1. Walk at least 500 miles this year (321 miles down and 179 to go)
I completed ten miles this week by doing Bodyfit by Amy videos on YouTube and walking in this awful humidity.
2. Eat at least five fruits/vegetables daily (+ drink 96 oz. of water)
I did this for five days last week
3. Read more nonfiction and classics
I picked up A Walk in the Woods because I usually enjoy funny memoirs, but this was the wrong kind of funny….mean spirited humor is not my thing. I did strangely enjoy all of the statistics on bear attacks, the interesting hiking/camping tricks he picked up along the way, and was amazed at the number of people that go missing on the Appalachian Trail each year!
Ben and I started reading Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of Nimh at bedtime and it was a hit. I just remember watching the movie as a child and thinking how dark it was, so I never was inspired to read the book as a kid. The book is wonderful! I am kicking myself for not reading it as a child.
Also, I have seen all of the Chronicles of Narnia movies, but had not read the books. We started to make our way through The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe as our family read aloud last week and it is so captivating. Emma asked, “Why didn’t we read this earlier??” You know its good if the kids whine when the end of the chapter comes along:)
4. Take a family outing each month
We went swimming at my sister’s house and met up with some friends at the park on another day.
5. Have more family game nights
Not yet
*If you need ideas as to what games are fun for families here is a list of our current favorites.
6. Buy more used items and keep track of the savings
Two shirts for Ben: $2 each
Dress for Emma: $6
Estimated running total saved by buying used for the year: $508
**I am doing a rough estimate based on how much I could find the items on sale or on clearance at a store for minus what I paid for the items…so its not a perfect guess, but close.
7. Finish my 2019 NaNoWriMo novel (~35,000 words) and publish it before November 1st.
14,120 words and counting
If you want to check out my novel from last year, it is Murder at Kelsey Hall and is free right now with Kindle Unlimited on Amazon.
8. $5 Weekly Charity Challenge
Everyone likes cereal.
9. Make a spiritual checklist to do with my kids each month
For August:
-Learn one hymn a week: This week we learned “Peace is flowing like a river.”
-Read one saint story a week: We read about St. Vincent de Paul. My favorite quotes from him, “Go to the poor; you will find God.” and “Fear not; calm will follow the storm.”
-Read the daily mass readings at least once each week
10. Things I hope to accomplish while we are following the “safer at home” order
Work on puzzlesI completed six puzzles during the quarantine and I think I am taking a break now- Add gravel to our driveway
Finish Teaching Textbooks Grade 3 with Ben (Down to 10 lessons left!!!)Completed!!- Take Emma on more driving lessons (Ongoing. We started keeping track of her driving times. I told her when she hits twenty hours, she can take her driving test…if she feels like she is ready…)
- Have a tree cut down in our yard
Replace the cabinet doors in our kitchen (They are on order!)Completed!!- Build a wood shed to contain all of our firewood
God Bless!
The Thrifty Educator 