August Progress Report: 18 for 2018 •

We’re about two-thirds of the way through 2018, so I think it’s time to check-in with a progress report on my 18 for 2018. Unfortunately… I feel like I’ve not made much progress.

I’ve felt a little unmoored over the last few months. Or maybe I’ve just been living in the moment. I guess it depends on your perspective. Regardless, my 18 for 2018 list (or any list for that matter) hasn’t been my focus lately.

This unusual for me. I am typically a Type A, make a list kind of person. One of my favorite things to do is to research paper planners and select one for the upcoming year. When I made my 18 for 2018 list, I figured I’d be checking items off of it left and right.

And yet.

—

Alright, here we go.

I’ve continued to make progress on #2, which is planning fun birthday adventures for the kids. We booked our trip to Disney for our girl’s birthday and now are working on the little details. (The little guy’s birthday was in the spring, so that one is completed.) We’ve selected our restaurants for reservations, started planning Fast Passes, and both my husband and I are daydreaming about how we’re going to tell her daughter about the trip on her actual birthday. (I love that he is so excited about the trip. Disney turns him into an excited little kid!)

I’ve made minimal progress on #7, which is learning ASL. I downloaded an app and now know all the letters of the alphabet, but obviously there’s more to do.

I’ve dropped the ball on #8: completing part 1 of the presidential reading challenge. I tried reading the biography on George Washington and it was so dry that I gave up. The John Adams bio was a much better read, but it still took me forever to make any progress on it. I do have a habit of reading multiple books at once, which means it takes awhile to get through a book. But after I had renewed the Adams bio four times from the library, I took it as a sign that I wasn’t going to make the book a priority and it was time to throw in the towel.

I’m not proud of that, but I’ve also decided in the last few months that I’m not going to spend time (waste time?) reading things that I don’t truly enjoy. At this stage of my life, reading time is at a premium, so I’m going to make sure I use it wisely. And eliminating #8 from the list frees up some time to start #5, which is reading the Harry Potter books.

Trying aerial yoga is on the list and while I haven’t done it yet, I have recruited my younger, cooler cousin to try it with me. We just need to pick a date.

The last item on the list, #18, is leaving room for fun. I had forgotten that was on the list. Reflecting back on the four months since my last 18 for 2018 check-in, I’d say I can call this one complete—though I’ll keep working on it too! Again, it’s all about perspective, but my living in the moment this summer qualifies as leaving room for fun. I’ve thrown a bridal shower, traveled to Prince Edward Island, celebrated my best friend having a baby and spent so many hours snuggling my babies. We’ve read, gone to the pool and eaten tons and tons of ice cream.