New Year Goals!

Every year I try to come up with a list of 10 things I want to accomplish in the up coming year. I am lucky to get done half the stuff on my list but that is 2x's the amount of things I would have gotten done if I hadn't made a list. Now that's just too much math for the last day of the year. :) This year I have been trying to think of things I wanted to make a goal for 2013 and I felt lost. Sort of like I did when I was trying to make my Christmas list. I felt like the upcoming year is filled with so many unknowns to make plans.

I really don't know what to think about the whole new parenthood thing that is fast approaching me. I am very excited and can't wait to meet Eli. Some people have such negative things to say about having a new child and some people have very positive things to say. I have heard countless times that my life will never be the same and I think...well...duh. That's about all I've really thought of it. I am not sure how my life will change and I am only prepared to take it day by day. As the countdown to 2013 begins, I am growing more and more excited about it.

With that, I still have to stay true to myself and make my goals. Baby or no baby there are things I want to accomplish for myself in the upcoming year and some that involve little baby Eli as well.

TEN GOALS FOR 2013

1. Eat homemade dinners 4x's a week. This might seem simple but I'd be ashamed to share how often we eat out for dinner. I am great at doing breakfast and lunch for myself but when dinner time rolls around Mark and I find it so much easier to just go out. These "homemade" meals don't have to be fancy and even a frozen pizza would be on my "homemade" list at this point. I am hoping with Eli here and my decreased work schedule I will tap into my inner homemaker but we will have to see.
2. Complete P90x. This is a goal that has been on my list for 2 years. In years past it has been replaced with other ridiculous workout routines such a jiu jitsu or more intense weight training but this year I think P90 will be fitting for my new lifestyle with baby.
3. Run a 5k race. This has also been on my list for 2 years. I have ran plenty in two years. I have done longer runs maxing out at about 10 miles but mostly shorter runs around 3. For some reason I can't find time to sign up and participate in a formal race though but maybe this year is the year.
4. Keep accurate inventory of the store. Believe it or not I have work goals as well this year. We have always been terrible at keeping accurate inventory of the store but this year I am determined to do it properly. After we do our end of year physical inventory I intend to enforce using our purchasing order system and do regular inventory checks.
5. Have monthly meetings with accountant and business consultant. I have these two tools to use and do not take advantage of them nearly enough. The store has been a good experience and I am paying myself fair but it is time to really start focusing on the books and bring in the money. I'm ready for a end of year bonus in 2013!
6. Give birth to our baby boy! This one is sure to be checked off the list because I know he isn't going to stay in there forever. I always like to put one thing on my list that is inevitable. I'm sneaky like that.
7. Pay off my car. Mark and I like to keep ourselves as debt free as possible. We keep a tiny balance on our credit cards to keep our scores up and try not to finance things. When we do we try to pay those things off as quickly as possible and now that my car is down to a manageable balance we want it paid in full by the end of the year, hopefully by summer.
8. Remodel store. By remodel I mean to have new flooring, new lighting, new slat wall, 1 big screen tv, and 2 smaller ones before the years end. Fortunately we have been working with our landlord for help on these changes and they have been fairly generous.
9. Keep a clean & organized home. My work schedule will purposely be less demanding so that I can also be a "stay at home mom" to Eli as well as a store owner. While I am very blessed that we own our own business it isn't always the walk in the park that some people think. My schedule as far as hours actually in the store are flexible but my responsibilities are not. Still the goal is to put more focus into our house and give it my all. My mom always did a good job keeping our house clean growing up and even though it took me a while I feel like I am growing to follow her foot steps in that department. If I fail in 2013 I have no shame in getting my spoiled butt a maid for 2014. I'll look at it as at the cost we save not using day care AND the money we gain by me continuing to run our store.
10. Be an active "stay at home mom". I keep putting "stay at home mom" in quotations because it's not that simple. That's really not what I'll be at all but  I just also feel strange to call myself a "working" mom because my #1 priority will be raising Eli and spending time with him watching and helping him grow. My work week outside of the home will consist of 15-20 hours a week which is a tiny % of the time I will spend being a "sahm". Regardless, my hours at work are cut back and I want to make the most of that time. I know at first I will exhausted and sleep deprived but as soon as possible I want to get in the habit of getting Eli out of the house and doing new things. I also want to keep myself physically active, stay on top of the house chores (#9), and cooking meals (#1). I know from the experience of being self employed that with no one around to hold you accountable it can be easy to slack off and become lazy. I am sure Eli will do his part in keeping me accountable for taking care of him but the rest will take self motivation.

Even though this year is filled with so many unknowns I think it is going to be a fabulous year! I am really looking forward to it. Eli comes early in 2013 so we have all year to watch him learn and grow and every holiday this year to spend with him. I am also really looking forward to seeing Mark become a father. I would never have guessed when we first started dating that Mark would become such an amazing man. In our first few years of marriage we had some pretty rocky roads but as this year wraps up I feel closer to him than ever. I also feel confident that 2013 will be our best year together yet! 

On top of all that we have lots of friends and family getting married this year and weddings always make the year so much more fun! We have several trips planned to new places, some with and some without Eli and then, at the end of the year we get to go crazy with Eli's first Christmas!

I wish yall the best on your new years goals if you have any and if not I hope that 2013 brings lots of happiness and love!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Danielle