House projects for this year

There always seems to be another house project waiting to be finished, amiright? We've lived in our house almost 4 years, and we have done a ton of painting, decorating, replacing, etc., but it seems like the list is never-ending! I thought that if I documented several of the projects we want to tackle this year, it would help us to stay focused in accomplishing them.

Finish the bonus room // The bonus room has been quite the project. When we moved into this house we kind of dumped everything we didn't have a specific place for in the bonus room. A couple years ago we did a major purge, donating a bunch of stuff and transferring a lot of things to the attic. A little over a year ago, Caleb undertook a huge project to replace the supporting beam in the garage ceiling/bonus room floor. Now that structurally we're comfortable with the bonus room, we're ready to turn it into a playroom for Madeleine. This means replacing all of the insulation, tearing out the wood paneling, putting up drywall, replacing all of the trim, painting every single surface in the room, getting new carpet, and then decorating. Caleb has done a lot of this work, and we're hoping that the room will be finished in the next couple of months. It will be so nice to have another usable space in our home!

Refresh the master bedroom // We've been needing a new duvet cover for a while, but I just haven't seen anything that I've liked. I also have been getting tired of the colors in our room, so I would like to replace all of the bedding and curtains and do a total refresh in the room. The goal is to get a lighter, fresher feeling room without having to repaint. This is the project I'm probably the most excited about!

Find wall art for the living room // We need one more piece for this room - a large piece to go above the couch. Investing in a large piece is hard for me - it has to be just right if it's going to take up that much real estate on our walls. I have one idea, I just need to follow through with it. If that doesn't work we need to come up with something else. 

Figure out what's in the attic // Like I mentioned above, we've transferred most of our stored belongings to our attic. I also periodically ask Caleb to take random bins or boxes up there once I've sorted through some section of our house. Because of this, I don't really know what all is up there, and I have a feeling some of it could be consolidated or at least organized better. Part of the problem is I don't ever go up in the attic to look at everything myself, because I have a fear or going up pull-down attic steps. Specifically our attic steps, because they seem rather rickety to me. So I guess the second part of this goal is to fix our attic steps. 

Rearrange our family room // We're not happy with the way our main family room is set up, and we've been trying to come up with a solution that will maximize seating and also be practical for our lifestyle. This is going to take some time, so I'm hoping that as we think about it and try different things over the next months, we will come up with something that will work. Then we will need to purchase the additional furniture, etc. that we will need.

Tackle closets // Am I the only one that seems to do this every year? Right before Madeleine was born, I organized and purged through almost all of the closets in our house. Somehow these same closets look like they need to be tackled once again. I hate accumulating stuff, and the closets seem to be the first place said stuff lands. I guess what I need to do is a better job of maintaining the closets throughout the year instead of letting them get overrun and disorganized.

Do you have any projects or jobs you are wanting to work on in your house this year?

(image sources: 1 // 2 // 3)

2016 Reading List

Last week I mentioned that one of my goals for this year is to read 75 books. I thought today I would share some of the nonfiction books on my reading list for this year. The majority of what I read is fiction, and the books I choose come from a variety of places: what my book club is reading or what has been recommended by friends, bestseller lists, blogs, etc. Because of this, I don't ever know which fiction books I'm going to end up reading through the year. But I keep a running list of nonfiction books that I'd like to read, so here they are for this year, in no particular order.

Stepping Heavenward // I read this book my freshman year of college, but recently I've heard my mom and sisters all comment on how much they enjoyed reading this. I thought it was time to pick it up again. 

The Songs of Jesus // This is a yearly devotional that works through the Psalms. I typically read a Psalm each day as part of my devotions, so I'm enjoying this book with the short devotional and prayer that is with each portion of the Psalm. 

Simply Tuesday // My sister has mentioned more than several times how much she likes this book, and I've also recently enjoyed reading Emily's blog and following her on Instagram. I've not read any of her other books, but I've definitely heard the most about this one.

Evidence Not Seen // This is one of those books that I thought that I had read, but it turns out I haven't. It's been on our shelf for several years, and Caleb has told me things about it, but I'd like to read it for myself.

What the Dog Saw // I really enjoy reading Malcolm Gladwell's books, and somehow I've read all of them but this one. 

The Portrait of a Lady // My goal each year is to read a piece of classic literature. It usually takes me a while to get through them, but I always enjoy reading them. I randomly picked this one off of my shelf. I don't even have any idea what the story is about, but I hope I like it because it's 600+ pages.

Idols of the Heart // I have enjoyed all of the Elyse Fitzpatrick books that I have read, and I'm sure this one will be challenging and eye-opening. 

Thinking Fast and Slow // Nerd alert: I love reading books on the brain and how we think and process things. I've had this book for a little while now, but have just not gotten around to reading it. 

What Did You Expect // I have read a lot of books on babies and parenting over the past year, but I haven't read one on marriage in a while. All I know about this book is that it discuss the realities of marriage versus the expectations, which sounds like it will be a good read.

Grace and Power // A couple of years ago I read a biography on Queen Elizabeth by this same author, and I absolutely loved it. The Kennedys have always intrigued me, so I'm looking forward to learning more about them. I told Caleb that just like when I read the book on the Queen, all he will hear about for the chunk of time I'm reading this is random details and facts on the Kennedys. He's been warned. 

Brain Rules for Baby // Reading books on babies and parenting has been so enjoyable for me. There's so much to learn! And even if you decide you don't agree on the stance of the book, it's good to just be informed. Parenting a child is no small thing, so why not learn as much as you can?

What are you hoping to read this year?

2016 Goals

Have you made goals for 2016? Here are mine. Nothing too earth-shattering, just things I'd like to work on throughout this next year.

Memorize Colossians 3 // I've learned that memorizing Scripture is really the best way for me to meditate on it throughout the day. I've memorized large passages before and have really enjoyed it, so this year I'm going to work on Colossians 3.

Read 75 books // Last year on Goodreads I set a goal of 50 books, but I ended up reading 75. I decided to make that my goal again for this year. I absolutely love reading, and I typically spend some time reading every day. I think it will be attainable if I can stay on track.

Learn to sew // I've always told my mom that she could teach me to sew once I had a baby. Well, I have a baby so it's time to learn! I don't ever plan on sewing my own clothes or being an expert seamstress; I would simply like to know how sew basic things.

Send 50 notes // I'm a firm believer in snail mail. I'm only slightly obsessed with pretty notecards + stationery and love brightening someone's day with a piece of real mail. This number can include birthday cards but it cannot include thank you notes, as a written thank you note is a non-negotiable in my book. Last year I went over this number, so I'm hoping to be able to that again this year!

Find a flattering lipstick // Setting super serious goals over here, folks. I've never had a lipstick that I love, so I'm determined to hunt for one this year. I imagine that this will include lots of trial and error.

Run a race // Distance still undecided. My sister and I briefly talked about doing a race together. She's one month postpartum and I'm seven months postpartum, so we will see what we are up for. I just need something to keep me motivated!

Learn to curl my hair // I have never been very good at styling my hair, but this year I would like to master an everyday, loose waves look. Kate, I'm looking at you for tutorials and tips!

Cook more out of my cookbooks // Last fall I was cooking more of out of my cookbooks than I was magazines or Pinterest, and I loved it. I have some really quality cookbooks, and I don't like that they are sometimes forgotten on the shelf. Here's to discovering more delicious recipes from a source more reliable than Pinterest.

(image via here)

2014 Goal: Learn to Crochet

I completed one of my goals for 2014! I know it's May and only completing one sounds lame and like I've been sitting around on my butt all year, but 3 of my 5 goals are on-going and my the other goal is 75% done. So! I'm actually pretty proud of my progress so far. But, back to my goal that I completed: I learned to crochet! The above picture is the little baby blanket that I made. I actually enjoyed crocheting much more than I thought I would. I crocheted the majority of the blanket in February and March, when it was cold and wet out and staying inside bundled up on the couch crocheting was heavenly. I taught myself through Youtube videos and online tutorials, which I found to be pretty helpful. My only trouble was that my yarn kept getting in knots that I would spend hours (really) trying to get out. Finally I was so frustrated I reached out to Eliza (she does beautiful crochet work and shares them on instagram!), and she gave me some good tips that solved all my knotting problems. My blanket is really simple but I'm pleased with it and proud of myself for learning something new :)

2014 Goals

source

I know goals and New Year's resolutions are pooh-poohed by many, but I happen to love making goals. They don't have to be about bashing yourself and setting unrealistic goals to fix your shortcomings. Realistic, attainable goals can provide the motivation to tackle things you've been wanting to get done, provide the structure to create habits for the routine and lifestyle you want to have, and provide the accountability necessary for success by sharing your goals with others. Here is my list of goals for the year.

1 // Learn to crochet. Nothing fancy, just simple blankets for snuggling babies when our nieces and nephews come to visit. One day I will learn to sew, but for now this is a tiny baby step toward learning to be creative and make things with my hands.

2 // Eat more vegetables. We eat pretty healthily (i.e. few processed foods, rarely eating out, etc.), but I know I don't consume enough vegetables. I've been making more smoothies with spinach and have been adding more salads to our weekly menus (like this one!). I also want to roast more veggies in these remaining winter months.

3 // Read through the Bible chronologically. I did this once in college, and I absolutely loved it. I like having a structured plan for where I'm going to be reading in the Bible each day, and I really like getting the big picture of the entire Bible in one year.

4 // Clean out our bonus room. This room is a hot mess! Since we moved into this house almost 2 years ago, we have put anything and everything in our bonus room. It has its own staircase and is separate from the rest of the upstairs, so it's easy to throw junk up there and shut the door. We need to sort through everything, decide what to keep and what to toss, and organize what we're keeping.

5 // Start running again. I haven't consistently run since early last summer, and I hate that. As the days get a little longer, I want to start running again after work. It's a great stress reliever, and I always feel so good when I'm finished. I'm hoping to run a race with a few of my co-workers, so that will help hold me accountable.

Do you like making goals? What are some of your goals for 2014? 

2013 Goal: Donate My Hair

For as long as I can remember I've wanted to donate my hair. I always get tired of it when it starts getting of any significant length, but about 18 months ago I decided it was time. So, I made it one of my goals for 2013. I got it cut right before we went to the beach, and it feels SO good to have short, healthy hair for the summer. I cut off about 11 inches, and donated 8 of it to Children with Hair Loss, a non-profit that provides wigs for children with medically-related hair loss. I hope my long locks will make some little girl very happy!

2013 Goal: Drink More Water

My seemingly constant goal is to drink more water. I don't enjoy the taste/lack of taste of water, but I know that I need to drink more of it. The best way for me to drink more water at home is to add lemon to it. Washing a lemon and dirtying a knife to cut a lemon wedge each time I wanted a glass of water got old fast. But, I found that if I make up a couple of bottles of lemon water, I drink SO much more water. In case any of you also struggle to drink enough water, here's what I do. (I also like having this lemon water on hand for when we have company. The bottles are pretty, too.)

1. You'll need two bottles (1 liter each), a mini funnel, a lemon, and a citrus juicer.

2. Cut the lemon in half and juice just one half.

3. Pour the lemon juice into one bottle, using the funnel.

4. Add water to the bottle to fill it up.

5. Repeat with the other lemon half and other bottle. Store bottles in fridge.

2013 Goal: Run a 10K

One of my goals for this year was to run a 10K. I'm not a runner, but the few times I've run consistently has been training for a race, so I knew this would be the main way to get my butt out the door running. I started training after New Year's (so cliché!), but I never worked up to the full 10K before race day. I had gotten up to 4 miles, but because I'm not disciplined and because I hurt my foot, I hadn't gone any further. Saturday was the race and I was pretty nervous, not knowing how my foot would feel after having not run for three weeks, and also never having run more than four miles in my life! It started snowing/raining as we were heading to the race, which was awesome (not). It only rained for the first little bit of the race, but it was still pretty cold! I was feeling pretty good up until the last mile, which was entirely uphill. I really wanted to run the whole thing and not stop and walk any of it, so I kept pushing myself. Caleb was cheering me on up the last hill (he had finished like 40 minutes earlier!), and I finally finished. I ran that race very slowly, but I actually ran the whole thing! I'm hoping this will help motivate me to keep running and being active, as that is the area in my life that I am the least disciplined. 

Have you accomplished any of your goals for this year?