18 for 2018 Evaluation

1. Write Daily
While I was hoping this would turn into a novel, I did write something most days. I blogged, I wrote actual Instagram captions, I plotted several novels. I would call this a 50% Completion.

2. Learn German
75% Completion.For most of the year, I did a daily German lesson using Duolingo. I learned a lot of German! But in September, I realized that I had hit the limit of my ability to learn a language and quit because, well, it wasn't fun anymore.

3. Use a Daily Gratitude Journal
100% Completion. I do this every morning and I love it and I have added it to my 19 for 2019.

4. Use a Daily One-Sentence Journal.
100% Completion. Again, I do this every morning and I love it. It is part of my 19 for 2019.

5. Make a go of my blog.
80% Completion. I need to be better at my posting schedule, but I love writing this. I also want to make sure I'm not phoning it in, because the blogs I enjoy the most are the ones that seem genuine.

6. Become a travel agent.
100% Completion. I earned this badge in July, when I completed my training. I can't wait to see what 2019 will bring to me and my travel business!

7. Daily Devotional.
90% Completion. I do this most mornings and I love it. It is also part of my 19 for 2019.

8. Read 60 Books.
87% Completion. I should finish this year at either 52 or 53 books, so I ALMOST made it. In 2019, I will do another reading challenge...and I'm upping the ante.

9. Buy a Shed.
100% Completion. I love my shed. It is useful and cute, but I want to purge it and the house again....

10. Adopt.
5% Completion. This is one of the big things for my 19 for 2019. This is a goal that just seems so overwhelming and hard. I'm really hopeful I can mark this done by this time next year.

11. Create my perfect planner.
100% Completion. I really thought I would be designing and printing my own printer, but I learned more about the tools out there for planners and was able to modify an Erin Condren Life Planner to fit my needs perfectly!

12. Email Updates to Family and Friends.
25% Completion. I'm not really even sure what happened to this one. It just fell off my radar.

13. Travel to a New Place
100% Completion. We went to Destin, Florida for our big vacation this year in August. It was lovely. I LOVED the beach, but didn't really like Destin...

14. Complete 2 Whole 30s (Substituted 100 Days to Destin)
100% Completion. I realized after a few mis-starts that doing it alone was not going to work for me, so I made a plan for the 100 Days leading up to our vacation and incorporated better eating choices and exercise.

15. Workout 2-3 Times per Week
100% Completion. This took some time to ramp up to, but now, I am walking about 30 minutes every single day...Thank you Ellie

16. Remodel Bathroom
100% Completion. In August and September, we completed the bathroom and I love it! I can't wait to start the next bathroom!

17. New Bedroom Flooring
On Hold. We decided to do this after we do the second bathroom in our master suite, because it didn't make sense to get new carpeting and then have contractors dragging debris and materials through the room.

18. New Kitchen Flooring
On Hold. This one turned into an issue getting on the contractors schedule before the holidays.

Evaluation

I love this project so very much! I am so excited to start my 19 for 2019! This list was like a beacon that kept me on track for the year. I honestly feel like I accomplished so many more things than I have ever accomplished in my personal life.

What's to Come?
Friday-Weekly Menu
Monday-Word of the Year Evaluation
Tuesday-2019 Word of the Year Reveal
Wednesday-19 for 2019 Reveal
Thursday-Housewife Life: When do you stop celebrating Christmas?
Friday-Weekly Menu

How was your year???

Motivational Monday: All is calm, all is bright

All across the world, Christians are preparing their hearts and their homes to celebrate the happiest of miracles, the birth of Jesus.

This is just a simple reminder from me to stop and enjoy the moment. Savor the food, the laughter and the cheer.

Merry Christmas!

Countdown to Christmas: 7 Days to Go!

Its go time!

This is the time to dig in and get it done. Bake, Cook, Shop, Wrap, and Enjoy everything.

A few things to note...

The deadline to ship packages via USPS to (hopefully) get them in time for Christmas is December 20.

Remember to do grocery pick-up for your groceries to avoid the craziness of the grocery store...seriously, avoid that if possible.

And have fun! What ever happens is going to be good enough. I'm 99% sure that whatever you are obsessing over is not something your family will remember in 10 years. Having fun is of the utmost importance!

Merry Christmas Friends!

What are your Christmas Traditions? Share below!

Motivational Monday: Do What You Have To Do

"Do what you have to do until you can do what you want to do." - Oprah Winfrey

When I was growing up, watching Oprah after school was just a way of life. She had the best guests, the best message and the best personal story. Everyone wanted to go to an Oprah show taping and everyone wanted Oprah's life.

She showed us that hard work, determination, and unending faith can end in great rewards.

The goal in life is to work hard so that at some point, you can do what you want to do. Nothing comes easily and nothing is handed out. But with faith, hard work and determination, the hope is that at some point, you can do what you want to do with you life.

What do you want to do in life?

My dream is to be financially free, to be able to travel the world and to spend time with my family.

Christmas Cookies with Jennie: Soft Ginger Cookies

I'm trying new cookies this year! Last week was an old favorite, but this week, I wanted to try something new and different (for us anyway). So, I chose the Soft Ginger Cookies from the Better Homes and Gardens Best of Christmas Cookie magazine.

The recipe calls for molasses, which is something I haven't used before and I have to say...it smells. As for the rest of the recipe, it was a super easy, very basic recipe. I didn't even find the need to chill the dough before I rolled out the cookies.

Now, I couldn't find the exact recipe, but this recipe, minus the raisins, is the same recipe.

Best of luck! Follow me on Instagram for all of my baking craziness this week!

Countdown to Christmas: 13 Days to Go!

Shopping is so much harder than I thought it would be. But I have received my Christmas cards and all of the pieces of it (return address labels, Christmas letter, picture insert) and we are finished decorating (for now, we might add ornaments to the tree after we see how Ellie handles the tree itself). We got the tree this weekend and I love it. I switched to white lights this year and I think I do love them............

For the next week, the priorities are still the same.

1. Continue shopping. If you have gifts you need to ship, those are a top priority this week so you can get those shipped ahead of the deadline.

2. Wrap as you go (if you can) so it doesn't pile up and turn into a happiness buster.

3. Get those cards out.

4. And continue enjoying the season. Listen to Christmas music, enjoy the Christmas lights, have some Christmas cookies.

What are your favorite Christmas cookies? Share below!

Motivational Monday: You are Powerful

"Note to Self: The world needs you to show up today."

I found that quote on a print from www.janessawait.com and it really struck a cord with me. The quote goes on, but this is my focus.

Sometimes, as a stay at home wife, it is easy to feel invisible. Like what you are doing doesn't matter. But the truth of the matter is that it does matter. Even though we aren't in the workplace, everything we do contributes to the world.

I take care of my husband and family. I make my home a haven. I give my rescue dog a safe, loving home. I assist where I am needed. I spread kindness.

All of these things are necessary and important to the world and I just need to remember to show up.

Who needs you to show up today? Share below.

Christmas Cookies with Jennie: Chocolate Chip Cookies

I love to bake, especially around Christmas! A platter of assorted cookies is just about the most festive addition to a buffet that I can imagine.

Every year, I start putting together my cookies. I bake a tester batch and freeze the rest so I can bake fresh batches as I need them.

The first cookies I start with are Martha Stewart's Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies. They are exactly like they sound...soft and chewy and classic.

To freeze them, I portion the dough, freeze it on a parchment lined baking sheet and after about an hour, I put them in a freezer bag.

What are your favorite Christmas cookies? Share below!

Countdown to Christmas: 21 Days to Go!

With three weeks left to go, it can feel like you have all the time left in the world and none at all. I totally get it. I keep telling myself its only December 4! I have time. And I do, but I want to enjoy the season too.

So this week, I have a lot of priorities.

1. Finish shopping. To be honest, I haven't done much of it, but I want to finish it by the end of this week.

2. Wrapping. As things come in, I want to get things wrapped as quickly as possible.

3. Christmas cards. Its time to get those in the mail!

4. Menu planning. Christmas is in three weeks...we have all the time in the world...no. Plan the menu now so you don't have to do it in 18 days when everyone else is.

5. Baking. If you are a baker, start planning what you want to bake and you can even make and freeze the dough now if you have a chance.

6. And finally, keep enjoying the Christmas magic!

How are you enjoying the Christmas magic? Share below!

Motivational Monday: Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

"Great Things Never Come from Comfort Zones"

As comfortable as I am sitting on my couch, with my dog curled up in my lap, I have learned that it won't lead to the great things I want in my life. To be honest, even adopting Ellie was stepping out of my comfort zone. I wanted a small lap dog. I ended up with the sweetest cuddle monster who pushes me out of my comfort zone daily.

None of the good things in my life have ever come from staying in my comfort zone...my husband, my home, my jobs, my pets.

And there are more things coming in 2019 that will force me out of my comfort zone even more...but if I am looking for great things in my life, I have to step outside of my comfort zone.

What great things have happened to you when you got out of your comfort zone? Share below!