2015 goals

Another year has gone which means it's time to reflect and see if I reached all my goals for 2014! Here's what my goals were: 

• Lose all pregnancy weight after Selah is born (and hopefully before Amanda's wedding in August!) Completed! I gained 50 lbs in my pregnancy and lost all 50 of that 2 weeks before Amanda's wedding in August. I lost an additional 33 lbs, too, making 83 lbs lost since June 8! 
• Stay on top of organization around the house. Completed! I never let the house get unorganized or completely disastrous. The last few weeks of my pregnancy, I wasn't really on top of laundry or dusting like I should've been, and nesting didn't kick in until after Selah was born. But everything was always in it's place and tidy and nothing got too messy!
• Read at least 5 books. Completed! I used to think 5 books a year was a big goal for me because I wasn't a big reader, but, when I get a new book I usually finish it within 3 days (if it's good!) so this was easy!
• Be a Godly wife and strive to "out-serve" my husband. This is something I continue to strive for each day, and I keep getting better at it!
• Raise my children the way God desires. This is also something I strive for each day, and I really try to be consistent with my parenting and think of the long run when making parenting decisions with my husband. We try to teach them about God and the raise them to be polite, respectful, God honoring adults.
• Have FUN with my growing family! I definitely feel like I did this. We played outside with Ezra, took him to parks and softball games, went on family walks, went to farmer's markets and pumpkin patches, read books, played, swam...
• Take a vacation (hopefully to somewhere warm!) We are leaving tomorrow for the Mall of America, and we went a couple hours north to a cabin on the lake in August. No big vacations to a beach this year, but hopefully soon! I miss the ocean!

My goals for 2015 are nothing huge, but here they are: 

• Continue to maintain a healthy lifestyle and reach my ultimate goal weight and stay there! 
• Do Whole30 at least once this year with Marcus. Probably in a summer month when we can get cheap fruits and veggies at the farmer's market! If we like it and it isn't too difficult, do another one!
• Read at least 1 new book each month (12 books is a lot higher than my usual 5 books a year goal!) Preferably books that help me grow in my walk with God rather than just "fun" novels.
• Continue to make my bed daily, keep the house tidy and organized and clean.
• Learn how to do something new this year, like cook a certain food, learn how to sew, learn how to keep a garden and grow tomatoes... something!
• Try new foods, like edamame, sweet potato, brussel sprouts... nothing gross like eel or buffalo, though. ;)
• Continue to blog!
• (Hopefully) breastfeed Selah until she's at least 14 months. That's how long I nursed Ezra until he weaned due to my pregnancy, but I'd like to breastfeed her even longer!
• Be on social media less; be with the people I'm with, not the people on my phone.
• Complain less.
• Watch my tongue. Be slow to anger. Don't be snippy. Yell less. Scold less. Be sarcastic less. (Ha! Yeah right!) Speak uplifting, encouraging words.
• Find joy in the little things.
• Be a respectful, selfless wife.
• Be a loving, gracious, consistent mother.
• Save more, spend less.
• Continue to learn ASL and introduce it to Selah.
• Grow closer to God, learning to listen to His voice in every moment and situation, and pray about what He has next in the plans for Marcus and I and our children. Spend quality time in prayer each day, remembering to lift up those I love who need prayer.

What are your 2015 goals? We'll be ringing in the new year at the Mall of America - so excited for this mini trip with my family! Happy New Year!