SEPTEMBER GOALS + AUGUST RECAP

Oh August, the month before my favourite month of the year. The problem with August is that it is a month of anticipation for me. anticipation for the end of summer, for the return to school and then of course my birthday. I feel like August is just the means by which I get to September but I am okay with that. Now this year I am not returning to school nor did I partake in many "summer" activities, but nonetheless this month I anxiously awaited for September so maybe the fact that it is my birthday month had a greater pull than I had originally thought. But first, lets see how I did.

one. Read at least one book. Yes
Yes, but I kind of feel like I cheated. I was originally planning on picking up where I left off in the Song of Fire and Ice series, but that felt a little too daunting, so I re-read Go Ask Alice (which I finished in one night). I also read a book I ordered on aromatherapy, but that was mostly skimming.

two. Make a purchase at the farmers market on my own. Yes (yay me!)
I went to the farmers market twice this month on my own, and I got spinach, butternut squash, and parsnips. I didn't really use my German however, I mostly pointed and held up fingers but it was a start.

three. Try (and enjoy) one new food. Mmhm
This one wasn't too hard because I was already working on changing my mindset around food. Basically I was introduced to the idea that ones likes and dislikes in regards to food are more due to habit and expectations rather that the actually make up of the food, and habits and expectations can be changed which has opened up a whole new world to me food-wise. I have now integrated red peppers and zucchini into my daily life.

four. Keep my plants alive. Not even close...
My mother gardens, my father gardens, my eighty-two year old grandmother gardens, and yet I am blessed with the blackest of black thumbs...that and I can never remember to water my poor basil plant.

September Goals:

one. Try another new food
two. Exercise every day
three. Tame my hair
four. Read to gain knowledge

AUGUST GOALS + JULY RECAP

July was my first month in my new home country and so much has happened in just a short thirty day period. Bean has gone from unsteadily sitting to pulling himself up to stand and is now sleeping through the night. Our apartment is coming together and it is starting to feel like home which is reassuring for me. H and I have already been talking about our future plans, and where we want to live next which is exciting but our adventure here is still only just beginning and we should take a step back and enjoy the ride rather than get ahead of ourselves and miss out on what is right in front of us. Time to recap last months goals and select a few new ones for the next thirty days.

one. Write a little bit every day. Almost
I unpacked my journal, I have a few blog posts waiting in my drafts and I've come up with a few ideas for some short stories. While I didn't write every single day, I did most days which felt very good.

two. Survive flying with Bean. Check 
This one was nearly impossible for me to fail, but I can truly say I have zero desire to step foot onto another aircraft anytime in the near future.

three. Unpack and organize one small space for me. Mostly yes.
We are completely unpacked and it took me a lot less time than I had expected. As for the space for me, we got a new couch which I have been spending a lot of time on, and I have organized my clothes which makes me happy, so while neither is a space just for me exactly they have still achieved the same desired effect.

four. Appreciate my little family. Absolutely

My mother raised my sister and I as a single parent, and after my almost seven month stint as sole caregiver I have so much more appreciation for everything that she gave to us. Now that I have an extra-pair of hands to help out with Bean and someone to spend my evenings with parenting has become a lot less exhausting and so much more enjoyable. I feel incredibly lucky to have these two (well one big, and the other little) men in my life and I plan on cherishing every day that I get to spend with them.

I think I did quite well last month, so lets keep up the good work... here are my goals for August.

one. Read at least one book.

two. Make a purchase at the farmers market on my own.

three. Try (and enjoy) one new food.

four. Keep my plants alive.

D.