Goals 2019

I have started compiling a list of goals for each year, thanks to my amazing lifelong mom friend, Evan.  She is exceptional at crafting goals and making them work for her!  I have been following her example with goal setting, now I just need to follow her example in goal completing....

So, here's my list for 2019.  I want to focus more on taking care of myself and my health so that I can take care of my family and enjoy my life.

1. Read a book to the kids, with the kids at least 3 times a week.  Often, bedtime is so rushed and that time to connect needs to happen.  I need it and they need it too!
   
2. Exercise 4 times a week.  I'm going to make this a top priority because it will help with my physical, mental, and social health.  It makes me a better wife, mom, and teacher when I feel good.  And we all know what Elle Woods said about exercise and endorphins...
   
3. Plan trips, not gifts.  I want to put a plan in motion to go DO THINGS with my people.  I would like to cut back on the things and make a point to go to places with them.  See another later goal that ties into this...
   
4. Simplify things.  Clean out closets, storage containers, and cabinets.  Donate or sell items that can be useful and clean out garbage that is no longer useful.
   
5. Read 2 books a month.  One to help me and one for fun.
   
6. Track macro nutrients every day to maximize health and weight loss.  I plan to focus on my health this year and establish better habit with my diet and my fitness. 
   
7. Run 5 5 ks this year.  Health y'all.  It is so important and I plan to maximize mine this year.
   
8. Well checks and doctor visits for my children need to be a priority.  We rarely do those as recommended, because they are pretty healthy.  We need to schedule them as they should be done and follow through.  I will make that happen.
   
9. Have a friend night once a month.  With my new neighbors, with old friends, with women I love.  I love having a community and I know that I need to make connections regularly.
   
10. Join a small group at church and find a place to serve.  I love my church and our church family.  I have been out of the loop with service for a while, and I miss it.  I would like to find a place for that again!
    
11. I am going to prepare one new recipe weekly this year!  I love the kitchen and I love being able to cook new things, so I feel like this will be fun!
    
12. Host a family lunch once a month. 
    
13. Finish things.  The book shelves, the hanging of the decorations, printing of the pictures, projects I begin...
    

I am straight copying a few goals from people I follow via social media, but they fit me perfectly!  I cannot wait to journey through 2019 and improve myself as I go.  Thanks for following along and being a blog friend!

August-December 2017

My goal is going to complete the blog updates from the last million years and attempt to stay in real time from now on.  Blogging is something I really like, but it is so hard to maintain that on a regular basis!  I don't mean to neglect it, but it isn't something I can just sit and do unless I plan a time to do it.  

So thankful for this man and his health.

Open heart surgery in August and he was up and moving soon after.

My best friend lost her dad in October to the same kind of heart issue that Dad had.

Every now and again I catch myself thinking about Dad and Roy and how thankful I am.

I started coaching my girl last May and we had competitions through December of 2017.

It was a long season and it was hard, but we had fun!

I think she's ready to do it again and I am gearing up to coach again!

Hayes plays soccer and Libby does cheer.

The girls color on the sidelines while we watch soccer.

It is lovely.

Last season our soccer team was terrible.

As in, we never won a game.

This season was awesome and we went undefeated!

Cheer comp season was similar to LAST soccer season.

We didn't win one single competition during regular season!

We still had a GREAT time!

In October 2017 we put our house on the market and got full asking price in 10 DAYS!

Fall Festival at Winston is always a good time!

Our BFF Kinsley!

Goal Summary 2017

You can view my 2017 goal list HERE.

1. Started several books.  Didn't finish one.  ...sigh...
   
2. No crops.  Zero.  I did grow some awesome flowers though!  Does that count?
   
3. There was lots of purging and ridding of uneccesary things.  Not in an orderly fashion, but the effort counts, right?
   
4. I did sell some antiques.  I did buy new furniture on December 22nd, for our new house... but it got done y'all!
   
5. Home repairs done.  We sold that house and the repairs were required for the sale! 
   
6. Nada on the exercise.  Next....
   
7. Nope on the MK sales director and nope on the quit teaching.  I have actually found a renewed passion for that one lately.  The MK is still fun, but less passion is present!
   
8. Still working on the debt payoff plan.  We sold our Mason Falls Drive house and we will be able to use our profits to pay off most debt.  We are still waiting on the closing of our new house to do that. 
   
9. We did repaint all those rooms listed.  We didn't do any of those other major repairs because we sold that house. 
   
10. Good GRAVY--a  lot can change in 12 months.  Looking back at this list... I see some of the things I wanted to do were a good idea, but I have learned that I have to create TANGIBLE goals with a way to track them.  Be on the lookout for #goalpost2018 soon with measurable goals that I can actually track and achieve! 
    
11. Meanwhile, Merry Christmas!  

January--Goal Update

1. Plan a weekly menu.
   Menu planning is my sweet spot.  I can do this and grocery shop like it is my job.
   
2. Organize all tax paperwork.
   I hate taxes.  I love getting my money back, but I hate taxes.  I have it all piled up in the dining room to work on and one day I will actually work on it.
   
3. Clean out master closet and dressers.
   I started in my closet area and dresser as well.  I still have some work to do since I have a 4-6 size range of clothing to choose from.  I also have a LOT more than I actually need.
   
4. Clean out master bathroom cabinets & organize them.
   This was actually kinda fun and it didn't take me very long.  Expired medicine and cosmetics take up a lot of space in cabinets...  I love having a 'clean cabinet.'
   
5. Begin cleaning out the playroom closets and  storage dormers.
   We lost a pretty expensive Christmas gift this month, so the playroom got searched by default.  I also reorganized all the toys into bins and encouraged my kids to keep it clean that way!  It is so much easier to find the toys when they are in the right place!
   
6. Exercise 20 times this month.
   Nur.  That's a NUR from me.  I didn't even come close to this.
   
7. Start process of ceiling repair in kitchen.  Either hire a contractor OR DIY.
   Nope.  Moving this to February since we have a break from school and I hope to get it done then!
   
8. Clean giant window at front of house.  Caulk it.
   I need a giant ladder that's clean... anyone?  Once I get that ladder I can get this done!
   
9. Print a canvas of the latest family photo session for the living room.
   Printed.  Ordered.  On the way!
   
10. Select a color theme for the MK & dining room.
    I have decided to do a light blue/green and grey theme for both.  I'm excited to get this done in the spring!
    
11. Research cruises for family in 2018...
    Nope.  But I still have a ton of time for that.  I decided I should wait for the wrestling schedule to be released so I can compare times to cruise departures, etc.  

I like the idea of breaking this down monthly.  I need to compare my yearly goals to this monthly list and do the difficult/important things first.  I know the things that take up a lot of time need to be done early too!  

Budgeting and Menu Planning

I recently had a friend who asked me how I planned our menu and what I did to prepare our food.  I had some time over my break from school to think about it and I decided to blog about it.  It goes much farther than our menu to embrace our whole lives and what we do each week.

1. I look at our calendar and plan our menu around our weekly activities.  In this season of life we have wrestling two nights a week, gymnastics one night a week, and at least one other night when we are busy!  So I plan to cook at least 4-5 nights a week.  I adjust leftovers and pizza night around our lives.
   
2. I stick to at least 2 things I already know how to cook and don't make plans to learn new things until I'm ready... so weekends are times I try new dishes!  I adjust my schedule so the EASIEST things to cook (crock pot meals) are on my busiest days or the days when I know I will be tired... Mondays and Thursdays usually win!
   
3. I plan the meals.  I examine our pantry, fridge, and freezer to see what we have on hand.  After I have taken stock at home I make my grocery list.  Sometimes I plan my menu around what we already have on hand.  I am trying to develop the habit of using the foods we have instead of trashing them...   Sometimes I notice that I already have a whole meal on hand (spaghetti noodles, sauce, and venison in the freezer) so I only have to buy a salad and bread.
   
4. I make my grocery list for meals and recipes.  I also take stock of the kids' lunch stash and their breakfast items.  I like to make breakfast on the weekends, so I look at that too.
   
5. I know this all sounds like a LOT of steps, but I think I probably spend 20 minutes doing this whole process.  I bring my laptop into the kitchen, pull up my Google calendar, and compare it to the wall calendar.  I begin my Walmart grocery pickup list while I'm in the kitchen!
   
6. Once the menu is made and my meals are planned, I begin the process of prepping for them.  Sometimes I make freezer meals ahead of time, but mostly I prep the day before or the day of.  If I have a lot of leftovers I make a freezer meal... or have it for lunch that week too!  :)
   
7. I put away the groceries after the pick up day and then write our dinners for the week.  I adjust the menu as needed once the week starts.  Sometimes what I planned for Tuesday actually works better for us on Wednesday, etc.  Either way, I have all the ingredients on hand to make the meals for the week.
   
8. Sometimes I have to adjust plans as the week unfolds and we have to move a meal to the next week.  I try to be flexible.  I also try to keep my grocery budget to $100 a week or less.. that includes the household goods and the cleaning supplies...
   
9. "Shopping" in my pantry, fridge, freezer before going to the grocery store or even making a list helps me save money AND time!

January 2017 To Do List

1. Plan a weekly menu.
   
2. Organize all tax paperwork.
   
3. Clean out master closet and dressers.
   
4. Clean out master bathroom cabinets & organize them.
   
5. Begin cleaning out the playroom closets and  storage dormers.
   
6. Exercise 20 times this month.
   
7. Start process of ceiling repair in kitchen.  Either hire a contractor OR DIY.
   
8. Clean giant window at front of house.  Caulk it.
   
9. Print a canvas of the latest family photo session for the living room.
   
10. Select a color theme for the MK & dining room.
    
11. Research cruises for family in 2018...

Goals: 2017 edition. Intentional Chapter.

Read a devotional book and complete Bible studies as the year goes along.  I just began 'Draw the Circle:  The 40 Day Prayer Challenge' and it will take me through the end of January.  After that I will be INTENTIONAL about reading The Circle Maker and then the book about praying circles around my children.  I know that prayer for my family will never be done.

Grow crops this summer, well really just tomatoes and possibly cucumbers.  I will be INTENTIONAL and get seedlings started in April so I can have food by summertime!  But don't tell anyone who lives in my neighborhood because they are against the HOA rules...

Clean out/organize one room a month, including the closets in each room.  I will post my list of rooms next week so I can be INTENTIONAL about scheduling time for them in the coming months.  I know that purging items from each room is such an awesome feeling, plus we are able to get rid of SO MUCH tiny baby/kid stuff.

Purchase new furniture via living room.  Sell antiques.  I am beyond ready to have some established pieces in my living room.  I'd like to create/find some functional storage pieces for the space.  It is really small and the seating is awkward, so it makes it challenging.  I am going to have to be INTENTIONAL about shopping for it or finding plans to MAKE it.

Repair ceiling in kitchen, repair the wall in the master bath, major yard renovation to grow actual grass in the front yard.  None of this will take large amounts of time, but it may require large amounts of money.  The yard will be the biggest cost of money AND time.  I will have to plan the yard starting in February so we can be INTENTIONAL about getting good dirt and grass.  

Run/exercise 3 times a week.  I feel like this is the biggest struggle of my life.  I know it will make me feel better and be a positive force in my life.  It will make all things better and I know that, but MAKING time for it is my struggle.  I should alter my goal so that it says MAKE TIME TO EXERCISE 3 times a week, which really just means I have to GET UP EARLY and I hate that.  Get over it Carrie.  Grow up.

Become a Mary Kay sales director.  I will work my business 3 times a week for the entire months of January thru March.  If I am INTENTIONAL about working the business then my goal will be a reality.

Quit teaching... must complete the sales director goal first...

Pay off all credit cards.  We have been INTENTIONAL about this for the last few months, but I need to be more disciplined about the process.  The Dave Ramsey plan is moving us in that direction and I've been planning that for us for months!  

The following lists are just things we have on the agenda at no particular time or in no particular order.  We had some of them on the agenda for 2016 but ended up repairing the chimney instead.  Just the 'wish list' if you will...

Home Updates 2017

Trees beside driveway and in back yard need to come down...

Concrete driveway must be repaired

Deck built?

Paint my room--my office

Paint dining room--green and grey

Paint entry way--same grey as dining room

New blinds--Hayes, kids bathroom, playroom, my room/office

BONUS MONEY 2017

Gun

Glass door for front porch

Built ins in living room

Paint shutters, front door, and awning

Desktop computer

Head board master bedroom

Planning Ahead

So, I've been blogging since 2009.

I've made a few lists of things to do since then.

Some of my things have gotten done and some of them are still on the to-do list.

The next calendar year has a few new goals.

I've removed some of the ambiguity of the goal list.

I am proud to say that I am working really hard to get myself ready to work.

I've never really felt like LIFE is work, but I realized that I want to work.

I like ME better when I work.

I like my life better when it is planned.

So my 2017 to-do list will be posted soon!

I try to put a lot of thought into what I want to make better each year.

I love my life, but I know I can do a better job of being ME.

Big DREAMS loading y'all....

Big Dreams!

Part 2. D 2.

We are about one week away from our next trip to Disney World.  I figure I should probably finish blogging about the last one before I forget...

Dumbo.

Always a big hit.

See?  Big hit!

They will look like giants compared to this trip.  And Libby's braids are twice as long...

The celebration begins with a parade...

Soooooooooooooo, we stayed at this sorta scary, sorta cool hotel.  I'm a mom with serious hotel standards, but I let them SLIDE this one time.  We did Disney for less than $500 for a family of 5 and it was possible due to our awesome hotel!

First off, a parade at Magic Kingdom.  The kids loved every minute of it and I was thrilled we caught some of their favorite characters dancing!

We rode the monorail too.  I love riding Disney transportation because it is so easy with the kids!

We have a nice plethora of strollers to choose from, just in case we run out or need options.  These are two of my favorites and I really like having choices.  Judge me.

This girl doesn't look pumped, but she was.  Swear.

Woody!

Chip and Dale!

My baby chunk and her Daddy.  She went to Disney when she was about 6 months old and slept a lot.  This trip she was awake and awesome!  She had a BLAST!

Annnnnnnnnndddddddddddd, the Tea Cups.  We love this ride and my kids are rockstars about it.  We laugh the ENTIRE time.  It is awesome.  I cannot wait to take all 3 of them on it and have their Daddy watch.  He can't ride.  He pukes.

 And the ultimate family competition ride.  Can I please just beat Daryk ONCE with this!?

I did this trip!  I did not cheat, no matter what he says.  I actually just used my time wisely to make sure that I got enough points while the ride was stopped.

Prisoners of the evil Emperor Zurg.

Disney Day 1

We are only about 6 months behind in life and the blog.

We traveled to Disney World on Thanksgiving Day in 2015.  Our sis and bro in law hosted our early dinner so that we could load up and head out early!  After dinner and no nap we loaded everyone up and I drove.  It works better if I drive since Daryk drives like a grandpa....

We had a tiny break in wrestling season from Thanksgiving Thursday-Sunday and that was the ONLY 4 day stretch that we had off all season!  I booked that trip to see THE MOUSE as soon as I realized we had the funds and the time off!

So I drove.  So we could get there at a decent hour.  Pretty sure we pulled into the scary $30 a night outside door hotel around midnight with plans to get up at 7 the next day.  The scary hotel with outside doors had a HUGE room.  After check in and unloading, we crammed sleep in and then we got up early the next morning, courtesy of our real life alarm clocks in the form of PRESCHOOLERS, and grabbed breakfast at the hotel before we hit the parks!

Traveling with this dude means the never ending hunt for the ORANGE Mountain Dew.  He is always thrilled to find it and buy as many as possible for the trip!  It isn't sold in the metro  Atlanta area, so we always stock up when we travel.  

At some point we stopped for dinner at a Cracker Barrell, because they were open on Turkey Day and changed the kids into their jammies.  If Chick-fil-A isn't open, we shoot for the CB since they have a space to walk around and good food!  Plus, their bathrooms are usually pretty clean!  

Sleepy babies as we pulled into the hotel and checked in!  

Day 2:  Coming soon!

Easter Throwbacks....Just because I can

I have been an emotional wreck this morning.

Good Friday.

I love Easter.

I love the colors and the fun.

I love my family and the food.

I love the reason for this holiday MORE than anything else.

I adore the courage of my Savior.

The purpose of THIS holiday means more to me than any others...

How precious to throw it back and look over the celebrations with MY children over the years?

I am so grateful that I have a Savior and that He chose to love me.

I cannot imagine being Mary and watching my son die, so that others may have life.

What a courageous heart she had...

A mother's love is nothing compared to my God and his love for me.

Easter 2010

Easter 2010

Easter 2010

Hayes was about 4 months old.

Easter 2011

Easter 2011

Hayes was about 16 months old.

I was about 5 months pregnant.

That is my FAVORITE maternity shirt.

I still have it....

Easter 2012

Hayes is 2 and Libby was about 8 months old.

So.  Much.  Joy.

Easter 2013

Hayes was 3 and Libby was 18 months old...

Easter 2014

Spencer was DAYS old...

Hayes is 4.

Libby is 2 and a half... going on 20.

Easter 2015.

Spencer is 1.

Hayes is 5.

Libby is 3.5, going on 16...

Easter 2016... to come.  

First, you apologize.

On Saturday we had a rainy day at home.  We gathered ourselves up, went to run some errands, and spent time with Kitty.  We came home, had lunch, and cleaned the playroom.  Well, some of us cleaned the playroom.  Some of us argued with each other about it.  Somebody talked back to me and I lost it.  All the cool mom composure I had, it was gone.  Adios.  Bye.  BYE.

I yelled with enough frustration to scare someone.... myself and my son.  I absolutely had a come apart.  It was shameful.  I literally chased him to his bedroom and shut the door so I could gather my thoughts.   I gathered them quietly in my own room.  Prayers with tears and sad realizations that I need the Lord to guide me in all aspects.  All.  Aspects.  Parenting isn't excluded.  I am not an expert.

I went back to Hayes and asked him to sit with me on his bed and I apologized.  

"I didn't mean to yell at you like that and I'm very sorry.  I should have talked better to you and not yelled.  I just got really angry because you didn't do what I asked you to do and you talked back to me.  But I am sorry I yelled at you."

I am so thankful for the spirit of forgiveness.  I am thankful that my children embody the spirit of forgiveness and model that for me.  My mother displays the 'world's most forgiving' spirit possible.  I inherited that from her.  Hoping to pass that along to my sweet people as well.

Parenting is not for the faint of heart.  It is not for the weak or weary.  It is not easy and it is not always sunshine and rainbows.  I love that job even if I fail miserably.

The truth.

Ok.
So this one is bound to ruffle some feathers.
I don't want to hurt anybody's feelings, but this has GOT to come out.
This corner of the www is mine and you don't have to come back to read again if you don't want to.
I won't get my feelings hurt, promise.

About a month ago-ish I buried my grandmother.  And I loved that woman, with all my heart.  I loved all the things she did with her life.  She was a champion fighter and she fought a long hard battle.  She stayed a lot longer than I ever imagined she would and I feel like she got a whole life's worth.  She was a strong lady and I admire her wit.  She spent hours, days, weeks, and sometimes months in a hospital bed due to her illnesses.  They were plenty and enough to knock all of us down sometimes, but she fought with grace and a little bit of sass until the end.

The funeral service was lovely.  The memorial at the funeral home was lovely.  I felt as though the funeral was a lie.  The pastor rambled along about how she was a woman of God and how she showed His love and lived for Jesus.  Well folks, if she did that, I never saw it.  I never once saw His love or life in her.  I never heard her speak His name.  If we questioned her relationship with Jesus and her thoughts on heaven... it was a quick response of 'I'm a good person and I've never killed anyone, so I'm going to heaven.'

Quite frankly, that's not how it works.  Now, I cannot speak of her salvation because I was never courageous enough to ask her about it.  But I should have been.  I did not and I'm ashamed of that.

But I'll tell you something I learned while sitting in that pew in that little white church in the middle of nowhere Alabama....

I learned that when a pastor gets up at my funeral I want him to ramble about all of those things I mentioned above and I don't want ANYONE in that audience to have a doubt about what he's saying.  I want to shine so bright for the Lord that there is no question about how I feel about Him and how I display His love.  I am trembling while typing this at my computer y'all.  This is hard stuff.  To sit at your grandmother's funeral and have your heart ripped apart because God is using that woman to teach you from beyond, it is powerful.  Maybe she did know Him.  Maybe she did believe in Him and trust Him with her life, but y'all.  I never saw it.  Not in my childhood, not in my adolescence, and not as an adult.

I love that woman so much.  Her humor was perfect.  She cussed like a sailor and she was a joy to be around.  She embodied family and the glue that held it together.  Her legacy is a million miles long and I am so grateful that she was here and able to meet all my babies.  How fantastic is that?  She had 12 great grands... I think.  Forgive my math... It isn't the best.

The bottom line is that I do not want there to be a single doubt, not a tiny bit of hesitation about my life.  My words, my deeds, my songs, my work, my actions, my choices, my habits, my books, my family; my whole entire life.  I want it all to bring glory to Jesus.  And when I die and people are at my funeral (sans body--no casket for this girl) I want the truth to be so evident that nobody even needs to talk about it.  It just is.

2016--incoming.....

I typically start each year with a list of goals in mind.  I'm good at writing the goals.  I am terrible at actually achieving the goals.  I blame my mother.  She's a great project starter.  She's not a great finisher.  I'm working to teach my kids to start AND finish things.  I'm convinced it will take me until I DIE to do so... BUT I'm wildly determined to make that happen, so I am going to do it.

1. Grow produce this summer.  Start a plan in March and proceed forward with tomatoes and peppers for the summer.  I think I can handle two things.
   
2. Clean out and organize one room each month.  It will break my little hoarder/sentimental heart to trash some of the things, but it needs to happen.  Starting in the girls' room tomorrow morning.  Closet and drawers need attention.  Hayes' room is in February.  Bathrooms upstairs in March... that's my first quarter done...
   
3. Paint the rooms... living room, office, dining room... and patch the ceiling kitchen.  While you're at it, let's just go ahead and fix the wires in the living room too., okay?  And purchase new furniture for the living room.  I decided all house updates had to go in the same goal, so I'll have to also repair the master bath wall/ceiling as well.
   
4. Exercise for 30 minutes at least 3 times a week.  Dance parties in the living room count as cardio.  Running counts.  Weighted toddler carry time does not count.
   
5. Become a Mary Kay sales director.  I desperately want to work a job with some flexibility for my family.  I also really like Mary Kay and the company.  Products are good, company philosophy is good, and the atmosphere is positive.
   
6. Plan a trip to Disney for 2016.  Purchase a $100 Disney gift card each month to start piling money away for it.  Kroger fuel points AND a Disney trip.  Two birds;  one stone.
   
7. Complete a Bible reading plan.  I'm looking at a few, but I'm open to ideas and suggestions people!
   
8. Schedule a fun date with Daryk each month.  I'd really like to call it my Groupon event... I would love to buy a Groupon/Living Social/Scout Mob date and go do something different each month!  January and February are so difficult because of wrestling, but we can figure something out!
   
9. Plan and HOLD 5 Mary Kay Skincare and Glamour classes each month.  Who wants to come over and play makeup with me!?
   
10. Develop a family routine/plan and follow through with it.  Weekly plans in progress now...
    

My reason for goals, for my job, for my Mary Kay business, and for breathing.
I love those littles.

And my husband, but he's not pictured.

2015 Re-cap Goals. Update. Laugh.

Goals for 2015.

1. Lose the last bit of baby weight and keep it off this year, possibly forever.
   My body has been in a constant up and down lbs. battle since mid 2009.  Pregnancy, baby, pregnancy, baby, weight loss, baby, better weight.... to be continued.
   
   This did not happen.
     
2. Declutter the house, one room at a time.
   Now that we have reached the 'last baby' stage I feel like we will be able to gradually remove things that are no longer being saved for 'later.'  I will also be able to remove my 5-6 size range wardrobe and focus on a smaller selection of clothing.  Advocare and exercise will help.
   
   We are working on this, but have made major progress this year!  Onto the last phase soon!
    
3. Finish decorating the living room, buy new couches/chairs, and paint that room.
   Finally.  We have lived there for almost 3 years.... long enough to have painted the rooms.
   
   Yeah, no.  Put that on the new list of 'honey-dos'...
   
4. Become a Mary Kay sales director by April.
   This will require multiple steps, but it is a goal... with a deadline.  And that deadline opens up so many other doors that I can barely stand it.
   
   Not that one either. but MAN, I'm ready for it.  This year.  Is.  My.  Year.
   
5. Organize my home office and my 'room' at the house.
   The craft room/office/crap room needs a face lift.
   
   Done.  Next, paint.
   
6. PLANT FLOWERS AND VEGETABLES.
   
   I planted flowers.  Half done.
   
7. I want to unplug myself once a month for a whole weekend and just be Carrie the mom, the wife, the cook, the cleaner, the house keeper.... and not respond to calls or texts or emails or any social networks. I feel like doing that in spurts makes me rely on that a lot less to entertain myself.  I look forward to it.
   
   I think this needs re-evaluation.  I did spend more intentional time in 2015, but I don't think I'm satisfied with the things that happened
   
8. Disney fund growth.
   Deposit a consistent amount monthly into the account for our 2016 trip.  :)  I'm hoping for a February or Spring Break trip!
   
   I depleted the fund for our LAST minute trip at Thanksgiving.  Give me a minute and I'll load those pictures..
   
9. Establish a fitness routine that I can maintain with my mommy lifestyle.
   I am 100% certain this will mean me buying a treadmill or something before it happens because I'm not going to the gym.  I am also 100% sure this means I will be exercising in the early morning hours because that is the best time for me.
   
   This did not happen.  At all.  I actually QUIT the gym.  I have GOT to work on that.
   
10. Actually complete tasks I start.
    
    This is going to be a LIFE LONG GOAL and nothing I will accomplish in 2016 either...

Overall, I need to work on setting attainable goals and creating a plan to achieve them.  I have great goals in mind, I just need to work on my plans to make them happen.

I love Libby

I love this one.

She is challenging and difficult.

She makes me question my sanity, daily.

She asks more questions than I would care to answer, EVER.

She likes to change her clothes about 950 times daily.

She prefers to wear dresses.  Ewww.

She likes all the bling, lipstick, and accessories she can find.

She loves with an intensity like nobody I've ever known.

I wish every human being had the manners she did.

So polite for a 4 year old...

For the love....

How can I not enjoy her?

Vibrant, joyful, vivacious, and loyal.

Those are the best adjectives for my favorite middle child.

NC 1

In honor of Buddy and LeLe coming to visit us this weekend, I thought I would FINALLY get around to writing about our journey to North Carolina back in June.

Oops.  

In June we spent a ridiculous amount of time in the car and drove to see my sister and brother in law.  We loaded up everything but the kitchen sink and traveled to the tiny town of New Bern NC for a few days.  On the way up there we stopped at CFA in some random spot in SC or NC and had dinner.  Our first stop was Charlotte and a visit with some dear friends who we used to babysit when they were MY kids' ages!  

My girls.

Morgan--who was barely a year old when we first met her.

So sad and so happy she's all grown up!

Our dear friend Brandon had QUITE a time with Spencer.  She is so friendly and he was happy to help entertain while she played!  He made us an awesome breakfast of s'mores french toast, bacon, eggs, coffee, etc.  It was FABULOUS!  Charlotte was our halfway point and we spent the night with the Hess crew before we made the rest of the journey to New Bern.

Clearly Elizabeth enjoyed herself...