Iā€™ve lost 94 pounds, all bloodwork is optimal and no sign of diabetes plus as of now my pancreas isnā€™t causing me pain.

    I feel like Iā€™ve come out of a cave and have a life again. If I can do this anyone can. I was a slug!

    Thank you Mavis for the daily inspiration. You have been a shining light in times of darkness and during the lighter times. Keep doing you because you are awesome!

    Reply

  20. Richelle says

    Talk to a designer. It’s a small investment to insure meeting needs/wants for both of you, while keeping your kitchen design aligned with the style and era of your house. You can weigh the pros/cons of a full re-do vs a refresh with an impartial third party. He or she would also likely have some ideas you hadn’t considered. My two cents is to stay away from dark counters; they show water spots and dust, and are already dated. Subway tile is classic and has never been out of style (what changes with trends are grout color, tile size, and texture).

    Reply

  21. Katie King Schneider says

    I’m in the remodel your kitchen camp. You’ll thank yourself every day you get to use it. I also want to point out that the Costco cheese “cake” is photographed on a white marble/white subway tile combo and it looks great!

    Reply

  22. Mimi says

    Hmmmm…thinking, thinking. I know the whole world is HGTVing their way through life now and never ending updating is the thing to do but I’m kinda over it. The older I get the more I want to just leave things the way they are (mostly). Unless something is just so ugly or nonfunctional I can’t live with it, I try to make peace with imperfection. That’s my 2 cents. šŸ™‚

    Reply

  23. Mel says

    I decided I don’t have time to finish my goal of quilting my Christmas tree skirt before Christmas, so I just went ahead and used it half quilted this year. I got the lights on the tree but then broke a finger, so I still haven’t managed to decorate our house. This year is still ending better than it started, but it’s been a rough month. I’m ready for 2020.

    Reply

  24. Joyce in Indiana says

    I would do the whole remodel, get it the way you REALLY want it.
    I also want to ask…why do you think this is not your “forever home”.

    Reply

  25. Sandyf says

    You both cook and if you want that to keep being the case-compromise. Paint the cabinets, white quartz counter top, subway tile is always classic if you house was built before 1950. No white grout! Close grout lines with sanded grey or tan. Try to let the house tell you-stick with the year it was built-simple. No trendy -go with a color subway-there are some beautiful colors these days. Farm sink-oh yes! Who knows-you may end up living in that house forever or at least for awhile (long enough to let your change of address expire) So-make it like you want it.
    Life is too short to not love your home. You may move at some time, but for now, it is home sweet home.

    Reply

    • Katie says

      We purchased a new build home this summer, but it was designed by the developer. Our kitchen has a darker gray subway tile. I don’t think I would have ever picked it out on my own, but we LOVE it.

      Reply

  26. Penny says

    Mavis,

    Been following you for a long time and canā€™t tell you how much I enjoy your blog. My late husband ( he died in February and we were married for 45 years) and I use to discuss and laugh with you and the HH every day. So glad that you have made the move and that you seem very happy where you are. Concerning the kitchen, I have to say that I have to be on Team HH. Life is too short and with the HH helping with kitchen duty and if you can afford it, go all in and make it the way you want it. Yes, it will be a mess for a while but I think you all will be there for a while so it will be worth it. Just my two cents. Hope you all have a Merry Christmas and please know there are a lot of people who really appreciate you and your take on life.

    Reply

  27. Rita says

    I would have a hard time being without a kitchen during a remodel. Is your HH going to do the work or will he hire it out? Other than that do you both love the house? Good luck whatever you decide.

    Reply

  29. Pam says

    I’m frugal so I say just do the back splash. I think it’s ridiculous what people pay to have a fancy, showroom quality kitchen. If you like your kitchen and it works for you don’t change it.

    Reply

  32. Lynda Kling says

    My kitchen is almost 50 years old..1970ā€™s cabinets and chipped, stained Formica. My husband thinks itā€™s all fine and thinks I just need to (re) paint the cabinets, which I done about FOUR times already…so I sympathies with you and totally understand….

    Reply

  33. Granny B says

    Back to your goals. One goal was 12 hooking kits. You actually did create 12 but you also made 14 beginner ones. Shouldnā€™t they count for something??
    As for the kitchen, I would go the paint route. Itā€™s WAY cheaper and may be just what works for you. If not, you can always then go the whole remodel route and wonā€™t be out that much for the previous painting.

    Reply

  35. Diana says

    Having been a kitchen designer for over 20 years, I say redo.
    – Resale value will increase
    – The efficiency of having your kitchen the way you cook makes it more pleasant
    – Dark countertops are more difficult the older we get due to depth perception – go lighter.

    As for Miss Lemon – check her leaves for black, sooty looking stuff. Also look on the stems at the joints and back of the leaves for mealy bugs or scale. Mine get attacked with that a lot. I use an old sock and warm soapy water (any old dish soap will do) and clean the leaves and stems/truck of the tree and get off the bugs/soot/eggs. I don’t even like insecticidal soap, so I go natural all the way.
    Good Luck!

    Reply

  36. Kristen says

    Mavis, this is semi-hilarious! We are all Mavis-ites: OCD, minimalist, cheap-skates and I cannot believe the number of people that agree with me and the HH! Paint and hardware is as low-key as I’d go. Otherwise, just do it all. You guys have more common ground than you think. I would suggest starting a pintrest page of kitchens you each like. You’re just not visualizing each other’s likes. You’re just fixating on one piece at a time. Instead find a nice example of the whole kit and kaboodle that you like. Then find the tile and countertops and paint you like once you agree on the big picture.

    Happy goal-finishing, girlfriend!

    Reply

  37. Katie says

    I’m curious what your plans are for after this house! I wasn’t sure you’d be moving anymore. I love the subway tile and think it goes will with either counter top. If I had the money to completely reno the kitchen. I’d reno the kitchen. But at the very least I’d paint the cabinets and replace the backsplash.

    Reply

  38. Elle says

    Team Mavis {we can get it done with back splash and paint on the walls}.

    I’m a minimalist and don’t throw stuff out when it’s perfectly functional. But then, I never bought into the Mcmansion craze so I’m not normal. Debt and I don’t get along.

    Reply

  39. Virginia says

    I’m a little late to join the bandwagon, but here’s my two cents. Your kitchen, even with the unattractive tile, would never hinder anyone from buying your house. Why even entertain remodeling a perfectly lovely and functional kitchen (bye-bye $40K) when you have no intention on staying there forever. (And given the frequency with which you and your husband move, let’s assume you won’t be there long!) The only reason I would entertain a full remodel is if your kitchen was severely out of date. It isn’t. And I’m not in the camp that says you’ll get your money back upon sale when you do a kitchen or bath remodel. There’s no way to predict that.

    The black countertop you have already goes extremely well with the cabinets, which are a lovely style and color — and I dare say expensive from the looks of them. Why replace one black countertop with another? And I do agree wholeheartedly with the commenter who said that solid black counters will show everything. Solid white countertops have the same issue. I have one in a bathroom thinking it would look clean. Au contraire — it never looks clean.

    I would not entertain moving your stove for a couple of reasons. Depending on your stove’s current venting, you could be in for a lot of extra cost simply to rework the venting. Moving the stove will almost certainly involve cabinet issues/purchases. Once base cabinets are affected, you may end up with flooring issues. And why move the stove to another area underneath wall cabinets? You will feel more restricted there when cooking, and let’s not forget the fact that you will have copious amounts of cooking grease accumulating on those wall cabinets. Your a great fella, HH, but this is a BAD idea.

    The only things I would do to that already fabulous kitchen would be, first and foremost, change out the tile. White gloss subway tile is a great idea, and you already agree on that point. (Make sure it is a white-white tile because many of them have yellow or gray undertones that will not be pleasing.) Then either do a white sanded grout or a very pale tan grout to accent your warm floors. Say no to gray grout. Since the sink wall is the focus wall in the kitchen, take the subway tile all the way up to the ceiling — it’ll make a huge difference. Paint your walls white. Leave the cabinet color alone. Lastly, change out your ceiling fixture for something warmer. My vote is a colorful fabric, tapered drum shade, which will add instant color and warmth to your space.

    You can make very inexpensive changes to your house that will add immense charm and value to the next buyer. Painting, gardening, etc, are the way to go. And, ultimately, the food you’d make in a fully remodeled kitchen will be exactly the same as the food you’re making now. The money saved will buy a LOT of bread and pastries from the bakery! And there’s no security like money in the bank.

    Reply

  40. Jessica Wilson Underwood says

    I’m in the minority because I love my black granite countertops. I can see the dirt, I spritz it with a mix of rubbing alcohol and water and it is soooo clean and shiny. Oh and I have subway tile as well. So I guess my design “doesn’t go” lol. I get a lot of compliments on it so, who knows!

    Reply

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