Goals/Resolutions

There's something refreshing about beginning a new year. It feels like a fresh start, especially after the wonderful chaos of the holiday season. Although we loved every second of the craziness of December, I look forward to settling back into our everyday "normal" routine and beginning another year with my sweet family of four. I like to begin the year with goals and resolutions in place to work towards and to help me stay on track. Here are mine for 2016:

1. Run a half marathon. Before the girls were born, I was a running machine. The year I got pregnant with them, I ran a marathon in January, a 10K in February, a half marathon in April and then was pregnant with them in July. Running means so much to me and I want to get at least one race under my belt before we get pregnant with baby #3. Right now my goal is the Cowtown in late February, but I will be happy with any half marathon complete in 2016. 

2. Read two books a month. I love reading! I read so much on a computer or my phone and as part of my desire to "unplug" a little more this year, I want to read two real books a month. 

3. Get involved/connected at church. We joined Arlington Heights United Methodist Church last November. Between traveling, the girls being sick, George traveling for work, etc. there seems to always be something keeping us from church. I want attendance to be regular. I want the girls to get used to the nursery so that by August, George and I can attend Sunday School and then "big" church, and it won't be a big deal for them to stay in the nursery for two hours. It's important to me that my children grow up with a church that really feels like home develop a relationship with God at a very early age. 

4. Get up early daily for daily devotional/quiet time/me time. When I was still breastfeeding/pumping, I got up at 5a.m. to pump and used that time for my daily devotional and just some "me" time (reading blogs, etc.). I've slowly started sleeping a little bit later and some days, don't do much of a devotional at all. My goal is to wake up at 5:30 every morning and have an hour of time before I have to start getting myself and the girls ready for school. 

5. Focus on one area of the house per month. I want to pick one part/room of the house each month to purge/organize/deep clean/decorate and then move on at the start of a new month. I am notorious for "jumping around" when it comes to home projects and I think this will help me to be more efficient. 

6. Blog weekly. This seems like a big goal since I have been pretty inconsistent on the blog front over the last couple of years, but I love documenting our family's life and know the girls will love reading over this blog one day. I think setting a weekly goal of blogging versus monthly will make the posts not seem so daunting and long (as wrap up posts can be). 

7. Focus on my family. This is a vague goal/resolution, but I want to spend less time "plugged in" and on social media and more time paying attention to my wonderful husband and sweet babies. I want to constantly pray for them and do something special for them monthly (no matter how big or small) so that they know how much I love them. 

Cheers to 2016! I hope it's a great year for everyone! xoxoxoxo