February Goals and a January Goal Recap

(source)

Having monthly goals was a huge help towards the progress I wanted to see! One of my New Year's Resolutions is that, at the end of every month, I'll go back and see how I did with my goals. Here's the update on month one! 

January goals

House:

o   Paint the guest bedroom/office.
Done and done! We went with the same white that we've used on literally every other thing in the house! (Lilac Muse, by Valspar)

o   Print/hang artwork in the guest bedroom/office.
I at least got started on this! There's still more I want to add.

o   Finish peeling off border in the sunroom. 
This will have to happen next month. Oops!

o   Organize/purge master bedroom closet.
I've successfully donated over 15 paper sacks FULL of clothes and shoes, so I think I'm well on my way. The ultimate goal?? This!

o   Finish painting hallway doors.
We finished with the roller, but not with the brush. So it's 80% done?

o   Find a nightstand for our bed.
I found what I want at IKEA, but I have yet to get it. So technically, I completed this goal... It looks like this will be a rollover goal for February!

           

Health:

o   Exercise at least 3 times/week.

As close as I got was charging my fit bit and borrowing some workout DVDs from a friend.

o   Make a weekly plan to eat healthier.
I only felt at a loss for what to make for dinner once the entire month. This, my friends, is a win for me!

Personal:

o   Make meal plans once/week.
I made meal plans mentally. So that's a start. Next month, I'm going to write them down.

o   She Reads Truth at least 5 times/week.
I reread Hospitality, and I read Nehemiah. Both were so good!!!

o   Finish reading one book.
I spent some extra time on this one, because once I get going, I find it difficult to stop reading, but the first book I finished was The Nesting Place, by Myquillyn Smith. [LOVED it!!!]

The second book was Bread and Wine, by Shauna Niequist. SO good! I highly recommend it for anyone wanting to learn or grow in cooking and/or hospitality. 

o   Become an expert on one thing.

This month, I chose to become an "expert" on the different types of fabric used to make clothing. I found this website especially helpful. I'm still planning on learning more about this as I work towards the goal of purging my closet and filling it purposefully.

o   Invite 2 new people/couples/groups over for dinner.
I started small with people I was already friends with, but hadn't invited over for dinner. One night, I had a dinner party of eight, and one Sunday, we hosted a couple from church for lunch.

Having monthly goals helped me so much in knowing what I wanted to accomplish and what my deadline was in doing so. My goal list was right by my bed so I could view it daily! Here's to February!!!

February Goals

House:

Finish peeling off the border in the sunroom.
Finish my clothing purge.
Finish painting the hallway doors. 
Find/buy a nightstand for our bed.
Figure out a floor plan for the home office/guest bedroom.
Buy hanging files and organize my teaching stuff/craft room.   

Health:

Exercise at least 4 times/week.
Make a weekly plan to eat healthier.
Plan out grocery shopping trips.
Sleep at least 7 hours/night.
Drink 64 oz. water every day.

Personal:

She Reads Truth at least 5 times/week.
Finish reading one book.
Become an expert on one thing.
Invite 2 new people/couples/groups over for dinner.

Here goes nothing!

what color was that??

Our front door is Autumn Fire by Valspar (Exterior).

Our living room is Filtered Shade by Valspar.

Our fireplace is Lilac Muse by Valspar.

Our bedroom is Elephant Gray by Valspar.

Our trim/molding/interior doors on the first floor is Lilac Muse by Valspar.

Our closet is Autumn Fire by Valspar.

Our bathroom is Hunter's White by Valspar.

Our guest room is Lilac Muse by Valspar.

Our guest room door is Enchanted Forest by Valspar.

Our kitchen walls are Ocean Storm by Valspar.

Our kitchen cabinets are Lilac Muse by Valspar.

Our sun room walls will be Lilac Muse by Valspar.

Our sun room ceiling will be Autumn Fire by Valspar.

My New Years' Resolution: Don't Make New Years' Resolutions

(image from LaraCasey.com)

I know January is already a third complete, but I felt like sharing my January goals anyway. My only New Years' Resolution is to take the year one month at a time, and make my goals accordingly. My January goals are split up into three categories and so far, I've done okay with them! Hopefully, at the end of the month, I will have a January goal recap along with new goals for February!

January goals

House:

o   Paint the guest bedroom/office.

o   Print/hang artwork in the guest bedroom/office.

o   Finish peeling off border in the sunroom.

o   Organize/purge master bedroom closet.

o   Finish painting hallway doors.

o   Find a nightstand for our bed.

           

Health:

o   Exercise at least 3 times/week.

o   Make a weekly plan to eat healthier.

Personal:

o   Make meal plans once/week.

o   She Reads Truth at least 5 times/week.

o   Finish reading one book.

o   Become an expert on one thing.

o   Invite 2 new people/couples/groups over for dinner.

I'll give a recap in a few weeks and hopefully have a room finished, a book finished, and be an "expert" on something (that I'll tell you later)!

Fifteen lessons I learned in 2014.

In the past year, we have found a house, put an offer on a house, closed on a house, started tearing apart a house, filled that house with wedding decorations, emptied the house of wedding decorations, painted walls, fixed more leaky pipes than we can count, and tried day after day to turn that house into a home.

If you had told me last year, on January 8 that we would have a house that we not only got a great deal on, but a house we can afford, a house we can afford to fix, and a house that really does feel like home, I would've assumed this house was in the worst part of town. But God had the perfect house for us in the perfect place for us at the perfect time for us. And in the last (almost) year of this house adventure, I've learned a few things...

1. If this is the house God wants for us, the inspector and appraiser will give the go-ahead, no matter what issues come up.

2. It's okay to have a house that isn't finished. There's a reason it's a "fixer-upper."

3. Fixing things the right way by yourself takes time, and that's okay.

4. Sometimes the budget doesn't allow for the prettiest option.

5. Temporary solutions are just fine. And they are just that, temporary.

6. Even unfinished homes can feel cozy. When people walk into our house, I don't know what they think about our flooring issues (that melted carpet padding that looks like mold), or the rooms that aren't finished (or even started). But when they come into the living room, I know they can feel comfortable in the warmth of the space and the hospitality we offer.

7. It's okay to "undo" the finished things that were waiting for us in the house, like the basement. The house just becomes more "us" every time we do.

8. Painting isn't as easy as it looks. And it is ALWAYS more time consuming that you plan.

9. When house issues come up, sometimes you have to prioritize. Not everything can be fixed every time.

10. Always look around at the store. You might be surprised to find a $400 10x12 rug that's in the $80 bin because it has a tear. Or a $20 coffee table because it's "out of season" (whatever that means).

11. The sooner you quit being a perfectionist, the easier it will be to finish a project.

12. Kids are messy. Let go of how "nice" things should look now. That will make sharing life with children so much more enjoyable. Besides, kids spill milk and vomit on couches sometimes, that's just life.

13. DIY blogs often have big budgets. DIY doesn't necessarily mean "inexpensive."

14. Sunlight can make any dull space spectacular. Just open the blinds already!

15. Don't compare your house or your stuff to others'. Comparing yourself to others only leads to arrogance or shame, but never happiness.

I'm sure 2015 will bring LOTS of lessons. Here's to hoping that I will add to the lessons learned instead of starting over at square one.