Introducing My Insane Goals for 2012 {link-up}

I’ve never liked setting goals, but something got into me last year.  I created a huge list of things I wanted to accomplish in 2011 and called it my Insane Goals.  Each month I blogged about my accomplishments and disappointments.  After some positive feedback, I opened up my monthly posts to other bloggers so they could link-up their goals also.  It has been fun and inspiring to read over those lists each month.

Closing Thoughts on My 2011 Insane Goals:

• In November I predicted that I wouldn’t accomplish anything new on my list and I was right!  That is why I’m sharing closing thoughts instead of my usual list of accomplishments and disappointments.
• Most of the bloggers joining in create a new list of goals each month.  However, I’ve decided that I really like having one massive list to work off of for the whole year.  It seems to keep the expectations lower for any given month.   😉
• My personal goals are the ones that I struggled with the most.  Daily devotions, eating better, and exercising more are all likely to be things that I have to work at every single year.
• My #1 Disappointment: I didn’t get caught up on my photo books.
• In the end, I’m thrilled with all the things I accomplished: my garden, hosting monthly, learning how to can, sending more cards, reorganizing so many rooms, drinking more water, and more!

My 2012 Insane Goals: Preparing for the Baby Edition

Baby number two is coming in April and the race to get ready is about to begin!  This list of goals is all about getting ready with the baby’s arrival being my deadline.  I would love to have another garden, continue to host monthly, blah-blah-blah, but I’m keeping my expectations for the rest of the year low key until I get adjusted to having a newborn.

Food & Supply Preparations

• Purge & organize the deep freezer
• Test the slow cooker freezer recipes I found somewhere (??) & pick some to freeze.
• Fill my freezer (as time, money & energy allow).
• Create a small stockpile of bath products – To keep trips to the store a minimum, I want to have 1 extra of things like soap, shampoo, laundry detergent, etc.

Nursery Goals

• Decide if the baby will sleep in our room first or in the crib from day one.
• Clean all the bedding.
• Pull out all the gender neutral clothes.
• Reorganize the closet & changing table, switching from Grace’s things to baby things.
• Buy & install black out curtains or shades.
• Hang pictures.  – Yeah, right.  We’ve seen this one before!
• Get a baby monitor.

More Baby Themed Goals

• Pick out new pack ‘n play.  – Ours is a hand-me-down and someone is insisting on getting a us a new one.
• Register at Babies R Us.  – For those who have been asking if we need anything.
• Clean & have ready the swing, bath tub, breast pump, baby toys, etc.
• Buy & send out “thank you” cards as needed.
• Reorganize the baby/toddler cabinet in the kitchen.  – Where I keep sippy cups, breast pump supplies, etc.
• Create a pregnancy journal.
• Clean & install the car seat.

Labor & Delievery Goals

• Review The Birth Partner.
• Read a book on the Bradley Birth Method.
• Read Supernatural Birth.
• Stretch regularly.
• Pack the hospital bag.
• Pack Grace’s bag and include child care instructions.

Goals for Grace

• Try to find her a new story time.
• Update her baby book.
• Take away her pacifiers before she moves into her new room.
• Make “busy bags” for her to help keep her entertained while I’m nursing the newborn.
• Buy a potty training seat.  – She might not be ready until after the baby is born, but I’d like to have one anyway.
• Purge toys.
• Create better toy storage in the living room.

Move Grace to Her New Room

• Purge & organize the closets – They are currently filled with moving boxes & more.
• Pick a bedding set for her big girl bed.
• Paint and/or get fun wall decals.
• Buy & install black out curtains or shades.
• Make a night light.
• Move Grace into the new room in the beginning of March or earlier.

Blogging Goals

• Host the 2nd Annual A Day in the Life of… photography project this January.
• Go through all the business cards I collected at Relevant and visit each blog.
• Host baby themed giveaways – I already have 2 lined up.  Contact me if you have a product you’d like for me to review!
• Pre-write a minimum of 5 posts that I can publish after the baby is born.
• Collect a minimum of 5 guest posts. – If you are interested in guest posting, please contact me!

Clothes & Fashion

• Clear out my closet of non-maternity clothes.
• Buy warm & colorful maternity tops. – I used to work backstage in theater so all my long sleeve maternity tops are black!
• Buy new nursing tank tops. – I wore my Target tanks all. the. time.  I would love to get a Bravado one!
• Buy a maternity coat. – I’m on the fence about this one.  Thoughts?
• Get a haircut.  – Yes, this is worthy of my list.  I do it so few times a year that I want to be sure I get one in before the baby comes.
• Get new glasses.  – This needed to happen months ago.  The non-glare coating is coming off and my glasses are horrible.

Family Fun

• Take Grace to the local children’s play house at least once a month.
• Enjoy monthly date nights with Nate. – This should be easy since his parents gave us monthly babysitting & gift cards for Christmas to use for date nights.
• Use local hotel gift card. – Long story, but we want to take Grace swimming in the pool.
• Use restaurant gift cards. – In addition to our date nights, we have some other gift cards we want to enjoy before the baby comes.

Finish Photo Books

• The Year 2009
• The Year 2010
• The Year 2011
• Grace’s First Year Book
• Plus upload pictures to Snapfish monthly.

House Goals

• Clean the carpets.
• Update, print, and follow and new cleaning check list.
• Buy a new computer.
• Hang pictures.
• Solve the no-coat-closet problem.

Pretty insane right??  I’m tired just from typing it all!  Do you think I’ll get it all done before the baby comes?  I’ll let you know how I’m doing next month.

Now it is your turn to share your lists!  I would love to hear about your goals and progress in the comments or you can use the link-up to add a link to a post on your own blog (click on the blue frog icon).  If you are reading this in your email or RSS reader, you’ll need to click over to Simply Rebekah to add your link and/or see the posts that other bloggers have shared.

• For more details about the Insane Goals Monthly Link-Up click here.
• Link directly to your post & not your homepage.
• Please link back to Simply Rebekah in your post and feel free to use the Insane Goals Link-Up image in your post and/or sidebar.

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