2021- Word of the Year and Goals

 

I chose the word build for my word of the year.  2020 was challenging in ways that most of us were not expecting.  During the pandemic I worked on skills that I had learned in the past.  I figured out skills that were useful for my mental health, for our family finances and for the overall happiness of our little family.

The most important thing that I did in 2020 was undertake a strength workout challenge.  I made the decision in October to complete 82 strength workouts before the end of 2020.  This averaged to 5 workouts per week.  My mental health had been suffering and I was tracking my mental health so that I could figure out what tools would help me feel content.  What I discovered was that on days where I had worked out, particularly on days where I had done a strength workout (walks don't produce the same results for me), I felt happier and didn't experience extreme lows.

The results spoke for themselves.  Short, intense strength workouts do wonders to improve my mental health.  This year, I vow to build on that.  I plan to complete a minimum of 4 strength workouts a week.  I also plan to complete a minimum of 4 cardio workouts (including walking) and a minimum of 2 stretching or yoga workouts.  I want to feel strong, both mentally and physically.

The other skill I plan to build on is strengthening and maintaining a good morning routine.  This is a habit that I easily fall out of, but it is so beneficial when I keep it.  I am an introvert.  I enjoy spending time alone.  This year, I have felt like I am never alone.  My kids and I are always together.  My oldest is doing virtual school and we have been avoiding pretty much all social contact.  I love being with my family, but I still crave time to myself.  My evenings are spent plugging away at my school work or with my husband so I am still not getting restorative alone time.

When I get up early and have time to myself before my kids are up, I am happier and my day runs smoothly.  I love the way the day feels when I get time to myself in the morning.  The problem lies in the fact that I hate rolling out of bed, so I often avoid getting up until the last minute.

I acknowledge that I don't ever feel like jumping out of bed, even on days when I have had ample sleep.  I am never going to feel great getting up early, but it certainly sets a much more positive tone for the day and helps me feel prepared.  This is worth it.

I am going to ease into my morning routine, especially since the holidays have been full of late nights.  I plan to have my routine in place by February and then I plan to keep it going all year long.

Did you set any intentions for 2021?  I would love to hear them!

June Home Goals

It is a new month and we are nearly halfway through 2020.  It has been a challenging year with a lot of things going on globally.  I am trying to focus on a few goals this month that will make my home more organized. I have been struggling lately to feel motivated and I think that having some clear goals might encourage me to be more productive with my time.  My home goals this month are:

• organize the gardening shelves in the garage
• go through and organize the dog's items in the garage
• go through Miss. Em's clothes and remove items that aren't being used
• complete our 2017 family photo book

I plan to achieve my goals by using my 20 minute resolution.  Taking 20 minutes, 3 times a week will certainly help me find the time to work on these projects.

Happy Monday!

Goals Update

I have just started to track my goals again.  March and April were a bit of a wash as we started to deal with the pandemic.  My goals aren't difficult, but as I was dealing with the anxiety that came with the pandemic and with our life changes (Hubby changed jobs, my daughter does online learning from home and navigating relationships with social distancing), my goals fell by the wayside.  This is normal.  We are human beings and sometimes things need to take the backseat while we navigate big life changes.

My goals were simple.  I wanted to work towards three different goals.  I wanted to exercise, write and work on home projects.  My goal was to spend 20 minutes on each goal, 3 times a week.  I know that I was basically achieving this goal when it came to exercise.  My daughters and I were walking every day so that we could get out of the house.  I was also working on quite a few house projects to pass the time.  I didn't track these goals, however so I don't know my exact numbers.  I know that I really didn't do much writing.

I have decided to tweak my exercise goal.  Instead of aiming for 20 minutes of movement, I am now working to do 20 minutes of strength training.  I hope that this change will encourage me to continue my physio exercises, which I am quick to forget about.

I also want to spend a lot more time writing, both for the blog and creatively.  I love to write and I want to keep working on those skills.

There will be no shortage of home projects in the future.  We are adding a large garden plot to our yard and have a lot of digging and planting to do.  We are also working on our basement and have already made some big changes.  It is great to have projects to focus on during this time.  It helps calm me down.

I hope you are all doing well.  If your goals are taking a backseat right now, don't fret.  Life is strange and requiring us to adapt quickly.  Staying alive and adapting is enough.  Seriously.  Take care, friends!

January- New Year's Resolutions Update

My New Year's resolutions have been going very well!  I have managed to meet them every single week this January.  I like the way my resolutions are set up this year.  They are relatively easy to achieve and easy to track.

1. Movement  I have exceeded my goal of moving for 20 minutes, 3 times a week this month.  I have walked, done a few HIIT workouts (woo!) and done some yoga.  I feel so much better when I move my body and I have enjoyed my workouts this month.

2. Writing  I have achieved my goal of writing for 20 minutes, 3 times a week.  This goal has encouraged me to make time for something I really enjoy.  I have worked on some goal setting, written in my journal and done a much better job posting here on the blog.

3.  Home Projects  I have exceeded this goal this month and it has been so beneficial for my home.  I have been working through my 2020 Home Reset and my house is in a much more organized state.  I have also started tackling my photos.  I haven't made a photo book since April 2015!  I have attempted this goal a few times over the years, to no avail.  This month I managed to organize every single photo on my computer.  I took a long time but everything is easy to find.  I completed a photo book for 2016.  Next month I plan to tackle the remainder of 2015.

My word of the year is BOLD and I have had some successful moments being bold and I have also had moments where I regretted not being totally myself.  My most positive outcome from trying to be bold this month was that  I was able to have a tough conversation. That conversation improved the relationship immensely.  I am thankful for that.

How are your goals going? 

How I Track My Goal Progress

I have found that having a tangible way to track my goals is extremely motivating for me.  I like to check off boxes and see visual evidence of my progress.  When I made my 2020 resolutions, I knew that I needed a tracking sheet to help me reach my goals.  I hit up Pinterest and found some great tracking sheets.  I decided to use the Habit Tracker sheet from Clementine Creative . 

The tracker is meant to be used as a monthly sheet with space for each habit you are tracking.  I wanted to have my whole year on the same sheet so I opted to put the months down the 'Habit' column and I devoted one sheet to each of my resolutions.  Each day that I complete my 20 minutes (or more) of movement, writing or a home project, I colour in a box. 

I sincerely hope that using these tracking sheets help me to stay on track this year.  How do you keep track of your goals?

Looking Back on 2019

My word of the year for 2019 was 'embrace'.  I really enjoyed this word.  It was helpful in reminding me to be accepting of others as they are and it reminded me to accept myself as I am.  I worked hard to do this and I think that it really improved my relationships with family and friends.

I made four resolutions last year.  Some went well, others did not.  Several things happened throughout the year that made keeping my resolutions difficult.  I became pregnant this year and then suffered a miscarriage.  I required surgery because of this.  My husband had surgery and was unable to work or lift anything for 6 weeks.  I had trouble with my ear that is still ongoing.  These interruptions made some of my resolutions difficult for me.

1.  Establish a Morning Routine   I did this at various intervals throughout the year.  When I was sick and going through my miscarriage, I did not even attempt to stick to this routine.  I have been working on re-establishing my calm mornings and it is going well so far.

2.  Treat the Earth Better.  I greatly decreased the number of baths I took this year.  I did not stick to my two per month limit, however.  I averaged about four baths per month.  I am still working towards reducing this.  My husband and I reduced the amount that we traveled this year which of course decreased our fuel consumption.  I walked as much as possible and continue to do so.  We definitely reduced our food waste this year, which was great.

3.  Save.  Hubby and I saved for and purchased a new furnace and hot water heater for our house.  We were happy to be able to cash flow this major purchase.

4.  Walk 5 or more times per week.  Nope.  This did not happen.  I walked as much as possible, but when I was sick I wasn't leaving my house much.  Some of my walking also did not translate into walks for my dog (which was the basis of this resolution).  Now that we are both feeling healthy, Hubby and I have been good about taking turns taking the dog out.  She loves to get out of the yard and smell new scents!

Overall, I am happy with how I did with my goals.  This year seemed to have its fair share of obstacles and I stuck with my goals to the best of my ability.

I do want to say that although this year included some difficult moments, it also included some fun ones.  Our oldest daughter started Kindergarten (which she loves!), I went back to school, I rediscovered my love of performing arts, I found people to form a Harry Potter reading group with, our youngest daughter learned so much, Hubby recovered well from his surgery, and my parents each celebrated their 60th birthdays.  The year had some really beautiful, wonderful moments.

How did your 2019 go?  Did you make and keep any resolutions?  I just want to add that sometimes it's okay if you just simply made it through the year.  That is enough.  It truly is.

2020- Word of the Year and Intentions

2020 is here.  I love the new year.  I like being able to shift my focus and create goals.  I have made the decision to write this post solely about the upcoming year and what I have decided to focus on, rather than look back on 2019.  I will do a recap of last year's word and how my goals turned out, but today I want to focus on the present and the future.

My word of the year for 2020 is BOLD. (Ha!  See what I did there?)  I wouldn't say that I struggle with a lot of insecurities, but I do struggle to put myself out there at times.  I have always been the 'nerdy' kid and while I love who I am, I do worry about how other people will react to me.  I was picked on as a kid (like a lot of people, I am sure) and I really internalized that.  I like being me at home.  When I am out and about, however, I try to shut my nerdy side down.

This year I am going to be me.  I will be bold in honouring who I am and what I am passionate about.  I will not worry as much about what other people think of me.  I have already started to grow in this direction, but this year I will fully embrace who I am.

Resolutions

Earlier this year I did a 20 minute challenge in an effort to tackle the downstairs clutter that had accumulated.  I found that committing to 20 minutes of an activity felt easy to achieve and quick.  I didn't have to drum up much effort to do 20 minutes of work and the results were impressive.

I am using what I learned from my 20 minute challenge in my resolutions this year.  Three times a week, for 20 minutes I will focus on a certain activity.  This means that I will spend one hour a week focused on a certain goal, which isn't asking a lot.  I have chosen 3 activities. 

1.)  Movement  I will focus on moving my body.  Walking, strength training, yoga and whatever else I can come up with.  I need to increase my strength and this will be a good way to do that.

2.)  Writing  I love to write and I have let that fall by the wayside.  I will spend time writing this year and getting back to what I love.

3.)  Home Projects  I will spend time clearing clutter, uploading photos to photo books and taking care of all those small projects that I have ignored for far too long.

Happy New Year, friends!  May 2020 bring you joy, peace and strength.

Goals Update

I usually review my goals monthly, but I really haven't done that this year.  Boy, does it show!  I had forgotten several of my goals (eep!) and even the ones I remember have fallen by the wayside.  I have recently gone over my goals and I know that I need to put some work in if I want to end the year successfully.

1.)  Establish a morning routine.  This one wasn't going too bad until summer hit.  I will get back at it with my routine, especially with school starting soon.

2.)  Treat the Earth better.  This is going fairly well.  I bath much less often (I do quick daily showers instead) and I have been aware of packaging when making purchases.  I need to work on walking or biking more, as my vehicle is still being driven regularly.  

3..)  Save.  This goal is going well.  It is probably because we review our finances quite often.  We are still plugging away, but our savings is definitely coming along.

4.)  Walk five or more times a week.  This goal has been neglected.  I definitely need to work on it!

My word of the year is embrace.  I feel like I am doing a good job embracing life and those around me.  It takes effort, especially on days when things are difficult.    I am happy that I looked over my year's goals.  I will be putting in more effort in the coming months.

Happy Friday, friends!

2018 Goals and Resolutions Update

As the first quarter of the year is drawing to a close, I  have decided to look back on how my goals and resolutions are going.  

1.)  Send more happy mail.  This goal has been going really well!  We have had a lot of "happy mail" to send in the past few months, including birth announcements and thank you cards.  Most recently we sent out homemade Easter cards to family.  Miss. E is happy to share her artwork with the people that we love!

2.)  Catch up photobooks.  This has not happened yet.

3.)  Upload photos monthly.  I have really stuck to this.  I find it so much easier to make our photobook as the year progresses.

4.)  Organize blog and implement changes.  This has yet to happen, as well.

5.)  Embrace frugality.    This is coming along.  I have been trimming our budget.  Hubby and I have decided to do a no spend April.  I haven't felt a big urge to spend money on myself since ending my no spend year, which has been very helpful!  I am excited to see how a no-spend month goes as a family.

My word of the year was adapt.  This has gone well.  There is always a curve when your life changes for any reason.  I think that knowing my life was going to be different and that I would have to be flexible has really shaped my mindset for the year.  Things have been going well and I am learning just roll with the changes.

How are your goals going this year?  I would love to hear all about it!

2018 Goals and Resolutions and My Word of the Year

I love the symbolic fresh start of a New Year.  I like evaluating the previous year and making goals for the coming year.  This year was no different.  I worked on my goals as the 2018 approached.  Today I am going to share those goals with you and my word of the year.

1.)  Send more happy mail.  I love getting mail.  I don't mean bills and flyers, but actual mail.  Texting and email has sadly replaced much of the 'happy' mail that used to come by post.  I understand the change.  Snail mail is expensive and not nearly as convenient as technological communication.  I do miss it, though.  Miss. E has really started to take interest in our mail and she loves making pictures for our family and friends.  She often requests that I send her pictures and 'letters' in the mail.  This year I decided to just that.  A card or note with an adorable drawing from a 3 year old might bring some sunshine to our loved one's day.

2.)  Catch up photo books.  I am ashamed to say that the most recent photo book that I have put together is from the Easter before Miss. E's 1st birthday.  I just never seem to get to making new photo books.  I plan to catch up this year.  I would like to have all of our photo books up to date by the end of the year.

3.)  Upload photos monthly.  I made this resolution to help me stay on top my photo books from now on.  I am pretty good at dumping my photos on my laptop, but they don't get any further than that.  I plan to upload my photos to a in-progress photo book monthly.

4.)  Organize Blog and Implement Schedule.  I have some structural changes and a few ideas that I would like to bring to the blog this year.  I have also worked out a schedule that I think will work for the blog.   I want to bring these changes to the blog and settle into a routine this year.

5.)  Embrace frugality.  I want to work on being more frugal with our money this year.  I have taken an 18 month maternity leave from my job.  We will have less income during this time so I want to focus on being intentional with the income that we do have.  I am also hoping to put away some money for some family purchases that we would like to make.

I have also chosen a word of the year for 2018.  This year I chose the word adapt.  We have experienced some big changes this year and I am definitely going to have a couple learning curves to navigate.  I want to learn to be flexible this year and embrace the changes coming my way.

What are your goals/resolutions for the new year?  Did you choose a word of the year?  Leave a comment below!  I would love to hear all about it.

November- Goals and the No-Spend Year

Wow.  It is hard to believe how quick 2017 has slipped away.  I am very happy with my goal progress.  With only a few short weeks until the end of the year, I am quite happy with the results of my goals.

Goal #1- Complete a No-Spend Year

November was another successful month.  I feel like this goal has really taught me about my spending habits.  I am much more resourceful now.  I tend to search my own home to find the things that I 'need'.  It has given me pause and made me think more about my consumerism and how it affects myself and my family.  Shopping is no longer an option for my self care and that is a wonderful thing.  I have learned how to best care for myself without the temporary high that shopping gives.  I have really enjoyed my no-spend year so far.

Goal #2- Establish a Self-Care Routine

This goal goes hand in hand with the above goal.  Self care (for me) really boils down to getting enough sleep (oh boy, that one is going to take a hit soon!), being careful not to over-schedule myself (October is a great example of how that worked out), and taking time to be alone.  I am really an introvert by nature and I find myself recharged when I get to spend time alone.  This past month I have been really good at asking for help when I need and resting when I need it.  I haven't been pushing past my limits (much) and it has made a big difference in my health and well-being.

Goal #3- Say Yes To Family Time

This goal has gone well again.  I have learned how to prioritize family time.  External pressures always exist, but I am much better at letting those pressures go when my family requires quality time.

Goal #4-  Start School in September

On hold during my pregnancy and newborn phase.

Goal #5- Learn more about traditional prayers and incorporate them into my prayer life.

I think I finally have this goal figured out.  I have decided against trying to incorporate these prayers in a "schedule", but rather every time I have a certain intention.  I have quite a few mothers on my prayer list, so when I pray focus my prayers on them, I incorporate the traditional prayers.  It has worked well and I plan to continue this pattern.

Goal #6-  Establish a routine for the blog and stick to the blog's vision.

I have done more background work on the blog in terms of planning and narrowing the type of posts that I want to write.  I plan to implement these changes in the New Year and I am excited to do so.  My routine will have to change when Baby arrives, but I am hoping my planned framework for the blog will help me through those changes.

How have your goals gone?  Have you achieved your resolutions?  There are still a few weeks left!

October- Goals and the No Spend Year

We are nearing the end of the year and I can say that I am happy (for the most part) with the progress of my goals.  Only 2 more months left to go!  

#1-  Complete a No-Spend Year.

I bought something on my "Banned" list with my birthday money.  I bought myself winter boots.  I had banned shoes on my no-spend year list.  I took my daughter to daycare wearing my current boots in the snow.  By the time I made it to work, my socks were soaked and my toes were cold.  I feel strongly that I need to put my the health of my feet first so the other boots are hitting the trash.  I ordered quality boots that will last me many years.  I live in Canada and winter came early this year.  Our temperatures go as low as -40 degrees Celcius (-40 Fahenheit) and I am not risking my toes.  I knew that my boots were starting to leak last year so I am not sure why I didn't put it on my approved spending list.

#2-  Establish a Self-Care Routine

Let's talk about this.  I really thought that I was doing well with this goal and I was.  Life threw more than one curve ball at me in October.  I had a huge deadline at work, a major fundraiser for the local daycare (I am on the committee), pregnancy related nausea/dizziness/headaches/fatigue and I was working a LOT due to my co-worker being on vacation.  It all added up to one large meltdown where I was bawling an hour before the fundraiser was set to begin.  I have looked back at my busy month and I am not sure what I could have done differently.  Most of the curve balls were out of my control, besides the fact that I didn't take a sick day when I was feeling awful.  In hindsight, that wasn't practicing good self care.  I have been reading an interesting book by Gretchen Rubin called The Four Tendancies.  I am an upholder with obliger tendencies, which means that I am good at meeting both inner and outer expectations.  It also means that sometimes I work too hard to meet outer expectations and I occasionally experience burnout because of this.  I find my work to be a heavy expectation at times.  My work involves the health of my clients (I am a lab and x-ray tech in a small town) and I find it really hard to call in sick when I am ill because I know that my clients are often dealing with much worse situations.  I need to start putting my health first, especially in this last month and a half of my pregnancy so I am working to set up some clear boundaries this month.  The first boundary is working out well and my co-worker was able to lighten my schedule substantially which has already made a tremendous difference in my well-being. 

#3-  Say Yes to Family Time

This has been going well.  I am finding the "rules" that we set earlier in the year are working really well for our family and are surprisingly easy to follow.

#4-  Start school in September.

This is being postponed until after Baby's arrival.

#5-  Learn more about traditional prayers and incorporate them into my prayer life.

I am still working on figuring out how to make a habit of incorporating these tradtional prayers.

#6-  Establish a routine for the blog and stick to the blog's vision.

Ummmm..... yeah.  So that burnout that I mentioned above?  Well, that lead to a really bad blogging month.  I have worked to circumvent that this month with better planning and a lighter load at my job.  

October was a good month of learning for me.  I hope to apply what I have learned for a successful November.  How are your goals going?

September- Goals and The No Spend Year

Another month is under our belts.  September really seemed to fly by for us.  We had so much going on with family events, birthdays and meetings that it seemed that the month was over before it started.  I did pretty good with my goals this month and I am happy with my progress.  Here is a look at my September:

1.)  Complete a No-Spend Year

This is still going well!  I am happy with all that I am learning with this challenge.  My parents gave me birthday money for my 30th birthday and I did spend a portion of that money.  Our coffee maker broke down about 4 months ago and I have been using my French press ever since.  The only thing with the press was that I really didn't like the coffee.  It just wasn't as good as the brewed coffee that I was used to enjoying.  With the upcoming arrival of Baby #2, I figured that it would be wise to invest in a new coffee maker now.  I bought a decent coffee maker that has a timer setting, 5 year warranty and the 2 hour shut off feature.  I am extremely happy with my purchase and I am glad that I delayed it for as long as I did.  It was a good reminder that not everything needs to be replaced right now.  Sometimes delaying a purchase helps you figure out if you really need to replace an item in your home. 

2.)  Establish a Self-Care Routine

This goal is still going well.  Even with my busy schedule this past month, I managed to keep on top of my self-care.  It is super important and I think it has really led me to have a better quality of life. 

3.)  Say Yes To Family Time

I am really doing well with this.  I think this goal has taught me how to balance different demands in my life.  We had a busy month with different events and meetings but we were still able to carve out some great quality family time with just the 3 of us.  It was a good month!

4.)  Start School in September.  

This goal is on hold until the New Year.

5.)  Learn more about traditional prayers and incorporate them into my prayer life.

This goal was better this month.  I am still trying to set it up so that I have more of a routine to attach the more traditional prayers to.  I am still working on how to go about this.

6.)  Establish a routine for the blog and stick to the blog's vision.

I had my best month since March.  Wooo!  I seem to have figured out how to stick to my blogging routine.  I posted twice a week, except for last week when I was feeling quite under the weather.  I am still working on establishing a routine for my blog, but I am seeing progress.  I am happy with my progress and I hope to continue on this path!

It was a great month!  How are your goals going?  I would love to hear about it!

August- Goals and The No Spend Year

Another month is in the books.  August was quite busy for our family and we had a really good month.  I am happy with my overall progress this month.

#1)  Complete a no-spend year.

This goal is going fairly well.  I did make a purchase this month, but I am unsure as to whether it is a violation of this rule.  I bought my family planner and calendar for next year.  I always use a planner and calendar in my home to keep all of us on track.  I decided to do my Christmas shopping early this year because our baby is due in December.  When I made my purchase (from one store online) I decided to go ahead and add the calendars to my cart.  I always have my calendars in advance so that nothing gets missed.  That was my only purchase for this month.

#2)  Establish a self-care routine.

This goal is still going well.  I have worked to bring back strength training to my regular routine.  I am happy that most of my routine is now habit.  Despite being quite busy this month, I still made time to properly care for myself.

#3)  Say yes to family time.

We had some great family experiences this month.  Hubby and I took Miss. E to Waterton Lakes National Park.  We had a great time with one another and made some great memories.  Family time was definitely a priority this month and we thoroughly enjoyed it.

#4)  Start school in September.

I know what courses I want to take.  I also know the direction I want to go.  I am not going to start school in September.  With a baby on the way, this goal will be pushed back until everything settles in the new year.  I don't feel like it is feasible to take on course work right now with being a Mom, working and being pregnant.  I will re-evaluate in the new year.

#5)  Learn more about traditional prayers and incorporate them into my prayer life.

This goal went fairly well this month.  I almost need to schedule the days that I plan to do traditional prayers because when I rely on spontaneity I tend to avoid the traditional prayers.  I plan to work on this in September.

#6)  Establish a routine for the blog and stick to the blog's vision.

I am slowly coming along with this goal.  I was better at posting in August and I am learning how to make sure that my blogging work is done.  I have a few ideas that I hope to implement in September.

How are your goals coming?  Does summer throw a monkey wrench into your progress?

July- Goals and The No Spend Year

Whew!  This summer is flying by.  I am finally here with an update of my goals in July.

1. Complete a No-Spend Year

This summer has been HOT.  WAAAYYYYY too hot.  Seriously.  At one point I told my husband that I would prefer -30 degrees Celcius (-22 degress Fahrenheit).   Yuck.  The heat makes me sick.

So..... where exactly am I going with this?  I broke the no-spend year to purchase cheap (temporary) paper window coverings for our house.  The window coverings that were in the house when we bought it were dirty and non-functioning.  I took them to the dump shortly after moving in.  It was winter so the notion that the house may get too hot in the summer never even crossed my mind.  This summer, after many days of 30 degrees and higher (86 degrees Fahrenheit) I broke down and got window coverings.  It cooled the house by 15 degrees.  It was totally worth it.  We couldn't afford to install central air conditioning this year, but we are saving up for next year!  Other than that, I did a good job sticking to the no-spend year.

2.)  Establish a self-care routine.

I am good at this.  I really think that it has become a habit.  There are definitely days when I could improve (more water or sleep) but on the whole, I am doing well with this goal.

3.)  Say yes to family time.

This goal has been going well.  In the summer we really try to make a concerted effort to get outside and enjoy the nice weather as a family.

4.)  Start school in September.

After a few discussions with some close friends and mentors, I think I know what direction I am taking with my next educational pursuit.  I am still researching, however, and figuring out how to work my education around my pregnancy.

5.)  Learn more about traditional prayers and incorporate them into my prayer life.

Let's just say that I did not excel at this goal in July.

6.)  Establish a routine for the blog and stick to the blog's vision.

Umm.... no.  It has been basically crickets around here, I am afraid.  There were only 3 (!) posts up in July.  Yikes!  Summer really messes with me and I am still learning how to make the blog a priority.


The summer is always a bit lax at our house which is evident from my goal keeping.  It was eye opening to look at how I did this month and I plan to improve in August!  How are your goals coming this year?

June- Goals and The No Spend Year & A Special Announcement

I have been keeping a secret from you all.  Back in April, Hubby and I were thrilled to find out that we are expecting!  Up until this point, we have used intense fertility treatments to conceive and have never been able to get pregnant on our own.  We had pretty much given up on the idea of conceiving on our own and we were exploring adoption and saving for the possibility of more fertility treatments.  The day before Hubby's birthday, I took a pregnancy test and it was positive.  I was shocked, as we hadn't pursued any fertility treatments.  I took several more tests (all positive) and we were both so excited!  We have had 2 ultrasounds and everything is looking good!  I am currently 16 weeks pregnant and due at the end of December!

My goals have had to shift because of our good news, but I truly believe that I am still keeping in line with most of them.  June went well and I am happy to share my progress with you.

#1)  Complete a No-Spend Year.

Our thrilling (but unexpected) pregnancy meant that I have had to break my no-spend year.  I did not anticipate the possibility of pregnancy.  I have tried to keep my spending to a minimum, but I still needed to purchase a few essentials.  After our miscarriage last year, I was feeling completely discouraged.  I sold most of our baby items and gave away all of my maternity clothes.  This meant that my changing body had nothing to wear!  A good friend gave me back most of my maternity clothes and also passed on a bunch of her own, which was wonderful.  The only thing is that I will be pregnant through the Summer, Fall and Winter.  The maternity clothes that were passed on to me are going to work perfectly for Fall and Winter.  Unfortunately, there was very little that was Summer appropriate.  We have had an extremely hot Spring and Summer so I needed proper maternity attire.  I bought several items for myself.  I have also had to purchase new bras and underwear.  I shopped sales where I could and I built a decent Capsule for myself.  (I hope to share it with you soon!)  It is important to have proper clothes that are comfortable and my regular items have not fit me for quite some time! 

Aside from the maternity attire, I stuck to my No-Spend Year in June.

#2)  Establish a Self-Care Routine

I did a good job with this goal.  I have been ensuring that I get adequate sleep.  It is way easier when my eyes don't want to stay open after 10 pm! LOL!  I also completed a 30 day fitness challenge in June.  I was able to be active 28 days out of 30.  I missed 2 days due to migraines.  Staying active is not only good for my health (and the pregnancy!) but it is so important to my mental health.  I feel much calmer, more resilient and stronger when I am active.  The challenge was great because it helped keep me motivated even when I was tired and didn't want to do anything active.

#3)  Say Yes to Family Time

This goal went well this month.  There were very few challenges to our family time in June.

#4)  Start School In September.

I am back in research mode, trying to decide the best way to pursue my education.  The pregnancy will change the time that I have available and I want to take that into consideration when making decisions.

#5)  Learn more about traditional prayers and incorporate them into  my prayer life.

I wasn't as good at incorporating the prayers into my prayer life in June.  I will work to improve that in July!

#6)  Establish a routine for the blog and stick to the blog's vision.

I was better about posting this month.  I have had a few difficult times with feeling sick and having migraines.  Often those were the biggest obstacles to meeting my goal.  At this point, I am choosing to roll with how I am feeling (especially since it is due to a fantastic reason!).  If the blog has to be put on the back-burner a time or two, that is okay.  My health and my pregnancy has to come first.  I am learning to accept that I can't do it all and that is okay.  Good enough is good enough.  I am sorry that my blog suffers but I sometimes I have to make tough choices.  

Whew!  We are already half way through the year!  I am happy with my progress and I will continue to work towards my goals for the rest of the year.  How are your goals going?  I would love to hear all about it!

2017 Summer To Do List

Eeeeek!  I love summer.  Winters seem to drag on where I live so I try to get the most out of the warmer weather when it arrives.  I have compiled a list of things we want to do over the summer and I am going to share them with you.

1.)  Celebrate Canada at my parent's cabin.  Canada turns 150 years old this year and we are going all out to celebrate!  Our family even has matching t-shirts for the occasion.  I am so excited!

2.)  Head out for a family camping weekend with Hubby's family.  We go camping with Hubby's family every year and this year is no different.  It is always fun!

3.)  Spend time at the cabin.  We want to spend time up at the lake.  We love the slower pace at the cabin and we always feel refreshed after a visit.

4.)  Plant raspberries in our new yard.  We grew raspberries at our last home and we absolutely loved them.  We want to plant again this year so we can enjoy the berries again!

5.)  Spend time at the local pool.  The local pool is wonderful and we want to utilize it this year.

6.)  Try canoeing with Miss. E.  Hubby and I enjoy canoeing and we want to try taking Miss. E out with us this year.

7.)  Hit up a local fair.  The mini doughnuts are enough to make me want to go!

8.)  Do some play dates at the local lakes.

9.)  Host a few play dates in our back yard.

10.)  Build a fairy garden with Miss. E.

11.)  See Wonder Woman.

12.)  Try out a splash park.

13.)  Sleep in a tent.  Honestly, I am the hold out on this idea.  Both Hubby and Miss. E are looking forward to it.

14.)  Go for family bike rides.

15.)  Build sandcastles.

16.)  Do swimming lessons with Miss. E.

17.)  Run through the sprinkler.

18.)  Go on our family camping trip.

19.)  Take care of my garden.

20.)  Have a few campfires in the back yard.

What are your summer to-dos?  I would love to hear about them!

May- Goals and the No Spend Year

May wasn't a great month, goal-wise.  I didn't achieve as much as I wanted to but there is always June!

Goal #1- Complete a No-Spend Year. 

This really wasn't difficult and I successfully completed another month!

Goal #2-  Establish a self-care routine. 

This has been my best goal this year.  I have really done well to discover what I need in order to take care of myself.  I hope to continue along this path because I find it has really helped me feel much more balanced.

Goal #3-  Say yes to family time.  

This goal has become easier as the year progresses.  I have learned to set boundaries and guard our family time.  We have had some fun experiences with just the 3 of us and we look forward to more!

Goal #4-  Start school in September.  

I have completed all that I can for this goal at this time.

Goal #5-  Learn more about traditional prayers and incorporate them into my prayer life.

I did well at this goal.  I have been using the more traditional prayers of my faith in my prayer life and it is going well.  I am happy that I have new ways to connect to God through these prayers.

Goal #6-  Establish a routine for the blog and stick to the blog's vision. 

I was worse at posting in May than I was in April!  Yikes!  However, I did purchase my own domain for my blog which got me really excited!  I have also sat down and worked out a blogging schedule that I will do my best to stick to.  I have actually put the blogging time onto our shared family calendar so that the time is carved out and mine.  It has worked well in the last week or so.  

How are your goals going?  Have you been able to stick to your resolutions?

April- Goals and The No Spend Year

April was a pretty good month for my goals and resolutions.  It was also a busy month with Easter and Hubby's birthday.  I am happy with my progress and I am hoping that May will be even better!

Goal #1-  Complete a No-Spend Year.

Not spending money is becoming easier and easier.  I don't even really think about making purchases, which is nice.  Our home is currently lacking blinds and curtains, but that is the only thing that is really making me want to shop.  Otherwise, it hasn't been that challenging!

Goal #2-  Establish a self-care routine.

I was pretty good with this goal.  I was consistent with working out and staying on top of my water intake.  I completed my Whole 30 and will share my experience with you soon!

Goal #3-  Say Yes to Family Time.

This goal went well this month.  It was easier because there weren't many things challenging us in this department.  We had a lovely Easter with family and we even got to see my younger brother at the end of the month!

Goal #4-  Start School in September.

I talked to school this month and asked all of my questions.  I will likely apply in the summer and start in the Fall.  This goal will be at a standstill now until the summer when I apply to the program.

Goal #5-  Learn more about traditional prayers and incorporate them into my prayer life.

I have finished reading a book about traditional prayers, which I found really interesting.  I found the scriptural references and explanations to be informative. I hope to work on incorporating them into my prayer life this month.

Goal #6-  Establish a routine for the blog and stick to the blog's vision.

This month wasn't great for blogging.  I have done a little behind the scenes work, but I got a little stuck in some of the technical stuff.  I hope to be better about blogging this month and iron a few things out behind the scenes.

March- Goals and The No Spend Year

Wow!  A quarter of the year has come and gone.  I am feeling happy with my progress this month.  I wasn't effective with every single goal, but I made some headway in a few of them.  Here is how March went:

Goal #1-  Complete a No Spend Year. 

This went well again.  I have had a few urges to shop as the weather has turned nicer.  I always like grabbing a new item to wear every season, but I stood my ground and avoided the stores.  I think that I accidentally donated my fleece jacket that I actually used ALL THE TIME.  Oops!  I am really disappointed about that and I am not sure how it made it into the donate pile.  There is a small chance that it got left somewhere, but I haven't found it.  I immediately thought of my $140 spending money, but I decided that I have enough coats and sweaters to cover the loss so I will not be purchasing a new one.

Goal #2-  Establish a self-care routine. 

 I was sick a lot all winter and I was finally fed up.  I decided to embark on Whole 30 because I was feeling sluggish, foggy and sick of being sick.  Whole 30 has been a bit of a challenge, but I really can't argue with the results.  My brain fog has cleared completely and I have way more energy.  I have also been keeping up with my workouts, which hadn't happened during the first 2 months of the year.  I am continuing to work towards a healthier lifestyle that will keep me from using shopping as an emotional crutch.  This goal went really well this month and I am super happy with the results.  I am currently on Day 23 of Whole 30 and I plan to do a post about it once I have completed the program.

Goal #3-  Say yes to family time. 

This goal has gone well.  We have been trying to do more activities as a family and get Miss. E involved in our many projects around the house.  Hubby is really good at engaging her in this way.  She loves to wield a screwdriver so he has been getting her to help fix broken closet knobs and she helped install the new vanity in the bathroom.  We took off to the lake last weekend instead of staying home to paint the walls.  We don't always have gorgeous weather and it was so nice out.  We decided to put the work off and seize the opportunity for more quality family time.  I am so thankful that we did!

Goal #4-  Start school in September.  

After much research, I have settled on a program and have gathered information about it.  Hubby and I have discussed it and I will be applying for the program soon.  I only have made it to the research stage of this goal, but I hope to have moved forward with it by the end of April.

Goal #5  Learn more about traditional prayers and incorporate them into my prayer life.  

This goal was neglected this month.

Goal #6-  Establish a routine for the blog and stick to the blog's vision. 

I did pretty good at this goal in March.  I posted much more regularly and I have done some brainstorming in my free time.  I am happy with my progress and hope to improve in April.

How are your goals going?  I would love to hear all about it!