Turning 30 Goal Check-In: Month 4

Busyness comes in seasons.  We are seem to be packed with things to do all through October.  We get a small break in November before Thanksgiving, but then its full out until the end of December.  January is usually pretty quiet, but February was packed with things to do on the weekends, including J's first birthday party, and even most weeknights.  All of this to say, I didn't make huge strides in my goals this month.

Goal #1: Read More

Progress:  I finished reading The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up  (review here) by Marie Kondo and her companion book, Spark Joy (review here).  I've started the process of tidying up.  I went through all of my clothes and our books.  The yard sale pile is ever growing in the basement.  Another book I read to help me work on making our home our own was The Nesting Place by Myquillen Smith.   I also started reading Simply Tuesday by Emily P. Freeman (Myqullin's sister) for book club, but didn't finish it in time for our meeting.  I'm still about two or three chapters from the end.  I'll do a full review after I'm done.  I like Emily's thoughts, but I just wish there was a bit more practical application.  I will also say that she loves metaphors, and it took me a while to fully appreciate that about the book.   I'm still reading Choosing the Simply Luxurious Life by Shannon Ables, which seems to be getting pushed to the side a lot.  I plan to finish it this month though.

 

Goal #2: Continue Going to Yoga

Progress:  I haven't been to yoga at all this month.  I was sick then we had snow and then we had a small trip and last week our instructor was sick.  I'm planning on going tonight though!  I'm a little nervous, she asked us all to bring eye pillows and beach towels......

Goal #3: Lose the Baby Weight

Progress:  I'm currently at the lowest weight I've been since J was born!  Still about 11 pounds to the pre-baby weight, but yay!  I've been using the doTERRA Slim and Sassy products, trying to drink at least five tall glasses of water a day, and just watching my portions at meals.

Goal #4: Learn Italian

Progress: I may have used my Duolingo app once this month. (Wah wah.)  However, we went to Half Price Books for the first time ever and I found a version of the old textbook I used in college for Italian and, because I'm a hoarder, I still have my notes from Italian 101 so I'm excited to peruse those this coming month.

Goal #5: Take a Cooking Class

Progress:  I think the hubby is agreeable, I just need to pick a class and get it scheduled.

Goal #6:  Make Time for Play

Progress:   I took L to see Ku Fu Panda 3 at our local theater.  She did great, and it was my excuse to see it because I had wanted to go ever since we saw the previews for it.  LOL!  My mom and I took the kids to the Children's Museum on President's Day to see the chocolate slide.  Every time we've been there has been some sort of slide.  These are not permanent installments so I'm not sure how much L will like the museum whenever we go and there is no slide. LOL!  We also went to our church bowling day.  L did WAY better than I, but I like to think I could have done as well with bumpers and the metal ramp.  I love our church family and it is so nice to see L with all of her friends.  She talked about bowling every day the whole next week. It's the every day that I need to work on incorporating play into though.  One of the ladies from my book club said she actually puts play time on her to-do list because if she doesn't then she finds other things that "need" done.  I may have to implement this as well.

My husband and I have been making more time for each other after the kids go to bed instead of doing our separate things to unwind, which has been nice.

Goal #7: Develop a Signature Style

Progress: I completed the KonMari method on my clothing this month (from The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up).  My closet feels almost empty now.  I have bought very few clothes in the past two years due to pregnancy and then not wanting to buy anything new until I lost the baby weight.  I also joined StitchFix this month.  I am really excited about it.  I didn't keep anything from my first Fix.  I'm finding that Kondo's methods are making me pickier about the things I decide to buy.  There were mostly minor things that I didn't like about each piece that was chosen for me, but I've heard from many friends that the first Fix or two can be duds.  I've also heard that detailed feedback is key to helping the stylists find things that are right for you.  My next Fix should be arriving at the end of the week.  I'll post it as well.

Goal #8:  Master the Top Knot

Progress:  I'm constantly working on feeling comfortable with the "messy" look.  I love this meme that my friend Katie over at The Homespun Hydrangea shared on her Facebook page.  Pretty much sums up my dilemma. LOL!

Goal #9: Continue Making our House Our Home

Progress:  As I mentioned earlier, I did finish Tidying Up and have started to implement her method of clearing out the clutter.  We finally got my DIY industrial curtain rods hung up.  I'm the worst blogger because I always forget to take pictures to document the process so I can post tutorials. (Sad face.)

I also tried one of Myquillen Smith's suggestions from her book, The Nesting Place, and I moved a few items around to different areas of the house to create new looks.  Some things stayed in their new homes and others did not.  I love that in her book, Kondo says, "As you reduce your belongings through the process of tidying, you will come to a point where you suddenly know how much is just right for you."  I found this to be true when I moved stuff around.  Some areas seemed to become too cluttered with the new additions and I put the things back in their original homes.  I'm learning that I don't need every table or surface to have decoration to love my space.  Empty space in some areas makes it feel like I can actually breath.  I got super lucky and found two of these marble pieces at a local "junk" shop for $10 each.  This one will stay as a centerpiece and home for the salt, butter and honey on our dining table and the other I'll use for rolling pie and pastry dough.

Goal #10: Make Devotions & Bible Study Part of My Daily Life

Progress:  I'm still working on Angie Smith's Seamless study.  I have not stuck to my "plan" that I talked about last month.  I find myself trying to "just do this one thing" before I sit down since J is asleep and L is content watching her cartoons and before I know it, nap time is over and I didn't get my study done.  This is just a matter of doing it long enough that it becomes a habit.

 

I'm still feeling pretty good about things.  The longer days and sunshine are doing wonders for my motivation and mood.  I can't wait for spring to be here for good.  I'm a work in progress, and as much as I would like to be complete, I know that there will always be something to learn or do.  I'll never be a finished product, it's the accepting of this that is sometimes difficult for a perfectionist like me.

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