February Goals

Welcome to February.  I did pretty well with my January goals and am excited to share this month's aspirations! 

From January: 

1. Attend the yoga arm balance workshop my friend Jill is leading.  Support a friend, get upside down and learn something.  I really hope I can work this in my schedule.- Did it!  Loved it!  Was so sore but held handstand for longer than .3 seconds.  

2. Paint the bathroom.  I did not do this last month.  I forgot when I am home with my kids I get nothing done.  Anyway, it is on my to do list to buy the paint on Friday so that is a step in the right direction!- Again didn't happen.  Why can't I paint?  Why Why Why?

3. Pick a color to paint the dining room.  Ryan told me over break that he would paint the dining room (and he wasn't even drunk!) but I had to be in charge of the color.  I'll be thinking about that this month! Well we haven't officially picked a color, but we have discussed some options.  A really dark gray is on the top of our list.  

4. Take a class from a yoga teacher I have never taken before.  This is a good one for me because although it is a huge bonus my favorite yoga studio is only 5 minutes away, it is a good to branch out a bit!- Yes!  Actually this was a great goal and I'm so happy I found time for this one! 

5. Read 6 books.  This goal is always my favorite every month because it keeps me on track!  It will be hard because it is time to go back to work and I know how exhausting it is, but game on!!- Yes!  I will share what 6 books I read tomorrow! 

Goals for February: 

1. Read 5 books.  Short month so I can't go crazy, but this is my favorite thing to do! 
2. Host Valentines Get Together.  I am thinking of having a little family party with fun decorations and heart shaped pizzas?
3. Paint bathroom- I mean for the love of God.  
4. Eat in the dining room- We finally got our new light in the dining room, so I need to celebrate by eating in there! 
5. Try a new class at the gym- Ryan and I joined Lifetime and we really like it so far but I haven't tried any of their fitness classes besides yoga.  Want to try something new! 
6. Don't eat out for the entire month.  This one is going to be so hard and we picked a short month for a reason.  But on the weekends we spend so much $$ on dumb food like Chipotle and Panera.  So for 28 days we are going to eat at home.  

What are your February Goals?

What I Read in December

Well I read 5 books in December and most were pretty great!  Again I would like to ask, how do I read books for a living??????????  Anyway...

1) Leaving Time.  It might be time for me to stop reading Jodi Picoult.  The books are usually entertaining, but this one was mediocre and I felt like I was forcing myself to finish.  I wish I was the type of person who could just put it down and move on if I wasn't enjoying a book.  But that is just not me.

2) Yes, Please.  So good.  Read this book and feel inspired and proud that you are a woman and that you can be funny and smart and have a good job and raise children and support other women.  She is funny and self deprecating and makes you want to be her best friend.

3) Small Victories.  I love Anne Lamott because she is real real.  Sometimes it can be depressing (like how can she know so many people with cancer) but the message is good.  Which is to breathe.  Slow down and enjoy.  And not just say that you enjoy but really soak it in.  Because despite all the misery life can bring, it is also a beautiful journey.

4) Reunion.  This was a good book especially for Winter Break.  The main character rubbed me the wrong way at times, but this was an overall quick and entertaining read.

5) Not That Kind of Girl.  I was really excited about this but I STRUGGLED.  I think it is just too much.  Maybe I am getting older, but I am not sure I need to know the intricate details of some one's sex life.  I felt like she was trying too hard and I had to make myself finish.  Ugh!

There you have it!  Any good books you have read lately?

January Goals

I'll be honest.  I did not do a good job with my December goals.  AT ALL.  But it is a new month and a new year and I'm just going to move on.  So... Here are my goals for January!

1. Attend the yoga arm balance workshop my friend Jill is leading.  Support a friend, get upside down and learn something.  I really hope I can work this in my schedule.

2. Paint the bathroom.  I did not do this last month.  I forgot when I am home with my kids I get nothing done.  Anyway, it is on my to do list to buy the paint on Friday so that is a step in the right direction!

3. Pick a color to paint the dining room.  Ryan told me over break that he would paint the dining room (and he wasn't even drunk!) but I had to be in charge of the color.  I'll be thinking about that this month!

4. Take a class from a yoga teacher I have never taken before.  This is a good one for me because although it is a huge bonus my favorite yoga studio is only 5 minutes away, it is a good to branch out a bit!

5. Read 6 books.  This goal is always my favorite every month because it keeps me on track!  It will be hard because it is time to go back to work and I know how exhausting it is, but game on!!

What are your January goals? 

November Goals

Well writing these goals out really helped!  I did EVERYTHING on my October List!!   I read more than 2 books (Hallelujah!) We carved pumpkins.  And by "we" I mean Ryan and I!!  I BOUGHT the light for the dining room!  We figured out Halloween Costumes, we finished Scandal season 3 and we even baked something.  How about that for efficiency!!

So what is up for November?

1. Read 3 books. 
- Yep, taking it up a notch and feeling confident about it.  Holla.

2. Get the new light in the dining room installed. 
It should arrive any day and I don't want it sitting in the box until Winter Break.  That could happen my friends.

3. Have someone/ a family over for dinner. 
I hosted Halloween and I forgot how much I love to have people over! 

4. Catch myself up with Scandal. 
I am sure you wouldn't be satisfied if my TV show didn't sneak in here :) 

5. Finish my Christmas shopping.  
Yep, you heard me.  I want to BE DONE by November 30th.  We shall see.  

Any goals for yourself in the month of November?

What's In my Nightstand

Aren't you always so curious what people have around their house?  In their drawers?  In their nightstand?  Well I am about to indulge you with some very important pictures of what resides in my bedside table.  First, this is what it looks like on any given day: 

There is always a water bottle, some sort of water for Paul, magazines, books, and more books.  Don't you love that lamp?  I LOVE that lamp.  I feel like it is more disorganized than this picture is letting on, but oh well!! 

Inside the first drawer is a whole mish mash of things.  Charlie's baby video monitor which we never use anymore because he's such a good sleeper and I don't have to worry about if I need to let him cry or if he's doing crazy things in crib.  (I am not trying to jinx myself here universe.  I REALLY appreciate what a good sleeper he is)!  I have an old Kindle which I also never use because I use the Kindle app on my ipad.  Oops.  Also see some extra keys, some old notebooks, a lot of cords to random things and an amazing amount of pens!  Oh, do you also spy a Lightning McQueen pillow? That is where Paul sleeps.  Although for the past 3 nights he has started the night in his own room.  HIS ROOM.  But he still sleeps on the floor of his room.  Why won't you sleep in your freaking bed? And he still makes his way to our room at some point in the night, but I am feeling somewhat optimistic that he is at least starting in his bedroom?  Does this make me dumb?  Probably.  

The next drawer makes me feel a bit nostalgic because it holds all my old journals.  It would be nice to report that I still write, but I don't.  Pretty sure I haven't written one word about anything since Charlie was born.  Now I just write on here.  About my nightstand.  Not quite the same, but I guess it is something.

In case you are wondering the two books I currently have checkout from the library are Silkworm and What Remains.  I have only started Silkworm and I really like it.  Same author as the Harry Potter books but she writes under a pseudonym.  My goal is to read two books, so I better get on the second one.  What Remains is by one of the Real Housewives of New York City.  So it is probably very high brow.

So there you have it.  A little peek into my nightstand.  Anything interesting in yours?

October Goals

I was teaching yoga last night and for the first time in awhile it was DARK when class ended at 6:45. Fall is here.  Oh and it was so freezing last night  I even wore my UGGS.  You know we are seriously when the UGGS are broken out.

Here are my little goals for the month of October: 

1. Read 2 books
- now this should be no problem but lately I have been reading TWO pages and falling asleep.  The struggle is real.  Perhaps less TV and more book time?

2. Carve pumpkins
- I think we meant to do this last year but never got around to it.  Paul is excited about any holiday so he will think this is special! 

3. Deal with the light situation in the dining room
- Who is tired of hearing about the light situation in my dining room?  Me!!!  But I need to deal with this in OCTOBER! 

4. Figure out Halloween costumes
- I am pretty sure Charlie is going to be whatever Paul was when he was Charlie's age (sorry 2nd child) but Paul's request changes every 10 seconds.  

5. Finish Season 3 of Scandal
- Doesn't really go with #1, but I am sure everyone is also sick of me discuss this obsession so it will be good to be caught up! 

6. Bake something
- Nothing says fall like a chocolate something baking in your oven!  YUM

Anything you are dying to do in October?

Why I started selling Rodan and Fields...

I think one of the most fascinating things about parenthood is that it really makes you eat your words.  How you thought you would do things, or react to things becomes quite different once little people literally come out of your body.

I always find it funny that I was not 100% sure I even wanted kids.  My husband was confident about the idea, while I was wary.  I was constantly concerned about the challenges of raising kids, money, what if they became addicted to drugs, or dated someone awful, or tattooed their face, or started to hate us.  And now that I actually have children and am completely obsessed with each of them, I am also clear about those questions of "what if."  You will love them anyway.

Like anything else, I didn't know it was going to be like this.  I didn't know about this part of myself or personality or how much I really like being a mom.  I like to be home with my kids.  I like to put them to bed at night.  I like to see them in the morning (although that could be a little later than FIVE AM boys).  I like to butter their waffles and tie their shoes and play cars and watch Charlie crawl and listen to all of Paul's made up stories that start with "once upon a time..."  Of course some days are long or monotonous or plain boring.  But the majority of the time, it's incredible.  It's amazing to see people grow in front of your eyes.  To overcome the fear of the playground slide.  To start to talk.  To make friends.  To resolve their own conflicts.  And I feel so lucky that I get to be around for a lot of it.  Because I only work 3 days a week, I get to be there to put on the band-aids and cuddle them when they are sick and take them to the pool and teach them that the outlets are not really a toy.

But it was sort of our game plan that I would only work part time until the kids were a bit older.  Until they went to school.  And that sounded nice when this started, but now I feel greedy.  Now I have dreams of volunteering, or helping with field trips, or simply walking Paul to school and not having him go to before care and being home when they get done to hear about their day. 

If you told me 6 months ago I would try direct selling I would have told you you were crazy.  This is certainly something I would never think of doing.  But for the millionth time since Paul was born, I am eating my own words. 

I am lucky because the products I am selling are awesome, my mom is using a regimen for sun damage and can really see results in just a short amount of time!  I feel lucky that this business is something I can work on from home, when the boys are napping or when they go to bed.  I am lucky that this business has allowed me to reach out and reconnect with old friends.  Sometimes you have to take a step back and look at the whole picture.  If my whole picture is Ryan, Paul, and Charlie then they are worth the risk.  And sometimes the risk is as easy as, let me give this a try.

I would love to answer any questions you have about the products, about the business, or anything else!  Leave a comment or email me!

Check my website out here:
 https://elainevaughn.myrandf.biz/