There are so many reasons I adore December. I love cozy fires and hot chocolate, twinkle lights and the smell of Christmas trees, lazy family time and tradition. I love chilly runs on the greenway, mulling spices that my mom sends me each year, date nights and Christmas movies. I love movies that open on Christmas day, white elephant gift exchanges, being extra generous, finding new ways to buy gifts for those I love. I love the hustle leading up to Christmas, too – filling orders, finalizing galleries, clearing my inbox, getting ready to shut down for a while. But let me tell you – taking a vacation only feels really good after you’ve given this year all you’ve got. And that’s what I plan to do – finish strong! I love looking back and appreciating all we’ve done, while looking ahead at what’s to come. It really is the most wonderful time of the year. It’s time to wrap up 2014 and tie a pretty little bow around it, but I refuse to do so without favorite every day of December. Here’s to December!

December Goals

• Clean eating + 1 dessert a week until Christmas

• Finish all Christmas shopping by December 5th

• Wrap all presents by December 15th

• Train for and run in my Birthday 10K on New Year’s Eve

• Clean out and giveaway excessive Christmas decorations to newly married couples

• Finish all weddings and sessions through November and send to clients

• Annual Christmas Date night with Will

• Take an afternoon, by myself, and dream of 2015 goals. (Giant blank notebook, favorite pen, and some apple cider, please!)

• Make my Mama’s butterfinger Christmas Cookies

• Get a massage before my belly gets too big

• Celebrate the NRP team’s accomplishments and set goals for 2015

• Savor this last Christmas as a family of 2!

Photo by Emily March

A small reminder that reaching your goals is a real possibility. One of my goals the past few years has been to learn the guitar, and while I have much much room for improvement, I played a song that I wrote for Will in front of a group of people at MTH. I was nervous and I messed up, but one of my goals is really happening!

Today I woke up earlier than I wanted to, but it’s always a gift when that happens. I hoped to sleep in until 8 or 9, but I had accidentally set my alarm for 7am and couldn’t really fall back asleep after it went off. I crept downstairs without waking Will to discover it was pretty dreary outside, and I was so happy about it. I knew it meant a long morning of snuggling on the couch, drinking coffee, reading, and enjoying our fireplace. After doing exactly that, I had a big bowl of granola, then I threw on my lulus and running shoes and headed outside for a quick 2 mile run. It was wet and chilly and colorful – exactly how I wanted it. Winston and I had a hop in our steps because of the brisk fall air, we were both breathing deeply, feeling alive, with the wet tree branches raining raindrops and leaves around us. It was the perfect start to my November.

As it is with every month, I have big hopes of checking major items off my list. November has it’s items, some which are still leftover from months gone by (I’m looking at you, Artifact Uprising Album), some of which are related to tidying up the end of 2014, some are brand new dreams all together. Thankfully, after attending Making Things Happen this last week, I am reminded of something so important when it comes to goals :

One thing at a time.

Focus on 1 thing at a time, and accomplish that thing.

Then you are one step closer to where you want to be.

So that is my mantra this month : One thing at a time. Bit by bit, we can do this. When we look at all the things at the same time, we crumble and become stress paralyzed and revert to doing nothing. So, friends, let’s do this. Only 2 more months until 2015… let’s make them count!

November Goals

• Design and Order the Artifact Uprising Album of our first 5 years of marriage*

• Begin training for my Birthday 10K

• Lay out my clothes every night for 1 week

• Wake up to a real alarm and leave my phone downstairs for 1 week

• Run in the Turkey Leg 5K

• Host Thanksgiving Dinner in our home (!)

• Create mega end-of-the-year NRP list with the team

• Finalize all 2015 Packaging

• Research and design on direction for new site + brand

• Celebrate Will’s birthday in DC

• Write our sponsored kids and tell them why I’m thankful for them

Have your monthly goals up on your blog? Leave a link in the comments!

Yes yes yes. I love this sign and I keep it on my desk. This is my mantra this month!

September was my month of traveling, shooting, and hosting my nieces and nephews… twice. It was full of all the important things, and it was wonderful, but I am SO happy to see you, October. I am declaring you are my month of simplicity. No traveling. No additional events or things to add to my schedule. I’m going to be home, I’m going to maintain, I’m going to hustle right where I am. And I am just so, so excited about it!

A quick update on life: it’s good. Really good. Adjusting to not being at church as much as we used to be has been kind of weird, but my heart lights up when I see Will working so passionately to serve his clients and build his business. He still does ministry – it just looks a lot different. I have been so encouraged by new friends I’ve met at AH Inspired and the Influence Conference. God’s faithfulness is found wherever I set my foot.

So yes – we are settling in and figuring all this out. We are loving working at home, together. And this month, I’m going hustle and check off all the things! Let’s do this!

October Goals

• Read 20 in 12: The One Thing*, Notes from a Blue Bike, continue to re-read The Advantage with the team

• Race in my first Triathlon (!)

• Answer all of the 6 major questions in The Advantage & share them with the team

• Decorate for Autumn

• Speak at Making Things Happen. Much needed, and I love those girls so much.

• Order new sample albums & canvases for studio*

• Order our 1st 5 years: Artifact Uprising book (I’ve decided to create 1 family album every 5 years to document us. It’s simple and it’s us.)
  

(*) denotes things I did not quite finish last month!

What are your October goals? Link below in the comments!