Travel & Vacation
Travel & Vacation: Food & Fun in Hyderabad, India
Loved the dishes and food at Tadka! I snapped this picture as they were putting the items onto the plate, rice and curry went into the middle. Jake and I stopped here after several hours of touring the city (with a lot of walking in 100 plus weather) so it was nice to sit down and relax together. They asked Jake how he was doing and he made the comment that he was glad to be in the “cool” restaurant after seeing the sights in the city. After a few minutes we noticed the restaurant was getting really cold (they had turned the temperature down for us, it was freezing even for us).
The food was amazing and they literally would not stop serving us. Every time our drinks got to the halfway mark they would refill the cup and if our plates had space on them they would scoop some more food onto it. Someone was literally standing a few feet away the entire meal to make sure we had drinks, food, and to help in anyway. We counted seven waiters for this one meal (which was not uncommon).
At the end of each meal they almost always ask you to do a survey. The main waiter picked up the survey with the bill and his face went from serious to a beaming smile. He immediately went over to his manager to show off his glowing survey results. We were thrilled to add some extra sunshine into his day! Below are some more fun food adventures and other fun stuff while we were in Hyderabad:
Thankful for the opportunity to hang out for a few days with my man!
Delicious chicken curry dish at the Tadka restaurant
Huge bowl of water and red rose petals at the entrance of the restaurant!
Doorman at the Ohri’s restaurant
This is one of the pictures hanging up in one of the restaurants that we visited, hilarious! It says “The Good, The Bad, and the Idlis” Does it remind you of something? Maybe “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly!”
My handsome man trying to figure out what to order! They have very colorful decor in the restaurants, notice the green chair to the left of Jake.
Tasty treat – two types of rice, naan, and curry
Yummy breakfast
Hot Coffee and juice for breakfast……every morning they brought us coffee. The waiter asked me the first day if I wanted coffee and I said yes since I had been traveling the past two days and needed to stay awake. Every day after that he brought me coffee as soon as he saw me enter the room, excellent service! A couple interesting things about the coffee – the coffee was much stronger than what I make and I never received a full cup (for some reason they deliver half cups of coffee no matter where you go).
Browsing the aisles of Hyper Savers (the local small version of “Walmart”) in Hyderabad. Their food was sold by rs per kilogram. Some of the food in the store I had never seen before.
The girls REALLY wanted us to bring back a suitcase full of coconuts, ha! We told them the you could find coconuts literally everywhere, even on the ground! For one whole coconut it is 15 RS (rupee) which is like us paying about 30 cents (great price for a coconut)!
The soda of choice! At least in Hyderabad the Pepsi products were more popular. The flavor was not the same, but Jake didn’t seem to mind too much.
The “Travel and Vacation” series is an insight into our trips together as a family and ways we relax. Life is short and we were thrilled to have the opportunity to build memories with family and explore of of the most amazing places during our time away. Explore with a good attitude, look for fun, and it will be an awesome trip jammed packed with positive memories. It is refreshing having some time away from the regular routine. Make it a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet new people and learn. You just might see or try something new that takes your breath away!
Travel & Vacation: First McDonald’s in HiTech City, Hyderabad
First McDonald’s to open up in Hi-Tech City, Hyderabad, India
While Jake was in Hyderabad the first McDonald’s opened up in Hi-Tech City! Everyone was so excited to have a McDonald’s nearby. I am sure he was wildly excited to be part of this historical moment in Hyderabad! 🙂
One thing I didn’t realize about McDonald’s (as well as other food chains) in other countries is that although the logo is the same the menu may be very different. Some of the chains Jake visited tasted exactly the same (for example Chili’s), but many of the chains we recognized did not. The unique thing about McDonald’s in the area we were located in Hi-Tech City they did not serve any beef products. Everything on the menu was chicken or vegetarian! So if you are in Hi-Tech City and looking for a Big Mac……..you may be disappointed.
If you wanted a pizza from Pizza Hut it will most likely have corn on it and Pepperoni isn’t a choice. KFC was pretty similar except all the chicken had some curry added to the fried chicken batter. I never did eat at their local McDonalds or really any of the normal chains you see around here but Jake had a chance to experience most of them since he was in Hyderabad for several weeks. It was pretty fascinating looking at the menu options at the various places although I chose to go to more traditional Indian restaurants and experience their food.
I think it’s smart of the company to adjust their menu slightly to match the taste of the area, unless you are looking for something specific from the fast food or restaurant! While you can’t get a Big Mac at the local McDonald’s in Hyderabad I have to say the food I ate at the local Indian restaurants was simply delicious. There are some dishes I ate while there that I would love to re-create now that I am back in the USA but have no clue what was in them. Have you had similar experiences when traveling abroad?
Travel & Vacation: Training Courses for Women in Hyderabad
I was very pleased to see on the outside of Shilparamam Park a sign saying “Training Courses for Women” everyday from 10:30 am to 5:00 pm. It was neat to see that Hyderabad wanted to invest in training women especially in a culture where some women don’t have the option to receive any. Some of the courses looked fun, others interesting, and several that would be fascinating to learn. Wouldn’t it be neat to learn something like “Interior Decorating” from their culture, I wonder how different it would be from how we were taught?! Honestly some of the things they were teaching I didn’t even know what they were so I would have to do a little more research before signing up for anything.
Here are some of the courses they were teaching in the park:
- Oil Painting
- Water Colours
- Classical Music
- Classical Dance
- Nirmal Painting
- Kalamkari Painging
- Interior Decoration
- Flower Making
- Flower Arrangement
- Pot Painting
- Sand Painting
- Fabric Painting
- Glass Painting
- Warily Painting
- Zari
- Hand Embroidery
- Zardoshi
- Soft Toys
- Solar Wood Craft
- Mahandi Designs
- Garment Making
- Candle Making
- Phenyl
- Liquid Soap
- Agarbetti Making
- Bathik Printing
- Block Printing
- Tye & Dye
- Dyeing Methods
- Musical Instruments
- Veena
- Fluite
- Mrudangam
- And quite a few more
I was pretty impressed at the list of classes they had for women. There are definitely some that would be fun to take! The sign also tells where the classes are held in the park, how long they go (most go for 6 months) and how much they cost (a lot of them were 1000 rs). I didn’t see any “blogging” or “women entrepreneurs” or “business” courses but who knows what they will do in the next few years!
The “Travel and Vacation” series is an insight into our trips together as a family and ways we relax. Life is short and we were thrilled to have the opportunity to build memories with family and explore of of the most amazing places during our time away. Explore with a good attitude, look for fun, and it will be an awesome trip jammed packed with positive memories. It is refreshing having some time away from the regular routine. Make it a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet new people and learn. You just might see or try something new that takes your breath away!
Travel & Vacation: Shilparamam Park in Hyderabad, India
Entrance to Shilparamam Park. It was pretty close to where Jake was staying in Hyderabad, India.
Water fountain in the park
Hyderabad’s version of the duck boats! Not sure I would want to go splashing around in the water though.
Not sure about the wiring in the park! This was a pretty common sight in the various places we visited. I am sure Jake’s cousin who is an electrician would have something to say about this one, ha!
Jake patiently waiting on the bridge for me to catch up!
Peaceful pond full of duck boats looks so pretty.
Cow with its horns painted blue and all decked up pulling a cart with items they plan to sell at the market place
Huge elephant statue you walk under to get to another part of the park.
This was interesting…..in the park they had a section which was a museum that told some of the history of Hyderabad, India and trades found in the area but they did it using all props.
Sankranthi Festival Display – outside props that were part of the museum portion of the park. I loved the bamboo fence, it was really pretty!
The largest patch of green grass I saw in Hyderabad! It was a field for concerts inside the park. Grass was not something you seen a lot of in the part of town where we were located. I bet the cows, goats, and other livestock I seen on the streets going through trash to find something to eat would have loved a chance to nibble on this grass!
Cool waterfall in the park….the smell reminded me of Reedy River at Falls Parks. Beautiful but not ideal swimming or splashing around in water.
Watching a group of people in the park play a party game. It kind of looked similar to “Duck, Duck, Goose” or “Musical Chairs” They were having a lot of fun!
Elephant fountain in the park. The bottom row of fountains are elephants spraying out water through their noses. We were told that elephants were a symbol of “good luck” so you see them often. Although we have been told various stories as to why they are good luck and what type of luck, not sure which is accurate or if there are just several stories that go along with the elephant symbol.
“Living Rock Gallery” inside the park. The rocks have plaques on them explaining their symbolizism and place of honor. I have heard of rock gardens but never a living rock garden so it was something different that I haven’t seen before.
If you pause for even a split second or happen to look in the general direction of someone’s shop they will rush out to greet you and try to get you to look at the items they have for sale. This guy was trying to get us to buy his fabric. They did not hestitate to sale you anything from rugs, to flowers, pottery, clothes, knick knacks, bangles, spices, and much more! Most people were ok when you said “No, thank you” but there were a few who would literally follow you around asking you to look, touch, and buy their items. You could spend an entire day going from shop to shop and having them sell you their goods if you wanted to, thankfully I am not a big shopper and Jake had already purchased a couple items for the kids before I arrived.
The “Travel and Vacation” series is an insight into our trips together as a family and ways we relax. Life is short and we were thrilled to have the opportunity to build memories with family and explore of of the most amazing places during our time away. Explore with a good attitude, look for fun, and it will be an awesome trip jammed packed with positive memories. It is refreshing having some time away from the regular routine. Make it a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet new people and learn. You just might see or try something new that takes your breath away!
Intentional Living: Weekly Goals
Jake had to travel last week for work so we tagged along with him since the girls were out of school. We spent a fun week in Charleston swimming, playing, exploring, reading, and enjoying some extra time together. We even made it to the beach which was a special treat! Hopefully this week I will have a chance to get back up to speed with my goals and household obligations. The pets were happy to see us come home too. You will notice that some of my goals have shifted to reflect my priorities over the summer, it is more important to me to spend time with my family while the girls are on summer break then to ignore them so I can meet all my other goals. Yes, I will continue moving forward with those goals as well but my highest priority the next couple months will be family since we have more time together.
Last week’s goals:
Family Goals
Connect with each family member at least once a dayEnjoy time doing one fun activity with the girls every day– spent a lot of time at parks, swimming, and spending time together in CharlestonRead at least one book to the girls every dayListen to the girls read at least one book to me or Jake every day– the girls read through a whole bunch of books at parks, in the hotel and in the car, thrilled to see them get even more excited about readingSpend some extra time catching up with family and friendsFinish 1/3 of the Summer Reading ProgramSpend time at the pool playing with the kids
Personal Goals
Exercise – walk at least 5 days this week– walked with the girls in the parks and went swimming everydaySpend quality time with my kids & Jake– spent time together in CharlestonFinish reading Am I Messing Up My Kids by Lysa TerKeurst- Finish reading More Than Enough by Dave Ramsey – started it
Home Management Goals
All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day- Weekly Dinner Menu & Schedule planned out for the week – the dinner menu was based off of Jake’s schedule and whatever coupons we could find for the Charleston area so not every dinner was planned with us being out of town (
but every lunch was planned) Plan Summer Organizational SchedulePay all upcoming bills
Business Goals
Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts- Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention – did as much as I could remotely
- 1o minutes a day Cleaning / Organizing my desk – wasn’t able to do this since I was in Charleston
Ministry Goals
Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch- Email the updated schedule to our Community Group – didn’t get the email out but prayed for and tried to connect with each girl in our group
Financial Goals
Stay within Budget on Groceries $40 for 4– actually stayed under with us being out of town, just brought items from home for some of our lunches, dinner, and snacks (breakfast was included with the hotel)- Emergency Fund – save 6 months worth of living expenses – temporarily on hold as we save for another family car
- Save money for another vehicle to replace the one that was totaled – working on it
- Put cash aside for 1 year of Jake’s College Classes – on hold while until we get another car
My goals for the upcoming week:
Family Goals
- Read at least one book or a chapter in a book to the girls every day
- Listen to the girls read at least one book to me or Jake every day
- Participate in at least 2 fun Summer Activities with the Kids
- Take the girls to Vacation Bible School – VBS
- Get to the 1/4 Goal Mark (500 Hours) on the Girls “Swim Into Reading” Summer Reading Goal (total 2,000 Reading Hours)
- Go to the library with the kids
- Go on a Date Night with Jake
Personal Goals
- Exercise – at least 5 days this week
- Finish reading More Than Enough by Dave Ramsey
Home Management Goals
- All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
- Weekly Dinner Menu & Schedule planned out for the week
- Start My Summer Organizational Schedule
- Pay all upcoming bills
Business Goals
- Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
- Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
- 1o minutes a day Cleaning / Organizing my desk
Ministry Goals
- Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
- Email the updated schedule to our Community Group
Financial Goals
- Stay within Budget on Groceries $40 for 4
- Emergency Fund – save 6 months worth of living expenses
- Save money for another vehicle to replace the one that was totaled
- Put cash aside for 1 year of Jake’s College Classes
I think it is important to share and encourage each other as we seek to improve our lives and the lives of those around us. I want to live intentionally not just hope all my dreams and goals come true. When I focus on small steps of improvement I am able to see results as I get closer to my goals. Some weeks I get closer to the goals I have in my life and other weeks a take a few steps back (life happens, emergencies occur, people get sick). Once the goals are written down and shared it provides a guideline for what I aim to accomplish this week.
Why Share My Goals?
- To keep me accountable
- To share a piece of my life with you as I strive to be a better Child of God, Wife, Mom, Friend, Homemaker, Entrepreneur and the many other roles I have each week
- To have my goals consistently written down so I can gauge progress more accurately
- Create healthy habits in my life
- To encourage you to share your goals with me as you continue to grown and learn
How did you do this week on your goals? Feel free to share or link to your list of weekly goals.
The picture above is one that I created for my own purposes, however, The “SMART” acronym was originally coined 30 years ago by Peter Drucker in his classic work, Management by Results
Travel & Vacation: Charleston Trip
Had to stop on one of the road trips because someone was getting car sick…..Daddy taking her for a walk to get some fresh air. Poor kiddo!
She hasn’t gotten car sick for quite awhile, but on one of our trips recently she started getting queasy. Stopping for a little bit of fresh air for a few minutes seemed to do the trick.
Found a cool tree house on Daniel’s Island, great place to play and have a picnic!
Karlie having fun
Hanging out at the turtle park
Pool time! Karlie holding her breath under the water!
Brina hanging out under water
Is it me or does the road seem to end in the sky? Actually this is one of our favorite bridges near Daniel’s Island.
Looking at the beautiful sunset from the bridge
Karlie enjoying her blue rock candy treat
Brina with a bright pink tongue
Brina having fun
Karlie splashing around
Brina swimming under water
Giving us game directions
Karlie lining up her knee board
Karlie spinning and having fun
Brina’s ready to spin
Brina having fun in the pool
Brina going for the diving stick
Karlie sitting at the edge of the pool chatting away
Having fun in the pool
Brina flying through the air
Playing with Daddy in the pool
Silly Karlie
Brina shark is after me
Karlie has a knack for losing teeth when we are traveling….once in an airport on a trip and this one at the hotel in Charleston (after eating an apple)
Brina zooming down the slide
The “Travel and Vacation” series is an insight into our trips together as a family and ways we relax. Life is short and we were thrilled to have the opportunity to build memories with family and explore of of the most amazing places during our time away. Explore with a good attitude, look for fun, and it will be an awesome trip jammed packed with positive memories. It is refreshing having some time away from the regular routine. Make it a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet new people and learn. You just might see or try something new that takes your breath away!
Travel & Vacation: Trip to the Pirate Park & Charleston Creamery
Stopping to refuel…..so thankful the girls both travel so well!
We have been on some long trips with our kids (over 40 hours of drive time) which makes us very thankful that they both love to travel. They get excited when we tell them they will get to “sleep” in the van. The girls love it when the road trip is more than 5 hours because that means Daddy will put in the DVD player for them to watch movies while we drive. They stay entertained when we we take the 2 or 4 hour trips as well with books, games, music, and more. It is always an adventure no matter where we go and the girls love exploring different areas as well as going back to our favorite parks or places we have visited in the past. The pictures in this post are from our winter trip to Charleston, South Carolina. Love seeing their smiles, watching them play, and thankful that they had a chance to relax for a few days.
Karlie relaxing on the bench and blowing some bubbles.
Brina checking out the pirate treasure chest full of sand at the “Pirate” Park on Daniel’s Island.
Karlie (she is wearing the black shirt in the middle of the ship) is checking out the big sunken pirate ship
Brina climbing the lighthouse at the pirate’s park
Look out…..here comes Karlie!
Look out BELOW!!! I can hear Brina giggling as she comes zipping down the slide.
Getting ice cream from their favorite ice cream store – Charleston Creamery! In this picture Karlie is choosing her 1st topping. After they select their ice cream flavors and toppings a robot puts it together for them. The girls LOVE it!
The robot is getting ready to make the ice cream.
Mesmerized by the robot making the ice cream!
Ta….Da……the ice cream treat is now ready to eat! Thanks Robot! 🙂 The robot only serves soft serve ice cream but you can get one of their many homemade flavors in a cup, cone, or shake!
Charleston Creamery has a place for the kids to sit and play with toys while you enjoy your treat too. It’s a great family owned ice cream store. It is one of the girls favorite places to visit while in the Charleston area. For more information about their store, location, upcoming events, specials, or their newest flavor of ice cream you can find them on Facebook!
The “Travel and Vacation” series is an insight into our trips together as a family and ways we relax. Life is short and we were thrilled to have the opportunity to build memories with family and explore of of the most amazing places during our time away. Explore with a good attitude, look for fun, and it will be an awesome trip jammed packed with positive memories. It is refreshing having some time away from the regular routine. Make it a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet new people and learn. You just might see or try something new that takes your breath away!
FREE Hot or Cold Beverage at Pilot & Flying J Travel Centers
Pilot Travel Centers has a coupon you can print on their Facebook Page for a Free 16 oz Hot Beverage or Free 32 oz Cold Beverage at Pilot and Flying J Centers .
- Go to Pilot Travel Centers Facebook Page
- Like their Facebook Page
- Click on the Coupon Section
- Print the Free Hot or Cold Beverage Coupon (the coupon is below the $1.00 off any large combo coupon and the “print” button is a link directly beneath the coupon)
- The coupon is good through August 31, 2012 .
If you are traveling soon or have a Pilot or Flying J Travel Center nearby this is a great deal. We used a couple of their coupons last month when we were traveling and plan to use some in on our upcoming trips this summer!
Travel & Vacation: – Walking the Streets of Hyderabad, India
Vendor walking around sounding handkerchiefs
Anyone want Pearls?
Wholesale dealer of pearls on the side of the street. It was interesting seeing jewelry store where the store front is completely open and faces the street.
A guy pushing a cart full of potato chips
Ice cream anyone?!
I did have the opportunity to try ice cream while in India. It tasted different from the ice cream we buy in the USA, but it was good!
Sparkly clothes hanging up and ready for anyone needing them.
A lot of the clothes you can buy in India have jewels, gold or other items added to the fabric or onto the cloth to make them sparkle. Add a little sparkle to some bright colors and you have beautiful clothes.
A store packed full of bangles
This store had display after display of bangles. You could get bangles in any color, style or size. Jake picked up a set for each girl.
Showing off their goods – shari’s
When a shopper comes to their door they have you take off your shoes, sit down, and they will bring all the goods out for you to see and make your choice. The white mat is like a large soft pillow with a sheet over it covering the entire floor of the store.
Two ladies shopping at a local street market jewelry store.
Most jewelry stores have the items out on display. I noticed this was the only one that I seen on this street that had the jewelry in glass display cases. These ladies are completely covered in black (due to their religious beliefs on women’s clothing) but you’ll notice that many of them will be wearing beautiful bracelets, rings and jewelry on any area that is not covered.
You can see the shoes on the step and the lady in the store choosing the materials she wants.
Cart full of fresh coconuts – the girls would love it!
Young boy walking up and down the street selling handmade musical flutes
There were so many auto-rigshaws in Hyderabad
The auto-rigshaws were everywhere on the streets. They are meant for one driver and up to 2 passengers, I have seen up to 8 or people more in one rigshaw, not to mention all the goods they are carrying on their laps as well.
Mom with a tiny infant visiting the local farmer’s market
This picture makes me smile….
Almost everyone local person I met had beautiful black hair and gorgeous dark complexions. This guy is the exception, he stands out a little bit!
Bright flowers for sale on the side of the road – my Great Grandma Albrecht would have loved this one!
Our driver pointing out the various monuments, important buildings, and sharing pieces of history as we drive through Hyderabad, India
On a 2 lane road you will find a lot more than 1 vehicle per lane!
Just in the this picture I see four auto rigshaws side by side and a lot of motorcycles. If you wanted to most of the time you could literally roll down your car window and reach out and touch the person riding in the car, on a bike, motorcycle or rigshaw next to you. It is scary sometimes how close they drive.
Someone is getting a “truck” load of mattresses today! Hope the driver doesn’t make any sudden turns!
People literally hanging onto the public bus to catch a ride
You would see people hanging off the buses with traffic flying by right beside them. This picture was taken out the front window of the car we were riding in (and I was in the back seat) so you can see how close they drive. When the people get to a spot they want to get off then they will just let go and will walk off the street which can cause some additional traffic issues.
Happy to have a ride on the public bus!
This was a fairly common sight. We are passing the public bus and these guys are hanging on as it moves through traffic. You’ll notice in these pictures as well that many people carry backpacks. Since they are walking or catching a public bus places it is easier to carry everything in a backpack.
Most of these pictures were taken as we were walking through Hyderabad near Charminar. Thankfully our driver went with us to the market. It was the one area that he insisted on going with us which we were very grateful. He lead the way as we walked through the busy streets of the market. It was neat seeing so many people and all the beautiful goods they were selling in the market.
It was also on this walk we encountered a lot people begging us for help…it…..broke….my….heart. One lady reached out her hand and said “sister…sister…please help sister”. So many people needing help, it was quite overwhelming in some spots. I was walking in between the driver and Jake in a single file line through the streets and after we got back in the car Jake said several other people tried to approach me as well but a couple police men kept some of them from getting to me. Although it is impossible to help everyone it was hard knowing who to help and how to help them. I just pray that I was able to make a positive impact and be an encouragement to those I interacted with while in India. Since returning to the USA I have met people who have connections to ministries in Hyderabad and I hope that next time I have the opportunity to go (if there is a next time) I will be able to be even bigger blessing in the lives of that area.
The “Travel and Vacation” series is an insight into our trips together as a family and ways we relax. Life is short and we were thrilled to have the opportunity to build memories with family and explore of of the most amazing places during our time away. Explore with a good attitude, look for fun, and it will be an awesome trip jammed packed with positive memories. It is refreshing having some time away from the regular routine. Make it a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet new people and learn. You just might see or try something new that takes your breath away!
Intentional Living: Weekly Goals
We finished having our family yard sale this past weekend, it was nice getting rid of some extra items that the girls have outgrown or things we no longer use. Now I am gearing up for a busy week with work, events, and an upcoming family adventure over Memorial Day weekend (the kids are super excited)! I am looking forward to sharing with you the fun details of our adventure soon!
Last week’s goals:
Family Goals
Connect with each family member at least once a daySchedule a Date Night with Jake– got a date night on the calendar!
- Prep for upcoming Family Trip – need to finish up the final details this week
Schedule a Family Game & Fun NightRead at least one book to the girls every dayListen to the girls read at least one book to me or Jake every dayFamily Yard Sale– did this on Saturday!
Personal Goals
- Exercise – walk at least 5 days this week – not doing so well with this one
Review my upcoming goals- Finish reading How We Love Our Kids by Milan & Kay Yerkovich – still have not found this book (I think it got lost on my India or Charleston trip) so I switched and started focusing on another one this week
Home Management Goals
All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day- Work on Spring / Deep Cleaning the House – got some of it done, hope to get more next week now that the yard sale is done
Weekly Dinner Menu & Schedule planned out for the weekSpend 30 minutes every day picking up / cleaning the housePrepare for our upcoming Yard Sale
Business Goals
Work on ideas for upcoming blog postsKeep up with the day to day items that need my attention1o minutes a day Cleaning / Organizing my deskWork on upcoming speaking engagement
Ministry Goals
Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or LunchBe a blessing to a total stranger this week- Email the updated praises, prayer requests, and schedule to our Community Group – this one slipped through the cracks this week
Financial Goals
Stay within Budget on Groceries $40 for 4Emergency Fund – save 3 months worth of living expenses– soooo excited to have this one done!- Put money aside for upcoming trips – starting setting aside a little bit
- Put cash aside for 1 year of Jake’s College Classes – started adding to the college fund
My goals for the upcoming week:
Family Goals
- Connect with each family member at least once a day
- Schedule a Date Night with Jake
- Prep for our upcoming Family Trip
- Read at least one book to the girls every day
- Listen to the girls read at least one book to me or Jake every day
- Plan & go on at least one family Adventure
- Spend some extra time catching up with family and friends
Personal Goals
- Exercise – walk at least 5 days this week
- Review my upcoming goals
- Finish reading Am I Messing Up My Kids by Lysa TerKeurst
- Finish reading No One to Call Me Home by Rev James J. Close
Home Management Goals
- All laundry for the week washed, folded, and put away in one day
- Work on Spring / Deep Cleaning the House
- Weekly Dinner Menu & Schedule planned out for the week
- Spend 30 minutes every day picking up / cleaning the house
Business Goals
- Work on ideas for upcoming blog posts
- Keep up with the day to day items that need my attention
- 1o minutes a day Cleaning / Organizing my desk
- Work on upcoming speaking engagement
Ministry Goals
- Meet a friend or family member for Breakfast or Lunch
- Be a blessing to a total stranger this week
- Email the updated praises, prayer requests, and schedule to our Community Group
Financial Goals
- Stay within Budget on Groceries $40 for 4
- Emergency Fund – save 6 months worth of living expenses (we finished saving up for a 3 month emergency fund so now we are working hard on getting our 6 month emergency fund established, the yard sale this past weekend was a good boost for us)
- Save money for upcoming trips
- Put cash aside for 1 year of Jake’s College Classes
- Save money for upcoming home projects
I think it is important to share and encourage each other as we seek to improve our lives and the lives of those around us. I want to live intentionally not just hope all my dreams and goals come true. When I focus on small steps of improvement I am able to see results as I get closer to my goals. Some weeks I get closer to the goals I have in my life and other weeks a take a few steps back (life happens, emergencies occur, people get sick). Once the goals are written down and shared it provides a guideline for what I aim to accomplish this week.
Why Share My Goals?
- To keep me accountable
- To share a piece of my life with you as I strive to be a better Child of God, Wife, Mom, Friend, Homemaker, Entrepreneur and the many other roles I have each week
- To have my goals consistently written down so I can gauge progress more accurately
- Create healthy habits in my life
- To encourage you to share your goals with me as you continue to grown and learn
How did you do this week on your goals? Feel free to share or link to your list of weekly goals.
The picture above is one that I created for my own purposes, however, The “SMART” acronym was originally coined 30 years ago by Peter Drucker in his classic work, Management by Results
