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!