At the start of every year, Emily and I sit down and set intentional goals for our family. We discuss financial, personal, professional, and everything in between. For a long time, that’s where it ended. We’d set the goals and hope that by December, we’d magically be closer to where we wanted to be.
This year, we’re doing something different.
Instead of waiting until the end of the year, we’re doing monthly check-ins to see how things are actually going and what’s working. We're also looking at where we need to adjust. We wanted to share these updates not just for accountability, but to let you into our real, everyday life as we work toward the future we’re trying to build.
So here’s our January 2026 check-in.
Finances
Our biggest focus this year is our finances. The primary goal is to eliminate our consumer debt, build our savings, and begin setting aside money for the down payment on our future home.
We’ve already paid off one of my private loans, which feels like a big milestone. At this point, we only have one car loan left before we can fully pivot toward saving for the house build. We also set up After High School funds for both boys—something we’ve wanted to do for a long time and are grateful to have started early.
There’s still a lot ahead of us, but January gave us some encouraging momentum.
House
This category covers both caring for our current home and taking steps toward building our next one.
Our main goals here are to get our house plans drawn and to declutter our entire home so it’s more kid-friendly and livable. So far, we’ve completed major declutters in the boys’ room, our bedroom, and the utility room. We’ve also started sorting through the boys’ toys to decide what stays, what gets stored, and what can be shared with other families.
Once the car loan is paid off, house plans will be our first major purchase—and the first tangible step toward building our dream home.
Travel
This is easily my favorite category.
One of Emily’s and my long-term goals is to visit all of the National Park Sites, so travel planning usually revolves around that. This year, our goal is to take the boys on a couple of extended weekend trips, specifically over Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends.
I’m especially excited for Macklin to get his very first park cancellation. We’re also making it a priority to plan more day trips—like visits to the Kansas City Zoo, Aquarium, and other local spots.
Right now, I’ve started planning our Memorial Day trip, and Colorado is at the top of the list. More on that soon.
Family
This category matters the most to us.
One of our biggest goals this year is to read the Bible chronologically. We tried this last year and didn’t make it very far. This year, we made it through all of January. We’ve missed a day or two, but we’ve stayed committed to catching up—and that consistency alone feels like progress.
We’re also focusing on healthier and more diverse meals for the boys. We are working toward having MJ reading and writing by the end of the year, and building better habits around praying together at our prayer wall each night. That last one has been a struggle so far, but heading into February, we’re recommitting with a focus on consistency rather than perfection.
Content Creation
This is one area where Emily takes the lead. She has big goals for the year, and my role is to support her, encourage her, and help however I can. I’m excited to watch this space grow as the year unfolds.
Michael: Personal & Professional
I like goals that stretch me without feeling completely out of reach. This year, I’m aiming to read 10 personal books and 5 professional ones, run another half-marathon, and log 600 total miles.
So far, I’m ahead of where I was last year with running mileage, which feels great. Reading has been slower, so that’s something I know I need to refocus on moving forward.
Professionally, I’m working on improving internal systems at the office and expanding how I can help patients by pursuing additional certifications.
Emily: Personal & Professional
Emily’s goals this year are centered on health and longevity. She’s focusing on increasing her daily step count and staying consistent with her supplement routine.
At work, her goal is to declutter her office and remove equipment she no longer uses. By the end of January, she’s already made meaningful progress—clearing out trash and planning the removal of larger equipment, so her space can be used more intentionally.
Looking Ahead
We know there’s still a lot of work ahead of us, both individually and as a family. We keep reminding ourselves that progress isn’t about huge leaps—it’s about small, consistent steps taken day after day.
We’re encouraged by where we’re headed and grateful for the journey ahead. Thanks for following along—we’ll be checking in again next month.
If you're interested in reading more about our goals, click HERE to read "All The Swaps We Made In 2025".
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