Hello Monday: August Goals!

Hi!! Happy Monday!! And Happy 1st Day of August!! 

How was your weekend?? The kids and I got back from our visit to my parents' house yesterday afternoon. We had been there since last Wednesday. We had such a fun time!! We also had my sister's 2 children- so there were 7 kids 7 and under at Baba and Papa's house :) It was LOUD, super fun, and exhausting- HA! I am so glad my kids were able to have some quality time with my mom and dad and their cousins!

And now here we are- it's the first day of August and I have to tell you: I am SO excited the 1st of the month is starting on a Monday! It's like the perfect invitation for a fresh start and some new goals! 

The last few months been a little extra crazy :) We welcomed Marshall at the very end of April, May was spent getting to know our precious little guy and the girls finishing school, June was a month filled with lots of TRAVEL, and July was taken over by me getting super sick and then Aaron having surgery- and we had a huge garage sale in between all of that. AND we had our trip to Illinois. PHEW! HA!

I am SO looking forward to August being a "normal" month :) We aren't traveling anywhere and other than the girls going back to school- we don't have anything going on! 

In the midst of everything we have had going on- I have not been setting goals every month- and I am SO ready to change that this month!!

I don't know about you- but I just feel so much more put together and organized when I have some written goals that I am working on- I am a total nerd and get so happy when I can check a goal off at the end of the month because I accomplished it! HA!

Here's what I am focusing on this month:

//1// Be totally committed to clean eating/following my daily points (for Weight Watchers) : So...I haven't completely fallen off the wagon- but this past week, while at my parents' house, I did NOT follow my normal eating plan and quite honestly- ate whatever I wanted- including A LOT of junk. It was kind of fun- because I am normally pretty darn strict with my diet- but now I am ready to be back on track. I feel my best when I am fueling my body with good food. Also- I am still about 9 pounds away from my pre-pregnancy weight- and I really want to lose that weight!! So- I am challenging myself this month- NO cheating, NO little bites here and there- 100% following my Weight Watchers plan and eating clean. My biggest challenge is going to be at the end of the day- once the kids are in bed. That is when my self control goes down the drain and I find myself in the pantry looking for little snacks. HA! I have already told my husband he has permission to call me out and keep me on track!!  

//2// Exercise 4 Days/ Week:

With the kids going back to school- and our schedule changing a bit- I want to make sure I am still finding time, at least 4 days/week, to exercise. This is SO important to me. 

For two reasons: 1) Because it is going to help me with my weight loss goal. 2) Exercise makes me happy :) I LOVE to work up a good sweat and it makes me a better mom, wife and overall person when I go for a good run, swim laps and get in the gym for a workout session!

//3// Spend intentional time playing/crafting/talking with the girls EVERY day until they go back to school: In just 2 1/2 weeks- my 3 girls will be back in school!! I know they are so excited and SO ready- and that makes me so happy. But at the same time, I can't help but feel like this summer passed by super fast and I didn't get to spend as much time with them as I would have liked. So- my goal- for every day until they head back to school- which is August 17- is to actually sit on the floor with them or at the table with them and BE WITH THEM. Play barbies, have a tea party, color a picture, bake some cookies. I just want to be more intentional with my time with them. My oldest daughter told me last week that she feels like I don't play with her enough and it totally broke my heart :( 

Operation GET ON THE FLOOR AND PLAY WITH MY KIDS starts TODAY! HA!

//4// Start and complete Celine's yearly photo book:

Soo...Celine turned 4 in May and I haven't started her yearly photo book. I MUST get this done this month!! Because next month- I need to do James' book (his birthday was in July)!! I have to stay on top of these photo books or I end up getting totally overwhelmed. So my goal is to get all the pictures uploaded and put onto pages during the first two weeks of August and then finish up "writing" her book the last two weeks of August. If I just spend 10-15 minutes each day working on her book- I should have no problem getting it done by the end of the month!

//5// Do a better job of "dating" my husband:

I hope I am not the only one that sometimes, not intentionally, puts my husband last in the midst of taking care of my kids, keeping the house clean and just trying to stay afloat with life in general! HA! Being totally honest- Aaron and I had a talk yesterday about how we feel like we have let LIFE get in the way of US. If your married- you know this is not good :)

We had a very candid talk about how we were both feeling and what we wanted to change. I need to do a better job of focusing on quality time with him once the kids go to bed. I also want to get back to writing him little love notes here and there and scheduling some "at home" date nights. I have read about fun conversation cards....but I can't for the life of me remember what they are called- do you know what I am talking about?!? I think that would be fun to just read a couple of those each night!! 

And there you have it- my goals for August!! I am looking forward to a great, productive month. It feels SO good to have some important things I am working on- and the fact that I have shared them with you makes me feel extra motivated!! 

Talk about having some accountability! HA!

I would love to know- do you have any goals for this month??

Tell me about them! I would love to be an accountability partner for you! :)

Hope you have the BEST day!!

Linking up with my fabulous friend Johannah today!!