Happy New Year, sweet friends!

Did you have a nice NYE?? We were in our pajamas, watching TV and sipping on champagne and I fell asleep on the couch around 1030pm (which I’m sure shocks no one). For me, it was the perfect way to ring in a new year. Home is my happy place, and sleep is…well, GLORIOUS.

I couldn’t love a new year more. (Actually, I could. I would love it even more it if were on a Monday. A new year AND a new week?? Blank slate heaven.) 

The last year (and actually, the last 5 years) have been crazy. We’ve been DOING a lot. (Having 3 babies, moving, working.)

This year, I’d like to focus more on BEING. On being grateful for this wonderful life. On being a loving and supportive wife. On being the best mom I can be (who allows screen time when necessary and isn’t above bribing). And on being gentle with myself – when I undoubtedly fail at all of those things.  

I’m a big believer in the power of writing things down, so I wanted to share my goals for 2020 with you.  (And I’m not calling them “resolutions” for a reason. I feel like that’s such a heavy word, weighed down with a whole lot of expectation and very little grace. Instead, I’m making some goals for myself. More like a “My Guide To 2020” sorta deal. And I want to be able to refer to this post throughout the year to check in on my progress…

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PERSONAL GOALS

FOCUS ON MY HEALTH. I know. A total cliche. But, maybe it’s cliche because it’s…a good idea.

I’ve been either pregnant or nursing a baby for pretty much the last 6 years. And while I’m still nursing, I do feel a small sense of freedom and that my body is my own again. It’s been through A LOT, and I want to honor it by taking care of it the best that I can. I want to nourish it with whole foods. I want to MOVE and sweat. I want drink enough water. Oh, and I want to get botox again. (YOLO.)

I’ll be sharing a lot more about my fitness routine, Intermittent Fasting, etc. soon, so stay tuned…

BOOKS AND BOOKS AND MORE BOOKS.  Since the moment I could sound out my first word, I’ve loved reading and getting lost in books. But since having babies, reading has taken a back seat to sleep. It’s called survival. 

I’ve recently stared listening to audiobooks on Audible, and it’s a game-changer. I’ve always listened to podcasts while I work and clean around the house, so that’s nothing new. I just didn’t really consider listening to books because I love the actual process of sitting down with a book so much. This was def a case of “Perfect is the enemy of of good.” and I’m SO glad I can now appreciate audiobooks. Here are some of the books I’ve recently listened to:

GET “READY” MORE OFTEN.  This one might seem lame, but hear me out: I spent 84% of 2019 in either pajamas or leggings. Most of that was out of necessity because I was growing and nothing fit, or I wasn’t losing the baby weight yet and still…nothing fit. Now that I’m slooooooowly getting my groove back, I want to get ready more often. Simply put: I’ve fallen into a style rut and I’m going to get out of it.

MOTHERHOOD GOALS

REAL TALK: This one is trickier for me. I welcome messy motherhood. It’s where I thrive. Moms who can admit they screw up daily and have no idea what they’re doing? Those are my people. I think trying to be the “perfect mom” is a trap, so this isn’t that. 

MORE BOOKS.  I want my kiddos to love reading as much as I do, and that’s only going to happen if we read at home. While we always read books before bed, I’d like to read more books throughout the day. 

PHONE-FREE AFTERNOONS.  Working from home means the line between work and home is always blurry. Work weaves its way into my day from the time I wake up until the time I go to bed. I shoot off a quick email while putting away the dishes. I post an IG Story before sitting down to snuggle with my girl. And while I try my best to be present with my kids, it’s not easy. I’m going to make a conscious effort to put my phone away during my afternoons with my kids. 

WORK GOALS

See that little office back there? Off the kitchen? That’s my haven. It’s where I get to create and write and make my little corner of the Internet whatever I want it to be. And honestly, it’s where I feel most like…ME. I have a LOT of blog goals for the new year, but here are just a few:

SHARE MY DAILY LOOKS. Remember my goal of getting ready more and out of my style rut? This is going to help. I often receive requests for more everyday mom style outfit ideas. This will be that! I’ll share what I actually wear on a daily basis (and yes, sometimes it will be leggings or pajamas, but I promise it won’t always be…). My tech hero Christina is going to help me add a “Daily Looks” area to the blog where you can see photos and shop what I’m wearing.

TACKLE VIDEO AND SHARE MORE TUTORIALS. Eeeeek. This one is scary. I’ve wanted to share more tutorials for a long time, and I’m finally going to do it. Video can be intimidating, but I really want to tackle it this year. More to come…

POST 5 UNDER $50: I started something last year on my IG Stories + Facebook called “5 Under $50” and you guys have loved it. I stopped doing it in the craziness of the holidays, but I’m going to start it back up – TODAY! It’s just what it sounds like – I share 5 things under $50 that I love. Plain and simple.