It’s October – one of my favorite months of the year – yay!! Unfortunately, it hasn’t gotten off to the best start… Nothing has gone wrong in particular, but I’m feeling the burden of September’s post-summer procrastination, and Nora has decided to quit sleeping and start screaming… So that’s fun. Not. Anyway, there’s no time like the present to turn things around and get busy! I’m excited to be joining Sarah once again to share my B+ goals for the month today, but first, here’s a quick recap of how I did in September…

• I launched my eBook!! Hooray! This was a LABOR of love, but I’m proud of it and so glad to have it done. (Once again, thank you for all your support and encouragement throughout the launch and along the way!)
• I didn’t blog as regularly as I would have liked, but I’m getting there…
• I drank more water and – finally – started regularly walking/running several evenings a week with some consistency.
• I read two books for me – Love Warrior (full review coming tomorrow) and Lean In – and two with Sam – Owls in the Family and Toys Go Out – I recommend the latter, but not the former.
• I decorated for fall but didn’t quite get our closets organized.
• I still haven’t updated the photos in our house.
• And, we went camping!!! (I even enjoyed it!) *I also went hiking in September. Who am I?

Looking back, September was maybe one of the more “successful” months I’ve had in a while in terms of goals… There’s definitely something to be said for routine after a summer of fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants fun! Here’s hoping October will be even better. So, shall we?

October 2016 B+ Goals:

1. Clean out all four of our closets and create (and share) some type of “capsule wardrobe” for the kids and me.

2. Continue with Couch to 5K and be able to run 15 minutes straight.  (Also, be able to fit into my bridesmaid’s dress on October 22nd.) #babysteps #realist

3. Pack my lunch at least 3 days a week. (Progress, not perfection.)

4. Publish at least one “meaningful” blog post and one “Teaching Tuesday” post each week. (So far, I’m claiming this one and this one for this week.)

5. Read three books for me (it’s a stretch, but – thanks to Overdrive and audiobooks, I can totally do it) and at least one with Sam.

6. Take the kids to a pumpkin patch.

7. Clean-up/decorate our front porch. (I lost my privileges with mums about five years ago after consecutively killing too many to count, but I think Jeff’s ready to let me try again. I’m responsible for two children now, so I think I’ve proven my abilities.)

8. Send a fall Sam&Scout Newsletter… I’m WAY behind on this!!! (If you haven’t signed up, you can do it here.)

I don’t know if I’ve become more cynical or more realistic, but I actually had kind of a hard time thinking of goals this month. I really want them to be attainable, and not overwhelming or pointless. There were other things I wanted to put on there – like “update photos in frames around the house” again and host a girls’ dinner at my house – but I’m learning that I can’t do everything every month. Some things will just have to wait.  That’s the whole point of being “B+” right? I like it.

Don’t forget to check out Sarah’s goals (and a super cute pic of her puppy) too, and share your own in the comments if you want!

It’s going to be a good month friends.

E

P.S. Any tips on surviving 18-month sleep regression and/or early-onset “terrible twos” is WELCOME and appreciated.

First Day of School – Sam, age 5 #bonusyear

Goodness gracious. It’s already September 7th. One look at that photo above is absolute proof that TIME FLIES. Geez. Some of you have been reading since before Sam was BORN. Can you even believe that boy up there?!? 

Anyway….

I’m back in school now (half way through Week 3), and Sam – finally – started back at his preschool yesterday. September means saying goodbye to summer and hello to cooler days (please come soon), football, and routine. It’s a lot like January in my book actually – a fresh start and a whole school year ahead full of opportunity. My life usually feels slightly “together” in September because I’m still riding the high of vacations, I’m rested from months off from work, and it’s too early to be too far behind. In September, I think I am (close-to) my best self.

Of course, with this optimism and expectation comes a decent amount of pressure too…  Too easily I fall into the trap of: THIS is the year I will finally ______________ (write a book / run a marathon / not put off grading / stay caught up on laundry / cook dinner every night…) I want to set goals and make plans; I love the hopefulness of September. But, I want to be realistic and gentle with myself too. I can do anything, but not everything… And that’s OK.

Back in January, Sarah and I started a monthly link-up where we share our B+ Goals. The mantra is: Done is better than perfect. I love that! If you’ve never participated before, we’d LOVE to have you join us at the beginning(ish) of each month for some accountability and GRACE – I can guarantee I’ll never meet all my goals in one month, so you don’t need to worry about that! Just write your own B+ blog post and share it at the link-up at the bottom of this post. It’s a fun way for us to get to know you and for you to meet each other! Everyone is welcome!

And so, without further adeiu, here are my B+ goals for September:

1. Finish and launch my eBook on September 15th. (!!!!!!)

2. Get back in a blogging routine of at least three (consistent) days a week.

3. Drink more water. (Brag minute: I haven’t had a diet soda in almost a month!!! Now, about my sweet coffee intake….)

4. Exercise three days a week.

5. Read two books for myself and one with Sam.

6. Decorate for fall & organize our closets.

7. Order new pictures and update the frames in our house.

8. Go camping.

And there you have it… If you’ve been to this party before, you probably recognize a few of those goals. I’ve been working on MANY of them (ahem #2, #3, #4, and #7) for a while, and I put #5 on every month because I love the practice of daily reading and the quality time it allows me with Sam. Remember, September is a fresh start. I’ve got this… And so do you!

What are your goals for September? Make sure to check out Sarah’s list as well and come back to link up your own (or leave them in the comments). It’s going to be a good year!

E

P.S. In case you didn’t know, Emily Ley released her Fall 2016 line today, and it is GOOD. If getting organized is one of your goals (or you just love pretty papers like I do), I can’t recommend her products highly enough. I’ve been using a Simplified Planner for almost five years now, and it just gets better and better every year. This year’s collection includes all the old favorites plus some awesome newbies like stickers and washi tape in EL’s signature color, pineapple or coffee cup shaped paperclips, and new gold foil mini notebooks. I love EVERYTHING, and I’d be SO honored (and grateful) if you’d use my affiliate links (above) to shop.  ***Today only, the accessories bundle is on sale for $32 – normally $38!!***  THANK YOU!!

Well, hello there friends!

I’m still here. Sorry for the long blog break!  It was unintended, but I was just so busy having fun. 😉

Seriously though, we are home from our travels now, and I’m anxious to get back in a routine – in life and on the blog. If you’re still here, thanks for sticking with me!

So, it’s July. What?!? June literally disappeared before my eyes. It was SO fun, but so very un-productive. Incase you’re interested, here’s a quick recap/review of my June goals:

• Rest – CHECK! I spent five days at the beach with my friends and no kids, then ten days at the beach with my family and five days at my mom and dad’s. It was SO great having extra hands to help with the kids; and, honestly, just being away from my house, responsibilities, and schedule. I slept in almost every morning (the kids did too believe it or not), did very little cooking and cleaning, and just – in general – enjoyed myself and took it easy. It was probably the longest stretch of rest and relaxation that I’ve had in five years. It was wonderful. I came home feeling so refreshed and, truly, ready and excited to “hustle” a little in July. (Spoiler Alert: I really didn’t do that well on the rest of my goals this month, but I’m SO glad I focused on this one. I know not everyone has the opportunity to take three weeks away like this, so I don’t take it for granted. This was much needed, and I’m incredibly grateful that it was possible.)
• Read – Oops. I didn’t read anywhere near five books this month (whatwasIthinking?); but, I did read Me Before You  (LOVED it) and am halfway through The Year We Turned Forty (eh). Looks like I’ve got a lot of reading to do in July and August if I want to get through this list. 😉
• Write – Well, I think you know how this one went. 😉 I have, however, started my ebook. (Did you catch the topic in my interview on The Mom Hour? It’s on maternity leave – specifically for teachers – and I CAN’T WAIT to share it with you!)
• Play – CHECK! Again, I’m so glad I prioritized this over other things this month… Play doesn’t come easy for me, but there was something about being on vacation and away from home that just pushed me to spend more intentional time on the ground with my kids. I got in the ocean, rode bikes, played restaurant, raced cars, rode the carousel 4 times in a row, ate ice-cream (wait, that’s not play?), etc. It was the best!
• Take Candid Photos with My Real Camera – Nope. Didn’t take one. #youwinsomeyoulosesome

So, there you have it. Now, on to what’s in store for this month…

July 2016:

1. Make good progress on my ebook. (Look for more on this soon.)

2. Blog regularly – I’m going to aim for a Monday, Wednesday, Friday post schedule (+ Links & Likes).

3. Host Sam’s 5th birthday party (what in the world?!?) and make a video/slideshow for him.

4. Try two new classes at the gym and exercise AT LEAST three times a week. (Y’all, I need this SO bad right now.)

5. Clean out my closet/ plan a fall “capsule wardrobe.” (Third time’s a charm?!?)

6. Read two books for myself (I just got Eligible from the library for my Kindle and I’m excited to start it) and one with Sam.

7. Get back on track with meal planning/prep and cook healthy meals at three(ish) times a week. (I’d been using Prep Dish before my trip and really liked it. I’m hoping to start that up again next week!)

8. Take the kids on three “adventures.” (Did you see this little calendar I posted on Instagram earlier this week? Sam is LOVING it.)

Ok, that should keep me plenty busy, don’t you think?!?

As always, I’m linking up with Sarah today, and we’d LOVE to hear what you have on the ole “to do” list for July. Remember, the whole premise of “B+ Goals” is that “done is better than perfect.” I pretty much know I’ll never get everything done that I want to in a month, but I love having a list as a starting place and knowing what I’m working towards; then, I celebrate the wins and show myself grace in the losses. Join me?!?

Until next time,

E

Oh June, there you are! I’ve been waiting for you since… August. Welcome back! 😉

The calendar may say we have a few more weeks still, but it is SUMMER in my book! I’ve got five days left of school and ten days until I leave for almost THREE weeks of beach and travel!!!! I cannot wait!

More to come on my summer plans, how I pack for such a long trip with two kids, etc.; but, for today, I’m joining Sarah again to talk about my B+ goals for the month…

First, a quick look at how I did in May:

• Start an eBook. (I thought about starting it a lot. Does that count?)
• Finish my Lit Review for my college class. (Done. Sort-of.)
• Finally plan that Book Club I’ve been talking about since last year. (Done. #2minutesago We’re reading The Nest in case you’re interested.)
• Take Sam to his swim lessons all month. (We missed two out of 8. At least we went to most of them.)
• Have pictures taken of the kids (and actually PRINT some)!! (Ugh. I tried so hard on this one, but our photography session got rained out TWICE.)
• Write three handwritten notes. (Oops.)
• Read another book with Sam. (We’re currently in the middle of Runaway Ralph.)
• Organize my closet and consign clothes with ThredUp. (I sent my bag off – will let you know how it goes – and have finally finished all my purging. I hope to do the final re-organization this week or next.)
• Send May newsletter! (Done! Did you get it?!? Sign up in the sidebar so you don’t miss a special summer edition coming soon-ish!)

So, all in all, maybe more like a C+, but I’ll take it! 😉

And now for June… Like I said above, I’ll be on the road (or on the beach) for all but the first ten days of the month, so I’m trying to keep my goals realistic and low key.

June 2016:

1. Rest. (I’m actually going on vacation with my friends and NO KIDS for five days, and I cannot wait to sleep in, take naps, and just – in general – RELAX.)

2. Read. (Remember my Summer Reading List? I’d like to get through at least 5 of those books in June.)

3. Write. (I’m excited to spend more time on my blog and finally write the eBook I’ve been thinking about for so long! Details to come.)

4. Play. (I want to be good about getting in the water, digging in the sand, sitting on the floor, etc. These months off with my kids are SO precious to me, and I want to make the most of them!)

5. Take candid photos with my real camera. (I used my camera this past weekend for the first time in almost a year, and I couldn’t believe how much better the pictures turned out. I’m packing that bad boy and making it a point to pull it out more often.)

Alright, there we go!

How did you do in May? What are your goals/plans for June?

Make sure to check out Sarah’s post too!

Happy June!

E

P.S. Check out my “Goals for a Slowish Summer” post from last year. I’m going for more of the same!

I cannot believe it is MAY already! Woohoo! Hello spring (for real this time, no playing around like you did last month)! Hello cookouts and swimsuits and movies outside! Hello end-of-school-year-hustle (the end result is totally worth it).

We rang in May well yesterday with – actually, come to think of it – all of the above, and I’m excited to be sharing some new B+goals for the month with Sarah today!

But first, you might recall that March was not my *best* month. Thankfully, April was much, much better! You can go back and read that post for the specifics; but, in general, I “met” my goals. In April I read three books, I finally stepped up my blogging game again (which is fun and relaxing to me), I went to bed much earlier, I got outside a lot more. I took walks, I went to the gym (OK, only once, but whatever). I played with my kids more. I went to baseball games, birthday parties, and the drive-in. I let other things wait in favor of dinner with friends.

AND, on top of all that good stuff, I even got my yard cleaned up, finally organized the basement and kids’ clothes, and tended to some “to do”s I’d been putting off for a while. As it turns out, when I took care of  and stopped putting so many expectations on myself, I was actually more productive too. 

It was a good month. It wasn’t perfect (ironically, I spent the last few days of the month sick again), but it was just the re-set I had needed. I’m ready to go in to May in a MUCH better place, with a similar B+ approach…

Here are my goals for May:

1. Start an eBook. (Yep. I’m doing it. Details to come.) *Bet you can’t guess what it’s going to be about!

2. Finish my Lit Review for my college class. (It was due in March. Just FYI.)

3. Finally plan that Book Club I’ve been talking about since last year.

4. Take Sam to his swim lessons all month. (B+ people. I’ll be happy if we get there.)

5. Have pictures taken of the kids (and actually PRINT some)!! *This is planned for late in the month, and you know I’m already planning outfits etc.

6. Write three handwritten notes. (These will, likely, take the place of the Thank You notes I never wrote after Nora’s/my birthday in March. #whohaveIbecome?)

7. Read another book with Sam. (I fell out of this habit in March and April, but I loved it. Any recommendations?)

8. Organize my closet and consign clothes with ThredUp.

9. Send May newsletter! (Have you signed up?! If not, you can do it on the sidebar –>)

So, it’s a lot, but these are all things I really need/want to do anyway, and I feel like I have a lot better perspective about these goals than I did the first half of the year. Let’s do this!

How are things going for you? Did you meet any of your goals from April? What’s the plan for May?

Remember to check out Sarah’s B+ Goals here too!

Have a great week!

E

P.S. When I was looking for an image to use in this post, I found this cute free checklist from Paper&Glam. I’m going to try to mark some of these things off too (very B+, of course). I just love that these things are simple, and FUN, and all about life’s little pleasures. #whatispaperclipdaythough?