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June 2021 Goals

Jun 10, 2021

As with April, May was a rough month for my goals. I'm not really sure why! I had the time but not the desire. I've relished life returning to normal here in Georgia, but I'm probably experiencing some burnout from the past year, too. Whenever I had moments of downtime, I found myself retreating to books more often than not. That's nothing new, of course, but a single-mindedness about it isn't my norm. Usually, my reading is balanced in with other hobbies – watching TV/movies, working on creative projects, blogging, etc. But lately, I just want my books. So, here we are. May wasn't a resounding success when it came to my to dos, but I made sweet memories, celebrated exciting milestones, and spent many nights on my back porch with a book. I'd welcome more of that in June.


On My Calendar:
– Camping trip for Nick and our big boy
– Spending a week or two in the mountains
– Fun summer camps for our big boy
– Celebrating Father's Day
– A few family birthdays

Currently Obsessing Over:
– I've had the new Olivia Rodrigo album on repeat, and I'm loving it so much! As I joked in my May recap – I'm in my 30s with two kids but listening makes me feel like angsty teen. How dare Olivia do this to me?
– In my most recent So Obsessed With post, I mentioned this travel mug. I hadn't purchased it at the time but finally treated myself in a recent sale. I couldn't resist the hydrangeas – my favorite flower – and the color!
– Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason is my favorite book I've read so far this year, and my sister just ordered us this signed exclusive edition from Waterstones. I can't wait to proudly display it on my shelves once it's here.
– I can't decide if I love this Apple watch band enough to pay $65 for it. Time will tell, but I'll report back if I do.

Yearly Goals:
(These should stay the same all year, so I'll just do month-to-month progress reports!)
– Read a devotional every morning.
– Do Soulspace meditation every night.
– Blog 2x per week.

May progress:
– Um... I only read my devotional five days in May. What happened to me?
– Even worse, I didn't listen to SoulSpace once. It was clearly a rough month for daily habits.
– I posted more in May than April, but I still fell two posts short of my goal.

Revisiting My May Goals:
– Visit a botanical garden as a family. / The boys and I went to the botanical gardens the last week of May, and I'm so glad that I put this on my list of goals. I don't think I would have prioritized it if I hadn't, and it ended up being one of my favorite memories from the month. We will definitely go back in the future, too.
– Weather permitting, go strawberry picking. / The weather was nice enough, but the timing just didn't work out with Nick's travel + our various weekend plans. We may try for blueberry picking in June instead.
– Celebrate my big boy's 5th birthday! / We kicked off May with a candy-themed party for my big boy and had the best time celebrating his sweet self. I can't believe he's already reached this milestone – where has time gone?
– Fill out my big boy's Year 4 in his Promptly Journal. / I started but didn't finish. I'll carry this over into June.
– Select photos for my 2019 family yearbook. / Totally forgot this was on my list and didn't even attempt it...
– Catch up on February, March, and April reviews. / I'm proud of my progress here, even though I didn't quite finish. I wrote almost 50 reviews – February 2021, March 2021, and March 2021 Favorites. Almost there!
– Start my Bible study workbook. / Even though I'd picked out what workbook I wanted to complete, I didn't set it within easy reach to remind myself to actually do it. Whoopsy. Lesson learned on that one.

My June Goals:
– Plan for upcoming 10th wedding anniversary.
– Make rainbow popsicles for my boys. 
– Have a water gun fight in the backyard. 
– Spend time outside every day. 
– Complete my big boy's Year 4 in his Promptly Journal.
– Make my Summer 2021 TBR.
– Set up June in my journal – and catch up on past pages!
– Start my Bible study workbook.

Do you have any goals for June?
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May 2021 Goals

May 6, 2021

April was a rough month for my goals. I didn't fully take into consideration how some of my plans would affect my goals. During Kelly's weeklong visit, her first since 2019, I completely ignored my goal to go to bed early. Before and during her stay, I skipped some of my regular routines like writing in my reading log, backing up my monthly photos, and setting up a new month in my journal. I have zero regrets about that – but playing catch up + completing all the personal goals I'd set for myself just became too much. I had the time to do it, but I got overwhelmed enough that I didn't. Nick was traveling some for work, too, which made my goal of three items off our family bucket list a little too ambitious. I'm writing this all here to remember it for next time.

Even though my goal progress wasn't great, I still finished the month feeling great about all that I'd done. Spending time with the people I love will always matter more than being productive. And sometimes, you just need to binge New Girl and rest. Hopefully I can catch up a bit in May, but if not, that's okay. It will get done eventually!


On My Calendar:
– Our big boy turns 5
– Mother's Day + family birthdays
– Well checks for the boys
– End of school year activities
– Swim lessons for our big boy

Currently Obsessing Over:
– My sister recommended the Clean It Zero 3-in-1 Cleaning Balm ($19), and I'm obsessed. It's a great replacement for Pharmacy's Green Clean, which I've used and loved in the past but was making my eyes burn recently.
– We had family photos taken in April and I adore how they turned out! Michele Zakeri Photography is so talented.
– My big boy is obsessed with dinosaurs, and these dinosaur sheets ($25) and night light ($20) from Pillowfort at Target were a huge hit with him. They both worked with what was already in his room, so that's a hit with me.
– These Stars Above shorts ($15) are great! I needed new sleep shorts and bought more than one pair of these. 

Yearly Goals:
(These should stay the same all year, so I'll just do month-to-month progress reports!)
– Read a devotional every morning.
– Do Soulspace meditation every night.
– Blog 2x per week.

April progress:
– I think I missed about half of my daily readings, a theme you'll begin to notice is common in April.
– Umm... I only listened to Soulspace five times in April. Struggle! I'm hoping to get back on track in May.
– Once again, YIKES. I blogged three times total in April, so this was definitely a fail. 

Revisiting My April Goals:
– Select photos for our 2018 and 2019 family yearbooks. / I vastly underestimated how much we had going on in April, and this was the first goal to fall by the wayside. I've broken it down further and moved it to May!
– Complete three items from our 2021 family bucket list. / We had family photos taken, but that's the only item off our bucket list in April. I'll get more specific with my May goals and choose a few items to complete.
– Plan my big boy's 5th birthday. / Since my big boy's birthday is at the beginning of May, I wanted to make sure everything (gifts/party/etc.) was picked out by the end of April. I'm so glad I prioritized that task! 
– Buy my new 2021-2022 planner! / While this task hardly qualifies as a goal, I love putting it on my list and checking it off once I've clicked Complete Order. I'm sticking with Dapperdesk again this year and got the blush one.
– Catch up on February and March book reviews. / At the beginning of April, I had a backlog of almost 50 reviews to write. I think I completed... six? I don't know why I've procrastinated, especially since they're all drafted in my reading journal. It's just a matter of typing them up and doing a little polishing. Hopefully this month...
– Begin implementing an earlier bedtime + routine. / I saw progress here, though it was imperfect. I'm a night owl, so I started my goal with an 11 p.m. bedtime. I may eventually aim for earlier – my first step is consistency!
– Choose a Bible study to go through this spring. / I haven't started it yet, but I did choose a study to go through!

My May Goals:
– Visit a botanical garden as a family.
– Weather permitting, go strawberry picking.
– Celebrate my big boy's 5th birthday!
– Fill out my big boy's Year 4 in his Promptly Journal.
– Select photos for my 2019 family yearbook.
– Catch up on February, March, and April reviews.
– Start my Bible study workbook.

Do you have any goals for May?
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April 2021 Goals

Apr 19, 2021

Welp, is my April Goals post late or what? I can't believe the month is halfway over! Some of the things I've listed below have already happened, but I'm still including them because I use these posts as a reference and source of accountability. At the beginning of April, my Powersheets included a Goal Refresh – the chance to adjust the goals I'd set for myself in 2021. I didn't anticipate making a change, but working through that section helped me realize that I'm going to table my Meal Planning/Kitchen goal, at least for this quarter. I didn't have the margin for ALL the goals I set for myself and that one had fallen to the wayside because of it. Hopefully I can get to it later in the year!

I took a break from blogging in March because I got on a reading kick, and it was just what I needed. I won't lie – it's making me think about the future of this space. Sometimes I wonder if I'm ready to stop blogging, and then the mood always passes. But as I approach 10 years of So Obsessed With, it's been on my mind again. I don't see myself stopping in the immediate future, but I also have no regrets about taking the past several weeks off.


On My Calendar:
– Celebrating Easter with family
– The birth of my new nephew
– A week-long visit from my bestie
– The 2021-2022 Dapperdesk release
– Re-scheduled family photos
– Some spring adventures outdoors

Currently Obsessing Over:
– I was in a crafty mood lately, so I bought a bunch of scrapbook paper from Scrapbook.com to make bookmarks. My favorites are from Maggie Holmes, but there are so many cute options.
– Speaking of bookmarks, I ordered a few from The Book Script Co's most recent launch. Love them!
– I've loved my Dapperdesk planner this past year, and I can't wait to start using my new blush one in August.
– Although I haven't been using it long enough to fully recommend it, I've been loving the Laneige Cica Sleeping Mask that I bought on sale during their Beauty Insider event. I just add it after my normal moisturizer at night.

Yearly Goals:
(These should stay the same all year, so I'll just do month-to-month progress reports!)
– Read a devotional every morning.
– Do Soulspace meditation every night.
– Blog 2x per week.
– Complete the Contentment Challenge (Q1). 

March progress:
– I think I missed 5 days in my devotional, but that's not bad overall.
– Once again, I did Soulspace for 60% of the month. Not terrible but I want to see growth here!
– I was on track for the first half of the month, but then I took a break. I don't regret it, however.
– This was not as successful as 2020, and I have my theories as to why. I'm still glad I participated!

Revisiting My March Goals:
– Select photos and design our 2020 family yearbook. / I planned to do both 2020 photo selection and design in March and then realized that I'd rather batch those tasks. So, I'm going to do photo selection for all the yearbooks I need to catch up on first and then work on design after. I think I'll find my groove better that way.
– Complete Eleven Months in our big boy's journal. / Done! I'm not officially caught up in his journal yet because I've still got to finish Year 1, 2, and 3. But I'm going to sprinkle those in as goals the rest of the year!
– Make my Spring TBR. / You can see my list here, and I'm happy to say I've already read a lot from my list.
– Participate in The List Maker Challenge in my journal. / This was so much fun, and I'm glad I participated! It made me get out my journal way more frequently. I plan to keep adding lists to my journal!
– Complete three items from our 2021 family bucket list. / We technically only completed two in March, but I checked it off because the third (family photos) was pushed back to April due to weather. The other two: Nick and our big boy visited LEGOLAND, and then our whole family went to a wildlife preserve about an hour away. 
– Choose outfits for family photos. / I'm so glad I made this a goal so I didn't procrastinate on it! I found an adorable smocked jon jon for the baby and chose our outfits around his, since the photos were for his first birthday.
– Start changing phone habits with app limits. / Although I'm not posting on Instagram these days, I still find myself wasting time on the app. So, I set a limit for March and stuck to it for every day except two. I'm so glad I made this change and plan to continue changing my phone habits with additional changes this year.
– Break down meal planning goal into action steps! / As I mentioned, I'm putting this goal on hold for now.

My April Goals:
– Select photos for our 2018 and 2019 family yearbooks.
– Complete three items from our 2021 family bucket list.
– Plan my big boy's 5th birthday.
– Buy my new 2021-2022 planner!
– Catch up on February and March book reviews.
– Begin implementing an earlier bedtime + routine.
– Choose a Bible study to go through this spring.

Do you have any goals for April?
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March 2021 Goals

Mar 5, 2021

Although we may have a few more wintry days in Georgia, I'm most excited about March because the weather is beginning to change. It's looked more like spring recently, and it feels like my soul is reaching out to the sun. Beautiful days means being outdoors with my boys, and we've needed it after so much time at home. I've always joked that I don't believe in exercise or enjoy nature, but that's been changing lately. Going on walks and looking at all God has created has been surprisingly satisfying! It's often a little reset for our day.

I'm pleased with the progress I made in February. It certainly wasn't perfect – I ignored my food/kitchen-related goal and stumbled on my no-spend challenge. But, on the other hand, I started journaling and going on walks. I don't feel guilty about the things I didn't do, and I'm thrilled by the areas where I'm growing. Little by little.


On My Calendar:
– Planning Kelly's upcoming visit
– Dental checks
– Family birthdays
– Milestone photo session

Currently Obsessing Over:
– Nick got me an Archer & Olive notebook for my birthday, and I adore it. And now I'm obsessed with @bookstaandbujo on Instagram and want to try bullet journaling again... Oops?
– Speaking of bullet journaling, I've fallen down a YouTube bujo black hole. I can't stop watching, and it's a problem! Here are a few accounts I've been enjoying:  AmandaRachLee, Leela Journals and Plant Based Bride.
– I've kinda failed at my no-spend challenge, but this tote (in green) and these sunglasses were worth it. 
– Weekly/monthly newsletters have made me really happy lately. A few favorites are from Emily P. Freeman, Kendra Adachi, and Annie B. Jones, but I'd love recommendations if you've got any!

 Yearly Goals:
(These should stay the same all year, so I'll just do month-to-month progress reports!)
– Read a devotional every morning.
– Do Soulspace meditation every night.
– Blog 2x per week.
– Complete the Contentment Challenge (Q1). 
– Maintain monthly photo organization + daily delete.
– Use the 1 Second Everyday app.

February progress:
– I only missed two days of devotional reading!
– Just like January, I did Soulspace for 60% on the month. I need to try doing it at a different time of day.
– Yep, I met my monthly blogging goal.
– I was doing great... until a solo shopping trip. I might fail the challenge this year, but I'm okay with it.
– I have a new workflow for photo organization that's much easier, so I won't track it on future goal posts!
– I adore this app and update it daily! I won't update my progress here anymore since it's going so well.

Revisiting My February Goals:
– Walk 3x per week. / For my health goal, I wanted to introduce changes slowly so I didn't burn out. In January, I started by cutting back on Diet Coke. I continued that in February + introduced walking into my routine. My goal was just three times per week – for as little as 10 minutes. It was the perfect goal because it felt "easy," and I often ended up walking longer because I just needed to motivation to start. This is big progress since I hate exercise.
– Complete Eleven Months in the big boy's journal. / Struggle. This will get done in March. 
– Celebrate our family's February birthdays. / We celebrated my birthday, our baby turning one, and Nick's birthday. It seemed silly to make it a goal, but that helped me plan ahead so we all got to do/eat/receive something special.
– Break down meal planning goal into action steps. / Why am I procrastinating this goal?! It's my priority in March.
– Read a cookbook (Dinner: A Love Story). / I've never read a cookbook straight through before, and this was the perfect place to start. It read like a memoir and doesn't have many photos, plus I love the emphasis on dinner together as a family. I got some great tips, bookmarked recipes to try, and want to continue reading cookbooks.
– Make a list of pantry staples and go-to meals. / Sigh. At least I read a cookbook? I don't even know, y'all.
– Complete Backup Bootcamp course. / Done. I spent last year organizing my digital photos, so I didn't technically "need" this course. But I still learned a bunch, simplified my process, and highly recommend it!
– Watch Family Yearbook course. / Yep! I wanted to watch it all the way through before starting, and now I'm ready to tackle my 2020 book in March. I feel much better prepared and have realistic expectations now. 
– Write a discussion post. / I wrote three: 32 Facts About Me, My Favorite Fictional Female Friendships, and Our 2021 Family Bucket List. These are typically my favorite posts to read, but I need motivation to write them.
– Send happy mail to a friend. / I finally sent a little happy mail to Kelly, so I crossed this off my list. But my big boy joined in the fun by making a few Valentine's cards and hand delivering them to some of his favorite people!
– Start journaling weekly. / This may end up being one of my favorite things I started doing in 2021. I'm obsessed.

My March Goals:
– Select photos and design our 2020 family yearbook.
– Complete Eleven Months in our big boy's journal.
– Make my Spring TBR.
– Participate in The List Maker Challenge in my journal.
– Complete three items from our 2021 family bucket list.
– Choose outfits for family photos.
– Start changing phone habits with app limits.
– Break down meal planning goal into action steps!

Do you have any goals for March?
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2021 Family Bucket List

Feb 15, 2021


Similar to 2020, one of my goals for this year is to cherish the people I love. I know the common recommendation is to set goals that are specific and measurable, but not everything that I want to do in my life has an end date. Some of the things I want to cultivate are things that will always be a little bit in progress. Now, the broad goal does have plenty of specific mini goals associated with it. But I rather than do those tasks in isolation, I like to think about them in terms of the bigger picture. That's how I'm able to stay motivated and make progress!

My cleaning routine isn't just for the sake of having it – it's a way to cherish the people I love by making sure the space we live in is inviting and cared for. I'm not planning a birthday party because I have to do it or want to impress others. Instead, I'm asking myself, "What will make my boys feel seen and cherished on their special day?" Tying the smaller, more specific goals into the bigger one helps me tap into the purpose behind it all and to see some less-desirable things as an act of love rather than a chore to complete. And it helps me rein in the "shoulds" that can sometimes make me feel like I've failed or forgotten something.

One of the things we did last year, for the first time, was make a family bucket list of 20 things we wanted to do in 2020. The list had to be tweaked a bit due to COVID-19, but we did complete our updated list. It worked so well for us, and we wanted to do it again. Having a plan made for better adventures and wonderful memories. I loved what we did in 2020, what we postponed, and what we talked about wanting to do to make this year's list: 

1. TRY: a pick-your-own fruit farm. 
2. PLAY: mini golf. 
3. READ: a family devotional.
4. EAT: rainbow popsicles. 
5. MAKE: a home project list. 
6. CREATE: a family photo album.
7. RIDE: on the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway.
8. SEND: happy mail to a friend.
9. TEACH: our boys something new.
10. TAKE: family photos for our baby's first birthday.
11. CELEBRATE: our 10th anniversary.
12. ENJOY: a New School Year's Eve celebration.
13. EXPLORE: a botanical garden.
14. WATCH: a movie at a drive-in theater.
15. SEE: animals -- at the zoo, an animal sanctuary, etc.
16. TRAVEL: somewhere new.
17. SPONSOR: a child through Compassion International.
18. VISIT: LEGOLAND in Atlanta.
19. GO: on a hike. 
20. HAVE: a water gun fight.

My criteria were basically identical to last year – 1) mostly free things with a few expenses that will be worth it, 2) relatively easy to do with a one-year-old, and 3) specific but still flexible. The items we had the most difficulty completing last year were the ones that required us to go somewhere specific (particularly if they were only an option in a certain season). And with COVID-19 in mind, I tried to focus on things that can be done at home or outdoors. We'll see how 2021 pans out, but I'm excited about the memories our family will make.

What are you hoping to do this year?
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February 2021 Goals

Feb 9, 2021

February is a special month in our house because it's full of birthdays: mine, our baby's, my bestie's, and Nick's! I'm sharing my monthly goals a little later in February than I typically would, so we've technically already celebrated three of those fourth birthdays. But no matter! It's still one of my favorite months in the year, despite the fact that it's usually full of gloomy weather. It snowed in Georgia on Saturday night, and the last time it did that was the day our second was born. We celebrated his birthday on Sunday, so it was a sweet little moment of déjà vu.

I made good progress on my January goals! While I didn't check everything off my list, I saw results and that's the biggest motivation for me. I've got good momentum going into February, and I'm excited to tackle the two things I missed + introduce a few new mini goals into the mix. Introducing change a little at a time works for me. 


On My Calendar:
– My 32nd birthday
– Celebrating our baby's first birthday
– Valentine's Day with my boys
– Nick's birthday
– A few doctor's appointments

Currently Obsessing Over:
– The 1 Second Everyday app is such a delightful way to record our days. I can't wait to do this entire year!
– I'm currently re-reading the ACOTAR series on audio before the next book, A Court of Silver Flames, comes out on February 16 and remembering just how much I love this world and these characters. *sigh*
– I will now be ordering all my masks from Ann Taylor LOFT because they're the most comfortable ones I've worn. 
– My husband and bestie gifted me this Pride and Prejudice and this Anne of Green Gables for my collection. 

Yearly Goals:
(These should stay the same all year, so I'll just do month-to-month progress reports!)
– Read a devotional every morning.
– Do Soulspace meditation every night.
– Blog 2x per week.
– Complete the Contentment Challenge (Q1). 
– Maintain monthly photo organization + daily delete.
– Use the 1 Second Everyday app.

January progress:
– I'm reading Jesus Calling for 2021 and only missed four days in January.
– I did Soulspace for 60% of January. But it is a brand-new habit, so inconsistency is to be expected!
– Yes, I blogged at least 2 times every week.
– I'm doing good with my no-spend challenge!
– Done! I love the daily delete, and Miss Freddy's class (see below) made monthly organization even easier.
– I recorded a video for every day in January, and we already love watching it back.

Revisiting My January Goals: 
– Watch church online every Sunday. / I only watched the online service one Sunday. I think I may try listening to the podcast version of the message every week? I'm not sure, but I'll figure it out.
– Only drink one Diet Coke per day. / This is part of my goal to make healthy choices. While I didn't have perfect progress in January, I'm so proud of myself for succeeding for 70% of January. My track record was stronger at the end of the month than the beginning, so I hope to continue to see improvements here in February. 
– Complete Eleven Months in the baby's journal + take monthly photo. / Done. I'm so happy there's only one monthly photo left to take + only yearly updates in his journal from this point forward!
– Complete Eleven Months in the big boy's journal. / I procrastinated on this goal, so I'll carry it into February. 
– Cull 2020 photos and videos from my phone. / I can access my entire photo/video library from the OneDrive app on my phone, so I culled everything prior to 2021 on my camera roll down to about 300 favorites.
– Make our 2021 family bucket list. / Done! I'll share this year's list in a blog post later this month.
– Prepare for the baby's first birthday in February! / Everything that was on my list got checked off.
– Watch Backup Bootcamp course. / I watched the entire course, making notes on what I needed to do. 
– Break down my meal planning goal into action steps. / I forgot about this goal, so it's on February's list.
– Blog about my 2021 personal and bookish goals. / I shared my personal goals and my bookish goals.

My February Goals:
– Walk 3x per week.
– Complete Eleven Months in the big boy's journal.
– Celebrate our family's February birthdays.
– Break down meal planning goal into action steps.
– Read a cookbook (Dinner: A Love Story). 
– Make a list of pantry staples and go-to meals.
– Complete Backup Bootcamp course.
– Watch Family Yearbook course. 
– Write a discussion post.
– Send happy mail to a friend.
– Start journaling weekly.

Do you have any goals for February?
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2020 Bookish Goal Recap

Jan 13, 2021

I don't think I ever shared very much about my 2020 bookish goals on the blog, partly because I didn't to commit to too many things with a baby on the way. But I did write a few goals down for myself at the beginning of the year! After posting my 2021 bookish goals yesterday, I wanted to record how I did in 2020. I had six mini goals and feel really good about the progress I made on all of them. Following my goals, you'll find a few of my reading stats. My reading life looked a little different in 2020, and I wanted to briefly chat about those changes. 


1. Read 100 books in 2020.
Progress: Read 170 books

Thoughts: I almost always set my Goodreads Challenge number to 100 books. I prefer for it to be attainable rather than truly challenging – mostly because I don't want my goal to deter me from reading long books or cause me to pick up things that are short solely so I can get caught up. And looking back at the year I had my first baby, 100 books seemed like it might be a stretch. Thanks to audiobooks and all the extra time at home, I finished 170! 


2. Read the 10 books on this list. 
Progress: Read three, DNFed two, culled two, and did not start three books
  1. READ: The Real Jane Austen by Paula Byrne, Saints for All Occasions by J. Courtney Sullivan, and A Perfect Heritage by Penny Vincenzi
  2. DNF: Shadow of Night by Deborah Harkness and Magic for Marigold by L.M. Montgomery
  3. CULLED: The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan and All the Pretty Things by Edie Wadsworth
  4. DID NOT START: The Annotated Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, The Secret Keeper by Kate Morton, and Jane Austen for Dummies by Joan Klingel Ray
Thoughts: Womp, womp. So, I made a list in 2019 and completed it. 2020? Not so much. The three books I did read were all in January. Y'all, I'm laughing as I type it! However, the purpose of the list is to get books off my TBR that have been there for a while, so it was semi-successful in the sense that seven are gone. That sounds good, at least.


3. Re-read one book per month (12 total).
Progress: Re-read 20 books (not all pictured above)

Thoughts: Re-reading was less of a priority for me in 2020, partly due to the fact that I re-read so much in 2019. But the other reason? I used to primarily use audiobooks for re-reads and now that's my go-to format for new reads. That's something I'm totally fine with for this season of my life, and I don't see it changing much in 2021. 


4. Read one non-fiction book per month (12 total).
Progress: Finished 40 books (not all pictured above)

A few favorites:
  1. ESSAYS: My Southern Journey by Rick Bragg, I Miss You When I Blink by Mary Laura Philpott, and Late Migrations by Margaret Renkl 
  2. MEMOIRS: House Lessons by Erica Bauermeister, Stir by Jessica Fechtor, Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb, Know My Name by Chanel Miller, and Open Book by Jessica Simpson
  3. PARENTING: The Busy Toddler's Guide to Actual Parenting by Susie Allison, Risen Motherhood by Emily Jensen and Laura Wifler, Memory-Making Mom by Jessica Smartt, and Parenting by Paul David Tripp
  4. SELF-HELP: The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachi, Don't Overthink It by Anne Bogel, and Atomic Habits by James Clear
  5. SPIRITUAL: New Morning Mercies by Paul David Tripp and The Holy Bible
Thoughts: This is probably the biggest surprise of my 2020 reading life! I never expected to gravitate to so much non-fiction, a genre I don't feel like I've read much in recent years. I'd set the goal of one per month and never expected to read 3x that amount. I would honestly love to see this happen again in 2021!


5. Complete the Picky Pledge Challenge.
Alexa and I have done the Picky Pledge Challenge since 2015, but we've simplified it over time. We have 12 categories based on why we buy books, and our goal was to read one book from our TBR for each category. 
  1. FOR THE COVER | An Enchantment of Ravens by Margaret Rogerson
  2. BASED ON A REC | House Lessons by Erica Bauermeister
  3. FOR THE HOOK | Coming Home by Rosamunde Pilcher
  4. ON SALE | A Perfect Heritage by Penny Vincenzi
  5. NEXT IN SERIES | The Kingdom of Copper by S.A. Chakraborty
  6. FOR THE FORMAT | Ross Poldark by Winston Graham
  7. FOR THE AUTHOR | The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes
  8. GIFTED | Meg & Jo by Virginia Kantra
  9. PRE-ORDERED, HADN'T READ | What Happens in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand
  10. BOUGHT 3+ YEARS AGO | The Real Jane Austen by Paula Byrne
  11. FOR THE HYPE | The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny
  12. FOR THE TOPIC | Risen Motherhood by Emily Jensen & Laura Wifler
Of these 12 books, 11 were on my TBR prior to 2020. For whatever reason, I struggled to remember what I'd purchased based on someone's recommendation so I went with a book that I bought in 2020 after hearing Annie talk about it on the From the Front Porch podcast. All in all, I'm happy to check these off my list!


6. Blog 2x per week.
My goal was to average 2 posts per week (~104 total for the year). That felt like a stretch for me, especially after taking several months away from blogging in 2019, while still being manageable. I want to be more consistent in this space, but I never want it to feel like a chore either. Although I had a few months where I only posted 5x total, it was offset by super-productive months like December. I met my goal and finished the year at 109 posts!

• • • • •

Several years ago, Alexa and I would share very detailed posts with graphs highlighting our reading stats for the year. I wanted to make a few for 2020 because I noticed a few big changes in my reading life this year!


Tracking the source of what I read has always helped me balance review books, re-reading and my TBR. And while it may look like I took a huge chunk out of my TBR, there's a little more to the story. Of the 170 books I read, 108 were books on my TBR. Of those 108, 37 were books I already owned and 70 were books I bought in 2020. Whoops! 

One thing that isn't represented in the Source graph is how much I actually borrowed in 2020. I frequently bought a physical copy of book but then borrowed the audiobook from the library. I went through my reading log, and I there were almost 45 books that I categorized as "Bought / Borrowed" or "Owned / Borrowed." They're counted as TBR in my chart, but I heavily utilized my library's digital resources this year. 

As for the format, you'll notice that more than half of what I read in 2020 was on audio. That's a pretty significant shift in my reading habits! I used to primarily use audio for re-reads, but now I read so many new books that way. That format allowed me to get more done while still finding time to read. I could fold laundry, empty the dishwasher, get groceries, and finish a ton of books, too. I think the audio obsession is here to stay!


Finally, I've got this chart because I'm fascinated by the fact that non-fiction was my second most read genre in 2020. That's very unusual for me! I have no idea if it's because those books appealed to me more with everything going on in the world or if making non-fiction a priority reminded me of why I love the genre. I read more mysteries than normal, too, and that's a change I loved. I will be so curious to see what genres I gravitate toward in 2021.

Did you complete any bookish goals in 2020?
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2021 Bookish Goals

Jan 12, 2021


Last week, I shared my goals for 2021. There are seven themes I want to focus on this year, and one of those is to invest time in what brings me joy. Getting specific with that goal primarily involves my bookish life. After having a baby early last year, I was so happy that I made an effort to actively pursue those two hobbies. I want to continue that momentum in 2021! I was inspired to break down that general goal into more specific mini goals for today's Top Ten Tuesday topic. So, here are some of the things I'm hoping to accomplish in my bookish life this year:

READING GOALS
1. Read 100 books in 2021.
This is my Goodreads Challenge goal, which I prefer to keep attainable rather than truly challenging.

2. Re-read one book per month.
I love re-reading, so I always want to make time for it in my reading life. I've already got a few books in mind!

3. Read one non-fiction book per month. 
I rediscovered my love of non-fiction in 2020, and I've love to continue reading more of it in 2021.

4. Read 10 books that have been on my TBR since before 2019.
Last year, I made a list of 10 specific books to read... but kinda failed at it. I'm keeping my options open this year!

5. Complete the 2021 Modern Mrs. Darcy Reading Challenge.
This year's challenge is more personalized, and I'm looking forward to choosing twelve categories that work for me.

BLOGGING GOALS
6. Blog 2x per week, on average.
This was the perfect goal for me in 2020, so I'm keeping it in 2021. It kept me consistent without stressing me out.

7. Research email newsletter options.
One aspect of my blog I'd love to improve are email subscriptions, so I've got to do my research to learn more.

8. Catch up on all NetGalley reviews (15 total).
Most are upcoming releases, but I have at least six unreviewed books going back to 2016. I want to get them done!

BUYING GOALS
9. Buy one book from an indie bookstore (The Bookshelf) every month.
I love the From the Front Porch podcast and would love to support Annie's bookstore in Thomasville, Ga.

10. Read my Book of the Month pick(s) in the month that I receive it.
I was lowkey doing this in 2020 until November, so I want to catch up and make it an official goal for 2021.

What are your bookish goals for 2021?
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January 2021 Goals

Jan 11, 2021

It's a new year, and I've got new goals to focus on! Well... kinda new. I have seven goal themes, and many of them are similar to last year's goals. The big picture things that matter to me haven't really changed, though I may have different mini goals and action steps associated with them. I'm excited to start digging in and making progress! 

December was a special month of happy memories, such as our baby's first Christmas and our favorite holiday traditions. I accomplished all of my goals, which ended the year on a high note. One of my favorite things I did was recap the progress I made on my 2020 goals, and it was really powerful for me to look back at where I started and see how far I'd come. It made me even more excited to sit down and make plans for 2021.


On My Calendar:
– Finishing up my 2020 reflections
– School starting back for my big boy
– Planning my baby's first birthday
– Getting my highlights refreshed

Currently Obsessing Over:
– All the amazing books coming out in 2021. There are so many that I can't wait to read!
– Nick and I are re-watching New Girl, and I forgot how much I loved this show! Two current shows  I typically love (Grey's Anatomy and This is Us) have been too heavy for me lately. New Girl has done the trick.
– I love this charging stand that I recently bought for my Apple Watch and Airpods.  
– I'm obsessed with my Bearaby weighted blanket. The 15lb cotton napper is just heavy enough to help me sleep better but not so heavy that I feel claustrophobic. And the fact that it's knitted means it isn't too warm either.
– Ellie Holcomb's children's worship music has been on repeat in our house. We love it!

Yearly Goals:
(These should stay the same all year, so I'll just do month-to-month progress reports!)
– Read a devotional every morning.
– Do Soulspace meditation every night.
– Blog 2x per week.
– Complete the Contentment Challenge (Q1). 
– Maintain monthly photo organization + daily delete.
– Use the 1 Second Everyday app.

December progress on 2020 yearly goals:
– Read through the Bible in one year. / Finished in November!
– Read a devotional every morning. / I finished New Morning Mercies and highly recommend it. 
– Track my spending in the Goodbudget app. / I missed one week but was better consistent again after that.
– Blog 2x per week. / Yes! I ended the year on a high and was very productive.

Revisiting My December Goals:
– Schedule a monthly planning session. / Done! This won't appear on my monthly list of goals anymore, but I do plan to continue this routine. It's been one of my favorite habits to come out of 2020 and has been so helpful.
– Cull, download, rename, and backup November 2020 photos. / Completed. Pretty early in the month, too!
– Complete Ten Months in the baby's journal + take monthly photo. / Almost to the end of these monthly sections, and I'm so proud I've stayed on track. The photo was a challenge this month (bad lighting + wiggly baby), but I got it.
– Complete Nine & Ten Months in my big boy's journal. / I'm finally all caught up!
– Design and order 2021 photo calendar. /  I finished and ordered it in time for Christmas gifts. 
– Complete 2021 PowerSheets prep work. / I set aside several days to go through the prep work, which worked for me. Finalizing my goals, action steps, and word of the year took the longest. You can read all about them here!
– Celebrate our favorite Christmas traditions. / Making December special for our boys was important to me, and I loved continuing some of our favorite holiday traditions. I love seeing the season through their eyes!
– Set up my 2021 bookish bullet journal. / Updating my bookish notebook for 2021 was probably my favorite goal of the month. I was in nerd heaven working on my favorite pages and making a few new ones, too.
– Write all of my end of the year blog posts. / I posted six recaps as part of my My Year In {2020} series, some of my favorite posts to write. I still have a few miscellaneous recaps to post on the blog, but they're pretty much done!

My January Goals: 
– Watch church online every Sunday.
– Only drink one Diet Coke per day.
– Complete Eleven Months in the baby's journal + take monthly photo.
– Complete Eleven Months in the big boy's journal.
– Cull 2020 photos and videos from my phone.
– Make our 2021 family bucket list.
– Prepare for the baby's first birthday in February!
– Watch Backup Bootcamp course.
– Break down my meal planning goal into action steps.
– Blog about my 2021 personal and bookish goals.

Do you have any goals for January?
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2021 Goals

Jan 8, 2021


Last year was my first time using the PowerSheets Goal Planner, and the system really worked for me. I recently shared a look inside my goal planner and my progress on my 2020 goals, and I'm excited today to share my 2021 goals. Some of today's will look familiar and some are new areas of focus for a new year and new season of life.

I spent time in December completing the prep work, making my vision board, and finalizing my goals. The one place I got hung up for a while? My word of the year! I thought I had an idea of what I wanted, but it just never felt right. I skipped that page, continued to work on my goals, and finally had a moment of inspiration this week.

Because it came to me at the end of the process, I'm going to introduce my goals first and then my word of the year. One thing you'll notice about my goals is that they aren't SMART goals. I prefer to have larger "goal themes" – areas of my life that I want to focus on – for the whole year and then set more specific monthly and quarterly goals within each category. The things that matter most to me are typically areas where I can make changes but will never truly be "done," so this format works best for me. First, here's my 2021 vision board:


Sources:  Bible, Journal, Quote, Shoes, Date, Albums // Trees, Boys, & Cookies from Canva

Last year was my first time making a vision board, and I honestly thought it sounded dumb. But synthesizing my goals into images was fun and meaningful, too! Just seeing the collage throughout the year was such a lovely reminder of my purpose. So, I was excited to find new images to visually represent what I want from 2021. 

With this in front of me as inspiration, I wrote my big-picture goals:

1. Deepen my relationship with the Lord.
Last year, my goal was to revitalize my faith. It had been a long time since I'd prioritized that area of my life, and my focus was developing a habit of reading my Bible every day. Now that it's become a daily habit, I want to focus on deepening my relationship. I want less checklist and more conversation with the God I love. This is the goal that matters most to me because it has to power to affect everything else in my life, too. 

Mini goals: Daily devotional, Soulspace meditation, Bible study, memorize Scripture, and read Christian non-fiction.

2. Create habits for a healthier life.
One of the things in my life that I've long neglected is making healthy choices for my body when it comes to food, sleep, and physical activity. I've had very little desire to change and specifically didn't focus on it in 2020 because I knew it wasn't the right timing with a baby on the way at the beginning of the year. But it's been on my mind a lot lately, and I know it's time. I will be going slow on this one, but I have a little-by-little plan in mind.

Mini goals: Drink more water, less Diet Coke, earlier bedtime, movement goals, family walks, and screen-free time.

3. Cherish the people I love.
After my faith, this is my next most important goal. My main focus will be on my relationship with Nick and our two boys, but I wanted broad enough wording to include my family and friends. 2020 made it clear how much I need my people! My home is my most meaningful sphere of influence, and who I am as a wife, mother, daughter, and friend matters to me. I want to continue to work towards being present and intentional with my loved ones. 

Mini goals: 2021 family bucket list, date nights with Nick and one-on-one time with my big boy, plan a family trip, read marriage and/or parenting books, have local adventures, celebrate traditions, and limit screen time. 

4. Preserve our family photos and memories.
This is essentially the same goal as 2020, but I'll have a different focus in 2021. Last year, I was primarily working on organizing our digital photos from the past 5+ and developing habits to stay on top of it. Additionally, I worked on filling out my boys' childhood history journals. For 2021, my focus will be on designing and printing family yearbooks. I've got a few mini goals, too, but printed books is the priority. I want to enjoy our photos!

Mini goals: Create family yearbooks, maintain photo organization, print annual photo calendar, continue to fill out boys' journals, complete Miss Freddy's backup bootcamp and family yearbook courses.

5. Improve meal planning and experiment in the kitchen.
One thing that came up repeatedly in my prep work last year was my desire for new routines. It was an area where I saw so much change in 2020 – and was able to witness firsthand the power of that little-by-little progress! While I have gotten more into the meal planning and grocery shopping groove, I'd love to improve my process... and even start to experiment more with cooking. My desire is to feel more confident and find joy in the kitchen.

Mini goals: Make list of go-to meals and seasonal meal queues, research healthier breakfast/lunch/snack options, take a cooking class, organize Plan to Eat, kitchen staples list, read a cookbook, and implement tips for picky eaters.

6. Invest time in what brings me joy. 
And finally, I had to have books and blogging on my list! Reading is my favorite way to decompress, and blogging is my favorite creative outlet. I was really proud of myself for making time for both during those newborn days, and I want to continue that momentum into 2021. There are a few other things that interest me – like journaling and figuring out how to use my fancy camera – that may become mini goals later in the year, too.  

Mini goals: Set Goodreads goal, participate in reading challenges, create seasonal TBRs, blog 2x per week, research email newsletter options, catch up on NetGalley reviews, and start journaling. 

7. Complete the Contentment Challenge.
Rather than a broad finance goal, like last year, I wanted to be super specific and start with The Contentment Challenge, hosted by Nancy Ray. It's is a three-month commitment to give up shopping for unnecessary stuff. I'll just do the self-led version – a meaningful thing I did last year that taught me so much. Before I broaden the goal, I need to dig more deeply into the why behind what I want to do so that I'll be more invested in the what.

Mini goals: Unsubscribe from marketing emails, create "buy it later" list, and decide on any exceptions.

As you can see, four of these goals are very similar to ones I had for 2021. I will have new mini goals and action steps associated with each of them, and I'm excited to see how that progress continues to add up in a new year. The two new goals – meal planning and health – are ones that I'm looking forward to working on. 

There's one goal from last year that I'm not focusing on at this time – routines. The reason? I've finally established them! My plan is to continue to maintain the rhythms that I started last year, like my end-of-the-month prep and review session. But I didn't feel the need to make it a goal because it feels like second nature now that the habit has been formed! If that changes with time, I can always refresh my goals later on.

- - - -

For 2020, my word the year was nurture. I loved that word from the moment I thought of it, and it was very fitting for that year of my life. I initially struggled with my word for 2021 and found myself considering words that felt very similar to nurture – tend, treasure, cherish, devote. But none felt right, so I kept waiting.

My boys and I were listening to an album of children's worship music one day when I was struck by a particular song. It's called "Light of Your Love" by Ellie Holcomb, and the chorus repeats the phrase, "I'm gonna rest in the light of Your love." Every time, I'd find myself singing along with a huge smile on my face. Maybe rest was supposed to be my word of the year? Nope. Then, I looked up "light" and something clicked:
The first definition on Merriam-Webster is "something that makes vision possible." I immediately loved that since a huge aspect of goal setting is having a vision for what you want to accomplish and who you want to be. I loved that the word could be mean so many things, including "something that enlightens or informs," "a particular expression of the eye," "to ignite something," "not heavy," "easily endurable," and "free from care."

I could think of ways the word applied my goals. Why do I want to preserve our family memories? To see my boys' faces light up as they look at photo albums! Reading and blogging are things that light a fire within me. I want to start seeing meal planning and cooking in a different light. I want to be a light within my family – a bright spot, a source of warmth, and free from care. You get the idea! Then, I looked up the word in the Bible:

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? - Psalm 27:1 

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. - Psalm 119:105 

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. - Matthew 5:14-16

For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. - Matthew 11:30

... for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. - Ephesians 5:8-10 

And I knew I'd found my word! Although our family made so many happy memories in 2020, it was certainly a heavy year. I started thinking about how I hope 2021 is the opposite – that I hope it's light, joyful, and bright. 

Have you made any goals for 2021?
Or chosen a word of the year?
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