Quarterly Homemaking Goal Review: What Worked (and What Didn’t)
As I look back on this quarter, I find myself asking—did I actually meet my goals? Some of them yes, some of them no. But what I keep coming back to is this: the numbers aren’t the whole story.
April always feels like a reset for me—a chance to look back, take stock, and step into the next season with intention. This is a simple look at what I set out to do this quarter and how it actually unfolded in real life.
I wanted to share an update on my goals and how things are actually going in our home. I’ve been breaking my goals down by quarter, which has helped me stay focused without feeling overwhelmed by the whole year at once. I also really love taking time at the end of each quarter to reflect and make adjustments—it helps me notice what actually worked in this season and stay aligned with what matters right now.
I don’t always meet every goal exactly how I imagined at the start, but I’m learning that the reflection piece is just as important as the planning. It’s where I notice what’s working, what needs to shift, and where life felt fuller than expected. I also want to share these things because it’s easy to feel discouraged or like we should “throw in the towel” when goals aren’t fully met—but when we pause and reflect, we can often see so much beauty woven quietly through our everyday lives.
📚 Reading with My Son
One of my favorite goals this year is reading 200 picture books with my six-year-old son, with a quarterly goal of 50.
We’ve read 31 so far. Not quite where I thought we’d be, but I’m really glad for the pace we’ve had. These small reading moments—on the couch in the evenings, at the end of the day, or whenever we slow down enough to pick up a book—have become some of my favorite parts of our rhythm. Often it’s in the middle of normal life still happening around us, dishes in the sink, or someone calling for help, but we pause anyway.
☕ Tea Time with My Daughters
With my daughters, we finished Every Girl’s Journey, which we worked through during our weekly tea times.
I didn’t expect this to be as meaningful as it turned out to be. Having that set rhythm each week gave us space to talk in a way that doesn’t always happen in the middle of normal life. I’m glad we built that into our weeks together, and it’s one of those rhythms that actually worked in this season.
🏡 Hospitality
Hospitality filled our home in a very real way this season.
My goal was 10 opportunities, and we ended up with 16—meals taken to friends and family, plus hosting an 8-week Bible study. We did miss the final gathering because of sickness, which was disappointing, but also just part of real life. Not everything wraps up neatly, and I’m learning to be okay with that.
🌅 Morning Routine & Podcasts
During my morning routine, I’ve been listening to the Above Rubies podcasts, with a goal of 90 for the quarter.
I’ve made it through most of them, skipping a few here and there. What I didn’t expect was how much this would shape my mornings. It’s become a steady way to start the day before everything else pulls at my attention, giving me encouragement as a wife, mother, and homemaker. This has been one of those quiet rhythms that actually worked in this season.
✍️ Writing
I set a goal to write three blog posts this quarter, and those are done.
Writing has become a steady outlet for me. It helps me process what’s going on in our home and in my own heart, and I’m always glad I made the time for it. It’s one of those practices that keeps me anchored when life feels full.
🍞 In the Kitchen
I aimed to try 25 new recipes this quarter and made it to 24.
A few that stood out:
- Snickerdoodle cake (my daughter made this one, which made it extra special)
📖 Books We Loved
My goal for the year is 50 books, with a goal of 12 for the quarter, which I didn’t quite reach. I’ve finished 7 so far.
A few we especially enjoyed:
- Frances Ridley Havergal: The Girl Who Loved the Mountains (we read this together as a family)
- Counterfeit Kingdom (this one made us pause and take a closer look at some things—we had some awareness, but it went deeper for us)
- Michael’s Gentle Wife (a slow, restful read before bed)
- The Life-Giving Home (I’ve read this multiple times since 2016, and it still meets me in new ways)
🌿 A Reminder
Looking back over these past few months, I’m reminded that progress doesn’t have to be perfect to matter.
Some things didn’t go as planned. Some goals weren’t fully met. But there was still growth, connection, and steadiness in the middle of ordinary days—this is what actually worked in this season.
That’s what I want to keep building on as we move into the next quarter.
I’m carrying what actually worked in this season into the next quarter, and letting the rest go.
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