SLIDER

March 2020 Goals

Mar 5, 2020

After making a lot of progress on my goals in January, I was a little nervous that I'd lose my momentum once my baby was born. But I kept reminding myself to embrace this time of slow and small – of sticking close to home, giving our family time to adjust, and continuing to make little-by-little progress on the things that matter to me. Since he was due early in the month, I kept that in mind when setting my February goals and tried to be realistic about what I could accomplish. I'm pleased to say that I completed most of them. While it's been an adjustment, this sweet boy has already changed our family for the better. We're so happy he's here!



On My Calendar:
– A lot of traveling for Nick (UGH!)
– My six-week postpartum doctor's appointment
– Several family birthdays at the end of the month

Currently Obsessing Over:
– My baby loves being held, so I've been wearing him a lot in the Solly baby wrap. It's been a lifesaver!
– The gorgeous custom quilt my mom had made for my sweet boy.
– Audiobooks and my Kindle! I've loved both formats for years, but they're invaluable in this season of my life.
– The newborn photos we had taken, which turned out perfectly. I'll cherish them forever!
– There are so many exciting March book releases. I've pre-ordered some and have library holds on many more.

Yearly Goals:
(These should stay the same all year, so I'll just do month-to-month progress reports!)
– Read through the Bible in one year.
– Read a devotional every morning.
– Track my spending in the Goodbudget app.
– Blog 2x per week.

February progress: 
– I'm still on track! I missed a few days throughout the month but caught back up.
– Doing well here, too. Even though I missed occasionally, I was consistent overall.
– Tracking my spending has become a habit. Next month Nick and I will review our budget!
– Thanks to scheduling posts in advance, I exceeded this blogging goal in February.

Revisiting My February Goals:
– Complete two items from our 20 in 2020 list: gratitude jar and sending snail mail! (We completed two: sending Valentine's Day cards to great-grandmothers + going bowling. But we didn't do the gratitude jar yet.)
– Loosely plan meals for the entire month at the beginning of February. (Done! We didn't shop for or cook everything I'd planned, but it was nice to already have a queue of simple, easy meals to pick from.)
– Schedule a monthly planning session (at home). (Completed! I did my monthly review and pre-planning one Sunday afternoon at home, which you can see the photo I chose for this post. I'm loving this new habit!)
– Write the baby's birth story + first weeks in his Promptly Journal. (I've filled in both sections!)
– Complete Toddler Year 1 in my firstborn's journal. (Whoops... I didn't even open his journal in February.)
– Cull, download, rename, and backup January 2020 photos. (Completed the first week of February.)
– Schedule six blog posts before baby arrives. (Yes! I had ten posts scheduled at the beginning of the month.)
– Finish one re-read and one non-fiction book. (Done! I re-read two books + a memoir as my non-fiction pick.)
– Continue the Contentment Challenge, which is three months of no shopping. (I'm not crossing this out since I still have one more month to go, but I was successful in February and only shopped for one pre-planned exception.) 

My March Goals:
– Schedule a monthly planning session.
– Start to find a new daily rhythm.
– Find (or make) a nature scavenger hunt for my big boy to complete.
– Send baby announcements.
– Complete One Month in the baby's journal.
– Cull, download, rename, and backup February 2020 photos. 
– Cull the 7,000 photos currently stored on my phone.
– Make a Spring TBR, and post it on the blog!
– Write a discussion post for the blog.
– Finish the Contentment Challenge, which is three months of no shopping.

Do you have any goals for March?

February 2020: Recap + On My Shelves

Mar 3, 2020


February was the sweetest month – our second baby was born! That meant we spent most of the month at home, but it was still filled with so many great memories. I can't wait to see what March will hold!


1. Celebrating My 31st Birthday – My birthday was February 1st, and I opted for a quiet day at home and then dinner with my family that night. I loved being with all my favorite people and celebrating another year of life. Kelly sent me this HRH sweatshirt + a hilarious card with Prince Harry on it from her sister's bridal shower. OBSESSED!

2. Our Second Baby is Here – Our sweet boy was born on February 7, which means he shares a birthday with Kelly. From the moment I told her that I was pregnant and due in February, she insisted that’s what would happen. I'm delighted that it did! We've slowly been adjusting to life with a newborn and as a family of four.

3. Sweetest Brothers – Our older boy was counting down the days until his brother was born and that love has only grown now that he's finally here. For the first few weeks, he'd start every morning by saying, “Good morning, baby! Welcome to the world. This is your family, and I’m your big brother.” My heart could burst – it's the sweetest!

4. Family Bowling – Nick is a Leap Day baby, so he was excited to have a birthday this year. And we laughed because the last time he had one was the year our older son was born! Nick decided he wanted to go bowling – an adventure that was close to home, a treat for our big boy, and something we could check off our 20 in 2020 list.


Read 11 Books | Favorites:
You Were There Too by Colleen Oakley
If I Never Met You by Mhairi McFarlane
Tweet Cute by Emma Lord
Open Book by Jessica Simpson

“I think of the banal platitude: Love isn’t supposed to hurt.
But really, if you’re doing it right, love hurts all the time.”
You Were There Too by Colleen Oakley

“I felt what I felt before I knew what I felt, you know what I mean?”
If I Never Met You by Mhairi McFarlane

“Laurie felt loved, and, more than that, she’d remembered how to love herself.”
 If I Never Met You by Mhairi McFarlane

“Did he repeatedly stab me in the heart, or did I just keep running into the knife he aimed at me?”
Open Book by Jessica Simpson

“Sometimes the right thing feels all wrong until it is over and done with.”
Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman

“ I cannot come with you wherever you go,
And I cannot stay by you in joy and in woe,
But I’ll be beside you, though gone from your sight,
I’ll love you and guard you till we meet in the light.”
The Harp of Kings by Juliet Marillier


One of my big goals for this year is to blog more consistently, with two posts per week being my goal. But I knew that the birth of my baby might present a challenge because I stopped blogging for three months after my first baby was born in 2016 (and for the same amount of time when I got pregnant last year). So, I decided to try to schedule most of the month's posts in advance – and I did it! Here's what I posted in February:

I kicked off the month with my January 2020 Recap and followed it up a few days later with my February 2020 Goals. I shared So Obsessed With: Mini Edition #7 with eight things I've been loving lately. A Valentine's freebie for Top Ten Tuesday inspired me to write about 10 romantic tropes and a favorite book for each one. I chatted about what I'd read in January in two Quick Lit posts: Part One and Part Two. Since the new baby was on my brain, I shared 15 new things I bought for baby #2. My favorite posts of the month? The two-part discussion I had about creating new routines! I shared the cleaning and meal planning routine that I've been implementing in Part One, and then I discussed some of my other monthly and weekly routines in Part Two. Then, I shared thirteen Jane Austen-related items I've been eyeing lately in So Obsessed With: The Mini Edition #8. And finally, my Currently {February 2020} was all about my life lately! Will my blogging mojo continue in to March? I hope so!


I only posted once on bookstagram in February, which is becoming my norm. I just don't find the outlet as enjoyable as blogging! I did share this photo to share the new that my baby was born, and I added a little mini review in there for If I Never Met You by Mhairi McFarlane – my favorite read in February. • @soobsessedblog



Podcast Episode: The Duchess of Cambridge on Happy Mum Happy Baby
I didn't listen to very much music in February, probably because I barely drove anywhere.
But I did make time to listen to this fun interview with the Duchess of Cambridge!
It was so cool to hear her in an extended interview and get some of her thoughts on parenting.


Miss Americana (2020) starring Taylor Swift – I watched this while I was in labor and enjoyed it for the most part. However, I probably saw too many reactions to it beforehand because my expectations were a bit too high. It was interesting, and I liked the various aspects of Swifts's life and career that it covered. But it felt a little choppy to me and was (understandably) very curated. All in all, as someone who is already a fan of Swift, I liked it overall.


Cheer (2020) starring Coach Monica Aldama and the cheerleaders of Navarro College – A documentary about cheerleading isn't something I'd normally watch, but Kelly's love for it + the Internet's rave reviews convinced me to try it. It's definitely an addicting watch! But I don't have an athlete's mindset at all, so I wondered why anyone would put their body through this for a two-minute routine in a sport where there's no real future beyond college.


Next in Fashion, Season 1, hosted by Tan France and Alexa Chung – Once I was home from the hospital,  I found this new fashion competition show on Netflix and was immediately hooked. It reminded me of Project Runway, except the contestants were all kinder to each other. I loved that it was only 10 episodes, which made it easy to binge. And I was so pleased with the top two (my favorite people) and the final winner!


To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You (2020) starring Lana Condor, Noah Centineo, and Jordan Fisher – Was I counting down the days until this sequel was finally released? You better believe it! I loved watching this, though I don't think it's as delightful as the first movie. Lana and Noah are adorable as Lara Jean and Peter, and Jordan was a compelling John Ambrose. I don't think I'll rewatch it as often as the first, but it was still adorable.


Timeless, Season 1 & 2, starring Abigail Spencer, Matt Lanter, and Malcolm Barrett – Nick and I didn't watch this when it aired, but I remembered the online campaign for its renewal. I can see why everyone loved it! The time travel element was so fun, especially because it made every episode its own visual surprise. I was less impressed with the villain/conflict, but it was still a really fun binge. And it wrapped up so perfectly, too!


Aladdin (2019) starring Will Smith, Mena Massoud, and Naomi Scott – I hadn't seen this live action remake yet, so Nick and I decided to watch it one night. It was pretty good, but not a favorite for me. The costuming and set design / scenery were absolutely gorgeous, and I thought the casting was well done (aside from Will Smith). But I could not get over how computer generated all the effects looked! A little too much for me, and I kept laughing about it.


Bought: Open Book by Jessica Simpson

Birthday Gift #1: Pride and Prejudice, Sanditon and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Birthday Gift #2: Martha Stewart's Organizing by Martha Stewart


Audible: Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montimore

NetGalley for Review: What You Wish For by Katherine Center, Beach Read by Emily Henry, and To Have and to Hoax by Martha Waters

Currently {February 2020}

Feb 27, 2020


I've seen so many variations of this type of post, but I don't think I've ever participated in one myself! I don't think there's an official source, but I do have to give Lauren from Bookmark Lit a shout out for the inspiration. I've always loved reading her Currently posts – and this one, in particular, gave me some ideas for categories to fill out! I'll post my February recap next week, so you'll see a few things repeated there. But let's dive in:

ALL THE BOOKS

Currently reading: Lately, I've been taking too long to chose my next read. But while browsing unread books on my Kindle yesterday, I noticed that I hadn't yet read The Harp of Kings by Juliet Marillier, which I received for review. I sampled a few pages and was immediately intrigued, so now I've committed to it. I think...

Currently audiobook-ing: In the mood for a comfort read, I'm listening to Act Like It by Lucy Parker. It's my third time reading it in as many years, and I love it so much! It's everything I needed right now.

Currently recommending: My favorite read this month was If I Never Met You by Mhairi McFarlane, which I recently posted about on my Instagram. McFarlane has been a favorite for years, and she keeps getting better and better! I'll be writing a full review soon for this gem, but this is one you definitely need to read.

Currently on hold at the library: I have two ready to be picked up – Chasing Cassandra by Lisa Kleypas and A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson. But I'm still in line for more than twenty other books!

Currently pre-ordered: I'm counting down the days until House of Earth and Blood by Sarah J. Maas hits my Kindle. I can't wait! And I've got A Murderous Relation by Deanna Raybourn, the newest Veronica Speedwell mystery, pre-ordered on Audible. But there are so many other March releases I'm anticipating, too.

Currently in my cart: Shockingly, nothing right now! I'm currently challenging myself by doing three months of no spending, and books are included. It's been so good for me that I'm considering extending it past March.

Currently adding to my TBR: I just added a lot of romances to my Consideration shelf thanks to this post, but I haven't added anything to my actual TBR this year thanks to my book buying ban. I make one exception a month and did purchase Open Book by Jessica Simpson in February, but I've already read it!

Currently NetGalley-ing: After seeing Go Fug Yourself's recommendation, I requested Beach Read by Emily Henry. And I got an email offering me What You Wish For by Katherine Center, which I downloaded immediately.

ALL THE THINGS

Currently listening: Mostly just audiobooks this month with a little bit of music to mix it up. In particular, the music video for What a Man Gotta Do from The Jonas Brothers has made that song a repeat listen this month.

Currently watching: Nick and I just finished watching the show Timeless, which we both enjoyed. Now I need to figure out what I'll binge next! I'm leaning towards Outlander since I still haven't watched past the first season. But I can't lie... Love is Blind on Netflix might be calling my name, even though it's not something I'd typically watch.

Currently eating: Either delicious meals that my mom has made for us or fast food. Since my baby was born three weeks ago, I haven't been cooking. We're all so thankful for the food deliveries we've received lately.

Currently drinking: Lots of water, since I'm nursing. And I rarely order new things at Starbucks, but I decided to try their Cinnamon Dolce Latte recently and loved it. It's been my go-to coffee order this month!

Currently wearing: If we leave the house, I'm putting on my cute pre-pregnancy clothes because they make me feel like my best self. But at home, you'll find me in leggings, a nursing tank, and a cozy robe. Two very different looks!

Currently bookmarking: I saved a post called 9 decisions that led to a life I love by Em for Marvelous because I loved reading and reflecting on it. What decisions would I point to in my own life? I hope to blog about it soon.

Currently coveting: I've been eyeing several things from The Cambridge Satchel Company, which I know that I don't need. But I haven't looked at much else because avoiding temptation is the key to my no-spend success.

Currently obsessing over: The newborn photos we just had taken this week. The photographer sent me proofs so that I could choose my favorites for editing, and I'm having a hard time narrowing it down. They're all so adorable!

ALL THE EMOTIONS

Currently celebrating: All the birthdays! Mine was February 1, my husband's is Leap Day, and I just gave birth to our second baby on February 7. Our sweet boy has stolen our hearts and brought us so much joy already.

Currently loving: Watching my older son with his little brother. He is so loving and tender, and it's just the sweetest thing to see. And on a more superficial note, audiobooks are saving my reading life and bringing me joy.

Currently looking forward to: Being done with postpartum recovery. In a lot of ways, I feel pretty normal and motivated to get things done. But any time I'm too active, my body reminds me it's still healing. Ugh!

Currently procrastinating: Aside from cooking? Probably getting my newborn on a bit of a schedule, including napping in his crib instead of in my arms. But I'll do it soon because I know it will be good for him (and me).

Currently accomplishing: I'm proud of myself for successfully taking my three year old + newborn to the grocery store by myself this week. And I've met most of my February goals, which I'll chat about next week.

Currently researching: All my postpartum and newborn questions! I feel so much more confident this time around than I did with my first, but I still find myself Googling random things that I just can't remember.

Currently thinking about: Nick's upcoming travel schedule for work, which is packed. I'm nervous about it, and wish I could change the timing. But I know I can do it... and can call my mom when I need help or a break!

Currently feeling: So tired – but so thankful, too! These newborn days are such a special season. Even with its challenges, I love snuggling my baby and spending simple, slow days at home adjusting to life as a family of four.

What's Currently going on in your life?

So Obsessed With: The Mini Edition #8

Feb 25, 2020

I've mentioned numerous times how much I love Jane Austen, and recently I've spotted lots of new Austen-related releases while browsing online. There's been non-fiction about her life, gorgeous new editions of her novels, a few fictional stories drawing upon her life and characters for inspiration – and even a recent TV adaptation of one of her unfinished works. And, unsurprisingly, there are always new products (pins! mugs! pouches!) to collect. As I kept adding stuff to my wishlist, I decided to collect it all in one post. If you're an Austen fan too, today is your lucky day. Here are thirteen Austen-related items I've been eyeing lately:


1. Sanditon by Jane Austen (Clothbound Classics Edition)
I have the original 7-book set designed by Coralie Bickford-Smith and have always wished this one had been added, even though it's unfinished. I'm thrilled this released in 2019 with Lady Susan and The Watsons included, too.

2. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (Seasons Edition)
Years ago, I wrote about the fact that I collect editions of Pride and Prejudice. Y'all my collection has grown significantly. I love the associated memories – and I have my friend Lauren to thank for this recent addition!

3. The Illustrated Letters of Jane Austen by Penelope Hughes-Hallett
I own another book of Jane Austen's letters, but who can resist an illustrated edition? This collection of letters has added painting and engravings of Regency England, as well as commentary from Hughes-Hallett.

4. Dress in the Age of Jane Austen by Hilary Davidson
Yes, my obsession with Jane Austen extends to books about Regency fashion, too! I love how non-fiction can deepen my appreciation for Austen's work and give me more insight into life during that time period.

5. The Lost Books of Jane Austen by Janine Barchas
In the nineteenth century, inexpensive editions of Austen's novels were targeted to Britain's working class and sold at railway stations. They were, essentially, mass market paperbacks. This book explores that history!

6. The Austen Girls by Lucy Worsley
I'll be honest, the summary of this one makes me a little nervous! It's a fictional story about two of Austen's nieces. Aunt Jane? I'm intrigued. Add in the fact that it's YA, and we'll see if it lives up to the adorable cover.

7. Miss Austen by Gill Hornby
This book focuses on Jane's sister, Cassandra, and that's an approach I haven't seen before. I'm so excited to see how Hornby reimagines Jane's lost letters. It's always interesting to speculate on why Cassandra destroyed them! 

8. The Jane Austen Society by Natalie Jenner
This made it onto my list of most anticipated 2020 releases, but I had to include it here too! A group of Austen lovers coming together to try to save her Chawton home and legacy = I need it. I hope it lives up to my expectations.

9. The Stars We Steal by Alexa Donne
Although I don't read a ton of Young Adult anymore, I can't resist a science fiction retelling of Austen's Persuasion. It sounds so good! My only hesitation? I feel like it's been done before, so we'll see how it compares...

10. Masterpiece Theater: Sanditon ($27)
We don't have cable anymore, so I wasn't able to watch this week to week. But honestly, I would prefer to binge this anyway! Now that it's out on DVD, I'll be buying a copy so I can watch it anytime the baby sleeps.

11. Jane Austen's Emma (Audio Adaptation)
This isn't as recent as some of the other releases, since it came out in 2018, but it's still on my wishlist. This is a full-cast dramatization of Emma – so, not the unabridged book – but it seems like such a fun listen!

12. Jane Austen Zipper Pouch ($13)
Can you have too many zipper pouches? I love that this one is covered in Austen quotes because it reminds me of one of my favorite mugs (from the same company) that Kelly got me for my birthday a few years ago. 

13. Jane Austen Characters Mug ($25)
This mug is important from the U.K., so that's already a point in its favor. It's bone china and decorated with humorous illustrations of more than 40 characters from Austen's novels. I have too many mugs. and yet...

Are there any Austen-related books I've forgotten?
What's one person/topic you just can't resist?

Creating New Routines (Part 2)

Feb 21, 2020


As I mentioned yesterday, one of my goals for 2020 is: Create purposeful monthly, weekly, and daily routines. I have seen how much routines can make a difference in my productivity! For January, I gave myself two routine-related goals. The first was to brainstorm possible routines that I'd like to implement. Before I could start implementing anything, I needed to figure out what exactly I wanted to do on a regular basis! 

First, I looked at household chores: meal planning, grocery shopping, cleaning, and laundry. I chatted all about that in Creating New Routines (Part 1) yesterday. Once that was done, I started thinking about a few other tasks I'd like to perform weekly and/or monthly. I brainstormed a big list of all the things I said I wanted to do on a recurring basis and then categorized them based on how frequently I felt they needed to be done.

Everything left on my list fell into three general categories. So, here's what ended up on my Monthly to-do list:

DIGITAL
The first four tasks are grouped because they're all related to digital photos:
• Download photos/videos from iCloud to my external hard drive.
• Rename the files, which I do based on date taken. For example: 2020-01-02_01.jpg. 
• Backup the photos/videos to OneDrive. I like having them saved in two places!
• Choose a calendar photo for that month, which I'll order from Artifact Uprising in December.

The next three are quick tasks to keep my computer organized:
• Delete/archive emails. I want very little in my email inboxes! 
• Clean out Pocket. I save articles/links here throughout the month.
• Organize desktop. It can get messy as I make blog graphics and such.

BLOG
The first three are reminding me of the blog posts that I publish every month:
• Monthly Recap – sharing all my favorite things from the past month!
• Goal Check-In – recapping previous month's progress and setting new goals.
• Quick Lit – mini reviews of everything I read the previous month.

The next two are general blog maintenance items:
• Goodreads – basically just add any reviews I've written!
• Update Pages – the list of what I've read and any reading challenge progress.

And the last three involve wrapping up the month in my bookish planners:
• Reading Log – filling out my top three reads from the month, favorite quote, etc.
• Bullet Journal – just making sure it's updated and ready for upcoming month!
• Blog Plan – use my calendar to loosely pre-plan two posts per week.

PAPER
The first two are related to my Promptly Journals for my sons:
• Promptly 2 – fill out applicable section in my second's journal (Birth Story, First Month, etc.)
• Promptly 1 – work on getting caught up on the last three years in my first's journal

And the next three are related to my Simplified Planner and PowerSheets:
• Planner Prep – note any birthdays, mark Nick's upcoming travel, add any appointments, etc.
• PowerSheet Prep – review previous month, fill in new month's brainstorming pages, etc.
• Tending List – choose my new monthly goals and put them on this page in my PowerSheets

It might sound like a lot, but so many of these tasks only take a few minutes. I've always had the time to do them but just hadn't developed a system to make them into a habit. To keep myself on track, I created a bookmark to print monthly for my planner, which you can see in the photo above. The number following the item correlates to the week of the month that I want to try to do it. For example, (1) = completing this task the first week of the month.

Before I shift to the small list of weekly to-do items, I wanted to mention my second January mini goal since it's related to this section. In addition to brainstorming routines, I wanted to schedule a monthly planning session. On the last Saturday of January, I went to Starbucks by myself with my planner, PowerSheets, and bullet journal. I spent about two hours there enjoying the quiet time, reviewing the past month, and getting prepped for the one ahead. It was heavenly! I'm definitely doing it again in February, though I anticipate being at home instead.



Most of the items on my initial brainstorm were monthly, but there were a few things that I wanted to do weekly. The first was meal planning, which I mentioned in yesterday's post. Here are my other Sunday tasks:

• Planner Prep – plan for the week ahead, write down any known to dos, add in meal plan, etc.
• Bullet Journal – coloring books read, noting book purchases, and so on (like in this post).
• Reading Log – filling in anything I read during that week (using this same format).
• Cull Photos – delete any blurry photos, duplicates, screenshots, etc. Keep only the best!
• Delete Texts – delete threads I don't need, like appointment reminders or ones using up space.

Because I'm me, I made it into a printable that I keep at the front of my bullet journal. The "Blog" section is to help keep me on track with my goal of blogging two times I week. That's roughly 8-10 posts per month, so I gave myself check boxes for up to 12. It's motivated me to think ahead and schedule posts!


Can you see why I was shocked by how much progress I made in this area in January? I'd planned to just brainstorm potential routines – never imagining that I'd actually feel motivated to start implementing them! Like I said yesterday, I do anticipate pausing on the cleaning routine until we've started to adjust to life with a newborn. But I'm hopeful that I'll still be able to stick with the things I've mentioned today!

I'll share an update on these routines, likely at the end of the year. Additionally, there are other routines or rhythms I'd like to introduce – family traditions like pizza + movie on Fridays, some school-adjacent things for my firstborn, some health and wellness habits, etc. However, most of them didn't make sense to start in this season of my life. I've got them on a list for future consideration, and I'll revisit those when the time is right.

What routines do you have in your life?
I'd love to hear what habits have made a difference!
© So Obsessed With • Theme by Maira G.