October Goals

Colorful Ohio Fall LeavesHello, fall! 'Tis the season for boots, colorful leaves, cozy blankets and pumpkin spice lattes. I'll be indulging in all of these things this month … except for the latter. Try as I might, I strongly dislike pumpkin spice lattes.

I always seem to let fall get away from me, so this year I really tried to schedule myself in a way that allows for ample fall appreciation. Plus, Nathan's birthday is this month and you know we'll be celebrating!

As I impatiently wait for my Ireland and Scotland film scans, I'll share with you all my October goals. Up next on the blog are photos from our trip! :)

  • Read two books (25 in 12): The Story of Beautiful Girl by Rachel Simon and The Lemon Tree by Sandy Tolan
  • Settle on the pieces for our living room gallery wall
  • Finalize my fall/winter capsule wardrobe (a la this blog … a minimalist lifestyle is calling my name!)
  • Have a date at the pumpkin patch
  • Run at least twice a week to get ready for the Turkey Trot!
  • Get caught up on all album design
  • Submit two weddings for publication

August Goals + Creative Juices

It's August?! How is it August?? This summer has gone SO quickly, and if I'm being perfectly honest, I'm having a hard time keeping the balance I was determined to stick with at the beginning of the year. Summers are always filled with lots of shooting--weddings, newborns, families, engagements--and I always want to do it all! It's a tough lesson for me to learn that I'm just one person and can't say yes to everything while still staying balanced in my personal life. I suppose I'll always deal with this struggle. It's one that reminds me I'm human and helps me appreciate the little moments in the midst of the crazy. And August will be just that … CRAZY! Nathan and I get to escape to the UK in September (YAY!), so August will be reminiscent of exam week in college--cram as much in as you possibly can and somehow, some way it will all get done. Here's to a productive month!

I've been obsessing over So You Think You Can Dance this summer (it's my first season ever!), and I was captivated by Jessica and Casey's performance last week to Hozier's Like Real People Do. This song is beautiful, and I especially love the folksy + waltz feel. Check it out:

Anyone else loving SYTYCD or another show this summer? I've also been watching season after season of Survivor while I edit. It's so not something I ever thought I would get into, but I'm loving it!

February Goals

Valentine's Flowers Ah, sweet February. Somehow this month always seems rather hopeful. Maybe it's because we're inching closer to spring and I'm generally past the post-holiday doldrums. Maybe it's Valentine's Day. Or it's the 2014 Olympics?! I'm excited about this month just because of that!

This February I have no weddings, and I'm hoping to soak up this restful time before crazy March hits. I'm envisioning afternoon naps with Rosie, getting caught up on business and branding stuff, reading some good books, keeping up with my BALANCE New Year's resolution and turning those goals into habits (hello stretching every night and drinking more water).

After completing almost every, single one of my goals in January (man, does that feel good), I'm looking forward to an equally successful Feruary!

  • Read two books (25 in 12): The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe and Film is Not Dead by Jonathan Canlas (I was an overachiever in January and read three books instead of my two. I highly recommend I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai and will be doing a review soon!)
  • Start exploring film (super excited for this one!)
  • Set up Square
  • Eat desserts only once a week (we're attempting to rid ourselves of our sugar addiction! Healthy/Natural > Processed)
  • Finish up month #1 of Insanity (I forgot to take skiing into account last month!) and finish most of month #2
  • File taxes
  • Finish 2013 vendor discs (I'm so embarrassed that I'm still working on these! Whew, got to get them done!)
  • Finalize all branding except for website
  • Celebrate Valentine's Day with a fun date night!
  • See two more Oscar-nominated movies (I like to have an opinion while watching the Oscars. American Hustle was great! I'm hoping to see Dallas Buyers Club and Philomena next!)
  • Go through all old magazines and get RID of them
  • Organize our junk room.
  • Host friends for dinner and try new recipes
  • Continue working on my good-side split (per #93 on my 101 list)