Maggie: 17 months

She calls me 'mommy' and it melts my heart every single time. It all started about two weeks ago and I just love it. The weird part is that she also seems to call her dad 'mommy' so we're working on that.

Our little girl is just that these days: a little girl. Where did the baby go? Sometimes it feels like she disappeared overnight as Maggie is walking and talking all the time.

Her favorite words/phrases:
yeah, no, here (pronounced with two syllables), come on, book, baby, shoes (usually said 'shoe shoes'), go

In the last month, Maggie has become her own person in so many ways. She has opinions, which is both good and bad. She has her way of doing things (also good and bad) and she just chatters all the time. Sometimes we have no idea what she's telling us and that's usually when she repeats herself and appears even more set on what it is she's saying. I have a feeling one day (soon) her words will just gush out all at once.

Sometimes she likes to moo (usually when she sees a cow in a book) and say "baa," and other times she couldn't care less what noise the monkey makes. Maggie seems to have decent pitch and carries a tune like Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star and The Wheels on the Bus.

I'm so excited to watch her experience Christmas this year. She was (somewhat) interested in the tree when we put it up and points to it when I say, "where is the Christmas tree?" Her favorite toy lately is the Charlie Brown nativity...somebody get that girl some Little People to play with. She also loves blocks and putting things into a bag or basket and dumping them out repeatedly. Dressing up seems to be another favorite activity.

Maggie's monthly updates:

1 month // 2 months // 3 months // 4 months // 5 months // 6 months // 7 months // 8 months // 9 months // 10 months // 11 months // 12 months // 13 months // 14 months // 15 months // 16 months

Fresh BiB (review)

It's a rare day that Maggie keeps a clip in her hair. I guess accessories are still on the "yet to be discovered list" for this girl. So I'm doing my best to teach her to love an accessories.

Recently I introduced my 16 month old to the scarf, which is actually a bib (in disguise)! Fresh BiB is the perfect accessory for the little lady or fella in your life. They're handmade in the USA with a snap closure (so they don't wear out like velcro), and the best part is they're reversible so it's like getting two bibs in one!

The bibs are available in two options: buy one bib or sign up for a monthly subscription in 3, 6, 9 or 12 month packages!

As you can see, Maggie is a Fresh BiB fan. They're made of 100% cotton, so they're comfy and easy to wear. She may not wear a bib when eating all the time, but wearing a Fresh BiB is super helpful since she's been drooling like crazy (does teething ever end?). Plus, it looks so cute.

Sign up for your own subscription to Fresh BiB and save 10% off with code BethGoad! You can buy a subscription for a new mom (and her baby). Fresh BiB would also make a fun Christmas gift, so get shopping today!

Connect with Fresh BiB on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest!

Maggie: 16 months

Maggie is growing so fast. In the past month she's started chattering more than ever. She is more comfortable walking (and falling). Maggie often cracks herself up and loves to laugh.

Maggie has been very into stuffed animals lately. She loves to pick them up and hug them (see above).

Some of her favorite things to say lately are:
no, more milk, baby, book

She is still a pretty good eater, although she has a mind of her own lately. Read: Maggie is exercising her ability to say "no."

Highlights from the last month include:

• A trip to Colorado 
• Transition to toddle room at daycare (she loves all the activities)
• Walking EVERYwhere

A few things you may not be able to tell from the photos:

• She loves to pretend she's talking on the phone (with a TV remote, mom or dad's cell phone or her own play cell phone)
• Maggie does not like to wear a hair clip or ponytail (she always takes it out).

Maggie's monthly updates:

1 month // 2 months // 3 months // 4 months // 5 months // 6 months // 7 months // 8 months // 9 months // 10 months // 11 months // 12 months // 13 months // 14 months // 15 months

Thanksgiving draws near

I had hopes of writing about my November goals. I'd given myself one of those "the end of the year is coming" pep-talks, which usually plays out more like "what the heck have you accomplished, Beth?" The last month of the year is next month and what do you have to show for it?

Well, it's been one heck of a year. We have a child (note: this is the first year we've had her the entire year). I transitioned jobs mid-year and about two months later my husband transitions jobs and Maggie went to full-time daycare. There has been a lot going on, so I'm going to cut myself some slack.

I know I don't need an excuse for not blogging. Life happens and just because I don't write about it, doesn't make it any less true.

Thanksgiving is just around the corner and it's been my favorite holiday for years. We don't usually have grand plans. In fact, we've only spent two of the last five turkey dinners with family.

None the less, our dining room is ready (don't mind the wrinkles in the table cloth or box that made its way into the above photo). We have thankful hearts for the many gifts we've been entrusted with and given. We are excited to celebrate and I feel as though I could explode when I think about all that 2014 brought to our little family.

Halloween Thoughts

My parents felt strongly about not celebrating Halloween and I was pulled out of school on October 31st each year. Often, I spent the day with my mom's friends who homeschooled their children. For a while I thought it was cool; the whole getting out of school and playing with friends was fun.

But as I got older and more classmates asked me why I wasn't in school, I resented the attention and asked my mom if I could "just dress up." I'd tell her it wouldn't mean anything to me to dress up and she would point out all of the reasons we hadn't celebrated Halloween since I was in kindergarten. I'd get upset and storm off. After some time, my mom would find me with her file folder (it was the 1990's) of articles about the origins of Halloween.

One of my high school years I was successful in getting to dress up (but I could not attend a party) and in all my growing up years (before I was 18), I think I dressed up three times for All Hallow's Eve.

My college years proved less challenging than I had imagined. It turns out other people thought Halloween was "lame" and therefore didn't dress up either. I'm not much of a party goer, so I managed to avoid dressing up, which I equate with "celebrating" Halloween.

Each October, I grapple with Halloween to some extent and hold my breath hoping I won't be asked to go to a party/dress up. But now I have my own child and I've spent the last week month being asked "what's Maggie going to be for Halloween?" and the issue is now being forced unlike before.

It's less than 13 hours until my daughter goes to daycare where they have a Halloween parade and less than 24 hours until our doorbell may ring with trick-or-treaters. I have no costume for Maggie and no candy for trick-or-treaters. All week, I've been telling myself Maggie doesn't need a costume because she's too young to know what's going on and we live on a busy street so we won't get much foot traffic.

Earlier today, I came across this article and can't stop thinking about the potential for meeting neighbors if we decide to turn on the porch light and open the door tomorrow night. Is it too late to make a costume for Maggie so I can parade her around and hope to meet my neighbors?

Maggie: 15 months

Maggie is still loving life and growing up as fast as ever. She has started to play with other children at daycare and it's so fun to see her interact with them. They chase each other, play peek-a-boo and take each other's shoes.

All in all, Maggie seems pretty social, but still has her moments of shyness. We had friends over for dinner recently and she acted a bit clingy, which made me think she suspected we were going to leave. Once she warmed up to them, she started her usual tricks (holding her sippy cup with just her mouth).

Some things you may not be able to tell from the photos:

• Maggie is a chatterbox. We can only make out every seventh word, but she talks all the time. 
• She does not smile/pose for photos anymore.

Likes:

• walking everywhere, especially outside
• talking and singing
• milk
• sitting on her pack and play and bottom step 
• putting on shoes

Dislikes:

• being hot or cold
• having her space invaded by the dog

Maggie's monthly updates:

1 month // 2 months // 3 months // 4 months // 5 months // 6 months // 7 months // 8 months // 9 months // 10 months // 11 months // 12 months // 13 months // 14 months

Wake me up when September ends

Remember that song? Years ago, my boss and I would say it was our theme song each September, considering all that the month typically entailed for those of us working in education. In my work life, it has meant the start of another school year complete with long work days.

Nearly all of September has passed and I barely sat down to blog this month. I also took fewer than usual photos this month. Yet I find myself asking where the month went so quickly. As the last days of the month are upon us, I thought I'd recap the month with its highlights in a few photos I managed to take (albeit with my iPhone).

Breakfast dates --since Brandon started his new job last month, we have enjoyed weekends together as a family. His previous job required him to work various weekend days and we're so grateful to be able to go to breakfast on a Saturday or stay home and make pancakes. Our weekends have been more about rest and together time, which has been a blessing.

First steps --Maggie took her first steps this month and hasn't looked back. She's trying to run lately and gets around a little better each day. She has had her fair share of bruises from falling, but that doesn't slow her down. I love watching her walk with such enthusiasm.

Taking time to "be still," even in the midst of life's stuff --I plan to write more about this, but Maggie sitting in her toy box sums up the month. We have a lot of stuff (both physical and mental) and as much as I'd like to get rid of the physical somedays most days, because it (often literally) trips me up, I am learning to be content with what we have and where we are. To be content with an unfinished doorframe in the living room and toys strewn about the living room after Maggie is in bed and Brandon and I spend an evening catching up on life or watching a TV show.

What have you been up to this month?

Maggie: 14 months

She's becoming less of a baby and more of a little person each day. I know it's only natural, but I'm just in awe of watching her discover the world.

Maggie is also quite chatty at home. In public or at a friend's house, this is not always the case. She acts shy, which surprises her mama.

It has grown increasingly difficult to get a good photo of Maggie. Remember when she used to sit in one place AND smile (or at least look pleasant) for photos? Here's one of her in the chair I used to photograph her in monthly, but she climbed out before I could get a photo.

Speaking of getting around, when she was just 14 months (a week ago), Maggie is standing and since then taken her first steps and is now walking. She is now walking almost everywhere. She loves her newfound mobility. Can you tell?

Something you may not be able to tell from the photos is that her vocabulary now consists of:
bye-bye // mama // dada // no // go // uh oh // bubble // ball

Maggie's likes:

• walking on her own
• playing with a ball and saying "ball"
• dropping things over the baby gate and saying "uh oh"
• holding and "reading" books

Maggie's dislikes:

• having the dog lick her face
• different foods from day-to-day (we were spoiled previously by her goat-like eating habits)

We are so grateful for each day we get to be her parents. To hear her giggles and listen to her vocabulary develop is pure joy! 

Maggie's monthly updates:

1 month // 2 months // 3 months // 4 months // 5 months // 6 months // 7 months // 8 months // 9 months // 10 months // 11 months // 12 months // 13 months

transition is hard

We are going through yet another transition in our house. Last week, Brandon started a full-time job, which means Maggie is now in full-time daycare. As with most things, there are both benefits and drawbacks to this new chapter of our life.

It was sad to say goodbye to our friend who has watched Maggie three days per week since she was six months old. Grace was a trusted friend even before I left my only child with her. Having her care for Maggie was truly a blessing. Drop off and pick up was a time to chat for 5-10 minutes and catch up on small things in life.

In contrast, when I dropped off the paperwork for Maggie's new daycare last week I met the woman who oversees the infant room for the first time. As I walked to my car, I realized I had just met the woman I'd be sending my daughter to be with five days per week. My stomach knotted and tears flowed.

There would be no drop off chat about common friends or what was planned for the weekend. I cried that afternoon and tried not to dwell on the upcoming transition. But I had to be honest and reminded myself transition is hard.

Then I made a little list of the good this opportunity brings our whole family.

1. My husband gets to work not only closer, but within walking distance of our house!
2. Being around other children Maggie's age on a more regular basis will benefit her socially.
3. Her immune system is stronger than it was eight months ago when Grace started caring for her. 
4. Maggie has an easy-going and adaptive personality.
5. The daycare facility is only about a mile from our home.

Those five things don't guarantee I won't cry in the car after I drop Maggie off some mornings. Nor do they erase the mommy guilt that creeps in. But they are reminders of a God who provides.

Car time is on the decline(...hey, gas ain't cheap!)
Prior to this change, my husband's commute was previously 1-2 hours ONE way and I spent about 50 minutes in the car on my way to and from work.

We'll get more time together as a family. 
For more than 75% of our marriage, Brandon's worked hourly jobs with hours outside of 9am-5pm and finally we're  back to "regular" hours.

Opportunities to get better connected to our community.
By not spending time commuting longer distances, we'll be able to know more people in the who live nearby, along with meeting people through Maggie's daycare.

We've been hoping to get more connected with our community, spend more time together as a family and less time commuting for about two years!

potato "nachos"

It's probably been a year since I blogged a recipe. I love food and love finding and sharing good recipes almost as much. I am hoping to get back into the rhythm of blogging recipes a bit more frequently in the coming months!

For now, here's a recipe we've had a few times in the past month. I first got the idea from Andrea's Gwyneth Made Me Do It Instagram feed (BTW if you're looking for a great IG account to follow, I highly recommend it), but my method of cutting and cooking the potatoes is a bit different.

ingredients:
3-4 red potatoes OR 1 large sweet potato
1/2 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 fresh ear of corn on the cob
shredded cheese
salsa
plain yogurt or sour cream

directions:
Preheat oven to 400.
Slice potatoes into rounds (about 1/4-1/2" thick)
Drizzle less than a 1 tablespoon olive oil in cookie sheet and arrange potatoes on sheet
Bake for 15 min and flip potatoes, return to oven for another 15-20 min or until tender
While potatoes are cooking, place corn (husk and all) into microwave for 2 min (more details on this cooking method)
Once potatoes are done, divide among two plates (or however many portions you're cooking)
Top with black bean and cheese and heat in microwave for 1 min (or return to oven)
Continue to add toppings you like.

I've also made it with sweet potato and loved it! What keeps making its way on to your menu lately?

Maggie: 13 months

Our girl is past the one year mark and I feel like the learning process (for her) is really beginning. She's picking up on so many new things each day. It's both terrifying (what kind of dumb thing will I say that she tries to repeat) and hilarious (she doesn't need me for this part).

She's always loved exploring, but as she gets more and more mobile, her independence has introduced her to many new things. Maggie may not be walking, but she's getting around just fine. She loves to stand and hold on to the couch/her walker while "cruising."

Thirteen months of life means, I'm looking back on baby pictures of Maggie a year ago and saying things like "she was so small" or "look at those cheeks." Of course, I can still say such phrases with accuracy, but now I realize firsthand how much the human body can grow and develop in one year.

From her one year well visit we learned she gained 13lbs and 6oz and grew 9.75 inches on one year! I'm sure that's totally normal, but wow. Baby's growth amazes me (in case you couldn't tell).

A few things you might not be able to tell from her photos:

• Maggie loves music and has started to "sing" which basically means she says a string of ba-ba-ba to a little tune.
• She is downright silly. Maggie loves to do things to make us laugh/smile.

Lest you think she's an angel, turning one has meant she has a mind of her own...or so it seems. She's learned to say no, throw things on the floor and even had a mini tantrum. I know she's testing us, but it's been somewhat of a surprise that it's come so soon.

Likes

• Holding on to an object when she's tired (anything from a cucumber to a DVD box)
• Books...carrying them while crawling, holding them, bringing them to her parents, flipping the pages or pretty much anything besides quietly sitting while they are read to her!
• Blankets being thrown over her head. She giggles and then finds her way out. 
• Petting Milton (our dog) while standing
• Realizing she can make choices whether it's what food she does/doesn't want to eat or what book she likes best
• Hand gestures with songs...Itsy Bitsy Spider is her current favorite

Dislikes

• Any given food...some days it's meat and other days it's veggies. I think she may be rotating, but I haven't caught on to her rotation yet
• Laying down for her diaper changes...it's become a battle to keep her on the changing table

Seriously, being this girl's mama is so great!

Maggie's monthly updates:

1 month // 2 months // 3 months // 4 months // 5 months // 6 months // 7 months // 8 months // 9 months // 10 months // 11 months // 12 months

Now that's what I call a summer weekend

Happy start of the week! I'm just popping by to say a quick hello. Our together time this weekend was limited, but we made the most of  it. It was our first weekend this summer that we didn't have much planned or no one was sick, so it felt so relaxed and summer-like.

A few highlights included:

• our first cherry tomato from our garden
• a family dinner outing where Maggie ate nearly the entire children's plate we ordered for her
• a few new discoveries at Trader Joe's (the entire month of July went by without visiting that store)
• Brandon's last Sunday working at the Rescue Mission (he starts a new job next week)
• FaceTime dates for Maggie with her grandparents

And a few items of note:

August goals

It's time to share my monthly goals (raise your hand if you noticed there were no goals around the blog last month?). That means a recap of June's goals is in order.

1. Giveaway at least three bouquets of peonies from our yard. I did give away three peony bouquets to friends. We need to grow more flowers so we can give friends flowers all summer long!
2. Go on a date with my husband. 
3. Cutback on my bread consumption. We haven't bought bread in months, which has certainly helped me cutback, but I'm not down to eating it only once per week. 

My goals for the month of August are:

1. Spend a day at the beach as a family.
2. Get out my sewing machine and make something for someone else.
3. Have coffee/lunch with one of my girlfriends.

I'm linking up with Hayley and her monthly goals with grace. Do you have any monthly goals?

Maggie's 1st Birthday (round 2)

As I mentioned earlier, Maggie had a few birthday celebrations this year. We got to celebrate her first year in Tennessee with Brandon's family. Brandon and Maggie celebrated on her actual birthday (while I was in Indiana for work) with his dad and his family in Illinois. And finally, once our travels had concluded, we celebrated with a small group of friends in our home.

It was a special celebration and we invited friends who had been an important part of her life this first year. Because most of them had older or no children, we decided to do something a bit unusual for a one year old's birthday; we had a Sole Hope Shoe Cutting Party. 

For the first hour of the party, we cut fabric that will be sent to Uganda and made into shoes for children who do not have them to protect their feet from jiggers (a nasty sand flea that burrows into their feet). 

If you follow me on Instagram, you may have seen these photos there. For more info on how you can host your own shoe cutting party, go to Sole Hope Party and order a party packet!

After we had cut enough fabric for six pairs of shoes, we had dinner and ate cake!  

As you can see, she knows exactly what to do with that cupcake!

Where did July go?

I had high hopes for getting back into my blogging rhythm this month, but clearly that didn't happen. Instead, I tried to enjoy my time off and not worry about the online world. That worked for a few days, and then Maggie got sick and so did I. We've had hand-foot-and-mouth, which I've realized is one of the more painful kinds of sicknesses you can get (or maybe I'm just a wimp).

So my full week of vacation was sabotaged (yes, I'm being dramatic). There was no trip to the zoo, playdates or time with good friends, as I had planned. Instead, we had some good snuggle time, lots of practice for Maggie to use her walker (she still hasn't taken a step on her own yet) and homemade popsicle consumption.

If you've been around here long or know me in real life, you know I'm a list maker. So I'm making a list the few things I did get done in the past two weeks:

• Potted my succulents (see above) 
• Blogged about Maggie's birthday (there's still one more post coming)
• Baked zucchini bread
• Watched a few good movies: The Lego Movie and I Don't Know How She Does It
• Put Maggie's hair in pigtails for the first time
• Updated Maggie's baby book with photos, etc. through her first year
• Ate (too many?) homemade popsicles 

What have you been up to this summer?

Maggie's 1st Birthday (round 1)

Maggie's first birthday had multiple celebrations because I had to travel for work the week of her birthday. As much as it killed me to be away from her on her actual birthday, we were able to make the most of the situation by taking a family trip south where Maggie got to meet several relatives for the first time prior to my work thing.

Unfortunately, we were not great about taking photos with the various family members she met. But we did get some great photos from her first birthday celebration which was a few days before her actual first birthday.

Curious George seemed fitting because we always call Maggie our little monkey. Whenever I watch the cartoon, I think they must have based the sounds Curious George makes on a 1 year  old. Her gestures and sounds are so much like his!

Maggie liked the cupcake, flipping it upside down and eating the cake first. Then she got into the frosting and probably ate too much of that (it was a rough night of many wakeup calls for mom and dad).

Needless to say, we did not let her eat more than a bite of frosting at subsequent birthday parties.

Maggie: 12 months

It's true, her first birthday has already come and gone. I'll be sharing more about her birthday celebrations later, but for now here's the lowdown on our sweet one year old!

Maggie is quite the social butterfly these days. Whenever I take her to the grocery store or anywhere in public, she just loves smiling at everyone. Sometimes it seems like she makes a game out of finding the person who is least likely to make eye contact or return a smile with her and she just grins at them until they do acknowledge her. It's almost embarrassing...at least for her mom who does not like to be the center of attention. I tell myself she's making other's smile, so that is a good thing.

In the past month, she seems to have tried a lot of new things from holding her own sippy cup to holding things while crawling. Sometimes she carries things in her mouth while she crawls across the floor, which we don't encourage. Other times she scoot-crawls (I've yet to capture this move on camera yet) using one arm to move across the floor while seated and holding her object of choice. She can really move fast!

We've spent a good amount of time outside lately and she's loved every minute of that. Maggie likes splashing in her kiddy pool and also had her first time in a bigger pool with her parents. She was most interested in riding on an inflated raft while we pusher her around in the big pool.

Likes:

• Her swing! Her dad installed a swing in the backyard and sometimes I think she could stay in there all day if we let her. 
• Drinking cow's milk from her sippy cup. It only took 2 feedings for her to hold her own cup and she really seems to enjoy drinking her milk.
• Bouncing. She often bounces up and down while sitting on her own.
• People! (see above)
• Giving kisses. This just started in the past week or so and it's super cute. She leans forward with her lips tucked in. The only downside is that she has yet to save this for family and friends. 

Dislikes:

• She likes almost all foods, but seems to take weeklong "strikes" from certain things. This has happened with her beloved avocado and blueberries (to name a few). 
• Being hot. I remember her getting quite fussy as a newborn when she got hot and it seems to have carried on. 
• Wearing shoes. I've been trying to keep shoes on her more often, since we anticipate her walkingm but she takes them off the first chance she gets. It's no surprise since she never liked wearing socks.

I can't wait to share pictures from her first birthday party with you!

You may revisit the rest of Maggie's monthly updates:

1 month // 2 months // 3 months // 4 months // 5 months // 6 months // 7 months // 8 months // 9 months // 10 months // 11 months

our first strawberry picking adventure

Earlier today, I went to pickup our farm share on my way home from work. It was a truly beautiful day: sunny with temperatures in the mid 70's and a breeze. Living in the Northeast, it's only the third week of the season and it was the first time I had enough time to pickup my daughter before they closed.

For some reason, I was really excited to bring Maggie with me for our CSA pickup together. When we approached the tent to pickup our weekly produce, one of the farmers looked right at me and said "Are you feeling motivated?" It was just after 5pm on a Friday, but I lied and said "of course" with a smile.

Within minutes, Maggie and I were walking through a strawberry field with two empty quart containers. Part of me questioned how I was going to pull off filling two containers without a baby carrier/stroller and the other part of me got lost thinking about the last time I went strawberry picking.

It was about 15 or 16 years ago: my mom picked me up from school and we went to a pick your own strawberry patch about 75 miles northwest of where I was standing.

Earlier this week was the 13 year anniversary of my mom's passing. Not a day goes by without missing her and now that I'm a mother, I'm even more aware of her profound influence on my life.

I looked down at my daughter sitting near my feet and picked strawberries to fill our baskets, while she took them out and plopped them in the dirt. Instead of cringing at the bruised berries, I handed her my keys to play with.

If you would have told me 16 years ago I'd be giddy to be handed two empty baskets to fill with strawberries on a Friday evening with my 11 month old in tow, I probably would have laughed out loud.

It's the simplest things that bring the most joy as a mother; I will forever treasure the memory of our first strawberry picking adventure, unplanned and uneventful as it was.

Maggie: 11 months

It's only one more month until Maggie's first birthday. I can hardly believe it. The last year has gone by incredibly fast, yet I have treasured so many milestones.

I love these photos because I feel like they sum up the last month quite well. It's all a blur! Maggie's moving faster each day (or so it seems) and getting a clear photo of her is more challenging. I love looking back at photos and seeing her hands/feet in motion.

She is still very animated, even though she took a hiatus from waving in the last month. I think she just wanted to show us she would not always wave or clap on command. Thankfully, her wave has returned (because it's just so cute) and she seems to understand more of waving as a greeting when we come or go.

Some highlights of the last month include:

• Crawling! It is full speed ahead as she moves faster each day.
• She is also kneeling a good bit and looking like she'll get on her feet at any moment. 
• Her first taste of ice cream. I got a vanilla milkshake on Mother's Day and gave her a few sips. She loved it...smart kid!
• Spending more time outside (playing on a blanket in the yard and going for walks).
• Being silly! Her sense of humor shines through with funny faces and cackles.

Likes:

• Emptying the contents of any bag or bin- my purse, her diaper bag, her toy basket, etc.
• Eating. She's always loved to eat, but her appetite is healthier than ever.
• Trying to skip her afternoon nap. Maggie's rarely successful, but she tries.

Dislikes:

• Sitting on the grass. She's still getting used to it and often holds her leg or foot off the ground a bit while on the grass.

We can't help but look forward to celebrating her first birthday! 

You may revisit the rest of Maggie's monthly updates:

1 month // 2 months // 3 months // 4 months // 5 months // 6 months // 7 months // 8 months // 9 months // 10 months

June goals

Looking back on May, I feel like somewhat of a failure since none of my goals were fully accomplished. Knowing it would be a full month, I cutback and only made three goals for myself. I'd say there was progress, but I cannot cross any of them off.

A look back at my May goals:

1. Cut back on my sugar intake. Not even close...
2. Go on a date with my husband. We did have a movie night at home on our anniversary, but that doesn't really count since we did not leave the house. 
3. Plan a summer getaway. We have something in the works and I think it's the closest I came to reaching a goal all month!

For the month of June, I am tempted to not set any goals. Earlier this week I told myself I wasn't even going to write this blog post because of all that's going on with my work life. 

However, I think there are some specific goals I can set for myself to be able to relax rather than stress me out. My approach for June is not necessarily to check things off, but to breathe and enjoy the beginning of summer.

1. Give away at least three bouquets of peonies to neighbors or colleagues. We have a beautiful peony bush that will bloom in the coming week and I love having fresh cut blooms in the house. I shared them with coworkers last year and it was a big hit, so I'm looking forward to doing so again.
2. Go out on a date with my husband. Yes, it's staying on the list.
3. Cutback on my bread consumption. I was originally planning to stop eating it altogether, but I am rethinking and hope to only eat bread only one day per week.

What are your goals for the month?

My first Mother's Day

I'm a bit late in getting this post up...but it is still May!

As I've mentioned before Mother's Day can be a hard holiday for me, having lost my mother to cancer nearly thirteen years ago. I was both excited to make new memories/traditions with our little family and also missed my mom more than ever on my first Mother's Day as a mom.

The day was rather quiet, but one I will always treasure. Maggie and her dad had been fighting colds so we stayed home from church because she was still coughing and had a fun backyard picnic for lunch.

Spending time outside is one of Maggie's favorite things to do. Can you tell?

My only regret is that we didn't set the timer on the camera and get a family photo to remember the day with. I hope we can make Mother's Day picnics, whether in the backyard or elsewhere, a family tradition.

A fun Mother's Day related fact: the quilt we're sitting on in the photos was made by Maggie's paternal great grandma and grandma!