Lets Call Them "Improvements"......

Personally, I do not like the word, "resolution". Although one definition of the word is: the act of resolving or determining upon an action or course of action, method, procedure, ect. My definition is: failure. If I make a resolution, I typically do not keep it. Therefore I've decided through the years that I need to make "improvements".

So what, you may ask, are my improvements for this new year?

First and foremost, I want to give more attention to my children at bedtime. Quiet honestly, I hit the "I'm done" stage around 7:30. My husband is really good at spending time with them in the evenings, so It's not like they're neglected. My son is 10, my daughter 9. Pretty soon they'll be busy with social lives and they'll be too cool for Mom - I need to spend every moment I can get with them. So, my game plan is to start spending 15 min laying in bed with each of them every night so we can talk about whatever may come up.

My husband. I need to spend more time with him. Starting a new business consumes all his time, life consumes all mine. We need to spend more time relating as husband and wife not just as mother/father, business owner/sounding board.... My game plan here, to have at least two date nights a month.

Two years ago we started Sunday family days. We would do an activity during the day, and then have our family meeting at night. During our meetings we discuss the good and bad things that happened during the week, our upcoming week's schedule, and any other family issues that need to be discussed, then typically we would end our day with a board game. Over the past few months our family day has become any other day, and our family meetings are rushed. Game plan: Sunday's will once again become our family day - they will be restored to the priority they were when we first started them.

What new year wouldn't be complete with out "self improvement" changes??!! I intend to get the holiday weight off by eating better, exercising consistently. Except for the sugar cravings, this is an easy one to get back into the swing of things (especially once the kids are back at school next week). There is a change to the exercise game plan however: Instead of running a quick two miles after my Wed and Fri classes, I will run at least three. Mon and Thurs are my "run" days, I will run at least five miles both those days, and add Tues into the mix, running at least three miles. This will bring my weekly miles logged to at least 19 miles. I would like to get back up to at least 25 miles a week. I also plan on throwing in a few more days of strength training. I would love to have really toned arms, shoulders and back.

I could go on, and maybe I will in another post, because, why do I need to decided on all the changes at once? After all, Isn't life all about continual self improvement???

I've been Tagged...

Blog buddie, Luis, at Muddy Runner tagged me! I'm to put down my five favorite things to do on New Years Eve....

Well, let me give this a shot.....

5. Contemplate changes I would like to make in the new year
4. Reflect on the year past - my kids achievements, their growth, etc.
3. Hope I can stay up to watch the ball fall at midnight
2. Hang out with my family (they're my favorite people to be with)
1. Kiss my husband at the stroke of midnight - what a wonderful way to end one year, and start
another...

Happy New Year everyone! May 2009 be filled with all the best - family, friends, love and laughter!

Dawn

Faith....

As I state in my profile, I am a Christian. Although I grew up believing in God, a heaven and hell, Jesus, it wasn't until I was in my early thirties, and pregnant with our first child, that I came to understand that merely believing is not enough, and what true faith entails.

Our journey began when friends of ours invited us to attend a series their church was having called "Raising a G rated child in an X rated world". In a nutshell, after the series ended, we continued attending, and in time, both my husband and I committed ourselves, our marriage and the raising of our children to the Lord.

As I also state in my profile, sometimes my faith comes easy, other times not so much. It is so very easy to praise the Lord in times of joy, in celebration, when everything is just as it should be. Not so easy when times get dark, difficult, rocky...

I believe the words in the bible are God breathed, therefore I believe they are all true. So words such as, "Do not be afraid or discouraged..." Deut. 31.8 (NLT) can be tough to follow, real tough.

My husband and his partner started a new business venture earlier this year. They have developed a coffee that is infused with whole natural ingredients that makes their coffee not only a great tasting cup of coffee, but a healthy one as well. Drinking one cup of their coffee gives you the same amount of anti-oxidants you receive from eating 6 to 8 bowls of blueberries. What does this have to do with the above verse, you ask.....

Everything... and I mean everything... God has opened amazing doors, and I believe with all my heart His plan is for this company to succeed, but of course, that is not happening at the speed we would like. God has graciously put my husband and his partner in front of some very impressive potential investors, but then, unfortunately, our economy took a dive, and everyone has become very weary of handing out money (respectively so). Discouragement.

My husband the other night talked about how most successful business men found themselves in the same position we are in right now - over extended, in need of money. He then proceeded to tell me how Kernel Sanders lived in his car before striking it big ---- ummmm -- I don't want to live in my car. Fear.

Becoming a christian does not entail an easy life, in fact, the bible tells us trials are guaranteed. If life did not have it's share of hardships, 1. we would already be in heaven and 2. what would be the point of faith? I know that this is a growing time for me, but it is scary none the less. What if God intends plans for our life that I never intended? That is when I have to hold close the promise of the remainder of this verse, "the Lord is the one who goes before you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor forsake you." Deut. 31:8 (NLT). Faith.

Who Would Have Thought.....

Against my better judgment, Santa decided to bring my daughter a fish (hey, they're cheap). She was very excited, and chose the clever name of --- drum roll please --- "Swimmy". Now, Swimmy will make his (well, actually it's a her, but my daughter insists it's a he) way to my daughter's room and call the top of her desk home. However, right now he's on my kitchen counter, and, darn if I'm not finding him quiet entertaining. I've actually found myself pondering, would that teal fish tank actually look cute on my counter for good....

What a Happy Family....

This is our end of the day Christmas photo....


Today the kids are out, playing with their new loot, as I try and clean up (that will count as exercise, right??) the craziness that exploded all over the house!! Nothing but pj's and fuzzy socks for me today!!

Whew.... Am I Glad That's All Over!!!

But not for any of the reason's you might be thinking....

Not because of the stress, the shopping, the entertaining, the wrapping, the trips to store after store after store, all the money spent. The forgotten gift (especially after you thought you were done), the menu planning, the Christmas card sending.... Oh how I could go on!!! Nope, not for any of those reasons.

It's all the eating!!! I can't but help consume ALL of the wonderful baked good platters received, because, well, darn if cookies and breads aren't my down fall!! And nothing taste better with coffee in the morning then a short bread cookie (or two) or homemade pumpkin or banana bread (and darn if it doesn't taste great for lunch and snacking as well)!!!

The main problem with all the goodie consumption is.... I decided a few years back in order to not stress during the month of December, exercising only happens if I can get everything else done that needs to be done. Exercise drops wwwaaayyy down the priority list. So for the last few weeks, exercise has not happened at all. Sooooo, we know what that means don't we!! Extra calories consumed + lack of exercise = added pounds to the body!! Ugh... (I know, I know, it's completely my own fault).

So, starting tomorrow (of course, not TODAY), I will start detoxing myself from sweets. I will also exercise everyday. I will get these extra pounds off as quickly as I put them on -- or so I can only hope, because, WHY -- WHY I ASK, does it take so little time to put the weight on, and what seems forever - and so much blood, sweat and tears - to take it off!!!!!

Why a Blog????

I'm not quiet sure. I'm not eloquent, I don't have some sort of statement to make, or viewpoint to get across, I'm not trying to save the world.... I just know that I sure enjoy checking in with some of the blogs I follow, and, well, thought, why not have one of my own. So..... here it goes...

What should you expect, that I don't know either. What ever tickles my fancy, I suppose. I'm still trying to figure out how to set up my layout, so that will probably change with the wind (can you take me seriously with this background?). I have so little spare time, so when will I sit and update this, time will tell (I'll most likely stay up way too late into the night and complain about how tired I am the ENTIRE next day).....

Now here is a question I'm pondering - Is it just me, or does blogging sort of feel like a grown up "myspace" - come, be my friend, post me comments (just don't hack me and do naughty things to my photo)!!!