Happy July, friends! A proper monthly goals post will be coming shortly, but first I wanted to step back and share a mid-year update on my 2022 goals. I’ve done this for the past few years, and, as we say at Cultivate, pausing and reflecting like this really does help me to appreciate how my little efforts have added up over time. And, I don’t know, I figure you might be curious?! If so, let’s go!
Goal no. 1: Return to in-person worship. Progress I’ve made: I said this was my number one goal at the beginning of the year, and the progress certainly bears that out – hallelujah! Like many, we began worshipping from home when churches closed at the beginning of the pandemic, and then… never really returned, even though we were loyal online attenders. However, given my understanding of Jesus’s vision for a life of faith centering around learning, growing, and loving in a local community, I knew it was past time for our family to open ourselves back up to the discipline and delight of in-person worship. And we have! We’ve joined a new church family and have been worshipping regularly since February. We’ve joined a small group, we’ve started serving, we’ve gone to people’s houses for dinner, and we (and our kids) have made friends. From where we were then to where we are now, it’s all by the grace of God, and I am so grateful. What I hope to accomplish in the next six months: This goal is complete!
Goal no. 2: Bury the word of God in our hearts. Progress I’ve made: I have not been particularly systematic about this goal, but it has been fruitful nonetheless! The kids’ Sunday school has memory verses each month, so we’ve memorized those as a family, and June and I have also worked on a few together (still plugging away at 1 Corinthians 13!). For the first four months of the year, we were in a sermon series on Matthew as a church, and I LOVED doing my daily reading each day at lunch as set by the church-provided plan. Since we’ve moved onto a new sermon series without an at-home plan, I’ve gotten out of the habit, but this makes me think that it might be the right season for some other kind of structured plan (something I’ve not been interested in for a few years). Regardless, I have really started to notice my increasing familiarity with scripture (also helped by my work developing Write the Word journals!), how it has increasingly come to mind when I’ve needed it over the last few months. Grateful! What I hope to accomplish in the next six months: We’re still new at church, so I don’t know if providing a reading plan to correspond with the sermon series is common or not, but if it’s not, I would love to sketch out my own so I can get back into my lunchtime study. And I want to finish 1 Corinthians 13!
Goal no. 3: Complete my outstanding creative projects quarter by quarter. Progress I’ve made: For this goal, I assigned specific projects to each quarter of the year: a 2010-2014 family photo album to Q1, the first 10 years of EFM book to Q2, kid memorabilia and memory keeping to Q3, and finishing the Advent calendar to Q4. The Q1 goal is complete – HOORAY! The Q2 goal is dead in the water. What I hope to accomplish in the next six months: I have accepted that the EFM book is simply too large of a goal for me to complete in my current season, given the other items that my revealed preferences (i.e. what I actually do) have shown are my priorities. I do plan to revisit the idea in the future. For the second half of the year, though, I’m moving forward with my plans as laid out and feel confident I’ll be able to complete them!
Goal no. 4: Make my fitness a priority and have fun doing it. Progress I’ve made: Fitness was 100% not a priority in 2021 – being a healthy pregnant person and a cozy post-partum person was, and that was perfect for that season of life. And now here we are in 2022! Our Q1 Peloton challenge was a slam-dunk success (apparently I’m a competitive person?!): I worked out every day but two, and biked 240 miles. Though I’ve dropped off a bit in Q2, so far this year I’ve logged 2,629 minutes of cycling, strength training, and stretching – versus 1,800 in all of 2021. I’ve also been in in-person physical therapy (and doing at-home exercises) since February for diastasis recti, and though it’s taking longer than I’d hoped, I’m grateful to be seeing progress. Finally, we’ve taken a handful of bike rides as a family of five! I have several goals under this umbrella: complete a diastasis recti program (any recommendations?), compete with our siblings in a Peloton challenge in Q1 (and probably Q4), add Annie into our life as a bike-riding family and get back out on the trails (starting in Q2!), and complete an MS75 ride in September with John and hopefully our brother- and sister-in-law! What I hope to accomplish in the next six months: We need to decide if we’re going to tackle an MS ride this year or table it to 2023… I am leaning toward the latter. Now that we have our car back, I hope to go on many more family bike rides together this summer and fall!
Goal no. 5: Celebrate our marriage with joy! Progress I’ve made: John and I are celebrating our tenth wedding anniversary this year! There wasn’t a lot I wanted to *do* for this goal; I mostly just want to make it a focus to praise the Lord for all He has done and continues to do in our marriage. And I think we’ve done that! We could not be happier or more grateful for where and how we are at this point in our life together. We’ve enjoyed monthly date nights (so far this year, for my Triangle gals: Chef’s Palette, Mandolin, the Durham (and Nate Bargatze!), Taverna Agora, the Provincial (and Top Gun!), and Mandolin again). We’ve booked a beachside dinner in Bermuda. What I hope to accomplish in the next six months: On our September Bermuda trip, I’d like to incorporate some “marriage summit”-type activities and vision casting for the next decade, and am planning to figure out the format for that during Cultivate’s Leap Ahead Day later this month. Planning to read sections of Creative Love and do some internet sleuthing, but if you’ve read a book or article or listened to a podcast episode on marriage summits or milestone marriage reflections, I’d love to hear! I also think I need some sort of celebratory anniversary dinner outfit?!
Goal no. 6: Refresh our home one quarter at a time. Progress I’ve made: This goal is by far the one where I’ve expended the most effort and have the least to show for it, ha. The original goal was to refresh our kitchen (and possibly our mantel) in Q1, and tweak our loft into a true play room in Q2. In reality, in what felt like a part-time job at times, I spent all of Q1 and into Q2 chasing down contractors to bid on our project. We did, eventually, chose two, and their work is scheduled to start in September (!). I also worked with Callie on a design plan for the kitchen (we’ve chosen the cabinet color!), and we’ve made some changes to our loft that feel significant: adding shelving, rehoming some of my styling supplies, rehoming some toys, and displaying the ones remaining with more care, a la the Montessori model. What I hope to accomplish in the next six months: LOTS! In Q3, it looks like our kitchen project will be complete, our fireplace mantel and surround will be replaced, some detail on our stairs will be refreshed, and our power room will be refreshed, as well. In prep for September, when the bulk of the work will be done, I need to make many, many final decisions and a few purchases. I am very grateful to be able to do this project (10 years in the making!), but the decision fatigue is real. Would you be interested in hearing more about what we have planned? It might help motivate me, ha!
Goal no. 7: Establish new rhythms for our family. Progress I’ve made: This goal was the most vague, and it’s easy to feel like nothing has happened. But, stepping back, I can see that we have absolutely established a new Sabbath rhythm: church, out to lunch, an afternoon nap for everyone in the house, and prepping for the week ahead. We’ve also done two quarters of our quarterly dates with the two older kids and they’ve been a huge hit! June and I went to our local production of Mary Poppins in Q1, Shep and I went to the trampoline park and Chick-fil-a in Q2, and June and John went to a ropes course and out for sushi in Q2. What I hope to accomplish in the next six months: I’m hoping to start family meetings when the school year starts back up! Planning to use some of my Leap Ahead Day time to do some planning on this.
Goal no. 8: Make meals easier. Progress I’ve made: This is my simplest goal of 2022! I wanted to 1) buy a small chest freezer for our garage, 2) get into the practice of doubling and freezing meals, and incorporating frozen meals into my meal planning, and 3) build out 1-2 “brainless” weeks of menus for each season so I can copy and paste when I’m short on time. So far, I have gone to Lowes to look at freezers, reached an impasse with John on whether we should buy one, and wrote one brainless meal plan :) What I hope to accomplish in the next six months: Still hoping for that freezer!!
Whew! I’d love to hear how your progress on your 2022 goals has gone so far, if you’d like to share. Big or small, it’s worth celebrating!!
June marks the end of our family’s first elementary school year and the beginning of our first elementary school summer – a departure from the previous summers of more or less consistent, continuous care! We have a plan (of course we have a plan) – and I look forward to sharing my reflections and how we handled it as two working parents after we’ve lived it – but I’m also going in expecting to iterate and ready to give us all lots of grace. A few things that have been helping at the start: these summer tips from Janssen (gold, all) and printing and hanging this calendar and this summer reading chart in the 24×36 size. Keeping things fairly light on the goal front as we move into this new season!
May Articles Club in the backyard at the height of jasmine season: bliss!
On my calendar this month: — Our tenth annual camping trip with the Rays! We’ve opted for a glamping-adjacent site in honor of a decade of adventures. — Graduation parties for our two beloved high school babysitters! These are the girls who got two working parents through a 19-week COVID preschool closure, so we are doing it up big for them: Away suitcases and copies of three of our favorite formative books: The Psychology of Money, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, and The Coddling of the American Mind. Plus cards from the kids, of course :) How lucky are we to get to be a part of their lives! — A fun event with Thrive Motherhood here in Cary, NC! I’m the guest speaker on June 23 and would love to hang with you to talk about one of my very favorite topics: making everyday magic as a mom. There’s a $15 ticket fee and I can guarantee you’ll walk away with some fun Cultivate goodies :)
What I’m loving right now: — Oh my gosh, John and I saw the new Top Gun movie on opening night and it was FANTASTIC. I am an unabashed fan of Tom Cruise movies and if you loved the original, the new version just will not disappoint. So worth seeing in theaters! — There’s been a lot written recently about the mental health crisis facing Americans right now, and especially teens, but I found this one (“Parenting Against the Spirit of Fear”) especially thought-provoking. This one (“How to Quit Intensive Parenting”) feels like a good next step. — I am militant about sun protection on my face. I never leave the house without sunscreen, and I’m usually wearing my hat if I’ll be outside for awhile, so it hardly ever gets color. I’ve been using these tan drops (one drop mixed into my moisturizer every other night) for a few months on the rec of an Articles Club friend, and they’re brilliant! A little sun-kissed glow does wonders to even out my face and make foundation even less necessary.
As a reminder, you can find alllll the things I’ve loved over the last few years neatly organized right here!
What I read in May: — Without a Hitch | Lisa lent me this book based on our shared experience in the world of Southern weddings, and it was a fun romp through a very familiar landscape. — Apples Never Fall | My Mom asked me to put this book on hold at the library for her when she was coming for a visit. Turns out she was #645 in line, so it came in several months after she went home, ha! I’d never read anything by Liane Moriarty, but she’s kind of a big deal (Big Little Lies, Nine Perfect Strangers), so I figured I’d give it a shot. I hadn’t read a thriller in several years and enjoyed it!
Revisiting my May goals: Download Blurb software, get familiar with it, and complete 2008 in book (Ugh – nothing!) Start to memorize 1 Corinthians 13 with June (In progress! We memorized the first two verses and will continue! We practice on our walks to school.) Edit Annie in April, Volume 1 (In progress!) Go on a family bike ride once a week (Didn’t happen.) Add bookshelves to our loft and Shep’s room Add artwork bulletin boards to the loft (I was fully prepared to go the DIY route until I found these ones for a steal of a deal. So far, so good!) Write out one spring/summer “brainless” meal plan (This took me approximately 20 seconds but I know it will save my rear several times over coming to and from travels this summer!) Cull and sort January 2021 photos (Nope.)
June goals: — Download Blurb software, get familiar with it, and complete 2008 in book — Finish memorizing 1 Corinthians 13 with June — Finish editing Annie in April (and film June in June, Volume 7!) — Plan Shep’s fourth birthday party (and plan for John and Annie’s July birthdays, too) — End the school year and begin our summer well — Write the service I’m giving at the Island later this summer — Pick blueberries, many times over
As a reminder, many of these are drawn from my 2022 goals!
If it’s not happening, make it smaller. This is my paraphrase of one of the techniques in Jon Acuff’s book Finish, and of course it’s something we talk about constantly at Cultivate (little by little!). Sometimes there’s another reason, but more often than not, if a goal hasn’t happened for more than a month, it’s because it feels too big to get my arms around.
These unfinished goals still matter, though, so as I move into a new month, I’ve bringing them with me – but cutting them in half (or more). Maybe completing a bite-size chunk will motivate me to keep going, or maybe I’ll just complete the one bite. Either way, it’s better than nothing :)
On my calendar this month: — I am finally making good on June’s Christmas present of an American Girl doll! We’re heading to Charlotte overnight to pick her out and I can’t wait. (Sleeping in the hotel bed with mama and swimming in the hotel pool might end up overshadowing the doll, though, ha!) Which one will she choose?! — Picking all the strawberries. We’ve already been twice and made this famous strawberry cake last night. Delicious! — A Bulls game with John’s work!
What I’m loving right now: — As a lover of the “government action/thriller” genre of movies/television (Enemy of the State, Air Force One, Homeland, 24, you get the drill), season one of Reacher was sufficiently adjacent to be right up my alley. I really didn’t enjoy the Jack Ryan series, but I loved this one. — We put this coloring book in Shep’s Easter basket and I think it might be magic?! He basically colored it for six hours straight on the drive to Jekyll Island with nary a peep of complaint. (This is not normal.) Highly recommend for any 3-4 year olds in your company! — As a patriot who loves her country, it’s refreshing to see someone take a nuanced look at what patriotism can be and why it’s important, and that’s what this article (WSJ) did. Still turning it over in my mind several weeks later.
As a reminder, you can find alllll the things I’ve loved over the last few years neatly organized right here!
What I read in April: — The Power of Fun | I was absolutely primed to love this book (recommended by someone I trust, just seems like my jam), but I found it a bit torturous to get through, and I’m not really sure why. I agree with her thesis, her writing is good, the research is interesting, and the suggestions are solid, but maybe it just felt exhausting to dissect fun in such detail? It felt like it could have been half as long… — The Midnight Line | After we finished the Reacher TV season, I was curious to read one of the plethora of Reacher books. It’s been a long time since I read something like this – mass market, thriller, not particularly geared toward women? – and it was fun! The writing took a beat to get into, but I read it on vacation and enjoyed it.
Revisiting my April goals: Cull and sort the first six months of 2021 photos Design and print camping tees for our tenth-anniversary trip Choose format for EFM book and complete years 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011 (Absolutely not, ha. I decided to use Blurb but haven’t gotten farther than that.) Write down 2-3 weeks of “brainless” meal plans Choose a way to serve at church on Sunday mornings Make a final kitchen contractor decision and get a start date on the books (Made decision and waiting to hear on start date! Thinking it is going to be July or August based on what they told me when we first met.) Clean out kitchen cabinets in advance of our kitchen project (Made progress! Still some to go.) Take our first bike ride as a family of five!
May goals: — Download Blurb software, get familiar with it, and complete 2008 in book — Start to memorize 1 Corinthians 13 with June — Edit Annie in April, Volume 1 — Go on a family bike ride once a week — Add bookshelves to our loft and Shep’s room — Add artwork bulletin boards to the loft — Write out one spring/summer “brainless” meal plan — Cull and sort January 2021 photos
As a reminder, many of these are drawn from my 2022 goals!
Favorite strawberry recipe? I would love to hear! So far this year we’ve scooped chopped berries on pancakes and brownies in addition to the cake, and next I want to try the shortcake recipe on the back of the Bisquick box :)
I’m not exactly sure how to feel about my goals as we wrap up the first quarter of 2022.
On the one hand, I have objectively made some fantastic progress so far with my 8 goals for the year. And that’s wonderful, because they’re all things that really matter to me! On the other hand, that progress seems to have come, either directly or indirectly, at the expense of two of my very favorite things: writing here and reading. (I’ve read three books so far this year – very slow for me – and am continually overestimating how many blog posts I’ll be able to share in a month.)
Are you familiar with the idea of equilibrium and disequilibrium in child development? Kids’ abilities often develop at different rates – they might experience a surge in their physical abilities, but lag in their ability to express themselves. When their various abilities are out of sync, they’re in disequilibrium and more easily frustrated; when their abilities even out, they’re in equilibrium and generally happier and at ease.
I think I might be in a little bit of the grown-up version of disequilibrium right now. That feels like a good way to describe the work of balancing competing priorities – with some surging ahead and some lagging behind – as other factors (growing kids, our social schedule and activities) shift underneath. I know we all experience this at different times – sending a hug if it’s hitting you in this season, too! This, too, shall pass.
Our St. Patrick’s Day after school snack
On my calendar this month: — Opening night of our high school’s spring musical! One of our beloved babysitters is the lead and June is excited to bring her flowers. — Jekyll Island for spring break! Yes, we’re headed back… this time with another family member in tow! — A trip to the WRAL Azalea Gardens when everything’s in bloom.
What I’m loving right now: — I know it’s old news, but John and I watched Only Murders in the Building a few weeks ago and it was an absolute delight. I am predisposed to love anything Steve Martin and Martin Short do together, Selena Gomez rounded out the trio perfectly, and the sets were gorgeous. It’s one of those shows that I wish I could experience watching for the first time a second time. — I have tried MANY kinds of natural deodorant over the years (Schmidt’s, Acure, Native…). Most were good-enough initially, but all seemed to lose their efficacy over time. My newest find is a little less flashy but, several months in, doing a superlative job. Summer will be the real test, but so far I highly recommend! — I listened to this episode of Honestly right after I read “Your Bubble is not the Culture,” and I thought they intersected in interesting ways. Made me think of a pairing we’d dig into for Articles Club!
As a reminder, you can find alllll the things I’ve loved over the last few years neatly organized right here!
What I read in March: — Gentle and Lowly: I loved this book, which was unlike anything I’d read before. Based on Matthew 11:28-29, one of the only places in the Bible where Jesus describes himself (“I am gentle and humble in heart”), it’s a quiet, ponderous read that invites you to take it in slowly: it examines one small piece of scripture per chapter, and leans on a lot of writing from the Puritans (yes, really). My biggest takeaway was that rather than drawing away from or merely tolerating his people in their sin, that is when Jesus loves us the MOST – because he loves us so much, and hates sin so much, his love for us is most “activated” when he sees us hurt by it. (Kind of similar to seeing a loved one suffer from a cancer.) As humans, we constantly underestimate the overwhelming love of Jesus and God the Father, but this book helped to illuminate it for me.
Revisiting my March goals: Cull and sort the first six months of 2021 photos (No real progress here – other things took priority!) Lay out 2013 in family album Lay out 2014 in family album and send it to print! (Waiting on a 40% off sale – which happens every other month or so – to pull the trigger, but it is in the cart and ready to go! HOORAY!!!) Finish the Best of EFM page (Ditto to photo sorting) Complete the third month of our fam Peloton challenge (Done! This was a much-needed and enjoyable kick start to our “comeback tour,” as John and I like to call it.) Do PT exercises daily (Almost daily!) Visit two community groups (One didn’t end up working out with our schedule, but we visited the other and it was lovely! Will continue!) Follow the Matthew reading plan Memorize another piece of scripture with June Buy a small freezer for our garage (Not yet… marital conversations continuing…) Refresh mantel for spring (with the help of this cutie garland from my friend) Prep for Easter baskets Book camping trip (Done! We’ll be glamping for our tenth-anniversary trip!!)
April goals: — Cull and sort the second six months of 2021 photos (hope springs eternal?) — Design and print camping tees for our tenth-anniversary trip — Choose format for EFM book and complete years 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011 (this feels like a MASSIVE goal) — Write down 2-3 weeks of “brainless” meal plans — Choose a way to serve at church on Sunday mornings — Make a final kitchen contractor decision and get a start date on the books (we’re so close!) — Clean out kitchen cabinets in advance of our kitchen project — Take our first bike ride as a family of five!
As a reminder, many of these are drawn from my 2022 goals!
Do we want to talk about disequilibrium and equilibrium, or does that just make us feel tired, ha?Which are you experiencing right now, if you’d like to share, or what’s a trade off you’re currently wrangling? (Here’s a perennial one of mine.)
