We’re rounding the corner on the year, and I’m grateful for another month of progress on the things that really matter to me! Though the goals on my monthly lists might look simple or pedestrian sometimes, they’re connected to a big picture vision for myself and my life. In that frame, even the simplest tasks can take on great meaning. Let’s chat about a few of those simple tasks I’m planning to squeeze in in this full month of travel…

On my calendar this month:
— My favorite consignment sale
— A trip to Connecticut for a dear friend’s wedding
— The fourth anniversary meeting of Articles Club (I’ll share our articles from the last year soon!)
— Our family fall trip to Asheville
— The NC State Fair (biscuits, silhouettes, and giant slide, here we come!)

What I’m loving right now:
— Are you working on kiddo Halloween costumes, too? My favorite source for homemade costume pieces is Primary! We used them for June’s Rainbow Brite and Shep’s caterpillar get-up! (They also have tons of fun ideas in their galleries!)
— It’s family photo season! We’re doing a mini session with Anagram later this month. Now is the perfect time to check your favorite photographer’s Instagram or blog to see if they’re offering up shorter, lower-priced sessions in time for Christmas cards.
— This block print tablecloth is my new favorite! We use a tablecloth most nights on our dinner table – they’re so easy to throw in the wash with a little spray and wash whenever they get something on them! (Which, let’s be real, is most nights.)

What I read in September:
— Still Me: The final book in the Me Before You trilogy. The worst of the three, in my opinion, but still enjoyable!
— Before We Were Yours: I’m on a novel kick, and even though this isn’t the most sophisticated writing, it’s still a page-turner! I’d classify it as an ideal beach read, in case you’re looking for one of those this fall :)

Revisiting my September goals:
Celebrate our seventh wedding anniversary (and read a book about marriage) (Celebrate, yes – book, no.)
Complete the MS 125! (Yes!! Even though it didn’t look like we expected. More to come soon!)
Finish culling and sorting iPhone photos from 2005-2012 (Yes!!)
Hang (and buy) living room curtains (As much as I love the idea of curtains in this room, I’ve come to the conclusion that there’s just not enough clearance on either side of these particular windows for them, so abandoning this for now.)
Film Sheptember, Volume 1
Edit June in June, Volume 4 (Still work to do here.)
Ride our bikes once a week (3/4 weeks! Planning to keep this up long-term!)
Bake apple cider scones for June’s teachers on the first day of fall

October goals:
— Find a new pot for our mantel and a throw blanket for our sofa
— Create our family Halloween costumes!
— Finish culling and sorting our 2018 and 2019 (thus far) iPhone photos
— Edit Sheptember, Volume 1, and finish editing June in June, Volume 4! Whew!
— Design our family Christmas newsletter and order Christmas cards

Keeping it pretty simple this month along with a number of weekly goals on my PowerSheets! This is such a classic question, but I’d really love to hear what you’re most looking forward to in the next month/fall in general. (With today being 90, I can’t WAIT for cooler weather in Connecticut and Asheville – and apple cider donuts at Clyde’s!!)

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If you’re reading this, it means we survived (and hopefully thrived!) in our first outnumbered camping trip!

After taking an unintended break with my July goals, I was on fire in August. Our biggest goal was to bike three times a week in prep for our MS 125 ride, and though it took sacrifice and buckets of patience on the part of our kids, we did it!! The ride is this weekend, and I’m honestly so excited. It’s the culmination of a huge 2019 goal for me, and a big stretch beyond my comfort zone. I am giddy thinking about riding across the finish line with John on Sunday!

More to look forward to this month…

They planned it :)

On my calendar this month:
— A work trip to the mountains
— The second Lilly for Target collection launches! September 14th – start your engines.
— June begins parks and rec ballet again

What I’m loving right now:
— I just ordered this dress and am thinking I might wear it for our fall family photos. Anticipating that the neckline might be a bit too low but hoping a seamstress can easily adjust it if necessary! Also ordered this and this.
— This canvas just arrived at our house – I think it will go in Shep’s room, as it’s what I sing to him each night. One of the best ways you can support Lindsay’s family right now is to pray, and purchase something from her shop (and of course, there are so many beautiful options).
— This cottage is on the island next to ours, and it’s what our family cottages might look like if they were fancy! :)

What I read in August:
— After You: I read Me Before You several years ago, and this was an enjoyable sequel. (It’s the book I took home from my swap!)

Revisiting my August goals:
Ride bikes 3 times a week in prep for the MS ride (Yes!! This was our biggest goal and it took careful planning and sacrifice, but we did it!)
Send out a fundraising email to family + friends (Done! Still a few more days to donate here, if you’d like! :))
Edit June in June, Volume 4 (Not yet… one of the things that got sacrificed! I have chosen a song, though!)
Choose a standing lamp for behind one chair (This one!)
Book Asheville accommodations and October flights
Bring June to Sunday School for the first time (She has been talking about how “God never leaves us” ever since! :))
Plan and carry off Shep’s first birthday party (Yes! It was so good! Way better than June’s third birthday, ha!)

September goals:
— Celebrate our seventh wedding anniversary (and read a book about marriage)
— Complete the MS 125!
— Finish culling and sorting iPhone photos from 2005-2012
— Hang (and buy) living room curtains
— Film Sheptember, Volume 1
— Edit June in June, Volume 4
— Ride our bikes once a week
— Bake apple cider scones for June’s teachers on the first day of fall (a tradition we started three years ago!)

In honor of our anniversary, I thought it might be fun to answer some marriage- or relationship-related questions with John in an upcoming post. (Lisa did this and I loved reading it!) So, if you have a question for either or both of us, leave them below! I’ll also plan to put a sticky in Instagram stories soon!

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Friends. Not only am I posting this update a day late, but… I did not check off ONE of my goals in July.

Here’s the thing: I know why (it’s pretty simple). I didn’t keep them in front of me, and so other things took priority. And, between recovering from our beach vacation, 10 days in Maine, three social events on back to back nights the week before we left for Maine, a major photo shoot the week we got home, and two family birthdays, I hardly had a chance to do the dishes, let alone make progress on “extras.”

There is grace for that. I’m calling July an unofficial summer break, and moving on to August (when I’m going to keep my PowerSheets open on my desk)…

On my calendar this month:
— My friend Maghon’s book launch party at the Carolina Inn!
— Camping with five kiddos under five!! Yes, it’s time for our annual camping trip with the Rays!
— Celebrating the wedding showers of two dear friends: one in Connecticut, and one here in NC

What I’m loving right now:
— I started the new Fruit of the Spirit Write the Word today and am planning to journal in it every day this month! This volume is especially close to my heart since I chose the scripture for it.
— Have you watched Always Be My Maybe on Netflix? I thought it was funny and so sweet – the kind of rom com they don’t really make anymore! John and I both enjoyed it.
— I usually prefer my own Spotify mixes to albums, but I have been playing People by Hillsong United over and over and over for the last few weeks. It’s the perfect backdrop for a morning or evening at home, and I also like it for longer trips in the car.

What I read in July:
— Mere Christianity: Like To Kill a Mockingbird, I like to read this classic every year or so. When God starts to feel complicated, C.S. Lewis reminds me He’s really very simple.
— Normal People: This novel has been getting rave reviews everywhere and so I eagerly took it to Maine with me, but it wasn’t my cup of tea.

August goals:
— Ride bikes 3 times a week in prep for the MS ride
— Send out a fundraising email to family + friends
— Edit June in June, Volume 4
— Choose a standing lamp for behind one chair
— Book Asheville accommodations and October flights
— Bring June to Sunday School for the first time!
— Plan and carry off Shep’s first birthday party!

Question for you: as a reader here, do you prefer more frequent, shorter posts, or fewer, longer ones – or do you not have a preference/like them both? (Shorter example, longer example.) I’m eager to pop in here more frequently but often get hung up on bringing mini novels to completion! Would love your thoughts, as always!

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So apparently in this season of life, a one-week vacation necessitates a two-week blogging hiatus. Our trip to Corolla with John’s family was so wonderful, though, and I can’t wait to share it with you soon – hopefully before we jet off to Maine in a few weeks with my family, and the cycle starts all over again, ha! Thanks for hanging in here while life happens, friends!

Speaking of life – last year this month we were preparing to meet our son, and this year we’ll celebrate his first birthday. I am the luckiest.

On my calendar this month:
— Celebrating the birthdays of my two favorite guys: John and John Shepherd!
— Celebrating the birthday of America with our town’s kiddo parade (decorated bikes and all!)
— That other great American holiday: Cow Appreciation Day!
— My book swap party!!

What I’m loving right now:
— We received The Circus Ship as a gift recently, and it was an instant favorite with the whole family! (More of my favorite picture books here!)
— As someone who prioritized paying off her student loans as quickly as possible, I was fascinated by this episode of the Freakonomics podcast. Highly, highly recommend a listen!
— Peaches! Time to trot out my annual exhortation that you make this recipe. We’ll be enjoying it on the Fourth.

What I read in June:
— Finished all 1000+ pages of Pillars of the Earth. It lived up to the hype – it’s just an unabashedly great story that moves along at a rollicking pace, with tons of twists and turns over several decades. Can’t wait to dig into the sequel, though I think I’ll give myself a little breather before I do!
— I’m about halfway through Sabbath as Resistance, recommended to me by one of our pastors. It’s a little anti-capitalism for my tastes and has me feeling like I’m back in college with its density, but I’ve already applied some of its wisdom to my yearlong experiment, so I’ll keep plowing through.

Revisiting my June goals:
Finally book our camping trip! (Done! We’re headed to Lake James!)
Cull and sort remaining iPhone photos – 2011, 2010, 2009
Download and sort Facebook photos (Done!)
Plan my book swap party (Done! So excited for this!)
Sign up for the MS Ride (Eeeeeek! I did it!! A few of you have asked for my fundraising page – it’s here, if you’d like to see! I’d be very honored by your donation.)
Create a standing desk upstairs
Define Sabbath for our family (Working definition complete! Excited to try things out this month!)

July goals:
— Edit June in June, Volume 4!
— Have a friend date with my new neighborhood friend Casey
— Wrap up ALL remaining photo organization
— Give feedback for our church website
— Choose a standing lamp for behind one chair
— Buy a new pot for our mantel pothos plant

Keeping things simple for this second month in a row of travel! I’d love to hear: How do you usually celebrate the Fourth?

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