I’m trying something a little different for goal planning.  My new motto: we are not machines, we don’t have infinite energy levels, we can only do so much!  Hopefully this new method will help me reduce my stress and prioritize the right things at the right times.

Make It Do May was a complete blur but I’m considering it a success!  Our primary objective this month was to dig deep and pay off as much of our remaining debt as possible.  May was also an incredibly full month of celebrations, appointments and the end of the school year, so this challenge of saving/making money was tucked into the little nooks and crannies of everyday life.  A wild ride and I’m exhausted, ha!  As of this writing, we’re hovering around 20% of paid off debt and I’m looking forward to continuing into the summer.  Our big goal is to be debt free (except for the mortgage) by late fall and I really want to make that happen!  On to the plans…

Let’s review May first:

FIVE TOP PRIORITIES

1. complete standardized testing and mail back (The last big task of the school year – yay for summer vacation!)
2. transplant all of the tomatoes and peppers
3. catch up on my stitch-a-day project (Not even close…I’m still really, really behind.)
4. muck the chicken coops (DONE.  My least favorite farm task.)
5. declutter at least 30 items (Final amount: 80!)

FIVE “WOULD BE GREAT TO DO” TASKS

1. wear a dress everyday (24/31 days!  This wasn’t a “trad wife” statement or anything, I just wanted to feel a bit more put together and dresses are the easiest piece of clothing to do that.  Comfortable too!)
2. propagate hydrangeas from cuttings (I really hope this works…)
3. buy ferns for the front porch (My slightly unconventional Mother’s Day gift.  I love them.)
4. deep clean the refrigerator
5. move the playset to another spot on the property (This has been on my perpetual to-do list for TWO years!  I was thrilled.)

FIVE LITTLE STEPS TO GET AHEAD

1. debt reduction: earn $200+ reselling unneeded items around the house (Sooo close!  Final amount earned: $193.76)
2. mother academia: read two Greek tragedies (I read Medea, but am only halfway through Agamemnon)
3. home: fix the front porch steps (My husband took care of this for me.  So thankful to not have any rotting boards anymore!)
4. handmade Christmas: choose a new pattern for ornament #3 and begin (I chose this free pattern.)
5. farm: tear down the old pig shelters (We ultimately decided to hold off on this for now.)

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On to June’s goals!

FIVE TOP PRIORITIES

These tasks tend to have deadlines or really should be completed this month.

1. mail in our testing results and letter of intent for the next school year
2. install the new dishwasher
3. finish stripping the side hallway walls
4. figure out the water leak situation in the basement
5. launch a new summer series (the first post goes live on Thursday!)

FIVE “WOULD BE GREAT TO DO” TASKS

Examples of these tasks would be seasonal goals or things that just generally have less urgency.

1. start thinking about 2025-26 curriculum
2. declutter 30+ items
3. stay on top of weeding in the garden
4. make a temporary “farmer’s pool” for the kids out of a chill tank
5. bake a pie

FIVE LITTLE STEPS TO GET AHEAD

This area is for big, overwhelming goals that can be broken down into bite-sized, attainable steps.

1. debt reduction: earn $100+ reselling unneeded items around the house
2. mother academia: finish Augustine’s Confessions
3. home: invest in new bath towels for everyone
4. handmade Christmas: finish cross-stitch ornament #3
5. farm: fertilize all of the fruit trees

I’m trying something a little different for goal planning this school year.  My new motto: we are not machines, we don’t have infinite energy levels, we can only do so much!  Hopefully this new method will help me reduce my stress and prioritize the right things at the right times.

Well, April was a bust for goals, but incredibly rich in memory-making and family time.  And that’s way more important than cleaning out the gutters, right?

Let’s review April first:

FIVE TOP PRIORITIES

1. finish all of the garden bed prep and seed sowing (Nope!  I’m perpetually behind…)
2. vacuum out the cars (A much overdue task!)
3. bring the last two pigs to the butcher
4. schedule standardized testing for May
5. go through the kids clothes, switch out for spring/summer and declutter the old/worn out (Finished my daughter’s wardrobe, but still have to tackle the two littlest boys.)

FIVE “WOULD BE GREAT TO DO” TASKS

1. start saving for a quick summer trip to SC
2. powerwash outdoor everything: furniture, rug and the siding (I washed the rug and all of the pigs’ rubber pans/waterers, so…half credit?)
3. clean out the gutters
4. have a backyard bonfire with s’mores
5. buy a screen door

FIVE LITTLE STEPS TO GET AHEAD

1. debt reduction: earn $75+ reselling unneeded items around the house (Final amount earned: $157.64)
2. mother academia: read Brave New World and watch the Hillsdale lectures
3. home: finish stripping the hallway walls
4. handmade Christmas: fully finish ornament #2 (Done!  Now to find a new pattern…)
5. farm: muck the chicken coops

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On to May’s goals!

FIVE TOP PRIORITIES

These tasks tend to have deadlines or really should be completed this month.

1. complete standardized testing and mail back
2. transplant all of the tomatoes and peppers
3. catch up on my stitch-a-day project
4. muck the chicken coops
5. declutter at least 30 items

FIVE “WOULD BE GREAT TO DO” TASKS

Examples of these tasks would be seasonal goals or things that just generally have less urgency.

1. wear a dress everyday
2. propagate hydrangeas from cuttings
3. buy ferns for the front porch
4. deep clean the refrigerator
5. move the playset to another spot on the property

FIVE LITTLE STEPS TO GET AHEAD

This area is for big, overwhelming goals that can be broken down into bite-sized, attainable steps.

1. debt reduction: earn $200+ reselling unneeded items around the house
2. mother academia: read two Greek tragedies
3. home: fix the front porch steps
4. handmade Christmas: choose a new pattern for ornament #3 and begin
5. farm: tear down the old pig shelters

This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a commission of any sale made at no extra cost to you.

I’m trying something a little different for goal planning this school year.  My new motto: we are not machines, we don’t have infinite energy levels, we can only do so much!  Hopefully this new method will help me reduce my stress and prioritize the right things at the right times.

Make Stuff March was an overwhelming success!  My goal was to finish a few things, start a few things and make some progress on the rest…and I think I did that.  Cross-stitch was the overwhelming craft of choice, but I also used my sewing machine for a few small projects and even quilted a little by hand!  I can also include my time in the kitchen as I started a cookbook challenge (going strong!), made lots of frugal old favorites, tried new things (beef tallow) and even had a few duds (looking at you, homemade yogurt!).  I started seeds, watched them grow and started plans for a beautiful garden.  What a great month!  This month-long endeavor certainly filled my cup.

Onto the goals!  Let’s review March first:

FIVE TOP PRIORITIES

1. clean the dining room wool rug (I bought the cleaning powder and brush, but still have to actually do the cleaning.  Half credit?)
2. research how to strip paint from cabinets and buy supplies (Seems simple enough.  Those might be famous last words…)
3. order bulk compost (I was really excited to incorporate mushroom compost into the garden, but ultimately decided against it because of the ridiculous delivery fee.)
4. use up a lot of the bones and fat in the deep freezers (A satisfactory start.  We made a lot of broth and some beef tallow.)
5. bring the pigs to the butcher (A bittersweet day.)

FIVE “WOULD BE GREAT TO DO” TASKS

1. look into screen doors and new window screens
2. order a few new pieces of snail mail stationery (I bought and mailed postcards from DalekoUSA.) 
3. finish hand-quilting on my grandmother’s flower garden quilt (I didn’t finish the quilt I planned, but completed a different one, so…half credit?)
4. start thinking about Easter baskets
5. take the little boys to a Lego convention (The highlight of their month!)

FIVE LITTLE STEPS TO GET AHEAD

1. debt reduction: earn $125+ reselling unneeded items around the house (Not even close.  This fell to the back burner and I only made $77.05.  Oh well, every little bit helps!)
2. mother academia: finish Civil War Wives
3. home: declutter 30+ things to toss, sell or donate (Final total: 34 items)
4. handmade Christmas: fully finish cross-stitch ornament (Done!  I even purchased the next pattern to start.)
5. farm: finalize pricing for our pork orders

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On to April’s goals!

FIVE TOP PRIORITIES

These tasks tend to have deadlines or really should be completed this month.

1. finish all of the garden bed prep and seed sowing
2. vacuum out the cars
3. bring the last two pigs to the butcher
4. schedule standardized testing for May
5. go through the kids clothes, switch out for spring/summer and declutter the old/worn out

FIVE “WOULD BE GREAT TO DO” TASKS

Examples of these tasks would be seasonal goals or things that just generally have less urgency.

1. start saving for a quick summer trip to SC
2. powerwash outdoor everything (furniture, rug and the siding)
3. clean out the gutters
4. have a backyard bonfire with s’mores
5. buy a screen door

FIVE LITTLE STEPS TO GET AHEAD

This area is for big, overwhelming goals that can be broken down into bite-sized, attainable steps.

1. debt reduction: earn $75+ reselling unneeded items around the house
2. mother academia: read Brave New World and watch the Hillsdale lectures
3. home: finish stripping the hallway walls
4. handmade Christmas: fully finish ornament #2
5. farm: muck the chicken coops (arguably my least favorite farm chore!)

I’m trying something a little different for goal planning this school year.  My new motto: we are not machines, we don’t have infinite energy levels, we can only do so much!  Hopefully this new method will help me reduce my stress and prioritize the right things at the right times.

If January was the month of rest and peace, February certainly brought me right back to reality.  There were packed schedules, a home renovation, a scary ice storm, financial ups and downs and family-wide sickness (again!) but…we made it through!  During stressful seasons, I hold tight to the little consolations, the little gifts to be found each day, and there were many in February.  Life often feels like a battle, but there is goodness everywhere if I look hard enough.

Anyway, as I planned the month ahead, I decided to declare this time as “Make Stuff March!”  I’ve been leaning heavily on creativity in 2025 and I can’t begin to explain how wonderful it has been for my overall health.  Looking forward to finishing a few things, starting a few things and making some progress on the rest.

Onto the goals!  Let’s review February first:

FIVE TOP PRIORITIES

1. get the paperwork ready for taxes and complete (We owe this year, which is a bummer.)
2. research the gums regeneration routine, buy the supplies and follow the protocol (I started buying the supplies so…tiny win?)
3. put piglets out on pasture (Nothing happier than a pig on pasture!)
4. start a “Christmas Club” savings line into our budget
5. set up the seed starting station (It’s that time of year again!)

FIVE “WOULD BE GREAT TO DO” TASKS

1. comment on at least ten blog posts (I hate that I’m a silent lurker – definitely need to improve in this area!)
2. complete Patsi’s (at A Working Pantry) preparedness class (I didn’t have the brain space to really concentrate on this.  Maybe next month?)
3. inventory and purchase everyone’s needed socks, undies, undershirts, etc. (All set with essentials for spring.)
4. get a frame for my completed cross-stitch project (Yes!  Shown here.)
5. restart a regular listing routine for Poshmark/Pango/ebay (Nope.  Still listing in fits and spurts when I have time.)

FIVE LITTLE STEPS TO GET AHEAD

1. debt reduction: earn $100+ reselling unneeded items around the house (Final amount earned: $138.19)
2. mother academia: read Civil War Wives (Not done, but I’m really enjoying this book so far.)
3. home projects: survive the hardwood flooring replacement! (After four months of waiting, it’s finally done!)
4. handmade Christmas: complete one cross-stitch ornament (Finished just in time on February 28th.)
5. farm: start seeds (I started the jalapenos and marigolds…tomatoes are next!)

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On to March’s goals!

FIVE TOP PRIORITIES

These tasks tend to have deadlines or really should be completed this month.

1. clean the dining room wool rug
2. research how to strip paint from cabinets (and buy supplies)
3. order bulk compost
4. use up a lot of the bones and fat in the deep freezers
5. bring the pigs to the butcher

FIVE “WOULD BE GREAT TO DO” TASKS

Examples of these tasks would be seasonal goals or things that just generally have less urgency.

1. look into screen doors and new window screens
2. order a few new pieces of snail mail stationery
3. finish hand-quilting on my grandmother’s flower garden quilt
4. start thinking about Easter baskets
5. take the little boys to a Lego convention

FIVE LITTLE STEPS TO GET AHEAD

This area is for big, overwhelming goals that can be broken down into bite-sized, attainable steps.

1. debt reduction: earn $125+ reselling unneeded items around the house
2. mother academia: finish Civil War Wives
3. home: declutter 30+ things to toss, sell or donate
4. handmade Christmas: fully finish cross-stitch ornament
5. farm: finalize pricing for our pork orders

I’m trying something a little different for goal planning this school year.  My new motto: we are not machines, we don’t have infinite energy levels, we can only do so much!  Hopefully this new method will help me reduce my stress and prioritize the right things at the right times.

If I could describe January in one word, I would say “peaceful.”  Sure, we had frigid temperatures and snow that wouldn’t melt and illness and flooring repair delays, but there were significantly more good things to offset those frustrations.  Late last year, I started to see how my stress affected my children and I was very ashamed.  I promised myself in 2025 that I would stop stress at the start, choosing to trust that all would be well and God would provide.  One month in and that small mindset has been life-changing for me and the general atmosphere of my home.  What a blessing.

Onto the goals!  Let’s review January first:

FIVE TOP PRIORITIES

1. commit to Low Spend January (This turned out to be a bust as we had farm purchases and a couple of celebrations to pay for, but intentionally looking at the budget is always a good habit to cultivate.)
2. get back to carnivore/paleo/keto (I hate labels, but I’m basically just trying to eliminate sugar and bread.  I derailed quite a bit when I was sick but am slowly getting back on track.  Considering it a win.)
3. order a new hot wire energizer for the pigs ($300 but definitely a must-have around here.)
4. brainstorm new chicken tractor construction (We had snow on the ground and frigid temperatures for most of the month and I was more focused on keeping animals warm and dry than prepping for the future.  Next month!)
5. finish the house sampler cross-stitch project (DONE!  I’m so excited.)

FIVE “WOULD BE GREAT TO DO” TASKS

1. embrace the slow cooker/Dutch oven for easy dinners (I think I only pulled out the slow cooker once?)
2. drop off donations (So happy to have those bags and boxes out of my trunk!)
3. start making the 2025 garden plan
4. mend two dresses that have slits a little too high (An easy fix.)
5. send at least one piece of snail mail (Just one birthday card.  I need to get back into the habit.)

FIVE LITTLE STEPS TO GET AHEAD

1. debt reduction: earn $100+ reselling unneeded items around the house (Final amount earned: $135.26)
2. mother academia: read Hamlet
3. home projects: declutter 30+ things to donate, sell or throw away (I ended up not using the calendar and just found random items from everywhere.  42 more items to toss, sell or donate.)
4. health: schedule bloodwork
5. farm: inventory remaining seed packets and make a list of what is needed

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On to February’s goals!

FIVE TOP PRIORITIES

These tasks tend to have deadlines or really should be completed this month.

1. get the paperwork ready for taxes and complete
2. research the gums regeneration routine, buy the supplies and follow the protocol
3. put piglets out on pasture
4. start a “Christmas Club” savings line into our budget (taking the total amount I will need and dividing that number by 9 to find out how much to save – I start shopping early!)
5. set up the seed starting station

FIVE “WOULD BE GREAT TO DO” TASKS

Examples of these tasks would be seasonal goals or things that just generally have less urgency.

1. comment on at least ten blog posts
2. complete Patsi’s (at A Working Pantry) preparedness class
3. inventory and purchase everyone’s needed socks, undies, undershirts, etc.
4. get a frame for my completed cross-stitch project
5. restart a regular listing routine for Poshmark/Pango/ebay

FIVE LITTLE STEPS TO GET AHEAD

This area is for big, overwhelming goals that can be broken down into bite-sized, attainable steps.

1. debt reduction: earn $100+ reselling unneeded items around the house
2. mother academia: read Civil War Wives
3. home projects: survive the hardwood flooring replacement!
4. handmade Christmas: complete one cross-stitch ornament
5. farm: start seeds

I’m trying something a little different for goal planning this school year.  My new motto: we are not machines, we don’t have infinite energy levels, we can only do so much!  Hopefully this new method will help me reduce my stress and prioritize the right things at the right times.

November was a doozy but instead of rehashing the bad, I’m choosing to focus on the many good parts of the month.  We had birthday celebrations and a high school graduate (and promising career possibilities for him too!) and mostly finished living room walls and a simple Thanksgiving and a car loan soooo close to being paid off!  We survived a very difficult month and I’m looking forward with hope to the next.

Onto the goals!  Let’s review November first:

FIVE TOP PRIORITIES

1. renew The Big White Farmhouse website for one more year (Continuing on for my fourteenth year and hoping to document the good, true & beautiful and inspire others to seek out the same.)
2. pray novena prayers for the holy souls in Purgatory (I used a prayer card I received from the Desert Nuns – beautiful.)
3. fix/replace our living room smoke detector (Purchased a replacement but it wasn’t the right model!)
4. prepare for November birthdays (We have a new 18-year-old and a new 14-year-old in the house.)
5. finish the majority of Christmas shopping (So close.  Just a few stocking stuffers to go.)

FIVE “WOULD BE GREAT TO DO” TASKS

1. debrief the 2024 growing season and jot down initial plans for 2025 (I completed this at the beginning of the month, but Fred’s death changed most of my plans.  I really have to pray about next steps.)
2. stay on top of woodchip distribution in the pig paddocks/barnyard
3. inventory Christmas wrapping paper stock (I used every last roll and had just enough for 2024!  Just bits and pieces leftover.)
4. make a recipe from my vintage cookbook
5. make beeswax candles

FIVE LITTLE STEPS TO GET AHEAD

1. debt reduction: earn $100+ to go toward the Car Loan Payoff Plan (Final amount earned: $123.33)
2. mother academia: make a dent in With Malice Toward None: A Life of Abraham Lincoln (This one is taking me forever to finish, but I’m enjoying it.)
3. home projects: survive the water mitigation/hardwood flooring situation! (Lots of delays this month and it’s still not done.  Always an adventure around here!)
4. hard times prep: read Just in Case: How to be Self-Sufficient when the Unexpected Happens by Kathy Harrison (In progress!)
5. farm: move Millie and Fred into the same paddock for the winter (For a few days anyway before disaster struck.  We’ll know in January if there are any baby piglets coming…)

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On to December!

FIVE TOP PRIORITIES

These tasks tend to have deadlines or really should be completed this month.

1. prep for a December birthday
2. use Dom Prosper Gueranger’s Liturgical Year book for Advent as my daily Advent Reading
3. thank our mail carrier
4. organize any remaining Christmas wrapping supplies (paper, ribbons, tags, etc.)
5. embrace this time of rest

FIVE “WOULD BE GREAT TO DO” TASKS

Examples of these tasks would be seasonal goals or things that just generally have less urgency.

1. set up the kids’ hot cocoa bar
2. start brainstorming school plans for January
3. research a source for better bulk compost
4. simmer down on my coffee consumption and wean down to a more reasonable level
5. bake a new Christmas cookie

FIVE LITTLE STEPS TO GET AHEAD

This area is for big, overwhelming goals that can be broken down into bite-sized, attainable steps.

1. debt reduction: earn $50+ to go toward the Car Loan Payoff Plan
2. mother academia: read Hamlet
3. home projects: survive the hardwood flooring repair
4. hard times prep: organize and inventory the pantry
5. farm: brainstorm a better way to water the piglets this winter

I’m trying something a little different for goal planning this school year.  My new motto: we are not machines, we don’t have infinite energy levels, we can only do so much!  Hopefully this new method will help me reduce my stress and prioritize the right things at the right times.

Well, October has been a typical month full of highs and lows.  I’m happy to report that even with the basement mold and the water damage in the dining room, we definitely had our fair share of happy moments, thanks be to God!  Some highlights: I turned 40.  We have a new 16-year-old in the house.  I worked on a thirty-day decluttering challenge, which has ignited a huge spark to get my home in order.  My husband had basal cell carcinoma surgery and is cancer free! (Just dealing with a gnarly wound issue now.)  We made tiny baby steps of progress with my dyslexic kids.  We finished 95% of our farm projects before the frost warnings began.  My favorite tree’s leaves changed into a brilliant red and I thoroughly enjoyed the view before the wind blew them all away.  Anne Shirley says it best: “I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers.”

Onto the goals!  Let’s review my October goals first:

FIVE TOP PRIORITIES

1. finish cleaning up the garden (Oof, this is the project that never ends.  I’m still not done, but closer)
2. densely woodchip the permanent pig paddocks (This will be a continual project all winter but we got a good start)
3. prepare for an October birthday (We have a new 16-year-old in the house!)
4. start picking up little things for Christmas (Getting it done, little by little…)
5. drop off sacrament paperwork to the church office (Done!)

FIVE “WOULD BE GREAT TO DO” TASKS

1. restart a snail mail habit by sending at least three letters (I really wanted to get to this…maybe next month?)
2. read Dracula by Bram Stoker (I’m 150 pages in and will finish in November)
3. start cutting 2025 firewood (Much more to do, but we started)
4. check the snow gear and make a to-buy list (So thankful for hand-me-downs!  I just need a few items for my daughter and two sons)
5. complete Clutterbug’s 30 Day Declutter Challenge (Final numbers: 23/30 days completed and 305 items to sell, throw out or donate – I’m inspired to keep going!)

FIVE LITTLE STEPS TO GET AHEAD

1. debt reduction: earn $100+ to go toward the Car Loan Payoff Plan (Final amount earned: $173.19)
2. mother academia: finish reading With Malice Toward None: A Life of Abraham Lincoln (I didn’t pick up this book once…oops)
3. walls project: paint the living room (This got delayed due to the water mitigation but I hope to finish the last wall next week)
4. hard times prep: continue adding to our food storage with 5 extra things/wk (Little by little, we’re getting the pantry stocked for winter)
5. farm: fortify pig houses for winter (We finished just in time before the cold front came in!)

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On to November!

FIVE TOP PRIORITIES

These tasks tend to have deadlines or really should be completed this month.

1. renew The Big White Farmhouse website for one more year
2. pray novena prayers for the holy souls in Purgatory
3. fix/replace our living room smoke detector
4. prepare for November birthdays
5. finish the majority of Christmas shopping

FIVE “WOULD BE GREAT TO DO” TASKS

Examples of these tasks would be seasonal goals or things that just generally have less urgency.

1. debrief the 2024 growing season and jot down initial plans for 2025
2. stay on top of woodchip distribution in the pig paddocks/barnyard
3. inventory Christmas wrapping paper stock
4. make a recipe from my vintage cookbook
5. make beeswax candles

FIVE LITTLE STEPS TO GET AHEAD

This area is for big, overwhelming goals that can be broken down into bite-sized, attainable steps.

1. debt reduction: earn $100+ to go toward the Car Loan Payoff Plan
2. mother academia: make a dent in With Malice Toward None: A Life of Abraham Lincoln
3. home projects: survive the water mitigation/hardwood flooring situation!
4. hard times prep: read Just in Case: How to be Self-Sufficient when the Unexpected Happens by Kathy Harrison
5. farm: move Millie and Fred into the same paddock for the winter (praying for baby piglets in the spring!)

I’m trying something a little different for goal planning this school year.  My new motto: we are not machines, we don’t have infinite energy levels, we can only do so much!  Hopefully this new method will help me reduce my stress and prioritize the right things at the right times.

So how did it go?  Well, September was a trip.  High highs and low lows, which I’m more and more convinced is just the human experience, you know?  I’m trying to juggle all the things as best I can and just face each day as it comes.  Anyway!  Let’s review my September goals first:

FIVE TOP PRIORITIES

1. complete Confirmation and First Communion paperwork and drop off to the church office (I didn’t realize that we had to hand in the Confirmation sponsor’s paperwork too, so this task is almost done)
2. prepare for chicken processing in early October (This was especially important because due to scheduling conflicts, we had to move our processing date up a week!)
3. clean and vacuum out the cars (nope)
4. mob seed the pastures with winter wheat (I did half in winter wheat and half in winter rye)
5. prepare for September birthdays (We have a new 10-year-old and a new 12-year-old in the house!)

FIVE “WOULD BE GREAT TO DO” TASKS

1. start cutting 2025 firewood (Other more urgent tasks came before this, but we really do need to get started)
2. brush out Samson outside at least once a week (Trying to stay ahead of his summer undercoat blowout!)
3. go apple picking (We’re running out of free weekends!  Hoping to make it happen in October)
4. track everything coming in and out of the house all month (This was an interesting little challenge – more details coming next week)
5. lock in 33 items of clothing for Oct/Nov/Dec Project 333 (I didn’t even think about this, ha!  Clearly not a priority right now)

FIVE LITTLE STEPS TO GET AHEAD

1. debt reduction: earn $150+ to go toward the Car Loan Payoff Plan (Final amount earned: $269.90)
2. mother academia: read The Odyssey (I’ve been chipping away at this 700+ page book for months!  So happy to be done.)
3. walls project: complete peg rail for the back hallway (We hit a little snag but are so, so close)
4. hard times prep: increase food storage with 5 extra things/wk (I’m stocking up on things we often use during the fall/winter like beans, canned tomatoes and pasta. Happy with my progress so far)
5. farm: start pulling out the garden and prepping the beds for winter (Nowhere close to done, but progress)

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On to October!

FIVE TOP PRIORITIES

These tasks tend to have deadlines or really should be completed this month.

1. finish cleaning up the garden
2. densely woodchip the permanent pig paddocks
3. prepare for an October birthday
4. start picking up little things for Christmas
5. drop off sacrament paperwork to the church office

FIVE “WOULD BE GREAT TO DO” TASKS

Examples of these tasks would be seasonal goals or things that just generally have less urgency.

1. restart a snail mail habit by sending at least three letters
2. read Dracula by Bram Stoker
3. start cutting 2025 firewood
4. check the snow gear and make a to-buy list
5. complete Clutterbug’s 30 Day Declutter Challenge

FIVE LITTLE STEPS TO GET AHEAD

This area is for big, overwhelming goals that can be broken down into bite-sized, attainable steps.

1. debt reduction: earn $100+ to go toward the Car Loan Payoff Plan
2. mother academia: finish reading With Malice Toward None: A Life of Abraham Lincoln
3. walls project: paint the living room
4. hard times prep: continue adding to our food storage with 5 extra things/wk
5. farm: fortify pig houses for winter

I’m trying something a little different for goal planning this school year.  My new motto: we are not machines, we don’t have infinite energy levels, we can only do so much!  Hopefully this new method will help me reduce my stress and prioritize the right things at the right times.

FIVE TOP PRIORITIES

These tasks tend to have deadlines or really should be completed this month.

1. complete Confirmation and First Communion paperwork and drop off to the church office
2. prepare for chicken processing in early October
3. clean and vacuum out the cars
4. mob seed the pastures with winter wheat
5. prepare for September birthdays

FIVE “WOULD BE GREAT TO DO” TASKS

Examples of these tasks would be seasonal goals or things that just generally have less urgency.

1. start cutting 2025 firewood
2. brush out Samson outside at least once a week
3. go apple picking
4. track everything coming in and out of the house all month
5. lock in 33 items of clothing for Oct/Nov/Dec Project 333

FIVE LITTLE STEPS TO GET AHEAD

This area is for big, overwhelming goals that can be broken down into bite-sized, attainable steps.

1. debt reduction: earn $150+ to go toward the Car Loan Payoff Plan
2. mother academia: read The Odyssey
3. walls project: complete peg rail for the back hallway
4. hard times prep: increase food storage with 5 extra things/wk
5. farm: start pulling out the garden and prepping the beds for winter