Thursday, January 8, 2015

2014: Final Goal Review

Been keeping busy and never got around to posting my usual six month goal review, but here is the final update on how we did for 2014!

See here for the original post of Goals for 2014.



Via





1. Read More:
Partially done! I finished reading Steal Like An Artist but not Parenting with Love and Logic. I've also been working on Daring to Be Yourself, from last years unfinished goal. I read a new baby name book we bought too.

We bought a lovely old worn porch glider bench from our next door neighbor who was moving. I have been loving sitting out there reading when the weather is good, while Lucy runs around the front yard collecting rocks and sticks, and tries to make friends with all the dog walkers.
It's been a great way to see, and be seen, in order to get to know our neighbors better.




2. Write more love letters:
I've used it once! Oy. This technically counts as completed, but I can continue to do better with it. Showing and expressing love and appreciation are important. For both the giver and receiver.

Even the act of writing down the things you love about someone turns your thoughts towards them, and increases your appreciation for them as you consider all the ways they enrich your life.




3. Daughter parties:
Done! Lucy and I hosted a Tea Party. Zach and Clara were the honored guests. Originally it was supposed to be Nana (Kay) as the guest of honor, but we had so many activities planned (and with me getting unexpectedly sick), we ran out of time before Greg and Kay had to head back to Iowa.

Since moving here Zach usually has to work the first weekend of every month, and so will pretty much miss watching General Conference with us as a family every time. I've taken the opportunity to make it a fun mother-daughter experience with a fun breakfast and activities while we watch and listen together.

In October we made German Pancakes again, and Lucy used her Conference Bingo sheet she got from her Sunbeam teacher the week before. She loved it! It really helped her listen to what the speaker was saying as well.

For the afternoon session we had lunchables to eat as a treat. I hadn't ever bought them before, but they were on sale. Lucy and Clara both loved them.


Eating german pancakes!


Conference Bingo from her Sunbeam teacher for the second session.


Snuggling together while watching Conference. 




4. Use up art supplies I already own:
Started! Lucy and I made her a wand, per her request, and used up some left over foam, a chopstick, and two different kinds of paint. The paint I got for free 6 years ago at an Art Educators Conference I went to while I was still in college. Win! It is very satisfying to use up something and finally throw it away.

I also used some felt to decorate our aprons for our Halloween costumes, used some old paint for pumpkin painting in October.


Russian nesting dolls for the ward trunk-or-treat. Via.



5. Draw more:
Yes!
Hers & Mine
Envelope drawings
- Cardboard ornaments
- Ed Emberly Drawings

Still so satisfying, and I love sharing my love of art with Lucy. She is so fun to create with.




6. Share more art:
Yes! I started a series of Hers & Mine Instagram posts with Lucy where she picked out the subject matter, I drew it first and then she drew her interpretation. It was a lot of fun, and I love creating and collaborating with her.

Some other mother/daughter artists that inspire me found here and here.


Anchorage, Alaska Temple by: Tracy Davis

Anchorage, Alaska Temple by: Lucy V. Davis




7. Family pictures:
Taken! I was so fortunate to be able to have one of our church friends take them before moving away.


Pictures of the girls:
Half done! The pictures were taken, but not yet printed and hung. They turned out so lovely though. A mothers dream!

Did I say that already?

I only wish our friend could be around next spring when the bluebonnets are out again to take more pictures!








8.  Meet our neighbors:
Technically accomplished, but would still like to get to know everyone better.

This one is definitely out of my normal comfort zone.

Last Christmas we brought treats and introduced ourselves to the people who live on either side of us. It was so great to just break the ice right at the beginning and let them know who we are, and get to know them too.

My goal for this year was to meet our new neighbor who had just moved in, and also introduce ourselves to the ones across the street from us.

We dropped off hot chocolate treat packs to the neighbors on either side and the three across the street. Unfortunately, three out of four weren't home. But earlier in the year we did meet the new next door neighbors who moved next door and have become friends. We have also met the ones directly across from us while Halloween trick-or-treating, and the ones that lives diagonally from us because they has been bringing their niece to our home weekly for free preschool ballet classes. So, I count this goal as completed!

We at least made contact with each household and introduced ourselves.





9. Teach more:
Done! I really love teaching and sharing skills that I have learned and passing the knowledge on to others.

Here are some of the teaching opportunities I had this year:

- It all started with teaching a braiding class for the 12-13 year old girls at church. I made a slide show to show various types of braids and how you can use them to make all kids of beautiful hairstyles. Then I let them pick out which styles they would like to learn and we did demonstrations.




- One of the girls I teach at church asked me to do her hair for the church formal. I was so happy to oblige! It reminded me of all the times I had teachers, leaders, and older sisters do my hair for me, and I was so happy to pay it forward. I hope she loved how it turned out and felt beautiful!





- I was also asked to teach the 8-11 year old girls at church how to do some watercolor techniques, as well as another watercolor class at my home for some friends before they moved.
One of the finished pieces.


Hard workers.



- A friend of mine asked me to teach her how to make corsages for an upcoming Daddy Daughter dance for her twin daughters. It has been a few years since I made boutineers for all my dates in high school, and even my college days in Flower Arranging, but I think they turned out pretty good! Definitely could improve on them in the future, and afterwards remembered some techniques that I could have used.

I loved knowing how to do this in high school, I saved a lot of money by making my own boutineers for every dance, as well as helping my girl friends make them for their dates! Plus, it was always really fun to get together and visit while assembling them.

The finished products. The one on the far left was a practice one that we gave Lucy.



- Lastly, I taught one more watercolor technique art lesson to the 16-18 year old girls that I normally teach on Sunday. I think it went well!

I am totally all about taking advantage of the talents and knowledge of whoever is around you at the time, and asking them to teach you. If you have a young women leader or friend who is really good at something, ask them if they would share it with you! You won't have that opportunity and resource forever, and each person has something unique to offer.

It's also such a great way to make friends and get to know people better.




10. Go to a show:
Completed! I love the thrill of live theater and musicals, and wanted to do more of what I love this year. I also loved being able to share one of my favorite things with Lucy and spend special one-on-one time with her. (The six flag shows we went to all together as a family.)

Here are some of the shows we went to this year:
Six Flags Halloween show, Six Flags Acapella Christmas show, Dance Showcase, Frozen Ballet

Luli and I at Frozen the Ballet.


Lucy and "Teenage Anna", our friend from church!


Lucy and Sven.


"Adult Anna", Lucy, and "Adult Elsa".


Lucy and I at the university Dance Showcase.


Lucy with the Sugar Plum Fairy.

If anyone knows of any upcoming shows for 2015, please let me know! I especially love going with other people, and also supporting the youth in any programs they might be participating in.




So, now for the final tally!

I did amazingly good for the year! Granted, some of these goals could have had better qualifiers in them from the beginning. Such as, "Teach five people" instead of "Teach More." But nothing wrong with making a general goal to start. You can always build on it.

I will give myself a 9 out of ten, because I still need to print and frame family and bluebonnet pictures, and read Parenting with Love and Logic. (Half a point each.)


Via.



Alright, now I'm looking for fun goals for 2015! Please leave your ideas in the comments! I am always looking for new ideas to add to my list. 


What fun activities do you want to do this year? Things you love to do, but don't make time for? Something that you would love to learn how to do? 


Please share! I'm excited to see what everyone is doing this year! 




My previous lists of goals found here.




1 comment:

  1. GOod work, lady! As always, your goal lists always inspire me to set my own. :) Love you! And...Your girls are adorable. :)

    ReplyDelete

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