This was a strange month, if you look at the update on my March goals below… I was only able to fully check off one of the nine goals I set, but I made much more progress than it seems! I moved the ball forward on each of them, again proving to myself that setting these little-by-little goals is worth it, even when I don’t get the glory of a big fat checkmark :)

On my calendar this month:
— Celebrating Holy Week and Easter with our church family (and filling Easter baskets)
— A cousin visit to the zoo (the perfect halfway point between Charlotte and us!)
— Rooftop yoga with Lisa
— Trying a Zumba class for the first time!!! (It’s entirely possible it will be me and a gaggle of 50-year-olds but I happen to love 50-year-olds so I’m totally fine with that.)

What I’m loving right now:
— Sometimes, I find reminders about children and the fleetingness of time more painful than helpful, but I enjoyed this low-key perspective.
— I have no idea what the situation with phones and kids will be when our kids are old enough for it to be an issue, but I completely disagree that a smart phone is necessary for a 15-, 13-, or 11-year-old. So does this gal, and I love it.
— We made this Shepherd’s Pie recipe by Alton Brown for St. Patrick’s Day. Put it on your menu for next year (or before that!).

What I read in April:
— Ogre Enchanted: Ella Enchanted was one of my very favorite books growing up, so I had to pick up this companion novel. It was enjoyable, though much more so in the second half once they introduced some characters from the original book!

Revisiting my March goals:
Cull and sort 2018, 2016, and 2015 iPhone photos (major progress – I finished 2015 and 2016!!)
Go on an inaugural family bike ride (postponing this until Shep is a bit older!)
Arrange for a vapor barrier to be installed (estimates have been made, now we just need to book a service)
Sell our old rug (listed for sale various places but no bites yet!)
Set a camping date for late summer/early fall (in progress)
Paint a few of our living room gallery wall frames (painted and then decided the color was too dark – and then bought a lighter shade)
Explore Squarespace for our new church site
Buy a preschool devotional
Rearrange and organize the loft (major progress!!)

April goals:
— Cull and sort 2018, 2014, and 2013 iPhone photos
— Go on an evening walk every day it’s possible
— Repaint gallery wall frames
— Print a photo for our mantel frame
— Add a few more plants to our back bed
— Plant our vegetable garden

As a reminder, many of the goals above are drawn from my 2019 goals!

Affiliate links are used in this post!

Here is one reason I like setting monthly goals: it makes me DO THINGS.

Case in point: as I sat down to write this post, I realized I hadn’t made any progress on outfitting our family for bike riding. Because that goal was sitting on my list, I paused, posted on our neighborhood Facebook group, and by the time I was finished writing this post, my next door neighbor had offered up the bike seat her kiddos have outgrown for free!

We can have the best intentions, but still let things – even things we care about! – linger for days/weeks/months without taking action. Identifying the little steps I’m going to take forward each month – and then holding myself accountable! – is the best way I know to move toward the life I want.

Let’s look at where March is headed!

Birthday daffodils waiting on my front porch!

On my calendar this month:
— Speaking at my church’s young adult gathering – I’m bringing these, which should be fun! :)
— The Raleigh St. Patrick’s Day parade
— June’s first foray into team sports (soccer – at a field we can walk to!)
— My favorite consignment sale
— Shep’s school pictures :)

What I’m loving right now:
— I ended up returning the heart tee I mentioned in last month’s post (the fit was a little weird!), but I have been wearing and loving this fun striped number from Boden!
— These sesame beef tacos are DELICIOUS and easy.
— As lifelong Jeopardy! fans, we have been eating up the first-of-its-kind All Star Games. The tournament wraps up with the finals today and tomorrow!

What I read in March:
— Sing, Unburied, Sing: This novel was both lyrical and harsh, even hard to read at times. I’m glad I read it, though – it “broadened my horizons,” as my Dad likes to say.
— Meet the Frugalwoods: I checked this one out of the library on a reader’s recommendation (thanks, Elizabeth!). While I don’t think it will win any writing awards, I was grateful for the encouragement to double down on frugality in certain areas. Lifestyle creep can be as relentless as kudzu, and since most of the messages we get each day are the exact opposite of helpful (more! more! more!), it’s important to intentionally feed ourselves reminders that the good life is not waiting on the other side of a purchase.

Revisiting my February goals:
Cull and sort 2018 and 2016 iPhone photos (This goal is majorly besting me!)
Buy a trainer for our bikes OR choose a bike trailer or kiddo seat (Done! Thank you, neighbor!)
Read a book about Sabbath
Stand for the first hour of every work day (Not every day, but most days!)
Make a final decision on our living room rug
Share my magic list (Done!)

March goals:
— Cull and sort 2018, 2016, and 2015 iPhone photos (!!!)
— Go on an inaugural family bike ride
— Arrange for a vapor barrier to be installed
— Sell our old rug
— Set a camping date for late summer/early fall
— Paint a few of our living room gallery wall frames
— Explore Squarespace for our new church site
— Buy a preschool devotional (any recommendations?)
— Rearrange and organize the loft (stop laughing)

As a reminder, many of the goals above are drawn from my 2019 goals!

I would love to hear what you’re working on these days… decluttering? Meal planning? Exercising? Reading good stuff? Anyone in the photo organization trenches with me? :)

Affiliate links are used in this post!

We have been making some serious progress on our living room lately (chairs delivered! mirror hung! furniture rearranged! new pillows!). After months of this project feeling like molasses, it’s thrilling these days to be so happy with how things are looking and feeling… and that momentum is spilling over into the rest of my goals! Let’s take a look…

On my calendar this month:
— A craft night with neighborhood friends (I think we’re going to make garlands with felt wool balls and pom poms)
— Another work week without John while he heads to Chicago (brrrrr!) for job training – his second of three trips!
— Making valentines with June (here’s last year’s!)
— My birthday! Thinking I’ll make this cake again.

What I’m loving right now:
— “I am not busy.” (Sound familiar?)
— This heart shirt is headed towards me on Sarah’s recommendation.
— I talk about these frames all the time (pretty sure they’re on every gift guide I write), but I finally have one of my own and they are BEAUTIFUL in person – and on super sale right now!

What I read in January:
— The Read Aloud Family: As if I needed more encouragement to read with my kiddos – but it’s always nice to feel validated in your parenting priorities! :) I’m excited to explore some of her book recommendations, too!
— All the Money in the World: If you’ve never spent much time thinking about how money can make you happier, this easy read is for you. I liked how she covered ways to happify spending, saving, and giving, and appreciated her willingness to challenge conventional wisdom.

I am craving a good fiction read this month – thinking this one or this one! Have you read either?

Revisiting my January goals:
Make a master list of months (of photos) still to be culled and sorted, then make a schedule to complete them in a year (Done! That was the easy part :))
Shake the dust off our road bikes and bring them to the shop for a tune-up
Read what the Bible has to say about Sabbath (I just dumped everything I found in a Google Doc for now.)
Host the first meeting of our church’s creative team
Set reminders on my phone for walking and standing during my work days
Set up a weekly meal exchange with my friend Katie (We are four weeks strong!! This has been so good!)
Hang our new mirror in the living room
Finalize my magic list (Almost!)
Write our sweet girl a note on her third birthday
Order our 2018 photos from Social Print Studio

February goals:
— Cull and sort 2018 and 2016 iPhone photos (eeps)
— Buy a trainer for our bikes OR choose a bike trailer or kiddo seat
— Read a book about Sabbath (Any recommendations? I’m considering Sacred Rest.)
— Stand for the first hour of every work day
— Make a final decision on our living room rug
— Share my magic list

As a reminder, many of the goals above are drawn from my 2019 goals!

Let’s talk books! What have you read and loved lately? What’s waiting in the wings on your nightstand or library hold list?

Affiliate links are used in this post!

I am feeling so grateful for the fresh start of a new year! January is always one of my favorites on the blog — one of the things I most love to do here is share tips for living as calm, confident, and capable women, and it feels like we’re all especially ready to sharpen ourselves this month! I hope to share a number of posts that will be helpful as you kick off your 2019, but for now, here are my January goals…

On my calendar this month:
— June’s third birthday party! Pink and purple sprinkles themed, per the birthday girl.
— Five days and four nights without John while he heads to Texas for job training – eeps!
— Our 14th dativersary!
— The premier of the new season of The Bachelor :)

What I’m loving right now:
— My in-laws got me this beautiful salad bowl for Christmas (we didn’t have one on our wedding registry!) and I can already tell it’s going to be a beloved piece in our home!
— These baked chicken meatballs are so yummy — I need to make a larger batch to keep in the freezer.
— I’m not sure if this counts as something I’ve loving because I haven’t actually used it, buuuuut John got an Instant Pot for Christmas. Hit me with your favorite recipes — all I know is I can cook frozen chicken breasts in half an hour!!

What I read in December:
— Errrr, nothing. Feeling very motivated to get back into a good reading rhythm this month!

January goals:
— Make a master list of months (of photos) still to be culled and sorted, then make a schedule to complete them in a year
— Shake the dust off our road bikes and bring them to the shop for a tune-up
— Read what the Bible has to say about Sabbath
— Host the first meeting of our church’s creative team
— Set reminders on my phone for walking and standing during my work days
— Set up a weekly meal exchange with my friend Katie, inspired by Victoria!
— Hang our new mirror in the living room
— Finalize my magic list :)
— Write our sweet girl a note on her third birthday (continuing a tradition)
— Order our 2018 photos from Social Print Studio

As a reminder, many of the goals above are drawn from my 2019 goals!

Hit me with your Instant Pot recipes if you’ve got em — otherwise, I’d love to hear something you’re looking forward to this month!

Affiliate links are used in this post!