June 2015 Goals – Acceptance vs. Enjoyment

I knew May was going to be a busy month, and so it was!  To be honest, I don’t like being busy.  I thought I did, but it just leaves me feeling overwhelmed.  I’m pretty good at saying “no” to things and not overcommitting, but sometimes life is just busy.  It doesn’t help to be an all-or-nothing kind of person…makes you want to do everything 110%! 

I’m slowly learning to just accept this stage of my life and not wish it away.  As a matter of fact, I don’t want to “just accept it.” but ENJOY it!  God has blessed me with a large family, a husband, and two boys.  Women/Moms are often the foundation of how families operate and I want to be a positive one. 

I LOVE making new goals each month.  It’s like a fresh start.  Let’s look back on my May goals and To-Do list.  I focused on 4 areas: Spiritual, Family, Personal, and Business/Blog.

SPIRITUAL:
I made a goal to have consistent quiet time in the morning and pray daily for my children.  I’m embarrassed to say that I feel like this one is put last when things get busy.  Ironically, this should be the foundation of all other goals in my life.  Maybe that’s why I’ve felt so overwhelmed.  I love that when I go through any rough patch, God tugs at my heart and pulls me in.

FAMILY (marriage, kids, friends, family):
1. Teach Beckham how to write his name – I totally forgot to do this one.  Guess this will be on my June goals.
2. Fully potty train Beckham – Oh for the LOVE!  This happened this month and should wipe out any goals I did not reach this month.  I plan on sharing the sticker chart I used and our LONG LONG journey!
3. Plan Maddox’s 1st birthday – I’m sending out invites today and have planned quite a bit.  I actually decided to buy a printable party package to save some time.  This was hard, considering designing is what I do, but it was worth it.  There is still things to design like this Birthday board, so that will be fun.
4. Have family over for Mother’s Day/Ryan’s birthday – We had a successful Mother’s Day at our house this year.  It was fun and I was glad to host, but I think it’s official that Mother’s Day should be hosted at a restaurant (or catered). 
5. Plan a fun birthday date for my man – We had lots of fun going out for his birthday.  I always enjoy getting away with him.

PERSONAL (health, growth, me):
My goal was to get 7-8 hours of sleep a night.  Y’all, I just don’t know what to do about this.  There is just too much to do.  The only time I really can get things done is when the kids go to bed and that leaves me staying up till 1 or 2 in the morning.  Therefore, I’m still figuring out how to catch a few more hours and get the proper sleep I need.  I also made a goal to go the gym 2X a week and I definitely did that.  It has been awesome!  And I read a book this month too.  I read Fringe Hours by Jessica Turner.  I loved the book as a whole, but there was a lot of recommendations for finding more time by paying for it.  For example, hire a cleaning service, pay someone to cook, etc.  Not all of the suggestions were that, but for my life those were the only ways to find more time and we just can’t spend that kind of money.  I do recommend the book though.  It talks a lot about finding time for yourself.  I agree for the most part with that.  I do think it’s easier in some stages of life than others. 

BUSINESS/BLOG:
I wanted to increase my sales by 30% this month.  I didn’t quite reach that, but I did increase it by 16%.  I only added one new sign, so that’s pretty good for not adding but one sign.  I also wanted to continue and create good content while monetizing when I can.  This is the goal that has had to take a back seat while I focus on different things.  My first job is a mom, so my mom duties come first (as well managing the home).  My design business comes next, but is very important because it makes money.  Money we need right now.  I have no doubt my blog could make money, but it takes work and time.  Lots of time.  Time I just don’t have right now.  It makes me sad because I LOVE blogging and will continue to do it, but it has to remain primarily a hobby for me.  When your time is tight, your hobbies have to come last.

I also had a lot of to-do’s.  I’ve crossed off the ones I completed:


1. Sign up Beckham for swim lessons.  He took them in May.  He’s already finished with them.
2. Order play set (we did this, but then it came in damaged, so we had to cancel and now I have to re-order…I’m asking that they ship it to us for free).  If you follow me on Instagram, you saw I re-ordered the play set and got it for $387, which included shipping and tax!!!  Normally, it would have been $605!  I just asked the guy for a discount as good customer service for the damage and inconvenience.  Walmart went above and beyond.
3. Get a plan of action going for our patio cover.  Just waiting on our HOA to approve it, which is taking forever.  It’s already up and looking good in our back yard.  We’re waiting on patio furniture now!
4. Order a bounce house.  Not sure we’ll be able to afford it this month, but I know we’ll use one for Maddox’s birthday party, so I figured we could buy one and use it a lot this summer.  There have been so many times I’ve wanted to use one, so I think this will be worth the money.  We did this last night actually.
5. Look into car seats for Maddox.  Would love any recommendations.  We have Graco right now for B and love it, but curious about other ones.  Did this and found the one we’re going to get for Maddox and also one we’re getting for Beckham.  We’re going with the Britax Click Tight car seat for M.  I cannot wait!
6. Find a car.  We’re waiting on some investments to finalize, but would love to find one in the meantime.
7. Get teacher gifts for Beckham’s teachers.
8. Paint under kitchen sink.  We had it majorly reconstructed and need to paint the wood with waterproof paint.
9. Refinish front door while it’s still a little cooler.
10. Re-do playroom.  I know I’m crazy for this, but it’s happening.  I’d like to paint walls gray and get some new storage units in there.  This excites me the most.  We actually painted and bought some new shelves.  I do not like the paint color, but I’m not changing it.  Ugh.  The gray turned out way more purple than I wanted, but oh well.  All I need to do now is hang the things back on the wall and make some signs as well.

JUNE GOALS

Now on to a fresh new month of goals.  Here are my June goals.

SPRITUAL:
1. Read One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp.  This book has been on my book shelf for several months.  I thought now would be a good time to read it as I’ve been feeling very “greedy” lately.  Wanting things I don’t have and not looking at what I already have. 
2. Start my One-Year Bible Reading Plan.  I was at the bookstore picking up a gift for a friend and I came across this plan.  It was $3.99 so I grabbed it.  I’ve probably read the Bible in its entirety in some shape or form, but I definitely do not read it like I should.  I love this because it tells you exactly what to read and the plan is random.  It doesn’t start with Genesis and end with Revelations.  It jumps all over the place, which I actually really like.  I got this at Mardel’s.  I have an awesome Life Study Bible too that explains many verses at the bottom of each page.  I also got this at Mardel’s several years ago.  
3. Start going to my summer Bible study.  I have been going to this for several years, but wasn’t able to attend last summer (busy with newborn), so I’m excited to go again!  I always get so much out of this.

FAMILY/RELATIONSHIPS (marriage, kids, friends, family):
1. Bake something and take it to a friend’s house.  I already have someone in mind.  I’m thinking banana bread or cookies.
2. Have at least one play date during the week with a friend.  I’m usually pretty good at this, but want to continue to do this.  B was made to play with other people!
3. Visit parent’s house once a week.  It’s officially summer for my mom (she’s a K teacher) and we’ve set it up to go over there once a week night to hang with them, cook out, and swim!  And of course go for snow cones!
4. Make a behavior chart for Beckham.  I plan on making this similar to his potty training chart.  There are some behaviors we really want to work on and he needs something to see progress (and problems). 
5. Throw a fun 1st birthday party for Maddox.  1st birthdays really are for the parents and I can’t wait!  Party throwing is my favorite!   

PERSONAL:
1. Run a 9 minute mile.  Okay, so this was even hard to type.  Not because it’s hard to do, but because I feel like this is a huge step backwards from my glory days in college.  In high school, my club team would run a timed 2 miles BEFORE practice.  We were timed and I would run 2 miles in 14 minutes.  I also did cross country and ran a mile under 7 minutes.  I realize I’m not in that kind of shape, but geez…a 9 minute mile.  I calculated this goal from what I’ve been doing at the gym the last few times.  I run a mile before doing weights and any extra cardio so now I’ll be shooting for 9 minutes.
2. Start my 24 Day Challenge.  I’d like to start this month, but I can’t be breastfeeding.  I’ve started the weaning process (from pumping), so we’ll see when this happens.

BUSINESS/BLOG:
1. Try and figure out a set schedule for working…and really everything else. 🙂  I’d love to have set hours of work so I don’t feel like a chicken with my  head cut off all day long…sneaking in an order here and there.  Ryan will have some more time home in a couple of weeks and Beckham is doing a one day summer program in a couple weeks as well, so I’m hoping to get into a groove then.  This goal also includes scheduling my posts.  Gee, what a concept.
2. Add 4 new signs.  More signs = More sales. 

I also have more TO-DO’s this month:

1. Finish playroom – add wall décor and find white curtains.
2. Get the swing set up in our backyard.
3. Finish patio – add furniture, a wind chime, and a rug (if I can find one).  Do you guys have any recommendations for keeping mosquitos away?  Like a certain candle or tiki torches?  Mosquitos are bad here and we need a solution other than spraying our bodies with mosquito repellent.
4. Declutter and organize Maddox’s clothes – his clothes are a hot mess right now.  He’s flying through them and I need to do an update. 
5. Declutter and organize master room – I’ve let this room go and it needs a good cleaning.
6. Schedule a dentist appointment.  Yikes, I think it’s been almost a year.  Long story behind why I haven’t gone, but I’m pretty sure I have a cavity.
7. Paint underneath kitchen sink.    
8. Get glasses.  I really need to pick out a pair and fill my prescription.
9. Fix mine and Ryan’s phones.  They’re synced (long story) and we need to go to the store and have someone help us so we don’t do something stupid…like erase all our contacts.  Oh wait, I already did that.  It’s a mess.  I love technology, but it’s frustrating sometimes.
10. Back up computer and run antivirus software.
11. Plan a family photo shoot, mainly for Maddox’s “One Year” photos.

I realize those are pretty detailed, but if it’s not written down, it might as well be forgotten!

I hope I can do well on my goals and get a lot accomplished.  Sounds like another busy month, but it will be exciting to get these things done!  And my gosh, I cannot believe Maddox will be one this month!

I love connecting with y’all.  My Facebook, Instagram(@snyderstellall) and Pinterest.  Come say hi!