April 2019 Goals + March Update

Happy Friday!

Rather than our regular Friday Favorites post this week, I thought I’d do a quick re-cap of our week and use today’s post to update our goals for this month and recap March’s goals – for a couple of reasons.  1 – because this week has not been bad, but we have had some really challenging days over here; and 2 – I want to update our goals in this first week of the month and that means today.

So then.

What We’ve Been Up to This Week

We have had quite the week over here this week!  Little told me yesterday morning that we have had an “adventurous week” (we call outings “adventures” around here) and he’s not wrong.

We’ve had things to do most days this week and they’ve been fun – but Little is dropping his nap and there have been a couple of days this week that have made me totally crazy.  Like counting down for Hubs to come home in the afternoon.

Moms whose kids have stopped napping and have successfully transitioned to a quiet time in the afternoons – tell me your ways.  We’re trying a few things and the past couple of days have been WAY better (mostly with my perspective and attitude), but really.

Actually, I think we can use the time to our advantage for some special one-on-one time, but I’d love to find some balance where I also have a chance to refocus and be in some quiet space/get some work done myself for part of that time.

And that has been our week.  Friday favorites in a nutshell, my friends.

We have a play date this morning and we’re visiting some friends this afternoon and tomorrow, so we have a really fun weekend planned.  Hoping to spend Sunday resting and recharging for next week.

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March Goals Recap

Honestly, March FLEW by and I wasn’t really sure if I was going to have any goal “accomplishments” to report today.  But here we are anyway.

• Get back into a gym routine – NO.
  • I actually only went to the gym like twice or maybe three times.  I don’t even know why – we’ve been busy.   But really, just didn’t give it the priority I wanted to, so it didn’t happen.
• Stay consistent with BSF Bible Study – MOSTLY YES.
  • It wasn’t perfect, but I will say that having the structured study has been really helpful and I am so thankful for it.  That said, I definitely want to find a time of day that I routinely get in the word.  It is so sporadic now (and maybe that’s just this season), but I’d love it to be more focused some days.
• Finish reading 2 Books – NO.
  • But I did finish one.  I finished Jen Wilkin’s Women of the Word and it was SO good.  It was a library book, but now I want to get my own copy so I can take notes.
• Date night out with Hubs – YES-ish. 
  • We didn’t get a date night out, but we did get out of the house one afternoon for a dessert only date at Cheesecake Factory – and we’re working through a Date Night in Box, so we’ll count it.

• Schedule 2 play dates with friends – YES. 
  • We scheduled them…for this week.  We saw friends Tuesday this week and we’re playing with friends this morning and tomorrow, so this is a yes.
• Organize the boys’ keepsakes and crafts – YES. 
  • I did this.  I still have a few papers to organize, but they’re separate, so I consider this a yes.
• Put loose photos into an album – NO. 
  • But not because I didn’t try.  I ordered a photo album from Amazon, but it was too tall for our bookshelf, so we returned it and I haven’t had a chance to get another one.
• Clear off my dresser – NO. 
  • It’s better, but I still have a few things to find homes for.  Will definitely be done this month.
  • I DID recycle my old college notes last month though, which cleared up quite a bit of space on our shelves around here.  If you saw my poll on Insta-stories – it was the final push I needed to finally tell them “thank you” and put them in the recycle bin.  So there’s that.

• Plan Content for March & April – MOSTLY YES. 
  • We got through March and I have ideas for most of April, so mostly yes.
• Post on Instagram at least once/week – YES. 
  • Shockingly.  I feel like I’ve been kind of absent on Insta lately, but turns out, I did post at least once/week, so I’m calling it a win.
• Update at least one older post for better SEO – YES. 
  • I updated an older post about why I became a stay-at-home mom, which you can read here!

Not terrible considering that I wasn’t sure if I would have anything to check off.  But lots of loose ends still to be tied up.

Here’s what we’re working on this month.

April Goals

1. Get back into a gym routine

Or any good exercise routine.  It is so important for my physical and mental health to stay active and letting it slide is an indication of out-of-balance-ness and not the best self-care for me, to be totally honest.

We’re not talking incredible workouts over here.  Just regular, consistent, strengthening and maintenance.

2. Build in regular times of prayer and Bible Study into my day

This is piggy-backing off of last month’s Bible study goal.  Bible Study fellowship is going on summer break at the end of this month, so I want to use this month to create a consistent routine that will help keep me on track through the summer when we don’t have such structured studies.

3. Finish a book and read another

I want to finish Walking with God in the Season of Motherhood (I’m so close to finishing this devotional) and another book, which is to be determined – but maybe Easy to Love, Difficult to Discipline because three is not always the easiest age in the world and there are lots of days I feel like I’m just winging it.

4. Go on a “field trip” with the boys & my sister

One of my sisters is a year-round school teacher and she’s on track out this month – we always try to do something fun while she’s out of school during the year (and I always try to let her and Little have at least one afternoon to play together at her house).

It’s nice to have an extra set of hands during the week and we always try to take advantage by going on fun adventures with her.

5. Date night out with Hubs

Hoping to make it happen this month.

6. Clear off the dresser + Get photos into an album

Just carried over from last month.

7. Try a new morning schedule for our days at home

I’m hoping to create some more intentional structure for our days at home this month.  We are out of the house many mornings, but on the mornings we’re home, we need a better routine.

I volunteered in one of the kids’ classes for Bible Study Fellowship this week and snapped a photo of the class schedule.  Little said his class is similar to this, so I’m hoping to adapt it for home.  It’s set up from 9:30 until about 11:30, which gets us from after breakfast until lunch so it’s really the perfect amount of time for us on days we stay home.

Our afternoons are mostly free play and outside play, so a more structured morning would be really helpful for me in setting the tone for our day.

8.  Clean out, organize and prepare boys’ dressers for warm weather

I need to move winter clothes out, pass too small clothes down, and figure out what holes are in the boys’ wardrobes for spring/summer.

9.  Update at least one older post on the blog

Create a new pin, update for SEO, etc.

10.  Write some of the more personal posts that I’ve been wanting to write

I’ve got lots of ideas that I want to share over here and need to sit down and write.  Posts about marriage, motherhood, our experience with food allergies, etc.  These things take way longer that kids’ activities to write about, but they are a part of my motherhood journey and I want to share them in this space.

11.  Meet my baby nephew!!

And finally, my baby sister is having her baby next week and we are SO excited!  She’s in a different city than us, so hoping to get down ASAP to visit when he’s born.  Cannot wait to be an Aunt.

So here’s to a new month, friends!  I’d love to know what you’re working on this month!  Let me know and let’s cheer one another on!