New Year's Resolutions: Revisited

Well, if you want to feel like a failure, let's start revisiting those New Year's Resolutions you made at the beginning of 2008....HA! Here are mine....

1. Get out of debt!

Well...we're not out of debt. We have been more "aware" though. We have actually saved for big purchases rather than just buying them....but a good bit of debt is still there...which isn't exactly the correct way to do things. We have to be more disciplined...



2. Keep the house out of CHAOS (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome*).



I am very proud of us with this...though I am not sure it is really to our credit! We have done tons better since we finished our flooring project. Also, since we have another student coming over our house is truly presentable 99% of the time. But, you really don't want to ring our doorbell on that other 1% of the time!!!!


3. Eat dinner at home 6 out of 7 days per week!

Well....I would say we are at about 5 out of 7 on this one. Not exactly on par, but not too shabby either!


4. Stop biting my fingernails.

I did this for a couple of weeks, then decided long nails were more bothersome...ha!


5. Eat healthy.


I was a cheater on that one...I took a pill and lost 30 pounds (I know...cheater!) so now I am eating healthier just because I established the habit of eating much smaller portions. As for the "content" of my food....eh...it's better...but really we don't eat "terrible" for you things that often anyway..it is mostly portion control. I HAVE been taking a vitamin every single day though..a good habit I established while taking the diet thing...I had to at that point so now it is a habit that I am very proud of...and doing well with my kids and daily vitamins as well.


6. Make an effort to be joyful about household chores.

Doing better.... This is hard! Our current Bible study may help with this too...(Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World.


7. Do a Bible study devotion with Corey 5 days every week.

NOT successful....totally ashamed!



8. Finish the scarves I started knitting for Katie and Noah.



Pretty much done!!! WOO HOO! Just finishing left...adding embellishments. Now, if we could just FIND Katie's again so I can finish it completely (she started playing with hers when it was off the needles, so who knows where it is?!)



9. Learn to sew and make a curtain for Noah's toy shelf.



I have, kind of, learned to sew. I haven't made the curtains, but I did JUST make a pillow this past weekend.



10. If I don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all! (The most difficult one to keep of all I do believe!) The only way I see to accomplish this is to just NOT be around certain people, or to come prepared with plenty of things to daydream about while I am around them so that I don't pay attention to anything they are saying. Or perhaps I can work on my attitude.

Really and truly, I have done better on this one. God is helping me. On a slightly different note, but similar, I am trying to do this with my thoughts as well. I have truly been better at looking toward the positive side on things. Especially in the last couple of days :) Trying to focus on the big scheme of life and "keep on keeping on" and trying to not get down in the dumps like I used to do so often. God doesn't want me to sit around and "fret"...He wants me to be busy! So, I am very much trying to do that!

#11: Recycle.

Oh, we had such good intentions!!!! I think that if we had cancelled our trash service pickup then this one would be so much easier, because then we would be going out anyway. I think we need to do that, maybe I can talk to Corey about it. Our church is ON THE SAME ROAD as the recycling center/trash drop off....so it wouldn't be that difficult...just a little extra work, and isn't that what sacrifice is all about? (perhaps a little different sort of sacrifice...but if you truly believe it is the right thing to do....) Hmmm...something to think about.

So, there you have it. Three out of eleven complete successes, a few "working on it"s and a couple of complete failures. I'd say that's just about how life goes, huh?! I will be pondering over these things the next few weeks...trying to decide what goals might be in store for me next year...

It's That Time of Year Again....

Time to get ready for the fall and winter holidays! No, I'm not talking about putting away a few extra dollars for those obligatory gifts for relatives you only see for Christmas. I am also not talking about winterizing your car or getting out the pumpkin carving supplies or the wreath for the door.
I am talking about preparing your body for the holiday eating season.
I have already started.
I plan to loose 10-15 pounds before Thankgiving.
And its not so that I can fit into a new pair of pants or a cute holiday outfit.
It is so that I don't come out in January even MORE out of shape than I am now. I can't afford that, so the best thing I can do is prepare for my inevitable holiday weight gain now.
There's no way I am going to cancel my Thanksgiving serving of turkey, sweet potatoes, rolls, pie, and cake. No way I am going to "not do" all that baking I do every year for Christmas. Don't even think about asking me to NOT dip everything in my cabinets in chocolate for gift giving and holiday enjoyment.
I will just prepare myself now. I KNOW it is coming, so the least I can do it get ready for it.
Come on fall, Thanksgiving, Christmas.
Everyone one should be as studious as I, as cunning and just plain out honest!
Why make yourself miserable later? Why turn down all those treats, giving yourself a microscopic serving of "turkey, oh no not ham for me" or a tiny little scoop of that deliciously sweet potato casserole? And avoid all those feelings of guilt when you didn't turn down another slice of pecan pie or coconut cake. I won't be feeling bad when I lick the bowl of leftover melted chocolate after dipping 100 peanut butter balls.
WHY?
Because I lost 15 pounds just to be ready for such an occassion as this!
Let the holiday preparation diet begin!