2014 I hardly knew ye...2015 watch out!!

Its that time of year again. Out with the old and in with the new. I cannot believe how FAST this year had flown by. My year consisted of a whole lot of Carowinds Amusement Park, The Beach, and Work.

Finn graduated from 5th grade and advanced on to Jr. High.  Since Peter started 8th grade this year, they are both in the same school again, albeit only for a year.
Charles Decided to go back to school and has been applying to various Radiological Technician programs in Charlotte.  We should know by March if he has been accepted. Fingers crossed.
I have only gained back a small portion of the weight I lost last year, and that was due to my own negligence.  But, belts have been tightened and salads have been divvied! This year I will get those last stubborn few pounds off.
We started remodeling our kitchen (ourselves). That has been fun. Took out some cabinets to open up the layout .
 Got some new furniture that I have been desperately wanting for 17 years. (its nice to have hand me downs, but it was time to grow up and get my own.)
Finn started playing the viola...that has been an experience.  He also thinks he wants to get into doing Parkour. I have no idea what that means, but he seems pretty adamant about it.  Anything that will get him out and active!
i took up running.  To those who say it gets easier and you learn to love it. you lie.  Although it has gotten easier, I STILL hate it.

So what are my goals this year??  I find that I do better with vague overall well-being goals than deliberate specific resolutions.  With specific measurable resolutions I find myself discouraged when I break one and I think "well whats the point?""I will exercise 3-4 times per week".  Yep, aint gonna happen.
But with more broad goals, it is easier to feel like I am accomplishing something. "get more exercise" is a lot easier for me, because as long as I am doing SOMETHING, it is more than what I was doing.
So this year my thoughts are as follows:

1. Count my blessings a little more often. I want to show more gratitude to my heavenly father, and to those around me. Not just at thanksgiving, but all the time.

2. Making more memories with my loved ones. Time is short. This year at work we lost several clients, and found out that others are going through health crises. These are people I have come to respect, admire and love(almost like family). I don't want those around me to never know how much I love them and should the unthinkable happen, I want happy memories that they can always look back on and remember fun and laughter, yet also love and service.

3. Make healthier lifestyle choices to continue maintaining my weight loss. This means exercising more, getting more sleep, drinking more water, and working harder to keepa large portion of  gluten, dairy and sugar out of my diet. Everything in moderation.

4. Stop worrying about what other people think of me. I need to do what makes me happy and not worry about the talking and gossip. I have been trying to be a more authentic me and not stifle that because they might think I am weird. Yes, I am quirky and eccentric and I need to not be embarrassed of that.To quote Weezer "I don't care what they say about us anyway...I dont care about that"(OKI know that was from The Blue Album in 1994, but it still applies).  

5. Be Nice and Work Hard. Our Regional manager AJ gave us that quote when he came to visit our center ,and I love it. So simple. Just be nice. Always. Work hard. Always. Be the best you can be. 

6. Do not stifle others dreams. My biggest flaw with my kids is not encouraging them to do the things they want to do because "it isn't practical" etc. Finn wants to be a professional skateboarder. Is it practical? No. But he has an interest in it, and who am i to tell him he cant do something. Will he ever be a Tony Hawk or Jamie Thomas? Probably not, but I cant tell him that.Who knows. Maybe he will. If I listened to those who told me no to things I wouldn't have the amazing career that I do. so this year I am encouraging others around me to step outside their comfort zones (MY comfort zone) and DO IT!

and last but not least...
. 7.. BE HAPPY. Men are that they might have joy. If we ask, the Lord will always provide what we need. I know that to be true, i have seen it countless times in my own life. If I am unhappy the Lord has always given me the tools to help me change my circumstances.

Here is to grabbing 2015 by the you know whats and making it the best year ever.

2009- my resolutions

UGH. I HATE resolutions.
hate hate hate them.
But every December 31st as the ball drops onto a new year my mind starts working.
"what can I improve on in my life?" "how can I be happier?" "what can I do to cultivate a more spiritual side?" "how can I set a good example to those around me?" "how much weight can I lose if I eat nothing but oatmeal and salad?" You know, the basics.
But every year i look at my list and it is about 476 items long. I know that I will get way to frustrated and give up if I have too many to work on. so I went through and slashed out most of them, and really focused on the BIG 10. These are the 10 things I will work on for the year.


1. Curb my potty mouth. Unfortunately I picked up a very bad habit from my mother and have struggled with it my entire life. I REALLY need to watch what I say, as my kids have started repeating some of my better epithets. I dont think my parents really believe that Charles is the one teaching them those words. Spencer W Kimball, 12th prophet of the LDS church stated "Profanity is the effort of a weak mind to express itself forcibly". Ouch.

2. Couch to 5k. One of my goals this year is to get healthier and more fit. My friend rebecca told me about this exercise program she has started called Couch to 5k. Basically in 9 weeks you train to run a 5k. It iss 3 days a week, for about 30 minutes a day. You start really slow and work your way up to 5k. It is just up my alley. You can find the program HERE. Then my next goal is 10k. Eventually by the end of the year I want to train for a 1/2 marathon. Shanda and Michelle and Alison did that this year and they look just so fantastic and healthy and beautiful. I totally hate them.(in a jealous fat girl way)And Jolin did the full marathon and is my hero. So by the end of the year I will be a fit and healthy active runner. It all starts with that first step. (plus it will help me be in bathing suit shape by our Cruise in September) I will look better, feel better and it will help me with my drooping energy levels and certainly my sleep patterns as well. I will have more energy for school as well.

3.Graduate School on my target date. I have noticed at school there are a lot of advanced students who should have graduated weeks and weeks ago, but are still there because they dont take it seriously enough to have their attendance where it needs to be. They are taking up space in the school that should be reserved for the newer students. My targeted graduation date is September 12th. My goal is to graduate on that date. If I miss a day I will come in on Saturday to make it up. I am not messing around. I am getting it DONE. I dont want to be one of those "space takers" who just come when they feel like it. Their attendance is just enough to not get kicked out.

4. Cultivate a more spiritual side. I need to do a better job of reading scriptures and praying with my kids and teaching them about the bible and about Jesus Christ. I need to do a better job about going to church and to all my meetings, not just when something is expected of me. I need to read the sunday school lesson ahead of time and be prepared to participate in the lessons. I need to magnify ALL of my callings, not just the ones I like. i need to do a better job of being a good member of the church and a good example to those around me.

5. COOK AT HOME! I like to cook. But when I am in school and come home and nothing has been taken out of the freezer, I am more apt to just order a pizza or go to subway instead of finding something to eat. I need to do a better job of meal planning and prioritizing. I need to make sure that Charles knows what needs to be out of the fridge or freezer, in case i forget. I want my kids to grow up with an appreciation for healthy, home cooked meals...instead of cheeseburgers and pizza.(Peter I am not worried about. he is a fruit and veggie nut. But Finn on the other hand has become accustomed to the fatty fast food industry)

6. Simplify my home. I have too much junk. My goal this year is to flylady my way to a clean, organized, clutter free home. I keep my house clean, but I have so much junk and knick knacks and kid clutter and STUFF. My goal is to keep my house "company ready" at all times. On her site, flylady asks "Are you tired of CHAOS?"(Cant have anyone over syndrome). Yes. Yes flylady I am tired of CHAOS.

7. BUDGETING. With the economy the way it is, I resolve to do a better job of budgeting. No more impulse purchases. No more "extras" I dont really need. I am putting myself on a cash budget and once it is gone, it is gone. I will work harder at getting the bills paid on time every month. I will be much more respectful of my money and work harder at being more financially organized.

8. Cutting out junk and pop. Everything in moderation. I know this. This year I resolve to cut out 90% of the junk food and crap I eat. I resolve to drink non-carbonated beverages only and to drink the proper amount of water my body needs. My body will thank me, and I will be happier in the long run. No more sugar slumps. No more caffeine cravings. No more dependence on sugar and pop to give me energy. Occasional sweets are fine, but not all day every day. I am also including vitamins in this. I am REALLY going to work harder to take my vitamins every day.

9. Patience. I REALLY need to work on my patience. Unfortunately i have a quick, fiery temper. I fly off the handle way too quickly. My anger is not a long-smoldering one. It is a flash fire that flares out of control very quickly. It is like gasoline to a flame. My goal this year is to find a way and techniques to keep my anger under control and to find ways to be more patient with others, especially my family.

10. Personal beauty. No I dont mean the things like showering and brushing my teeth. I already do those things. And I am not talking about vanity and always looking in a mirror. I mean always making sure my hair and make-up look their best. Always making sure my legs are shaved and eyebrows are waxed. Making sure I exemplify my chosen profession the best I can. I want to make sure my clothes are pressed and wrinkle free, and that I always look my best. even if it is jeans and a T shirt. Even if I am just running to Walmart or to the Post Office. I want to present a good and positive image no matter what I am doing, no matter where I am going. The better I look, the better I will feel about myself and the easier most of my other goals will be. The better I look, the better i will feel and the harder I will try to make myself a better person all around. The better I look, there better i will feel and the easier for me to help others around me feel the same way.


So those are my BIG 10 goals this 2009. It will nto be a cake walk. In fact I expect to really have to work hard to make sure I am changing my life for the better. No one said it would be easy, but it will be worth it.

HAPPY 2009 and may you keep all your resolutions!