New Found Motivation

    Somehow two months have slipped by since my last post and we now find ourselves with a three month old! It has been such a delight to watch her grow and develop her own little personality. Of all of Addilyn's recent developments my favorite by far is her laugh-- it warms my heart and is just so adorable! While she is normally a very happy and smiley baby she is also very particular. We still haven't had any luck with the pacifier (her fingers are still her preferred pacifier) and she recently decided she doesn't really like bottles either; however, we do finally have her sleeping in her crib! Things are starting to feel a little more routine. Unfortunately I left my camera cord at my sister's house so I don't have any picture updates of the last couple of months yet but they will be up soon.
    Apart from the joys of motherhood I've recently been rediscovering myself and my life goals. For the past several years I have been so caught up in the hustle and bustle that I feel I have neglected some of the most important things in life. I keep waiting for a time when things aren't so busy, but I'm done making excuses for myself. Life is never going to slow down, in fact it may just get even crazier. I've found over the years that life is too short and to fast to simply hang on and get pulled along; therefore, I've decided to grab hold of the reins and take control. Time and time again I find myself making goals to later see them fading away in the past unaccomplished. Well I'm starting fresh with a new found motivation to be the best self, wife, and mom I can be. Here are my immediate goals:


1.   Journal. It is something I've never been good at (as you can see from how often I blog) but is something we have been strongly counseled to do. Journaling provides a way to look back and remember events and thoughts that may be forgotten years down the road. For me I've decided to use this blog as my journal, a place to record baby milestones, family memories, my thoughts, inspiration, and progress reports. 

2.   Gospel centered home. While we have let the hustle and bustle consume our lives, spirituality in our home as been somewhat lacking. Sometimes, many times I have to sit back and realize what is more important. It is easy to get distracted but I have a firm testimony about the importance of a gospel centered home. My goal is to be more diligent in having Family Home Evening each week (ideas are welcome) and attending the temple at least once a month with Collin.

3.   Get organized. Since becoming a wife and a mother I've had a lot more motivation to get organized in life. I'd have to say that my mother is a master at this, something she tried to instill in me growing up but never really stuck when I left home. Maybe it will be one of those things that will just hit me one day but for now I really have to work at it. I could go into many different ways on how I need to get organized in my life but for now I want to focus on getting financially organized, which leads me to my next goal.

4.   Budget. Now that we are not making as much money was we were when we were both working, and now that we are saving up for graduate school, sticking to a budget is crucial. I've written out a strict budget for the month of July for the first time and am anxious to see if we can pull it off... I'll let you know how we did at the end of the month.

5.   Exercise. Of course what would my list of goals (or anyone else's list of goals) be without mentioning exercise. I grew up in a home of physically active parents and am currently studying public health so it is about time I get a little more dedicated with physical fitness. I'm not really one for making big weight loss goals or constantly watching the scale but I do like the way I feel when I workout. I feel healthier, happier, and have more energy throughout the day. I've started this goal today and so far it's a success, now I've just got to keep this motivation going!