November 2016:Goal Update

Happy December! Here is a goal update for November:

• Work toward Rule 4 (Age Your Money) as the final Rule to embrace.
• Age of Money=so, I got to NINE days again this month (cannot seem to even break into double digits ;/)! And averaged about 5-6 days. 
• Would really like to get an emergency fund set up and then start working toward spending money from the previous month. More on this in January perhaps ;) 
• Do a daily devotional 
• Completed daily! Starting to look for something for next year. Please share any ideas you may have! 
• Exercise 2 x per week minimum
• Met this goal again on a technicality :) I did challenge that was supposed to be for the entire month, but only lasted about 10 days. So, I did technically exercise on average more than 2x per week--but I do not really feel as though I did.  I did go line dancing a couple of nights this month and had a few days with quite a few steps (including Black Friday--shopping and line dancing!). 
• Read for pleasure: Average one book per month (COMPLETE!)
• So, I read a few books with the girls this month, but none for myself. (I don't think December Dog counts)
• Go on a date with Jason: At least one time per month
• We went on a date early in the month when we both had a day off on the same day :) We had lunch and hung out together. We also had a night where we were home alone for a bit and ordered takeout and watched some good tv together. Aaannnnd, we did go on a double date with Beckie and Ruudy to one of our favorite restaurants El Granjero on Bridge St. We were one of the last customers before they closed for two weeks of renovations. It was a nice, fun time. 
• Have a "no screen" weekend
• Well, well, well. I only have one month left to get this accomplished. Going to pose it as a challenge to the girls and try to make it happen in the next couple of weeks!
• Clean and organize basement:Toy room and storage room (COMPLETE!)
• This one is complete :) 
• Travel somewhere in Northern Michigan (COMPLETE!)
• Goal complete. 
• Travel to Denver, Indiana and Washington, D.C. (COMPLETE!)
• This one is officially complete.  
• Try out 12 new dinner recipes (COMPLETE!)
• I made up for my slacking in October and tried the following new dinner recipes:
• Breakfast Casserole
• Meatball Subs
• Sheet-pan Nachos
• Broccoli Cheese Soup
• Try out 12 new dessert/cookie recipes (COMPLETE!)
• This month I made:
• Pumpkin-Cream Cheese Pie
• Coconut Lover's Oatmeal Cookies
• Do not use credit or obtain any additional debt
• More dental expense this month. Need to try a different approach for the new year. I'm rolling some things around. 

Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

October 2016: Goal Update

October was a pretty good month. It is hard to believe that there are only two months left in the year--maybe because it was 70 something degrees out today--on November 1 in Michigan! Starting to think about and plan what my goals are going to be for next year and what I want to keep the same and what I want to maybe approach differently or add. But for now...

• Work toward Rule 4 (Age Your Money) as the final Rule to embrace.
• Age of Money=so, I got to NINE days again this month! And averaged about 5-6 days. Still a work in progress, haven't fallen behind, but am really feeling that I'm not making any progress at all. Really, I am grateful and thankful for everything that we have and that we have been able to do. I would like to get my spending to align more closely with my true priorities and start making some major strides toward being debt free. I know that God has a plan for me and my family and that I should trust Him more. Most days I feel as though I am just making money to pay off things that are things of the past and can ever live fully in the present--let alone think about the future. I would like these chains to be unbound and be able to live freely. 
• Would really like to get an emergency fund set up and then start working toward spending money from the previous month. 
• Do a daily devotional 
• Completed daily! 
• Exercise 2 x per week minimum
• Met this goal I would say on a technicality :) I did an ab challenge that was supposed to be for the entire month, but only lasted about 16 days. So, I did technically exercise on average more than 2x per week--but I do not really feel as though I did. So you be the judge ;) I did go line dancing one night this month and I did go swimming as well. And I think trick-or-treating counts, right? This month going to try a different workout challenge and hopefully do some more line-dancing. 
• Read for pleasure: Average one book per month
• I did not complete a book this month! I have already read more than 12 books this year, but am shooting for at least two more by the end of the year. I just started one that I hope to finish this month. 
• Go on a date with Jason: At least one time per month
• This is bad, but I cannot remember if we went on a date or not. Whoops. 
• Have a "no screen" weekend
• No significant progress in this, but I did make them go screen-free for  a few hours and if I am home with them I have been trying to make sure that we are not just turning on the TV or computer out of habit. We have done some things outside for some significant portions of the weekend which is good, too. Only two months left, I have got to get moving! 
• Clean and organize basement:Toy room and storage room
• This one is complete :) Need to get back on the chore-chart wagon. We have our moments (both good and bad), but generally better than in the past. 
• Travel somewhere in Northern Michigan
• Goal complete. I did travel to Gaylord, Southfield, Flint, Lansing (of course) and Wausau, Wisconsin this month. 
• Travel to Denver, Indiana and Washington, D.C.
• This one is officially complete.  
• Try out 12 new dinner recipes
• Just barely got in a dinner recipe on October 31! Made this Crock-pot Chicken Parm, but realized my slow cooker was at work so I improvised and made it on the stove instead. It was okay, I would either make a different sauce next time or use Prego or something. The effort was not worth the taste in my opinion.
• Try out 12 new dessert/cookie recipes
• This month, I made (again): Espresso Buttercream Frosting on the Chocolate Cake recipe in cupcake form. 
• Also made these sugar cookies (Alton Brown) with this frosting. 
• Oh, and I made these PSL (Pumpkin Spice Latte) cookies for the October birthday celebration at work, too. 
• Oh yeah, I made this Red Velvet Cake and the ah-mazing cream cheese frosting for a going away party at work. 
• So, just to recap, I LOVE making dessert!!!
• Do not use credit or obtain any additional debt
• Did pretty well this month, aside from the emergency root canal on the last day of the month after maxing out my dental insurance earlier this year. NBD >_<.

As always, thank you for following along on my journey! Hope you have a great month!!

September 2016:Goal Update

September was pretty great. It feels good to be making steady progress and keep intentionally focused on things that bring me joy.

• Work toward Rule 4 (Age Your Money) as the final Rule to embrace.
• Age of Money=so, I got to NINE days this month! And averaged about 5-6 days. Still a work in progress, but have progressed a little bit.
• Do a daily devotional 
• Completed daily! 
• Exercise 2 x per week minimum
• Met this goal again! Exercising just barely twice a week and only had an average of about 4,500 steps per day. Back to School kicked my butt. I did meet my mini-goal of getting to a million steps by September 23rd! Even a year ago I would not have believed that I would have done it. Shout out to Brecca for being my faithful walking buddy :)
• Read for pleasure: Average one book per month
• This month, I read another Charles Todd book this month-The Shattered Tree, and a short story of his as well...so that counts for one and a half? or maybe one and a quarter; it was a pretty short story!
• Go on a date with Jason: At least one time per month
• We actually had a few dates this month. The best was for our 10th anniversary--we went out to dinner and just hung out together. My mom took the girls overnight so we also went out for breakfast the next morning and watched a movie that was one of our favorites when we started dating--I Heart Huckabees. 
• Have a "no screen" weekend
• Still feel the strong need for this, but have not made any progress. 
• Clean and organize basement:Toy room and storage room
• This one is complete :) We created some chore charts and have not been sticking as closely to them as I would like; better than it was, but not quite yet where I would like it to be.  
• Travel somewhere in Northern Michigan
• Goal complete. In October I'll be travelling up to Gaylord for work as well as travelling to Northern Wisconsin (pretty much the same as Northern Michigan, right??). 
• Travel to Denver, Indiana and Washington, D.C.
• This one is officially complete. Added New Orleans this month. Good to see it once; not in any rush to get back. Would like to check out more of the surrounding area as well.  
• Try out 12 new dinner recipes
• Tried one new recipe this month: Sheet Pan Fajitas--yummy!
• Try out 12 new dessert/cookie recipes
• This month, I made: Vanilla Cupcakes, Vanilla Frosting, and Espresso Buttercream Frosting for the girls birthdays. I re-made the Chocolate Cake recipe that I made back in April, but this time in cupcake form. 
• Do not use credit or obtain any additional debt
• Did pretty well this month. Had to use credit for my trip, but got reimbursed for my expenses. 

As always, thank you for following along on my journey! Hope you have a great month!!

August 2016: Goal Update

August was a great month, too! Loving this summer; really looking forward to autumn, though.

• Work toward Rule 4 (Age Your Money) as the final Rule to embrace.
• Age of Money=moved to averaging around 4-5 days. Even made it up to 6/7 days for a bit again! I have been working toward embracing my true expenses and that has been challenging. Just trying to keep moving forward and not backsliding! 
• Do a daily devotional 
• Completed daily!
• Exercise 2 x per week minimum
• Met this goal again! Exercising pretty much 4-5 times per week and averaged 9,033 steps per day for August. Still on track to get to a million steps by mid-September and earn a day off :)  Lots of swimming, water aerobics and some walking (maybe a little bit of running, too). Trying to make sure I have a plan for when it gets cold so I can maintain this pace. 
• Read for pleasure: Average one book per month
• This month, I read Waking the Dead by John Eldridge. It was an interesting read. I particularly like the comparisons to literature and film characters. This month, I'm not sure what I'll read. I just got notification that Modern Romance is available to check out from the library, so that might be the winner. I'm on pace to read two books per month, so I might just have to read two >.<
• Go on a date with Jason: At least one time per month
• Had a really fun date day--picked out a new matress that is king sized (our queen was my bed when I was still in college and had been taken apart and put back together so many times, I'm not sure how it was still standing!) and had dinner at Qdoba and then went home and watched a movie. It was really good to spend a few hours just the two of us. This coming month is our tenth anniversary, so we will definitely have a date night to celebrate!
• Have a "no screen" weekend
• Still feel the strong need for this, but have not made any progress. 
• Clean and organize basement:Toy room and storage room
• This one is complete :) We created some chore charts and have been sticking to them for four weeks now! Have some charts ready for back to school as well to make sure that things don't get lost in the shuffle. 
• Travel somewhere in Northern Michigan
• Goal complete. In October I'll be travelling up to Gaylord for work as well as travelling to Northern Wisconsin (pretty much the same as Northern Michigan, right??). 
• Travel to Denver, Indiana and Washington, D.C.
• This one is officially complete. Adding New Orleans (NEVER BEEN!!!) in September. 
• Try out 12 new dinner recipes
• Tried four new recipes this month, they were all really yummy:
• Mac & Cheese
• Chicken Fettucine Alfredo
• Chicken Parmesean
• Sweet & Sour Chicken
• Also made pancakes from scratch!
• Try out 12 new dessert/cookie recipes
• This month, I made:
• Six-layer bars
• Do not use credit or obtain any additional debt
• So, about that...

Thanks for reading and keeping me accountable to my goals! Can't believe we already have eight months down this year!

July 2016: Goal Update

July was AWESOME! Such a great month!

• Work toward Rule 4 (Age Your Money) as the final Rule to embrace.
• Age of Money=moved to averaging around 4-5 days. Even made it up to 6/7 days for a bit! Realizing that I have not been embracing my true expenses and that has been causing me some grief. Moving forward! 
• Do a daily devotional 
• Completed daily!
• Exercise 2 x per week minimum
• Met this goal for sure! Exercising pretty much 4-5 times per week and averaged 8,954 steps per day for July. On track to get to a million steps by mid-September and earn a day off :)  Lots of swimming, softball, water aerobics and some walking (maybe a little bit of running, too). 
• Read for pleasure: Average one book per month
• This month, I read Yes Please by Amy Poelher. Love the comedienne memoir genre for sure. Working on something a little bit more deep for this month ;)
• Go on a date with Jason: At least one time per month
• Went out to lunch on the 4th. It was a nice time. Working on something a little bit more substantial for August. 
• Have a "no screen" weekend
• Still feel the strong need for this, but have not made any progress. Talked today about the possibility of doing one day a week for a bit just to get used to the idea. 
• Clean and organize basement:Toy room and storage room
• This one is complete :) Now, to keep the rest of the house in order. Mini goal: Get the house ship-shape for back to school! 
• Travel somewhere in Northern Michigan



The Whole Family

• Went up to the Manistee area (Onekama) to Portage Lake Covenant Bible Camp over the 4th weekend. Was lots of fun with Dad, Gram, Aunt Sharon and Uncle Bruce, Aunt Gail and Uncle Kurt, cousins and their kids, Jason (brother) and Emily and their kids. Stopped for dinner in Brethren on the way home, too. 

• Travel to Denver, Indiana and Washington, D.C.
• This one is officially complete. 
• Try out 12 new dinner recipes
• Tried two new recipes this month: Beef and Broccoli (yum!) and Green Chile Chicken Enchiladas.  Both were a hit and I will definitely make them again. 
• Try out 12 new dessert/cookie recipes
• Well, let me see. Hmmm. Cannot remember. Did I make any desserts? 



Mint Chocolate No-Bake Cookies

• Sweet and Sour Cherry Pie, 
• Cherry Almond Muffins, 
• Chocolate Cherry Scones, 
• Mint Chocolate No-Bake Cookies,  
• Frozen Yogurt Blueberries, 
• No-Bake Blueberry Cheesecake bars (twice!), and 
• Smores dip!



Blueberry Cheesecake Bars

• Oh, and I also made: 
• Double Chocolate Zucchini Banana Bread, 
• Almond Poppyseed Muffins, 
• Sweet Cherry Smoothie and 
• Cherry Pie Filling (separate from the Cherry Pie)  
• Mission accomplished (oh, and I did lose at least eight pounds this month somehow!!!)
• Do not use credit or obtain any additional debt
• New Tires. See the first bullet for my learning on embracing my TRUE expenses. I am now actually putting money in my Auto Maintenance category because it is not a matter of IF but WHEN. 

Thanks for reading and keeping me accountable to my goals!

June 2016: Goal Update

June was a pretty good month. Got back on track for most of my goals.

• Work toward Rule 4 (Age Your Money) as the final Rule to embrace (see youneedabudget.com for more details) 
• Age of Money=still averaging around 2-3 days
• Do a daily devotional 
• Completed daily
• Exercise 2 x per week minimum
• Not only did I exercise an average of 2x per week, I nearly tripled my average number of daily steps! Started doing water aerobics on Monday nights and playing softball on Wednesday nights, so that helps keep me on track.  
• Read for pleasure: Average one book per month
• This month, I read Bossypants by Tina Fey. It was pretty good: funny and thought-provoking. Working on Yes Please by Amy Poehler for July. 
• Go on a date with Jason: At least one time per month
• While we were in Denver, we had a very nice lunch date. 
• Have a "no screen" weekend
• Still feel the strong need for this, but have not made any progress 
• Clean and organize basement:Toy room and storage room
• This one is complete :) 
• Travel somewhere in Northern Michigan
• Not in June, this one will be met in July!
• Travel to Denver, Indiana and Washington, D.C.
• This one is officially complete. We (Jason, the girls, and I) made the trek out to Denver in early June for a conference I had out there. We stayed at a hotel for a couple nights and then sayed with my sister Meredith for two nights. The trip was really fun and the girls did great in the car for the loong drive. We drove down to Colorado Springs for a day and drove to the summit of Pikes Peak as well as walked around Garden of the Gods. Also did a couple of tours: Celestial Seasonings and Hammonds Candies. Both were amazing and we enjoyed them greatly!
• Try out 12 new dinner recipes
• On Fathers Day, we made Carne Asada tacos in the park. No technical recipe, but something new all the same. I did try a new recipe for guacamole, and repeated a couple of recipes I had tried before. 
• Try out 12 new dessert/cookie recipes
• Did not add any new recipes this month, and now am off by one (already making this up in July!).  
• Do not use credit or obtain any additional debt
• This one is still slow going. I probably incurred about $50 in debt this month, which is not great. Since we went on vacation this month, I am going to chalk this one up to lessons learned.

Thanks for reading and sticking with me this year! Officially half way done and doing pretty good!

May 2016: Goal Update

Well, it has been a month. Not a good month, but it passed and I will need to refocus next month for sure :-D

• Work toward Rule 4 (Age Your Money) as the final Rule to embrace (see youneedabudget.com for more details) 
• Age of Money=still averaging around 2-3 days
• Do a daily devotional 
• Completed daily, 
• Exercise 2 x per week minimum
• So, I did excercise an average of 2x per week (9 times in May), but do not really feel as though I did. 
• Read for pleasure: Average one book per month
• This month, I did not read a book. Still on track to get to 12 by the end of the year.
• Go on a date with Jason: At least one time per month
• Nope
• Have a "no screen" weekend
• Still feel the strong need for this, but have not made any progress 
• Clean and organize basement:Toy room and storage room
• This one is complete :) 
• Travel somewhere in Northern Michigan
• Not yet! Hopefully will be able to go to Portage Lake with Gram and some west coast cousins in July!
• Travel to Denver, Indiana and Washington, D.C.
• Nothing new to add in May. Spoiler alert...we travelled to Denver in June. Tune in next month for more details!!
• Try out 12 new dinner recipes
• Did not add any new recipes this month, but still on track.
• Try out 12 new dessert/cookie recipes
• Did not add any new recipes this month, but still (barely) on track. 
• Do not use credit or obtain any additional debt
• I do not want to talk about it :/ Maybe just one comment: I struggle with spending. I have definitely made progress in not adding more debt, but I still do not have it curbed enough to ensure that my spending is truly reflective of my priorities and that I can roll with the punches. One major challenge is that Jason does not get any paid time off. So, if he is sick, he does not get paid. This happened in May and I was not ready for it. 

April 2016: Goal Update

Here is my April update! I'm so happy to have these goals to focus on, it is really helping me to live intentionally.

• Work toward Rule 4 (Age Your Money) as the final Rule to embrace:
• Age of Money=3 days! Getting better :) Did spend part of the month at 7 days! 

• Do a daily devotional 
• Completed daily, still love it. It's a habit now, so I'm not forgetting

• Exercise 2 x per week minimum



Still smiling after 2 miles!

• So, I've been doing really well with this one! We started a walking program at work which has been motivation along with the Running Zoo. Walked/Ran a total of 14 days this month! 

• Read for pleasure: Average one book per month
• This month, I read three more Charles Todd novels and I'm now one book away from finishing this goal for the year! Once I hit it, I will readjust and/or add a new goal.

• Go on a date with Jason: At least one time per month



Perfect day for a wedding!

• So not a date specifically, but we did spend time together just the two of us a few times this month. Most recently, we rented a movie on Amazon Video (The Big Short) and watched it after the girls went to bed. Need to work on being a bit more intentional with this. 

• Have a "no screen" weekend
• No progress here yet.

• Clean and organize basement:Toy room and storage room
• Looking good! Want to work on the laundry area next and transition the girls' winter clothes out of rotation (hopefully they won't need long-sleeved shirts much longer!)

• Travel somewhere in Northern Michigan
• Not yet

• Travel to Denver, Indiana and Washington, D.C.



Sisters!

• Two out of three! Traveled to Indianapolis this month again for Paxton's wedding. Great time! In June, we'll be travelling to Denver; can't wait! 

• Try out 12 new dinner recipes
• This month I made Crockpot Chicken and Stuffing which was pretty good, I thought. Annabella liked it, too. Lil and Jason did not care for it. I should have used broccoli instead of green beans. Also made this salad for a work lunch, and it was a hit! Would definitely make again! Another couple of recipes I tried this month are: a one-pan Cheesy Enchilada Bake (I liked it and no one else did) and these Easy Chicken Kisses. The Chicken Kisses were pretty good. Annabella and Jason both ate them. Lil has decided that she only likes fried chicken and no other kind of chicken. I would add some kind of veggie to them next time or something else to add a little texture. The flavor was good. 

• Try out 12 new dessert/cookie recipes
• Well, this month was great! For Chloe's 18th birthday, I made a chocolate cake from scratch with homemade chocolate frosting. My first effort at either of these and it turned out super delicious!

• Do not use credit or obtain any additional debt
• Definitely a mental shift going on! I am really getting focused. I did obtain some additional debt this month, but it was medical debt from all of Annabella's tests and doctor visits. Otherwise, going pretty well! 

I will leave you with a song that has been encouraging me lately; hopefully you will find encouragement here, too!

March 2016: Goal Update

• Work toward Rule 4 (Age Your Money) as the final Rule to embrace (see youneedabudget.com for more details) 
• Age of Money=hit a high of 6 days this month and averaging about 2 or 3 days. Currently, three days. 
• Do a daily devotional 
• Completed daily, really helps keep me focused.
• Exercise 2 x per week minimum
• Walks with the girls 2x, walking the Lincoln Park Zoo, starting our own "Girls on the Run" b/c I failed to sign Annabella up for it in November and have run/walked three times so far. Also, I played "Just Dance" with Annabella for about 30-45 minutes (I was sweating by the end, it counts!). Have not gone line dancing in over a month now. Not a bad month, and we are working on a plan that will have us running/walking at least three times a week with a goal of doing a 5k together this summer. You can track our progress on our running blog. 
• Read for pleasure: Average one book per month
• This month, I read 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess by Jen Hatmaker. You can check out my full review of it here. Also read "A Pale Horse" by Charles Todd. I just can't seem to get enough of post-WWI mysteries. It was good, as most (all?) Inspector Ian Rutledge mysteries are. 
• Go on a date with Jason: At least one time per month
• Went to see Whiskey Tango Foxtrot; it was a pretty funny, and yet, intense movie. We had a good time and I was finally able to use my Christmas present from Jason (an AMC giftcard!). We really appreciated the reclining seats and that made the experience much more relaxing and enjoyable. 
• Have a "no screen" weekend
• Still feel the strong need for this (even perhaps a no-screen week?!?!). Might be better suited to the summer or later in Spring?
• Clean and organize basement:Toy room and storage room
• Well, I have been forced to address some of this between all of the rain and the girls wanting to use the garden hose (not realizing that the seal on the pipe inside the basement is pretty much non-existent). I have also started playing a 'game' inspired by The Minimalists. It has been easier to get rid of things that were basically destroyed in the 'flood,' but it became more challenging as the month went on and I was having to remove 20+ items from my house per day!! I am really feeling a tug to downsize and minimize and prioritize what really matters to me and what I want to teach all three girls (by example and not just by word!). 
• Travel somewhere in Northern Michigan
• Not yet, however I have discovered this really cool badge that the girls can earn for hiking 100 miles on the North Country Trail. Anyone can do the challenge and it seems pretty cool. We could get in a lot of miles on the Trail near Rockford, but it would be neat to travel this summer (or maybe the fall) to the UP or Northern Michigan to hike along it as well. 
• Travel to Denver, Indiana and Washington, D.C.
• Second visit to Washington, D.C. the first week of March. Met some of Michigan's legislators and even spotted Nancy Pelosi in the Capitol! Got to try out some cool restaurants that I would never get to try otherwise and perhaps my favorite was hanging out on the rooftop lounge at the W hotel which overlooks the White House and much of the District. Pretty cool. Also got to see the baby and toddler pandas Bei Bei and Bao Bao (and their parents, of course) at the National Zoo. 
• Not a goal, but also went to Chicago to pick up my mom from O'Hare when she returned from Uganda. The girls and I went to the Lincoln Park Zoo and had a great time!
• Try out 12 new dinner recipes
• Tried out a new chicken thigh recipe from Bon Apetit. Really great technique to cook bone-in chicken thighs (which are my new favorite). Made some smashed potatoes and whipped up a gravy quick, too. 
• Try out 12 new dessert/cookie recipes
• So on the eve of Girl Scout Cookie delivery, I decided I should bake some cookies. Smart, I know. Made these Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies. They did turn out great, no dried fruit in sight ;). Just had a new-to-me KitchenAid mixer given to me, too (Thanks, Auntie Anne!). Can't wait to try it out!
• Do not use credit or obtain any additional debt
• This month has been quite the challenge incredibly difficult. I needed to use credit for my work trip, but I applied the money to the card prior to using it, so it worked out pretty much like not using credit. I still have a couple of auto-pay items (Hulu and HP Instant Ink) that come out of credit cards that I need to either adjust and use my debit card, or pay off directly when I make my payment so as not to incur further debt. 
• Jason started a new job this month and is going from getting paid weekly to getting paid bi-weekly. So, we had a drought of funds for most of the month. Near the end of the month I was getting very twitchy and wanting to use credit cards to do fun things (or buy things we don't need!!!) that were simply not in the budget this month. It was very hard to not do this, but I am happy to say that did have some limited success. I did end up getting gas two times (total of $53) and also spent $9 at Double Dip Depot. It will be my goal to pay these items off before I get billed in April. 
• At times, I wasn't sure we were even going to make it paying all of our bills on time. Good thing I learned not to panic, that God provides for our every need. He has been faithful in the past and will continue to be so. 

February 2016: Goal Update

Here's a recap of February:

• Work toward Rule 4 (Age Your Money) as the final Rule to embrace (see youneedabudget.com for more details) 
• Age of Money=2 days...the struggle is REAL... 
• Do a daily devotional 
• Completed daily, really helps keep me focused. 
• Exercise 2 x per week minimum
• Failed ;) Well, I did line dance once this month, so I'm about 7 times short. This one will require more focus going forward. I need to be intentional or it just won't happen. 
• Read for pleasure: Average one book per month
• This month, I read "Carry On, Warrior" by Glennon Doyle Melton. She speaks a lot of what I think and am often afraid to say. Working on being more bold and displaying the more authentic version of myself
• Go on a date with Jason: At least one time per month
• Yay! We went to Washington, D.C. over Valentine's weekend. It was a lot of fun and I am so thankful that I have a job that allows me to travel and presents me with this kind of opportunity. We needed this so much (it had been about seven years since we last went away together!). The girls had a ton of fun with Grammie and Auntie Anne and Chloe while we were away (thanks, ladies!)
• Have a "no screen" weekend
• No progress here yet...another challenge
• Clean and organize basement:Toy room and storage room
• No progress here yet...gotta get moving; garage sale season is coming!
• Travel somewhere in Northern Michigan
• Not yet
• Travel to Denver, Indiana and Washington, D.C.
• Two out of three! Went to Indiana for cousin Paxton's wedding shower and had a fabulous girls' weekend. And, as previously mentioned I did make it to D.C. (and was already back there March 1)
• Try out 12 new dinner recipes
• This month was an uneventful cooking month...did recycle some of the new January recipes, though! Still averaging more than one per month at this point. 
• Try out 12 new dessert/cookie recipes
• I did try Peanut Butter Banana Cookies, they were okay. I might add chocolate or something next time. I also pinned a couple more recipes onto my dessert board for more inspiration. We'll see how March goes!  
• Do not use credit or obtain any additional debt
• Doing really well with this one. It was challenging quite a few times when I wanted something but didn't have it in the budget. Or wanted to spend more than what was in the budget. But, I did not cave! And it feels really amazing :) 

January 2016: Goal Update

Happy Friday!

So, I have met my goals so far in the first month with varied success. If YNAB has taught me anything (and wow! it has) it is to roll with the punches and not get discouraged if you are not getting everything 100% right. Keep going; even if you are only making progress half the time, it's more progress than you would make without even trying.

Here is how I stacked up in January:

• Work toward Rule 4 (Age Your Money) as the final Rule to embrace (see youneedabudget.com for more details) 
• I went from my Age of Money at 1 day to 4 days. Not great, and still have a long way to go, but made some progress.
• Do a daily devotional 
• I chose Melody Beattie's Language of Letting Go. I've stayed up to date with it, only missing a day once and then catching back up the next day!
• Exercise 
• 2 x per week minimum This is one I struggled to make time for. I'm counting the 3 times I went line dancing and the 4 times I did yoga which makes me a little behind 2 x/week. Really need to make time for this one!!! (Plus I did spend about and hour and a half shoveling one day, so I think that counts, too!)
• Read for pleasure
• Average one book per month So, I went a little bit overboard here (maybe if I would have read less, I could have exercised more ;)). I read the following books: (1) The Walnut Tree by Charles Todd; (2) So You've Been Publicly Shamed by Jon Ronson; (3) Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling, (4) Cold Treachery by Charles Todd, and (5) An Unwilling Accomplice by Charles Todd. What can I say, I like early 20th Century mysteries! You can check out my Goodreads page for some brief reviews. 
• Go on a date with Jason
• At least one time per month We did go on a date in early January. Our intention was to go see a movie, but even though we arrived more than a half hour early, it was already sold out! So, instead we went and spent some of our Target giftcard (on Mexican Train Dominoes!), had dinner at Five Guys and then did some shopping at Meijer together. Not the most exciting of dates, but it was quite nice to be able to just spend time together. This month's date will be much more exciting ;)
• Have a "no screen" weekend 
• Haven't done this yet. Have talked about it with the girls and while they aren't excited about giving up their own screens, they are excited about mom and dad giving up theirs.
• Clean and organize basement
• Toy room and storage room; no progress yet. I'm doing some pre-planning and we have talked about the need, especially for the toy room, to be cleaned an organized.
• Travel somewhere in Northern Michigan
• Not yet; Annabella is studying Michigan in school right now and the U.P. so there is interest there and we've been talking about the Bridge and Mackinac Island. 
• Travel to Denver, Indiana and Washington, D.C.
• Not yet; plans for Indiana in April, D.C. once this month and once next month, and Denver in early June!
• Try out 12 new dinner recipes
• This one is going well! I tried (1) Crock Pot Stroganoff, (2) Sweet-Potato Hash with Bacon, (3) One-pot Pizza Pasta Bake, (4) Oven-roasted Sausage and Potatoes, (5) Smothered Chicken Casserole and (6) Cheddar Ranch Chicken this month. All were good and you can check out the recipes (and the ones I've yet to try) on my Pinterest board. 
• Try out 12 new dessert/cookie recipes
• Again, going well! This month I tried (1) Twix cookies (spoiler alert...these are AMAZING!), (2) Brownie Mix Cookies (just so so), and (3) Microwave Mug Double Chocolate Brownie (urgent attempt to eat chocolate!). You can check out these recipes on my Dessert and Cookie Pinterest board. 
• Do not use credit or obtain any additional debt
• So, I knew this one would be a challenge and as I thought more about it, I became convinced that this might be my hardest (and most rewarding!) goal that I have set for myself. I did make one rather large purchase in January using a credit card but it was a conscious purchase for a 'greater good.' I am really working on putting my money where my priorities are and working on being patient with not being able to reach all of my goals in the time that I would prefer them. One thing that I am proud of is that we were able to pay off our washer and dryer before any interest was charged! It was so tempting to spend that money on other things and just pay the interest, but we kept on it and I'm so glad that we did!  

Already making note of things to add for February! I will be shooting for being a bit more intentional about working out and I can already tell that this short month is going to be a challenge to make through monetarily, but I am resolved to stay strong and not go further into debt. Thanks for reading, 'see' you next month!

Book List for 2016

Here's a list of the books that I am considering reading this year. Any thoughts on these? Anything I should add or eliminate? It's quite a variety!

The Bassoon King: My Life in Art, Faith, and Idiocy by Rainn Wilson

Sick in the Head: Conversations About Life and Comedy by Judd Apatow

Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert

Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges by Amy Cuddy

The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg

Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain

So You've Been Publicly Shamed  Finished by Jon Ronson

Herzog by Saul Bellow

Bad Feminist: Essays by Roxane Gay

An Unwilling Accomplice (Bess Crawford Mysteries Book 6) by Charles Todd

A Pattern of Lies: A Bess Crawford Mystery (Bess Crawford Mysteries Book 7) by Charles Todd

The Walnut Tree: A Holiday Tale (Bess Crawford Mysteries) Finished 1/3/2016 by Charles Todd

Mrs. Engels: A Novel by Gavin McCrea

I Thought It Was Just Me (but it isn't): Making the Journey from "What Will People Think?" to "I Am Enough" by Brené Brown

Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead by Brené Brown

Rising Strong by Brené Brown

Go Set a Watchman: A Novel by Harper Lee

For the Love: Fighting for Grace in a World of Impossible Standards by Jen Hatmaker

Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

Modern Romance by Aziz Ansari, Eric Klinenberg

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling

Yes Please by Amy Poehler

I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai, Christina Lamb

Welcome 2016!

Last year was a great year (not without its ups and downs) and was full of new things. But enough about last year ;), I want to focus on what's to come. During my vacation this past week and a half, I sat down and thought about some things that I would like to accomplish or work on in the coming year. I'm just going to list them here (in no particular order) and then hopefully provide some updates throughout the year.

• Work toward Rule 4 (Age Your Money) as the final Rule to embrace (see youneedabudget.com for more details)
• Do a daily devotional
• Exercise 
• 2 x per week minimum
• Read for pleasure
• Average one book per month
• Go on a date with Jason
• At least one time per month
• Have a "no screen" weekend
• Clean and organize basement
• Toy room and storage room
• Travel somewhere in Northern Michigan
• Travel to Denver, Indiana and Washington, D.C.
• Try out 12 new dinner recipes
• Try out 12 new dessert/cookie recipes
• Do not use credit or obtain any additional debt

So, that's it for now. Here's to a great year!