September was a great month for goals! I was pretty ambitious, setting myself eight, but I still managed to check off six. Apparently I just don’t care enough about the tray – something lingering on my goal list for several months in a row is usually an indicator of that – but the more significant one was not running the 5k. Not running in the race was less about being pregnant and more about just not being quite on track with our training. We realized that our usual runs are around 2.8 miles, and though I might have been able to stretch my distance for the 5k (or walked some of it), we decided not to add extra pressure right now. So, running in a Chick-fil-a 5k remains on my 60 Before 30 list, and I WILL check it off before 2017! By the way, I’m at 27 goals completed — almost halfway there! This is from about two weeks ago, at 22 weeks — 25 weeks on Friday! Revisiting my goals for September: Post an updated house tour (checking this off since part one was posted and part two is ready to go!) Start a registry for baby girl Make nursery plans so that we are ready to paint when my parents come in October Celebrate our third anniversary! Volunteer and shop at my church’s awesome kids consignment sale Finish organizing our upstairs closets Visit my younger sister in Nashville! Figure out how we are going to eat twenty meals in 2.5 days! Paint my tray Run my first ever 5k October goals: — Paint baby girl’s room — Switch out baby girl’s light fixture — Assemble crib — Order crib bedding — Make first draft of labor and delivery preferences — Organize linen/party closet — Successfully lead discussion

Hooray for crisp air, babbling brooks, pink sneakers, everyday adventures, and the month of October! September goal recap: Sort pile in small bedroom Weekly tennis dates with John in addition to our monthly couples tennis dates Edit and sort photos from Natalie + Joe’s wedding weekend, Maine, and family Christmas card shoot Open an account at my local consignment shop and bring in items to sell Write at least 8 blog posts this month Yeah!! Feeling pretty good about my progress last month! The only thing I did not check off was selling my clothes at a consignment shop. I actually tried – I rounded them up and took them in – but they said they weren’t currently accepting items and to call back in three weeks. Harrumph. I only have about five items to sell, and I’m wondering if I should continue to pursue the consignment route… or perhaps I should try to sell them on instagram? Or post them on the lightly-used EFM Facebook page? Happy to hear any thoughts or advice from friends who have successfully sold clothes recently. On to October goals! — Finally paint our front door now that the weather is cooler! — Make sure my voter registration is correct after our move last year — Dust/spot clean the inside of my car Aaaand… that’s it! Well, not exactly – I’m also planning to check off many of my fall to dos this month, including but not limited to picking apples, hosting a pumpkin carving night, handing out candy to trick or treaters, cheering under the Friday night lights, making pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, and frequenting the NC State Fair. On top of that, I’m traveling to New York/New England twice, and welcoming house guests one of the other remaining weekends. It’s going to

September was SO good! As many of you know, it’s my very favorite month of the year, and here in NC we had picture perfect weather — warm, with the perfect note of crispness in the air. Our windows were open almost every day, and all that fresh air definitely confirmed for me the start of a new season. We capped off a wonderful month with a visit from my parents this past weekend! My bluegrass-loving father was collecting on a birthday present: tickets to a massive festival in Raleigh! A highlight was seeing George Banks play banjo. But on to goals! I did well on my list for September — we hung our curtains (made such a difference!), painted a chalkboard wall (love it already!), planned Kate’s shower (so excited for this weekend!), and celebrated our anniversary (love that man). I STILL have not checked off refinishing our table, which to tell you the truth kind of makes me annoyed at myself. I think this goal intimidates me because I’m not sure how I’m going to get our (very heavy, solid mahogany) table outside, and I’m not sure what I need to do to it once I get it outside. But, it badly needs to get done. So, it’s going on my list of goals… for the third month in a row. — Refinish dining room table — Volunteer at our church’s ham biscuit booth at the State Fair — Deck out our mantel and front steps with fall goodness — Photograph and post about how + why I use my planner — Finalize and print our household maintenance tracker With three trips, two sets of weekend visitors, and a fall to do list, I think that’s quite enough for October. In other goal-related news, after almost three years,