December Recap

Now that New Year's is quickly approaching (2.75 hours and counting), I'm getting really glad that I've been doing these monthly goals for a couple of months now. We all like to think that we'll keep any New Year's resolutions that we make and that the beginning of the new year is the perfect time to make them, but over the past couple of months I've determined that once a year is not often enough to make new goals. I like doing it once a month. It gives me a solid 30-31 days to attempt to do something and if I fail at it, I can try again the next month. It also helps me keep my goals small and attainable. Instead of trying to conquer the world in a year, I'm settling for conquering small things each month. I like it.

So, here's how I did in December:

1) Memorize...a verse. I memorized Luke 6:45.
2) Read my Bible daily in accordance with my read-through-the-Bible-in-one-year plan. I finished my Bible reading this afternoon. I made it! I read it through this year. I'm debating whether I want to attempt it again next year or if I want to spend more focused time in a specific few books. I'll let you know what I decide in a few days.
3) Listen to 1 online sermon. Nope. Didn't get this done. I think it's mainly because I usually listen to sermons on Sundays while I prepare dinner, but this month we were out of town for one Sunday, had company for another Sunday, and a third Sunday was Christmas weekend. So...I just didn't make it a priority I guess.
4) Make a monthly prayer calendar. Didn't get this done either. Anyone know of a good calendar template out there? That's half my problem with this goal is that I don't want to spend the time searching for a calendar template. I'd really like one...then I could use it for recipes and stuff too.
5) Read "Shepherding a Child's Heart." I read 3 or 4 chapters, but definitely didn't come close to finishing. Next month. :-)

In relation to my family:
1) Have a date night without Lane. Yes! We went to the Maiden's Tower. It was fantastic.
2) Take Lane outside every day for at least 15-20 minutes unless it's raining. I took Lane outside not every day, but darn close. 23 out of 31 days, and 4 of those days it was either raining or too cold, so I really only slacked off 4 days. Not bad.
3) Take a 2-3 day vacation to another city in Turkey. Yes! We went to a little town on the Marmara coast to see some friends for a couple of days. It was fantastic.
4) Go to the park once a week as a family. Sigh. We didn't go to the park at all as a family. Maybe I should nix this goal until the weather is nicer. Shannon hates going outside when it's chilly.
5) Visit a new part of Istanbul by public transportation. We didn't really do this. We kind of did, when we went to the Maiden's Tower, but we had been down there before, so I don't think it counts. We also went to a different part of the city when our ferry home from our mini-vacation docked, but since we took a cab from there to the port we're familiar with, I don't think it counts.
6) Be in bed, lights out, by 10:30. I think we were in bed by 10:30 about 1/3 of the month. We were in bed by 11:00 most of the month. We'll keep working on this one next month.

Personal goals:
1) Do a trial run on Lane's birthday cake. Yup! Although guess what? My mom sent me all the stuff to make fondant! (I think). So...another trial run, at least of fondant, may be in order...
2) Make our bed every day. 27 of 31 days. And 2 of those days were Christmas and the day after. Not bad.
3) Offer Shannon a back massage every night. 24 of 31 nights.
4) Try 2 new recipes. Yup! I made black beans from scratch (like, from dried beans, which I'd never done before) for Mexican food and a yummy breakfast casserole.
5) Finish our Christmas shopping and order photos for Lane's scrapbook. I haven't ordered photos yet for Lane's scrapbook, but I have purchased credit to buy them and chosen which photos I want. I'm just waiting for info about who can bring them to me and when and their mailing address.
6) Get out of bed by 6:00. Ha. I only got out of bed by 6:00 four times this month. Yikes. But I got up in the 6:00 hour (ok, I'll call it like it is: before 7:00) 13 times. I'm still going to be working on this next month too.
7) Take a pair of pajama pants and 3 tanks I bought to a seamstress and have them taken up. I took the pants too, but the lady undid something I'd already had done (having the crotch taken up), so now I got one problem fixed and am back to the same problem I started with. I'll have to go back again in January.
8) Do 4 pages in Lane's scrapbook. Done! I did them last night. I'll take pictures and get them up soon.

So there you have it. How'd I do? Would you like to join me in setting monthly goals? I'll be praying over mine for the new year and for January in the next couple of days and will let you in on them once my birthday extravaganza is over on Monday or Tuesday.

Speaking of birthdays, I've decided to extend my giveaway for a few more days...until the 5th. (It's my giveaway, so I can change the rules if I want to. :-) I think that I have a lot of friends who have been out of town and away from internet access due to the holidays and I want to give them an opportunity to enter. So, you all have until midnight on January 5th to enter instead of until midnight tomorrow.