1. Walk at least 500 miles this year (451 miles down and 49 to go)
I get so excited when I see that I am below 100 miles left for the year!! I completed ten miles this week by doing Bodyfit by Amy videos (I did the Pilates workout and the Medicine Ball workout), taking a hike, and moving around a ton of gravel for over an hour.
2. Eat at least five fruits/vegetables daily (+ drink 96 oz. of water)
I did this for four days last week.
3. Read more nonfiction and classics
I have really enjoyed all the books being written lately about female spies during WWII. For some reason, we just never hear that much about them, but they obviously were a determining force in the war’s outcome. This book follows the amazing life of Virginia Hall. She was an American socialite that basically became one of the most hunted female spies during WWII. I loved her determination to be useful the most. She worked in a male dominated field, but never sought notoriety during or after the war. Virginia also was one of the first women to be in the CIA. Her biggest achievements during WWII were helping the French Resistance blow up numerous bridges and orchestrating risky prison breaks to rescue fellow agents.
4. Take a family outing each month
-We went and visited the Indian Mound Museum, ate out at Cracker Barrel, and watched Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure together on Ben’s birthday.
-We hiked at the Madison County Nature Trail and had a wonderful time. The leaves were so pretty and the weather was cool enough that we didn’t get bothered by bugs too much.
5. Have more family game nights
We didn’t play any games this week, but we did roast hot dogs and make smores together for family night.
*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
My kids are in a Sherlock Holmes’ Christmas play so we had to track down an outfit for Ben’s hooligan/newspaper boy role. We found a white buttoned down shirt for $4 and a pair of plaid trousers for $5. I have to hem the pants to make them into knee pants, but they should work.
Estimated running total saved by buying used for the year: $590
**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 January 1st, 2021.
I am up to 18,000 words! Over half way there:)
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
Our church is collecting food for the CCC’s food pantry this November. We picked up this type of macaroni and cheese to donate because it does not take any milk or butter to make.
9. Make a spiritual checklist to do with my kids each month
For November:
-Learn one hymn a week
-Read one saint story a week
-Read the daily mass readings at least once each week
-Pray a decade of the rosary together once a week
10. Home Improvement projects I hope to complete by the end of the year
- Install a metal carport
- Have a tree cut down in our yard
Add gravel to our driveway- Build a cat tree for our kittens (Almost done!)
Take a load to the dump- Finish the trim on the kitchen cabinets
God Bless!
The Thrifty Educator 