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Month in Review and September Goals

Emma and Johnny on the beach in New Jersey

I can’t believe summer is nearly over! August was a month of celebration in our house – Lily and Mike’s birthdays, and the wedding of a dear friend. We also got to spend time with several relatives we rarely get to see. We went on an exciting road trip to Atlantic City and Philadelphia, with stops at the children’s museum in West Hartford (with many exciting animals on display), Cape May Zoo (adorable baby snow leopards, zebras, and a swimming bear were my kids’ favorites), the Atlantic City Aquarium (where there was a cool diver feeding show and touch tanks that my kids were too overwhelmed by crowds to enjoy, but where my admission fee was put to use via a couple hours of my children running gleefully in an empty room), and the Historic Village at Allaire (where the staff were very friendly and accommodating). We had a blast meeting up with cousins at the Allaire village, and we met up with my parents and a couple siblings at a bookstore in Delaware for a couple hours – midway between our respective locations, and the only opportunity to get together without crossing an ocean. And we stayed with more cousins in Philadelphia, where Mike, a cousin, and the kids thoroughly enjoyed the Please Touch Museum for a full six hours while I was busy with wedding rehearsals.

I gave a donation in exchange for admission to the Cape May Zoo, and I paid full admission to the Atlantic City Aquarium. The Historic Village at Allaire was free, and my Discovery Museums membership got us into all of the other museums!

The birthday celebrations and trip fulfilled two of my goals, and we played outside for at least part of every non-rainy day, so I think August was a success!

Setting Goals for September 2010

Autumn is my favorite season in New England, and I’m hoping to spend lost of time outside! In September, I hope to:

  • Take the kids apple picking (with my Mother’s Club). Target Areas: health and education
  • Play outside as much as possible. Target Areas: education, health, and peace
  • Dry laundry outside as often as possible. Target Areas: education and gratitude
  • Finish crocheting the bear I started sometime last year. Target Areas: education
  • Sew something. Target Areas: education
  • Pack up a fourth box of stuff for the donation pick-up I have scheduled (three are already packed). Target Areas: charity and gratitude
  • Pick up a couple Simplicity patterns I’ve had my eyes on when they go on sale (starting September 9th, if I remember correctly). Target Area: education
  • Try out a rotating cleaning schedule: My room Sunday, kitchen and laundry Monday, playroom Tuesday, Living room and dining room Wednesday, laundry room and garage Thursday, cabinets, counters, and bookshelves on Friday, and bathrooms and kids’ rooms on Saturday. Target Area: peace
  • Measure Emma and (this is the bonus goal) try my hand at sloper drafting by following along with this tutorial. Target Area: education

I’m realizing that most of my goals are education-oriented; I guess I’m in back-to-school mode! I’m feeling ambitious, in part because September is my first month since May 2005 without a baby, either in my arms or in utero!

Blogging about goals this month? I’d love for you to add your post to the linky below, and include the button or a link back to this post!

monthly goals linky at mama smiles


  1. Elisa | blissfulE
  2. Partners In Crime @ Tot School
  3. Idas Project Goals – September
  4. Transformations
This linky list is now closed.

MaryAnne is a craft loving educator, musician, photographer, and writer who lives in Silicon Valley with her husband Mike and their four children.

12 thoughts on “Month in Review and September Goals”

  1. joyce:waddleeahchaa.com

    Apple picking sounds so fun and hanging clothes on the line,plus buying patterns when they go on sale reminds me of my younger days. Thanks for the Sept. goals post it gaved me some ideas for the up-coming months. Thanks for visiting us at waddleeahchaa.com. Have a great Sept. :)
    .-= joyce:waddleeahchaa.com´s last blog ..Dirty Little Family Secret =-.

  2. I always enjoy reading your goals for each month and your update for the previous months goals as well. I have been falling short in some of my areas the last couple months. I really need to get remotivated somehow.

    I am hoping it cools down here so we can get outside much more in the coming month.

    Good luck to you in all of your September goals–you have some very good ones!
    .-= Susana´s last blog ..Magic Tree House Knight at Dawn Unit Study =-.

  3. I always enjoy your goal posts. I’ll be curious to hear how your cleaning schedule works out. I’ve tried so many different methods and can never seem to get on top of cleaning (I’m convinced it is impossible to be the mother I want to be, the wife I want to be, AND the housekeeper I want to be. Nevermind that I don’t even work anymore). My best cleaning method so far has just been to invite people over often! I always panic clean before they show up. But you are so right that it would count toward “peace” to have it be clean all the time.
    .-= lynn´s last blog ..Our Story Journal and 10 Additional Ideas for Encouraging Storytelling =-.

  4. Very interesting outings & the meet up with family must be wonderful :-) Emm… I guess I need to plan for September too!
    .-= Dora´s last blog ..I Can See Some Lights Finally… =-.

  5. Gosh, is it this time already??? You have worthy goals for September – I like an idea of drying laundry outside too. I’ll try to write my post later today.
    .-= Natalie´s last blog ..Computer Math Or Genie Who Was Let Out of the Bottle =-.

  6. @ticia – funny how deeply ingrained the school year is, even when we don’t have kids in the public school system…

    @Valerie – Yeah, I spent all my time doing wedding stuff. Hopefully we’ll get out to Philly again sometime soon – and please let us know if you’re ever in MA!

    @Quadmama – This will be our third year picking apples, it’s one of my favorite fall activities!

    @Natalie – I know – what happened to July and August!

  7. Apple picking sounds wonderful! I’ve already told Hubby that we WILL be returning to the “pick your own” pumpkin patch this year. We went on a fabulous fall day last year and it was such a great time.
    .-= Quadmama´s last blog ..The Birds and the Bees =-.

  8. Elisa | blissfulE

    The part about “running gleefully in an empty room” made me laugh! You’re so right to just follow what your kids wanted to do, even if it’s not what you set out to do.

    I’ve been feeling the same – September is also my first month in ages (December 2005) not having a baby in arms or in utero. THAT must be why I’m going crazy decorating my house! :)
    .-= Elisa | blissfulE´s last blog ..month in review and September goals =-.

  9. I always look forward to your month in review posts, and this month my goals are very similar. Fall is also my favorite time of the year, so I try to go out of my way to savor every bit of it! REALLY looking forward to picking apples with the kiddos!!!

    I can’t believe you were in Philly and we didn’t get a chance to meet up, although I know you must have been SWAMPED with wedding stuff. Let us know if you’re in PA again — you and the family are welcome over here anytime! :-)
    .-= Valerie @ FFFB´s last blog ..Quick Craft — Leaf Necklace =-.

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