bullet journal

I just bought a few new moleskin journals and am trying out bullet journalling for the first time. I'm excited to see how it influences my other journals. Can a person have too many? Here's my current rotation of journals:

• meal planning/recipe journal
• school meetings journal
• church meetings journal
• journal just my notes and thoughts on "The Fringe Hours" book
• bible study journal
• sermon/scripture doodling journal
• bullet journal

It seems like a lot when I list it out in that way but I love that each one serves a specific purpose. It's quick and easy to grab my bible study journal and know that everything inside is what I may need.

Enter the bullet journal. This is not new, but I finally decided to dive in a try. I highly recommend watching the video a few times to get a feel for the foundational purpose/structure. Then you can adapt as necessary. Seth and I each got a journal and sat down at the bookstore to get set up. I'm interested to see if this becomes complicated for me since there is a lot of crossover between work and home tasks. I don't really have a good bag/purse system currently so it is rare for me to consistently carry anything other than phone, wallet and chapstick. For now the bullet journal lives on my desk so I can check it in the morning and evening. On a rare occasion where I'll be out and about after work, I'm planning to bring it with me so I can work in it between appointments.

 

Have you tried bullet journaling? Do you have a different method you prefer? I am eager to see my stacks of sticky notes condensed into one place so i'll keep you posted on how it goes!

 

current booklist

One of my goals this month is to finish 2 books. Currently I am in the middle of these stories:

The Girl on the Train
I am listening to this one as an audiobook and I find it very interesting. There are two main narrators and it has a bit of mystery and intrigue mixed into a character development plot. Just getting into the most mysterious part yet. I cherish any drive longer than 5 minutes because it means I can listen to this book!

The Fringe Hours
This is a great book so far. I need this type of book to help me sort through my thoughts and feelings about say "yes" and "no" and better managing my time and activities. There are spots in the book where you can write and reflect, however I would love to lend this out or reread in the future so I decided to use a journal instead. Low and behold this journal was sitting on the clearance rack and target. I saw my one little word all over the cover and knew that I had to get it. It's been fun to stop and doodle and reflect and mark quotes that are speaking to me. I want to make more time for this type of book.

The Forgotten Affairs of Youth
This is a for fun read. I love this series and the slow pace of the books. There is a lot of inner dialogue with the main character and it makes me stop and pay closer attention to my own inner dialogue. This one is best for longer reading sessions, as the plot moves slower than other books and you want to soak into the characters and setting for more than just a few minutes.

Yes Please!
I finished Amy Poehler's autobiography/memoir earlier int he month. I really enjoyed listening to it so I could appreciate all the jokes fully. She also has some great guest readers. Overall a fun read and great for listening to while running. People think you're a little crazy when you start laughing along the trail, but that's okay. It's good to laugh :)

I am going to start a summer reading list this weekend. Any suggestions?

may goals

As we dive into May I've decided to set some new goals that both stretch my previous goals and also help me try new things

Run 60 Miles

This month I want to try and run 60 miles. Last month was close but with an 11 mile run already in the books and a holiday weekend toward the end of the month, I feel confident that this is both attainable without being unreasonable.

Finish Two Books

This was a great goal for me a few months back. I liked the challenge and I have since discovered a good system for listening to audiobooks. I have three that I'm in the middle of or just started and could use the extra motivation to pick up a book instead of turn on a show, looking forward a book report soon!

Memorize Scripture Each Week

I have wanted to work on memorizing scripture for awhile. Everytime I make this a priority I am blessed by the ability to call up scripture when needed. I have recently been following this site which offers devotionals, journals, and art inspired by scripture. I've been meaning to support them and realized that they have monthly download packages with digital calendars and printable files. Included in the package are monthly scripture cards. So I decided to give it a try. I printed them on cardstock, cut them apart, and hung them by my bed. The verses are short and simple and powerful. So far I'm doing pretty well with verse one and I hope to find success so this can become a habit!

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march goals (in review)

Somehow it's April and while I'm thrilled, I'm a bit surprised and uncertain about where March went! So let's see how I did on my goals...

Meal Plan - check (sort of)
This was hit and miss throughout the month. My husband got a cold and illness is always a game changer when it comes to eating. At the beginning of the month I stuck with my new cookbook and found great success. In the middle of the month it was a mixture of standby faves and comfort food for the weary. The last week of the month I decided to let the produce section inspire me. This was a really great choice! I chose a variety of veggies and picked up some chicken and salmon. When I got home I prepped the veggies for either sautéing or snacking. After packaging them into serving containers, I stored them in two bins in the fridge for easy access. I also chopped the chicken and cooked it all the same day using half for a curry dish and the other half for salads during the week. Lunches were mainly veggies, fruit and hummus, and dinners were chicken or salmon based with a side of more veggies. So easy and so fresh and delicious.

Finish Two Books - check!
I started to fiercely on this goal and then suddenly it was March 30 and I had 15 chapters left. With a little motivation from my third graders I powered through just before midnight. Phew! I finished Still Alice and Delancey, both of which I recommend. Delaney is a memoir that inspired you to pay attention to the ingredients you put into your cooking but also made me want to take on a new challenge and chase a passion or dream. I also want to go visit the restaurant now, even if I can't eat the pizza. During the month I also started two new books, however neither are quite inspiring so my spring break goal is to find a new book or two that I can dive into.





Sew Once a Week - check!
This did happen, I just forgot to blog about it! I made the bloomers and pieced the backing of my tree quilt. The next weekend I went on a quilt store tour with a friend and we picked out fabric for a baby quilt for her little boy and I got some warm tones to make a new quilt for the living room. Each week I made time to cut triangles or stitch a few together. It was slow going, however I'm looking forward to diving into the baby quilt over spring break. Nothing like a deadline and a few days off to motivate!



Blog Three Times a Week - umm...
Well... let's see the breakdown:

• Week 1 - 3
• Week 2 - 4
• Week 3 - 2
• Week 4 - 2

That almost averages to 3 times a week, and if we're focusing on the writing part, I did draft two more posts, just never got around to finishing/editing. March felt so fast and busy that I'm actually surprised I even blogged that many times! Of course "scripture sunday" helps a lot :)

I'm currently look at the calendar for April and working on some goals. This has been a fun way to push myself creatively, especially in the fiber and book arenas.

march goals

February was a successful month for choosing small, manageable goals. The goals were meant to keep my creative side active.

This month I am aiming a bit higher by setting similar goals that stretch me a bit more.

Finish Two books
I'm currently listening to Still Alice and finding it a nice book to listen to while baking, cleaning and creating. The character development drives the plot and these activities allow me enough uninterrupted time to really get into the story. I find that since I am rarely in my car for longer than 10 minutes or so, I have to make space in my schedule for podcasts and audio books that require longer stretches of time to fully enjoy the story.

On the other side, I'm ticking away at Delancey one chapter at a time. They are quick and short but deep and lyrical chapters. This means I can read one chapter before bed or one when I wake up and I don't need a long stretch of solitude to be able to enjoy the writing. I still have a number of books on my stack so perhaps I'll even get to dive into something new this month!

Sew Once a Week
I have many friends with babies on the way and a few quilts I mentioned in last week's fiber friday post. Now armed with a gift certificate to my local quilt shop, I've no excuse! I've decided to make time once a week to get back into fabric. I'm not going to box myself in with a particular project but will instead see where it is these stitch sessions take me. Look for update on fiber fridays!

Meal Plan
I was so into meal planning in the fall but fell off the wagon hard around December. It's time to officially get back into things and I'm hoping my new cookbook will be the main source of inspiration! I received "Make Ahead Paleo" for my birthday and have already made one recipe. Though we do not eat exclusively paleo, I do eat gluten- and dairy-free and all of the recipes meet this requirement. The big-batch style cooking has worked so well for us in the past that this should fit into our weekly routine well but liven up the type of foods we are eating. Thai Coconut Meatballs are on my list for this week!

Blog Three Times a Week
I was all set to do a fitness goal and then I realized that with leading FitClub at school twice a week and having two races this month, I think I have the motivation I need in that department. Instead, I want to continue to be here on the blog. I've been listening to some past episodes of a podcast where bloggers get together and chat about writing and inspiration. This has helped me see how many different approaches there are to writing and posting on a blog. I am working be OK with seasons where I write less but also realizing how much renewal I get from sitting down and planning out blog posts. The process itself helps me to make time for the crafts, hobbies, and activities I enjoy. It helps me tune out the work to-dos and the household chores that are calling my name and focus on how I will BEcreative and really, be myself. I hoping that an extra post a week doesn't because another thing on my to-do list, but something that inspires me to keep at the things that bring me joy.

february goals

This month I set four small goals on the sidebar of the blog. I was tempted to set more, but I knew I needed to start with something reasonable and attainable. Now that were in the last few days of February, here's an update on my progress:

Blog Twice A Week
Thanks to Scripture Sundays, this has totally worked out. I'm hoping to continue this pattern with an extra post here and there. I didn't realize how much I missed blogging until I got back into it!

Finish One Knitting Project
I finished my cowl! As long as finished means I did the bind off... I still need to block it and weave in the ends, but I'm planning to do that on Friday. The goal was to get something off the needles so I could focus on my other 4 projects. Mission Accomplished!

Drink More Water
Not sure I set a real tangible to way for myself to track this goal but I do have a better system for making sure I'm equipped to drink water. I have a variety of glass water bottles that go straight from the dishwasher into the fridge with filtered water and a splash of apple cider vinegar. Anytime I need water at home or to go, I reach for these. They are chilled and refreshing. Once I'm done, back into the dishwasher they go. A pretty good system, though I'm sure I could still use a bit more H2O to fuel me throughout the day.

Make Time for Pleasure Reading
I have discovered so many books I want to read! While that isn't really what the goal was about, I have carved out some time for reading. Here's what's currently on my nightstand:

The Bible - Matthew
I'm reading through the Gospel with Margaret Feinberg's #lentenchallenge I'm using the packet she put together which uses a variety of translations. It is really interesting to read straight through the different chapters and see all the miracles and interactions of Jesus. Next week we'll move into Mark and then work our way through Luke and John. It is a nice way to slow down and recenter each day.

Delancey - Molly Wizenberg
I tried to listen to this as an audiobook first. #fail The reader did not make me excited. By chance I had also put the hardback edition on hold at the library. When it arrived I decided to give it another go. I love reading Molly's blog and am so happy that I gave it another chance. It is fun to read about the ups and downs of their journey toward opening a pizzeria. I have even read a bit aloud to my husband. the way she writes is lyrical and makes me want to set the book down and head straight for the kitchen!





Here what I want to put on my nightstand next:

Make It Happen - Lara Casey
I've seen this one around the internet and on a few blogs lately. I love the concept of purposeful living and finding a way to view life as more than checking things off a list. I'm interested to see what she says about her path to enjoy the journey of life.

Fringe Hours - Jessica Turner
This book seems like the next step in my quest for time management. Not the kind of time management that makes me efficient at work (I've got that pretty well covered right now) but how to make time for the things that I love and am inspired by. I one time overheard a piano student tell his teacher, "I didn't have time to practice this week," and the teacher very sincerely and gently said, "We all have the same time each and every day. Only you get to choose how you spend it." I'm not sure how much the student took this to heart, but I certainly did! I have been working lately to find a balance between efficiency and enjoyment and this books seems interesting to me as I explore the way I spend my minutes each day.

currently - August 2014

tending to my plants that are somehow still thriving
planning lessons
eating olives and berries (not together)
racing to finish this sweater before school starts
opening this book with the goal of making time to read during the school year
snapping photos of the little people in my life
savoring the last days of summer freedom and sunshine
enjoying my clean and quiet house
sipping coffee
choosing to be joyful always and to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5.16-18)

one little word wednesday

As August approaches I am working staying positive. It's hard to thinking about saying goodbye to slow mornings, fresh food and lots and lots of friends and family time.

So instead of saying "goodbye" to these things, I'm trying hard to choose a different attitude. So I choose gratitude. I am grateful for:

The next season brings back work, meetings, students, families, lessons, grading and much more. I hope to spend August looking at ways to incorporate my summer activities into daily life. I realize that knitting all day while reading my nook is not really an option come September, yet I know there is a way to make time for knitting and reading. Waking up early is usually my go to when I want to add things to my schedule but I rethinking the evenings a bit and wondering how to better utilize my time.

What activities do you make time for during your busy seasons so that you can stay sane?

currently - July 2014

learning the song above as a jazz tune inspired by Sara Gazarek
eating variations of salads such as this one and this one
enjoying fresh berries and the resulting sorbet
organizing, cleaning and clearing out. nothing. is. safe
reading this and this
listening to this song on repeat
working out using these three apps 1/2/3
enjoying the last bits of summer!

Plans

This Lent, I decided to try a devotional. Again. I've tried before but inevitably lost the small paper book, spilled something on it or changed purses without relocating it.

This year I chose a devotion on my phone. The daily readings were manageable (read: not too long and daunting), I could set a daily reminder to buzz and tell me to read, and my phone is always nearby.

The picture below captures three wonderful stories within this experience:

1. My Plan - this title is laughable to me since I've always struggled with the balance between my own plans and Gods Plan. Yet each day as I read, I feel as though I am asking for my plan to BE God's Plan. Progress!

2. 92% - I am not behind! Only one or two days did I forget, but I knew it and I missed the restful few minutes of sitting and reading Jesus' story. So I caught up and with only 3 days left, there is a strong chance I will make it through this goal (on time)!

3.6:34am - The reminder on my phone is an added bonus, for sure. From the beginning I hoped to get to the point where the alarm was unnecessary. Ling term, I want to be motivated and aware of making this a daily decision. Currently my alarm is set to remind me at 6:45am, so here is proof that I am tapping into this motivation.

I have been listening to my HEART this season, striving to be intentional and to dive into Lent and now I am planning the next step, post Easter. How will I continue forward with this habit? How will I make it a priority and maintain the internal, heart centered motivation I am feeling today?

** the app I use is YouVersion for iPhone and I have been reading the 40 Days of Lent devotion.