Accomplishments For 2016!

This is the post that's mainly for my records. I like to look back and see what goals we set out for ourselves and how we did. 

2016 Goals

Home Goals: 

Replace deck surface and stain

We didn't actually get around to taking care of the deck last year. It wasn't a super rush, but this year it's on the list and it's a priority.

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Touch up paint throughout the inside of the house

Michael did get around to touching up all the baseboards and we did repaint a few rooms due to the remodel of the bathroom. In all the entryway, bathroom/laundry room, the dining room and the master bedroom all got fully repainted. The living room is in dire need of getting repainted so hopefully that will happen this year. 

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Fix master bathroom ceiling

Michael actually repainted the master bathroom ceiling before I even got around to posting the goals on the blog last year. 

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Put Moss Out on the roof

Michael did put moss out on the roof unfortunately we had a horrible wind and rain storm the very next day so I'm not sure if it had the full effect. This might be something we need to revisit in the summer time. 

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Jack up the front awning

Michael did take care of the sagging front awning. It was awful listening to it creak and groan everytime Michael pushed down on the jack. It has made a huge difference in the look of the house though. Nothing was structurally damaged the post had just sunk over the years. Michael did have to put up a few more trim pieces under the awning and fix the gutter a bit, but we are so happy this is done and it wasn't nearly as big of a hassle as we thought it would be. 

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Replace kitchen lights

Michael put in 4 can lights in my kitchen and it's been so amazing. I also bought a bunch of puck lights at Costco for under cabinet lighting. Those really helped last winter, but then I had to put new batteries in them...27 batteries in total! They honestly lasted for about a month and I think I only actually used them about 4 times. I was so mad! So I'm going to check out options at IKEA....I already have at Lowe's and hardwired under-cabinet lighting is ridiculous. I have some awesome LED lights in the laundry room that go under the cabinets and they have lasted forever. I honestly never turn them off and they have been used going on 3 or 4 years. 

Yard Goals: 

Buy and plant more bulbs

This last year was the biggest year for our garden. We put a lot of our tax return money toward really making it shine and it made such a difference and was so fun to sit outside and enjoy all the new plants that kept coming up. 

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Edge playarea and buy pea gravel

As well as buying more plants and bulbs we did get the gravel for the playarea and I love how it turned out. 

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Get giant tree rounds removed

We didn't actually get the tree rounds removed, but Michael put them to good use. I love how he used them to edge one side of the playarea. Click here to see the massive yard remodel post! 

Money Goals: 

Save at least 1/4 of the money we will need to go on our trip to Hawaii in 2019

We ended up saving $100 a month toward our trip to Hawaii in 2019 for our 20th wedding anniversary. Originally we had planned to go through Costco for everything, but recently I've been looking into AirBB. I've found a cute house that looks like it would meet our needs. It's still over 2 years away though so I'm trying not to plan too much as I'm sure things will change. With what we saved and will save in the future I think we actually saved more like 1/3 of the money we'll need. 

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Save at least 1/3 of the money needed to replace our driveway

This is expensive and honestly it's really been put to the back of the list. I would love to get it done, but it would cost so much money and just wouldn't be that much of a life changer right now. Instead of saving for this we saved for and accomplished the bathroom/laundry room remodel and let me tell you that was a life changer! Click here to see the remodel post. 

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Boost up appliance savings account

We did save some for appliances and then we spent it to get the new washer and dryer. I have kind of reconsidered the idea of having an appliance savings account. We have savings accounts for SO many things. That's kind of common when you follow Dave Ramsey. I have accounts for vacation, auto repairs, auto insurance, auto replacement, gift fund, Christmas fund, Boot/Water worker expense fund...you get the picture. That's on top of our emergency fund and our 3-6 month fund. It's just a totally different way to live. We might have a decent amount of money, but it's not there just to spend it on anything. It's designated for certain things. Anyways Michael's job is SUPER stable so the chance of us using our 3-6 months because he's been laid off is slim to none. So we have decided to use that account as our own personal credit card. We can just pay ourselves back instead of paying interest on a credit card. So if we do need to go out and buy a new refrigerator we have the money. We'll go buy one and then we'll just bump that account back up to the amount it needs to be. 

Purchase Goals: 

Gun / Permit / Classes / Safe / Ammo

We didn't end up buying a gun. The money for that went to the yard remodel and I'm so glad it did. A gun is still in our near future for sure! 

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Refrigerator

We did buy another refrigerator for our garage and I'm so happy we did. Click here to read the post about why we got another frig....it's at the bottom of the post. 

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PC or a Laptop

We actually used the money that was going to go towards a computer for the remodel, but then closer to the end of the year all of our computers were just shot. This is where the whole 3-6 month fund came in handy. Michael found a screaming deal for an awesome computer on Black Friday. I ended up getting his old computer and all has been well....after he sent it back his new one and they return it that is. His old computer was having issues, but that was only when games were being played on it. I don't play games so it doesn't give me any troubles at all. 

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Rafts 

We had wanted to buy rafts so we could float down the river more often as a family. However....at the end of 2015 we had a falling out with the friends we went floating down the river with. That was a major bummer and kind of made the whole adventure sour after that. This might be something we do in the future, but it's not on the near horizon. 

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Snow Gear for the family

I think I completely blew this one. I didn't remember this being on the list at all. This year this is absolutely going to happen. All the kids are big enough now to really enjoy the snow and we already have plans for next winter to go tubing with the Dial family. 

Family Adventures:

This is where we totally failed last year. We did so much here at home that we really didn't have the time or the money to go enjoy some of these things. We still did have lots of fun at the zoo, NW Trek, state parks and the beach though. 

Ape Caves - nope...I would like to say this is going to happen this year....it's been on the list since 2014, but I don't want to get my hopes up. 

Sledding or Tubing - nope....planned for February 2018

Tag Zone or Lazor Tag - nope, but planned for Jack's 10th Birthday in June 2018

Rattlesnake Ridge - We wanted to go here, but then heard it's really not a good hike to go on with young children. 

Camping - We had wanted to go with our friends the Korve's, but honestly between their busy schedule and us being in the middle of a remodel during the summer this did not happen. We are hoping to make it to the Jennings Family (Michael's Mom side of the family) Reunion this summer so we might be camping then. We don't have a tent or a trailer so if you know of anyone that might lend us either of those things that would be awesome!!! 

Family Fun Center - I could have sworn we went to the Family Fun Center last year, but looking back at the blog that was actually 2015. Wow time flies! If I find a good groupon we might do this this year. 

Water park in Ritzville - We tried!!! That was such a sad experience. Click here to read the blog post about that. This year we are taking the kids to Great Wolf Lodge and I can't wait!!! 

Take Ella out for tea - nope....Ga-Ga and I decided she was still a little too young. This year for her birthday she is having a tea party though and it's going to be wonderful!

Personal Goals:

Lyndsay - Run a 5K or longer and build a farm table and benches 

I actually didn't run much at all last year. I really wasn't in it! I like the idea of running and I felt good when I was doing it, but for some reason I couldn't motivate myself to go. It didn't help that in the summer time Owen and Jack went to Summer Learning and the timing made it hard for me to go when they were at school and then going after would be right during the heat of the day. I've also been struggling with back problems. I started going to physical therapy in September and it's better, but I still need to work on it. Depending on how I feel I might try to get back out there this summer. 

As for the farm table I ended up not needed to build one and Michael built the benches! Click here to see the post with my beautiful table and benches! 

Michael - Get his CDL and don't gain a notch on his belt! :) 

Michael didn't end up getting his CDL...it's slated to happen this year as far as he knows. As for the notch on his belt....that was a total success. He's still on the exact same belt notch! :)