Let's Talk...Revisiting My 2016 Goals!

Hi!! Happy Monday!!

How was your weekend??

Aaron had to work this weekend...but we still managed to get a lot done around the house AND have lots of fun together has a family.  Win-Win!

Today I am linking up with Andrea and Erika as part of their new monthly "let's talk" link up party! This month's topic is New Year's goals, resolutions and in general, hopes and aspirations for the next 12 months!

I will be honest, when I saw this month's topic, I was kind of "meh" about it- since I had already written a post about my New Year's/January goals earlier in the month.

But...then I started to think about it and realized that talking about my 2016 goals at the END of January was actually quite perfect! I have pretty much had the whole month to think about the "initial" goals I set for myself and had some more time to reflect on how I want this next year to go.  So I am excited to be re-visiting this topic!!

I posted about my New Year's goals and a few specific things I wanted to achieve for the month of January.  You can read my post here!

Just for a quick recap, my three goals for January were to: 
1) Be on my phone and computer LESS and read ONE book.
2) Keep MOVING and EXERCISING and hit 10k steps EVERY day.
3) Be JOYFUL and PATIENT- when it is CRAZY, CHAOTIC and everyone seems to be losing it all at the same time! :)

 I am happy to say I feel that I have done a pretty good job with my goals this month! 
As far as reading goes, I am still establishing the habit of picking up a book instead of my phone. I read Winter Street over the last 2 weeks of December and finished Winter Stroll in the first two weeks of January.  I just started another book, The Matchmaker (by the same author- Elin Hilderbrand) and I can tell that I am going to love it!
As far a getting to the gym and hitting my 10,000 steps every day- it's been going great! I did have to adjust my goal early on in the month though. During the week- I go to the gym every morning and we have also been going for about 40 minutes in the afternoon. I have easily been not only getting in 40-60 minutes of exercise but exceeding my 10K steps goal.
On the weekends, however, with the weather being so cold and yucky- we have not been getting outside and that has definitely affected me getting in my 10k steps. So- my adjusted goal is exercise/hit 10k steps Monday through Friday and rest on the weekends :)
Finally, focusing on my patience (and maintaining a sense of humor) in the super intense, "everyone is screaming about something and somebody has a bleeding finger and my toddler took the air vent out of the floor for the 50th time that day" has been a work in progress :) I am definitely doing a better job of remaining calm and staying patient- BUT I still have a lot of room for improvement. This is an ongoing, every day (heck- who am I kidding- sometimes minute by minute) goal that I am working on, failing at, and starting over again.  I am so thankful for God's abundant grace :)

Soo...now that I have had almost a good, solid month to think about this upcoming year and all that it holds for our family- a couple words keep coming into focus for me. SAVOR and SLOW DOWN. I want to savor where each of my kids are at- I am SO blessed to be parenting not only very young children, but also children who are getting older and more independent. I absolutely LOVE getting to experience so many different stages with my kids all at ONCE! And I want them each to know this!!!  So- I want to make sure I am savoring the precious moments I have with my kids. 
And I want to (and NEED) to slow down. I would not say I am overly busy person. I do not work outside the home, I don't have a "side job," and I don't do a lot of social things with friends. I do however, feel like I am always racing against the clock.  You know what I mean? Get the kids up and out the door by 7:10 am- because we HAVE to be at school by 7:30 am. Get in a quick workout and race home to get cleaned up, get James a snack, do a couple things around the house so I can be back in the car to get my daughter from preschool. Make sure my two youngest are down for their naps at a certain time because we HAVE to leave by 2:30 to go get their sisters. Race around during nap time doing anything and everything that needs to be done because that is truly the only time when I can get stuff DONE. I know you know what I am talking about!! :) 
And my time and our schedule will go through another season of change once our 5th baby is born at the end of April! 
So while I have been thinking about needing to slow down, prioritize what things NEED to be done and what can wait, I read this (pictured below) in one of my daily devotionals a couple weeks ago and it just totally hit my heart. God is ACTIVE, ALWAYS moving to bring about good. I mean- let's really talk about who is busy, right?? And the idea to live all parts of my life, all the VERBS that I am living in my daily routine- to make them a blessing to myself and to others. What an amazing perspective!! So simple and yet it has really helped stir a change in how I go about my day and how I want to continue to live my life.

So for 2016- I am going to SAVOR all the moments, big and small, AND I am going to SLOW DOWN, and go about my routine and live out the actions I do on a regular basis so I can bless others (and myself)!!

Now your turn! I would love to know about what you are hoping for this year!
Any specific goals? A certain mindset you want to have?
I LOVE the fresh start a New Year brings...but I always love knowing that changes can occur WHENEVER I want them to- I just have to make it happen! :)

Hope you have the BEST day!!