Hello, friends, and welcome to the final month of 2019! I’m writing by the light of our Christmas tree with the last slice of Thanksgiving chocolate pecan pie on my lap, and am feeling grateful, content, and excited for the remainder of the year. The magic of Christmas is alive and well over here — not only in the twinkle lights and matching jams, but in June’s curious questions about the tiny baby at the center of the festivities. What a gift to get to watch her little heart grow! Praying for more and more of the same all this month.
On my calendar this month (a lot to look forward to!): — A Rotary pancake breakfast at our town’s fire house and then our twilight parade that evening — one of my favorite days in our small town! — Dinner out with John for our 2019 review and celebration. We’re going to Crawford & Son! — A week in California for Christmas
What I’m loving right now: — Picked up the prettiest blue floral sheets (the white/blue floral) for our bed and am excited to try them out — people rave about them!! And, they’re almost 50% off today! — Do you worry about spending enough “quality time” with your kids? This article reaffirmed my beliefs about what actually matters most to them. — My PowerSheets Prep Work! Technically something I’m about to be loving (ha) as I dig in this week, but I’m looking forward to it so much! The best reset and chance to dream.
What I read in November: — Nothing?! Or, at least, no books! The December issue of The Atlantic totally sucked me in and I read an article or two each night. Highly recommend this particular issue! It’s the one with “How to Stop a Civil War” on the cover.
Revisiting my November goals: Write one thank you note per day (a campaign we’re doing along with our church family!) Make decisions about all gifts for all the people (90% done!) Do lots of Christmas shopping, taking advantage of Black Friday sales (see gift guides here, here, and here to help finish yours!) Share gift guides! Order Christmas cards and family Christmas newsletter (the earliest I’ve ever placed the order! Sneak peek here.) Finish culling and sorting our 2018 and 2019 (thus far) iPhone photos (no progress here – prioritized video editing and prep for the holidays!) …and if I do, reward myself with ordering my first five-year album on Black Friday!! Organize our coat closet (done! Really wish I had taken a before photo – we went from an approximately three-foot-high pile of stuff on the floor to everything organized neatly in one of these and these pretty bins!) FINALLY FINISH June in June and Sheptember (June in June is finished and I’m so happy with it!! Shep’s is moving to this month :))
December goals: — Set our 2020 budget — Edit Sheptember — Finish culling and sorting 2018 and 2019 iPhone photos – I want to finish this 2019 goal strong! — File and safely store our will — Share posts on our camping trip and our MS bike ride before the year is over!
Keeping things simple so I can focus on my most important goal for December: loving people well in the name of the tiny baby who came to love all of us two thousand years ago, the one who taught us to love others!
In our house, the holidays start now – and that’s great with me, because it means we can take them slow! Mind you, that does NOT mean we are listening to Christmas music now (that’s strictly for post-Thanksgiving dinner).
What does start now? The gift planning, Christmas card ordering, activity organizing, reservation setting, babysitter reserving, meal planning – and more. Starting early doesn’t mean we do more or spend more or go crazy: it means I get the space to choose what matters most, and then prepare for it without going crazy. Honestly, I can’t wait :)
Here’s what else is on tap for the month ahead!
On my calendar this month:
— Voting!
— Thanksgiving dinner with dear friends, and the post-Thanksgiving weekend with family
— Black Friday/Cyber Monday shopping – I’m working on my list!
What I’m loving right now:
— On the topic of holidays: I’ve found true warm white Christmas light strands extremely hard to find in my local stores. We ordered several of these last year with great success!
— Also on the topic of holidays: I fell in love with this tree Victoria posted last year, but they sold out before I could get to them. They’re back in stock and I already snapped one up for June’s room – I think she is going to lose it with excitement :)
— File this under weirdest thing to be loving ever, but exfoliating with a washcloth?! I typically just use my hands, but have been gently rubbing a washcloth over my face right after I rinse off my cleanser every night, and my skin is feeling so much smoother!
What I read in October:
— Finish: An easy and enjoyable read as I round the bend on many of my goals for the year!
Revisiting my October goals:
Find a new pot for our mantel and a throw blanket for our sofa (picked the pot and have my fingers crossed for a Black Friday sale!) Create our family Halloween costumes (went with just the kiddos, but they turned out pretty cute :))
Finish culling and sorting our 2018 and 2019 (thus far) iPhone photos (nope)
Edit Sheptember, Volume 1, and finish editing June in June, Volume 4 (progress here but not done)
Design our family Christmas newsletter and order Christmas cards (just got our photos in – looking forward to doing this tonight!)
November goals:
— Write one thank you note per day (a campaign we’re doing along with our church family!)
— Make decisions about all gifts for all the people
— Do lots of Christmas shopping, taking advantage of Black Friday sales
— Share gift guides! Any requests? (In the meantime, start here!)
— Order Christmas cards and family Christmas newsletter
— Finish culling and sorting our 2018 and 2019 (thus far) iPhone photos
— …and if I do, reward myself with ordering my first five-year album on Black Friday!! The chance to save is good accountability :)
— Organize our coat closet
— FINALLY FINISH June in June and Sheptember – it’s happening, people!!
Let’s get contentious: does the Christmas music start now for you? Were you listening in July? Are you a purist who waits until after Thanksgiving, like me? I’d love to hear. Would love to hear your thoughts on what gift guides, if any, would be most helpful, too!
P.S. I love using PowerSheets to stay on track with my goals throughout the month. The new collection went on sale in October and it is soooo good! The one-year goal planners will likely sell out before the new year, so scoot over and get yours soon if you’d like one for 2020!
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!!)
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!
