Happppppy Memorial Day!! And cheers to the unofficial start of summer. Gosh, I love this holiday SO much. First because it honors the brave men and women that have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom, which is something I’m grateful for every single day. And second, because it means summer is finally, finally here. HALLELUJAH. This is hands down my favorite time of year and I could not be more excited to enjoy these next few months with my little crew. Today I thought it would be fun to do more of a laid back, chatty kinda post. I’ve actually been thinking about my goals for the summer, so I figured why not share those with you lovely people today?! Grab a snack and let’s chat!
1. Eat clean.
Over the past year we have had a LOT of sickness in our home. My son in particular has been sick more times than I can even count and it’s been really, really hard to watch. He almost couldn’t attend his kindergarten graduation last week because he was sick with a fever several days leading up to it. So this summer I’ve decided I want to take control of our health and I want our family to eat as clean and healthy as possible. I’m eliminating processed food and increasing healthy fats like coconut oil and avocado, along with tons of veggies and fresh food. I’m actually really excited for this change and I think the summer is the perfect time to do it. I can’t wait to see how it impacts our family. PS: if you’re interested, I HIGHLY encourage you to watch the documentary “The Magic Pill”. It’s all about how food impacts our mind and overall health. It’s very eye opening.
2. Essential oils.
I’ve chatted with you guys a few times about my love of essential oils, but to be honest I don’t use them as often as I should. This summer my goal is to re-introduce essential oils back into our home. I want to start using them again to improve our family’s overall health and I’d even like to switch out our cleaning products for things that are completely toxic free and safe for the kids. This summer is all about improving our health I’m excited to get back into oils.
3. Better work/life balance
One of my personal goals over the next couple of months is to find a better work/life balance because it’s something I’ve struggled with lately. You guy know how much I LOVE blogging, but it’s definitely gotten a lot harder for me to keep up with things after Ava came along. Adding a third kiddo into the mix means my time is even more limited and I have to be super organized so I can get the most out of each day. And since I work from home and we don’t have any outside childcare, I don’t have much time to work anymore unless it’s late at night or on the weekends, which isn’t always ideal. I’m definitely not complaining because it’s what I LOVE to do and I’m blessed to be home with my babies at the same time, but I just want to find a better balance this summer. I’m not sure exactly what that will look like yet, but things may slow down around here a bit with how often I’m posting. I hope you’ll stick with me even if that happens!
I mean, REALLY. How in the world am I supposed to get any work done with this little cutie crawling around?! She definitely keeps me on my toes.
4. Take more risks + IG change
Ok, I know this probably sounds a bit silly to some of you, but this summer I want to take more risks. I want to step out of my comfort zone and try new things, both in my personal life and even here on the blog too. I want to experiment with a few ideas I’ve been kicking around and just take a leap of faith in a couple areas of my life. I’ve also felt particularly bored with Instagram lately, so I want to start mixing up what I share over there and bring a lot more “real life” to my feed and more of our family too, even though I’ve been hesitant to do that because I’m extremely protective of my kids. They do show up occasionally, but not very often. (And my husband has asked that I don’t share him due to the nature of his job in law enforcement). I’ve also hesitated because I’m not sure people even want to see that kind of stuff, plus it’s scary putting yourself out there. But I want like to start sharing more snapshots of daily life with my sweet kiddos because they really are my entire world. So this summer I’m challenging myself to step out of my comfort zone and do that more often on Instagram and even here on the blog too.
5. Slow down & have FUN
Lastly, I want to slow down this summer. I want to enjoy each day with my kiddos as much as possible, without stressing about to-do lists or tasks I’ve left undone. I want less TV time for the kids, more adventures, and more nights spent laughing around the fire pit. I want to have epic water balloon fights, camp-outs in the backyard, and picnics as often as possible. Last summer was so busy with having a brand new baby, so this summer is all about slowing down and just having the most fun possible with my favorite little people.
Well I could ramble off several more goals I have for summer, but you’d probably be bored to death by then so I think I’ll stop here with these five! Thanks so much for stopping in today and spending part of your day here with me on the blog. Let me know what goals you have cookin’ the summer, I’d seriously love to hear it! xo
Sarah-supporting you 150% on all your changes. I pray you have an awesome summer with your family. They are your number one concern. Enjoys these years. My oldest just graduated high school and I look back at the years and they went so fast. I am blessed to have been able to stay home with them as well. You are loved! ❤️
Thank you so much Michele, I really appreciate all the support. Means more than you know!! xoxo
Inspired to make my own summer list now too. I used to tell my kids on the last day of school to use the summer to learn a new skill. Maybe I’ll take my own advice this summer even though my kids are all grown now. Loved the list- great post!!
I love that idea! I will definitely have to do that too once my kids get older.
I personally LOVE seeing more real life from people on Instagram. I can imagine how scary that would be for you though! I love watching your Instagram stories, checking out your posts, and reading your blog. I can’t wait to see the changes that take place for you! Happy summer!!!
I do too Brittany! I’ve always just struggled to do that. But I’m challenging myself to do it more. It’s time for something new! Thanks for your support. xoxo
Love this post and wishing you all the best in your summer goals. And especially the health of your son. My husband and I are also eating more healthy and it has opened up a whole new world using these new (to us) oils, organic foods and healthy fats. When many years ago I hit the 20 year mark of being a Mom I was shocked to realize how fast the time went!! I would go back there in a heartbeat! It’s so very important to experience every moment and explore new adventures with your family. Can’t imagine the added stress of needing to document it all for my IG followers. Ok rant over, good luck Sarah!
I agree Mary, it’s so important to enjoy every moment as much as possible while I can with them. Before I know it they’ll be grown and gone. It’s already gone way too fast!
We have many of the same goals this summer! I’m looking forward to following along with you
oh awesome, Lisa! Good luck on sticking with them! xo
Great ideas!! Enjoy every moment you can with your children because when I say life flies by, LIFE FLIES BY! Take lots of pictures and videos, play and laugh with your family because it’s those memories that live on forever in our hearts. Love following you and looking forward to your post in the future.
Aw thank you Cheryl. And you are so right–life DOES fly by. I can’t believe how fast time has already gone with my little ones. The years go way too quick.
You will never regret spending more time with your kids! Simple things like going on lunchtime picnics to the playground or park. Going to the duck pond or library. Those little things are the things they remember.
Amen to that Mary. It’s so simple things I enjoy doing with them the very most.
Agree entirely – those are great summer goals! I would love to see some of the recipes you try too 😉
Thanks Robin–I’ll have to share them if we find anything awesome!!
Exactly along the lines of what I’ve been thinking for our summer too! Focusing time on my kids and all of us getting healthier eating habits, along with lots of outdoor adventures. I love your list and can’t wait to see more of your real life here and on IG. After all, you are a real person! Thanks for sharing
That you Loretta! I really appreciate your support. xoxo
What a wonderful idea to set goals for summer. I rarely get around to writing new year’s resolution as I am normally quite tired in the colder months. But the summer is when I have more energi and could easier implement new things.
Wishing you and your family a wonderful and adventurous summer! Taking more time off to be with your family sounds great. Much love <3
I feel you!! I am the exact same way with the colder months Linna. But I always love to set summer goals and it’s fun to look at this block of time as a challenge to try new things or just do thing BETTER, you know? It’s the best time of year in my opinion.
Sarah, thank you for this post! I it’s inspired me to make new goals this summer! Love seeing your posts on your little family too! They’re adorable! Enjoy ever single minute with your family! I get so much inspiration from your blog, so thank you for that! Have a wonderful day!
Donna, I can’t even tell you how much I appreciate your support. You always brighten my day with your kind words. Thank YOU for being here, it means so much! xo
Great summer goals! Support you all the way! Love your decor but would also love to see more real life posts too!
thank you so much Samantha, definitely going to try to get most of these real life posts in the mix! xo
I have been thinking/feeling so many of the same things lately. Blogging and Instagramming is so time consuming and it’s hard to find a good balance with it all. I only have 1 kid right now and I’m struggling, so I can’t even imagine trying to do it all with 3. But your heart is in the right place and it’ll all work out 💙 I wish you the best with the new goals!
It’s tough for sure but I love it, which is what keeps me going!
Good for you, Sarah! The whole blogging/social media thing is such a rat race these days that I think breaks are necessary for our sanity. Your readers will continue to follow you no matter what, I’m sure of it – we all have lives to live outside from what we share online. I hope that you’re able to achieve that balance and enjoy your family’s summer. xx
Sarah, you inspire so many every day. Never worry about those that support you. We will be here for sure. Many of your goals this summer are really attainable.
I did change my diet with fresh foods and summer is the best time for this.😄 I am already feeling better. Enjoy every minute with your family. I for one will be here enjoying it with you. 😍😍😍
Sandee, I can’t tell you how much that support means to me! I’m in a bit of a rough season with the kids and this constant sickness, so I really appreciate that. xoxo
Love that your going to start with essential oils. I became a wellness advocate for Doterra in October 2017.
I’m loving the oils. If you ever need any help, please feel free to contact me. I have an IG account as well, called Vandakingloder, check me out.
That is awesome Vanda! I am so excited to get back into oils.
Love your goals. Personally, I love Young Living essential oils. This is the only company with 35 years of research and knowledge behind their products. It is also the only company with a Seed to Seal guantee, meaning they grow and process the plants themselves. They do a wonderful job of educating you about how essential oils can improve your life. What a difference they have made in mine. Love their cleaning products. Please let me know if I can help you learn more. Keep up the good work. Love your blog.
That’s where I just ordered my oils from actually! I’m so excited to get back into them. I am desperate for some help with all the sickness we keep cycling through. I got a bunch of cleaning products too! Thanks for all the support Nancy, it means so much to me. xoxo
Those are some great goals. 🙌 I usually set goals around the new year and my birthday (my personal new year), which was Saturday. Having a beginning of summer birthday means I’m setting summer goals each year too. My summer goals are very similar to yours and focused around slowing down, enjoying the everyday moments with the fam and eating up all the yummy fresh summer produce. Cheers to summer!
aw happy late birthday Bonnie! I wish you nothing but the best in the coming year. Sending big hugs your way. xoxo
I just joined Young Living so I am excited to hear how you use essential oils. I am also interested in hearing about your clean eating ideas. I love that you have summer goals. I am a teacher so I definitely want to make the most of my summer.
My little boy got married last weekend and my little girl is getting married in the fall. My turn went by so fast! I love everything you share about your family, but continue to protect them and yourself as you do. I hope you have a summer filled with lots of family fun!
that’s awesome Deb, I just ordered my oils and cleaning products from Young Living too. Can’t wait to get back into them!
I look forward to you sharing your clean eating recipes! Your chicken tortilla soup is amazing!!!
Oh thanks for reminding me about that soup Gina, I need to make it soon!
Wishing you great success in all these changes. I know they won’t be easy.
I am reminded of the time I allowed my son and his friends to have a canned whip cream fight inside the house. They thought I was the cooles mom and it is a great remembrance 30 years later.
*Smiles*
that is such a great idea Pamela!! I am totally going to do that for the kids.
Great Goals, spend a lot of family time together. be careful on how much you expose your kids to social media. Love your blogs.
Sheila
I definitely will be Sheila! xo
ENJOY THOSE KIDS! love those wicker chairs in your dining room!? where purchased?
thanks! Those are from Pier 1: https://rstyle.me/n/c4r2whb6hgf
Hi Sarah! I love all your ideas you have for your goals! I believe those goals would be very appropiate for a lot of us to strive for, I know I should follow a few of them for myself, especially the eating better & I have thought numerous times about looking more into essential oils! That was a beautiful pic of you & the kiddos! I love the idea of you sharing more about your family life, you’re such an inspiration and I’m sure that would inspire even more people who have young families!
I agree Sherri, I think summer is the perfect time to set goals and eating healthy is so easy this time of year! Thanks for stopping in, I appreciate it! xo
Happy Memorial Day Sarah! You have so many good ideas and slowing down is got to be one of the best! Although I do like the decor parts too. Anyway kids grow so fast and it looks like this is the time in their lives that they need you the most. You are a good mama for realizing that before the summers are gone. Hope your summer days are filled with fun and joy!
They definitely need me the most right now and I’m very grateful for that! Even on the long and hard days, I am grateful. Thank you for the support Becky xoxo
Sarah, as much as I love family pictures, please be extremely careful what you post! Your family is a precious gift from God and He protects each of you. Just as you are protective of your hubby, be protective of your babies! Keep sharing your story, your decorating, and your growth and keep challenging us to grow too!
I agree Helen, that’s what my #1 goal is. And it’s hard for me to find that balance of being open and sharing our life versus never sharing anything. It’s hard but I’m trying to find a way to do both. Thanks for all your support! xo
All really good goals! Changing your diet and using the oils will benefit you greatly, especially down the road as you get older!!! Too much sugar in my diet over the years came back to bite me in the…(you know where), and I ended up with gut issues and more. Putting your kiddos as a priority will be so worth it too, because we all know they grow up SO fast! I would love to be a young mom again, they were the best years of my life! You are a strong and courageous person and I know whatever you set your mind to will be a big success!
I agree Brenda, too much sugar is like poison in the body. I’ve cut everyone way back and it’s been about a week now. It’s tough, but it’s time to make a change around here. Thank you so much for all the support, it means the world to me. xoxo
Summer is fun, and it’s nice when water play (swimming) helps wear them out. I had 3 kids too, 6 yrs between 2nd and 3rd ones…but in the summer, I started having the older two just rest when the 3rd one napped…they could read books, have music, or sleep if they felt like it, but it was time in their room separate from each other, for quiet alone time, on bed (bed tents helped that) or they could play in the room. That became my quiet time of day, I would rest, write bills, read, make calls, Bible Study, and sometimes a 10 min nap would refresh me. Midday was restful and helped me regain energy for the afternoon. A favorite cool treat, frozen yogurt (or icecream) chocolate syrup, a banana, a little milk, and scoop of peanut butter in blender was a great treat after quiet time. I do it for my 2 yr old toddler now too…he loves his banana peanut butter milkshake he calls it….I learned this one at the gym…they add a scoop of protein if wanted. Yummy, pick me up! You’re a great mom, and you can figure out how to schedule….kids are always changing, and keeping up with them is challenging, but what a joy to watch them grow…..you could always “interview” them with some fun questions and just write down answers, keep a journal on them, and how about starting a summer scrapbook if your days, with drawings, pictures, brochures, movie tickets if you go, etc….a memory book…collect leaves, press flowers, make a tent outside under a tree….best sandbox I heard of, kids tent fill with sand, zip shut to keep cats out…put under a shady spot….Pinterest always has fun things to do with kids ideas to collect too….summer can be fun!! Enjoy….all too soon they will say “see ya mom, going with my friends…..” blessings!
I love all of these ideas Faith! Thank you so much of taking time to share them with me. I am definitely a big fan of quiet time after lunch and it’s been my saving grace for years now. I like your suggestion to let music be a choice for QT, I’m going to start doing that!
Sweet Sarah, I love all your summer goals and I so admire your ambitions!!! You are a wonderful momma, blogger, decorator, and such an inspiration!!!! Thank you for the Documentary suggestion! Clean eating, EO, fitness, and a healthy life balance are part of my family’s life too….and we can definitely do much better!!! I love how open and honest this post is! You’re a gem….and I’ll just pretend you’re my real life BFF…LOL!!! Have a wonderful summer girlie!!!
Sweet Dena, you are too kind. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate all your support. It means the world to me. And we can definitely pretend to be BFFs!! I’m in!
Sarah,
It really is a challenge to work from home. As a writer with deadlines, I had to create a set schedule that I couldn’t dream of being flexible with, and I get that done and out of the way before anything! With blogging, I set a time to edit and download photos, at another time I sit down to write. It works!
I hear you on being protective of your kids, faces don’t mean much, but mentioning specific names, locations (i.e. schools, restaurants, landmarks), etc., is trouble. I think you’ve done really good as far as this goes.
I wish you much luck in exploring all the ways you can share your life and expand your blog to draw more followers in. You are really genuine and have a lot of great stuff to inspire all of us!
Jane x
I totally agree Jane, I try to be super discreet about that kind of stuff in regard to location and names. I am planning to keep up with that, but also want to try to be more open about some things. It’s a hard balance for sure. But I really appreciate all your support, means SO much to me!! xoxo
I like starting days with your blog, another favorite is “Simple Abundance”, a day book by Sarah Ban BreathNach. I think you would like that book, great for inspiration ! I am going to try to give a try at those goals you listed, all awesome ideas and I need to do more towards those areas as well. My 5 adult children have kids of their own and with a lake within 10 minutes I was thinking of making our backyard more child friendly for camp outs too. Looking forward to your projects ! Working at home is tough with little ones, you are doing great !
I love your blog so much! I can’t wait to see what’s to come.