Birthday Goals

I don't usually blog on Thursdays, but I thought it would be a fun way to document my birthday.  It's been a nice week of doing all of my favorite things - favorite restaurants, favorite activities and the kids have been excited to celebrate.  Who doesn't love a little extra love around your birthday??

3 year old Whitney 1984

Growing up we had several special traditions for our birthdays.  My mom would bake us our favorite cake and make our favorite dinner.  We'd open gifts first thing in the morning and usually go to school in a new birthday outfit.  When I got older I would always request chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and she'd write in pink frosting.  I'd take the same combo to school and my mom would write the number I was turning on the top of all the cupcakes.  I was always so excited to share them with my class.

My adult birthday traditions include spending the day with my family, fun take out dinners throughout the week, lunch with friends, cheesecake for my birthday dessert and my choice of fun things to do with my family.  I have a couple of presents to unwrap that were lovingly wrapped by Kevin and the kids :)

I am turning 36 this year

(I swear I was just turning 21 so I'm not sure how I'm already at the big 3-6!)

so I thought I'd share 9 things with you that I'd love to work on in the coming year.

9 GOALS FOR YEAR 36

1. Continue to improve my gardening skills.

2. Plan a couple of trips for our family - maybe go someplace new??

3. Dust off my DSLR camera and snap some pictures of the kids regularly.  Take more videos of the kids, too.

4. Continue getting regular exercise and eating healthier since I'm feeling better than I have in years.

5. Keep working hard to make friends and try extra hard in the family friend department.  I'd love to have some family friends that we all (kids and adults) love being around.

6. Find a church home.  I feel like we've made some progress in this department, but have yet to find the one.

7. Say yes to something that scares me.  Instead of doing my usual routine: I get excited about an idea and then tend to talk myself out of it because of all the unknowns.

8. Take advantage of having great babysitters

9. Less scrolling, more doing.  I love social media as much as the next, but I rarely finish scrolling feeling great about myself and my life.  So I'd love to do quick social media check ins and then spend my free time reading, crafting, decorating, gardening, playing, being outside and working on other hobbies.

PS Have you entered my BIG BIRTHDAY GIVEAWAY from yesterday??

It's not too late - I'll draw the winner for my post tomorrow :)  Head over here to enter to win