Click here to read part one of my goals for self improvement. Questions are from Simple Mom.

IV. Goals for Your Children

1. What are ways you’d like each of your children to grow in the following areas?

a. Physically: my kids are very healthy – so I just want them to continue being so – I want us all to strive to be more purposefully active and eat healthy.

b. Emotionally: Three has been a tough year for MM – a lot of tantrums and acting out and pushing us over the edge. 2009 was also a roller coaster for him – I am hoping a calmer year will mellow him out. BB honestly isn’t old enough for me to be concerned – I wish her painless teething and lots of giggles.

c. Relationally: I want to get MM involved with other kids so he can form some friendships in the area.

d. Spiritually: Honestly? I think they are a little young to worry about that.

e. Educationally: I know BB will be learning to crawl, walk, jump and climb this year – and probably talk, too! What a year! For MM, I really want to get him potty trained and keep helping him learn to write and read letters and words.

2. How will your children be educated this year? What are some resources you’d like to explore to help your children develop intellectually and academically?

My kids aren’t in school yet but I would like to get MM in some classes at the Y this year – and also swim lessons at the Y!

3. What are your children’s strengths? How will you help them use these well?

MM is so friendly and personable – very good at putting himself out there. I need to socialize him more so he can put that to good use! BB is of course the easy second child. I can only hope I can continue to think that about her!

4. What are your children’s weaknesses? How will you help them overcome these?

MM is impatient and has a little bit of a temper – so do I! I need to try setting a better example for him. BB doesn’t sleep through the night… She’ll need to soon.

V. Money Matters

1. What is one specific area of progress you’d like to see this year in your financial health?

Definitely to start seriously saving for a house.

2. How is your current income? In what ways can you make this increase?

I honestly think our income is fine, it’s our spending / savings that can use some work.

3. How much debt do you have? In what ways can you eliminate a sizeable portion of it (or all of it) this year?

The only debt we have is a car loan – which we are already doing a good job of paying off.

4. How is your savings account? In what ways can you save more money this year?

This is the main area I want to focus on this year – mainly be spending less and making sure to keep track of the money we are putting aside.

5. What are some of your long-term financial goals? In what ways can you make progress on them this year?

House fund, rebuilding our emergency savings and education and retirement. I’d also like to save “fun money” for vacations and large purchases. All this really means is organizing and cutting back our spending a little bit.

6. Are you giving regularly? If not, in what way can you give financially this year?

We give to organizations that we admire when we can. We don’t do anything “regularly” but I’m content for the moment with what we do give. We also donate clothing frequently to Good Will as the kids outgrow clothing sizes.

7. What is your plan this month for starting progress towards better financial health?

It’s probably about time to look over our finances and make sure our current budgets are still working well for us.

VI. Relationships Outside the Home

1. In what specific way would you like to grow in relating to your friends this year?

I’d like to make more friends in this area. We know a few people but we don’t have any real bonds formed here. I like Wisconsin a lot, so we really do need to make some friends if we will be here in the long term.

2. What are some ways you can be of service to your immediate community?

I mentioned above that we donate clothing to Good Will. I’d also like to help food pantries in the area and other similar ways to “give back” when we can.

3. Who are some specific people in your life that can use some encouragement? What will you do to encourage them this year?

I have some friends going through tough times. I try to be there for them but being 1,000 miles away makes it difficult to really be there. I’d like to keep in touch with old friends better, maybe with touching base with each other more frequently.

4. Who are some people in your life that you admire? What are some practical ways you can positively use their influence in your life?

I have several blogging friends or just people whose blogs I admire, that I’d love to emulate. The Pioneer Woman has always inspired me with her delicious recipes and gorgeous photographs. I have been enjoying cooking my way through her cookbook and taking pictures for my 365 challenge will be a way to help me improve my photography skills, too. She is my housewife role model. Karen always has the latest scoop on current events and reminds me to stay informed and ask questions – and to take myself seriously. Jean, Jen and my bestie Andrea never cease to amaze me. Their strength and ability to cope with whatever life dishes out to them reminds me that we are capable of so much more than we realize sometimes. When things get tough for me, they are some of the people that I emulate to get through it all.

I think you can boil my goals quite simply down to:

lose weight, save money, make friends, take lots of pictures

What are your goals for 2010? What steps will you be taking to make them happen?