GOALS :: FEBRUARY 2020

Share one of your goals for the month below...

26.2

'You will not succeed by your own strength or power, but by my spirit -the Lord all powerful' - Zachariah 4:6

You guys...I did it!  In case you didn't see this on Instagram {back in October!} I finally ran a freaking marathon!  It had been on my bucket list for years and I finally buckled down and completed it!  

Just so you all know, I am not a runner.  In fact, I was the girl that got a doctor's note to get out of the mile in PE.  Yes, I refused to even run one mile in school.  I knew I wasn't going to be the fastest, so I didn't even want to try.  Sad, but true.  So if you aren't a runner but have hopes of completing a big running goal {a mile, 3k, half, full, ultra, ironman, or whatever it is!} I am here to tell you, YOU CAN DO IT!

This my my third attempt to complete a marathon.  I trained two different years, and got to the 12-17 mile training range and as soon as I got an injury I quit.  I think I was just mentally not in it & I was doing it for the wrong reasons.  I hadn't fully committed to myself at that point.  

But something clicked last July and I blocked out every single training run on my calendar for  the next12 weeks.  I made the time.  I put myself first.  I skipped out on outings with Adam & the kids, left events early, I didn't drink, went to bed early and I woke up early.  I knew I was going to finish the marathon.  I didn't care if I had to army crawl across the finish line!

It wasn't easy.  The training runs, listening to my body when I was injured, and definitely not the race.  I couldn't have done it without the support of all those people up there.  They gave up their Sunday to drive around and watch me, my sister made shirts and signs, and they all cheered me on when I was over.it.  

I couldn't have asked for better race day conditions!  For October in Iowa, it was perfect!  Unfortunately, I just couldn't get in the groove.  I had some really good runs {17 miles non without any walking} leading up to race day, so I was anticipating a good race.  Sadly, I walked more than I ran the last 13 miles, but I don't even care.  I DID IT!  Proof that you can do anything you put your mind to!

This kids running with me, listening to messages from friends & family on the Motigo app, and a whole lot of prayer helped me cross that finish line.  

Looking back I wish I could have done some cross training {I didn't do any!}  I said I wouldn't run another marathon again, but I know I could be convinced to do it {especially once the kids are old enough to stay home alone}.  I know I could beat my 6 hour 'race' time, but I'm just happy I finished. 

New Year | 2016 Goals

Last year I had a pretty structured set of goals and I'm happy to report that with the exception not hitting not making my health goals, and not has much travel as I would have preferred, I did everything on that list!  We stayed in more, spent more time with family, I cooked more in 2015 than I did in all 29 years combined before that.

The awesome part is that most of those goals were less of the 'checking off' nature, and more in the realm of making 'better life choices'  Things I hope to continue doing despite the flip in the calendar. 

So after a great 2015, I don't have a ton of things I want to change, but rather a few big ones...

I want to become more healthy in 2016.  Now that we're settled in our house, I'm anxious for Spring so we can be outside more as a family.  Softball in the back yard, family bike rides, more swimming, etc.  Adam and I reactivated out gym membership now that we're in town again, and it's crazy how much it felt like coming back home. We all picked off just were we left off and it's feeling great!  A huge goal of mine would be to run a full marathon this year.


I want to play with my kids more in 2016.  I'll admit, working 4 10 hour days at the hospital, plus running a photography business, plus being a wife, and working out, and be a friend/sister/daughter/etc. leaves me tired and short on time more than I would like to admit.  It seems like no matter how much pre-planning as organizing I do, Monday through Thursday are tough.  After work, picking the kids up from daycare, going to the gym or taking a kid to an activity, dinner, & baths, there isn't a ton of time for playing.  So I'm going to be extra intentional with my time and leave 30 minutes before bedtime each night to actually play or talk with my kids.


I want to travel more in 2016.  We worked hard to save money to pay off Adam's car and be able to get out of our condo last year, so traveling got pushed to the back burner more than I would have preferred. We did get to Kansas City for a long weekend, and I went to Texas with my mom, but other than that, we didn't leave Iowa at all which is a total shame when I think of all the places I want to see.  With the new house, I may be dreaming, but I would love to take a long weekend and go Skiing somewhere in February.  Adam and I will be going to the Turks and Caicos in April and I'm planning to take a girls' trip to New York this August for my 30th birthday.  I'm photographing a wedding in South Carolina in October, so I'm really hoping to take Adam and the kids and make a little vacation out of it.

Other than that, I want to stick with blogging to document our life {it's so awesome to have this to look back on}, and monthly dates with each of the kids' and Adam {I found these to be so valuable, no matter how small the 'date' was}, and giving back to the community in some way each month {I did these with the intent of teaching the kids to give back, but I think it's had as much, if not more, of an impact on me.  It's incredible the feeling you get when you're able to help someone else out.  I also found I valued my life and the people/things/experiences I have it in even more after these events. It's a good reminder of perspective}.  Once we finish decorating the house, I really want to work on saving as much as possible, so that will be a big focus for us in 2016.  This will help us make the upgrades we want.  The only other 'goal' I have is to catch up on the kids' photo albums.  I obviously have plenty of photos, but I need to go through them and choose my favorites, and get them into a Shutterfly book.  I only made it to 18 months with each of them!  So my goal is set aside some time to get them completed.  It's a task I dread so much, until it's over, and then it's the biggest sigh of relief!  Totally worth it!

Oh, and one more thing.  It's not really a goal, but rather a reminder to keep working on myself.  I want to slow down and really soak up life's moments.  I want to treasure every Friday, Saturday, Sunday with my family.  More picnics, Jeep rides around the lake, catching fireflies, camping in the backyard and pushes at the park.  I'll have all kinds of time to sit and read my book when I'm 50 and missing having my kids at home.

2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 resolutions and Bucket List

My Birthday | 29

Yesterday was my dad's birthday & today is my mom's birthday {Happy Birthday!} which reminded me I never posted about my birthday!

The day of my birthday I photographed a wedding in Ames, so I ended up not seeing at of my family {if you remember, I spent last year driving to a wedding for photography} So the night before, Adam took me to Table128 for dinner and then out to Proof for dessert where a few friends surprised me by joining us. :)  We spent the day after my birthday, Sunday, out on the water with all of my in-laws floating and soaking up the hot, muggy 90* day.  To top it off, my MIL made me Better Than Anything any Angel Food cake {which she let the kids decorate}  So, my only request, to blow out candles with my kids on my lap, came true.  It was a beautiful day!

The following Friday I spent at the spa getting a massage, manicure, pedicure, facial, & wax.  With wine.  Heavenly!  

LaelSunriseJewelry gifted me with one of these, which I've hardly taken off since.  Any mom mama bought me two beautiful BCBG dresses similar in navy and coral.  I treated myself to a pair of these in black and these also in black.  Sole Studio on Etsy also sent me the most beautiful birthday gift!!

I am so blessed to live my life with some of the very best people.  

And totally excited to enjoy my last year in my 20's!

wishlist 2010 | 24th birthday recap 2010 | wishlist 2011 | 25th birthday recap 2011 | 26th birthday recap 2012 | 27th birthday recap 2013 | 28th Birthday Wishlist 2014 | 29th Birthday Wishlist 2015