Goals for 2019

GOALS GOALS GOALS! That is what today's post is all about! To be honest, I didn't even want to make any New Year's resolutions because I never really seem to stick to them! But, I am a BIG fan of setting goals and making to do lists to help reach them! And sometimes when we write out our goals (no matter how big or small) and then make a list of what needs to be done to reach them, they don't seem so unattainable anymore.

So, here are my top goals for 2019 broken out into categories...

. . H E A L T H  G O A L S . . 

Optimal health has become my main priority in 2019. This encompasses not only physical health, but emotional and mental as well. I am a firm believer if you do not take care of yourself first, you will fail at caring for others around you. I really want to focus on creating healthy habits that start from the inside. Eating better, sleeping better, drinking more water, fitting in exercise... these are all tasks that I can easily fit into my day, it's just making them a priority.

So here are the actions I plan to take to make these goals achievable!

1. Drink more water: I'm really trying to be better about this! I have my yeti tumbler that I will be filling up at least 5 times a day!

2. Workout at least 3x per week: We recently joined our local community rec center and I plan to take full advantage of their equipment, group fitness classes and child care! They also have a great indoor pool with a shallow area where we can take the boys! Taking the boys swimming on a Saturday morning is definitely counted as a workout!

3. Eat cleaner: I noticed last year when I was eating 'cleaner' that I not only lost a lot of bloat, but I also felt better physically. I have tried a few different diets and through trial and error, I have realized that some dairy, gluten and high amounts of sugar have a negative effect on my body. High amounts of these ingredients lead to stomach issues, feeling sluggish and leave me feeling hungry. I am going to do my best to cut out these ingredients in my diet as much as possible.

4. Watch my daily macros: I learned about macros from my friend Abby last year and it really opened my eyes to the way I was fueling (or not fueling) my body everyday. By tracking my macros I am able to see how much fat, carbs and protein I am consuming. When I first started tracking my macros, I realized that I was eating way too many fats and carbs and I wasn't eating enough lean protein through out the day to give me energy. So, by tweaking my diet and adding more lean proteins and cutting back on fat, I became so much more energized throughout the day!

5. Track my calories in the MyFitnessPal app: I started using this app after I had Camden 4 years ago to help me track my daily calories to lose the baby weight. Fast forward to this past year and I started using it again to not only track calories, but it also tracks my macros for me. You can set a goal as to how much weight you want to lose and it will give you an estimation of how many calories you should be eating everyday, You can also adjust you daily macro goals so this app does that for me as well!

. . B L O G  G O A L S . . 

So many blog goals this year! I really want to start building this little blog of mine! I've been doing this as a part time hobby for over 5 years now and I'm ready to really put in the time and effort to make it successful! What is a 'successful' blog? Well, I'm sure it's different for every blogger, but for me it means to turn it into a profitable business. I want to pitch to and work with more brands that I love, I want to share more with my readers, I want to push myself out of my comfort zone!

So, in order to be more productive in the new year, I really need to buckle down on my time management and planning ahead with the blog content.

1. Post 2x per week: I'm not off to a great start here yet! I average about 1 blog post per week, so hoping that my new schedule will help me complete at least 2 blog posts per week.

2. Plan content/photos one week in advance. This is the hardest part of blogging and posting on social media for me. Trying to get enough content to post everyday on IG is tough! I don't have an instagram husband (he's just so busy with work during the week) and I am not really ready to pay a photographer to take my photos. SO, you may be seeing a lot more mirror selfies! But, I do plan on scheduling a photo session at least once a month to have professional photos ready to post.

3. Pitch to 1 new brand per month: Pitching to brands is something that is so foreign and scary to me. I've always just let brands come to me. I've collaborated with some awesome companies and have received some great products, but I want to do more in the upcoming year. I know that having sponsored posts and collaborations with companies and brands is the true way to make this blog a business, but I will only collaborate with brands and companies I truly love!

4. Increase my instagram followers to 10k: This will be a big milestone! Since I share my daily outfit inspiration, beauty products, lifestyle items and basically everything over on my instagram feed and stories, it would be so much easier for your all to shop if I had the swipe up feature! In order to have the swipe up feature in instagram stories, you have to have over 10k followers. So that is my goal!

5. Communicate more with my followers and readers! I really want to create a community atmosphere with my blog and social media accounts! Sometimes it feels like I'm talking to myself lol! But, I love hearing your feedback in comments, DMs and even a simple 'like' of my photos! I'd love to get to know you all more, so please feel free to reach out to me anytime!

. . H O M E  G O A L S . . 

SO. MANY. HOME. GOALS. I have so many projects in my head that I want to complete in our house this year, but I'm really trying to be realistic. Bill and I are all about getting finances in order first before completing any big house projects. Our house was not very aesthetically pleasing when we first moved in almost 2 years ago. We basically painted the entire house and completed a major project that was a little tricky.

So, here's my house goal list for the year:

1. Have our kitchen cabinets painted white and change out hardware: This is something I knew I wanted to do as soon as we moved in. However, we kept going back and forth if we wanted to wait to just do a complete kitchen reno because I don't really love our counter tops and backsplash, but I can live with them. And I think if our cabinets were painted, they might look a little better. So, instead of waiting another 5 years or so to do a complete reno, we decided we can just have our cabinets (professionally) painted white and change out the hardware for a quick update. I think that will totally change the feel of our house and make it feel so much more light and bright! 

2. Redecorate the dining room: I want to paint our dining room, change out our light fixture, and add a new rug. Possibly get new chairs for our table as well.

3. Update and decorate the downstairs half bath: The little half bath on our first floor needs some help. I want to paint and change out the mirror and possibly the sink. Also, adding some decor pieces. 

4. Update Bennett's room into a 'big boy' room: This will be the year we give Bennett a proper bedroom! His room has 3 grey walls and one red accent wall that I've been meaning to paint since we moved in and it hasn't happened! This will be the year we transition Bennett from his crib to a big boy bed, so I will decorate his rooms and we will get him a new bed. 

5. Organize the playroom! This one is something I need to do desperately! Not a huge project, but just really organizing and purging toys and craft supplies. 

6. Purging and Organizing everything! I really want to start organizing every room in our house! Starting with our pantry and kitchen and moving to a different room every month!

Day Designer Planner 2019

. . P E R S O N A L  G O A L S . . 

Lots of personal goals as well. Time management is going to be my main priority this year! Having 2 little ones that aren't really in school yet (they go to daycare 3 days a week while I work and my parents help out some during the week as well!) makes being a working mama tough! I want to be home with them, but I also want to work and have something for myself! Time blocking my day our will help keep me on task while the kiddos are out of the house. 

1. Work on time management. I have created a color coded spreadsheet with my daily to do list in excel. This is something I reference daily to make sure I am on task. I also write my to do list in my daily planner! I LOVE this planner and have been using it for years now because it makes my life so much easier! Every day has its own page and is broken down by time slots and there's also a daily to do list I can jot down. 

2. Be more present when I'm with my family/the boys: This is really something I need to work on! Being in this blogging/social media world makes you feel like you have to be 'on' all the time and have your phone attached to your eyeballs. This is SO bad! I have decided that when I'm home with the boys, that I have to give them my full attention and put my phone DOWN! Starting with the week days, I plan on putting my phone away from the hours of 5pm - 8pm (or bedtime). Then on the weekends really trying to put my phone away while we are having family time. I'm also thinking about doing 'social media free Sundays' I've heard of others doing this and it sounds perfect!

3. Take time for myself: I want to make sure I'm scheduling some me time throughout the week. Wether that's to get my nails done, solo shopping trip, or a girls' night out! 

4. Read more. Trying to read one book per month! Recommendations welcome!

5. Give back to the community. This is one that I'm hoping to brainstorm about with my family. I really want to do some sort of volunteer work this year and get our family involved. 

I have so many more goals in my head, but I also don't want to overwhelm myself! I think setting realistic goals with action items helps to make them more achievable. 

I want to personally thank you all that follow my blog and social media! With out you all, this little blog of mine would not be possible!

So tell me... What are your goals for 2019?

How to Reach Your Goals in 2018

(Day Designer 2018 Planner)

We've had somewhat of a slow start to our 2018 so far. We've been working on putting away the Christmas decorations and cleaning out the cabinets of all junk food, Christmas cookies, etc. The last few months, I've felt like were so gluttonous! I'm ready to cleanse myself of all the over eating, drinking, spending, etc. 

I don't really love to make resolutions, because who really keeps them? I do, however, love goal setting. But, a goal for a year seems so far fetched. I tend to reach my goals if they are more attainable and actually reachable so they don't seem so overwhelming. So, I'm going to start small... make baby steps and pat myself on the back when they are reached! 

I have decided that the word for this month of January will be 'CLEANSE'... I want to work on cleaning, purging and organizing our house. Before I make any purchases and bring more 'stuff' into our home I want to simplify and rid our home of things we do not need, use, etc. 

Same goes for my diet! I am feeling extra bloated after these past few months of birthdays, our anniversary, thanksgiving and Christmas over eating, sweets, drinking, etc. So, for this month I want to work on cleansing my diet. But, I'm not going to go cold turkey 'Whole 30' because I'm afraid my body would go into shock! I decided to cut out 3 major things in my diet that have been present over the last 2 months... 1) sweets/refined sugar, 2) diet coke (any soda for that matter, but that is always my preference), 3) alcohol aka wine (I may have a glass or 2 for Bill's birthday this month... but that is it!)

Over the past few days, I've stuck to my mini goals of 'restricting' my diet and I've also started to clean out my closet AND have completed putting away all our Christmas decor. I gave myself a little pat on the back for achieving these goals. These small tasks (as minuscule as they seem) are small steps toward a larger goal of mine for the year.

The best way to work towards achieving your long term goals, is to set smaller attainable goals in the short term. These goals also need to be measurable and it's always important to stick to a deadline. So, if you set a small goal for the day, mark it off when it's finished. If you do not accomplish your task for the day, add it to your list for tomorrow.

In my planner, I usually write down my top 3 tasks for the day. These are the tasks I need to complete to work towards my larger goals. I make sure that these tasks are completed before any other tasks to to do lists are completed. Obviously, there are other priorities in my day like taking care of my kids, working, etc. These tasks are meant to be completed around the top priorities of my day (ie. meal prep while the boys are sleeping, or finish my work project before I start to work on cleaning out our hall closet). Most of the time I will actually set a time during the day of when I will work on and complete these tasks. Having a planner that maps our your day by the hour is key! I also love using these daily to-do list notepad sheets to help me write down everything I need to do for the day.

So here's a little cheat sheet on how I work towards accomplishing my goals:

1. Set an attainable goal for the year, write it down on paper (example: lose 10 lbs).

2. What little tasks/goals can you set for yourself each month to help acheive this goal? (example: meal plan and prep once a week, go to the gym/workout at least 10 times)

3. What small tasks can you do weekly to help achieve your monthly goals? (ex. meal plan for the week on Saturdays, grocery shop on Sundays, meal prep on Sundays or Mondays. Make a schedule for working out at least 3 times each week, write it in your planner)

4. What small tasks can you complete each day to help you reach your weekly goals? (ex. stick to prepared meals and snacks, drink 8 glasses of water per day, go to the gym/workout).

When you break down your goals into daily tasks that don't seem so overwhelming, they are much easier to accomplish. Once you've accomplished your small tasks for the day, give your self a pat on the back and remember that you are working toward a larger goal that will slowly seem more attainable over time.

Have you set goals for 2018? What are some tips/tricks you have to help achieve them?

Saying Goodbye to Summer and Looking Forward to Fall...

I can't believe how fast this summer has gone by! It feels like just yesterday we moved into our new home here in Columbus, when the weather was just starting to warm up by the end of March. We have definitely taken full advantage of the play ground across the street from our house and all the beautiful parks which are in walking distance and short driving distance as well. The boys love being outside and it's always a great excuse to get them out of the house and wear them out get them some exercise before nap time!

We've made so many memories this past summer: The boys' first trip to the beach, their first splash pad and community swimming pool experiences, their first Fourth of July parade, multiple trips to the zoo, playdates with friends, Bennett's first birthday party... the list goes on! 

Yea, I'd say we really lived it up this summer!

As much as I love summer, I'm really looking forward to the last quarter of the year (which is actually my favorite time of year!). I love when the leaves change and it's chilly enough to wear a big comfy sweater and drink hot coffee in the morning. There are so many fall activities I'm looking forward to planning for our family and the boys. We went apple picking last year, and Camden had a blast! I'm definitely planning to take a trip to the apple orchard and the pumpkin patch this year as well! 

I love decorating our front porch and home for fall. And of course Halloween with the boys will be so fun this year with 2 toddlers (costume ideas for 2 little boys welcome)! And football season should be extra fun this year now that Camden can actually say 'Go Bucks!' and "O - H... I - O!!"

I always feel like it's a new beginning around fall. Probably because we've been so trained on the school year calendar growing up. I like to make new personal goals this time of year as well. Now that the craziness of the busy summer schedule has died down, it's time to really focus on myself, my work, my blog, my fitness/health and my spirituality. I have a list of personal goals I am hoping to start working on for the remainder of the year and I hope to share with you each one in separate posts to come (so stay tuned)!

As far as the blog goals go, I'm hoping to stay on a regular schedule of posting going forward. My upcoming post ideas are to continue my 'Blogger on a Budget' series and share with you my fall capsule wardrobe, more beauty related posts including my everyday make up routine, and of course sharing more motherhood related posts and bits and pieces of our everyday life. These are just some ideas I have, but if you have any suggestions on types of posts you'd like to read, please let me know in the comments below! 

Farewell for now, sweet summer...

And Happy Fall Y'all!! (#sorrynotsorry)

8 Ways to Help Organize Your Life in 2017

As part of my goal to SIMPLIFY everything in my life, one of the main tasks to complete this goal is to organize all of our STUFF! I've been scouring the internet and Pinterest for the perfect organization ideas for our family, so I thought I'd share some of my ideas. Hopefully, I can post updates of my organization goals as they are completed! 

Here are my top 8 organization tasks/goals for 2017:

1. Organize the pantry. Purchase some different sized glass jars and label them for baking ingredients such as flour, sugar, rice, salt, etc. Also, get different sized baskets to hold different food items, non refrigerated vegetables. How pretty and organized does the pantry below look?! Buy storage jars here, DIY/printable labels here. Or you can buy printable labels here or chalkboard labels here. 

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2. Create a cleaning caddy and keep up with weekly cleaning schedule. This is one thing that has been on my to do list for a while! How easy would it be to just get a plastic bin with a handle and fill it with all your necessary cleaning supplies. Then, you can just keep it in your cleaning closet/mud room/etc and bring it out when you're ready to do your cleaning. I use this printable weekly cleaning schedule and I hope to stay consistent with it this year!

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3. Create a family command center. Pick a place in the house that is easily visible by everyone, but not so obvious (like the mud room, or small wall of kitchen). Hang a monthly calendar to track family events/important dates, weekly menu board, and hanging bins for mail, important paper work, etc. Maybe add hooks with wire and clothes pins or a magnet board to hang children's art. Also, add hooks for keys! We need this so bad!

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4. Organize, label and store all important family documents. We currently have a filing cabinet with hanging folders that I label and stuff with important family documents. I almost love the color coded binders (seen below) better! Maybe with folders and pockets to hold smaller documents (like birth certificates, ss cards, etc). How do you store your important family documents?

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5.  Create a child memory box for each boy. Get 2 hanging file folder bins and label folders for each year of life. I currently have plastic bins in each of their rooms that I throw any art work, birthday cards, etc in that I want to keep. It would be nice to organize them by year. 

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6. Organize kids toys. I already started this process with the ikea shelving and storage bins, but there are still so many toys that don't have a 'home'. I'd like to maybe create a toy closet with plastic bins and baskets labeled like the one below. 

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7. This one is huge!! I love this idea for storing all the family's digital photos! Get different colored key ring thumb drives (I love these mixed metal ones), label them by year and keep them all on one ring. Genius! I also need to get better about purging my phone photos and videos onto my computer weekly. 

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8. Last but not least, keep up with my Life Binder! I posted about how I created my Life Binder back in June. Since Bennett was born, I fell off the Life Binder wagon and I'm ready to hop back on! 

How do you plan to get organized this year? Have you implemented any of these organization ideas in your home?

I'm linking up with Natalie and Annie for Thoughts for Thursday!

2017 Goals

Everyone loves to read a good 'goals' post, right? I feel like I write one every year and they all sound the same.... Eat better, exercise more, spend less, yada yada... Well, this year I am going to be a little more precise with my goals. Have you heard of the idea of picking a word for the year? Kate from the Small Things Blog does it. So Does Elizabeth McKnight.

2016 can be summed up in one word... BUSY! I felt so busy and overwhelmed most of the year. Between moving, being pregnant, chasing around a toddler, having our second baby, working, blogging, taking care of the household, etc. I just felt like I was spread very thin. This year I am going to SIMPLIFY my life so I don't feel like I'm barely treading water.

This year's word is SIMPLIFY. I want to simplify everything in my life. Now that Bennett is 6 months, things have gotten a bit easier. He's on a fairly normal schedule which helps. So, now it's all about making my days (and nights) easier by simplifying our routines. If it's a work day, making sure we are prepared for the mornings the night before would help tremendously! Just simply planning ahead for the day would be an easy way to make sure things run smoothly.

I also want to SIMPLIFY the items and decor in our house. Don't get me wrong, I'm not going all 'minimalist' on you here. I still love my 'things' and nick knack decor items (hello Target dollar spot), but I just want to make sure all the items in my house make sense and have a purpose. We've slowly been working on purging a lot of items from our house and it feels so good! You don't really notice how much 'stuff' can accumulate over the course of a year! Especially when you have kids!

I want to SIMPLIFY my wardrobe and really try to create wardrobe capsules for each season. I'm usually pretty good at purging my closet and getting rid of any items I don't wear. I want to put more thought into my wardrobe and accessory purchases to make sure I am investing in pieces I know I will wear and that will last longer than one season.

Another word I want to focus on this year is PURPOSE. I want everything I do, have and say to have PURPOSE and meaning this year. If I'm working, I'm working for a purpose to help my family financially and to allow myself to feel a sense of balance in my life. I want to spend more time with my boys. Not just time, but PURPOSEFUL time... quality time! I want to make sure we are spending less time on our electronics and more time face to face and being interactive.

I just purchased and received this book by Emily Ley and I'm so excited to start reading it!

So there you have it. My word... Ok, words for 2017! What would be your word(s) of the year?

Hello 2016!

Can you believe we are already 4 days into 2016?! 

This year will bring a lot of change for us. We are not only preparing to add another bundle of joy to our home, but we are preparing to expand our space to accommodate our growing family! We have started the process of de-cluttering our house in preparation for listing it on the market. I'm hoping we can move while I'm in my second trimester (while I still feel ok and have the energy), which will give us enough time to settle and 'nest' in our new home before the baby arrives. 

So, this year is going to have a theme. The theme is to 'SIMPLIFY'. I want to simplify my life in all areas. Starting to clean and de-clutter our house has made me feel so cluttered inside. Why did/do we have all this stuff. Sure we need more space, but we do not need to fill it with unnecessary items. It feels so good to rid our lives of these things that are cluttering up our space!

The goals I have for the new year are pretty general and I'm sure you may have similar ones. 

Eat Healthy & Plan Meals || This one is something I really want to work on this year. Now that I'm out of my first trimester (14 weeks yesterday!), I'm hoping this nausea is on it's way out. My appetite has been all over the board the past few months. I'm hoping to get back on a regular eating, cooking and planning meals schedule each week.

Work on Time Management || This one is going to be pretty important this year as well. It's hard enough to find the time for myself or keeping up with house chores with a very active 1 year old, let alone TWO babes under the age of 2! I will have to work on preparing a good schedule ahead of time to make sure I can work in things like work, blog, house chores, preparing meals and exercising!

Include Exercise in my Weekly Schedule || This is part of the time management. I've really fell off the wagon after the half marathon in October. Once I found out I was pregnant I haven't really taken the time to work out. I haven't been feeling the best nor have I had the energy to go to the gym, but I'm hoping that will change as I go into the 2nd trimester and hopefully get a burst of energy!

Minimize and Simplify Life || I already briefed you above on why it's important for us to be de-cluttering our house. I'm hoping when we move into our new home to have a fresh start! 

Create Memories for Camden and our Family || I really want to start planning events and creating memories with our family of 3 while it's still just the 3 of us. 

What goals do you have for the new year?

PS - We find out gender of baby #2 tomorrow! I can't wait! I will definitely share once we have shared with our family and friends! Any guesses what we are having?

T4T || Fall Bucket List

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Going along with the theme of yesterday's post, I thought I would share my bucket list for fall. Seeing how I did about 50/50 with my summer bucket list, I'm hoping to cross off all of my fall to do's. 

1. Decorate the house with fall decor. Already picked up a few little pumpkins from Target! Next up, finding a good door wreath and mums for the front porch!

2. Take fall family photos. If you read my blog, then you know we've had to reschedule our family photos 4 times now! Hoping to get them complete by the end of the season!

3. Plan Camden's 1st birthday party!! (shock face emoji!!!) I am in denial that this is happening which is my excuse for not starting yet! His birthday is November 20th and I just know it's going to come wayyyy to quickly!

4. Make something with pumpkin in it (that I haven't made before). Maybe this? Or possibly these?

5. Complete my fall wardrobe capsule and post outfits weekly. I already started this series with yesterday's post! We are off to a good start!

6. Finish decorating master bedroom. We've started to refinish our dresser and I'm hoping the finished product is presentable! We are sanding it down (when I say we, I mean Bill), painting it antique white and replacing the knobs with new hardware. I'm also hoping to get new nightstands and new bedding by the end of the season.

Bonus: Going apple picking or visiting a pumpkin farm. These two are classic fall activities that I hope to experience as a family someday!

What's on your bucket list for fall?

I'm linking up with Natalie and Annie for Thoughts for Thursday.

Summer Bucket List

I saw a few other bloggers post their Summer Bucket Lists and it motivated me to write mine down as well! Now that it is mid JUNE (seriously, when did that happen?), I guess we should get started on these!

|| Dine on a restaurant patio at least twice ||

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My favorite patios in Columbus include Lindey's or Barcelona for dinner and Katalina's Cafe for breakfast/brunch

|| Go Golfing ||

And not just the driving range! I would like to actually take my clubs out (yes, I have clubs handed down to me from my grandma) and at least complete 9 holes. I say this every year!

|| Attend an outdoor concert ||

Still trying to find a good outdoor concert to buy tickets for. We have an awesome outdoor venue in Columbus (LC Pavilion) that is perfect for summer concerts.

|| Take Cam to a 4th of July parade ||

We are invited to my friends' house on Saturday the fourth to watch their neighborhood parade and to stay for a cook out. I can't wait to see how he reacts to all the hoop-la!

|| Walk around the Short North shops ||

I just love the Short North Arts District. They have Gallery Hop every first Saturday of the month where the local shops and galleries stay open until 10pm. It's such a lively part of town!

|| Plan a weekend 'stay-cation' ||

This is happening this weekend and I'm so excited!! We booked a hotel room downtown (thank you Hilton points) for Friday and Saturday night. I can't wait to act like a tourist in our own city. Plus, it's our trial run for Germany next month (we will be gone for 10 days... <insert big eyed emoji>) and we are leaving Cam with my parents for the weekend. Wish us luck! Can't wait to post the recap! (Follow along on our stay-cation this weekend via IG or snapchat, username: LindsayRumple)

|| Visit the Columbus Museum of Art ||

It's really sad I have lived in Columbus my whole life (besides college) and I have yet to visit our museum of art. Horrible, I know! I am hoping this is something we can accomplish this weekend.

|| Take Cam swimming (in a real pool, not just a baby one) ||

Although, getting a baby pool for our backyard is on my to do list... I really want to take him to a real pool! I ordered this fun contraption for him to float in and he's got the swimmy diapers and everything. Ready to go! I'm hoping to visit his uncle and aunt's apartment complex pool sometime soon... hint hint if you are reading ;)

|| Host a cookout ||

We just got a new patio set and I'm so excited about it! Just need to find an umbrella and new cushions that I like. I can't wait to host a cookout!


That's pretty much all I got and probably all I will have time for. Oh, and training for a half marathon... Yea, that's happening in October... #yikes

What's on your summer bucket list?

I'm linking up with Natalie and Annie for Thoughts for Thursday!

November Goals

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Wow! It's November already!

November is my second favorite month of the year, behind December. We have our first anniversary on the 9th, my birthday on the 11th and Thanksgiving on the 27th! We still haven't decided if we are going to venture to my family's Thanksgiving (about an hour away from us) since it is a week before my due date, but I will make sure to have some stuffing and mashed potatoes that day!

We are also just a month and 2 days away from my due date! Lots to accomplish this month in preparation for little Camden's arrival...

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Here's how I did last month with my October Goals:

1 | Finish decor in nursery and post a reveal by the end of the month. This is a big COMPLETE! Feels good! Here's the reveal in case you missed it.

2 | Host a dinner party with girl friends. Complete! Here's the recap of the Fall Inspired table I put together. 

3 | Start planning baby shower for a very close friend. Nailed down a venue and received the guest list. Working on finding the perfect invites to order this month. I'd say this is a good start (shower is end of Jan 2015)!

4 | Send out thank you's for baby shower(s). Thank you notes were sent for my first 2 showers. Working on the most recent shower's thank you notes this week.

5 | Clean out closet and sell or donate clothes. I did clean out my closet and have 2 large garbage bags full of clothes to donate. Just need to drop them off at Goodwill.

6 | Find good nursing bras and tops. I am going to leave this one open for November. I did find one good nursing tank from Target. My mom and I are planning on doing some shopping this weekend for my birthday and I may take a look at some options at Destination Maternity. 

7 | Shopping freeze... I can only spend money on baby necessities (not clothes) and/or maternity necessities. Well, definitely did not accomplish this goal! Although, I was good about not shopping for myself (just bought a few maternity tops), I was not good at not buying baby clothes... I mean, a monogrammed Christmas outfit and coming home outfit for Camden is my definition of a 'baby necessity' :)

8 | Make at least one meal from Pinterest per week. I'm going to mark this one as complete. I made Butternut Squash Soup, Apple Pie Pork Chops, Broccoli Cheddar Chicken & Rice Casserole, and these yummy and easy treats. Also, made a few other recipes not from Pinterest. I was on a roll in October! Don't know if I will keep up the cooking in November...

9 | Complete a DIY project and post on the blog. Big fat FAIL! I totally had all the intentions to complete a DIY post, but just couldn't decide what to make? This month I may attempt some DIY burp clothes or a holiday burlap banner for our mantel... 

10 | Make plans for our 1st anniversary in November! Complete! Can't wait for our fancy dinner date at M this Friday :)

Alright... Here are my goals for November (mostly baby related):

1 | Pack hospital bags. Yep... It's getting real!

2 | Buy deep freezer + freeze meals. I want to be prepared when baby arrives and I know I will not have the energy to make dinner. I'm hoping to freeze enough meals to at least get us through the first month.

3 | Purchase necessary items off of registry. Since we registered with Babies R Us, we get 15% off the remaining items on our registry. There are still a few items (like bottles, swaddle blankets, etc) that I want to get before baby Camden arrives. We did end up purchasing a Rock N Play off of Amazon and it fits perfectly next to our bed! So glad we got that figured out!

4 | Clean all bottles, breast pump parts, baby items, etc. Just need to make a day of it!

5 | Make DIY burp cloths. I got some plain cloth diapers/burp cloths and was thinking of trying to find some cute fabric to sew on to them. We will see if I have the energy this month :/

6 | Order invites for my friend's baby shower in January. Because they need to go out in December!

7 | Deep clean the house. I want to really get the house clean before baby arrives. Whether that's me cleaning or hiring a professional for the day... it needs to get done!

8 | Start working on a Shutterfly album of our Honeymoon. This has been on my to do list for a while and would be a nice Christmas gift for Bill. If I don't do it this month, I'm not sure when it will get completed!

9 | Decorate for Christmas! If it were up to me, we would start now. We usually get a real tree, so we have to wait until they start to sell them :/

10 | Try to relax and spend time with Bill before baby comes! I can't believe how close we are to meeting our son! I really want to soak up these last few weeks with just Bill and me (and Charlie) as much as possible.

Well, that's it!

What are your goals this month?

October Goals

via

What?! It's October already? Where has the Summer gone?

I have to say, I am pretty excited for this month. First, we are getting closer to meeting our baby boy (2 months to go!). And second, it is truly fall here in Ohio! Bring on the pumpkins, the changing leaves, flannel, boots, football and crock pot meals! I really do love this time of year (almost as much as Christmas)!

I have done pretty well with my September Goals. 

1 | Finish majority of nursery This is pretty much complete! We have all the big items in there, just need to finish hanging some things on the walls, add bedding and some finishing touches. Can't wait to share!

2 | Organize and clean up guest room/office I'm going to say this is complete. We cleaned out most of it and I even cleaned off my desk so I can actually work in there. There is still some organizing I would like to do, but it is pretty much done.

3 | Decorate for Fall Done! Here's a little peak of our fall decor.

4 | Finish wall gallery in dining room I am going to say this is complete for now. I would like to add to it down the road, but I'm happy with the way it is for now. 

5 | Look for new bedding for our bedroom. I have failed to do this... We spent a lot on nursery items this past month, so I think we have to hold off on this for another month or so...

6 | Schedule pregnancy/birthing classes This is complete! We have our hospital tour on Friday and have scheduled our birthing classes for October. I also want to sign up for a newborn basics class as well. 

7 | Order a new 2015 planner Done! Here she is!

8 | Get Fall candles and Pumpkin Spice creamer Done and done! I even found sugar free pumpkin spice creamer at Target! I like it a lot better than the regular stuff. 

9 | Find a nice pair of flats I purchased these flats from Old Navy and have been wearing them a lot. They are pretty comfy! I really want the Tory Burch ones... Oh well, maybe next year!

10 | Take maternity photos Done! You can see them here!

Phew! Ok, now for October...

October Goals

1 | Finish decor in nursery and post a reveal by the end of the month. 

2 | Host a dinner party with girl friends (this is scheduled for next week!)

3 | Start planning baby shower for a very close friend :) 

4 | Send out thank you's for baby shower(s)

5 | Clean out closet and sell or donate clothes.

6 | Find good nursing bras and tops.

7 | Shopping freeze... I can only spend money on baby necessities (not clothes) and/or maternity necessities.

8 | Make at least one meal from Pinterest per week.

9 | Complete a DIY project and post on the blog.

10 | Make plans for our 1st anniversary in November!

There you have it!

What are your goals for this month?

I'm linking up aith Annie and Natalie for Thought for Thursday.

September Goals

{via}

Ok, so we are more than a week into September and I'm just now writing down my goals for the month. Yes, I have procrastinated but we have had a lot going on the past few weeks! Time to get down to business and really focus on getting things done before I get too big in my 3rd trimester!

Here are a few of my goals for the month of September:

1) Finish majority of nursery. Hang curtains, put together crib and dresser and buy a rug. I really want to start feeling a little more settled before I really get into my 3rd trimester and have no more energy. Plus, it would be nice to have most of it done before the first shower so we can organize all the loot!

2) Organize and clean up guest room/office. Our "office" has turned into a guest room/office/junk room since we cleaned out the nursery. I really want to get it organized and cleaned out so I can start using it as a home office again. Right now I am using the kitchen table which is not ideal.

3) Decorate for Fall. I have started on the mantel and now I want to get some mums for the front porch and something to hang on the front door. Maybe a little DIY post is in store...

4) Finish the wall gallery in the dining room. Guys, this. has. been. KILLING me! I bought several frames that I thought would work and come to find they are not the hanging kind of frames, but have isles... Ugh! Back to the drawing board. I am trying to find some nice antique white frames. You'd think they would be easy to find, but I can't find them anywhere! I will be on the hunt this week.

5) Look for new bedding for our new king bed. We bought all new bedding right after our wedding from Macy's that I love, but it fits a queen bed. Now that we have a king sized bed, all we've purchased are sheets and we use the old comforter that is too small :/ I really want a nice, white comforter or duvet cover. I would also love to purchase new nightstands and a headboard, but one thing at a time...

6) Schedule pregnancy/birthing classes. I am hoping to knock out all the classes we need to take in October. The tour of the hospital, the birthing class and I was also thinking of signing up for a breast feeding class.

7) Order a new 2015 planner. There are so many options! I am going to do a post with all the options I've been thinking about and will need your help deciding on one!

8) Get Fall candles and pumpkin spice creamer. This is happening today... My soul needs it!

9) Find a nice pair of flats. I need a new pair desperately and I know that is what I will be wearing mostly this fall before boot weather... Any suggestions welcome!

10) Take maternity photos! This is happening this weekend and I'm so excited! I will be busy this week making a few props for the photos too. Can't wait to share!

That's all I have for this month's goals.
It's funny that most of this has to do with home decor... Can we saying "nesting"?!

What are your goals for the month?

2014 Goals

{Photo by Together We Click}

While at dinner with Bill this past New Year's Eve, we looked at each other, clinked our cocktail glasses and said "cheers to the best year of our lives!"

2013 was a fantastic year indeed. It is easy this time of year to look back on the past year and think about what you would have done differently, what you would like to change in your life and what you would like to work on.

I would not change a single thing from 2013. Yes, I could have done things a little differently...but, I am so pleased to say that it was my best year yet.

Instead of listing resolutions that will no doubt be broken or given up on by February, I have decided to list some goals of mine for the year. I have separated them into categories. I'm not sharing all of them as I like to keep parts of my life private. The ones I am sharing are the ones I think you will find most interesting.


HEALTH

This one is a given. Go to the gym at least 3 times per week. Get back into classes such as Zumba, Yoga, Pilates, Kickboxing and try Cycling for the first time.

Classes really help motivate me and keep me interested in my work outs. The great thing is that my gym offers them for free as part of the monthly fee. There is no excuse not to try them all! The only thing I have to do is plan ahead for the week which classes I want to take.

Speaking of planning, let's start planning our meals shall we! I am so bad with this... I know what I should be eating, but instead I just eat whatever left over junk that is in the house or order food... So bad!

I'm planning on getting into a routine for the week and using the weekend for my cheat meal(s). I think it is important to find a balance so as to not get burnt out from the healthy eating. I will be posting some of my healthy recipes soon!


TIME MANAGEMENT

This one is huge. I am such an ADD, fly by the seat of my pants person that I have to force myself to sit down and write lists every morning of what I need to accomplish for the day. I am obsessed with my planner and I would be lost without it.

It's so important to make sure we take time for health, well-being, relaxation, etc. I think that's where most of the time we fail (I'm saying we because I'm hoping you can relate here :) ).

One of my favorite sayings is "If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail."

So true, right?


THE BLOG

Yes, this little blog has a category all on it's own! As I have said countless times, I love blogging. It has provided me with a creative outlet and is such a stress release for me. I love reading blogs and finding new ones almost daily. They give me such a source of inspiration and joy. I love connecting with other bloggers too. It is such a supportive community and I want to give back.

I am planning to continue posting 4-5 times per week. As you can see from my links under my header, I am going to be focusing on DIY projects and crafts, entertaining and party styling, recipes and fashion. I will throw in a few personal posts here and there (like this one) and will also be posting photos and recaps from my wedding! I am so excited to share all the details from my wedding because I know for those of you that are engaged, blogs are such a great source of inspiration.


RELATIONSHIPS

Last, but certainly not least... The relationships in my life are the most important category to me. My friends, family and my husband are my most prized 'possessions'. I want to continue to nurture each relationship. Certain friends may require more attention than others (you know these types). I'm not a very needy person, so for me an email once a week or phone call is enough to keep in touch. However, I have grown to see the value in communicating with people more often. Actually picking up the phone instead of typing an email or shooting a text. Sending cards just because and writing letters is also a lost tradition. I would like to start sending these to friends and family to show I care.

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That's all I have for now without boring you to tears! I will also be working on projects around the house. I am planning on redecorating one room at a time. Right now I am working on our master bedroom and my office. I will post the results when I am finished!

Happy New Year and happy blank slate for 2014!

xoxo, Lindsay

Hello December!

I can't believe it is already December, folks! Wow, have the last few weeks just flown by! We had a wonderful Thanksgiving with the Rumple family. I was so excited to get our tree on Friday!

I just love the smell of a REAL Christmas tree! This year we picked out a very full Douglas Fir tree. We usually get a Fraser Fir, but I have heard that Douglas Fir trees are more fragrant. However, their needles shed more :/ I've already had to vacuum around it a few times. 

I will post the final product after we decorate it tonight! I love decorating the tree together :)

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It's time to write down my goals for December...

1 // Organize the house! We have some very generous friends and family that gave us wonderful gifts for the wedding... Now, it's the daunting task of figuring out where everything is going to go! Maybe we need a bigger house :) jk...

2 // Re-open the Etsy shop! It has been closed for a little over a month now for the wedding. I do miss creating and crafting. It's time for some new ideas for items to sell too... I might be selling some items from my wedding... more to come!

3 // Get back on a healthy diet + workout routine... Guys, I have gained back all the weight I lost for the wedding in just 3 weeks. It is so sad how fast it can come back! I am excited to try out the new juicer and maybe do a cleanse? 

4 // Get all my name change chores completed... the not so glamorous part of getting married...

5 // Get back into blogging regularly... I have missed it! So many new ideas for posts!

That's all for now... What are your December goals?

xoxo, L

Lately + September Goals

Well, I made it through August! The month of weddings! Between Bill and I we had 4 weddings this month, can you believe it? This past Labor Day weekend was spent in Port Clinton, Ohio for a good friend's wedding. It was so much fun! Here's a few instagram shots of the details and a few other random shots of the past week's events...{Follow me on instagram here}

Left to right - Row 1:

1 // My custom stamps from Zazzle.com came in the mail! The invites are officially being sent out this week!

2 // Enjoyed some awesome cheese plates, wine and patio chit chat with my bff and MOH {Matron of Honor} this past Thursday.

3 // Attended a beautiful wedding for my good friend, Kelly. The bride was absolutely stunning! 

4 // Kelly made all of her own centerpieces - there were over 20 tables with multiple carnation poms on candle sticks and pretty table numbers. These were just a few of the crafty projects she completed for the wedding! I'm so proud of her skills!

Left to right - Row 2:

5 // Me and my hot date at the wedding with Lake Erie in the background :)

6 // My talented friend who plays violin and I {I play acoustic guitar and sing} played the ceremony music for the wedding. As a thank you gift, Kelly got us monogrammed wine glasses! Genius!

7 // Spent Labor Day strolling around Target with my Starbucks admiring all the Fall decor!

8 // Broke out the jeans and flats for the first time this season and it feels good! I am so ready for Fall!

And now - September Goals:

1 // Send out wedding invites {just about done!}

2 // Plan meals weekly and STICK TO IT! It's crunch time {literally}!

3 // Work out at least 3x per week. I'm trying to get in as much running outside as I can while the weather is still nice.

4 // Find new make up. I am hopefully scheduling a make up shopping session with my wedding make up artist soon! I will post what we find! 

5 // Try not to go crazy and stress this month...This month is going to be pretty busy with work and wedding planning/projects. I am leaving for Colorado for a week and still need to prepare. I still have a lot of projects left to complete for the wedding as well...I need to make time for relaxation! 

That's all for now! I am hoping to post a DIY on how I lined my wedding invites very soon, so stay tuned! Happy Fall!!

Uno de Mayo Goals!

Well, it's May! Can you believe it? The weather is finally feeling like Spring around these Columbus parts and I'm loving every minute of it {except my allergies are killing me, but trying to focus on the positive}.

 

I thought I'd start this month off with a little list of goals. I think it makes sense to start small, baby steps with goals so they don't seem so unattainable. So, I may be starting a monthly goal post for the 1st of the month.

 

First off, I do want to share some big news with you....I got a Camera! Nikon D5100! It's a beaut! After almost a year and a half of blogging, this has been on my wish list and I finally took the plunge. My blog has somewhat morphed into DIY and event projects that I like to capture and share, but the iPhone pics just weren't doing them justice. Please be patient with me while I learn to use this new beast! I'm excited to capture some fun images of my Cinco de Mayo dinner party tonight!

 

 

 

Ok, now back to the goals...

 

1 // Work out EVERYDAY...That's right, I said everyday. I have heard of this challenge called "Everyday in May" where someone ran every single day in the month of May. Well, I may not be running everyday, but the plan is to get at least a half an hour in of exercise a day. There should be no excuse to not save 30 mins a day to devote to my physical health and well being. No excuses!

2 // Prepare meals or at least have a meal plan every week. This is my biggest issue with dieting. Not that I'm on any kind of strict diet at the moment, but I am trying to be conscious of what I'm eating. Sometimes I forget about making lunch until my stomach starts to growl in the afternoon, but I don't want to stop what I'm working on to make anything. So, I end up just making something quick and dirty or going to Subway. Not that Subway is bad, but I would like to have a quick, easy and healthy meal at home if possible.

3 // No frivolous spending! The camera was the big purchase for the month {well, for the next few months!}. It is something I have wanted for a long time and finally felt like I could afford it. I am still on track for the NO SHOPPING FOR 3 MONTHS challenge and have not spent money on clothes or accessories in over a month. The only things I will be spending money on this month {besides the basics} are the upcoming shower I am helping to plan and style, any of my wedding needs and Mother's Day gifts :)

That's all I have for now...Not too bad, right?

What are your goals for May?