My 2017 Goals & Resolutions

Happy New Year!  Hello 2017.  While I wouldn't consider myself a traditionalist, one tradition I love repeating year after is setting my goals and resolutions for the incoming year.  This year was no exception.  I'm excited and anxious to get started crossing accomplishments off my list!  Keep scrolling to see what I'm hoping to accomplish over the next 12 months.

My 2016 Goals & Resolutions

"We can become the masters of our own destinies by practicing self-discipline and by setting worthy goals that will lead to higher ground so that we can  become what our Heavenly Father wants us to become."

~ M. Russell Ballard

I couldn't agree more with Ballard.  Setting yearly goals and resolutions gives me a clear and more concrete focus on what direction I want my life to move in for said year.  Last year might have been a bit rocky, but I was still able to knock some of my goals.  Persevering through my challenges has without a doubt led me to a higher ground as well as made me an even better person.  When all's said and done, I truly believe that that was what God wanted for me- to make and mold me into a better, more understanding and more faithful woman.

Therefore I decided to once again pick up the reigns of my destiny and set some new goals and resolutions for 2016 as well as to continue making progress on a few that rolled over from 2015.  The kids made some goals of their own for the New Year as well.  Another activity/tradition that I kept alive this year was creating vision boards together as a family. See our boards from last year here.

I'm a visual learner.  Therefore having visual representations/inspirations of what I want to accomplish is very helpful and motivating to me.  I'll be sharing more about our vision boards later.  Meanwhile you can check out a brief list of some my goals and resolutions for 2016 below.

Family vision boards in progress!  #YUMMommy #visionboard #familygoals

A photo posted by K. Elizabeth (YUMMommy™) (@theyummommy) on Jan 1, 2016 at 5:12pm PST

Home Life

- Declutter: This is at the top of my list because I refuse to take any junk or items that we haven't used in over a year to our new place this summer.  So far we've already donated a few bags and boxes of stuff to a local charity as well as shown our recycling bins loads of love.

- Read my devotional daily:  The lovely folks over at FaithWords sent me a copy of Unafraid: 365 Days Without Fear (affiliate link) by Gracie Malone this past November and I enjoyed it right away.  Since I had already started it, I decided to continue reading it in the New Year.  Each devotional is dated, but you could totally skip around and read the devotional that best fits your mood or need.  I'm determined to continue growing in my faith.

- Travel/Take another vacation:  We didn't get to visit New York or New Orleans last year, but we did get to take a mini family vacation to Atlanta and went to Myrtle Beach for a surprise visit to see my little brother.  This year I'd like to show the kids more of both our state as well as our country.  Right now we're aiming towards taking a trip to Disney World and having my mom, niece and baby sister tag along with me and the kids for either Thanksgiving or Christmas Break.  SN: Check out Nakia Cole from Kingdom Destinations if you're in the market for a travel agent and want to miss out on some of the headaches planning a long distance vacation or trip can be.

- Refresh my Spanish:  Long story short, I used to be able to speak and write fluent conversational Spanish with no issues.  However, a few years of not speaking Spanish has me needing a refresher course or two on my favorite language.  The kids will be taking lessons with me.  I've taught them numbers, colors and a few words/phrases that I can still recall off the top of my head, but I'd love if Spanish became their second language.  We'll also be learning a Italian too!

Relationships

- Create a marriage notebook/journal:  Any lasting and great relationship takes hard work.  So I plan to put in lots of hard work by creating a marriage notebook/journal where the Mr and I can share our deepest thoughts, relationship wish lists and more for each other to read and discuss.

- Host a monthly family night:  Games, movies, junk food, laughs and the whole nine yards.  I want 2016 to be the year our family rediscovers its fun side.  My kids are getting older and keeping my bond with them strong is more important than ever as they get exposed to other (negative) influences.  Using family night as another tool to build up their trust and comfort in confiding in me.  Also, I just love having a blast with my loved ones and to do more of that in 2016!

- Send out more snail mail:  Technology is cool.  It's quick and it's fast, but sometimes you have to kick it ol' school again.  This year I'm taking it back to the start like Coldplay and sending out more cards for the major holidays, birthdays and update letters to family and friends.  My aim is not to receive any back in return, but to simply let them know that they are constantly on my mind, in my heart and loved by me and my family.  Both my family and hometown experienced quite a few deaths last year.  If there's anything I've learned from saying goodbye forever it's that you often regret the times you had the opportunity to say so much more.

- Visit a bestie:  I haven't seen any of my besties in over two years y'all!  We all went to college together in the Queen City and then they all dipped out and moved back home after graduation.  4 out of 5 of us have kids and 3 out of 5 of us are married.  So, I'd say we're overdue for some face-to-face catching up.  I'm not sure if I can make a reunion with everyone happen, but I can try to reunite with them individually!

Career

- Collaborate:  While I did collaborate once or twice last year, I want collaborate even this year with other content creators as well as non-creatives.  I've been jotted down notes for potential projects as well as a wish list for those folks (and brands) I'd like to work with for those projects.  Here's to seeing some new faces besides my own and the kids on YUMMommy!

- Attend a blog conference:  I haven't attended a blog conference in a while.  With the world of blogging, vlogging and social media changing so fast, attending the classes/sessions that some of these conferences offer would provide me with a wealth of information.  Not mention blog conferences are great places to network and meet new friends.

- Better monetize my brand:  Simply put more in my pockets opens up the door for me to invest back more into YUMMommy and better enhance your experiences here.

Finances/Money

- Set up bank accounts for kids:  I can talk to the kids about money all I want, but the best way for them to learn is through hands on learning.  Therefore, I'm going to be setting up kids/student accounts for them at my bank.  They'll have deposit all of their money except for what they plan to tithe at church that Sunday.  From there we'll decide what percentage can be used of frivolous stuff and what percentage has to stay in the bank (because college time will be here before we know it).  They'll also get to learn how to use debit cards and write checks in the process.

- Make double mortgage payments:  There no sense in racking up extra interest or dragging out mortgage payment if I don't have to.  Once we actually start paying a mortgage our goal is to pay it back in the half time or less outlined on our loan.  Debt freedom is the name of the game for 2016 and I'm going all in.

- Get back to couponing:  The coupon notebook and envelopes have returned.  It's not cheap feeding a family with food allergies.  Who knew it cost so much to keep harmful chemicals and preservatives out of your food?  Plus, my kids are growing like weeds and that means they're really putting the food away now.  I can't even be upset because they get that from my side of the family.  In order to keep up with their growing bodies, my stockpile must return and in order to bring back the stockpile and free up more cash for food and other essentials, I'm getting my coupon on again.

There you have it folks!  These are my main goals for 2016.  Nothing impossible or that continued hard work and determination coupled with self-discipline and faith can't accomplish.  After all I can all things right?  Snag the FREE below by clicking on the 5 x 7 picture.  Remember this printable is for personal use ONLY!

What are your goals and/or resolutions for the New Year?  Share them below in the comments.

My 2015 Goals & Resolutions

The late President Abraham Lincoln once said, "Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other."  I couldn't agree more.  Setting goals and resolutions play a huge role in helping us to reach success, whatever that may mean for you.  Whether you want to become a better Christian, learn how to boil water or have a lasting marriage, having a clear outline or list of goals and resolutions will aid you in your efforts.  That is exactly why I believe in setting new goals and resolutions at the start of every year.

One activity that I like to do when setting my goals and resolutions each is making a vision board.  I tend to be a very visual person and having visual representation of what I want and need to accomplish help to keep me more focused and makes me feel more accountable compared to just writing them down.  This year Moo and JJ got in on the action as well.  Also, I did something different and broke my vision board up into four sections- Home Life, Finance/Money, Career and Relationships (Marriage, family, friends, etc)- after reading Lucinda Cross's vision board feature in Essence Magazine.  Below are a few of my main goals and resolutions that I hope to achieve by the end of this year.

Home Life

-Exercise 3 days a week for 15-30 minutes:  I plan to switch up my workouts everyday and rotate between doing Zumba (cardio), yoga and a day of just ab and leg training.  I have nice YouTube workout playlist that I've already started adding videos to.  Yes, you can find free videos from professional trainers like Jillian Michaels on their YouTube channels.

-Apply for passports for myself and the kids and renew the Mr's:  I've talked several times on here about how I want to travel overseas to Paris, London and Italy.  Well, you can't do that without a passport.  Therefore, I'm finally finishing up the applications, taking our photos and sending in our applications.  I've given myself until May to get this task done.

-Travel/Take a vacation: The travel bug has been biting at my heels (and Moo's) for some time now and I'm determined to get out of the Queen City and see something new.  A few places we'd love to visit are New York, Philadelphia, and New Orleans.  Moo has requested a trip to either Disney World or to take a Disney Cruise.  We'll see.

-Get stronger in my faith, trusting God's plan for the lives of myself and my family:  There is definitely room for growth and improvement in spiritual life.  This year, I'm focusing hard to make it to church, do a daily devotion and continue with our daily morning and evening prayers.

-Get more involved in philanthropy and giving back:  Giving back and serving others is one of the most emotionally rewarding aspects of my life besides parenting.  I've already started jotting down projects that I can start doing and continue doing on a yearly that basis that we can do as a family as well as by myself.

Relationships

-Spend more time doing family activities:  Be it more trips to the park or dance parties in the middle of the living room, I'm committed to getting from behind the computer and putting down my phone to spend more time with my kids and my husband.  My first item of business is to start monthly family nights and invest in a collection of board games.

-Have kidless date night:  My husband and I haven't had a date night without the kids in over 6 years!  So, I'm working on planning something special and having my baby sister to come up and hang out with the kiddies in order for us to get out alone for a few hours.

-Find local couple/family friends:  My husband and I have zero local couple friends.  All of our friends who are married live in different states that are thousands of miles away from us.  While, we love our single friends that we have here, I'd like to be able to do family date nights and other couple/family related activities.  I'm definitely looking for couples who are compassionate, grounded in their faith, have kids and share some of our likes and dislikes.

-Do a better job of reaching out to other bloggers and writers:  I'm an introvert by nature and that doesn't exactly mix with being a blogger and writer because I need to network and be able to self-promote well.  There's been so many times that I've wanted to reach out to a blogger and collaborate on a project, but didn't.  I'm looking to improve that this year.

Career

-Get more consistent about blogging and vlogging:  Last year I was all over the place with the exception of my weekly Thankful Thursday posts.  This year I've designed my own blog and vlog planner and I've already gotten started with jotting down post and video ideas as well as dates on which to post and upload it.  I'm working on coming up with a weekly feature for my YouTube channel.

-Improve and expand my blog and video content:  This year I want to be more intentional and purposeful when it comes to the content I produce.  So, be prepared to see more DIY projects, recipes and even a few interviews coming to the blog and vlog.  I want to produce more content that will be useful and more inspiring to you guys.

-Take a class:  Whether it's a blogging class, graphic design or a general business class, I'm committed to learning more skills to make myself a better entrepreneur. 

Finances/Money

-Pay off small debts:  We have a few small debts ranging from $50 to $3500 that we want to off by June, but definitely before the end of this year.  Financial freedom is something that I didn't grow up seeing and I'm determined to set a better example of managing finances and stress the importance of not having debt to my children.  

-Start researching and open a retirement account:  The Mr's retirement account is all set thanks to his job, but it's time that I work on making sure my retirement is set.

-Save money/cut expenses:  Overall, we have fell off the wagon a little bit when it comes to managing our expenses.  This year I really want to get back started with couponing and just making sure we do everything we can to get our monthly spending down.  

-Start an overseas trip fund:  Since we'll have our passports by the end of the year, I want to start planning a trip somewhere outside of the US for us to take in 2016.  I've been checking out a lot of travel blogs and stockpiling resources in preparation for our trip.

-Teach Moo and JJ more about money:  As I mentioned earlier, I want my kids to have a more positive relationship with money and know how to manage it.  So, we'll be checking lots of books and watching kid videos that break down money management in a way they can understand.

I know this seems like a long list, but a lot of these goals just require more self discipline and actually putting in effort.  Mind of matter so to speak.  I'll keep y'all updated as I make progress on them through the year.  I choice the words "fearless" and "leap" as my focus words for this year and I'm looking forward to doing just that.

 Also, I felt like God kept leading me to Jeremiah 29:11.  So, I created a chalkboard printable and printed it out to display on the mantel in the living room as a constant reminder of this promise from the Lord.  Check it out below as well as a link to download your own 4x6 printable for FREE for personal use ONLY!  Please remember to link back to this post and give credit if you share my printable on your blog and/or social media accounts!

Download

What are your goals and resolutions for the New Year?

Hi November

Is it really November already?  Someone pinch me because I can hardly believe that we have less than two months left in 2014.  I'm starting to reflect and take stock on this year.  Considering that I spent much of last month with patchy internet, I didn't do too bad with my October goals.

I'm very proud of myself for picking up my camera a lot more than I had been.  I actually took the picture above on Halloween.  My sister was here to visit and the kids wanted to go on a little walk.  So, I pulled out the double stroller and off we went.  Now on to my goals for this month.

Holiday Prep

The holidays are always a busy time.  The stores and roads get more and more crowded the closer it gets to Thanksgiving and Christmas.  So, my goal for this month is to finish up all of my holiday prep for Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Thankfully, I've already gotten a head start on this goal.  Most of Thanksgiving dinner was purchased this weekend including the turkey and I've already been wrapping gifts as I buy them.  I'm looking forward to being able to just sit back and enjoy celebrating with my family.

Blog Sponsors

This year was a great year for YUMMommy in terms of sponsors.  And I'm looking forward to making next year even greater.  This month I'll be re-evaluating some of the sponsorships that I currently have and deciding which companies I'd like to continue working with.  Also, I want to start reaching out to a few more of my favorite brands and seeing what kind of projects we can collaborate on in 2015.

NaNoWriMo

This is my second year doing NaNoWriMo and I'm super excited.  Last year, I failed miserably.   There was so much going on that I could barely concentrate on day-to-day happenings less more writing a 50k word novel.  However, I'm in a much better place and I have already gotten off to a decent start.  Also, something that I'm doing different this year is that I've joined a few writing groups and have been interacting more with other writers.  Some are moms like me and understand how hard it is to juggle motherhood and trying to create a great body of written work.  I'll leave you guys with a look at my current book cover.

I'll be doing weekly NaNoWriMo diary posts and sharing a few excerpts from this Surviving You as well Forever Branded here.  Hope y'all will stop by!  And if you're doing NaNoWriMo be sure to add me as a Buddy.

Home Life

While Moo is doing great in school, there are a few things that her teacher asked me to work harder with her on.  So, this month I really want to make sure we get on top of those things and nail it.  Also, I'll be working with JJ on learning how to communicate using full sentences.  Right now he speaks mostly using random phrases or just one word.  I think he's up for the challenge and I'm on the lookout for fun activities that will help us with this.

We've been in our new place since the end of May and I feel like we haven't quite personalized it yet.  So, I've been pinning a few DIY and craft projects that I want to try to spruce this plain canvas.  I've been keeping my eye open for some awesome curb finds, too.

Faith

Sadly, we haven't been to church in a minute.  We've been catching the Joel Olsteen telecasts on TV.  While that's all good and well, there's nothing like going to church and being surrounded by your church family and pastor.  I feel awful for missing as much church as we have considering we're back close to the church we had been going to and have at least three churches in our neighborhood.

My goal is definitely to make it to church at least 2 Sundays this month.  Moo has been asking when we're going back and I don't want her to get discouraged.  We've been doing our morning and nightly prayers as well as bedtime devotions.

What are your goals for this month?

Greetings October!

Goodbye September and greetings October!  While I am a little bit sad at how fast this year has been going by, I can't help but be excited that we're now in the thick of the holiday season.  I find that the holidays always tend to bring out the good in people in my area (unless it's Black Friday).  Anyways, now that a new month is here, it's time to set some new goals.  My goals for October are: 

Content

Lately, I've really been giving some thought to what kind of content I want to continue offering on this blog.  It's always been my goal to share my journey in motherhood and life in general here.  As of late, I feel like I've been trying to squeeze all of my personal moments into my Thankful Thursday posts.  So, while I'll still be doing Thankful Thursday, I'd like to get back to writing more full length posts instead of just brief snippets.

Also, I'm back in a position to where I'm able to blog with ease and look forward to being able to post five days a week again.

Photography

So, I've had my new Canon for a while now and I mostly just use it for shooting vlog videos.  I'm looking to change that this month and start taking more photos.  I'm always saying how I want to get better capturing moments and editing pictures, but how can I improve upon my photography skills if I don't first work with what I have?  I took the picture above at my daughter's school and I'm excited to take more.  I've even got plans to try my hand at snapping my own headshot over this upcoming weekend.  Feel free to leave some tips for all of you photography buffs out there.

Social Media

I feel so awful having neglected my social media pages these last couple of weeks.  However, my lack of presence has been completely in vain.  I've been doing a little research on how to make the most out of the time I will be spending on social media.  I'm looking forward to interacting with you all more on Facebook and Twitter and even Instagram.

Vlogging

I'm going to attempt to vlog 2 to 3 times a week.  I do have a few vlogs that I've already filmed and just need to edit before they're ready to be uploaded.  There are also some video tags that I want to film.  (Tag videos are awesome!)  In addition, I plan on being more active in my vlog groups from Facebook and Google+.

Personal Style

When I say that my wardrobe is in need of an overhaul, that's an understatement.  I needed to have purchased new clothing like last year!  Seriously, I still have tons of clothing either from my plus size days or that just don't fit right.  And I feel bad because I have a great sense of style and have helped family and friends revamp their looks.

It's time that I get on the ball and start helping myself now.  I'm loving that my body is getting back toned up and I need to invest in clothing that fits.  I'm also on a mission to add more color into my wardrobe because I have a ridiculous amount of clothing in black, brown and khaki.  My goal is to infuse more bold tones like deep reds, marigold tones, vibrant blues and purples that exude a sense of royalty.  Fingers crossed that I find some banging blazers because I have none.

Giving Back

This month is Breast Cancer and Domestic Violence Awareness Month.  Y'all know that both of those issues are near and dear to my heart.  My paternal grandmother was victim of both as well as several other members in my family.  So, I'd like to crochet a blanket (or two) for to donate to a current breast cancer patient and give money to one of the shelters here that helps victims of domestic violence.  I'm even thinking of auctioning a blanket combining the awareness colors (pink and purple).


Well, those are my goals for this month.  Looking forward to making some really great progress.  Don't forget to stop back by the blog tomorrow for Thankful Thursday!

What are your goals for this month?

What It Do September?

What it do September?  What it do?  I can hardly believe that we're just a mere 22 days out from the first day of Fall!  Summer it's been nice chilaxin' with you, but I'm ready for cooler weather and to be able to light my fireplace.  In a little over 120 days this year will be coming to close.  Where has the time gone?

Regardless, of how much time we have left in 2014, I am committed to making the most of it by knocking out some more goals.  My goals for the month of September are:

1 - Be Extra Active At Moo's School:  After what happened on her first day of school and then the whole #JusticeForAvaLynn bullying incident (Google it), I will be making extra appearances at Moo's school just to make sure that everything is going as it should.  While Moo's first week ended on a high note and she's been talking about school nonstop this entire Labor Day weekend, I still want to see with my own eyes what's going on in her classroom and how her teacher interacts with students.  Also, I'll be putting my bid in for a few leadership roles. 

2 - Be More Active On My Author/Writing Blog:  Did you know I have a second blog?  Well, I do and I have been neglecting it badly.  My goal for this month is to post a few book reviews, author interviews, and teasers for my novel, Forever Branded.  I'm even thinking about hosting a cover reveal this month.  Now, that I have a little bit more down time during the day, I'm going to use that extra time to finish my books as well as really focus and work on building K. Elizabeth the author as a brand.

3 - Get Back On My Couponing Game:  I fell off my couponing wagon and it shows.  I've blown the dust off my couponing notebook (probably need to buy a new one) and I'm ready to start building the stockpile.   Nothing crazy because we do live in an apartment, but just enough that I'm not making multiple trips to the stores every week.  Plus, since we're back house hunting, every penny we can save will go into increasing our down payment fund or towards our fund for miscellaneous expenses.

4 - Blog More Here:  I sucked at blogging here on YUMMommy last month.  There's no other way to put it.  Overall, I haven't been blogging much this entire year.  That's crazy because I have notebooks with posts that I wrote out but never got around to typing and actually publishing on here.  I'm determined to finish this year out on a high note though.

5 - Vlog More:  I didn't complete VEDA/Vlogust due to issues my computer and having a hard time getting my video files to upload to YouTube, but I'm going to be getting a new laptop as well as a desktop soon.  So, be on the lookout for some new vlogs on my channel.  I'd also like to do some Live Google Hangouts.  Maybe, something kind of hot topics style.  I'm also going to be getting active in the BookTube community for my author/wirting channel which I should have up and running pretty soon.

6 - Write My PenPal Twice:  In case you missed it from my Thankful Thursday post the week before last, I have a penpal now!  I love letter writing and can't wait to ship off my first letter.  Then, I'll write her again the end of the month because I will have received her first letter to me and I'm sure it'll have some questions in it.  Anyways, I'm looking forward to bonding with her.

7 - Exercise:  My family came up to visit Saturday and I was so excited when my baby sister noticed that I'd lost weight!  My workouts and watching my eating are paying off.  I'm back to being able to shop for tops in the kids section.  Judge me if you want to, but I could care less.  They make the cutest and most colorful tops for kids for a fraction of the price of the adult version.  Just this past Saturday, I picked up a cute neon pink tank with sequins for $2.50 at Target from the kids' section.  Similar tank in the adults' section was on clearance was $2 more.

8 - Do One DIY/Craft Project:  I already have a craft project in mind and just need to pick up two more supplies and then I'll be ready to get started on my project!  I'm hoping it will come out great.  Either way, I'll be posting it here on the blog most likely the end of next week.

What are you goals for this month?  Hope you had a wonderful Labor Day weekend!

April Goals And To-Do List

Pinterest

Happy April!  I know that I have been scarce around here as of late, but that's because between trying to spend more quality time with the Mr and the kiddies, writing my novel, trying to do reviews and other stuff, I have just felt slightly overwhelmed.  But I'm back and I'll definitely be more present this month.   I've been looking back over my New Year's resolution/vision board/goals and I've decided to set monthly mini goals to help me stay on track with reaching my main goals.  Let's get in to it!

April Goals & To-Do List

• Get A Pet:  Moo has been talking my head off about getting a pet!  Seriously, if I have to hear the word pet one more time, I might need to start doing shots of the hard stuff.  She asks at least twice a day.  I think last month she missed two days of asking.  If anything, my baby girl is persistent!  She wants a poodle but I definitely don't see that in her future.  Her second choice is a hamster and my choice is a gold fish.   We'll see which one we end up with.

• Family Outing:  Well, I put on my list of resolutions and goals that I wanted us to do/attend two family outings/events and we have.  We went to the ImaginOn, which counts as a family outing because the Mr tagged along and we don't go there often, and we went to a private screening of Disney's The Pirate Fairy this past Saturday! Review coming up on that.  But I'd love to attend and have one more family outing with the Mr in attendance.  Moo has requested a family picnic.

• Send Cards/Letters:  Obviously, if I haven't had time to blog, I haven't really had time to be on social media or my phone either.  With Easter coming up, it's the perfect excuse to buy some cute stationery and cards to send out to my friends and catch them up on what's been going on with the family!

• Publish Novel:  I'm really cracking the whip on myself to get Forever Branded by the end of this month.  I think I had started to get writer's fright (kinda like stage fright for actors) and took a few days off from working on it.  I'm back though and it's chugging along.  I have the ending halfway written out, a few chapters in the middle done and the beginning.  Now, I'm just filling in and connecting the dots.  No, I don't write in chronological order.  My mind just doesn't work that way when it comes to writing fiction.

• Exercise:  I have really been slacking on this, but I'm determined to get my body more toned.  I don't need to drop anymore pounds because even the new pants that I got for Christmas are a little loose on me now.  Plus, the Mr has been getting on me because he thinks I'm going to end up looking like a skeleton.  I'm going to be honest and say that I wouldn't mind being back in a size 4 from my early college days but I'm going to be content with my size 7/6.  I've worked hard to get here (I was a size 18/16) and now I just need to exercise to maintain it.

• Vlog:  I have about three videos that I need to film, lightly edit and upload.  I'm thinking about taking a stab at daily vlogging for a week but idk about that.  We're still not comfortable with the kids being on YouTube, especially since Moo refuses to go by her nickname in person anymore and she prefers to call her brother by his first name.  I'm not ready to reveal their real names just yet.  I am planning on doing it, but you'll have to wait to see how I do it and when.  Feel free to leave your guesses at to what you think their first names are in the comments.  Hint:  JJ's first name doesn't start with a J!

• Finish Blankets:  I'm crocheting a few blankets for a few different people right now and I need to finish them up and ship them off.  I'll be posting pictures and maybe even doing some crochet vlogs.  I hear so many people talk about how hard crocheting is but honestly it's not.  I taught myself as a teenager using a book.  

• Get More Active On Author Blog:  Yes, I have an author/writing blog!  Check it out here.  I'm really looking to publishing a few books and I want to build up my readership and share more about my journey and process.  You'd be amazed at how easy people think writing a book is.  Fiction is really hard to write because you're not stating facts but relying on your imagination.  You battle with wondering if your imagination is good enough to create a story not that others will love necessarily but that YOU will love.  There's nothing like writing 40-80,000 words only to get to the end and realize you hate your own work.  

• Experiment With More Hairstyles:  I'm still Team Natural.  And I have been ditching the ponytail, but the issue now is that I've become obsessed with milk braids.  I wear them all the time.  It's time to switch it up.  I think that I'm going to try out some crochet braids or get a good silk wrap and just wear my hair down for a week or two.  We'll see.

What are your goals for April?

It Takes A Dream

I've been in love with books my entire life.  I kid you not.  My mom started teaching me how to read at an early age.  I read my first book by myself when I was 3.  I remember starting preschool and asking if I could read a book for storytime once.  Our classroom had two teachers- Mrs. O and Ms. H (who happened to be my mother's older sister).  

Mrs. O taught for sure when I asked to read Snow White (it was my favorite book at time) that I was just going to give a narration of the pictures.  My aunt told her, that I could in fact read and so I did my first storytime while they laid out snacks.  I remember just feeling so happy and over-the-moon proud of myself.  All the other kids were in awe that K could read.  They wanted to learn to.

My love affair with books inspired me to want to become a writer.  The only problem was I hated the actual action of writing.  If I could have spoken into a mic and had my stories written for me, I'm sure I would have been the youngest writer in the world.  But that kind of technology wasn't out back then.  I hated writing because I felt like I wasn't good at it.

My actual handwriting was sloppy and often times unreadable.  And I was bad speller.  Sure, I could read, but that was because I knew how to sound out words and once you sound out the same words enough times, you just recognize them when you them.  My mom finally put her foot down and started making me practice writing on the weekends until I was in the second grade.

That's when my want turned into a dream.  I became separable from my notebook and my pen.  True story.  My family was always asking me when my novel was coming out because all I ever did was write.  And if I wasn't writing, I was reading.  And I wasn't really reading books for my age group either.  I think that I read my first James Patterson book at 12 or 13.  And by the time I was 14, I had learned so much about sex from reading explicit books from authors like Zane.

My mom had had the sex the talk with me, but reading about it in graphic detail was different.  I started discovering iconic authors and books like Toni Morrison, Walter Dean Myers and Jane Eyre (my all time favorite book) or the Great Gatsby.  I was just in awe of the talent and the ability for a book to suck me in emotionally and help me escape from reality for a while.

My dream continued to grow and I started taking a creative writing class in high school.  I took honors and AP English classes because we got to write more beyond the essays on Shakespeare and share original pieces.  In college, even though I was a fashion major, I took two creative writing classes.  I started this blog and got the opportunity to co-author a great book on surviving motherhood with some pretty awesome ladies.  I felt like I was on top of the moon.  I felt like a legit writer.

And then, I realized that I wanted to write that novel that I'd always dreamed of writing and Forever Branded was born.  It's been a slow and sometimes frustration process, but I wouldn't change it for the world.  I recently enlisted the help of my favorite go-to person for things related to visual and graphic designing, Christina of Being Mrs Jones and fellow author, for some help with my book cover and I have to say she really delivered (cover reveal coming soon on my author blog)!

Seeing that book cover just made everything feel so official and real.  My dreams are coming fruition and it feels amazing.  This journey has taught me that all things are possible, but it takes a dream first, then having the faith to believe in that dream and keeping yourself surrounded by others who believe in you and your dream!  So, whatever your dream, I urge you to go for it.  Don't throw in the towel.  

I've wanted to write a novel since I was in the second grade and I'm just now accomplishing my dream at 28.  It took a while, but if you want something bad enough, you keep pushing to make it happen.  You climb the ladder and take steps to make your moment a reality.  So give in to dreaming and then dare yourself to chase those dreams!

What is/was your biggest dream?

Dreams, Visions And Resolutions 2014

I know a lot of people are on the I-don't-believe-in-setting-resolutions-train, but not me.  When people say that what hear is "I'm not setting any goals for my life this year."  After all, a resolution is in fact another word for goal.  And I think that we should all set new goals for ourselves or make plans to attempt to complete the goals still in progress.  I have made a list of resolutions/goals for the year but each month I am setting short term goals to help me reach my year long goals.

Before we jump into my list check out my Dream Board below.  It's visual reminder of my most important goals I want to accomplish and mark off my list.  If you're interested in making one here's the link: http://goo.gl/j9Bduw

In 2014, I want to:

• Find a church
• Continue working with JJ to make progress with his speech
• Get Moo into a top rated kindergarten
• Take a family vacation/trip
• Secure 2 major/dream sponsors for YUMMommy
• Publish my novel online & in print
• Host mini book tour/signings
• Vlog a minimum of once a month
• Buy a second car
• Pay off student loan (a little over $6000 left)
• Attend 5 events
• 1 Blog Conferences
• 1 Charity Dinner/Event
• 1 Local Blogger Meetup
• 2 Family Events
• Host a charity event online & locally
• Blanket/Yarn Drive
• Toy Drive
• School Supply Drive
• Scholarship Fund
• Workout 3x a week
• Continue cooking & eating healthy
• Buy house/townhouse with at least 3 bedrooms & office space (foreclosures are cheap again in our area)
• Build up savings
• Find the kids a pet neither is allergic to
• Get a new laptop and desktop
• Nourish the relationships with my friends, family, supporters and God
• Family portraits
• Ditch the ponytail and try new hair styles
• Continue revamping wardrobe
• Take a class (already found three free classes online)
• Redo logos
• Think more positively
• Enjoy life

Some of these I think overlap.  For example, if we attended a family event out of town and made it an entire weekend trip, then that would count as a mini family vacation.  And of course, the things that I want to continue doing don't require me to go out of my way to do anything different. So, I know this list looks long, but I'm going to try my hardest to cross off everything.  Thankful Thursday post will be coming later on today!

What goals, resolutions or dreams have you set for yourself and family to accomplish in 2014?

Happy 2014

Source: Studio 404

Happy 2014 Y'all!!  How cute is the graphic above from my fellow BLM Girl, Angel, at Studio 404?  Be sure to check out her blog and show her some love.  She has some incredible freebies and an Etsy shop.  Anyways, I mentioned yesterday that I would be sharing the progress I made with my 2013 resolutions and goals.  Last year was a bit bumpy and rough, but I still managed to accomplish a few things.

In 2013, my resolutions were to:

-Get stronger in my faith and read my Bible daily: I'm happy to say that I accomplished this goal with my Bible 365 Challenge.  I also became a member of the Bible Gateway Blogger Grid!

-Workout 3 times a week minimum:  I started off good on this until the end of May.  I was working out almost everyday.

-Cook healthier (sorry fried foods): I did really good on this one. I think fried maybe 20 times last year.  That's really considering I was usually frying something once to three times a week in 2012.

-Travel more and experience new places with the kiddies and Mr:  Sadly, due to the Mr's work schedule, he wasn't able to travel with us.  However, the kiddies and I enjoyed trips to New Orleans, Lake Junaluska and Myrtle Beach last year!

-Secure my dream blog sponsors:  Dealing with JJ's speech issues and the whole move crisis, I dropped the ball on this.  However, I still had some lovely sponsors.

-Attend at least 2 blog conferences: This was a no go too.  The blog conference I was going to attend here in the QC was the same weekend as my sister's wedding and I didn't get a major sponsor to help cover the cost of BlogHer.

-Build up my savings account and family emergency fund:  I was say that this was a little bit of a success.  I definitely started off 2014 with more money in my savings than last year.  But it's hardly enough to be considered an emergency fund.

-Become more present and here in the time I spend with my kids and husband: Again, I think I was present with the kids, but not the Mr.  1 out of 2 isn't bad.

-Publish this novel I've been talking about and do a mini book tour/signing: Still working on the novel.  If wasn't self editing the process would run a lot smoother and faster.  Pretty much I needed to get out of my own head and just write.  I have met some pretty cool independent writers and they have been a wealth of knowledge and help.

-Find an illustrator for my kids book series:  I researched and found that I just didn't have the funds to afford any of the illustrators I wanted.  And I didn't want to just settle anything crappy.  I'm toying with the idea of launching a Kickstarter or GoFundMe campaign to help.

-Buy a new car (I'm not about this one car life anymore):  We got a new car, but sadly we're still living the one car life thanks to those pesky deer.

-Move to a bigger place (We've been cramped long enough):  Sadly, we ended up moving to a smaller place. :(  No worries, another move is coming up.

-Increase my giving back and community service:  I definitely did this.  I volunteered at a charity in my hometown and we gave away a lot to charity when we moved in addition to me giving away JJ's baby furniture to moms from our playgroup.

-Grow YUMMommy:  I've seen growth in the pageviews and seen new faces in the comments.  I've also grown on Twitter, Facebook and Google+.

-Start an online magazine:  Sketched a layout, found a platform and decided on themes, but again with everything this just seemed like it would be a bit much to handle at that moment.

-Revamp my wardrobe: I added a new pieces and gave away some pieces. 

-Stay Team Natural:  Definitely accomplished this.  There were times I wanted to throw in the towel, but I didn't. 

-Do more for myself: Not a complete fail.  I treated myself to nail polish and a new camera this year.

-Build and nourish new friendships:  I can check this off the list with certainty.  Thanks to my new Facebook groups I joined last year, I've met some awesome ladies and am  looking forward to continuing to build a relationship with each of them.

So, there you have it folks.  I didn't do too shabby.  I know it was pretty ambitious trying to accomplish a list this size, but I'm an ambitious person.  And honestly speaking, if we hadn't had all the issues with the move and then the emotional trauma of JJ's delayed speech, I probably would have accomplished more.  But what didn't kill me has made me stronger.

Lessons have been learned.  Connections have been made and I'm ready to make 2014 a knockout year.  I'll be back tomorrow with  my goals, resolution and vision board for this year.  Hope you all a great time ringing in the New Year!

My Weekly Ambition

I missed linking up over at Ambitious Curls for My Weekly Ambition for the last couple of weeks.  But I am back on the wagon.  About my last MWA post, I totally did not exercise for 30 minutes like I was suppose to everyday.  Does chasing after kids count?  I have been managing to write for an hour everyday.  However, I tend to self edit as I write and that doesn't make for very good progress.  I did manage to start and end my days on a positive note though! 

To exercise for 30 minutes everyday.  I'm not working out to drop pounds because I think I'm good where I'm at weight wise.  However, it's time to tone this tummy and these legs back up.  I have drifted away a little ways from the college freshman body, I had when I first met my husband.  He's not complaining, but I sure as heck am!

To work on concepts for my book cover.  My book is not finished but it finally has a title (click here to find out what it is) and I have a rough mental picture of what I want the cover look like.  I need to just refine it a little bit and then get busy networking and making some calls to get the proper people on board to help me execute the vision.  

This book is like my baby and I've been guarding it with my life.  I don't just want to be putting a bunch of words out there.  I'm so passionate about writing because it is my art and I want readers to be able to feel that from cover to cover.

To have more patience.  I am more patient with kids, but I still need to work on my patience with the Mr.  I think that the year we took apart and then all the time we had been growing apart up until that point got me used to having my space, coming and going as I wanted and interacting more people my age.  When I first met my husband, gestures of affection (i.e.-hugging, holding hands, cuddling) weren't something he was into at all because of how he grew up.  He just didn't see affection, but the opposite.

My parents on the other hand were very affectionate before things went down hill and as a result, so was I.  But I eventually adjusted to my husband's comfort levels as time passed.  We split.  Now, we're back together and I just don't feel like making the adjustment back to the old me.  Therefore, when he's in my space a little too much , I tend to get annoyed easily.

Honestly, I feel like old me who was more affectionate and wanted him in my space got her heart broken.  So, new me still has a wall up because I guess at times the hurt still feels fresh and the fact that this one car situation makes it hard for me to get out as much as I want to.  However, I am devoted to my marriage and will work on getting this wall down and finding a way to bump up my income so that I can get this second car fund back up.

What's one challenge that you want to overcome this upcoming week?  Did you notice anything different about the blog today?

My Weekly Ambition

I'm linking up again with Marika over at Ambitious Curls for My Weekly Ambition.  About last week, I totally did not exercise for 30 minutes like I was suppose to everyday.  Does chasing after kids count?  I did manage to write for an hour everyday.  However, it wasn't necessarily an hour spent on my book.  So, I'm still playing catch up on that.  I did manage to start and end my days on a positive note though!  Here's to hoping I do better this week!

To exercise for 30 minutes everyday.  I know Thanksgiving is coming up on Thursday and I didn't exercise last week, but I'm determine to not be a failure this week.  I've got my workout gear and some workout videos are ready to go.  Goodbye to these last five pounds! (I've been doing good with watching what I eat though!)

To write for 5,000 in my novel each day this week.  The thoughts for future chapters and flowing faster than I can take notes to keep track of it all.  So, I'm focused on getting this novel finished by 5,000 words everyday this week.  I know that may seem like a lot, but I look at how many words I write a day in blog posts, blog comments, Facebook, tweets and Instagram and I feel awful because I definitely go over 5,000.  The pressure is on!

To have more patience.  I've been very impatient lately.  It seems like the littlest things set me on edge and I don't like being this way.  I'm yelling at the kids and being short with the Mr when he's here.  I could blame it on the stress of getting ready to meet JJ's new speech therapist, Moo being a little bit more vocal in disagreements, the recent drama with the property manager and owner (racial profiling was involved) or issues that I'm going through with feeling like I'm not progressing with certain areas of success like I want to be.  At the end of the day, they're just excuses.

I need to be real and put forth the effort to keep my patience and attitude in check. Point. Blank. Period.

What's one challenge that you want to overcome this upcoming week?

My Weekly Ambition

This week I'm linking up with Marika over at Ambitious Curls for My Weekly Ambition.  With so much on my plate lately, it can get pretty easy to give in to procrastination and just get discouraged and overwhelmed.  So, I figured that joining in with her on highlighting a positive quote, goal, habit  and challenge each week will help me to stay focused and keep me encouraged.  If you want to join in just click on the button above to link up!

To exercise for 30 minutes everyday.  While I've gotten back track with watching my consumption of sweets and sugary drinks, I still 5 pounds that I need to drop.  Those pounds have decided to take a rest in my stomach area and that ain't cute. At. All.  I worked so hard last year to drop my pregnancy weight and get back into my pre-pregnancy clothes.  Now it's time to continue my efforts so that I can stay in these clothes.

To write for one hour everyday.  Thankfully, both kids woke up feeling better today. Noses were still running this morning, but their coughs are gone and the runny nose went away by lunch time.  Trip to the pediatrician avoided.  However, I'm behind on my novel.  JJ is very clingy and moody when he's sick.  Plus, since I'm not nursing him anymore, he hasn't been as easy to console when he's in one of his moods or upset.

And usually I devote the hour after they go to sleep to writing, but as you guys know from previous posts, they haven't really been sleeping because of their colds.  So, right now it's after 9 PM and JJ has already gone to sleep.  Fingers crossed, Moo will be joining him in Dream Land soon.

To start and end each day on a positive note.  Life is always throwing me a curve ball.  And dealing with everything just puts me in a negative mind space sometimes.  However, I know that I'm too blessed to be letting these negative thoughts consume me.  I definitely don't want to go to bed with a negative mind set because it affects my moods in the morning.

So, my plan is the focus on the positives of each day before I close my eyes at night and to wake up mediate on my quote above.

What's one challenge that you want to overcome this upcoming week?

27: A Year Of Change

Oh year 27, how nice to see you!  Another birthday is here and almost gone.  I'm very thankful and blessed. I hope to be just as blessed to see another 27 years.  I kept things low key and to a minimum.  I've never been one to need all the hoopla.  Plus, I stayed up late putting Moo to sleep only to have JJ wake up to nurse at 5:30 and then he woke again at 6:00 with a stuffy nose and stayed up.

Source: © Davinci | Stock Free Images & Dreamstime Stock Photos

So, by the time the Mr got home, I just wanted to crash and go back to sleep.  And I got to do just that.  Moo slept in until after 10.  The Mr played with JJ for a few minutes before he went to get a quick nap.  That tired my little guy out and he fell asleep until after 11.  I'm telling you that was the best nap I ever got!

We then headed out to enjoy a little shopping.  We went grocery shopping first and then I went to hunt down some Jolly Ranchers candy canes and scope out some stocking stuffers for the kiddies.  I found neither.  So, next up on the list was dinner.  Again, I didn't want anything fancy.  So, we settled on wings.  And they were delicious!

I had no idea it had been so long since I had eaten wings, but it has been months.  I also treated myself to nice caffeinated Root Beer.  I hope I won't end up regretting it.  And if you've found me on Instagram, you know I got my Twizzlers fix too.

I did a little reflecting and have decided that I want to make year 27 about change.  I want to change the people I hang around and welcome into my life.  I want to change some of things about my parenting style.  I want to become a better spouse.  I want to become more involved in the church and community.

They'll be changes here on the blog.  I've already changed my hair by cutting it again.  There just comes a time when you realize what you've been doing has gotten old and isn't working. So, you change or tweet a few things and start again.  You start to realize what you deserve and it's not at all what you've settled for.

I'm going continuing to go after the things I deserve.  This time I have a fresh perspective and a more determined spirit.  I'm happy to report this year that I've marked a few things off my List of Adventures to Accomplish by 12/19/15.  For example, I've written and published a book and expanded YUMMommy  (YouTube & Instagram).  I've also exercised more.  I started off 2012 in size 16/14 and I'm proud to say that I'm now size 8/6!

So here's an updated version of what's still left to accomplish.  Like last year, I've made revisions because I've changed, situations have changed and so forth.  Yes, things have come off but I've also added a few to kind of take their place.  

List of Adventures to Accomplish by 12/19/15
~Attend Fashion Week in New York
~Buy/Build my Dream House
~Get a New Car
~Finish & Publish Novel
~Go to Paris
~Vacation in Spain
~Take a Trip to Disney Land/World
~Go on a Cruise
~Attend BlogHer
~Visit my BFF in Philly
~Register for Classes
~Vlog
~Work on YUMMommy Magazine Idea 
~Raise $5000 for Charties
~Exercise More
~Meet more of my Blogger BFFs in Person
~Buy Some Power Tools (I love DIY projects)

Thanks everyone for the birthday wishes!!