My Nine (goals) for 2019

I've narrowed it down, and now, today, 1/12 of the way through 2019, as promised, I'm ready to share my list of goals for this year.  I decided to go with nine, because 19 seems like way too many.  We won't talk about the fact that I accomplished 17 last year, and that 19 is only two more.  Nineteen sounds like sooooo much more than 17, or even 18.

Anyway, I've narrowed it down to 9, with the understanding that the others, the ones that didn't make the cut, may or may not happen, too.

So here, without further ado, is the list.

• Plant sunflowers by the chicken coop--These will be multipurpose sunflowers.  They'll be pretty, provide shade, and provide food for the chickens.  The challenge will be keeping the girls from eating them before they get strong enough to withstand the chickens' pecking.

• Make/install chicken swing--My sis said I should do this one, and I have to admit, I'm looking forward to seeing the girls enjoying it.  I hope they do enjoy it.

Source

• Make vanilla extract--Making vanilla (well, most extracts, really) extract is so easy--I'm looking forward to knocking this one out early.  

• Cover a box that I store things in to make it pretty--I've been meaning to do this for years.  Even though it's a box that I use in our master bathroom, so hardly anyone ever sees it, it will make me happy to have a prettier receptacle.

• Crochet or knit something, like a poncho, a blanket, purple scarves, or a hat -- I definitely want to expand my yarn-working skills.  It's always so much fun to crochet something, but then the next time I want to try I psych myself out, because I think it'll be difficult.

• Four playdates with myself (Ikea, Hobby Lobby, downtown, Arboretum)--This is another one my sis said I should do.  And I think I should, too.  You know how some people go shopping for fun?  Yeah.  I do not.  And lately I've been avoiding shopping until absolutely necessary.  But I think I would find these particular expeditions to be inspiring, so I'm going to "make" myself go.

Aren't these dishcloths darling?

• Replace dish cloths--I really like our dishcloths--they're cloth on one side, with a scrubby side on the other--but they kind of stink when they're wet, and feel almost slimy, too.  Yuck.  I did use some extra methods to try to get the ick out, and that seems to have worked, but now they're getting grungy again.  They're several years old, so it's time for some new ones.  Maybe I'll get some at Ikea!

• Put together a traveling charger kit--You know, cords and wall chargers that are specifically designated for travel, kind of like my travel toiletries kit.  This way, I won't have to bother with remembering to grab my cords at the last minute when we travel.

• Facts of life book--This goal, of course, is continued from last year.

Here are the ten additional goals that I would add if I was doing 19:

• Plant a green bean teepee
• Grow an amaryllis bulb
• Light an outdoor tree
• Make a sugar scrub
• Make vanilla mint lip balm
• Make a bacon lattice
• Make reusable food wrap
• Find a pretty bottle for my mouthwash 
• Schedule an appointment for Bubby with the orthodontist
• Unsubscribe (from magazines and email newsletters)

And here are the goals that didn't make the cut:

• Make a grazing box for the chickens
• Replace my screen protector
• Replace my phone case

18 for 2018 Wrap-up

Hey.  Sorry to leave you hanging, y'all.  I did mean to post a final update on my 2018 goals before the end of the year, but then life happened.  I started to feel overwhelmed in mid-December and decided to cease with the goals to make life feel more manageable.  So that's the first lesson.  These goals were for me, and when they were making life more stressful, it was ok for me to abandon postpone them.  The only person I needed to impress was me, and I am super impressed with my ability to let those expectations go and be ok with it.

So...I did not finish that final 2018 goal.  Even though I gave myself permission to call it done on December 21 regardless of how much I actually got done.  I got the list done, and I did begin gathering information, but I got caught up in format.  All along I was thinking that this would be an actual physical binder, mostly because I prefer reading on paper, but also because it seems like a pain to have to turn on a device in order to make changes.  But when I got right down to it, I realized it made much more sense to make this thing digital.  And then I was stuck on whether I wanted it to be digital on my hard drive or a jump drive, or digital ...out there... in the ether.  I prefer ...out there... but wonder about security.  So that goal's been deferred for now.

But y'all!  I am so impressed that I completed 17 other goals.  That is definitely something to be proud of.  And I am so thankful that I made the list in the first place.  Some of the goals were things that I had wanted to accomplish for years.  Years, y'all.  And the list finally provided the little bit of inspiration that I needed to get those things done.

You may be wondering if I'm going to be setting any goals for 2019.  Stay tuned for that.  In the meantime, here's a look back at some of the things I accomplished in 2018.

1. Make Oyster Shell & Grit Dispensers

2. Plant a Garden with tomatoes and jalapenos

3. Can Jalapenos

4. Have everyone in the household take the love languages quiz.
5. Go on a date with each of my boys
6. Send friend mail 8 times

7. Begin Using To-Do notebook

8. Purge file cabinet and create paper organization system

9. Create a household binder/legacy box

10. Delete saved electronic mystery shop screen shots and receipts

11. Buy Desk Task Light

12. Buy phone charging cords for each of our vehicles

13. Make a Chicken Sign
14. Take a Class through a craft store

15. Finish Valences

16. Crochet a Messy Bun Hat

17. Get the kids' pictures taken

18. Send Christmas Cards

18 for 2018 mini-update

Last week I told y'all my plan to complete that last pesky 2018 goal, and I just know you are all wondering how its going. 

Today marks my first deadline, and the first thing I need to tell you is that it was a bad idea to make the deadlines be Fridays.  I don't think any other day of the week would have actually been any better, but I do know that Fridays are not good.

The second thing I need to tell you is that I met my first deadline.  I have made a list of what I want to include.  For now.  I'm sure that I will want to add more as this project progresses over the next couple of weeks, and through the years.  But for now, hooray!

If you need some ideas of what to include in your own household binder (or box or folder), here are some of the resources I consulted:

• Gretchen Rubin's Happier Podcasts 185 (create a Facts of Life book) and 188 (deep dive into the Facts of Life book)
• National Institute of Aging: Getting Your Affairs in Order
• Dave Ramsey's Legacy Box
• Organize 365 Binders
• FidSafe by Fidelity Checklists
• Military Deployment Binders 

The Fidelity checklists are quite comprehensive, so you might want to just start with that.

Next up for me: gathering information and figuring out how I want to organize it.  See ya next week.

18 for 2018 update (November)

Y'all!  I almost forgot to write this post!  In fact, I had a post all set to go up today (now you'll have to wait until Wednesday to discover the fate of this year's Thanksgiving turkey carcass) before I remembered that there was something more pressing to discuss. 

I told my phone to remind me on the 4th Thursday of every month to write the 18 for 2018 update post, but this month, the 4th Thursday was not the last Thursday.  So my phone reminded me, but the reminder was not quite as relevant as it is in other months.  I left the reminder where it was, but it disappeared after a few days.  I suppose my phone figured if I hadn't done it yet, I wasn't going to do it, so it was no use keeping that reminder front and center anymore.  And even though it was still on my calendar, it was out of (immediate) sight.  Which made it out of (immediate) mind.

Thankfully, something brought it back to mind, so you do not have to wonder any longer about whether or not I've made any progress on my goals.

Well, you do have to wonder just a little longer, because I haven't told you yet.

But I will.  Any second now.

OK.  Here I go.

The thing that brought the update post back to mind was completing one of the goals.  Yay me! 

I posted my Christmas cards yesterday.  I even managed to write a mini Christmas newsletter (I had to recycle a past writing, but you all have probably forgotten it by now anyway, right?)  Cross goal number 18 off the list.

The other day, I realized that someone to whom I wasn't planning on sending a card was expecting a Christmas card from us, so I need to tell you this: if you sent us a Christmas card last year, your card went out in yesterday's mail.  That's your reward for sticking with us and sending us greetings year after year even when my brain was too ... anxious? depressed? overwhelmed? ... to let me reciprocate.  I really appreciate you thinking of us, and we were thinking of you, too.

Anyone else, we do have extra cards, so maybe you'll get one, too.  Let's see what happens, shall we?

(and urg.  I just remembered that I was going to send out some extra pictures with some of those cards.  Whoops.  Guess some of you will be getting even more actual in-the-mailbox mail that-is-not-junk-mail-or-a-bill.  Yay, you!)

We can cross goal number 8 (purging paper) off the list, too, because I decided I was done.  I don't remember where I left off, and it's not readily apparent, so I decided not to continue.  I stuck the file folder that I picked up off the floor in October back in the file cabinet and called it good.

That leaves goal number 9: create a household binder/legacy box.  I honestly think that if I meant to make a legacy box, as described by Dave Ramsey, I would have done it by now.  I've thought a lot about what I want to include, and in what format, but haven't actually made any steps toward pulling anything together. 

Let's face it, friends.  This is an overwhelming task.  This is putting all of the information that someone might need to step into my shoes into one place.  Plus all the information one might need to take care of me or my family if I become debilitated.  Hubby thinks it needs recipes in it, for george's sake.  So he knows where the snickerdoodle recipe is (in his defense, he would need to know that if he wanted to step into my shoes).

This is also an incomplete-able task.  Even if I do (when I do) manage to get all of the information in one place, the information is going to become outdated.  This is what we call a never-ending task.  Kind of like laundry.  Or dishes.  Or, really, any and all housekeeping tasks.  I'm going to have to keep going back to update.  I should be used to this by now.

Yup.  It's overwhelming and will never be done. 

So let's break it down. 

And let's also give myself grace because it will always be a work in progress, so it is ok for it not to be perfect in the first iteration.  In fact, it is impossible for this thing to be perfect in its first iteration.

Here we go.

• By December 7, I will have written down a list of what I want to include, and have an idea of how I want to format it.
• By December 14, I will have begun gathering information and organizing it.  I will also have made a list of any supplies that I need to purchase (that would be page protectors).
• By December 19, I will have obtained any additional supplies.
• By December 21, I will give myself permission to call this goal done, regardless of whether I feel like it's really done or not, because it will never *actually* be done.
• By December 31, I will have informed all relevant parties where to find the binder and what to do with it.

Friends, I am gasping to the finish on these goals.  But I am going to finish.

How are you doing on your 2018 goals?

*************

My 18 for 2018

1. ** Make oyster shell and grit dispensers for the chickens
2. ** Plant a garden
3. Can jalapenos-
4. Have everyone in the household take the love languages quiz
5. Go on a date with each of my boys (AKD, MC, Bubby)
6. ** Send friend mail 8 6 4 times
7. Obtain and begin using a to-do notebook
8. ** Purge file cabinet and create paper organization system
9. ** Create a household binder/legacy box--I think my boys would be lost if something happened to me.
10. Delete saved electronic mystery shop screen shots and receipts
11. ** Buy desk task light
12. Buy phone charging cords for each of our vehicles
13. Make a chicken sign--
14. Take a class through community education or a local craft store
15. ** Finish valances for master bedroom.
16. Crochet messy bun hat
17. ** Get the boys' picture taken
18. Send Christmas cards in 2018

18 for 2018 Update (October)

Hi friends.  It's the last Friday in October, so it's time for another 18 for 2018 update.  As you know, encouraged by Gretchen and Liz from the Happier podcast, I made 18 goals for myself to accomplish in 2018.  I have accomplished 15 of my 18 goals, and have made progress on two of the remaining goals.  I've thought a lot about the third of those remaining goals, too.

Yeah.  You're right.  I haven't done a darn thing in October, either.  Well, I did look at the filing cabinet.  And I picked up a hanging file folder that was on the ground and put the papers that had fallen out of it back in to it.  And I did think about addressing those Christmas cards.  And I listened to the deep dive Gretchen and Liz took into the "Facts of Life" book, and I almost started writing down categories for my household binder.

I don't know, friends.  Is it the thought that counts?

I've lost momentum, friends.  An object in motion tends to stay in motion, unless acted upon by an outside force.  I have been acted upon by an outside force that's mostly inside my head.  And now I'm an object at rest, that is tending to stay at rest, until acted upon by an outside force.

I've lost momentum, but I haven't lost heart.  I follow the #18for2018 hashtag on Instagram, which means that anytime anyone posts publicly using that hashtag, it shows up in my feed.  None of the posts that have shown up in my feed have shown 15 or more goals completed.  In fact, I think the most I've seen was 9.  Nine completed goals, of 18.  Most have completed far fewer.  I am so far ahead.

Or I'm right on track: 18 goals divided by 12 months times 2 months left equals 3 goals.

I've got this.

How are you doing on your goals for this year?

Here is a random Esther-feather photo.

18 for 2018 (September) plus garden and chicken update

It's the last Friday in September ... (where did that come from?) ... which means it's time for another 18 for 2018 update.

So ... here goes ... are you ready for this?

In September, I ... did nothing ... toward my goals. 

Well, I did shred some of the previously purged paper related to goal #8, but I feel like that doesn't really count. And I listened to Happier podcast 185, wherein Gretchen and Liz encouraged listeners to make a "Facts of Life" book, which is what I need to do for my goal #9.  I am now busy waiting for them to do a "Deep Dive" into the Facts of Life book, so I can get more ideas about what to include.  The last remaining goal, sending Christmas cards in 2018, remains in stand-by mode.  Click here to see the entire list.

I honestly thought I'd make more progress in September, considering the kiddos went back to school.  Turns out I underestimated the emotional impact of this years' back to school experience.  No worries.  I still have three more months to accomplish three more goals.

Well.  Since that's done, what else should I tell you?  How about a garden and chicken update?  Yes?  OK!

The weather has finally turned cooler, which means the garden is pretty much done.  There are a few more tomatoes still out there, and I'm planning on bringing them in, along with the jalapenos, this afternoon.  I also need to dig up the rest of the potatoes, and figure out what to do about the garlic.  I don't think the garlic is done, so I'm considering leaving it out over the winter.  Apparently, planting garlic in the fall and leaving it out over the winter is a thing, even in our northern planting zone.

Our apples are ripe, and quite a few of them have fallen, to be gobbled up by visiting deer.  I'm not too upset about that, since we still have a lot of applesauce left from last year.  With one of our main applesauce eaters out of the house, we just don't eat as much of it.  We're planning to do some applesauce, mostly in pint jars, since those are a more practical size for gift-giving, but we're also going to make some other apple products, like apple cider, apple pie filling, and caramel apple jam.

In chicken news, I noticed the other day that I could see Esther's chin--the same chin that's always been covered by fluffy feathers.  She hasn't been laying eggs; she's losing feathers.  Sounds like molting to me.  I do not understand why a chicken would want to replace her feathers just as it's getting cold.  I hope it goes quickly enough that she stays warm.  Rocky also hasn't been laying eggs, but I haven't noticed any missing or new feathers on her.  Toasty has slowed down, but is still laying pretty regularly.

Esther.  Her chin is less fluffy these days.

Rocky.  Maybe she is missing some feathers on her face.  That might explain why she's looking more wrinkly these days.

Toasty Crunch.  Our flock's matriarch.  Who persists in behaving like a rooster.

The Littles are making up for their older sisters' shortcomings in the egg laying department.  Indigo and Koko have become very reliable layers, giving us an egg each just about every day.  Hazel is pretty reliable, too, if not quite as prolific.

Koko, my would-be lap chicken.

Indigo

Hazel

18 for 2018 (August)

It's time for another 18 for 2018 update!

In July, I said I didn't know if I would make any progress in August.  I am happy to report that I did, indeed, make some small progress.

In August, I ordered Christmas cards (because ten of them were free, and another six of them got my Shutterfly order up high enough to get free shipping), so 16 of you get Christmas cards (you will note, I did not specify how many or when these cards would be sent).  I also got some Christmas postage stamps, because there was a deal.  And I found the envelopes I saved from last year's Christmas cards so I know who to send cards to this year.  So that goal is well in hand.

And that's all.  Still working on the paper and the household binder.  And I feel like I have to wait until at least October to send Christmas cards.

*****

Here's the entire list:

18 for 2018

1. ** Make oyster shell and grit dispensers for the chickens
2. ** Plant a garden--with tomatoes and jalapenos
3. Can jalapenos--they don't necessarily have to be the ones I grow
4. Have everyone in the household take the love languages quiz--we could do this on Valentine's Day, but since it's also Ash Wednesday this year, I don't think that's gonna happen...
5. Go on a date with each of my boys (AKD, MC, Bubby)
6. ** Send friend mail 8 6 4 times (if you'd like to receive friend mail from me, use the contact link above to give me your address)
7. Obtain and begin using a to-do notebook--this has already been so useful!  I have a running to-do list now, instead of having to start fresh every day.  It's a lot more difficult to misplace than a random piece of paper.
8. ** Purge file cabinet and create paper organization system--Ugh!  We have so.much.paper.  Half of me wants to get rid of it all.  The other half is afraid I'll shred something we'll need later.
9. ** Create a household binder/legacy box--I think my boys would be lost if something happened to me.
10. Delete saved electronic mystery shop screen shots and receipts--yep, I've got every screen shot and almost every receipt from every mystery shop I've done in the past four years.  It's a lot.
11. ** Buy desk task light--I've already tried once this year, but I didn't like it, so I need to try again.
12. Buy phone charging cords for each of our vehicles--I told Hubby I was going to do this, and he was like, but we have charging cords in all the vehicles, don't we?  Well, yes, we do...for his phone, but not for AKD's and mine.
13. Make a chicken sign--It's going to have the silhouette of a chicken, and say something along the lines of, "Danger: Dinosaur Area."
14. Take a class through community education or a local craft store--I used to do this fairly often, but somewhere along the line, I stopped.
15. ** Finish valances for master bedroom.  I've only had the material for...3 years? 4?  A long time.
16. Crochet messy bun hat or Arm knit scarf
17. ** Get the boys' picture taken--the place I used to take them to closed, so I need to find a new photographer.
18. Send Christmas cards in 2018

18 for 2018 (July)

It's time for another monthly update on my 18 goals for 2018.  In July, I ...

• Got the boys' pictures taken.  I actually won a photo shoot in a contest, just in time to complete this goal.  The photographer did a pretty good job, but she found it strange that my kiddos were not complaining.  I told her that they know by now that sometimes you just have to do things to make the Mama happy.

• Went on "dates" with MC and Bubby

There's hardly anything left on the list, so I'm not sure if I'll make any progress in August.  Maybe.  But if not, I'm still way ahead of schedule, so it's all good.  The first two goals that are left are definitely the most difficult ones to acheive, so it makes sense that they're still ongoing.  Here's what's left:

• ** # Purge file cabinet and create paper organization system--Ugh!  We have so.much.paper.  Half of me wants to get rid of it all.  The other half is afraid I'll shred something we'll need later.
• ** Create a household binder/legacy box--I think my boys would be lost if something happened to me.
• Send Christmas cards in 2018

** The things that would have been on my list of 8

# Partially completed

How are you doing on your goals this year?

*****

Here's the entire list:

18 for 2018

1. ** Make oyster shell and grit dispensers for the chickens
2. ** Plant a garden--with tomatoes and jalapenos
3. Can jalapenos--they don't necessarily have to be the ones I grow
4. Have everyone in the household take the love languages quiz--we could do this on Valentine's Day, but since it's also Ash Wednesday this year, I don't think that's gonna happen...
5. Go on a date with each of my boys (AKD, MC, Bubby)
6. ** Send friend mail 8 6 4 times (if you'd like to receive friend mail from me, use the contact link above to give me your address)
7. Obtain and begin using a to-do notebook--this has already been so useful!  I have a running to-do list now, instead of having to start fresh every day.  It's a lot more difficult to misplace than a random piece of paper.
8. ** Purge file cabinet and create paper organization system--Ugh!  We have so.much.paper.  Half of me wants to get rid of it all.  The other half is afraid I'll shred something we'll need later.
9. ** Create a household binder/legacy box--I think my boys would be lost if something happened to me.
10. Delete saved electronic mystery shop screen shots and receipts--yep, I've got every screen shot and almost every receipt from every mystery shop I've done in the past four years.  It's a lot.
11. ** Buy desk task light--I've already tried once this year, but I didn't like it, so I need to try again.
12. Buy phone charging cords for each of our vehicles--I told Hubby I was going to do this, and he was like, but we have charging cords in all the vehicles, don't we?  Well, yes, we do...for his phone, but not for AKD's and mine.
13. Make a chicken sign--It's going to have the silhouette of a chicken, and say something along the lines of, "Danger: Dinosaur Area."
14. Take a class through community education or a local craft store--I used to do this fairly often, but somewhere along the line, I stopped.
15. ** Finish valances for master bedroom.  I've only had the material for...3 years? 4?  A long time.
16. Crochet messy bun hat or Arm knit scarf
17. ** Get the boys' picture taken--the place I used to take them to closed, so I need to find a new photographer.
18. Send Christmas cards in 2018

18 for 2018 (June)

Here's the monthly update on my 18 goals for 2018.  In June I ...

• Planted a garden.  With tomatoes and jalapenos.  I also planted potatoes, Brussels sprouts, garlic, cantaloupe, carrots, basil, and lavender.  Kind of random, I know.

Everything's doing well.  I mounded the potatoes the other day (and decided that if I ever plant potatoes again, it'll be in a trench), and this year, for the first time ever, I'm trying to keep on top of the tomato suckers.  Supposedly, pruning the suckers off will increase tomato yield.

• Accomplished goals 13 and 14 in one fell swoop, making a chicken sign at a local painting store that does custom wooden sign classes.

I'm so pleased with how it turned out--they really captured the essence of my vision for this sign.  The store's owner said he and his employees got a real kick out of creating the custom stencils for me, including enjoying speculating about the story behind the sign.  He's planning on adding it to their wooden sign offerings.

• Scheduled the portrait session required for goal number 17.

In July, we'll get the kids' pictures taken, and I'm planning to go on dates with MC and Bubby.  I'm tempted to send out Christmas cards as well, because who knows how I'm going to feel in late November or early December.  Here's what's left on the list...

• ** # Purge file cabinet and create paper organization system--Ugh!  We have so.much.paper.  Half of me wants to get rid of it all.  The other half is afraid I'll shred something we'll need later.
• ** Create a household binder/legacy box--I think my boys would be lost if something happened to me.
• Go on a date with each of my boys (AKD, MC, Bubby)
• ** # Get the boys' picture taken--the place I used to take them to closed, so I need to find a new photographer.
• Send Christmas cards in 2018

** The things that would have been on my list of 8

# Partially completed

We're halfway through the year, and I'm almost done.  Yay for achievable goals!

Here's the entire list:

18 for 2018

1. ** Make oyster shell and grit dispensers for the chickens
2. ** Plant a garden--with tomatoes and jalapenos
3. Can jalapenos--they don't necessarily have to be the ones I grow
4. Have everyone in the household take the love languages quiz--we could do this on Valentine's Day, but since it's also Ash Wednesday this year, I don't think that's gonna happen...
5. Go on a date with each of my boys (AKD, MC, Bubby)
6. ** Send friend mail 8 6 4 times (if you'd like to receive friend mail from me, use the contact link above to give me your address)
7. Obtain and begin using a to-do notebook--this has already been so useful!  I have a running to-do list now, instead of having to start fresh every day.  It's a lot more difficult to misplace than a random piece of paper.
8. ** Purge file cabinet and create paper organization system--Ugh!  We have so.much.paper.  Half of me wants to get rid of it all.  The other half is afraid I'll shred something we'll need later.
9. ** Create a household binder/legacy box--I think my boys would be lost if something happened to me.
10. Delete saved electronic mystery shop screen shots and receipts--yep, I've got every screen shot and almost every receipt from every mystery shop I've done in the past four years.  It's a lot.
11. ** Buy desk task light--I've already tried once this year, but I didn't like it, so I need to try again.
12. Buy phone charging cords for each of our vehicles--I told Hubby I was going to do this, and he was like, but we have charging cords in all the vehicles, don't we?  Well, yes, we do...for his phone, but not for AKD's and mine.
13. Make a chicken sign--It's going to have the silhouette of a chicken, and say something along the lines of, "Danger: Dinosaur Area."
14. Take a class through community education or a local craft store--I used to do this fairly often, but somewhere along the line, I stopped.
15. ** Finish valances for master bedroom.  I've only had the material for...3 years? 4?  A long time.
16. Crochet messy bun hat or Arm knit scarf
17. ** Get the boys' picture taken--the place I used to take them to closed, so I need to find a new photographer.
18. Send Christmas cards in 2018

18 for 2018 Update (May)

Here's the latest update on my 18 goals for 2018.  Last month, I thought that perhaps planting the garden would be my only accomplishment this month, but I was wrong.

• In May, I finally finished the valances for our bedroom.  Yay!  This was definitely a case of me thinking it was going to be more time consuming than it actually was.  I'm glad I put this on the list, because who knows how long it would have taken me to get around to it otherwise? 

• 

  
  

• For the fourth year in a row, we left home right after school let out.  Every year I tell Hubby I don't want to do that, and every year we end up doing it anyway.  While we were gone, I managed to crochet a messy bun hat.  That's "messy" modifying the hat and the bun.  I used this pattern, but my hook was smaller, and instead of closing the magic ring, I crocheted it to an elastic hair band.  Every time I crochet something, I marvel at how easy it is, and then I don't do it for a while and I forget and start to think it's difficult.  Silly me.

Back-of-head selfies are rather difficult to accomplish :)

• I also managed to send friend mail to 4 more people in May.  I am totally excelling at that goal.  I think perhaps next year, my 19 for 2019 will consist entirely of sending friend mail to 19 people.
• I picked a photographer for the boys via Groupon.  Now I just need to figure out when we can go and schedule the session.
• As of right now, I haven't planted my garden.  I didn't want to plant before we left town (and good thing, too, because it was shockingly hot here while we were gone), and I wasn't able to get it in the ground today (Wednesday).  There's still one more day in May, though...

So I have 8 more goals to accomplish, three of which are partially completed.  Not bad--by the numbers, I'm definitely ahead.  By level of difficulty, maybe not so much.  I'm not sure what I'll work on in June (besides the garden).  I do know that I need to finish goal 17 by August 23.  I think everything else can wait, but I may surprise myself.

How are you doing on your 2018 goals?

Here's my list:

18 for 2018

1. ** Make oyster shell and grit dispensers for the chickens
2. ** Plant a garden--with tomatoes and jalapenos
3. Can jalapenos--they don't necessarily have to be the ones I grow
4. Have everyone in the household take the love languages quiz--we could do this on Valentine's Day, but since it's also Ash Wednesday this year, I don't think that's gonna happen...
5. Go on a date with each of my boys (AKD, MC, Bubby)
6. ** Send friend mail 8 6 4 times (if you'd like to receive friend mail from me, use the contact link above to give me your address)
7. Obtain and begin using a to-do notebook--this has already been so useful!  I have a running to-do list now, instead of having to start fresh every day.  It's a lot more difficult to misplace than a random piece of paper.
8. ** Purge file cabinet and create paper organization system--Ugh!  We have so.much.paper.  Half of me wants to get rid of it all.  The other half is afraid I'll shred something we'll need later.
9. ** Create a household binder/legacy box--I think my boys would be lost if something happened to me.
10. Delete saved electronic mystery shop screen shots and receipts--yep, I've got every screen shot and almost every receipt from every mystery shop I've done in the past four years.  It's a lot.
11. ** Buy desk task light--I've already tried once this year, but I didn't like it, so I need to try again.
12. Buy phone charging cords for each of our vehicles--I told Hubby I was going to do this, and he was like, but we have charging cords in all the vehicles, don't we?  Well, yes, we do...for his phone, but not for AKD's and mine.
13. Make a chicken sign--It's going to have the silhouette of a chicken, and say something along the lines of, "Danger: Dinosaur Area."
14. Take a class through community education or a local craft store--I used to do this fairly often, but somewhere along the line, I stopped.
15. ** Finish valances for master bedroom.  I've only had the material for...3 years? 4?  A long time.
16. Crochet messy bun hat or Arm knit scarf
17. ** Get the boys' picture taken--the place I used to take them to closed, so I need to find a new photographer.
18. Send Christmas cards in 2018

Numbering the things

1. Yesterday, I finished both the shampoo and the conditioner at the same time (well, not actually at the same time, but during the same hair-washing-and-conditioning session).  I feel like I deserve some kind of award, because when does that ever happen?

2.  Yesterday the little chickens made it into the hen house on their own when it got dark.  What a difference a few days make!  This development is so encouraging to me, as in, there is hope for integration some day, although I have to say, a bit grudgingly, that the experts are right.  One should wait until one's chickens are the same size before introducing them to each other.  Only (about) 8 more weeks to go.

3.  Yesterday for probably the first time ever, I had "pick up worms" on my to-do list.  I mean, I've picked up worms before, and, in fact, putting worms on fish hooks was part of my job one summer, but it's never been on my to do list before.  Oh, the things we do for our childre I mean chickens.  They're dry mealworms, and they're a birthday present for the big girls, who will be a year old next week.

Speaking of to-do lists, I wanted to give y'all a little update on mine.  You might remember that one of my goals for 2018 was to obtain and begin using a to-do notebook.  I really appreciate having one perpetual list of all of my to-dos.  Whenever I think of something I want or need to do, I know where to write it down so I won't forget it.  It's sorta life changing.

I was having a problem, though.  The problem was the to-do list items are all things that need to be done at some time in the future.  And when things don't have a specific time to be done, they're easy to put off, indefinitely.  Last week especially I was having a hard time doing anything from my list, because I kept telling myself those things could wait until tomorrow.

This week, I told myself I should pick at least three things from my list to do every day.  Three things, because years ago I discovered through extensive research that three items was the optimal size for a to do list.

Then I realized, based on the size of my list, and the fact that I no longer have kids at home during the day, that three was too few, so I should pick five.

And then I realized that it was kind of difficult to keep track of how many items I had done, because I don't necessarily do them in order.

So the current iteration is this: I'm numbering the things.  1, 2, 3, 4, 5.  Not necessarily in order of importance or in order of completion--just five things that for sure I need to do that day.

Yesterday (of course), I only did three (of the numbered things--I actually did more than 5 of the listed things).  Picking up the worms, for instance, was not one of my numbered items.

Anyway, that's how I'm getting things done around here these days.