1 Mar 2017

Hello March Goals

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March is here.  March has some hard memories in it for me, but also some wonderful celebrations.  Here are some of my goals for the month that holds time change and season change.

Creative Goals: I have many book reviews coming up and I’ll be blogging some creative events and photo sessions too. I’ve got an infant photo shoot, and possibly some more creatives shoots to show you soon.  I’m working on a big wedding invitation order right now and I’ll get to set up my “office” (our hutch in our dining room) now that we’ve moved into an apartment.  And I’ll get to create (make order from chaos) from all of our boxes, setting up neat little areas in our home.

Health Goals: Not gain weight.  I’ve done very good at that since last January – and I need to see a downward spiral happen!  For that, I will be drinking more water, eating more whole foods (we moved, so I’m still getting my kitchen organized), and drinking fewer diet drinks.  I’m thankful for getting to try Blue Apron meals next week – that will make cooking dinner easier and give me and the mister special meals at night once the boys are in bed.

Reading: I’m currently diving into three things: Words Worth Noting Lent Study, You Are Free by Rebekah Lyons, and Adorned by Nancy Demoss Wolgemuth.

Family: We just moved, so my in-laws are coming soon which is always so good because they are such servants and they get to play with their grandsons.  And that means the mister and I will get free babysitting for a date night, and I want to take time to read to my older son at bedtime when my mister is home at night because I’ve been having to spend more time with my younger and by the time I’m done the older is asleep. And keep going with our taco nights.  I love those.  Even if Sundays are hard, we usually regroup and enjoy couch and taco time.

Spiritual: Journal more.  That is something that is super helpful. Not only for me but also for my sons.  And I’m working through the Lent study.  Wanting, and needing, more time in the Word.  For my heart.  For my marriage.  For my boys.

What are your goals for March?

And yall – how do you say no to good things so you can say yes to best things?  You need things that fill you up and allow you to give.  How do you do both?  This lovely shiny print is one that I won from The Brumby Nest.  You know me and my love of stationery, so head over and check them out.  I won it through a Flourish&Co giveaway on instagram.  Yall should check her out too – full of grace and encouragement!

1 Nov 2016

November Goals

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November Goals

I don’t know where October went – but here we are in November.  Only 2 months left in 2016.  The year seems to fly by, and once again we are about to pick out our new calendars.  I personally like this one and this one.

Thought if I wrote down some goals at the beginning of the month, I could follow through with them better – you know like writing down a to-do list:

  1.  Cook more at home.  I want to cook 4-5 meals at home each week.  I do love to eat out, but it is more expensive.  Honestly some of it is laziness because parenting is hard.  But, I do love to cook too and it is bringing out the creativity in my boys to help me in the kitchen. (See this book for more information on this concept)
  2. Book reviews.  I’ve got a giveaway coming for all you moms of littles out there, and some books that are really teaching my heart right now, like this one and this one.
  3. Gearing up for Christmas rush with handlettering projects.  Go take a look at my instagram page and if I can do a custom order for you, let me know.
  4. Finish up the Longmire series (at least for now).  We are also starting back with West Wing.  We took a hiatus because we were so tired and didn’t want a long, involved, good, but depth show each night.  Instead, we’ve been watching Leverage together.  And anticipating the Gilmore Girls show late November.
  5. See my desk and dining room table again.  I don’t know how this will work (see #3), but I know it will bless my husband and I like doing that.  He loves clean surfaces and these two surfaces are in our main living area so we see them all the time.  I wish my desk area could look like this – or even this.
  6. Going to the Pursuit ATL Friendsgiving.  It is a fun time sitting with other creatives and talking about everything!  Also, going to Passion’s Grove – if I can find parking this time!  This is always a great night of worship.  If you are in need of some guidance, listen to this sermon.

How are you gearing up for November and what goals do you have?

 

3 Jan 2014

Fit and Healthy 2014 Goals

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5k with sarah

I think this might be the number 1 resolution of most of the world.  Somehow, in someway – choose to do something that impacts your health.  Where most of the world fails is in determination and accountability and in attainability.

Going on a reality show and working out 9 hours a day for 3 months is not reality.  Starving yourself is not reality.  Giving up a certain product for the rest of your life (for most people, not those with health reasons) is not reality.  So how will you choose to better your physical health this year?

Here are my goals for 2014:

1.  By 2015: I want to be 40 lbs lighter.  That is a number agreed upon by my husband and me – and no one else.  He is the one I want to please with how I look, so that is why I wanted his feedback.  He is also a great accountability partner and likes to walk and eat healthy too!  Thanks Love.

2.  Now to break that down into attainable goals.  The first one: lose 17 lbs by the first weekend in April which is my first 10k race in a few years!  I’m very excited.  That is a little over a pound a week which is SO doable and set at a great pace!  That will also get me back to pre-pregnancy weight!!!!!

3.  I want do to more 30 day challenges.  Right now, I’m doing the LBD challenge with some friends on FB.  It is fun and challenging and quick and changes up my routine from what I always do!

4.  I am about to sign up for my first 10k in April and then have plans and hopes to do one in October – a half!  I love half marathons.  A challenge and not too much (like a marathon).

5.  I want to hike Pinnacle Mountain here in Little Rock to get me ready to do Blood Mountain at Vogel in September.  Mister will be glad to do both with me.

6.  Mister and I have talked and made plans.  We plan to walk during his lunch break with the boys 2 days a week, walk or be active on Fri and Sat which are his days off, and then allow me to go early on 2 days a week to run or be active by myself!  He is so my biggest fan!

Love accountability and determination!  And my smaller sized jeans and tops and dresses!  What motivation!

What are your challenges this year?

(The above picture was taken at the Anthem 5k in Louisville in 2010 – 4 years ago.  My friend Sarah was a huge help in my running beginnings.  It was cold but we finished and finished well.)

2 Jan 2014

2014 Goals in Cooking

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2014 New Years Cooking Goals

This is the beginning of my series of posts about my 2014 goals and what I intend to do.  These are in no particular order, but will be coming in the next few days.

Cooking is something I have to do.  We can’t afford to eat out all the time, either from a monetary standpoint or from a healthy standpoint.  So, might as well cook, right?  And what better way to explore creativity and serving my family together.

1.  Cook more creatively.  That means making up my own recipes and jotting them down in my new Tasty Smash Journal given to me as a Christmas present from a creative friend.

2.  Cook through all the recipes on Jenna’s site.  This is by far my favorite cooking blog – so this will give me something to strive for: sort of like Julie and Julia

3.  Take more photos.  I’ll be talking about this in the photography goal post, but know that you will see a lot more food photos coming! 🙂

1 Nov 2013

Fashionably Fit Fridays

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hey folks.

It’s Friday again!  I hope y’all have had a great week – living healthy!

Here are some aspects of my week:

1.  I love my new shampoo!  It is great and makes my hair look shiny and strong.  It is cheap for a big bottle and the best shampoo for my normal long hair!

2.  I haven’t gone on a walk all week.  We’ve had company, my baby has been fussy, I’ve been tired. Need to get better at not making excuses.  And I’ll be ready to exercise in other ways in about 3 weeks when I get clearance from the doctor.  How fun.  I especially can’t wait to get some Yoga Downloads in and some kettlebell workouts for weight training and in December starting Jillian’s 30 Day Shred again!

3. I’ve gotten a bit of my appetite back and have enjoyed cooking again, though I am so thankful for people bringing us food since Baby Bach was born.  This week we received a roasted chicken.  My favorite roasted chicken recipe is from Sara Foster.  You can do so many healthy meals with a simple roasted chicken recipe.  Definitely should be on your weekly menu!

4.  Some folks ask about my favorite fashion or style websites.  One of my new fave sites is by Molly Buckley – a new mom herself.  I love her attitude toward clothes and fashion and also how she makes outfits her own.

Me and the mister

5.  Since I’ve not exercised as much this week and my appetite has come back somewhat, my weight loss was a little less this week: about 2lbs.  Which is what it should be – that is a healthy weight loss.  And it is right on track with my goal for my 37th birthday!

6.  The above photo – I love scarves!  My husband picked this one out for last year’s Christmas cantata at our church.  Glad I get more than one wear out of it!

8 Nov 2010

Much and Link Love (November 8 edition)

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Daylight savings time and colder weather. But pretty red trees on my way to work. Almost makes up for it.

1. I love fall. Everything about it.
2. I love really long meals with friends (at a restaurant) where you are just talking, sipping, and you have a great waiter.
3. 13 miles hiking through downtown Richmond on Saturday have made my feet really tired.
4. But, that doesn’t negate the really cute boots I got yesterday at Kohls. I love Kohls.
5. I’m doing pretty well on my goals I’ve set.
6. This week is Bstudy, baking, CMA awards, bday dinner for a friend, trip to Asheville and Ridgecrest, youth discipleship weekend with Troy Temple, and a conference with Tedd Tripp (even though I’m not a parent).
7. Vacation is coming soon. 4 WHOLE DAYS. Can’t wait. That means I’ve got some things to accomplish before I go.
8. Here is what is on my coffee table right now: InStyle, Durham Foodie, Dorie Greenspan’s Baking Cookbook, a recipe I must share tonight with pictures.

Link Love:
1. Thank you Katie McCoy for this post on single girls waiting for Mr. Right.
2. And while we are on relationships, Ken offers this bit of advice for single guys in Toy Story 3.
3. I have always wanted a map of the world…how cool is this one?
4. Mom and I are going to try this over Thanksgiving, Thanks CasaBrasi!
5. Love how Carolyn McCulley presses on with hospitality and shares with the rest of us!
6. Another thing I’m getting over Thanksgiving…my Christmas tree!
7. I’m going to a holiday open house here, can’t wait!

12 Feb 2010

I can either be…

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Fat again or Fit 4 Life.
I do great during the week and I’ve done well – doing yoga, exercising, etc. Friday wasn’t good. Most Fridays aren’t – but that doesn’t mean it can slip into the rest of the wknd.
I have to make choice:
1. Be obedient and be fit and healthy with my body working the way God has designed for my body to work.
2. Enjoy oreos, too many baked lays, sugar cookies, hot chocolate just to mindlessly eat, give up on running to quick because of little things that aren’t going perfectly.
I want to:
1. Feel great
2. Be great
3. Look great – love those size 6 jeans!
4. Don’t want sagging skin
5. Invest in others
6. Be there for ministry later in life – and be healthy to do a great job at it.

God has given us a body that was created to be productive and glorify him.
Drinking unsweet tea right now – and doing pilates when I get off work at 930 tonight.
Tomorrow: work, vegetarian tea lunch, run out at a park (in the cold, am I crazy, push through), cooking legumes (I always feel fancy when I say that word in my head), babysitting for a dear family.
Sunday will run in the morning or do yoga before church (it might be snowing outside, so I may stick with the yoga).
Monday is a pilates class! 🙂

2 Feb 2010

February Goals

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I like making mini-goals! It helps in losing weight, in cleaning your home, or cooking a large meals. You have to break things down – instead of looking at the long term.
So, what am I going to do in February that will make more more healthy:
1. If it is up to me, eat salads for dinner. This gets me a lot of green in and doesn’t weigh me down at night. Now, there are times when I’ll have dinner with others – but then I can just eat sensibly – or if going out, I can have a salad. I know of one exception – Sonny’s with Sloan.
2. Start back training for a 5k. That means running more intentionally. Started week 5 of Couch to 5k again today. Got most of it done – but a sweet friend I hadn’t seen in a while was there so I stopped and talked to her then ran out of time. My first 5k of 2010 is the first wknd of March. Bring on the Anthem!
3. Continue with yoga or Bob’s boot camp. The first 3 weeks of the month will be dedicated to our friend Bob Harper. He makes me work. My quads and hams and inner/outer thighs actually hurt right now between the 2 DVDs and running.
4. Feb 24 – bring on round 2 of Jillian’s 30 Day Shred. That will have me 30 days out of last day of my current job – so I want to look stellar. I really feel like I toned up and looked sleeker the last time I did it (before the holidays set in), so I want to do it again.

New things:
1. Taking a semi-private yoga lesson with a friend this weekend. I am very excited about that!
2. Hiking both Berea pinnacles later this month with Sloan. I’ve done it once before, but I’m doing it with Sloan this time.
3. Antibiotics. Taking augmenten right now for a sinus infection from last week. It is helping, but is sometimes not sitting well with my stomach and is making me thirsty – so I’m drinking tons of fluids!

How are you sticking with your NYRs? How are you keeping motivated in the cold month of February? What are your mini-goals? What new things are you trying this month?

1 Jan 2010

2010 Goals

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People have asked me how I can keep up with 3 blogs. I would love to make one website with all of them like hers, but blogger is free and i will do this for the time being. Maybe I can work on investigating hosting my own website this year?
This has been a great year. I’ve done a lot of things. I ran my first 5k in March of 2009. I also ran more 5k, a 10k, a half marathon. I biked, swam, ran, walked, did a lot of yoga, jillian’s 30 day shred, bob’s yoga for weight loss, and many other things. I am pleased with how 2009 ended – being my lowest weight and losing the most weight that I remember. But, that doesn’t mean i can stop…I must keep going. Here are my 2010 goals for the health issues in my life:
1. Run 2 5ks. I will run one of them in Louisville in March. I want to beat my 35.49 time of my last 5k this past Thanksgiving. I will choose one more to run. Why aren’t I running more? That comes into money – see my goal on my Thoughts blog for more on that.
2. I want to run 2 Half Marathons. I really liked the half I ran last year in Louisville and it was quite challenging. I am thinking about these three (choosing 2 of them): Downhill at Dawn in June at Ridgecrest, VA Beach Half in September, and the Raleigh City of Oaks Half in November. Any training partner out there? Anyone wanna run one or both of them with me?
3. Keep researching. I love reading about health and nutrition. I want to post one thing a week about something I’ve read – whether in a magazine or a book or on a blog. This will keep me learning.
4. I want to lose another 5-10%. Most people don’t think I need to lose more, but I see myself naked (TMI) and I know I need to lose some more. And then maintain that forever!
5. Yoga/Pilates. This will help with stretching and being more flexible. Some folks have a problem with me doing yoga as a Believer. But, i see no problem with it. God made our bodies. When I am doing programs that call for “listening to your bodies” I quote Scripture or pray. I did a 20 minute session this morning and definitely felt stronger and better after it. I want to start my days doing this – to help wake up! My goal is to do 5 sessions a week. Any cool downloads out there that are free – I did yoga download dot com this morning and that was pretty good.
6. Toning. I love being stronger – and my jeans and skirts fit better. I want to keep doing this. Whether it is doing Jillian more, or bootcamp, or hitting the gym some at the beginning of the year, and I know running and yoga/pilates will help with that. I want stronger arms, core, and legs.

So, in three things: running, yoga/pilates, toning. Plain and simple. At least I can’t gain, right! 🙂