My goals for 2017
Get 7- 8 Hours of Sleep Each Night
This past week I averaged around 6-7 hours of sleep each night and it was a little slow going in the mornings. Up until about a year or two ago I could totally get by on four hours of sleep… but not these days. 😉 A well rested mama is a happy mama and that’s all I have to say about that.
Make Saving a Priority, Not an Idea
The next big thing. I’m saving up for it let me tell you. And it’s a doozy. 😉
Small things I did this week to save a little green:
Cut my husbands hair, patched up my own shorts instead of buying new ones, used up all the lingering leftovers in the fridge instead of tossing them, planted vegetable seeds in the garden, trimmed my own hedges instead of paying a landscaper to do it, drove only when totally necessary.
Live a little
Fred Meyer had flats of annuals on sale for $9.99 so I snagged a flat of bright pink petunias for the front flower bed. This deal usually comes around once a year during their Founder’s Day sale so I always wait to plant my petunias until they go on sale.
Visit 52 REAL Bakeries
Last week Mom and I checked out Leonard’s Bakery in Honolulu, Hawaii and stuffed our faces with their famous malasadas. Up next on my list is the city of Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada. The Girl and I are thinking about taking a trip up there in a few weeks. Anyone know of any good bakeries in the area?
Have 1 “no spend” week each month
I bought I bunch of fruits and veggies this past week but I’m planning on not buying anything next week. I LOVE doing this mini no spend challenge once a month. Or maybe it’s that I LOVE having an excuse to stay home. 😉
Start a Line of Rug Hooking Patterns
I am now up to 8 rug hooking patterns! And I’ve even added a bunch of hand dyed wool to my Etsy shop. I am currently working on 2 new patterns and am hoping to have them listed in the next few weeks.
Turn My Wool Stash into $2,500
I sold $86.95 worth of goodies in my Etsy and Ebay shops last week. That brings my total to $4159.78 for the year so far. Normally things start to slow down towards the end of March but for some reason things are just starting to slow down now. Which is totally fine with me… because it means I can get started on my fall items and just stash them away until the end of summer.
When I made this goal I was hoping to make $2,500 but it looks like I’ll be able to double that this year.
Play in The Dirt
I posted some new pictures over on Dig for Your Dinner this morning. With warmer temps and no rain princess Lucy and I are having a blast out there.
Purge 250 Items Including Selling Larger Items We No Longer Feel We Need
So far I have purged 109 items this year.
Learn to Crochet – Mission Accomplished
Dote on My Husband Even More Than I Do Now.
Breakfast in bed this morning will include freshly baked Nutella Banana Muffins, hot coffee and a pot of strawberry yogurt.
Lose the Muffin Top. {again}
After last weekends array of party platters, restaurants and baked goods it’s back to smoothies and salads. I have to go to a work thing with the HH next month which means I need to fit in a dress which means I better watch my portions for awhile. Life. It’s kind of lame sometimes.
Wear out {most of} the clothing I already own.
I fixed the hem {badly} on my favorite navy blue shorts. The only blue thread I had was DMC floss. Whateva. These are my “home” shorts, not my going out in public shorts so really, why does it matter? At least that’s what I’m telling myself.
Try 52 New Recipes
I have 2 new recipes I want to try this week and one of them includes the pressure canner. Wish me luck. 😉
Read 52 Books
I need a new book to read. Any suggestions?
Give Back to 12 Different Organizations in My Community
On Mothers day my mom and I set off on a walk {8 miles!} and ended up at a restaurant. We ordered the special of the day: 2 eggs, hash browns, tea and toast for $5.99 each and my mother ordered a mimosa {and I drank tea}. When the bill came I grabbed the check, paid and we headed out the door. It was only when we were down the street that I told my mother that I had given my $100 away for the month. Not only did we have a good time, but I’m hoping we made the waitress’s day too.
- 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 know what I’m going to do… I just have to do it.
- May – $100 Tip to a waitress on Mother’s day.
And then, there’s those top secret goals we’re not talking about yet.
Secret Goal #1Mission accomplished!!! {I’ll tell you about it next week}Secret Goal #2Chickens- 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.
Lindsey says
I just finished Belle Cora , about a 19th century prostitute. It was amazing! One of my favorite books of all time.
Jeanie says
I’m currently reading Commonwealth by Ann Patchett and totally enjoying it although I know I am late to the game as it has been out a while.
Brianna says
I love your unsuspecting tip for the Waitress. I’ve done similar on occasion and I’ve also bought orders for people in the drive thru behind me to show my kids an act of kindness. I have also been the receiver a few times of a lunch bill paid for by some other anonymous person (usually when my hubby and I go to lunch and he is in his uniform). It just feels good to be at either end, receiver or giver. Keep it up, you made someone’s week memorable and special and maybe they will pay it forward.
paula says
My two favorite books that I have read recently are: Nightingale, a world war !! historical fiction. It was an excellent book. The second was March. It is also a historical fiction. It is written from the prospective of the father of the March famiy(from Little Women). He is away at war.
Christy L says
Have you sold any of your hooking patterns yet?
Mavis Butterfield says
Yes! 🙂
Dawn says
I just finished “Killers of the Flower Moon” and loved it.
Leslie says
The Obstacle is the Way by Ryan Holiday!
sclindah says
Probably the best book I’ve read this year has been The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Annie Barrow. It takes place on the Guernsey Island in the English Channel depicting what happened to them during WW2. It’s written in letters back and forth format which took a bit to get used to but it’s a great book. She also wrote a book The Truth About Us which was about a WVA town during the depression.
Julia says
I loved that book!!
shari Harniss says
That was a good read!
Brooke Hart says
I have been reading F Scott Fitzgerald on my Kindle and am in love with his writings. I have always been a heavy reader but skipped this kind of stuff while in school. I don’t have enough time in the day to read everything I want to read.
Jenny says
I started a Master’s program as my new year’s resolution and I am officially half way through. There are 12 classes and just finished 6. My brain is tired though. I decided to accelerate it and try and finish early.
Loretta says
I’ve been reading lots of books about walking lately, as I plan to go on a big walking holiday in the UK in a couple of years and want some inspiration:
A walk in the woods – Bill Bryson (hilarious, though apparently the movie is awful)
Walking home and Walking away – Simon Armitage
Born to walk – Dan Rubenstein
Wanderlust – Rebecca Solnit
A good fiction book is Calling Major Tom by David M Barnett . Shades of A man called Ove. Plus I’ve been bingeing on the Shetland series by Ann Cleeves and have just started her Vera series. Liane Moriarty books are good, as are novels by another Aussie Wendy James.
mable says
Mavis, if you have Netflix streaming you may want to watch Dough. A sweet film set in England, where an elderly Jewish bakery owner hires a young Muslim kid.
shari Harniss says
Have you read Lark Rise to Candleford? A bit long, but so worth it!
Jennifer says
Love that tip!
FarmGirl says
Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers – It is a hard read b/c the beginning is brutal, but it is a beautiful book. I have bought several copies and when friends are looking for a book to read I’ll lend them a copy or mail them a copy and I don’t usually get them back. She is a wonderful author. I love the updates on your goals!!
Ana says
I just finished Maisie Dobbs by Jacqueline Winspear. Maisie is a private investigator after WWI and I enjoyed learning more about that time period.