2014 Goals Update

~ Emily ~ 2 Comments

It’s the middle of March and I’m feeling a little scattered when it comes to the roles and goals I outlined for 2014. My new normal is prompting me to focus more on the process than the results, but I still want to have a clear direction while I’m in process. I’m revisiting my goals today with that in mind.

There are two things I already know about my goals after 7 weeks with James in the picture:

  1. I need to focus on one thing at a time. Multitasking makes me feel even more frazzled than I already am. Taking care of James means my attention is divided anyways. In order to start accomplishing goals, I will have to devote a day to just one task.Today I will work on my Project Life book; tomorrow I will blog; the next day I will organize underneath the bathroom sink, etc. 
  2. Keep my expectations low. Lots of grace.

Self:

  • Daily time with Jesus – Not accomplishing a traditional “quiet time” but trying to be attentive to God’s presence in this season.
  • Regular exercise – The weather is finally warmer which means daily walks are possible. Getting to the gym takes some scheduling effort. I haven’t started intentionally trying to lose the last 10 preggo pounds yet. 
  • Sleep – I can’t get enough…
  • Reading – Different habits, but I’m still able to read with a baby around.
  • Service – No real progress on this one.

Wife:

  • Daily one-on-one time – Definite room for improvement. Usually we get a couple minutes before we sack out in bed.
  • Monthly date-night – We’ve gotten a couple, thanks to my mom. She leaves this week, so we will see how this evolves.

Mother:

  • Prayer – Tim and I pray before bed, but I’m usually half asleep. I need to be better about praying throughout the day.
  • Breastfeeding – Going really well!
  • Reading out loud – Sometimes I cheat and read my own book, instead of a board book, out loud.
  • Document Baby James life – My mom got me a Project Life starter kit. I plan to print pictures next week and plan a day to get going.

Family Member:

  • Consistent email updates – I was doing once a week emails but that has dropped off post James. I need to prioritize these updates over blogging/social media.

Home Manager:

  • Finish unpacking – James has beens staying in our room, but my mom and I did finish putting together the nursery upstairs. Many more decor boxes to unpack. 
  • Cull excess – I have several bags of things to drop at Goodwill.
  • Purge and revamp wardrobe – I unearthed two boxes of my pre-pregnancy clothes last week. Just now starting to wear pre-preggo pants. I think the purging and revamping will be a gradual process as I slim down a bit more.
  • Meal plan – My mom has been feeding us for the past two months, but I’m working on a couple weeks rotation of budget meals.
  • Pay bills immediately – If we had the money to pay our medical bills immediately, I would be on top of it…
  • Daily house de-clutter – On and off successful with this.

Writer/Blogger:

  • Write something everyday – Totally not happening.
  • Comment on blogs – I’ve been doing pretty good with this, I think. In this season, I want to comment more than I blog.
  • Limit back-end blog improvements to a specific day – Or just cut it out all together for now? I’d rather focus on getting blog posts written instead of frittering away my time on social media and improvements. 
  • Read books about writing/blogging – These will be put on hold until I have enough mental energy to enjoy them. I will stick to fiction and Christian living for now.

How are you doing on your goals this year?

Twitterature – March 2014

~ Emily ~ 5 Comments

twitterature

My reading habits have certainly changed since James arrived. At first, reading was out of the question – why would I read when I could sleep? – and then it was just difficult – how do I flip the page with one hand? Now, I have somewhat mastered the art of reading while nursing and though I am not reading as voraciously as life B.J. (Before James), my life isn’t devoid of books.

This month I’m including a couple cookbooks I’ve been enjoying and some board books James and I loved. Plus, I did something I rarely do… I abandoned a book! I started and stopped You Lost Me: Why Young Christians are Leaving Church…and Rethinking Faith by David Kinnaman last week, not because it wasn’t good, but because my sleep deprived brain wasn’t able to do the content justice. I look forward to picking it up again in a few months.

Linking up with Anne!

This post contains affiliate links. Read my full disclosure here. 

Books

Wonderland Creek by Lynn Austin

A departure from the Austin I know (Chronicles of The Kings series), but this easy #ChriFic read was a pleasure. Librarian heroine, unpredictable plot twists, and a little romance made for an engaging story.

Notes From A Blue Bike by Tsh Oxenreider

Had a hard time getting into this one in ebook form. Better when I switched to hardback. I thought it either wasn’t enough memoir or wasn’t enough practical tips. If you had to read one, I would suggest Tsh’s first book. #theartofsimple

Worth The Fight

Worth The Fight by Kayse Pratt

A short ebook about maintaining your high maintenance marriage. Kayse covers topics like communication, service, and sex with truth and humor. A nice naptime read with good reminders.

Dear Mr. Knightley by Katherine Reay

Dear Mr. Knightley is a rich and readable story with subtle spiritual themes. It is sure to get you busting out your college English syllabus and dropping your favorite Austen quips in everyday conversation. Read the full review for more of why I LOVED this book. #2014fave

 Mommy Time: 90 Devotionals for the New Mom by Sarah Arthur

A devotional memoir that all new moms should read. Don’t be dissuaded by the title. I find myself on every page. Sarah articulates the joys, anxieties, and struggles of motherhood with humor and honesty. The devotional aspect isn’t cheesy. I find myself reading multiple devotions per day.

Cookbooks

Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites: Flavorful Recipes for Healthful Meals

A thrift store find that turned out to be a major gem. Lower fat (without seeming diety) versions of all manner of foods. No photos, but once you make the Banana Bundt Cake or Black Bean Chilaquiles you won’t need the visual proof that these recipes are delicious!

The Naptime Chef: Fitting Great Food into Family Life by Kelsey Banfield 

Recipes that are easy to prep during naptime and quick to finish so you can eat well with small children at home. Crispy Bacon Mac and Cheese is like crispy cheese crack. Her Cranberry Granola has apple cider and maple syrup (on my 2nd batch) and I’ve had the Baked Cheese Dip at the restaurant where she got the recipe. #winner

Board Books

Hush Little Polar Bear by Jeff Mack

Follow a sweet polar bear on his night time adventures. The beautiful illustrations and lyrical text has made it an instant favorite on my end. James seemed captivated, too.

Country Babies Wear Plaid by Michelle Sinclair Colman

More pictures than story, this simple book is just super cute. Not only do country babies wear plaid, but they wake at dawn and tend their animals. Each thing that a country baby does is illustrated with a baby in plaid, of course. #charmer

Good Night Lake by Adam Gamble

Though this book celebrates the Finger Lakes region in New York, it’s a must for anyone who lives or vacations by a lake. There’s morning and evening greetings for things, people, and activities around the lake. James particularly liked the deer…

I received a free copy of Notes From A Blue Bike and Worth The Fight in exchange for my honest review. All opinions my own. 

 

Dear Mr. Knightley {a review}

~ Emily ~ 11 Comments

Dear Mr. Knightley

 

This post contains affiliate links. Read full disclosure here.

Dear English Majors, Literature Lovers, and Janeites,

It’s time to embrace your inner book nerd, to get down with your classics quoting bad self. You need to stop reading whatever you’re reading and pick up Katherine Reay‘s debut novel, Dear Mr. Knightley. I conveniently started this book a couple days before my husband got food poisoning. The story was so good, my 8 hour vigil seemed like an afternoon by the pool. (Actually, the all-nighter was rough, but I was so glad to have a page-turner to keep me company while Tim was endlessly vomiting…)

Now, I know the title alone would convince most of you that this book was worth reading – because who among us can pass up a nod to Austen? – but, Dear Mr. Knightley goes beyond your average, albeit enjoyable, Austen sequel. Mrs. Reay cleverly integrates classic literature into a nuanced plot that is both charming and poignant. Plus, she gives a nod to the likes of Lady Susan, Clarissa, and Pamela by writing the story in epistolary form.

The story centers around Sam, a twenty-three year old orphan who is back at Grace House after getting fired from her desk job. When an anonymous benefactor offers to fund her continued education, Sam reluctantly applies to Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. There’s a catch: on top of her doubts about the program, she must write regular letters to the mysterious donor who chooses to be addressed as Mr. Knightley. A unique relationship develops as Sam begins to sort through her painful past in the one-sided letters.

If Sam’s habit of quoting Dumas, Austen, and the Brontë sisters doesn’t engross you, the cast of supporting characters will keep you turning pages. The enigmatic writer, the sweet professor and his wife, and the brooding youth bring engaging complexity to Sam’s journey.

Veins of social justice, faith, and romance add to the literature steeped narrative. I learned more about the foster system, the importance of genuine relationships, and the process of forgiveness. I also appreciated the unexpected plot resolution and can’t wait for Mrs. Reay’s next book.

Dear Mr. Knightley is a rich and readable story with subtle spiritual themes. It is sure to get you busting out your college English syllabus and dropping your favorite Austen quips in everyday conversation. Even if you don’t catch all the literature references, you will thoroughly enjoy this novel.

Sincerely,

Emily

(a fellow English major, literature lover, and Janeite)

P.S. Don’t miss the questions at the back to discuss with your bookish friends.

P.P.S. Any book that mentions both Jane Austen and Fletch is a winner.

)

Shauna Niequist Book Reviews

~ Emily ~ 3 Comments

Shauna NiequistIt’s no secret how much I love Shauna Niequist.

I’ve written multiple posts (see below) about her latest book, Bread and Wine, but haven’t mentioned her first two very much. That’s about to change.

I’m weighing in on all three of Shauna’s wonderful books at Kindred Grace today!

My cousin introduced me to Shauna Niequist (pronounced KNEE-quist. I’ve been saying it wrong for the past six years…) while we were in college. Shauna’s debut memoir, Cold Tangerines, had hit her campus by storm. I, having migrated to the Midwest for school, which has a two-year delay on anything popular, was still in the dark about this engaging author/speaker. I devoured Cold Tangerines and then was one of the multitude who waited impatiently for all of her subsequent work. Her style is easy to digest (though the message is chewy) and addicting like chocolate – you’ll always want just one more bite.

Read the rest of the post here.

If you’re a Shauna fan (or want to learn more), read these posts!

Recipes from Bread and Wine:

Embracing The New Normal

~ Emily ~ 8 Comments

Just over five weeks ago, a miracle happened. A new life entered the world with gusty cries and flailing arms. I gave birth to a pint-sized person who forever changed my life on that day. Our family is now one person bigger. Our room sleeps three instead of two. Our bodies produced another body who is now flesh and blood among us. And like with any other extraordinary occurrence, the wake of this miracle has changed more than just the physical. I have a new role, new responsibilities, and a new routine.

I have a new normal.

embracing the new normal

My house is in constant need of picking up. I’m still wearing my maternity jeans. My mom makes most every meal. I have to be careful about bouncing too much during Zumba or I just may wet my pants a little. My hair sees more spit-up than shampoo. I cry for joy at the thought of 3 hours straight of sleep. My thoughts are barely coherent and they most certainly don’t get written down in my journal.

But, ever since that miracle happened, the one so full of hope and joy, I’ve been striving to get back to the old normal. I strive like there’s some magical moment when life will return to its usual stride. I strive like after a certain amount of weeks James will just be an add on to the old normal. In the old normal, I could keep my house clean and have dinner on the table when Tim got home from work. I fit into skinny jeans that didn’t have an elastic waist band. In the old normal, I could jog a 5K without feeling like I got run over by a semi truck the next day. I had time to process, journal, and share regularly in this space. While I’m sure some of those old normal habits will return in time, I’m not sure making that my goal is wise.

Specific goals get in the way of healthy adjustment. They can take the focus away from progress and place it on results. Adjusting to motherhood isn’t some black and white event with a definite beginning and end. It’s all a messy, grey process. I can’t just arrive at adjustment like my little one arrived in the world – hard and fast with a wail and one final push. I need to define my new normal by how I engage the process instead of the outcome.

So, I walked a 5K at the gym. I napped instead of vacuuming because I’m a better mom and wife when I get enough sleep. I read a board book instead of a novel. I haven’t started a strict diet so my body makes enough milk.

I’m participating in the process of my new normal. I don’t want to miss out on the nuances of this season because I was consumed with the past. I don’t want to fight the changes involved with motherhood, this miracle.