Resolutions: Update

Remember this post? Maybe you made one just like it. Or maybe you're not a blogger, but decided to change some aspects of your life in 2009. Well, since the year is more than half over, I thought I'd reflect on my 'resolutions' and see what I have left to complete for the second half of the year. Here are my three resolutions {in case you don't have a chance to revisit my original post} followed by my progress in italics:

Number One: Return to my pre-pregnancy weight before the end of the year.

I have recently decided to try to lose some of my pregnancy weight, which you can follow along with on my other blog, Chronicles of an Almost Healthy Foodie. Although I know I will feel better about myself if I get back to the size I was last fall, I am not going to stress myself out over it. During this season of grief after losing Olivia, I think my spiritual and emotional health are far more important than my dress size. So, I am working towards this goal as we speak, but it is open to reevaluation if need be.

Number Two: Read 12 books.

It is actually kind of comical that I set this goal for myself, as I never was much of a reader, but realize the importance of cultivating a good reading habit, especially as it pertains to setting a good example for my children. I've always been more of a magazine reader {I even love catalogues!}, but never much of a fiction girl. *Insert dramatic life changing events here.* I then decided to maybe pick out a few books, as a simple diversion for my reality at the time and for personal enjoyment, and I haven't looked back. These are the titles I have read so far: Confessions of a Shopaholic, Shopaholic Takes Manhattan, Shopaholic and Sister, The Tennis Party, Remember Me?, The Undomestic Goddess, The Yada Yada Prayer Group (book1), The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Down (book2), The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Real (book3), Jemima J, Waiting with Gabriel, Holding Onto Hope, and A Symphony in the Dark. That makes 13 books read, which means...resolution complete!! I am already in the midst of The Friday Night Knitting Club, even though I've met this goal. Maybe I formed a new enjoyable habit! **BTW, just because I listed a book here, doesn't mean I recommend it. A couple of these novels were what I deem 'inappropriate' at parts, which I ended up just skipping over.**

Number Three: Try 12 new recipes.

I wish I would've kept closer tabs on this resolution. I pretty much know for a fact that I've only tried one new recipe {Buttermilk Scones from Baking with Julia} in the last 3 months, since cooking meals from scratch wasn't too high of a priority. As I look back though, since the beginning of the year, I have posted recipes for Easy Baked Ziti, Easy BBQ Pork, Artisan Bread, Baked Potato Soup, and Easy Strawberry Shortcake. Does the Peanutty Playdough count too? So, I guess that makes about half a dozen new recipes tried in '09. I did purchase the fixings for another new recipe this week and I *know* that once the weather cools down {a.k.a. will be using my oven much more}, once I start entertaining more, and when Thanksgiving looms, I will be dusting off all the cookbooks. I surely do miss trying new recipes, new techniques, and sharing the results with my friends and family. Maybe if I subscribed to a cooking magazine I might be inspired more often to try new things!


Ok. Your turn. Do you remember what you resolved to change in 2009? Care to share how that's coming along?

Keep. Moving. Forward.~

Slim Down Sundays: Simple Changes

Anyone else out there still doing Slim Down Sundays? Or my version, which is just tryin' to stay healthy! I thought I'd share my latest technique for taking baby steps & making small, but meaningful changes in my life. I originally came up with this idea as it pertains to keeping my eating habits in check, but it is applicable in every facet of life! It's as simple as this: too much, too little. What things am I eating too much of that aren't quite good choices? What things am I eating too little of that I need to include more often? This week's baby steps were:

Too much: sugar
Too little: water

How easy was that? I think sometimes I tend to make way too many goals & get overwhelmed by all the things I need to change. So, I am simplifying. I cut back the sugar in my tea & replaced it with mostly Splenda. I drank more fluids by bringing my water bottle with me whenever I left the house & filling up my cup as often as possible. It was an improvement! What about you? What have you been doing too much of and too little of that you can change this next week? Too much internet/TV? Too little Bible time? Too much yelling? Too little romance time with the husband?

I'd love to know any baby step goals you're making for this next week!

P.S. My pregnancy & other health updates will mostly be on my other blog, Chronicles of an Almost Healthy Foodie. Feel free to stop by for a visit!

res-o-lute

res-o-lute: adj. Having a decided purpose; determined; resolved; fixed in a determination; hence, bold; firm; steady.

From which we get the word "resolution", as in the New Year's variety. Anyone make those? I really hardly do, mostly because before Memorial Day arrives I'd forgotten what it was I resolved to do. I'm guessing those sorts of resolutions wouldn't have fit the definition at all. Had I truly been determined, resolved, bold, I would not so easily abandon my purpose. These last two years, I have had the same resolution, which I have not forgotten: not to put undue burden on the family budget. I have had income from my part-part-part time job, which I tried to use for as many family wants & needs as possible.

I know many people decide to read through the Bible in a year or lose XX number of pounds, which, are noble things to purpose towards. I'm wondering though, by April are they still only half-way through Genesis and stopping at the McDonald's drive-thru for a greasy Quarter Pounder? {YUM! Haven't had me one of those in forever.....} But I digress.

So, since I believe that if you don't know what you're aiming for, you'll never hit your target, here are my "aims" or resolutions if you will, for 2009. I've narrowed it down to three, simple and practical things:

Number One: Return to my pre-pregnancy weight before the end of the year. Our sweet pea #4 is officially due August 2nd, which should leave me plenty of time on the calendar to accomplish this, especially if I can manage not to gain more than 25 pounds.

Number Two: Read 12 books. Any twelve. Some for fun. Some for personal and spiritual growth. But just keep reading. It's actually something I truly love, but had not done too much of due to my previous TV watching habits. So many things can be accomplished without cable TV.....

Number Three: Try 12 new recipes. That's really not very many. Only one new recipe per month. There are so many things that I've always wanted to try making from scratch, but just never get around to: croissants, white bean chicken chili, ravioli, lobster bisque, homemade candy, orange chicken.

Do you make New Year's Resolutions? What's slated for '09?

P.S. For a wonderful guided reflection of 2008, be sure not to miss this post at Simple Mom.

Without Fanfare

I figured this day would come eventually, just maybe not so soon. At the beginning of August, several events in my life all sort of lined up to propel me into making some healthy life changes. {Erin, your success has always inspired me!}

I decided to start a chronicle of it here.

I told myself that once people started noticing my efforts, that I would make an official announcement on this blog. It will be hard to hide it much longer, so I'll just let it my other blog speak for itself. Hope you can stop by soon for a visit!

Taking the Good with the Bad

Isn't that a lot of what life is about? I am really trying to be a woman of grace, one who realizes that life can't always be mountain top living, accepting the bad as it comes. I thoroughly appreciate that some of life's best and most valuable lessons are learned in the valley. On top of some recent lessons regarding relationships, I've now been dealt some physical blows. I had been having a few problems with my hands falling asleep. First it was just at night. I would actually have to hang my arm over the side of the bed to get the circulation back. I chalked it up to sleeping on it wrong. Then it would happen after prolonged use of the computer mouse AND while driving AND while using the treadmill AND while knitting, to the point where I couldn't even feel the needles anymore. Another curious symptom arose where I would get a tingling sensation going down my neck. I knew something was really wrong. So I visited my step-mom's wellness clinic and had a diagnosis done with a chiropractor. I was shocked to learn that I have this in both arms. I also have this. I had both of my wrists "adjusted", which was a less than pleasant experience. It sounds like I have a lot of therapy ahead of me and am committed to taking better care of my body. This whole thing is stressing me out though, which is why I haven't been blogging as much. Not to mention a baby who nurses a lot and only cat naps during the day, still waking several times at night. Valley living, ya'll.