Hello 2016 | A Few Goals and a Word to Live By

Happy New Year!  

I am naturally one who likes the idea of new beginnings and having a fresh start.   This past week, Chris has been home, and we purposefully kept our days unscheduled and only made plans for dinners.  Noah has absolutely loved having Chris home and has been asking him to play nonstop.  Noah is usually pretty attached to me and prefers me to do things for him over Chris, but this week the tables turned and Noah was requesting Chris over me on many occasions.  While I often like being his "favorite", it was rather nice to sit back and watch the two of them interact so well.  Since Noah often couldn't care less what I was doing, it gave me some time to sort through his outgrown clothes, do some purging, and come up with a few goals I have for the new year.  Last year, I came up with five goals each month.  While I know I will come up with new goals throughout the year, this year I've instead come up with a few goals that I'd like to work on throughout the entire year.  

1.  Take at least a 1 second video each day so I can compile it into a longer video at the end of the year.  I loved how this one turned out!
2.  Take a photo of Noah outside each month to show the change in the seasons as well as Noah's growth.  
3.  Purge the junk and be more aware of what I buy and bring back in.  
4.  Read one book a month. 
5.  Have a family date night once a month.  I'm thinking pizza and a movie at home sounds wonderful!  

In addition to setting a few goals, I also picked a "word" for 2016.  In 2014, I started participating in Ali Edwards "one little world".  Each year, you choose one word to focus on, reflect on, and live by.  So far I've chosen calm and content as my words.  I have found that they were just what I needed each of those years.  This year I've decided to choose the word "joy".  

For 2016, I'm choosing joy for many reasons.  But really, who doesn't need more joy in their life.  It's easy to focus on the negative and ignore all the good, but this year I want to focus on the positive and really experience the joy that life has to offer.  Noah is at a really fun age and I want to take advantage of that.  I want to do fun things as a family.  I want to continue our adventures... from larger vacations to simple activities at home.  

But even more than that, I want to slow down and find the joy in the everyday mundane.  I even want to find the silver lining in the not so good.  As Noah gets older I realize that everything is a phase that eventually is outgrown.  That each tantrum, bad day, or sleepless night is just a drop in the bucket in the grand scheme of things.  Before I know it, it will all be over.  So instead of being annoyed or hoping the moment will pass, I want to pause and really try to enjoy it all.  

And finally, I want to focus on bringing joy to others.  I am so blessed with all I have and feel like it's time I start giving back more.  I want to go out of my way to be kind to strangers and do random acts of kindness to those that I love.  I'm not sure how exactly I will accomplish this (yet), but I know I want to share the joy I have with others.  

And I have to say, that how we spent New Year's Eve was the perfect way to start a year off of joy.  We usually just stay home, but this year we were invited to celebrate with one of Noah's friends (who also happens to be one of our best friends too).  We enjoyed some delicious food, played games and did a craft with the kids, and rang in the new year (using the London countdown on YouTube) with a champagne (and milk) toast.  We were home in time for Noah's bed time but still got to enjoy a wonderful New Year's Eve with friends... it was perfect :)  

^^^ I am so thankful for this great friendship!

^^^ we had the kids do a "minute to win it" game

^^^ playing Sequence

^^^ and Noah won :)

^^^my friend is an amazing chef and all the food was absolutely delicious!

Here's to a joyful 2016!

Do you choose a word for the year?  If so, what will your word be for 2016?  

Monthly Goals | Versatile Blogger Award

Happy December!  It's up for debate whether the holiday season started as soon as Thanksgiving dinner was over or if it's today, December 1st.  I'll let you guys decide :)  Since this month has enough going on, I decided not to set 5 goals for myself for the month of December.  I figure I will be busy enough getting ready for Christmas and doing all of our Christmas Countdowns/Advents.  So my main goal is to just enjoy the holiday season, avoid stressing out, and hopefully not get sick ;)  Here's a recap on how I did with my November Goals...

photo by Kristen Boylan Photography

November 2015 Goals

Go through Noah's clothes and toys

I donated a lot of Noah's "baby" toys to his preschool.  They have a baby-sitting room and will take basically anything other than stuffed animals.  I did go through a lot of Noah's clothes, but haven't donated them yet.  I have a box I'd love to send to a friend of ours that has a boy one year younger, but I haven't packaged it up yet.  I have a feeling this will be an ongoing project for the new year.  

Make a birthday slideshow for my niece

Done and everyone loved it :)

Photograph my daily outfits

I missed a few random days, but in general I think it really helped.  While my outfits remained to be comfortable and practical for my lifestyle, the thought of taking and posting a picture of my outfit reminded me to actually get dressed in the morning and put more thought into what I chose.   

Go on a date with Chris

Done :)  This almost didn't happen since Chris wasn't feeling 100% the night we had planned to go, but we persevered and had a great time.  

Start planning for Christmas

I consider this goal met.  I planned out our advent calendar and other Christmas countdowns.  I made a list of all the gifts we need to buy and even purchased and wrapped a few of them.   I still have more to do, but at least I have a plan that just needs to be executed :) 

____________________________

While I don't have any new goals to share with you this month, I do have 7 random facts about me :)   Why you may ask?  Because two of my favorite bloggers (Whitney and Crystal), turned friends, nominated me for the Versatile Blogger Award.  I personally love reading posts like this where I can learn new random factoids about my blogging friends, and I hope you do to :)

The rules of accepting this award are simple -- a) thank the person who nominated you b) link back to their blog c) share 7 facts about yourself and d) nominate up to 15 other bloggers.

1.  I was born in England, lived in Canada until I was in kindergarten, and moved to the US when I was 6.  We lived in Delaware for 4 years and then moved to New Jersey, where I've lived ever since.  Since we moved quite a bit as a child, it still surprises me that I've lived in one state (and town) for over 20 years now.  

2.  I am not a good sleeper and never have been.  I'm such a scaredy cat that I don't like the dark and any little noise freaks me out.  While I never had them as a young child (when they normally present), I had night terrors throughout high school and college and even a few random episodes as an adult (when stress is high).  I've also been known to sleep walk and almost walked out the front door as a teenager.  While Noah isn't the best sleeper (he prefers co-sleeping), I will consider myself lucky if he doesn't inherit my sleeping issues.  

3.  Being a mom is the only thing I've ever really wanted in life.  But if that wasn't my dream, I would spend my time and money traveling the world.  I know that having children doesn't make this impossible, but it would be easier to do without the added responsibility and more money ;)  

4.  I went to school to become an accountant, worked as an auditor for 6 years, and even got my CPA license.  While my career was all business, I've always had a passion for a more creative outlet.  Hence why I started the blog and have been working on my photography.  I also love to decorate interior spaces, especially around the holidays.  

5.  I am addicted to crime shows.  While I don't like things that are too scary, I love trying to solve the cases right along with them.  My current favorites are Castle, Elementary, Minority Report, and Blindspot.  

6.  I used to be a paper and pen person.  I had a pretty planner in college that I kept everything in.  Now I rely completely on my iPhone.  I put everything into my calendar and my notes.  Sometimes I worry I rely too much on technology, but honestly it's one of the few things I always have on me.  

7.  If I could only eat one type of food at every meal, it would easily be cheese.  I love it and honestly wouldn't mind eating it any time of the day.  And apparently Noah has inherited this same love ;)

And now for my nominations:

Liz @ Chasin' Mason

Laura @ Happily Ever Parker

Jess @ Sadie Sky Blog

Tawnya @ All of Life's Little Adventures

Sara @ Running from the Law

Erin @ Hello Erin

Erinn @ Strawberry Swing and Other Things

Julie @ The Girl in the Red Shoes

Laura @ Tiny Toes, Little Nose

Megan @ Willow Way

Monthly Goals - November 2015

This year, instead of making resolutions for the year, I decided to make monthly goals instead.  I will be sharing five goals each month that I'd like to work on.   Each month I will also reflect on how I did with the previous month's goals.

November 2015 Goals

Go through Noah's clothes and toys

Now that Noah's birthday has passed (or just about to), I want to go through all his toys and figure out which ones he actively plays with and which ones he's outgrown.  I'm pretty good with moving the clothes Noah's outgrown into the basement.  So this month I want to go through those boxes and decide what I want to sell, donate, and keep as a memento.  I see huge donations happening this month, which is fitting for Thanksgiving :)

Make a birthday slideshow for my niece

My niece is turning 8 this month and will be baptized into the LDS church.  It's a huge deal in their religion.  We will be attending the baptism and the party afterwards.  My sister-in-law asked if I would put together a little slideshow to play while she is getting changed (after the actual baptism).  My niece was born 7 weeks early and many of their current friends don't know her full story or how little she actually was.  I was getting super emotional going through the photos on my hard drive, picking which ones to include.   I can't believe it's the same little girl who's turning 8!

Photograph my daily outfits

I mentioned a week ago that I'm considering photographing and sharing my daily outfits.  I'm always curious as to what other moms are wearing, but I also think it will help me.  I think it will encourage me to dress better on a daily basis as well as wear more of my closet instead of just sticking with the same pieces.  

Go on a date with Chris

We haven't gone on a date just the two of us since our anniversary (at the end of August).  It's about time we went out again, and we have a few gift cards to nice restaurants just burning a hole in our pocket!  

Start planning for Christmas

Yes, it's only November, but if I don't start now Christmas will arrive and I won't be prepared.  I consider Christmas to be the entire month of December and I have so many ideas of what I want to do to make it super fun!  I want to come up with a decorating game plan, plan our advent calendar and activities, and start brainstorming gift ideas for friends and families.  

October 2015 Goals

Get outside at least once a day

 We've really lucked out with weather this month and I think we accomplished this goal.  Like I said, Noah goes outside at school and then we try to get out as much as we can on the weekends.  In addition, we went to the zoo twice, went on a nature walk, watered flowers, and simply played outside.  It felt great and I'd like to keep it up!

Get Ready for Noah's Birthday

Done!  We will be showing our family the video I made tonight at Noah's birthday dinner.  We threw a super fun party for him at Gymboree.  And we picked up a few gifts for Noah that we are sure he will love (while trying not to go overboard).  I'll be sharing all about how we celebrated his actual birthday later this week :)

Organize Noah's basement toys

Looking back, I don't know why I had this as a goal for October.  Instead, I added it again as a November goal.  I decided it would make more sense to see what he got for his 3rd birthday before figuring out what we will keep versus donating and how to store it all.  

Try 3 new recipes

I'm so glad I made this goal.  It kicked me into high gear and I made more than 3 new recipes this month.  I plan to do a post soon with all the new recipes we tried and what we thought of them :)

Decorate for Halloween

Completed :)  Not only did I add a few Halloween touches to the house, I also decorated our trunk for our preschool's Trunk or Treat :)

What are your goals this month?

Monthly Goals - October 2015

This year, instead of making resolutions for the year, I decided to make monthly goals instead.  I will be sharing five goals each month that I'd like to work on.   Each month I will also reflect on how I did with the previous month's goals.

October 2015 Goals

Get outside at least once a day

Since the beautiful weather won't last forever, I want to enjoy it while we can.  Some days it might be  only for a few minutes, but I'd love to get Noah out to play every day.  They go outside each day at school, and I really want to start doing the same at home.  

Get Ready for Noah's Birthday

Noah's birthday is on November 2nd.  I have a kid birthday party to plan as well as his family dinner. I also need to figure out what Chris and I will give him as gifts.  I also need to finish his birthday video that I make every year.  I try to keep up with it throughout the year, but I need to add September and October photos/videos and edit the entire thing... it will definitely be time consuming!  I really just want to plan a few things to make his day super special!

Organize Noah's basement toys

We recently got a new Kallax unit for the basement to house Noah's toys.  While we keep a lot of toys upstairs, we like to keep a bunch of trucks and blocks and larger toys downstairs.  I need to sort them, maybe donate a few, and get them organized into baskets.  I also want to create a gallery wall to hang above the bookcase.

Try 3 new recipes

I mention below that I lost motivation to cook this past month.  I'm not sure if it's because I'm just tired of the same meals we eat, but I figured it's worth a try to mix things up.  I think it's time to find some yummy yet simple meals to try out.  I'd love some suggestions!

Decorate for Halloween

While I decorated for fall, I still want to add a few Halloween touches as it gets closer.  Noah's preschool is also having a Trunk or Treat and I hear all the parents go "all out" decorating their cars.  I have a few ideas and I'm excited to see how it all turns out!

September 2015 Goals

Go for 3 walks a week

This month made me realize that it's getting harder to go for walks with Noah that would count as an actual workout.  When he was younger, he was content to sit in the stroller for a 2 mile walk around the neighborhood.  Now he prefers to be riding his bike or sit in his toy car for a walk to the playground, to collect leaves and acorns, or to go find some construction trucks.  So while we went on many "walks" this month, they aren't what they used to be or what I had originally envisioned. 

Limit our ice cream trips to once a week

I feel like this naturally happened once Labor Day passed.  I didn't even have to say no to going, the opportunities just stopped.  

Decorate the house for fall

Done... check out this post for all the details!

Be productive while Noah's at preschool

Noah has gone to school six times so far.  So far I've been pretty productive.  I've scheduled a few appointments during that time, while one day I went home and worked on my MOMS Club calendar while catching up on the TiVo :).  I definitely have a few projects planned for the next few months, but so far I'm pleased with what I've done.   

Start meal planning again

I was doing well, but then I lost motivation towards the end of the month.  Some nights I even had something planned but had no interest in actually making it.  I hope that I get the push next month! 

What are your goals this month?

Monthly Goals - September 2015

This year, instead of making resolutions for the year, I decided to make monthly goals instead.  I will be sharing five goals each month that I'd like to work on.   Each month I will also reflect on how I did with the previous month's goals.

September 2015 Goals

Go for 3 walks a week

The weather has to get more mild this month right?!?  With the cooler temps, I want to start walking around the neighborhood again!  I think 3 times a week should be doable!

Limit our ice cream trips to once a week

It got a little (or a lot) out of control this summer!  I feel like we were indulging in ice cream almost every day!  While it was fun and delicious, it's not good for the scale (or our health!).  I think with the cooler temps these trips will naturally decrease, but I want ice cream to be a treat, not a staple in our diet!

Decorate the house for fall

I'm excited to clean the house top to bottom (well maybe not really excited) and bring out our fall decorations!  I may even add a few new pieces this year :)

Be productive while Noah's at preschool

Noah will be going to preschool two mornings a week for 3 hours.  I figure that after factoring in travel time, I should have 2 solid hours to myself.  I want to do all the things that are hard to do when Noah's around.  Like go through his drawers and closets, clean the bathrooms (ooh fun!), organize things, and go to any random doctor or hair appointment.  

Start meal planning again

I've been pretty bad at meal planning recently.  Chris has been working late A LOT and I just have no motivation to make dinner for just me and Noah (since Noah rarely eats a real prepared meal).  As a result, we've been eating out with my mom a lot.  I'd like to get back to planning and cooking a few meals a week and hopefully get back to eating as a family.  

August 2015 Goals

Go pick peaches at the farm

Originally we planned to go as a family, but we ended up spending the morning at the pool instead.  So I made plans for Noah and me to go with some of our friends.   It was pretty hot the day we went and the peaches weren't as ripe as I would have liked, but Noah had fun :)

Celebrate our 5th Wedding Anniversary

We had planned to go to the restaurant in the hotel where we were married.  But when I called to make the reservation and asked about outside seating, they said all the seating is just in the lounge (aka the lobby area).  I was not thrilled with that, so we instead made a reservation at a local Italian restaurant that a friend recommended to us.  

Go to the beach

We went to LBI and Narragansett Beach in Rhode Island.  We learned that Noah is a total beach baby and LOVES playing in the sand.  

Work on my photography style

I think this will be an ongoing goal to work on, but I'm happy with the progress I made this month :)  

Get a pedicure

Not only was I able to get a pedicure, but I also spent some time getting my hair cut and colored.  It was nice to spend some time on my own being pampered :)

What are your goals this month?

Monthly Goals | August 2015

This year, instead of making resolutions for the year, I decided to make monthly goals instead.  I will be sharing five goals each month that I'd like to work on.   Each month I will also reflect on how I did with the previous month's goals.

August 2015 Goals

Go pick peaches at the farm

We are "members" at the local farm so I'd like to take advantage of it and pick more than just strawberries and apples.

Celebrate our 5th Wedding Anniversary

Chris and I will be married for 5 years on August 28th.  In addition to exchanging gifts, we plan to go out to dinner where we got married :)

Go to the beach

I've taken Noah to the beach once so far and he loved it!  We plan to take a few more times this month.  

Work on my photography style

I've been having some photo envy on Instagram lately.  While I now know how to shoot manual, I feel that in order to take my photography to the next level, I need to focus on finding my photography style.  I want to practice a lot and try different angles and lighting and find what I love!   

Get a pedicure

This should be a simple goal to achieve this month.  I got one last month, and while in the past I'd get one before going to the beach, this time I've decided against it.  As soon as I step in the sand, my shiny pedicure becomes dull.  So instead, I plan to go to the salon after our last beach trip this month :)

July 2015 Goals

Keep one weekend free of plans

We did succeed in keeping one weekend free of outside obligations.  It doesn't mean that we weren't busy that weekend, but it was nice to decide what we wanted to do each day when we woke up.  And when Noah didn't want to do something, we just skipped it without having to cancel any plans.  

Get an updated cousins photo

I got a few group cousins photos when we were at Hershey Park.  While I usually like more posed shots, I actually really liked what I got because it showed each of the kids in a more natural way.   

Go for family walks

We failed miserably this month.  Chris worked late A LOT!  Also, I feel like this month was either super hot or raining, neither are very pleasant for walking ;)  Or I'm just making excuses.  

Lose a few pounds

Major fail.  My love of junk food and sweets beat out my desire to lose a few pounds this month.  Not much else to say about the matter.  

Read at least 2 books

Easily completed this.  I ended up reading 4 books this month and started a fifth.  I read Looking For Alaska and The Summer I Turned Pretty series.  They are very different from each other but I really enjoyed them both.  Looking For Alaska was more serious and deeper but still very entertaining.  While The Summer I Turned Pretty series was a coming of age story about love.  

What are your goals this month?

Monthly Goals | July 2015

This year, instead of making resolutions for the year, I decided to make monthly goals instead.  I will be sharing five goals each month that I'd like to work on.   Each month I will also reflect on how I did with the previous month's goals.

July 2015 Goals

Keep one weekend free of plans

It's super easy to make tons of plans in the summer to the point that we never have a weekend to just relax.  While they are usually filled with fun activities, it's important to just do nothing every once in a while.  I want to be able to just go to the pool and hang out.  

Get an updated cousins photo

Noah's cousins will be visiting this month.  We have a ton of fun activities planned while they are here.  But I'd also like to wrangle them up and get a group shot of them.  It's so fun to watch them grow through the pictures.  

Go for family walks

Now that it's staying light longer, I'd love to make a family walk part of our nighttime routine.  Noah has been going to bed later, so I think it's totally doable after dinner.  

Lose a few pounds

Chris has lost quite a bit of weight and he's really inspired me to lose some weight as well.  My main problem in the summer months is all the ice cream!  I'd love to hear some of your go to healthy meals or snacks.  

Read at least 2 books

I ended up reading a lot of books last month and I really enjoyed it.  I want to keep up with this "new hobby".  Again, I'd love to hear some suggestions on what to read next :)

June 2015 Goals

Go for walks in the morning before it gets too hot!

This month seemed to be either crazy hot or raining.  As a result, I did not do well at all with getting out for morning walks.  

Go on a date with just Chris

We had every intention of going to see Entourage this month.  And then Chris read that it didn't get great reviews, so we decided to hold off.  Instead, we are waiting until July to see the Amy Schumer movie, Trainwreck.  

Clean the garage and organize everything!  

Once again, we failed this month.  I feel like my "honey do" list is never ending and with our weekend plans, Chris barely has time to mow the lawn each week.  

Do a few Summer themed crafts with Noah

This is one of the few goals we actually completed this month.  We did the sun and the strawberry :)

Go through our holiday decor

While I did a lot of purging and organizing through the rest of the house, I did not get to the holiday decor.  Part of the reason is because the doors to the closet that the holiday decor is stored in are broken.  We hope to have our handyman come fix or replace them soon.  Maybe then I can get my act together.  

What are your goals this month?

Monthly Goals | June 2015

This year, instead of making resolutions for the year, I decided to make monthly goals instead.  I will be sharing five goals each month that I'd like to work on.   Each month I will also reflect on how I did with the previous month's goals.

June 2015 Goals

Go for walks in the morning before it gets too hot!

I really want to get serious about walking more this month.  My plan is to go by 8 am before it gets too hot and we have plans for the day.  

Go on a date with just Chris

Last year we did the year of dates and I loved it.  This year we haven't gone out just the two of us much.  Chris wants to see Entourage and I want to see Aloha.  Maybe we will need two dates this month ;)

Clean the garage and organize everything!  

This didn't get completed last month so it's on here again.  The problem is carving out a weekend to actually do it instead of filling our weekends with so many fun things that we have no time left!  It won't necessarily be fun, but it's something that needs to be done.

Do a few Summer themed crafts with Noah

So far, Noah is still showing interest in doing crafts with me.  So this month I want to do a patriotic craft and a few other summer related crafts as well.  I will make sure to share anything we come up with :)

Go through our holiday decor

We don't really decorate for 4th of July, so I'd have to say that our holiday decor is done until Halloween.  I'd like to go through all of our decorations and get rid of the stuff we didn't use and organize the stuff we are keeping.  Thankfully, we have two large closets in the basement to store it all, it just needs a better system.  

May 2015 Goals

Take Noah to the playground twice a week

On average, I definitely think we accomplished this.  Some weeks we went more than twice a week while others not as much because of weather.  Now if only Noah would become braver on the slides like he was last year!

Limit my sweets

This didn't really happen.  Frozen Yogurt/Ice Cream is my downfall and I don't see that getting any better with summer coming!

Organize the hall closet/store our winter gear

Done!  

Take Noah mini golfing
We did it and had so much fun!  While Noah didn't get a hole in one like last year, he enjoyed hitting the ball and retrieving all of our balls from the hole.  We also tried out a new course this year and he really liked the Safari theme with all the animals!  

  

Clean the garage and organize everything!  
Huge fail!  We didn't even touch the garage this month!  Hence why it's a June goal as well!

What are your goals this month?

Monthly Goals | May 2015

This year, instead of making resolutions for the year, I decided to make monthly goals instead.  I will be sharing five goals each month that I'd like to work on.   Each month I will also reflect on how I did with the previous month's goals.

May 2015 Goals

Take Noah to the playground twice a week

We've done well with going for multiple walks during the week.  This month I'd like to make an effort to go to the playground more.  I hope nicer weather becomes the norm so that we can make his happen!

Limit my sweets

This includes soda when out at restaurants to ice cream and skittle snacks at home.  I know I can't quit cold turkey, but I definitely want to limit it and choose healthier options instead! 

Organize the hall closet/store our winter gear

While April can be a weird month weather wise, I think it's safe to say that we no longer need our winter coats and hats.  This month I'd like to store all of our winter gear in the basement and make room in our hall closet for rain coats, umbrellas, baseball hats, light jackets, and some cute flats.  

Take Noah mini golfing
Chris and I love mini golfing and last year we took Noah for the first time.  He loved it and I'm excited to go back again! 

  

Clean the garage and organize everything!  
We only have a one car garage, so in the summer we don't park the car inside and instead use it to store all of our summer gear.  Noah has a wagon, a car, gardening tools, balls, and other fun toys!  We also have our lawn mower and other tools.  While we haven't even lived here a year, our garage has already become a catchall for everything and could use some attention!  Any tips on how to organize a garage would be very helpful!

April 2015 Goals

Go for a walk around the neighborhood at least 3 times a week

Noah and I were sick and the weather was super crummy the first week of April, so we didn't get out for any walks.  But since then, we've done really well with getting out for at least 3 walks a week.  The length varies, but I'm happy with just getting out for some fresh air and exercise!

Be more aware of my eating and lose a few pounds

I wasn't as successful as I would have liked.  I've been walking more and thought I was making better food choices, but the scale doesn't really show that :(  Maybe I indulged too much in Baltimore.  The quest to get healthy will be an ongoing goal.

Clean out the car and get ready for our "road trip"

Done and done!  

Take more videos

As usual, I took lots of videos of our activities and excursions.  But this month I also got some videos of just Noah talking so I can remember how he says certain words.  I also took a bunch of videos in Baltimore and plan to share a video of our weekend away next week!

Work on some outdoor projects

We got a lot done this month!  We planted a bunch of flowers and Chris put together our shed.  There's still more to do, but I'm happy with our progress :)

What are your goals this month?

Monthly Goals | April 2015

This year, instead of making resolutions for the year, I decided to make monthly goals instead.  I will be sharing five goals each month that I'd like to work on.   Each month I will also reflect on how I did with the previous month's goals.

April 2015 Goals

Go for a walk around the neighborhood at least 3 times a week

I'm hoping that with April we will get some better weather... at least in the 50s!  Noah and I can finally get outside for some walks and I really need to take advantage of the beautiful spring weather before it gets too hot!  

Be more aware of my eating and lose a few pounds

I'd love to lose a few pounds before the summer comes, so I think this is pretty self explanatory.  I've never been one to go on an extreme diet, but instead I'd like to just cut out the mindless snacking and make better food choices.  

Clean out the car and get ready for our "road trip"

Our car is currently a disaster zone.  Noah brings toys to play with and they just stay there, making a huge mess!  I also need a better system at organizing some of the must have items.  Trash is another thing I majorly need to take care of.  Used tissues and wipes and empty water bottles and food wrappers need a place to go other than the little cubbies in the door!  

Take more videos

I take a lot of pictures and I tend to get a lot of video of Noah at our weekly music class.  But I'd like to take more videos of us just doing our normal routine.  Noah and I both love watching the videos we have of him as a baby and I know I will be happy to have video documentation of him at this age as well.  I'd also love to take a lot of video of our trip to Baltimore and make a little movie out of it!  

Work on some outdoor projects

We've had a super rough winter with a fair amount of snow and some very cold days.  It's finally getting nicer outside, so I'd like to work on some projects outside to make things pretty again.  We bought a Rubbermaid shed that needs to be assembled.  I'd also like the deck to be cleaned off so we can start spending some time out there.  I'd also like to plant A LOT of flowers!  

March 2015 Goals

Continue Meal Planning and try 2 new recipes

We did pretty great this month.  Our 2 new recipes just happened to be crockpot meals... chicken tacos and pulled pork.  It made me realize that the crockpot is my friend and I should use it more often.  If you have any recipes that I have to try, please let me know in the comments!

Decorate for Spring/Easter

Done!  I loved having the house filled with bunnies and pastel colors!  I just wish fresh flowers lasted longer!

Organize the laundry room

We made a few tweaks to the laundry room and relocated a few items but I wouldn't say we totally succeeded at organizing it.  When Noah naps, all I want to do is relax, so it was hard to find the motivation to work on the laundry room!  

Use my DSLR more

I am happy with the pictures I took this month with my DSLR.  It was a nice combination of some posed pictures (for St. Patty's Day and in his Bunny shirt), pictures at activities, as well as some of Noah doing our normal daily routine.  

Go on a date with Chris

While it was technically in February, we did go out just the two of us for my birthday.  We also went to a wedding, which was kind of like a date night for us :)

What are your goals this month?

Monthly Goals | March 2015

This year, instead of making resolutions for the year, I decided to make monthly goals instead.  I will be sharing five goals each month that I'd like to work on.   Each month I will also reflect on how I did with the previous month's goals.

March 2015 Goals

Continue Meal Planning and try 2 new recipes
While we meal plan on a regular basis, we've gotten into quite a rut.  Sometimes our meal planning is just deciding we will eat leftovers or a frozen pizza one night.  There's something about the current weather that just makes me tired and not as interested in cooking.  I would love to hear what your favorite simple and kid friendly recipes are!

Decorate for Spring/Easter
I've decided to "skip" St. Patty's Day and instead just decorate for spring and add in some Easter elements.  Since Easter is at the beginning of April this year, I'd like to have the decor up in March so we can enjoy it longer.

Organize the laundry room
We had a shelf installed in our laundry room when we moved in.  While it's great for extra storage we've let it become kind of messy.  I need to figure out a better system!

Use my DSLR more
When I got my new iPhone 6 I was impressed at how much better the camera was.  As a result I got lazy and rarely took out my "good" camera.  I found it easier to just snap a quick picture with my phone.  While this is still true, I want to be more purposeful with my photography this month.

Go on a date with Chris
In addition to just spending more quality time, I'd like to get out just the two of us this month.  We have a few gift cards and since it's my birthday this month, it's the perfect "excuse".


February 2015 Goals

Continue doing my yoga DVD twice a week during Noah's nap
I definitely slacked off this month and I'm not proud about it.

Go through my closet and pair down my wardrobe
I started off by going through my current wardrobe and moving the winter things that I haven't been wearing to the basement.  When the seasons change I will do the same for my spring clothes.  I then went through my clothes (and Noah's) and organized them in the basement.  I've decided that I don't want to completely get rid of any of my clothes until after I'm finished having all my babies.  I prematurely got rid of things when I had Noah and wished I had kept them once my size changed.

Drink 64 oz of water a day
Not sure if I hit 64 oz each day since I wasn't officially keeping track, but I have definitely been drinking more water.  With this goal in mind there were days where all I drank was water, so that's a plus!

Listen to the Serial Podcast
Done!  As I suspected from hearing other's comments, I wish more of it was resolved.  I'm used to watching crime shows where you find out what really happened.  But this is real life and that rarely happens I guess!

Spend more quality time with Chris
I think this needs to be a recurring goal because I still feel like we can improve.  Being a parent is time consuming and often it's easier to just succumb to being tired at the end of the day.

What are your goals this month?

Monthly Goals | February 2015

This year, instead of making resolutions for the year, I decided to make monthly goals instead.  I will be sharing five goals each month that I'd like to work on.   Each month I will also reflect on how I did with the previous month's goals.

February 2015 Goals

Continue doing my yoga DVD twice a week during Noah's nap
I really liked how it made me feel last month so I definitely want to keep this up!

Go through my closet and pair down my wardrobe
I've been following Caroline at Un-Fancy and really loving the idea of a Capsule Wardrobe.  I like the idea of eventually picking a certain number of pieces to work with each season.  But to start out, I want to at least pair down and have a more minimalist wardrobe.

Drink 64 oz of water a day
This is pretty self explanatory.  Water is good for the body, I should be drinking more of it!

Listen to the Serial Podcast
So I may be the last person on the planet to listen to this podcast.  I've heard great things and so far listened to a few of the episodes.  This month I want to finish the rest of the series.

Spend more quality time with Chris
Just because we don't have the "year of dates" planned like last year, doesn't mean I don't want to still "date" my husband.  Since we are trying to budget and live more economically this year, this might mean just snuggling up under a blanket and watching a movie together on the weekend.  This month in particular though, I want to focus on putting our phones and computers down and just spending time with each other, uninterrupted.


January 2015 Goals  

Go for a walk with Noah at least twice a week  

The weather this month has been horrible.  We really didn't have any mild days that I could go for a walk outside.  I was able to meet a friend to walk around the mall a few times, but then Noah got sick and we were housebound for more days than I'd have liked.  I'm bummed I couldn't make this one work like I had hoped.

Do my yoga DVD twice a week during Noah's nap

For the life of me, I couldn't find my favorite DVD!  So I had to order a new copy and started this goal a week later than I had planned.  The stomach flu made me skip a few planned sessions, but I got back on schedule and loved it!

Cut out caffeine

Done and it was super easy!  Even with some bad nights, I didn't need or want caffeine.  I was happy with just water and ginger ale :)

Be more cognizant of my spending

This month, we wrote down everything we spent and kept track of it all in an excel spreadsheet.  We stayed under budget for all predictable categories.  But as I suspected there are areas that we forget to consider each month.  As the year goes on I hope that we can start to do a better job at predicting and planning for the expenses that are only once to a few times a year.  

Organize our kitchen closets

I'm really happy with my progress in the kitchen this month.  Chris and I cleaned out and organized our pantry.  I organized our kitchen closet where we keep Noah's crafts and play-doh.  I also moved some things around in our cabinets so that there was more room and everything made more sense.  I plan to share the results later this week :)

Monthly Goals | January 2015

Happy New Year!  There's something about a new year that really gives you a fresh start.  This year, I decided that instead of making resolutions for all of 2015, that I would focus on a few monthly goals.  I think it will make me focus on more specific things and keep me more accountable.  I also love reading other bloggers' monthly goals, including Tawnya at All of Life's Little Adventures, so I thought why not give it a try!

January 2015 Goals  

Go for a walk with Noah at least twice a week  

In the warmer months this would be easy and we would take more than 2 walks a week.  But with the winter weather, I think this is a fine goal.  Ideally I'd like it to be around our neighborhood, but if the weather gets too frigid or snowy, I plan to take our walks to the mall (but not to shop).  

Do my yoga DVD twice a week during Noah's nap

While I love my computer time, I should really be more productive while Noah naps.  I figure that if I don't get to it during the week, I can at least make up for it on the weekends.

Cut out caffeine

Thankfully, I'm not and never have been a coffee drinker.  So my caffeine comes in the form of Diet Cokes.  I want to drink more water this month and if I do need something fizzy to drink Ginger Ale instead.  I did it when I was pregnant with Noah and it wasn't so bad.  

Be more cognizant of my spending

Chris and I have both discussed that we need to budget more this year.  After this past year of buying and decorating a house, it seemed like all we were doing was spending money.  Target trips and online shopping can add up quickly, so this month I really only want to buy things we need.  We have some big expenses coming up, so I'd rather keep the discretionary spending to a minimum.  This will definitely be the hardest goal for me.  

Organize our kitchen closets

I feel like we finally have the house decorated.  The part that I feel is lacking right now is the organization part.  I like to be clean and tidy so I'd really like to put a system in place for our pantry, closet, and drawers so that the kitchen is a more organized place.  Hopefully I can show you the finished product in February!

Are you a resolution person or do you find monthly goals more attainable?

Happy New Year - 2014 Resolutions

Happy New Year!  We had a nice relaxing night spent in.  While we didn't have any exciting plans, we did have a blast having a little NYE photo shoot.  I think the last one is hilarious because it looks like we all partied a little too hard.

With a new year beginning, I like to take this time to reflect on the past year and come up with some goals/resolutions for the new year.  

1.  Live a healthier life.  I'm sure this is on everyone's list, and I'm no different.  I don't want to just lose weight, but rather focus on being healthier in all areas.  I want to try new healthier recipes, replace sodas with more water, eat more and a variety of fruits and vegetables, and be more active with Noah.  I really enjoy taking walks with Noah, and while this may be harder in the winter, I want to make the effort.  So on days that aren't freezing, I want to bundle us both up and get outside.  And worst case, go to the mall and walk around while window shopping.  I also want to start doing yoga again.  My goal would be 3 times a week.  I figure I can do it during Noah's naps or when Chris gets home from work.  

2.  Foster my relationship with my husband.  It's easy to let the relationship with your spouse go by the wayside when a baby joins the family.  So this Christmas, I got Chris a gift to ensure we spend more time with each other without Noah.  I got him a Year of Dates.... which I will be writing a post about soon.  But basically I planned a date for us to go on each month in 2014!

3.  Continue to grow and learn with respect to my blog.  I want to come up with more creative ideas for 2014 blog posts as well as improve my Photoshop and photography skills.  I have a lot of fun writing the blog and only want to get better at it.

4.  Learn new things.  I've always been the kind of person who liked school and learning new things.  At the moment my interest is in photography, therefore I'd love to keep getting better at it.  Currently I do shoot in manual, but I shoot JPEG and not RAW.  I'd love to start shooting RAW and get Lightroom for my computer.  I know it would take a little time to learn how to use it, but I've heard there are some good YouTube videos out there that I could at least start with.

5.  Live within a budget.  This is easier said than done.  This year I definitely want to become more involved with managing our finances (I used to be super involved before Noah was born) and really set a budget and stick with it.  We plan to rent a bigger place soon, and with that comes a larger monthly payment.  As a result, we need to find other areas in which we can cut back on.

6.  Continue documenting our life.  Currently, I use Becky Higgins' Project Life to do this.  I'm a digital girl and create all my pages using Photoshop and then print a book using Shutterfly at the end of the year.  I find that it helps me enjoy the little things in our daily routine and I love looking back at past years' books.  I am also making books that are specifically about Noah and his growth.  I figure that when he's older I will give them to him for him to keep.

So there you have it.  Nothing too crazy or extreme and pretty doable if you ask me :)  I have a feeling 2014 will be a really good year!