Wow-weeee! 2014!

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I love a new calendar and all the freshness of a new year. So let’s get it started right… with goals for January! 

• complete two painting projects
• establish and stay within our revised budget
• purchase bookshelves for living room
• organize guest bedroom, closet, and laundry room
• try a small group or Sunday School at a new church
• start and finish book three

And for an update on December’s goals (although it makes me twitch to dip back into 2013 in a post about 2014)…

• daily Advent readings with G to keep our minds and hearts centered on our Lord and Savior: we completed the readings, but didn’t do them everyday like scheduled.
• purchase a washer and dryer: check!
• start and finish book two: not finished, Christmas took over, but only about 100 pages left.
• finish a website project: check!
• distribute/mail wedding Thank You notes: check!
• order and mail Christmas cards: check! 98 cards sent out on December 20 – just in time for Christmas Eve {note to self, try to send on December 1 in 2014}.
• establish a notebook/planner/organizer for 2014: check! loving it so far.
• continue the job hunt in the Augusta area: check! I applied for a job I think I’d really like but am also praying for direction and peace.

So all finished with 2013!

Onto this year! 2014, let’s do this!

December –  the most wonderful time of the year!

But November was pretty good to us too:) Well, minus that whole mono thing.  We attended the marine ball, searched for our new home {and signed a lease on a place!}, finished my first book on my 101 in 1001 list, celebrated our first married Thanksgiving together here in Hampstead, finished all but ten of our wedding thank you notes {I ran out!}, and got started on our Christmas cards design and address list!

Movers are scheduled to arrive in two days and I’m going a little stir crazy because I’m not allowed to pack anything. Grateful that we have someone that is handling it all for us though – prayers for a smooth move appreciated.

Once we get moved in, I hope to unpack boxes and get furniture arranged within the first few days so that we can decorate our new home for Christmas!  I’m so excited to get our first tree!  In the meantime, we’ll be enjoying these few Christmas ornaments for the next day and will continue to entertain each other with our newest addition – Leeward the Elf!

The only things we have listed on our calendar so far is the Hanging of the Green’s at church last night, G’s brother’s graduation and commissioning, a few birthdays, our five months, and Christmas.  I feel like our clear calendar is a Christmas miracle but I think is really just a result of transition.  G’s holiday schedule is still to be determined so once its established we will make plans for holiday travel to our families.

And now to keep focused – goals for December!

• daily Advent readings with G to keep our minds and hearts centered on our Lord and Savior
• purchase a washer and dryer {no more community laundry! yay!}
• start and finish book two
• finish a website project
• distribute/mail wedding Thank You notes
• order and mail Christmas cards
• establish a notebook/planner/organizer for 2014
• continue the job hunt in the Augusta area

I’m thankful for the Lord’s guidance and direction that has brought us to where we are. Some familiar verses that G shared with me early on in our relationship,

October feels like it f-l-e-w by.

We celebrated three months of marriage, announced G accepted a job and we were moving, celebrated my birthday, started my 101 in 1001 challenge, attended two weddings, completed the October 31 day writing challenge.  Oh and we also welcomed our first two {and only} trick-or-treaters as newlyweds!

Now we’re hopefully saying hello to some cooler temperatures so I can try out all some of these soup recipes I’ve been pinning!

It’s also time for Marine Prom Ball. Last year was my first go around, and while I loved going, finding something to wear is always a challenge. I can be incredibly picky when it comes to clothes, so finding something that’s fun, flattering, and doesn’t look like it was picked out for a high school winter formal or prom can be a little frustrating.  Thankfully, I purchased a dress back in September that I’ll wear… that is if nothing else comes up before then 😉

We’re also continuing to look for our next home.  The search has been all online for now, and thankfully, some friends have given us lots of helpful advice.  My brain is a bit overloaded with housing options right now, so I’ve taken somewhat of a step back and hopefully will get a better feel for things when we visit Augusta this month.

Our first married Thanksgiving is this month!  We’ve decided to celebrate on our own this year and I’m excited about the thought of creating new traditions!

In addition to packing our belly full of turkey, we’ll also be packing boxes.  If all goes as planned, our move will happen some time in December {which is soooo crazy}.

And I’ve also got a few other monthly goals {which I’m writing here so that hopefully will keep me more accountable}…

• finish thank you notes for our wedding gifts and what better month to do them in! {sorry, that’s me trying to make up an excuse for the fact that I STILL have Thank You notes to write}
• paint final pieces of furniture
• start working on our first Christmas cards
• read a book

I’m excited about November’s clean slate and all the things that we have ahead of us!

What do you have going on this month?