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Setting Goals for 2013 – Month by Month!

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2012 is almost over! It’s been a wonderful year in our family. I’m very grateful for our four gorgeous, happy kids. Baby Anna was the absolute highlight of the year! She continues to charm the entire family with her cheerful personality!

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Instagram was a fun discovery for me this year, capturing many moments that would otherwise go un-photographed – particularly pictures that have me in them (thank you, phone with front-facing camera!) I heard someone say once that art needs a little mystery to be truly beautiful. For me, the lower quality of instagram pictures have that artistic beauty. Maybe because it reminds me of looking through old family photo albums?

My eyes decided they don’t like contacts, so you’ll see a lot more of me in glasses from here on out. In high school I chose not being able to see over wearing glasses; I guess I’ve grown up a little (having cuter glasses does help!)

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Massachusetts school breaks are short, so we’re enjoying our final days at home here. We were ready for a break, and wish it lasted a little longer. Anna and I will both enjoy reclaiming our two hours of quiet time.

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We had a lovely, quiet Christmas. Our kids are at the age where Christmas is pure magic, and they haven’t yet started trying to stay up all night (although they were up EARLY!) My favorite moment was Lily opening her doll and exclaiming, “Oh! I love you!!!”

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I finished Anna’s stocking Christmas Eve, even later than I finished Lily’s three years ago! Her letters are crooked because I couldn’t find my pins and I am most definitely not a perfectionist. Maybe she’ll find it charming? I imagine we’ll make fancier stockings, someday. Or keep these as a reminder of a tired mama who loves her family – something I hope my kids always remember regardless of what happens to the stockings! :)

Anna’s stocking was my most concrete goal for December. I printed out these Jesse Tree ornaments from Tired, Need Sleep, and my kids enjoyed doing those. We didn’t finish them (I had a hard time fitting it in without having a scheduled time for it), so we’ll probably continue into January. After a lot of searching for a planner, I ordered Organised Mum’s Family Life Book on the recommendation of Cerys at Rainy Day Mum – clear from the UK, because I couldn’t find anything comparable stateside. I really do like it – it’s quite small (roughly 6×8 inches), yet somehow manages to include space for up to seven family members (or six plus blog planning), along with meal planning and to-do list sections. Terrible news stories sadly made gratitude and focusing on family time easier than ever before, and I was grateful for the hopeful message of Christmas music.

monthly goals linky at mama smiles

Every year I pick out a few areas I want to focus on for the year. I’ve been happy with the themes  set goals for 2012 of gratitude, peace, education, and health. I’m tweaking them for greater clarity in 2013:

  •  Gratitude: No need to change this one. Our family is blessed in many ways, and I always want us to remember that.
  • Education: Also no need to change. Mike and I are both big believers in lifelong learning and the many benefits that brings.
  • Simplicity: Will be replacing peace from last year, because I feel that it better describes what I am doing to encourage peace in our home – and reminds me that this is the pathway to a peaceful home.
  • Responsibility: Replaces health. You can’t control whether or not certain health challenges occur, but being responsible in all aspects of daily living improves overall health.

In January, I want to focus on:

  • Decluttering. I got a big head start on this in December, but plan to do even more this month. Focus areas: responsibility and simplicity.
  • Get the kids settled back into school. Focus areas: responsibility and education.
  • Go through the kids’ toys once again for a more aggressive donation round, now that they are feeling more generous after receiving generous gifts themselves. Focus areas: gratitude, education, and simplicity.
  • Make some fun things out of cardboard with the kids. Mike has been very tolerant of my cardboard stash, and I finally found the X-acto knife blades I put “in a safe place” about a week before Anna was born. Focus areas: education and simplicity.

What are your goals for 2013? Will you be making monthly goals?
Grab a button and join me – link over to your post in the comments.

MaryAnne is a craft loving educator, musician, photographer, and writer who lives in Silicon Valley with her husband Mike and their four children.

27 thoughts on “Setting Goals for 2013 – Month by Month!”

  1. I love your goals and think I could just copy and paste them! :0)

    I’m hoping to discover Instagram this year when I get a new phone!

    I love the stockings. LOVE. Very charming.

    You look great in glasses!

  2. What great goals to have. And your family is gorgeous. I too have become a little bit addicted to instagram this year- it really helps you take photos of things that you wouldn’t normally photograph. And I always have my phone on me.

  3. Bethany @ No Twiddle Twaddle

    Wonderful goals and I think the glasses look terrific! Thanks for sharing on Facebook. : )

  4. Happy New Year Maryanne! I love you in glasses. I am stumbling along in 2013 trying to figure out what I am doing blog wise. I love your blogging goals so YES, I will be joining your monthly blogging goals. Thanks for the motivation! Just grabbed a button!

  5. Elisa | blissfulE

    Love these pictures! The warmth and love radiating out of them is just beautiful. Happy New Year!!

  6. You look cute in glasses. I can totally relate though. I spent all of middle school not being able to see, because I refused to wear glasses and my Mom wouldn’t let me buy contacts. I couldn’t even see the board or the room numbers. I remember getting lost on the first few days. LOL! Who knows how I got good grades. Apparently, I’m not a VISUAL learner.

    I like you goals. I’d like to work on simplicity more. I also need to get back to taking better care of myself. I’ve got to get my butt moving more.

    1. I remember visiting my high school a few years back and wondering how I ever survived, walking around in my highly-unfocused world! The classrooms were small, but I remember barely being able to see the board!

  7. I chose not to wear my glasses in 8th grade and into high school. My eyes got so bad! Of course, that wasn’t the time when wearing glasses was cool. Now people wear non-prescription ones!

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