Happy New Year

After another busy holiday season, we turn the page to greet a new year.  No matter what is going on the world around us, at this time of year, it is right and just to feel full of hope and optimism for a better future.  Each of us has a clean slate; a chance to improve our circumstances and make a better life for ourselves and our families.  Naturally, this leads to the traditional New Year's Resolutions.

Our household is no different.  We have set our goals as a family, and individually, for 2010.  With our eyes set on building our better future, here they are:

• Finish construction on our cabin.
• Pay off the last credit card on which we still have a balance.
• Double the number of beehives we have.
• Increase our backyard food production and food storage capacity to 60% of our total yearly food consumption.
• Source 30% of our food from local growers . (The remaining 10% is to allow for food we consume before the growing season that is purchased and not taken from our pantry, as well as the occasional "luxury" purchase- avacados don't grow in New England!)
• Increase the distance we will not travel by car (weather or emergency permitting). On foot, 1.5 miles from home.  By bike, 5 miles from home. 
• Learn at least two new skills.  Me- spinning with a wheel, and either sewing or weaving.  Eddie- hunting and plant recognition.

Some of these are hold-overs from last year, where we were able to make partial progress, but not complete the project due to either time constraints, finances, or mobility.  Becoming pregnant again happened about a year before we had planned on it, so that made getting around more complicated.  It also means that the projects I take on in 2010, like the spinning and knitting, are things that I can do at home.  With a toddler and a newborn, that's already like having two full-time jobs!  So, any skills I work on need to be things that can be done inbetween caring for the little ones.

So, with some adjusting from last year, these are our major projects and primary goals for 2010.  For each of these goals, there is a strategy as well as target dates for completion or evaluation.  What are your goals for this year?  Do you know how you will accomplish them?  Do you have target dates to evaluate your progress to help keep you on track?  Post a comment and let's hear about them!

Live better, a little every day.