2014 Goals: June Update

Wow -- is it just me, or did June sort of ... fly by? At least around here, the days were long, but the month itself was short. It feels like just the other day we were turning the calendar and gazing at the new picture on the wall ... only to find its time to do it all again! Crazy how that happens! I remember being a kid and thinking "Time is going by SO SLOWLY!" and that it would never be my birthday, and August would never roll around ... and yet here we are, six months down of 2014 and my birthday is now a mere month away.

Guess its time to figure out what I want, huh?

{Or not ... I guess as grown-ups that "wish list" mentality sort of fades away! You know you're an adult when you are thinking about getting yourself an electric broom/portable mini vacuum for your birthday ...}

June was alright around here ... I mean, we didn't have as much planned or going on as we did in May. There weren't beach trips and fishing trips and visits with old friends. As a matter of fact, that list of things we were looking forward to for the month of June? I think we actually saw only one or two of those things happen. Sure the sun was up more ... but that also meant the temps were as well. Drastically cutting down the amount of time we were willing {and able} to be outside some days. We didn't get to go fishing, or make smores. But we did get to visit with family. We enjoyed one last meeting with our MOPS friends before summer officially kicked off. And we had a laid back Father's Day -- with a Father who loves his little ones to pieces!

May was great to us -- so it was hard to follow suit in June. But lets just see how it measured up:

 

Now that we are half way through the year, it seems easier, in some ways, to really go through each day focusing on the goals we have in mind. It's almost like they've become second nature. Instead of being so wrapped up in thinking about what we need to do, where we need to go and who we need to see, we are actively taking the time each day to think about whats best for ourselves, myself included. As well as whats' best for the family, and for our home. We are focusing on what will essentially make our hearts happy, and not just what is going to help us survive until the next day. And its been working out well.

In June, I fell into a nice rhythm of focusing on myself. Every week, I found the time to sit down and read a book. Not just a page or two -- but chapters, whole books. And I've found myself lost in the pages of some great stories. I've been painting my nails on a regular basis, and no longer remember what it looks like to have bare nails anymore. But I think the best thing this month, at least in my opinion, is that I finally treated myself to a few little things. I stocked up on some of my favorite lotions from Bath and Body Works when they were having a big sale. I bought a few new books to add to the list of things to read soon. And I bought a new pouch from a friend's Insta-Sale just for fun! I didn't go crazy, but I made sure to treat myself!

The pattern continued with my time spent focusing on the family, as well. The kids and I made sure to spend plenty of time playing outside -- running, laughing and playing. The kids discovered the joys of the hose nozzle, and now that L knows how to work it, spraying Mommy, expectantly or unexpectedly, is one of his favorite pasttimes. Just yesterday we ran around, getting wet and cooling off from the humidity that seemed to be just hanging around. It was a great relief. We've continued to get to the library, and are reading some great books -- both classics and newer finds, as well. I just love how much these kids love books! But I won't lie ... some days, with their early wake ups and cranky/foul moods, I've been reverting to the tv, and pushing "play" on Frozen more than once, just to make them happy. Hey -- we gotta do what works sometimes, right?! And M and I have been finding time lately to talk more, to spend evenings after the kids are in bed watching Orange Is The New Black or the new episodes of Rookie Blue, as well. If only we could find time in our schedule lately for a date night! It's been a couple months!

Focusing on the house/little things has been going pretty well, too. There were a few weeks this month, however, where cleaning things just seemed to get away from me. I mean -- who wants to be inside the house, elbow deep in Tilex and toilet bowls when they could be outside with the kids, in the sunshine, reading a new book?! Not me! That's for sure. But over the past week or so, I've found some motivation, and have been getting back at it -- deep cleaning each room, one room a day, until they were all looking great. And now to just stay on top of all that! That's the plan anyways. We ate out more this month than we should have, spent more time with the tv on than we should have, and didn't exercise nearly as much as we could have. But again -- our focus this month seemed to be on other things. Myself, for one. And play time in the sunshine, as well.

June was good. It came, it saw, it conquered. And although it didn't go down in history as being our "best month ever", it still sat well with us. But ... July is a new month. A new beginning, of sorts.  And with each new beginning comes a clean slate and a chance to try again. So bring it on July -- show us what you have in store!