December's Bookshelf

It honestly feels like yesterday that I sat down at my desk and crafted my list of #simplegoals, which included reading 48 books over the course of the year. And yet, here we are. The year has passed us by, and I ended the year with 62 books read from my TBR shelf (both physical and Kindle). It just goes to show that sometimes you have to set a goal in order to make things happen. Even something as simple as making time to read more books.

Photo by Madara Parma on Unsplash

Since it was the month of festivities I wasn't sure how many I would finish this month, and as it turns out...that number was one. HA! However, the one I did manage to finish was a holiday-themed book from my shelf, which made it fun. 

1. Noel Streatfeild's Christmas Stories - ★★★ I wasn't sure what to expect from this book, but I had previously read Streatfeild's Ballet Shoes (thanks to the recommendation in You've Got Mail!) and I enjoyed the writing style, so I think my expectations were a little high for this one. It was simply a series of stand-alone Christmas-y stories, all with happy endings (so I can't complain there), but some of them felt like we'd jumped into the middle of a story and were missing context. This isn't one I would highly recommend, nor will I probably ever read it again, but it was still a super simple book to boost me into my December reads, so I'll take it. Plus, the cover is beautiful (nice for displaying). {Amazon Associates Link}

And now we're in a new month, the first one of the year! And the whole year is before us, ready for new series and new reading challenges. I'm gearing up for 60+ books this year, and looking forward to getting a reward now and then for my efforts. 

What book will you be starting out the new year with? 

An old friend or a new acquaintance? 

Best Books of 2024 (and 2025 #bookgoals)

When I set out my Simple Goals for the year, I decided to set a goal of reading four books a month, for a total of 48 books for the year. I hit that goal in August and continued forward, which is one of the reasons I set my 2025 reading goal at five books a month (60 books for the year).

During the last twelve months, I've read some hits and some misses, and the only re-read I had on the list was a book I read to two of my kids, just for fun. If you follow me on Goodreads, have seen any of my posts on Instagram, or have read the blog over the last year, none of these will be a surprise. However, I wanted to give a round of of the best books of 2024, and shortened reviews of why you should consider picking up copies for your 2025 reading list. Bookworms ready? Let's go!

Photo by Nong on Unsplash

Best Books of 2024

January: The Watchmaker's Daughter by Larry Loftis - ★★★★★ A fantastic historical account of the life of Corrie ten Boom, her family and friends' involvement in the Dutch Resistance, and those who found refuge in the secret Hiding Place. Heavy stuff, but an absolute MUST READ. {Amazon Associates Link} 

February - Nothing to write home about, sadly.

March: Irena's Children: Young Readers Edition by Mary Cronk Farrell/Tilar J. Mazzeo - ★★★★★ Another heavy hitter, but another MUST READ (still have the adult version on my TBR list). The torture, although toned down for the YRE, was almost more than my mind could grasp. These are such important stories to tell, read, and remember, because forgetting will only take us back to that same place in the future. {Amazon Associates Link}

April: The Worst Hard Time by Timothy Egan - ★★★★ Covering the dirty thirties in the U.S., a decade of dust, disaster, death, and destruction, including "Black Sunday" and the realities of "dust pneumonia." I got several members of my extended family to read this as well. Great for history buffs who think they've heard it all!{Amazon Associates Link}

May and June - another couple of "meh" months in the book department.

July: Code Girls by Liza Mundy - ★★★★★ A well-written tale of the unsung heroines of code breaking, both military and civilian. As the Greatest Generation leaves us, it's vital to remember these stories and pass them on to the next generation so we do not forget the sacrifices that were made by so many. {Amazon Associates Link}  

August: Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz - ★★★★★ From the 1950's to modern times and back again - this was altogether a pleasant surprise and one which I have few qualms about recommending to anyone who enjoys a "good" murder mystery with plenty of references to Poirot, Sherlock Holmes, and Midsomer Murders. {Amazon Associates Link}

September: The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman - ★★★★★ Nursing home friends with plenty of kick left in them, solving crimes using a lifetime of skills and connections. No questionable language, no unnecessary sexual encounters, and an ending I can totally live with. Two thumbs way up. {Amazon Associates Link}

October: Agatha Christie: An Autobiography by Agatha Christie - ★★★★★ A fascinating woman who never took herself seriously as an author, I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about this woman - from her childhood through her early adult years, her foray into Middle Eastern travel, her second life with Max (13-years her junior!), all the way through her 75th year. {Amazon Associates Link}

November: The Answer is No: A Short Story by Fredrik Backman - ★★★★★ Just 65 pages, so definitely in the "short story" category, but I chuckled all the way through. This man gets introverts. I felt so seen! Download it for an easy, enjoyable read. {Amazon Associates Link} 

December: Too busy to read all that much, and nothing that stood out.

Looking Ahead

My reading goals for 2025 give me a little more leeway, although I still plan to continue working my way through the books that have been languishing on my shelves for far too long. They either need to be read or go away, and I'd prefer to read them before they depart. However, this year I'm planning to do two things differently with my #bookgoals:

1. Although I am primarily focusing on reading new-to-me books, I am allowing a handful of re-reads, as needed. This is especially true if I find myself in a book slump (as I did a couple of  times in 2024), and need to read something that I know I'll enjoy (like the Father Tim series, or the Miss Read books).
2. After every 10 books I read from my shelf (or Kindle library), I am allowed to buy one new (to me) book. The only books I purchased in 2024 were purchased using gift cards I received, or using Kindle points that had collected. This year I want to be a little more flexible, but still focus on reading through my TBR stacks before adding any more to the pile. 

Hit me up in the comments with your best book (or books) of 2024, and also how you keep your motivation going during slumps or other reading slowdowns. What book are you looking forward to reading this year? Do you have a TBR pile that's giving you the evil eye for not doing anything with it? Maybe 2025 is the year!

📚 Happy Reading! 📚

#iamthankful for BOOKS! (November Book Reviews)

'Tis the season of thankfulness, and one of the things I am the most thankful for has been the role of books throughout my life. Raised in a household of readers, encouraged to read young, read big, and read often, the title of "Bookworm" was a badge I wore proudly. And yes, there have been seasons of drought in my reading life, but like most things, these ebb and flow, depending on the stage of life. 

When we first adopted our five kids, I was barely hanging on to my sanity, and there didn't seem to be any time to read, and yet I knew it was a habit I wanted to actively model for them. During that period, I purposely went back to some childhood favorites - almost a comfort food, if you will - which helped me remember that this too, would pass. And it did. Eight years later, most of my kids can be found with a book in their hands (or at least nearby), and so my gratitude for the effects of books, both on myself and my children, continues to grow.

In October, I refocused on how I used my time, and brought my book total for the year up to 57 (out of a planned 48). I wasn't sure what November was going to look like, but as is the case in so many households, I knew that there was potential for some familial stress around the holidays (starting at Thanksgiving), and I knew that making time for reading (there's that sanity-saving factor again) was going to be important. That, in addition to counting my blessings, large and small.

• God's provision.
• My loved ones.
• Reliable transportation.
• Pumpkin Spice Lattes.
• Bookshelves of books.

The result of this focus (piggybacking off the "Do Something" goal of October) can be seen in the list of book reviews below. Some really good, one average, but none of them a waste of time, because they all made me think in different ways. 

1. A Song of Comfortable Chairs by Alexander McCall Smith - ★★★★★ It's hard to go wrong with a No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency book if you're looking for a quick, easy, comfort read. It's like the Mitford of Africa. This time, Mma Ramotswe is on the defense of Mma Makutsi's furniture-selling husband, Phuti, who is experiencing some financial difficulities after competition comes to town and continually undercuts his prices. But never fear, Mma Ramotswe has a plan, and as always, it is executed with precision and a little African charm. You can jump into any book in this series and immediately feel right at home. So brew a pot of rooibos tea and curl up for a cozy evening with the women of the best detective agency in all of Botswana. Five stars. {Amazon Associates Link}
2. The Answer is No: A Short Story by Fredrik Backman - ★★★★★ I had not read anything by this author before, but I came across his account on Instagram, and his posts often made me laugh. So, when this was one of the Amazon Prime First Reads in November, I didn't hesitate before downloading. It's only about 65 pages, so definitely in the "short story" category, but I chuckled all the way through. This man gets introverts. I felt so seen! The witty banter, the fear of opening his neat life up to anyone, and the absolutely absurd story of "the pile" were the perfect mix for me. In fact, I was reading this at my desk while the kids did school, and I kept having to put my hand over my mouth to keep from laughing out loud. Even though no longer free, it's still cheap ($1.99 as of this writing) and I would highly recommend downloading it for an easy, enjoyable read. Five stars. {Amazon Associates Link} 
3. Deadly Company by Ann Granger - ★★★ I've read several books by this author, but this one felt a bit rough. I'm not sure if it was a lack of editing (the phrase "the smile didn't go to his/her eyes" was used multiple times), or a rush to get it done (she wrote it in 2020 and even mention this fact in a note at the start of the book), with a rather thin plot line. It's definitely not my favorite. And while I wasn't sure who murdered whom, it wasn't actually a surprise when all was revealed either. I'd definitely start with one of her other books before recommending this one. Fortunately, I got this one using Amazon ebook credits, so it wasn't a huge loss, and it was still an enjoyable way to spend a late night reading. Three stars. {Amazon Associates Link}
4. Salt, Sugar, Fat: How the Food Giants Hooked Us by Michael Moss - ★★★★★ It took me a while to read through this book, and honestly, it was because, like the fatty, salty, sugary foods Moss uncovers, I was trying to process what he was saying and break a 40+ year habit of thinking any processed foods were better than others. Reading labels? EYE. OPENING. Why does ice cream have 37 ingredients, most of which I can't pronounce? What happened to cream, sugar, milk, and a handful of flavor ingredients? They're regulated to the $6/quarts, rather than the $3/gallons. I highly recommend taking the time to read this book. Take it a bite at a time, if you will. Do we still eat junk food? Of course. But it's no longer the standard in our home, just an occasional treat. The fruit drawer, however, is filled. Most meals are prepared and eaten at home. Fast-food is limited. Small steps, but I believe they are making a difference. Five stars. {Amazon Associates Link}

Hit me up in the comments with your favorite book from the last month!

Thinking Ahead (Simple Goals for 2025)

I know it's not January, but it's never too soon to start thinking ahead. I've been seeing posts about how fall is a new starting point for a lot of people. I think the thing I'd add to that is that any point in the year can be a starting point. It could be a random Tuesday in May when you decide, "I've had it. I'm going to start walking every day." And then you do it. Starting points are any time you've had enough of the old habits and you want a change. I have nothing to back me up on this, but my theory is that if you wait until later to start, you're probably not going to do it at all.  

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

I've set a lot of goals over the years, but 2024 is the first year I've actually followed through on the majority of them - even though there were some starts and stops and restarts throughout the year. I think one of the biggest reasons for the changes this year is because I wrote my goals down in so many places. I made it public on the blog (for the six people who read it). I posted about it on Instagram (for the 15 people who see those posts). I wrote them in paper notebooks for my own reminder. I set goals in my digital notes on my phone so I could check in and check them off every month. I made new savings accounts for specific financial goals as a tangible reminder every time I logged on for banking stuff. If I don't keep it front and center, then other things take over and the goals fade into the background of busyness. 

Throughout the year I've had little thoughts here and there about the goals I'd like to set for 2025. And although it's a little early, and these aren't set in stone, I'm taking the first step towards making them happen by putting them out there for others to see. Last year I set 24 goals for 2024. I don't know that I'll set 25 goals this year, but this is the starting point. And since goals change and evolve over the year, I think I'll leave room to add to this list as the months tick past. Some are similar to the goals I set for myself this year. Some have slight tweaks. Some are totally new. And all of them stretch me in some way, which is really why we have goals, right? Because staying the same is boring. Let's not be boring.

2025 #SimpleGoals Starting Point

1. Read 60 books (five books a month) - preferably books I already own.
2. After completing 10 TBR books from my shelf, I get one new book. (If you're a child of the 80s, think Booking It, but for adults. Instead of a personal pan pizza, I get a new book.)
3. Add the stationary bike into the mix of exercise (I have it, I just don't use it).
4. Continue to walk 5 days a week, 20+ minutes a day.
5. Get rid of one thing a day (trash and junk mail doesn't count) for a total of 365 items gone.
6. Put experiences on the calendar and make them happen.
7. Once a week, do something special with the Hubs, even if it's just grabbing coffee.
8. Try 52 new recipes (one per week).
9. More fruits and veggies for snacking.
10. Say "yes" to something that challenges me (either personally or professionally).
11. Say "no" to things that don't add value (and work on not feeling guilty).
12. Loosen up. Keep rooting out that inner control enthusiast.
13. Be intentional about spending time with individual kids.
14. Plan a trip, put it on the calendar, save for it, make it happen.
15. Intentionally build relationships - with new people, existing acquaintances, and family.
16. Listen more. Talk less. (Definitely keeping this one from 2024!)
17. Spend time with my parents (another continuation from this year).
18. Find ways to serve the local community as a family.
19. Don't stress about what "might" be. (Another goody from 2024 that I'm keeping!)
20. Write down my #iamthankful list every day. A habit I've recently restarted.
21. ???
22. ???
23. ???
24. ???
25. ???

Have you started thinking about YOUR list?

Making Time to Read (October Books in Review)

If you read my last post, you know that our area (East TN, Western NC) was directly hit by the flooding from Hurricane Helene. Because of that, and so many other things that took place, I only made it through two books in September. It was the first time all year I've failed to read at least four books in a month. I also got thrown off my walking groove those last few days of the month and the first few of October, which is when I decided to set my goal for the tenth month of the year, and it was this...

It felt like an appropriate goal, not just to nudge me back on the reading and walking train, but because there is so much chaos and destruction around us. It's almost hard to know where to start. But then I think about this goal, and that really sums it up, doesn't it? Don't know where to start? Feeling overwhelmed? Just DO SOMETHING. Offer to help a neighbor. Look for a way to organize donations. Give your free time to muck mud out of a house or take a hot meal to those who have no way of cooking at the moment. It doesn't have to be big to be meaningful. 

To make this goal happen, I just grabbed books off my bookshelf or Kindle list and started reading them. I didn't worry about whether they were great literature or not, I just wanted to read something. I didn't focus on walking a mile in less than 20 minutes this month, I just focused on walking 20 minutes. Whatever you might be putting off because you don't know when or where or how to start (or restart), just do something. Get up off the couch and walk laps around your driveway. Open your Kindle app instead of Instagram. Contact local organizations working to help others - wherever you are - and ask what it would take to volunteer for a day. Go do something. You'll feel better for it.

And as for those books I mentioned? Well, here they are (and yes, there is even a re-read in there, the first one of the year, because I read it out loud to my two youngest - and they still giggled, which I love). Since it was October I allowed myself to focus a bit more on the mysteries, mystery writers, who-done-its, and "cozy murders" I'd been hoarding.

1. The Queen of Poisons by Robert Thorogood - ★★★★ It's no secret by now that I really enjoy Robert Thorogood as a writer (including his writing/creating of Death in Paradise), and I really love this series with the quirky Suzy, the formidable Judith, and the ever surprising Becks. Book #3 in the series was just as delightful as the first two, though it fell slightly flat in a few places, thus the four stars rather than five - but this can be easily forgiven! And I was still guessing as to the identity of the murderer right up to the big reveal. It was the perfect cozy weekend mystery where I could lose myself from the chaos of the real world for a while. I can't wait to see what these lovely ladies get up to in book #4! Four Stars. {Amazon Associates Link} 
2. Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater - ★★★★★ The story behind me reading this book for the first time (age 7) is long and boring, but over the years I have reread it a few times, most recently with my two youngest (ages 12 and 13), as they still humor me when I read children's stories out loud to them. For those who haven't read it, Mr. Popper is a bit of an eccentric house painter, with a very patient family, who loves learning about life at the Poles more than anything else. When an Antarctic explorer hears about Mr. Popper, he ships off a penguin, Captain Cook, to become the newest inhabitant of the Popper household. The Poppers eventually end up with twelve energetic penguins who take the Popper family from coast to coast, and beyond! Five stars. {Amazon Associates Link}
3. Absolution by Murder by Peter Tremayne - ★★ Book #1 (of 35) of the Sister Fidelma Mysteries. I received this as part of a Secret Santa gift last year from someone who knew I liked to read cozy mysteries. It was okay if you like mysteries set in the 7th century involving monks and religious women who may or may not be interested in each other. It didn't have any objectionable scenes or crass language, so that's a bonus, and the murderer wasn't immediately obvious, so that was nice. Three murders later, with an Irish female law expert (Sister Fidelma) leading the case, everything is wrapped up, the religious debate where all of this has been happening has been settled, and we're left with an open door to the next book. Two-and-a-half stars. {Amazon Associates Link} 
4. Blackbeard's Ghost by Ben Stahl - ★★ I grew up watching the 1960s Disney movie by the same name, and purchased this after I noticed (as an adult) that the movie was based off of the book by Ben Stahl. Let me just say that it's not the book's fault that it is NOTHING like the movie, but it tainted my enjoyment of the book for its own merit. The only thing it had in common with the movie was the character of Blackbeard and the fact that he got called back as a ghost. Otherwise, absolutely nothing like the film. Apart from that, the story was just so-so, the character development was lacking, and it was kind of like a poorly written Hardy Boys (which is saying something). In the case of the movie, Disney improved the story (by essentially rewriting the entire thing). Overall, while I'm glad I read it for the experience, I just can't give it more than 2 stars. Watch the movie! {Amazon Associates Links: Book or Movie}
5. Murder Your Employer by Rupert Holmes - ★★★★ I promise I'm not a homicidal maniac looking for ways to off the people I work with (helps that I do contract work!), but I had Kindle credits and it came up as something I might like based on other books I read, and so here we are. The beginning of the book was a bit slow, but around the half-way mark it picked up speed until I was having a hard time putting it down. Despite it being a book about teaching people to murder their employer, there was a surprising moral code to it. One caveat is that, especially when we actually get into the murders, there is some sexual content (not graphic, but implied), and some vulgarities (including misusing Christ's name). Still, the ending was a total surprise (all the way to the very end in the epilogue), and while I waffled between three and four stars, I ended up going with four, because it's a unique story, and no one seems to be able to come up with those anymore. {Amazon Associates Link} 
6. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving - ★★★★★ If you haven't read the original version of this short story and have only seen the Disney cartoon with Bing Crosby crooning, you are missing out. As I read this aloud to my kids for school literature yesterday, I was struck by two things. 1) How closely the cartoon followed the book - down to the words/phrases used. They primarily cut out the descriptions, and added a couple of things to make it more humorous. 2) The number of vocabulary words now gone from our daily communications. I knew (or at least had a familiarity with) about 98% of the words Mr. Irving used, and even though I consider myself well-read and well-educated, there were still a handful of words I had never heard before or couldn't define. We have truly handicapped ourselves by allowing words to be redefined or lost altogether, but we don't have to give up without a fight, which is why both my kids and I read books like this. Five stars. {Amazon Associates Link}
7. Agatha Christie: An Autobiography by Agatha Christie - ★★★★★ As a long-time fan of her most famous Belgian detective, I was excited when I discovered Agatha had also taken the time to pen an autobiography. A fascinating woman with an intriguing family and a unique life, who never took herself seriously as an author, I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about this woman - from her childhood through her early adult years, her foray into Middle Eastern travel, her second life with Max (13-years her junior!), all the way through her 75th year. This was a fantastic way to end the month's reading goals. If you enjoy her mystery writing and plays, you will probably appreciate this. Her writing is never boring, despite her protestations. Would recommend. Five stars. {Amazon Associates Link}

And with that, October and her books come to and end. Choosing to "Do Something" more than made up for the lack of reading last month and it was a delight to make time for books that engaged me, or at least got my out of my reading rut. Same with the walking - although I stopped aiming for a under-20-minute-mile pace, I hit it almost daily. Good habits build on each other. Today is November 1st. Get out there and Do Something today. 

Happy Doing!

Notes from My Bookshelf: September

NOTE: To be perfectly frank, I wrote most of this blog post at the beginning of September. But the last four days of the month have changed everything. The community where I live in upper East Tennessee was devastated by Hurricane Helene. Roads washed away (including portions of I-26 and I-40 between here and Asheville, NC), houses completely gone, electricity and water cut off - in some areas it will be weeks before it comes back, people have lost everything, and the final total of casualties has yet to be determined. While we, personally, had very little direct impact (a tree down, lost water for a day), our community and the surrounding areas, are hurting, and therefore, so are we. We're doing what we can to help - cutting up trees, volunteering at our local Park and Rec to receive, organize, and hand out donations, but it the weight of this event is still being felt, and it will be years before this beautiful mountain area I am blessed to call "home" recovers. Please pray for us, for East TN and Western NC, and upstate SC. 

WRITTEN PRIOR TO 9/27 ↓

I got a new mug for this fall season that reads, "The -ber months are finally here" and nothing could sum up my feelings about autumn any better than that. The occasional morning crispness, the evening chill that takes us from summer heat to the hint that cooler seasons will not abandon us forever. The smell of bonfires, the crunch of autumn apples (dipped in caramel), and the pumpkins. Of course the pumpkins. Forever a pumpkin girl. The self-seeding pumpkin patch in my backyard is all ablaze with yellow flowers and growing enough pumpkins to satisfy even my desires. And every November, when we toss them back into the corner, it's a bit like saying, "Goodbye dear friend. We'll see you again next year, when winter has brought rot and spring has turned you to seeds. When summer is finally over and your green stems will poke out again and remind me, as surely as you always do, that you will be back, just in time for autumn." 

Photo by alex geerts on Unsplash

Knowing that I had already met my goal of 48 books for the year didn't stop me from attempting to stick to my sub-goal of reading four books a month. What did stop me was a hectic family schedule and a large proofreading job the last week of the month. Life happens. EDIT: I still had hopes when I updated this on 9/25 that I would finish at least one more book, possibly two, but after Hurricane Helene unloaded on us on 9/27, all thoughts of reading were gone.

However, it also didn't deter me from getting into some more comfortable territory, with mystery being a top contender for my attention this month (I have two more going in my Kindle app at the moment). Now that the "race" to complete the larger goal is over, I'm still focusing on the books that have been sitting on my shelves (virtual or physical) for months, even years, awaiting their turn on my nightstand. Here's what I read through this month:

1. Swiss Family Robinson by Yohann David Wyss - ★★★★ It took me almost a year to get through this book with my youngest (she was 11 when we started, she's 12 now), but it was more a matter of life interruptions than disinterest in the story. After showing her the old Disney film, I insisted that we read the book together so she could hear the original. It was our regular read-aloud on her night each week (until life intervened), but we finally finished it this month and she was glued to the story. Our biggest complaints (and the reason it's probably more like a 3.5 star than a true 4 star) was just that there were a LOT of animals and names to keep straight, and we both found that a bit difficult, in addition to the boys names being similar. However, while I don't plan on reading it again, it is a definite "should read at least once" book. Just make sure you get the unabridged version! Three-and-a-half-stars. {Amazon Associates Link}
2. The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman - ★★★★★ Oh my goodness, I had minimally high hopes for this one, and for once I wasn't disappointed! I've been so sick of three star books, so this was a delightful discovery. The way I've been describing it to people (and I know I'm a bit late to the party, but still...) is like every cozy BBC mystery show meets Jessica Fletcher and her friends. Nursing home friends with plenty of kick left in them, solving crimes using a lifetime of skills and connections. No questionable language (THANK YOU MR. OSMAN!), no unnecessary sexual encounters, and an ending I can totally live with. Two thumbs way up. I got this on Kindle last October, and now I'm thinking it's time to use some Barnes & Noble gift cards I've been hoarding to buy the others! Five stars. {Amazon Associates Link}

If you've made it this far, thanks for reading. Wherever you're reading from, I hope you and your family are safe and well, and that you're enjoying whatever signs of fall are showing themselves in your area. Make time to read and do the things you love, with the people you love, because we're not guaranteed tomorrow. 

Simple Goal Check-In (September)

In January I wrote a post outlining the 24 #simplegoals I had selected to work towards in 2024, and I gave a longer update in June about how things were going at the half-way point. As we're entering the final quarter of the year (mind boggling!) I thought now would be a good time to check in on those and let you know where things stand. 

Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash

24 Simple Goals in 2024

1. Buy no new books. Two, maybe three books. Calling this a success! 
2. Read 48 books from my own shelves. DONE!
3. Use the treadmill. Walking six days a week since June 1st.
4. Put the phone down. TERRIBLE, but a work in progress.
5. Clean out and pare down. Some, but not as much as I was hoping to.
6. Save for a rainy day. Did well, had low income months, had to use it for bills.
7. Use cash for certain expenditures. Off and on.
8. Burn the candles. Two thumbs up! But...I also bought more. {Facepalm}
9. Create a repertoire of simple meals. Meh.
10. More fresh foods, less processed, sugary, high-carb stuff. Definitely working on this!
11. Avoid Amazon on bad days and late nights. Better, but room for improvement.
12. Say "yes" to something new at work. I just did, in fact!
13. Say "no" to things that don't add value. Much better at this!
14. Eat the food we already have. Working on this, but still room to improve.
15. Participate in teaching my newest driver how to drive. There's been a "pause" on that.
16. Save for a school trip in the '24/'25 school year. See "bills due, low cash months."
17. Host more meals with friends and acquaintances. There are seasons for this - yes and no.
18. Listen more. Talk less. I feel like I've improved in this area, but still room to grow.
19. Spend time with my parents. Time is fleeting. Been mindful about stopping by.
20. Give quality gifts, not quantity (next Christmas). Fewer gifts, for sure. Progress.
21. Build relationships with family. I think there have been some positive steps.
22. Write more. Shockingly, I've been faithful to write at least once-a-month on the blog!
23. Don't stress about what "might" be. I have been learning to let go faster.
24. Count my blessings. Work in progress.

Under the heading of each of these goals, I also set some sub-goals that give me baby-step achievements along the way. Something to celebrate and help with motivation. For example, when I set the goal of reading 48 books this year, I broke that down to reading at least four books a month. Obviously, there were months when I read more than that (and achieved my goal for the year sooner than expected), but setting that smaller monthly goal helped keep me on track and motivated to keep going. 

I did the same thing with using the treadmill, but I didn't figure out the sub-goals for that until the middle of the year. I had started out strong on the walking in the beginning (like most people when they set their New Year Resolutions), but then faded off after getting sick and having some calendar challenges. But in May, when I was fed up with my lack of self-discipline, I decided to set a goal for the month of June: Walk Every Day in June. About 10 days into it, after talking to a couple of my accountability partners, I decided to take Sundays off. So six days a week, I was downstairs, walking between 5-30 minutes a day. I gave myself a wide target to hit...making it easier to achieve my goal. I don't feel like walking...it's just 5 minutes. And usually, after 5 minutes, I would tell myself, "It's just 5 more, keep going." Which is how, most days, I ended up walking at least 20 minutes a day. 

In July I decided to change the target: Walk Six Days a Week, at Least 1 Mile. And I did it. In August, I decided to work on increasing my speed from a 20-minute mile, to less than 20 minutes. Didn't matter how much less, just that it was. By the end of the month I was regularly walking in the 16:50/mile range. Just by setting a smaller sub-goal to challenge myself, I was not only hitting my #simplegoals for the year, but getting a renewed sense of accomplishment each month as I checked off another goal. This month I decided I would take the first step to work my way up in mileage, by walking 1.25 miles every day, under 20 minutes. Not only is it good for my mental health, but I am noticing more stamina, less shortness of breath, and definitely better calf muscles. That's a win-win-win for simple goals!

How are you doing with your goals for the year?

Do you do a regular check-in to see how things are going?

It's not too late to set smaller goals for the remainder of the year!