August was just a tad hectic. I literally had to look at my calendar to remember what all we did this past month, but it was a big month for our family. August left me feeling pretty worn out, but it’s honestly because we just haven’t settled into a routine since I returned to work on August 21. We welcomed family into town the first two weeks of August and then spent the second half of the month figuring out how to balance two kids and two jobs. It was pretty exhausting.
The highlights of August included transitioning Magnolia to her big girl bed successfully, seeing Neal’s parents and my dad, returning to OrangeTheory, hanging out with my sister before school started, deciding to study to become a NASM Certified Personal Trainer, returning to work part time, and being home with Kinnick 3 days a week.
My August goals went really well for the most part. I made myself a priority as much as I could, focused on my family, and kicked our August budget out of the water! What I wasn’t able to accomplish were my August projects. I just didn’t have the time to tackle the projects I had wanted to, like reorganizing our storage area and going through my bins of clothes, but I’m hopeful I can work on those these next few months.
In the end, August was all about my kids, preparing for my return to work, returning to work, and ultimately, staying afloat… and I’m ok with that! I had to let go of quite a few things, like blogging every day, but I realized quickly that lightening my load was the only way to get through the days and still feel like half a person. August reminded me to focus on our core values and responsibilities and to be ok with letting go of everything else.
I like summer, don’t get me wrong, but I am SO, SO, SO excited about the months to come! I love the arrival of fall in September, celebrating my birthday and Halloween in October, watching the leave change colors and fall, preparing for the holidays and eating lots of stuffing in November, watching lots and lots of football, and celebrating Christmas with my family in December. To me, it’s the absolute best time of year and I’m really happy September is here!!
I am grateful for all that August gave to our family and I’m looking forward to the month ahead! Ready or not, here we go! My goals are built around my 2017 New Years goals.
Coming Up In September
- Kinnick’s 2 month check-up
- Magnolia’s 3rd birthday
- Magnolia’s first day of Pre-K
- A hair appointment with Miss Shelby Anderson
- First day of fall (September 22)
September 2017 Goals
Investing in Family
- Make Magnolia’s birthday weekend extra special for her!
- Make Magnolia a homemade birthday cake (Can I do better than last year?)
- Plan a date night with Neal (whether out on the town or at home)
- Gather up photos into one location
Around the House
- Go through my kid’s summer clothes and organize their clothes for fall
- Throw in the towel and hiring a cleaning service! (I just can’t keep up)
- Figure out our landscaping
- Prepare for the Gaithersburg TotSwap (I consign kids clothes we’re done with)
- Organize our attic storage and all of our holiday stuff
- Go through my bins of clothes and downsize
- Decorate our living area with our fall decorations
Prioritizing Personal Wellness
- Read “You Are a Badass“
- Workout at OrangeTheory twice a week
- Workout at work twice a week
- Begin studying for my Personal Training Certification through NASM
- Try out a Stroller Strides class with Kinnick
Focusing On Finances
- Start saving for the holidays and holiday travel
- After going through my clothes, make a list of things I’d like to save for/buy
