Goals

2021 Summer Bucket List – Recap!

/ Cami Grace / 2 Comments

I realize the timing of this post could be better (like, a month ago, ha), but I know you’ve just been on the edge of your seat waiting to know what we did this summer ;) This summer ended up being another strange one for us. We are in a time of what feels like a major transition in our family (more on that another time) so we didn’t do quite as many things as I had planned for this summer…and that’s ok.

So while we only got to maybe half our list, we still made the most of it! Here’s everything we checked off…

Food & Drink

  • Make cherry pie bars

Yes! I finally made these! These were on my Pinterest board for far too long without trying it. I personally still prefer classic cherry pie, but it’s fun to switch it up.

  • Make peach cobbler

No picture, sadly. I made these last month and unfortunately used a different recipe. The peach filling tasted good, but it didn’t turn out like what I’m used to. I’ll just have to make it again using the right recipe. :)

  • Have a BBQ

Yes! We bought a grill! No pictures to show on this one either, but we made burgers, salmon, ribs, and so much more. We were very happy.

  • Make a cheesecake

Yes! My husband’s birthday lands during the summer and he loves cheesecake. I used a classic cheesecake recipe and topped it with chopped Ferrero Rocher chocolates and drizzled it with chocolate sauce. It was delicious! Again, no picture. I am really not very good at food photography and the picture didn’t look appetizing, so I’m sparing you. I promise it tasted good!

Out & About

  • Go to a farmers market

Yes! I honestly didn’t think we were going to make it to one again this year, but we did! It was a small market, but it was fun to get out and buy local, fresh fruit and goodies. This is where I bought the peaches to make the cobbler. It was pretty fun!

  • Visit a new park

Yes! There is small park a short drive from where we live that we had never been before. We went back a couple times since it was so close. :)

  • Try a new restaurant

Yes! I mentioned in my last post that we were introduced to a modern French bakery close by. We love it!

  • Go to a splash pad

Yes! We actually went to a couple different splash pads. I was so relieved they were open this year! It was fun to run around, dry off, and then head out for ice cream after. Pretty much the perfect way to spend any summer afternoon.

Fun in the Sun

  • Have a water balloon fight

Yes! No picture to show for it, but we had a big family get together and all the cousins got to have a big water balloon fight. Super fun!

  • Plant flowers

Yes! Thank you to my sweet neighbor friend, she had given me her extra flowers that she didn’t have room enough to plant. I ended up filling a few planters I had laying around and put them on my deck to enjoy. They lasted through most of the summer. Sadly, it got so hot outside that they scorched toward the end of summer. Poor flowers. I definitely plan to plant more next year.

While it’s too late to take a picture of them now, you can see a tiny glimpse of one little flower pot in the background (plus who doesn’t want to see a picture our sweet Kahlua : ).

Rain or Shine

  • Pajama movie night

Yes! This is an easy given, because every Friday is technically pajama movie night for us :)

  • Play a new board game

Yes! Ok, well, it’s a card game, but we got Gryffin the “Eye Found it” Disney game.

He’s really good at it and beats us half the time!

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That wraps up what we did this summer! Some of the things on the list that didn’t get done were out of sheer laziness, while others didn’t because, quite honestly, I became really sick at the end of summer and just couldn’t get to everything I had hoped for. There’s always next year, right?!

I do plan to do a Fall Bucket List, so stay tuned for that!

I hope you all are having a wonderful Fall so far!

Much Love,

Cami

2021 Summer Bucket List

/ Cami Grace / Leave a comment

It’s amazing how much different this year feels from last year. I think the weather changed so dramatically this year that we basically jumped into summer with both feet! Winter practically started in October of last year and seemed to last a million years, so I am perfectly ok with the dramatic change.

To keep up with tradition I am sharing our summer bucket list. Some of these things might look familiar as they were on the last year’s list as well, but I look forward to it each year. :)

Also, I still want to point out that some of these things are geared toward kids as well. I put this little “FYI” out there in case you’re wondering why a grown adult would want to do some of these things, haha.

So let’s jump in here!

Food & Drink

  • Make homemade lemonade
  • Make cherry pie bars (this has been on my Pinterest page for far too long without having tried it!)
  • Make peach cobbler
  • Make sun tea
  • Buy a treat from the ice cream truck
  • Have a BBQ (we’re hopefully buying a grill this year!)
  • Make a cheesecake

Out & About

  • Feed the ducks
  • Check out books at the library
  • Go to a farmers market
  • Visit a new park
  • Try a new restaurant
  • Go on a nature walk
  • Go to a splash pad (they were all closed last year, so hopefully we are good to go this year!)

Fun in the Sun

  • Have a water balloon fight
  • Go on a picnic
  • Play outdoor field hockey
  • Make a rock garden
  • Decorate the back deck
  • Plant flowers
  • Go on a treasure hunt

Rain or Shine

  • Go puddle jumping
  • Pajama movie night
  • Hand-write a letter and mail it
  • Play a new board game
  • Make a summer scrapbook
  • 30 day photo challenge (this is a stretch, but we’ll see!)
  • Make a sensory bin (Gryffin is getting a little old for this, but I think he’ll still have fun with it!)

For those who want to make your own, you can also download a blank copy!

2021-summer-bucket-list-printable-1Download

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I hope you all are having a wonderful start to your summer! What’s on your summer bucket list?!

Much Love,

Cami

Deep Dive Into My 2021 Goals

/ Cami Grace / Leave a comment

In my last post I shared my focus word and listed my 21 goals for the year. The quote “Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss you will land among the stars” keeps running in my head because it’s a pretty big list.

I know just because I made a list doesn’t mean anything unless I make a plan, so this is my deep dive into how I’m hoping to accomplish it all. I’m not going to stress if it doesn’t all get done, but I’m hopeful! Also, I did change a couple items. So here it goes…

21 for 2021 List

~ Fun for everyone

~ Go on a family vacation

Mikey and I are in the talking phase of this one. We had the best time going to the beach last year! We would really love to do it again. Mikey will be finishing up school and it’s also hard to know where things will be regarding Covid by summer, so I have a feeling it might be a last minute decision on what we do. But we plan on something!

~ Do something special for each holiday, including minor holidays

Obviously we go all out for Christmas, but I rarely do anything special for the other holidays, especially the minor holidays. SO, this year I would like to do something special for each one.

I plan to…

  • Make a list of each holiday (Valentines Day, St. Patrick’s Day, 4th of July, etc.)
  • Look on Pinterest for doable ideas one month ahead (I’ve already started pinning ideas for Valentines day)
  • One week before look to see what ingredients/decorations I need for that holiday and make a plan to get them
~ Make a Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter bucket list

This isn’t something new for me. If you’ve read some of my previous posts, you know I like to make seasonal bucket lists. It helps me really enjoy what each season has to offer and it gets me to do something instead of wasting away our days. Plus, it might help me stay on track with this list.

~ Personal

~ Read 12 books
  • Update my “want to read” list on Goodreads
  • Anything goes – ebooks, audio books, and/or book books
  • Pick one book per month (already working on my first book! I’ll update on my currently posts)
~ Start vlogging

Oooh this is a big one and intimidates me a lot. This is something I started contemplating over a year ago and even more so after one of my friends asked me if I had ever thought about starting my own YouTube channel. Since then, I have started to pick up my camera and start mini videos. I’ve been thinking about it so much, I’m just going to go for it. So here’s my plan…

  • Continue to pick up my camera and practice vlogging (it’s weird talking into a camera and it takes some getting used to for sure)
  • Work on thumbnails and learn to edit: 15-30 minutes once or twice/week (honestly, if I can just get through this part, I think I’ll be fine. The more I do it, the quicker it will become. The first video is always the hardest!)
  • Work on getting YouTube set up
  • Pick a launch date (oooooh this is scariest part. This is something I’ve wanted to do for a while just for fun. Is fear ever a good reason not to do something?) – I’m thinking March, but if I can get it together sooner, I will!
~ Discover new music and create new playlists

I tend to listen to the same songs but I’ve been wanting to discover more music. I listen to the radio but they seem to rotate the same songs over and over, I’m ready to expand! Music can help pull me out of certain moods and I would like to start listening more.

  • Create a Spotify account – Check! This was something I kept putting off but finally did it! I really like that you can listen to other peoples playlists AND they even make playlists for you.
  • Create a playlist for concentration at work
  • Create a feel good playlist
  • Create a chill playlist
~ Be prepared

Really, this is my attempt to remain consistent in my routines. I started working on these things last year and want to continue.

  • Wake up at 6:00 a.m. (I’m a chronic snoozer, but I finally found the system that works the best and gets me out of bed – although it’s definitely not fail proof.)
  • Get my clothes and jewelry ready the night before
  • Pick out Gryffin’s clothes the night before
  • Meal prep on Sundays
  • Think about things well ahead of time (special occasions & birthdays, holidays, appointments, etc.)
  • Set reminders on my phone

~ House & Home

~ Put together a recipe binder

My recipes are very spread-out – some are on Pinterest, some are saved in a PDF, some are on recipe cards, and some are in my email. A recipe binder where all my recipes are kept in the same place and easily accessible would be a huge time savor.

  • Pick a weekend and get it done
~ Deep clean the whole house

When I say deep clean, I’m talking clear everything out of cupboards, counters, shelves, etc. and scrub everything from top to bottom. Below is my plan of attack.

  • Choose a month & date – I’m picking February 22nd – subject to change. I’m hoping to have it all done by Gryffin’s birthday in March
  • Get my deep cleaning checklists ready
  • Pick 1 room/week (since I work full-time I can’t bust it out all at once)
  • Spend a minimum of 15 minutes every day scrubbing or organizing something (Obviously I will spend a big chunk of time on it on the weekends, but even just 15 minutes/day during the week will at least get me somewhere)
~ Revamp bathroom
  • New shower curtain – Check! Just recently got one
  • Replace blinds
  • Paint walls
  • Floating shelves
  • Paint vanity? I can’t decide
  • New mirror?

Flooring badly needs to be re-done, but that’s going to have to wait.

~ Revamp laundry room (this will be dependent on budget)
  • Redo shelving
  • paint (walls and cement floor)
  • rearrange the washer and dryer
  • Find some décor to spruce it up
~ Replace the deck

This is obviously best done in summer. We at the very least need to replace the existing deck, but if we have the funds we would like expand and put in a lower deck as well.

Mind/Body/Spirit

~ Get a facial

It’s literally been years since I’ve had a facial and I’m thinking it might be a fun birthday treat.

~ Take 12 social media breaks

Even though I don’t post much on social media I am constantly scrolling behind the scenes, mostly out of habit and/or boredom. This forces me to focus and enjoy the life I have right in front of me. Here’s the plan…

  • The first weekend of every month
  • If something is going on the first weekend (i.e. holiday or FB party event), I will choose the following weekend
  • remove my social media apps from my phone from Friday night – Monday
~ Finish my 12 week devotional

I started an in-depth devotional last year and it’s been a true challenge to keep up with it. I’m aiming for this summer.

Relationship/Friendships

~ Go on 12 dates

Mikey and I are alternating planning our date nights. The first one is scheduled for this weekend (Jan 23rd).

~ Say yes to invitations from friends

This was a goal I made last year and I’m keeping it! It’s so easy to get caught up with life and responsibilities and I want to continue to make our friends a priority. In turn, this also has caused me to invite more people to do things with us (in very small numbers).

Fitness/Dance goals

One of my Christmas gifts from my hubby was a membership to CLI Studios (online dance classes). Between YouTube and CLI classes it’s been so refreshing getting back into it dancing. My body obviously isn’t like it used to be, so I’m wanting to work on the following things…

~ Perfect my posture

My posture has completely gone down the drain and getting it back is not easy! It’s really just a matter of constantly reminding myself to sit up straight and align my spine correctly. It gets really tiring after a while, but the more classes I do the more it forces me to work on it.

~ Do the splits
  • Stretch, stretch, stretch!
  • Weekly progress pictures – I’m going on 4 weeks in and already seeing progress! The more progress I see the more I want to keep going. Now that I’m in my 30’s I have to work twice as hard. I would get there a lot faster if I would stretch for 15-20 minutes every day, but I don’t always have the time.
~ Consistent clean double pirouettes
  • Working on leg strength and stability
  • Practice makes perfect
~ 90 degree arabesque
  • working on back flexibility and strength
  • practice, practice, practice

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I hope your year is off to a great start! I would love to know what goals you have this year!

Much Love,

Cami

My Focus Word & 21 for 2021 List

/ Cami Grace / Leave a comment

Happy New Year! I hope you all are having a wonderful start to your new year! We had a pretty quiet evening ringing in the new year. Mikey made a delicious pot roast and then we watched a movie (Despicable Me – Gryffin’s choice), and then I was in bed by 10:30. Haha, big partiers over here this year.

Ok, so on with the point of this post.

The last couple years I have thrown New Year’s resolutions out the door. They always seem like a good idea but I have never stuck to them…ever. A few years ago I heard about some people using a one word theme for their year – something they want to focus on over the course of the year.

Over the last 2-3 years I have loosely chosen a focus word for the year. I have discovered at the end of each year that it has actually held onto a theme (however, it hasn’t always matched the word I chose). So, while I am somewhat loosely choosing a focus word for this year again, this is the first time I’m making it official.

It’s “Embrace”.

I originally had chosen “joy”, but it didn’t quite encapsulate everything I hoped to accomplish, while “embrace” did. I’m taking it a step further and making it more of a phrase.

“Embrace with joy”

For me, embrace means to accept circumstances as they are, to slow down and be in the moment, to accept who I am and who God is shaping me to be, and to buckle up buttercup because this year is likely going to be a wild ride, and I want to embrace it all with open arms.

In addition to the theme word I chose for the year, I have also created a 21 for 2021 list. This idea came from Gretchen Rubin’s “Happier” podcast. I’m not exactly sure if my list is set in stone yet, but it’s definitely a good start. It’s really nice to have specific things to look forward to accomplishing throughout the year.

I plan to do a deep dive on the list and go into how I’m planning this out throughout the year. Also, I’m dividing this into sections.

So here we go….

20 for 2021 List

~ Fun for everyone

  • Go on a family vacation
  • Do something special for each holiday, including minor holidays
  • Make a Spring/Summer and Fall/Winter bucket list

~ Personal

  • Read 12 books
  • Start vlogging
  • Be prepared (I’ll definitely expand on this in my deep dive)

~ House & Home

  • Deep clean the whole house
  • Revamp bathroom
  • Revamp laundry room
  • replace the deck
  • Put together a recipe binder
  • Weekly meal prep

Mind/Body/Spirit

  • Take 12 social media breaks
  • Get a facial
  • Finish my 12 week devotional

Relationship/Friendships

  • Go on 12 dates
  • Say yes to invitations from friends

Fitness/Dance goals

  • Perfect my posture
  • Do the splits
  • Consistent clean double pirouettes
  • 90 degree arabesque

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So, there it is! I would love to know if you have any new year’s goals or a focus word for the year! I hope you all have a wonderful year ahead.

Cheers to the New Year!

Much Love,

Cami

2020 Fall Bucket List

/ Cami Grace / Leave a comment

I was glad to welcome the fall season this year. I enjoy the fall days at home, especially when it’s extra warm and cozy inside. This year I’m looking forward to a slower pace. We don’t have a lot of plans this year and I’m perfectly okay with that. With that being said, I still made a fall bucket list – this one is just a little more focused on things we can do at home.

I also have a blank list at the end that you can print to make your own!

Food & Drink

  • Chili bread bowl night
  • Bake a pumpkin pie
  • Bake pumpkin bread
  • Make apple cider
  • Make cranberry chicken

There is something so cozy about baking in the fall! I’m looking forward to all these yummy eats!

Out & About

  • Go on a fall scavenger hunt
  • Have a fall photo shoot
  • Check out books at the library
  • Play in the leaves
  • Buy a new fall candle

Creative

  • Decorate for fall
  • Carve pumpkins
  • Make a fall decoration (I’m thinking a wreath or table centerpiece)
  • Make a thankful tree
  • Organize a room or closet

Rain or Shine

  • Go puddle jumping
  • Costume dress up night
  • Have a game night
  • Donate to a food bank
  • Mail a handwritten card

For those who want to create your own, you can print a blank list by clicking on the download button below.

Fall Bucket List PrintableDownload

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I hope you all are having a wonderful Fall season so far and had a safe and Happy Halloween!

Much Love,

Cami