A Year of Rest | October Goals
I’m so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers. – LM Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables
September always feels so far away from the end of the year and then immediately when October hits it feels like it’s almost Christmas.
Ya’ll there are 90 days left in this year. A lot can happen in 90 days but it could also just be gone in the blink of an eye if we’re not careful. Sometimes I’m tempted to waste them away, excited for a fresh start of a new year. But God gives us the opportunity for a fresh start with new mercies every day. I am committed to finishing the year well.
I always set intentions at the beginning of the year, and many of mine revolved around my one little word, rest. Most of my monthly/weekly/daily goals for the year are set based off these intentions which are broad enough to work with changes and real life that comes up throughout the year. Here’s what I started 2019 with:
- Rest in secure in God.
- Cultivating a life of less
- Drawing from an overflow of rest
- Listing to my body and heart
- Resting and rejoicing in change and growth
As I look back on these today, it’s really interesting to see how these have subtly impacted so many decisions. I’m thankful to still be feeling positively about my journey with rest. To be honest, I had no idea how this was going to go.
September was a month of crazy and fast paced life for our family – we adopted a puppy, almost every weekend included MU football, and I started volunteering for an organization that helps fight human trafficking. Our days were filled to the brim with all the normal things of life and college students and book studies and multiple vet visits for each dog. Man, it’s a hard and good life.
October goals just seem to fall into place based on the things we have going on. I’m thankful for months like this.
Monthly Goals
- Host a DOPE Tailgate for Mizzou’s Homecoming – Our love of hosting and Mizzou collide. We help to host a big tailgate once a year and our family and friends all come in for it. I cannot wait!
- Wrap Up Current Reads – I’m reading way too many books at one time, so the goal is just to get some of these knocked out.
- Delete Podcasts – I tend to subscribe to all podcasts recommended to me. This is just me needing to take back my time on ones that aren’t truly my faves.
- Decorate the house with autumn decor – I mean, obviously.
- Regularly post on my blog and Instagram – Just a little accountability for what I’m wanting to share in this space and on Instagram.
- Create a work and personal Trello board – I’ve been a Trello fan for the past 5 years, but I just watched on Kimberly Ann Jimenez on YouTube and I really want to implement some of her strategies for using it for to-dos and project workflows.
- Visit the sunflowers @ MU South Farm -I’ve lived in here for so long without knowing that a sunflower farm exists so. close. to me. I’m really hoping I can make it out to see them.
Weekly Goals
- Prep in advance for Compass 31 Launches – I mentioned above that I started volunteering and I just want to be intentional and prayerful about the products we launch and posts we share online.
- Prep our meal plan each week and use pick up for groceries – I hate grocery shopping but I’m not normally head-of-the-game enough for picking up groceries once a week. Hoping to give it a try in October.
- Weekly Sabbath – This has basically been on my list every month this year and even though it’s not perfect, it’s still such an improvement from where I was a year ago.
Daily Goals
- No spend – I’m just hoping to reign in the unnecessary spending, eating out, extras a bit, so just starting with a refresh.
- Weigh ins – Just holding myself accountable to for healthy eating.
- Close Apple Watch Rings – This goes without saying. Looking to hit some goals in October.
Now it’s your turn. What are you prioritizing in October?
Birthday Cheesecake
I love a good birthday tradition. Growing up, my parents made it really special for us by hanging streamers, balloons, and having our entire family over the day of for a party. In addition to my favorite foods, Mom always made a double decker circle cake (vanilla with chocolate icing) and Great Grandma made banana cake. When I moved away from home it was hard to keep up with these traditions, so they started coming here to celebrate.
When we were registering for our wedding, a springform pan made it’s way onto our list, because who doesn’t like cheesecake? When I went a year without using it, I decided that needed to change and I started making cheesecake each year when family came in town for my birthday. Over the last couple years, it’s expanded from birthdays to anytime I offer to bring a dessert somewhere, which has allowed me to try out several different flavors, crusts, and baking styles. (Just for the record – I am a firm believer in the water bath cooking method and oreo cookie crust.)
They haven’t all turned out looking pretty, but all of them have tasted fantastic. Cheesecakes are finicky because they will crack and leave a gaping hole for a million different reasons – over mixing, temperature changes/drafts, over baking, etc, etc. My best advice is just to start with a cheesecake that has topping – no one will ever notice.
This year I made White Chocolate Raspberry by Baker by Nature and I have to say, it was the best so far!
None of my pictures come close to the ones in the link above (LOL) but we added chocolate sauce to the mix, so I think we’re winning.
I didn’t have the mesh strainer to adequately remove the seeds and pulp, so I only put the raspberry swirl on half, just in case!
Here are the recipes I’ve tried – and the ones on my list.
Past Birthday Cheesecakes: T W E N T Y – S E V E N | T W E N T Y – S I X | T W E N T Y – F I V E
Other Cheesecakes I’ve tried: G R A N D M A ‘ S B I R T H D A Y | N O – B A K E R E E C E S | O R E O
Next Up: H O N E Y L A V E N D E R | L E M O N B L U E B E R R Y
What fun traditions do you have for birthdays?
101 in 1001
This post has been a long time coming. Some of my favorite bloggers have shared their lists of 101 goals to complete in 1001 days over the past couple years and I’ve been wanting to join in, however, I have been holding off on getting started because I wasn’t sure exactly how it fit into the monthly and yearly goals. I finally got around to starting my list in February but wasn’t posting much on the blog at that time. Now that I’m back to blogging more regularly, I thought it would be fun to share my rendition here and then also add a link (which you can find just above the search bar on the right side) so that I can continually update as I’m ticking them off.
I started on February 20, 2019 so the challenge will end on November 17, 2021. I’ve already crossed 12 items of the list and I’m hoping to pick up steam from here.
Create a list of 101 things I want to accomplish in 2.75 years(February 20,2019)- Unplug completely for 24 Hours
- Get a massage
- Plant a flower garden
- Consolidate email addresses
Watch the Blues win the Stanley Cup(June 2019 – WE WON!)- Release floating lanterns
- Camp for the first time
- Eat food from a food truck
- Meditate with Headspace for 30 days in a row
See a shooting star(July 2019 – Hamilton)- Take a personal day from work
- Make a list of restaurants in Columbia and rate them
- Make a list of date ideas
- Go to a Christmas Tree farm
- Go to a sunflower field
- Go to Roots and Blues
- Go to a Blues game
- See a comedian live
- Go to a concert
- Get professional photos taken
Serve at church regularly(Fall 2019 – Leading a Small Group)- Find out my blood type
- Go to 10 new coffee shops (0/10)
Participate in a Trivia Night(June 2019 – Fuzzy’s)- Get a tattoo
- Finish my cross stitch quilt
- Go to a craft retreat or event
- Scrapbook an event for someone else
Host a craft night(February 2019 – Prayer Binders)- Organize my baby photos into albums
- Shoot 30 days of videos
- Learn calligraphy or brush lettering
- Year photo books/Project Life
- Take an online course
- Take a photography course
- Journal every day for a month
Take a watercolor class(May 2019 with Boheme School of Artistry)- Watch and photograph a sunrise
- Watch and photograph a sunset
- Complete 1000 gifts
Create a one year editorial calendar for the blog(July 2019)- New blog photos of myself
- Take someone’s photos
- Write 8 faith-related blog posts (0/8)
- Photography blog series
- Publish a YouTube or IG Video
- Double my blog views
- Have a guest post written on my blog
- Post a house tour on the blog
- Share a capsule wardrobe
- Go on 20 photoshoots (0/20)
- Watch 5 of Kevin’s favorite movies (0/5)
- Re-read the Harry Potter series
- Read all the books on my shelf
- Host a book club
- Read 50 new books (9/50 – The Five Intentions // Atomic Habits // The Path Between Us // The More of Less // Everybody Always // Girl, Stop Apologizing // A Love Letter Life // Lean In // The Coddling of the American Mind )
- Watch 5 TV Show Series (0/5)
- Watch Gone with the Wind
- Watch all 7 Harry Potter movies
- Go to a movie by myself
- Go on a vacation with family
- Go on a girl’s trip
- Visit a national park
- Travel with another couple
Stay in an Air BnB( August 2019 – Lake of the Ozarks)- Visit NYC
- Renew my passport
- Visit another country
- Rent a car
- Visit Waco and Magnolia Market
- Purchase Lululemon leggings
Buy polarized sunglasses(February 2019 – Ray Bans)- Pay off Student Loans
- Have a no spend month
Buy a new car(May 27, 2019 – CRV)See a counselor regularly(2019)- Take a spin class
- Go on a hike
- Run a 5K
- Run a 10K
- Complete a half marathon
- Hit my move goal for 30 days straight
- Try Whole30
- Create a gallery wall
- Buy a new dresser
- Paint the trim and doors at our house
- Declutter the basement
- Host 3 big tailgates (0/3)
- Host a small group
- Host Friendsgiving
- Help someone pull off a surprise
- Send someone flowers
- Send Christmas Cards (0/2)
- Mail 10 Letters (0/10)
- Give 5 Just Because gifts (0/5)
- Bake 3 Birthday Cheesecakes (0/3)
- Try a new restaurant in town (May 2019 – Flyover)
- Make 10 Pinterest Recipes (0/10)
- Pay for a stranger’s meal
- Leave a 100% tip
There you have it! Let’s hope I can check all of these off before November of next year!
Weekend Wrap Up – Lake of the Ozarks Edition
We had the best lake weekend with the family and then a productive Sunday evening prepping and cleaning up at the Esports facility.
Little Letters
Dear comfy, worn in spot on the couch, thanks for seeing me through all the craft projects, working from home, and crazy Bachelorette episodes of this year. You might just be my favorite place in the house (despite all the dog fur). Dear Magnolia doormat, scripty font is the best way to welcome people in. Dear DeannaCat3, thank you for being the most prolific instagrammer and making me fall madly in love with gardening and all the indoor plants. Dear photos of my feet, thanks for reminding me to be in the moment. Dear hubby, I’m so excited for the inaugural season of Mizzou Esports! I am beyond proud of all the hard work you’ve put toward this program, these students, and this school. No one would be a better role model for these gamers. Dear IRL and virtual friends, I’m so thankful that you stopped by.