We made it 6 days before 2021 started feeling just as chaotic as 2020.  Obviously the calendar changing from December 31st to January 1st doesn't literally change anything except maybe our mindset.  Something about that calendar changing from December to January seemed to bring a breath of fresh air.

With that fresh air I sat down and looked at 2021 and what I hope to get from it.  Last year I wrote my goals and when they popped up on Instagram it was awesome to look back and see that I achieved many of the goals I put into place.

My 2021 goals -

1. Read 75 books.  I know I read over 100 books last year (!!! Which was huge!), but I want to be realistic in my goals this year.  It is already shaping up to be a fairly eventful year around here and I want to be able to enjoy leisurely reading the same trashy romance novels I already enjoy. There is absolutely no shame in my game, y'all.

2. Say yes to at least 5 things that make me uncomfortable. Since starting Lawrence Lady Boss Project I have been fortunate to jump on board with lots of ideas and opportunities that otherwise would not have been presented to me.  In 2021, I want to expand on that and say yes to 5 more things!

3. Write more.  Every year I say this.  Every year I want to take the time and document the memories that my family will hopefully eventually look back on.  And every year I prioritize other things.  Not this year.

4. Return to in-person networking.  I put this as a goal but the reality is that it is 100% out of my control.  That being said, I REALLY hope that 2021 gives us the opportunity to get back out there and be together.

5. Reach 100 rides on the Echelon.  I am still not loving it, as of now.  But I am hoping to keep pushing on it until I am.  This is a big year in our family with my sister getting married, and I want to look and feel my best.  So I will keep moving and keep doing every day to get to the other side.

So that is that.  Some of it is cliche and over used... but if I can hit at least 3 of these this year, I will be beyond happy.

We made it 6 days before 2021 started feeling just as chaotic as 2020.  Obviously the calendar changing from December 31st to January 1st do...

Every year as we say goodbye to one year and welcome a new one, we look forward with bright and hopeful eyes.  "2019 was rough.  2020 will DEFINITELY be my year." Like somehow the change of the calendar will actually change the realities of everyday life.  But we set the goals, the intentions, the word of the year and we hope to make the changes to achieve all of the things.

Every year as we say goodbye to one year and welcome a new one, we look forward with bright and hopeful eyes.  "2019 was rough.  202...

I will be honest with you.  I don't know what exactly 2019 has in store for us.  There aren't any major life changes on the horizon.  Our family is complete.  My husband is content in his job.  We are still happy in our forever home.  Short of Rob continuing his education (I'm pretty sure he dreams of being a lifelong student - haha), Grace going into kindergarten and Brooklyn starting preschool... this year has a lot of open pages to be written.  Which I am both optimistic for and excited.

So I have been thinking a lot about how I want the year to go.  Of course I want the year to be an overwhelming success but on a personal level I feel like I have A LOT of work to do.

In 2019, I want to...

...sleep more.  I am a notorious night owl.  Which isn't really a big deal when you are 22 and kidless. But at 28, with three little turkeys that like to take turns keeping me up... I should probably practice going to bed much earlier.  So I am starting small and my goal is to be in bed laying down by midnight every night.

...blog more.  In 2019 it would be nice to take this blog to the next level.  What that next level is, I am still undecided.  But I do want to try and blog more and on a more regular basis.  I like writing and I like sharing with my readers all that goes on in our world.

...yell less.  This one is going to be hard because when my kids stop listening and tune me out, I yell.  I want to yell less and try and get through to them on a different level.  So fingers crossed it is as effective as me being the yelling mom.

...be on time more.  I am terrible at being anywhere on time or when I will say I will be there.  It's not that I do it on purpose.  I'm not just sitting on my butt wasting away.  It is just the challenge of getting my kids anywhere on time... something always comes up.  Luckily, this winter break has completely jacked up our sleep schedule and so we will have to get back into a routine anyway, a perfect time to reestablish early schedules.

...tell my husband I love him more.  Can one ever truly say "I love you" enough?  After ten years together, it is obviously a known that I love this man I married, but sometimes I don't say it enough.  This year I want to say it more often.  It can never be said enough.

Admittedly I've been working on this list the last 7 days or so... and I already know I am failing at more than one of these personal goals.  But if come the end of the year, I look back and have made great progress towards these goals, I will feel like I truly accomplished something.

Happy New Year, friends!
May 2019 bless all of us with good health and great fortune.

I will be honest with you.  I don't know what exactly 2019 has in store for us.  There aren't any major life changes on the horiz...

2018.

We are a couple of weeks into this year and so far our family has been blessed with the virus that will not go away.  I had it first, gave it to Grace, who gave it to Brooke, who gave it to Rob... who is still battling it.  Cough, congestion, runny nose, just overall feeling run down.  It is for the birds and I hope that by this weekend we can officially kick it to the curb.

But that is not my only goal for 2018.

I also want to tackle the junk drawer in our kitchen, finally get the sports wallpaper down in baby number 3's bedroom and be caught up on laundry for more than an hour.

I want to celebrate 10 years post high school graduation with all my girlfriends at our reunion, let Shania Twain take me back to the summers of my childhood at her concert and celebrate 8 years of marriage to my person, my other half.

I hope to nail the princess birthday party for my 4 year old, not cry when my little bug turns 2 and cherish the newborn snuggles come April.

I plan to cut out cursing, yell less and encourage the random dance parties and sing alongs.

I can't wait to welcome 28, celebrate friends getting married and marvel at the sweet babies being brought into our world.

I will soak up the chances to rock my children to sleep, read them more books and push their little personalities to the surface even more.

I will practice patience, not take for granted the time spent with family and friends and be the best me that I can be for myself, my husband and my kids.

2018 may have started out a bit underwhelming... but it's another year.  A blank slate.  An opportunity to make it what I want it to be.  And for that I am thankful.

What are your 2018 goals?



always,
amanda

2018. We are a couple of weeks into this year and so far our family has been blessed with the virus that will not go away.  I had it fi...

It is all too cliche.  The new year comes around and everyone insists that this will be THEIR year.  They will change immensely and become the person they have longed to be.

After all, according to my Facebook 2016 was an especially rough year for everyone.  There can be no other way to go, but up.

January 1, 2017 dawned just as any other day.  Maybe the bags under my eyes were a bit bigger than normal after staying up to welcome the new year.  But it felt different in that it was a fresh start.  It is funny how a new year can make one feel that way.  Nothing really changes but the date, but a fresh world of possibilities opens up.

I'm not one to set resolutions, because I can almost never stick to them.  So I just wanted to do better this year.  Be a better mom and wife.  And above all, be better to myself.

So I've started a new routine of sorts.  Every night I reflect on the day and take note of two things I did that day that were for myself.  They have been as simple as taking an extra long hot shower.  Or as complicated as finally organizing the downstairs storage closet.  But I recognize two things, and I write it down in my planner (because I went back to a paper planner and life is GLORIOUS!).

I'm forced to focus on me at least once a day.  Just me.  I'm a mom first, a wife second and any time after that is for me... just me.

Here is just a small sampling of what I want to do this year... for me...

-Get back into practicing yoga regularly.  30 minutes makes me feel so much stronger and better.  Just 30 minutes.

-Go to the spa.

-Blog regularly.

-Write and send more letters and packages.

-Leave my kids more.  Time away is healthy for all of us.

-Maintain a clean and organized home.

-Get my hair trimmed more.

-Find a great new dentist and get my teeth cleaned.

I am about a week and a half into this trying to do things for myself bit and so far I've been able to do things no problem.

So 2017, what'chu got?



always,
amanda

It is all too cliche.  The new year comes around and everyone insists that this will be THEIR year.  They will change immensely and becom...

I don't think I have ever posted a word of the year... but this year is going to be different.

This year I am going to have patience.

When the toddler is testing me.  When the baby is still growing and making me even more uncomfortable.  When the husband puts the laundry next to the hamper instead of in it.  When labor doesn't happen at the snap of a finger.  When the baby is crying and the toddler decides it is the perfect time to throw a fit over nothing in particular.  When that thing I asked the husband to do five times, still hasn't gotten done.  When the dog wants to go outside at the same time that all the timers go off announcing that dinner is done.  When 5 o'clock rolls around and I'm this close to completely losing it.

I will be the first to admit that I am not always patient with motherhood, being a wife, the everyday things of life.   I'm easy to fall apart when things get stressful and so I hope that 2016 brings me the patience I will need to adjust to being a mother of two.  Things on my plate are about to double and I have to learn how to take those in strides.

Here is to another year...


always,
amanda

source . I don't think I have ever posted a word of the year ... but this year is going to be different. This year I am going to ...

Well tomorrow is OFFICIALLY the first day of fall.. so with that, let's discuss how that summer bucket list went down...

--Take Grace swimming. // nope. We only went to the pool once, and it was Saturday.. and it was breezy. BUT I have plans to hopefully start taking little missy to Aquatots at the pool on post.

--Make Rob's first father's day a memory he will cherish for years to come. // check. here.

--Have professional 6 month pictures taken of baby girl. // check. I had my cousin take a few.  So we didn't go to a studio, but I did get some good ones that I love!

--Finally graduate. // check. here.

--Go garage sale-ing.. more than once. // sort of... I think I went once.

--Host many barbeques. // sort of... we had 2? So many may be a stretch.

--Attend a fireworks display over July 4th weekend. // check. We went to the one on base and our own little one out front.  More here.

--Cherish every moment with all the family coming to see us this summer. // check!! We enjoyed every second of our family time.

--Whip the yard into shape.. as in pull weeds, trim bushes and tidy it all up. // nope. In fact.. I'm pretty sure the yard only got mowed like once this summer... just pitiful.

--Start taking regular walks with Grace and Piston.  Maybe Rob too. // nope. It was hot. I despise hot.  Maybe this fall. 

--Eat on the patio at a restaurant over in the a/c. // check. We ate at our favorite Mexican restaurant that has an amazing patio sitting area!

--Light up the fire pit some night... sit around it with family or friends. // nope.  Just never got around to it.  Maybe before Rob returns to WOCS.

--Finally (hopefully) scoop up some fantastic gently used patio furniture! // nope.. and no immediate plans either.

--Invite friends with babies over for play dates. // not really... I did sign Grace up for a playgroup on base that is starting sometime later this year.

--Redo our master bedroom, once and for all. // I've started.  Our above the bed art is updated.. so that's a start.

--Take tons of pictures.. of EVERYTHING. // check.. duh!

Ten of 16.. not too bad.. maybe the other 6 will be accomplished by the end of the year? Hard telling.

How did your summer bucket list go?!

Well tomorrow is OFFICIALLY the first day of fall.. so with that, let's discuss how that summer bucket list went down... --Take Grace ...

Can you believe 2014 is here?? 2013 was quite the year.  We were busy... mostly growing a baby.  And now we are welcoming in the year of change for us.  The year where we get to meet our sweet little bundle.

I. Am. So. Ready.

I truly hope your holiday is a safe one... and you are surrounded by those that mean the most to you.

Source.

For the year 2014..

A bad habit I am going to break // Cussing.  As much as my sailor's mouth is a part of me... it needs to go and or get better.

A new skill I'd like to learn // To sew.  I have a beautiful new sewing machine... and I've yet to sit down and learn how to use it.

A person I hope to be more like // My mother.  Becoming a mother myself.. I know there are so many lessons I can learn from my mother on how to be there for my daughter and how to raise her to be a strong independent woman.

A good deed I'm going to do // I'm dying to do a 30 random acts of kindness type of deal.

A place I'd like to visit // Alabama.  Why?? Because that means Rob has finished his first part of schooling for warrant officer training.  It means he was picked up and the transition has begun.

A letter I'm going to write // I want to get back into sending birthday cards to all my nearest and dearest.  That is one of the things that has fallen off during the midst of my pregnancy.

I'm going to do better at // Keeping the laundry to a minimum.  Seriously causes crazy unnecessary anxiety.  Plus if we add in baby laundry... my washer will be busy.

And finally I'm going to try something new this year.  I'm going to have a word of the year.  This year the word I have selected is strength.  I hope to have the strength to get through the rest of this pregnancy.  I hope to have strength in adjusting to my new role as a mother.  I hope to have continued strength in my marriage.  I hope for all of my friends and family to experience strength in their lives as well.

What are your resolutions for the year 2014?  Or your word of the year?

Can you believe 2014 is here?? 2013 was quite the year.  We were busy... mostly growing a baby.  And now we are welcoming in the year of cha...