goals | The Big White Farmhouse

Happy New Year!  My intention for January is to rest up before the craziness of another farming season begins, but I don’t want to waste this time either.  So I’m trying something different: a little things bingo board!  Included on the board are 24 free or inexpensive tasks that will hopefully bring me joy, peace and/or a boost of creativity.  We’ll see how many I can check off the list.  If you need a little something to get you through this month, feel free to play along too!

The tasks are:

  • Go for a 20 minute walk outside. // Grab that warm coat and cozy hat and gloves!  Breathe deep in the cold air, get the blood flowing and intentionally seek out the winter beauty around you.
  • Send someone some snail mail. // Everyone loves to find a surprise in their mailbox.
  • Watch the sunrise. // This can be such a peaceful start to the day.
  • Try a new warm drink. // A few ideas: the classic hot toddy, spiced hot cocoa, or cinnamon milk.
  • Buy some flowers. // There aren’t a ton of options in the middle of winter, but worth the search.
  • Go to bed early. // Bedtime at 9pm or even earlier? Yes please!
  • Make something new for dinner. // Time to scour Pinterest or the cookbooks for something delicious.
  • Stretch. // Regular stretching is so important for flexibility, good posture, stress relief, even blood flow to muscles and joints.  This is a good time to start a new habit.
  • Play a card game. // Our family favorite is Queen of Spades, but the kids received a ton of new games that I can’t wait to try.
  • Print out some photos. // So many photos taken that never leave my camera or phone!
  • Declutter ten items. // Hopefully ten items will quickly snowball into a cleaner, calmer space.
  • Ask for help. //  So hard.  So necessary.
  • Complete a puzzle. // The quintessential winter activity!
  • Start a vitamin routine. // Pick the non-negotiables and take them every single morning.
  • Take a technology break. // Another good habit to start.
  • Do something creative. // This is vague on purpose so I can choose whatever seems to be calling me!  Cross-stitch, sewing, junk journaling, bread baking…lots of options.
  • Read a cozy mystery. // I’d like to get to the next book in the No.1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series and/or start The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax series.
  • Send a thank-you card. // This is the perfect time to say thank you for all of those generous Christmas gifts.
  • Listen to classical music. // This collection of wintery pieces will easily be on repeat this month.
  • Watch a wintery movie. // This post has some good ideas.  Little Women or The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe may be my favorites.
  • Order new pajamas. // ‘Tis the season for flannel pajamas!
  • Make a new soup. // Some ideas: sausage tortellini soup, creamy chicken and corn chowder, or philly cheesesteak stew.
  • Get a haircut. // This is the most expensive task on the list, but maybe even a DIY trim at home could count.
  • Eat by candlelight. // Maybe for an at-home date night?

DOWNLOAD YOUR OWN BINGO BOARD HERE!

One of the goals I forgot to add to my list was to declutter my home.  Room by room, closet by closet, I want to take out the unused/extras and get organized!  In years past, I’ve tried, but for one reason or another, well….it just didn’t happen.  I have a bad habit of starting out strong, but losing steam and getting frustrated or overwhelmed.  

I was super excited to find this website when perusing Pinterest one evening!  I immediately printed her 2012 Declutter Calendar and can’t wait to start.  It’s not overwhelming (just one task to do each day) and will take me through my whole house in one year.  That’s that kind of pace I can handle! 🙂   

Source: tumblr.com via Helen on Pinterest

Date nights.  What are those again?  

Back when M was a little baby (and I thought I knew everything), I would have predicted that Mark and I would have a date night at least once a month.  Five years and two more babies later, reality has set in.  Good, trustworthy babysitters are hard to find and man, are they expensive!  And with our single-income home, that’s really an expense we can’t afford to have.   

After reading an article about strengthening marriages through date nights, I knew I had to make it a priority and add it to my 2012 goals.  Just because we’re at home doesn’t mean we can’t spend intentional time together.  Nothing like a little creativity after the little ones are in bed!

Here are some of the ideas I’ve come up with so far:

  • Re-watch the first movie we ever went to see when we were dating.
  • Order our favorite take out.
  • Play 20 Questions, Couples Style.  Always fun to learn a little something new about your spouse!
  • Have a themed movie night.  Choose a movie and dinner with the same theme.  Ideas: French, Western, etc.
  • Put a blanket down by the fireplace or TV and have a picnic dnner.
  • Do some sort of service project together.  Example: pack care packages for troops overseas and handwrite letters for each box.
  • Bake a special dessert together.  Brownies, ice cream sundaes, apple pie, a cake…
  • Have a special wine and cheese dinner, along with fruit and crackers.
  • Play golf/putt-putt in the backyard.  (Make our own rules!)
  • Talk about our hopes and dreams for the future: “dreamstorming”
  • Break out the board games.  We like cards or Scrabble.
  • Eat breakfast food for dinner and eat in bed.
  • Read together.
  • Have a fancy candlelit dinner in the dining room.
  • Work out together (circuits?).
  • Play one of his favorite video games together.
  • Watch Monday Night Football together and eat stadium food like nachos and hotdogs.

A great website for more ideas can be found here.