My Goals For 2017

I am not sure whether "goals" is the best word. These are things I would like to do in the next year, but without the pressures that come with the word "goals." I have no intention of beating myself up if these things do not get accomplished in 2017, because prioritizes change over time and in six months these things may not be the things I want out of my life at this moment. I want to use these "goals" as a guideline of the direction I want to take my life over the next year. One of the ways I am plan to meet these "goals" over the next year is my new planner. If you know me or have been reading my blog for a while you know I love planners (other posts involving my love of planners here and here). Okay enough of about planners back to the things I want to accomplish, I want to choose one goal a month to really focus on. For January I am starting with "get on a routine." I hoping being on a routine will help me stay on track during school.

• Read 5 books in one month
• Workout
• Plan blogging 
• Explore religion 
• Take up knitting again 
• Learn to rock climb 
• Finish my journal
• Get on a routine
• More me dates 
• Volunteer consistently 
• 30 day self care challenge 
• Leave the country 
• Grow my blog x5
• Run another half marathon  
• Give my all in everything

A Letter to My 12 Year Old Self

Hey me,

It's Saturday and you should probably stop watching movies on ABC Family. Seriously go have some human interaction. And next time Mom tells you your eye liner looks horrible, well it does, but it's okay you will find it out in time.

 FYI those contacts you fought so hard to get, well you are going to hate them soon. Also please do not straighten your hair everyday, please I begging you. Cherish your friends right now, they will not be your friends anymore in a few years, but you will look fondly at all the crazy things you did when you when you were in middle school. One day I promise you will understand why you freak out around people, although it does not get much better you will accept your anxiety.

Next time your parents ask you to go hang out with their friends families, go, they are family too. Trust me the memories you have playing spoons with them is way better than anything you can watch on that princess tv in your room. I promise you are not ugly. Really you are not and you will not be alone forever. In fact in a few years you are going to met someone who will teach you love and love yourself. Things do not work out like you'd always hoped, but it is okay. Be thankful anyway.

Do not ever complain about wearing matching anything with your family, they are the only one you got and one day they won't be here. Put your phone away, I can not tell you who you are texting, but I can tell you they are not that important.

Go spend time with your brothers they will be gone to college soon and you will miss them. In two years go to Disney World with your family, not school, it will be one of your biggest regrets in life. Your family will be the most important thing to you before you know it. Also the girl with the cute clothes that Kyle brought home, well in seven years he is going to marry her and she will be the best sister you could ask for.

Sweet heart stand up and don't ever get bangs, you do not look like Lily from Hannah Montana.

Eat more fat kid sundaes, like right now, seriously go.  Also dummy when your moms bring you and Maggie to the airport for a shopping spree, seriously MK you are so gullible, you are going to New York. Soon your life modo will be "it's fine" and it is fine. Everything works out how it is supposed to so don't stress the small stuff so much. 

Love,

You in seven years.

Some Things I was Thankful for Twenty-Three Months Ago ft. a Photo From Twenty-Three Months Ago

Not showering, but still not having oily hair.

Ashleigh learning to knit.

Kayla being such a good friend.

New starts.

Waking up early, but feeling good all day.

Polite children. There is hope for this world.

Warm Socks.

Seeing Frozen for the third time in theaters.

Wearing my onesie all day. 

Preplanned outfits.

Happy boyfriends.

Tea dates.

My dad coming home from a business trip.

Buying new books.

Road trips to the mountains. 

Books so good they make you donkey cry in the car.

Eating dinner in bed with my parents. 

A-Z of October

Allergic to Fleas

We found out Maci is highly allergic to fleas and having been dealing with a rash for two weeks!

Birthday Month 

So many of my family and friends have birthday's in October. Maci's birthday here

Camping 

As seen in a pervious post (here) I went camping for my birthday weekend. It was wonderful!

Eager for the Future

I am so excited for all the things I am going to do in my life and recently I just have not been able to keep it in. I get to study abroad, marrying my best friend, become a sociologist, be a mom, be a blogger. I am constantly having to remind myself, "hey, you, enjoy life now."

Fair

More about that night, here.

Glen Haven

This month I had the wonderful opportunity to volunteer at a migrate housing center. It was very strange watching children have a conversation while I was clueless to what they saying. At first I was uncomfortable being there which forced me to learn. I learned to let go of my expectations. I learned attitude is a universal language. I learned to do what I was being asked even when I did not know what I was doing. This was an eye opening experience for me and I cannot wait to do it again.

Ideal

By Ayn Rand.

Just being myself

This month I have been trying be myself in every situation. I believe being yourself is the best solution, but it can be hard when have exceptions by other people to be someone else. So I have be working on fully being myself respecting other opinions but not caring what they think about my choices.

Kittens

One day this month while I was leaving tutoring I saw two kittens and my big heart took over and I could not help it. So Angelica may hate me for having cats in the house for two weeks, it's fine. I think we finally them happy homes!

Layering Clothes

With the weather getting cold I have been experimenting with different outfit ideas.

 Morning Routine

I have found my morning routine and worked it out to a T this month. I may do a full post on it so I will not go into too detail right now, but it is the perfect was to start my morning off and puts me in a great mood.

New Hair

For my birthday present to myself I dye my hair almost blonde. I want it to be platinum, so I can cross that off my bucket list.

Old New Phone

Sadly I broke my iphone this month so I had to downgrade to a different phone, but thank you Will for letting me borrow it!

Papers

I feel like my whole life this month has been writing papers for school. In fact right now as I am writing this I should be writing a paper for school.

Queen of Pantyhose

I LOVE pantyhose! I love them, I love them, I love them. It makes me so happy to wear a dress with pantyhose.

Rain

The first half of October was just rain, rain, and a little more rain.

Sweaters

I have officially broken out all of my gray sweaters and I could not be happier about it.

Tests

Yeah, when I was not writing a paper I have been studying for a test. Needless to say I am ready for this semester to be over.

Unpacking, Repacking

I feel like I have barely been at my apartment this month.

Videos

I made my first video for the blog, which can be seen here.

Wedding

My brother got married!! Honestly their wedding day might have been the happiest day of my life (until my wedding day, of course). Here, is the letter I wrote to my brother and sister.

X

Guys I really cannot find a word that starts with X that reflects my month (or that I understand for that matter)

You are a Badass

By Jen Sincero. If you need a pick me up or want to feel more condfient about your future this is the way to go.

Zzzz's

Between school work, birthday's , and wedding events I have not had nearly enough sleep this month.

Graduation and Thank You's

It is over. It still doesn’t feel real to me. The past four years have had the best and worst years of my life in them. Although I hope to look back fondly on my years in high school, I am not sorry to say they are over. I am so excited about all of the new experiences that are coming my way in the next part of my life. I was extremely happy to have my family here to celebrate this with me.  I couldn’t have made it through these past few years without my closest friends and family.

Mom,

Thank you for teaching me to always put others before myself and love unconditionally.

Dad,

Thank you for showing my how to live a glass half full kind of life no matter what gets thrown at you.

Criston,

Thank you for being a role model to me.

Anna,

Thank you for being my best friend even from 400 miles away.

Colby,

Thank you for always encouraging me to be myself and not be afraid to be different.

Kyle,

Thank you for showing me how to stand on my own two feet and sticking up for me when I couldn’t.

Will,

Thank you for being my number one cheerleader and inspiring me to follow my dreams.

Haley and Ashley,

Thank you for making me smile on days I didn’t think I could.

Everyone else that I love,

Thank you for being there to encourage, love, and support me. You all mean the world to me.

xoxo,

         MK