Challenge Wednesday #15

This week, my pal Tracey joins us from Control the Chaos to share her New Year's resolutions {I asked her to do so last week}.

Here is a secret...I thought she might not be a big "resolution" girl, and ...wait for it... I was right!

But she humored me anyways.  Ah,  such a good friend, right?  {smile}

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Howdy.  Last week, Jen asked me to share my new year's resolutions.

Hmm.  I'm not really a resolution maker, mainly because I want to live every day, and if I'm not happy with something I tend to change it immediately.

But I have jumped on the wagon with a few goals this year.  And it just so happens that some of them are on my Bucket List.  Bonus.

Drumroll, please.

1. Read the whole Bible.  We're involving the kids with this one.  We have a children's Bible that has a reading for every day, so we're doing theirs and ours.  We are going to take the whole year, though, and give ourselves a chance to not only read it, but absorb it.

Source: google.com via Rocky on Pinterest

2. Run faster.  I really want to run 5k in 25 minutes, which is about an 8 minute mile, plus a little.  The fastest I've ever run it is about 28 minutes, so I have a long way to go.  I proved I could go the distance, so now I want to pick up the speed.

3. Pile cash to buy land and a house when we move back to the USA.  A move is in our future, in the next couple of years.  We have a decent amount set aside for a down payment on a house, thanks to becoming debt free a few years ago by following the principles taught by Dave Ramsey.  But we desire to pursue homesteading full time, so we are trying to build on our down payment and possibly buy the land with cash.  Come visit Control the Chaos tomorrow to see a small but significant step toward this goal.

Source: concurringopinions.com via Brooke on Pinterest

4. Get serious about decreasing the amount of grains/gluten in our diet.  Begin by experimenting  with ancient grains (spelt, non-grain buckwheat) in some of our favorite recipes.  We have no food allergies in our family, but huge difference we've seen with just the small changes we've made has convinced us of the benefits of a low gluten diet.

Source: homeschoolstylebytes.squarespace.com via Laura on Pinterest

Big goals, but all attainable, and all a work in progress.  I think the biggest reason why these goals are attainable and not daunting is that I have an action step to start us in the right direction.  How about you?  Do you set goals and make a plan for achieving them?  Or do you just go with the flow?

Now, to switch topics a little:  one way I stay in control of our health is to make a meal plan every week.  I find that meal planning keeps us from being caught without dinner (an consequently resorting to something quick and unhealthy).  It is also a great way to build a shopping list and avoid impulsive purchases.  And so, Jen, my question and/or challenge to you is

do you meal plan?  If so, please share a typical plan with us.  And if not, I challenge you to meal plan one week's worth of dinners using as few prepackaged items as possible.


Are you up to the challenge, Jen?  Tune in next week for the answer.

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Oooh, this is a good one!  I AM  a meal planner, but I never share it here...and I am most definitely open to planning a week with very few prepackaged items.  Yay!