Goals for 2016

I promise that I will do a check in on last years goals sometime soon (along with a birth story, a birth announcement, and a general list of things I think a post-partum momma really needs), but I wanted to get these goals out into the universe ON January 1. House

There is really only one house goal that I keep coming back to: a total gut job of the upstairs bathroom. PERIOD. It needs to happen.

Life: List style

• Learn how to become Lyla's momma. Not the momma that anyone else thinks I should be, but the momma that Lyla actually needs
• Go to yoga one day a week and to the gym two days a week at lunch when back at work. This is not a vanity goal... it is a sanity goal. Period. Also, when I go to the gym at lunch I don't spend money eating out. Win win.
• Allow LB to be Lyla's dad. Trust him to do this well by giving him space to make mistakes without judgment.
• Read one book a month. They can even be about parenting, but continuing to broaden my worldview by reading makes me a happier person. Plus, I want Lyla to know her momma is a reader.
• Sleep. Sleep as much as I can, but also not be crazy about it. Coffee exists for a reason.
• Use my for real camera once a week.
• Continue to love on and invest in my friends. This also means being bold about investing in new friends too.
• Leave the house without baby for something just for myself once every two weeks. (Once a week will be hard to do once back at work).
• Ask for help. Always.
• Take a for real vacation with Lyla and LB.
• Bask in the glory that is my little family instead of being so afraid that something will happen to it. I am so lucky RIGHT NOW and I just need to dwell in the right now.
• Love. Gratitude. Simplicity. These three. Always, but especially this coming year.
• Continue to evolve organizational systems for our new family of three (babies come with so much stuff).
• Blog more consistently again as a means to connect to the broader world.. which now includes the broader world of parenting.

And just because I'd be so pissed if someone who's blog I read had a baby, did her first post and didn't give me a picture... here ya go:

30 Before 30

I am totally stealing this idea from Ashley because I think it is awesome. A lot of these things will be difficult-er (worst made up word ever) because all of our extra cash for the next year will be going to the wedding. BUT at worst, I make this a 30 before 31 and I accomplish a bunch of stuff. WIN! So here it goes, the 30 things I want to do before 30:

1. Make it through a whole barre class without stopping: 11/7/13- did a barre class yesterday... almost died... stopped about 17 times. :)
2. Stick with my cash based budget/FPU mindset for a whole year: Started September 1, 2013
3. Call momma Mary at least every other week: 1/17/14: have been true to this thus far
4. Do a pole dancing class 11/26: did this last Saturday with Ashley and Peek and it was GREAT!
5. GET MARRIED! (YAY!)
6. Take LB out of the country (isn't that just the saddest thing ever, that he has never traveled outside of the US!?).
7. Get a raise. 1/13/14: BOOM! 2% but still, I'll take it!
8. Become a lawyer (this one is cheating, because it is happening on Monday, but it's huge so it goes on the list): 11/4/13: DONE!!!
9. Eat vegan for two weeks
10. Attend church 8 Sundays in a row
11. Start a prayer journal (I did one of these in grade school and loved it. We all listed our prayer requests and then as they got answered we would mark them off and continually add to the list. Again, notice the list theme!)
12. Do all of the wedding projects that I REALLY want to get done or delegate them/get friend help.
13. Don't check my bank account for two weeks (I am a daily checker and it's stupid.)
14. Get my arms into such good shape that Michelle Obama would say DAMNNNNN.
15. Fix my teeth: Invisalign appointment is in two weeks. 11/26/13: Braces are ON!
16. Have two REALLY good bras that I can wear everyday.
17. Buy boots that I can wear to work without having to change into dress shoes.
18. Start a book club! 11/26/13: we are meeting for the second time and reading Gone Girl. WOOP!
19. Buy a bike (this one is tough for me because of my brother. I have gotten sketchy about bikes and need to get over it).
20. Find the perfect shade of lipstick.
21. Eat at the current top 25 resturants in Denver and blog about it. (HAPPY HOUR COUNTS!): See posts here.
22. Rid my life of anything that isn't beautiful or useful. Literally. go through all my stuff. This could result in an epic yard sale or goodwill run.
23. Continue giving at least $100 a month to different charitable causes.
24. Buy a house.  12/23/13: We close 1/10/14!
25. Learn how to use photoshop/buy it (this may be cost prohibitive and so may be on the next year list).
26. Organize my photos. I got a bunch when I went home for my brother's funeral and they need to get organized into the ones I already had.
27. Start writing appreciation letters to LB weekly. I have wanted to do this for a while and I feel like starting them a little under a year before the wedding would make an awesome wedding present.
28. Take a Krav Maga class/self-defense.
29. Go to Nashville (sort of cheating because going for bachelorette but I AM PUMPED!)
30. Continue to make girl's nights a priority and really invest in my friends in an authentic way. 1/17/14: Still keeping up with this and am happy to say that the Bachelor is back on to aid us in getting together every week!