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It’s that time again! The end of the month has arrived and it’s my time to reflect back on the goals I set for myself. This month pushed me a bit out of my comfort zone. I had to psych myself up a couple times in order to complete some tasks but I think that was the point of this! If I never push myself to extend past what is comfy I’ll stop growing and learning!
If you remember, I decided to change how I set my goals in June. Instead of choosing random areas I decided to follow the example set by Alexandra Kuykendall in Loving My Actual Life and focus on one area. In June I decide to focus on adventure so let’s see how I did!
1. Go on one “outing” with the kids each week.
I’m pretty sure this was the most intimidating of the four goals. But I did it! And I’m so glad I did. We went for walks, visited parks, visited the library, took a trip to the lake, and played at an indoor playground. I don’t know if I’ll continue weekly adventures but I’m less apprehensive about doing them more frequently now!
2. Cook with the kids
This goal happened but not as frequently as I had thought it would. Combining adventures out of the house with adventures inside the house didn’t happen super smoothly. Plus trying to keep the littler ones occupied while I supervised the bigger ones is a task all in itself! We made pancakes and banana bread and the boys are asking to learn more so I’ll probably try to teach them one or two more foods this summer.
3. Celebrate our Anniversary
We definitely got to do this! We had a glorious 24 hours of kid free time while we passed on the adventure of five kids to Micah’s parents. We ate awesome food, stayed in a nice hotel, soaked in a hot tub, and ate more food, haha! It’s been a long time since we’ve had that much kid free time and it was a wonderful chance to reconnect and talk about non-kid things.
4. Go on vacation!
It wasn’t a long trip but it was filled with family and fun. All three kids with their spouses plus the eight grandkids got to hang out together at the farm and I lost count of how many kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids were at the anniversary party on Sunday. The car ride was “special” since the kids are forced to sit so close together but after a few rounds of “stop talking, stop touching, stop being nasty to each other” they all finally seemed to chill out and ride peacefully. We are hoping to take another road trip this summer but are still in the planning stages so who knows if it will happen.
Goals for July
This month I’m going to focus on Relationships. I think Alexandra sums it up well in her book when she says,
“This is true of us as women, that when we are asked to describe the essence of who we are, we often do it through relationships. Because people are what matter most to us.”
It’s so easy to get sidetracked by jobs, activities, chores, or tasks that even being in the same room as someone can make us feel miles apart! I want to take time this month to intentionally connect with the people around me.
1. A date with Micah
We probably won’t get a chance to go out on an actual date (we may, plans change) but planning a deliberate at-home date where phones get put away and we talk and eat (cause there’s always food) and connect. Now how much food can I make without going overboard?
2. Mommy-kid dates with the three big kids
We used to be SO GOOD about going on mommy or daddy-kid dates but then school started winding down and we got WAY off track. Time to fix that. I love the one on one time that these dates offer. I get a chance to really talk to the kid I’m with and don’t need to worry about what another one is getting in to or what that other one needs. My sole focus is on one child, even for just an hour or two, and it means the world to both of us.
3. Hand write three letters
I’ve got a letter I’ve been meaning to write for *cough* almost a year *cough cough* and it’s simply ridiculous that it’s taken so long! I started writing it several months ago and then it got syrup spilled on it so I needed to start over and never did. Then I know a couple other people that would really enjoy a real letter showing up in their mailbox so I’ll send one their way as well.
4. Start journals with the big boys
Now that the oldest boys are in school and have learned to read and write (almost always legibly) I want to start a journal with each of them. I’ve seen the idea floating around online for years but it was never a good time for it to happen. I want to use the journals as a way for them to tell me/us about things happening in their lives, ideas they have, questions they want to ask, or whatever else pops into their heads. Plus it will be great practice for them!
Do you have any goals set for July? How do you focus on strengthening relationships? Do you enjoy handwritten letters?