The Rehomesteaders’ 2015 Goals

I feel like 2014 was pretty successful. There were some heartbreaks, but an overwhelming majority of the year was a wonderful adventure. Some of the goals set were thoroughly accomplished (I ran quite a few races!) while some weren’t accomplished much or at all (hence my horse training goal). And while some goals are new, most are rollovers from last year because they weren’t accomplished and a few will hopefully be met every year (like taking family portraits). I’m excited to see what 2015 will bring and am ready to meet the year head on. Here’s some of the non-private goals we’re looking forward to accomplishing in 2015!

Personal (mostly just for fun!)

• Enter a writing competition
• Build a porch swing
• Construct a bird bath
• Correctly make croissants from scratch
• Attend a book signing An interesting experience! 25 April 2015 Book Signing
• Take a helicopter ride
• Be a participant on The Amazing Race
• Learn to paint with oils
• Index 1,000 files Finished it! I’m going to aim higher next year… 18 Oct 2015 1,000 Names
• Visit all 50 states
• We’ve lived in Nebraska, Iowa, Texas, and Indiana and have recently visited Kentucky, Illinois, Michigan and Ohio.  More to come soon (I hope!)
• Learn to water ski
• Visit every continent
• Go on a cruise
• Attend a filming of a game show
• Enter an art competition
• See the redwoods
• Donate hair to Locks of Love
• Make a hammock Kind of… 8 Sept 2015 A Few Goals
• Become a better knitter
• Get professional family portraits Thanks, Tasha! 23 Oct 2015 Photos at the Farm
• Master watercolors
• Sell something on Etsy
• Build food storage shelves
• Go canoeing Pocahontas had it wrong… 7 June 2015 Just Around the River Bend
• Blow glass
• Take the girls to Disney World
• Downhill ski
• Take a train ride
• Learn to crochet
• Take a family vacation to Table Rock Lake in the Ozarks
• See the Northern Lights
• Learn to make soap Not as hard as I thought! 30 Nov 15 Making Soap
• Build a piece of furniture Our first piece of furniture for 2015! 14 Mar 2015 The Shoe Closet
• Be a contestant on Wheel of Fortune
• Prepare a will Just in case! 8 Sept 2015 A Few Goals
• Take up photography
• Go back to Montreal (and swing by NYC to see Kristin since we’d be close anyway!)
• Enter something in a State Fair
• Paint a portrait
• Be an extra in a movie (preferably on horseback)
• Attend a major music concert (other than MoTab)
• Go to the Rolex Event…again!
• Take up pottery
• Take a tropical family vacation
• Restore Jack’s Mustang
• Invent something functional and useful
• Visit France (and I suppose the rest of Europe looks pretty fascinating too, haha!)
• Rock a short hair cut
• Take a self-defense class I’ve learned a few moves to keep me safe! Self-defense 3 Nov 2015
• Make or buy a dressform
• Design and sew an outfit
• Sew a quilt
• Have a year of food storage
• Make the girls dresses
• Make poutine Yummy! Poutine 9 Mar 2015
• Make homemade butter We can get a cow now! Homemade Butter 9 Nov 2015
• Make homemade yogurt
• Make homemade cheese
• Be able to do the splits….
• Prepare at least a four generation family history chart

Home Improvements

• Redo girls’ room
• Carpet or flooring
• Curtains and bedspreads
• Etc
• Redo our room
• Trim
• Carpet
• Bedspread
• Etc
• Redo master bath
• Shower
• Tub
• Tile
• Paint
• Vanity
• Closet
• Etc
• Redo girls’ bath A big project is done! 10 Dec 2015 Complete
• Shower/tub
• Tile
• Paint
• Vanity
• Etc
• Redo Kate’s room
• Window
• Paint
• Trim
• Carpet
• Etc
• Kitchen
• Paint
• Cabinets and counters
• Tile
• Electrical, plumbing, etc
• Great room
• Paint
• Carpet/tile
• Trim
• Stair rail, etc
• Downstairs guest bath
• Redo shower
• Tile
• Paint, etc
• Exterior
• Finish Back
• Roof
• Paint
• Columns
• Finish The Shoe Closet
• Carpet
• Paint
• Bench Done, done and done! 14 Mar 2015 The Shoe Closet
• Finish entryway
• Paint
• Tile
• Scrape windows Done! 12 June 2015 Entrez!
• ETC, ETC, ETC

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• Ride a horse on a beach
• Purchase a trailer
• Take Stoney and Dancer on a trail ride
• Dye, spin and knit an item from homegrown wool
• Get MORE hens Got them in the winter so they’re ready to lay in the spring! 31 Jan 2015 Pick Up Chicks
• Install automatic waterers for the horses
• Get some goats! Or maybe sheep…
• Get a harness and cart for the horses
• Take the girls to a leadline class What fun!!! 23 May 2015 Leadline
• Plant a garden The garden is in! 24 April 2015 The Garden of Eliker
• Build a greenhouse
• See wild horses
• Plant a berry patch
• Plant an orchard
• Get another hive They’ll live whether they like it or not!  14 April 2015 Two Is Better Than One
• Teach Stoney and Dancer to pull a cart or carriage
• Get pigs
• Breed Dancer
• Cut cattle
• Run barrels
• Go on a cattle drive
• Get a milking cow
• Get a beef steer
• Finish building pasture
• Build a horse shed Got a good start! 11 July 2015 Eyesore, Finished! 10 Aug 2015 Horse Shelter
• Build a barn
• Ride/Work horses 52+ times in a year Getting a start! 24 Jan 2015 One Down , 8 Feb 2015 Lunge and a Haircut, Jack’s found his new calling 17 May 2015 The Cowboy
• Build a goat/pig, etc enclosure
• Build a riding arena or round pen
• Ride an elephant (for more than three minutes…)
• Feed sharks
• See the salmon run
• Watch a cheetah chase down prey
• Swim with dolphins
• Take a whale watching expedition
• Be in a dog sled race
• Ride an ostrich
• Ride a camel

• Run another 5k  Halloween races are FUN! Trick or Treat 2 Nov 2015
• Run a family race
• Run in a Fun Run, Color Run, etc
• Run a 10k
• Run a half marathon
• Run a full marathon
• Complete a triathlon
• Sign girls up for swim lessons Just got started! Mermaids 18 March 2015
• Take Dancer to a show
• Compete in a dressage show
• Compete in a jumping show (either show jumping or hunter classes)
• Compete in a two day horse trial
• Compete in a three day horse trial
• Compete internationally (a girl can always dream…)

• Pay off credit cards
• Pay off Rachael’s student loans
• Pay off Jack’s student loans
• Build a $1000 emergency fund
• Build a one month emergency fund
• Build a six month emergency fund
• Open a savings account for each child First goal of the new year! Savings 6 Jan 2015
• Pay off mortgage