And another week begins.....

Well, it is Monday, another week begins. I am working really hard on keeping an optimistic attitude, because my family is sick....again. It just seems like we can't keep healthy! I have a feeling that my week is going to look alot like this:
Anyway, in regards to my January resolutions, I have kept up pretty well! Last week the name of the game was moderation. My body has been rebelling quite a bit because I think I have been overdoing the exercise a bit. In the same way I had gotten a bit crazy on my diet, and found that I am a happier person when I don't cut out the things I like completely, but just moderate what I have.
I found some definitions for moderation that I really love.
quality of being moderate and avoiding extremes
easing: a change for the better
temperance: the trait of avoiding excesses
the action of lessening in severity or intensity
It all seems to point to the fact that if I make changes using moderation, the changes will stick. I love the second definition, "easing: a change for the better". I tend to get very enthusiastic and want to change things all at once, but the thing about that is that I tend to burn out!
I yearn for balance in my life, I don't like extremes, they make me tired! Yes, extremes make adrenaline flow, just think about your last ride on a roller coaster, but then think of how you feel when you get home from the amusement park....you are exhausted!
This year I am learning to ease into things, and I really think that that will make the changes last. My goal is for my resolutions to become habits.

Week Two: A New Friend

So this week was the start of "Dump Your Plump". My competitive spirit has kicked in and I am determined to "dump my plump".
To do this I have been working out this week more than I think I ever have in my life. After I go to the gym today I will have worked out five days this week! And because of this I have a new friend....the elliptical machine!
I was hesitant to try it at first, I have always been more of a treadmill girl, but after the first time I was hooked! I can go longer and faster on it! I have been averaging four miles each workout.
I find myself missing it the days I don't go. I had always heard of people becoming addicted to exercise and seriously, I thought they were crazy! I know at this point I could just be riding an adrenaline high, but I really do want to keep this attitude and really make working out a habit.
I haven't noticed too much in the way of weight loss, but I am trying not to solely concentrate on that, but rather on how I feel. I have to say I have felt happier this week, and have more energy.
As far as my other resolutions for this month go, I am still doing better than I usually am at this point. My eating habits have improved (although I am not counting calories tonight because it is Birthday Date Dinner night). I am sticking with my bedtime routine even though it has been a struggle some nights when all I want to do is fall into bed! Overall I am pretty proud of myself!

A picture says it all....

This morning I got to go sledding, I haven't done that in years. As I was uploading the pictures I saw one that my friend took of me sledding.
And it hit me...this picture summed up the kind of mom I want to be. The past couple of weeks I have had to be "nurse mom", and that is very exhausting, it has been followed by "cranky mom", "irritable mom" and "extremely tired and stressed out mom". I don't like being those moms.
But today after a rocky start to the morning I took time just to play, to be silly, to laugh and to scream as we went down the hill.
I realized I really need to do that more often. I need to not get so caught up in the things that "need to be done" that I forget to take the time to play and have fun.
This whole year is my journey to become happier with my life. This morning I found out that one of the things that makes me happy is just playing.
As moms we have to wear many different hats, but I need to remember to put on my silly hat more often.

Week One: Going to the Mattreses!

Well 2011 is a week old now. It has been an interesting week. My husband had minor surgery on Wednesday, my son had a croup attack on Friday and my daughter has been battling a cold. I had to attach this week by basically "going to the mattresses". I had to treat this week like a war, not knowing when I would need to fight.
Even with all the craziness going on I was able to make some positive changes in my physical health. I joined a "dump your plump" team, and having other women encouraging me to work out has been wonderful. I have pretty much kept to my diet, although I did use chocolate as one of my "weapons of combat" on Thursday, but even then didn't overindulge.
I have also been able to keep my before bedtime routine, and it really has helped me fall asleep easier...(now if I could just work on staying asleep, but that is really in my kids hands!)
Have I kept each resolution perfectly this week....no, but surprisingly I do not feel discouraged. This week threw alot of obstacles my way, along with alot of stress, but I feel like I have come out of it victorious! Tired....but victorious!

Trying To Keep It Together

The other morning I woke up determined to change my attitude. Over the past couple of weeks areas of my life that I need to change have been at the forefront of my mind. I tend to get this way near the end of the year as I start to focus on how I want the New Year to be.
One of the things I want to change is the way I deal with stress. I will admit I am a control freak. I have been called a "Monica", (yes that was a FRIENDS reference). I love my daily planner and a filled out calendar makes me happy. However, lately, my life hasn't fit neatly into a calendar. I tend to "spaz out" when things come at me from left field. I do what I need to do, but don't always have the best attitude, definitely not the gentle and quiet spirit that I truly long to be.
It has been a rough couple of weeks for us. Not only was the regular holiday stress upon us, but we have been taking turns getting sick. The day I woke up with my new resolve was the day that Reagan got sick.
Between a sick baby and a husband who was working nights,I started to feel completely overwhelmed, add to that lack of sleep and I was not at my best.
Now I would like to be able to share that I stopped there, took a deep breath, got my attitude together and became a Proverbs 31 woman. But I didn't.
Instead I have spent the last couple of days wallowing in self pity, not the best place to be. I talked myself into feeling unappreciated and alone.
So what could I have done differently? Well, to start with I tried to make the changes myself. Instead of turning to the One who has all the strength I decided that I could do it myself. The other thing is that I need to realize that I need to pray continually for contentment. I think alot of my stress comes from fighting against what is going on, wanting to control the people and activities that make up my life. I need to give up that control (you have no idea how hard it was to type that last sentence!)
I have to figure out how to give up this need of control in order to be truly happy. I don't know exactly how to do it yet, but let me do a little thinking and I will get back to you!

Game Plan for January

To start off my happiness project I want to start off by establishing healthy habits to take care of my physical body.
The idea itself is very broad. I have started out many January’s in my life vowing to take care of myself better, but by the end of January I have fallen into old habits. So I am breaking it down into different areas, so that it becomes smaller and more manageable.
One of the things I have learned from “FlyLady” is that it is important to establish bedtime routines. Now I have done that for my children, but not for me. I have come to the conclusion that it is just as important for me, as for them. Some of these things may seem a little trivial, but it is the little things that I tend to push aside when I am too tired.
So here is my before bed routine:
1.Brush teeth
2.Wash Face
3.Use lotion
4.Brush hair 100 times
5.Read at least a chapter of a “fun” book

When it comes to working out I really struggle. The things I would like to do, I don’t have time for, or at least time for when I have the energy. I would really like to get involved with Roller Derby. Now, I can hear those of you who know me laughing, because I am not exactly the most “sports oriented” person. But I really think that it would be fun, but I need to work up to that. So that is my ultimate goal, but here are the things I want to do daily to help me get there.
1.Walk to the mailbox each day
2.Do yoga each morning during Reagan’s first nap
3. Suck it up and go to the gym 3 times a week
4.Dance for at least 15 minutes with the kids each day

Another area of struggle for me is my eating habits. I tend to let myself get too hungry and then make bad decisions on what to put in my body. I make sure that my kids eat healthy, but put myself on the back burner.
1.Drink 6-8 glasses of water each day
2.Plan breakfasts/lunches
3.Portion out snacks
4.Establish my eating schedule

As I am writing this it does seem like a lot, but here is my game plan. Week one I am going to work on my bedtime routine, week two I am going to continue the bedtime routine, but add in the exercise, and then week three add the eating habits.

To keep track I am making a calendar to make a mark on each day I reach my goal.

I am really excited to start 2011!

June Cleaver May Have Been On To Something.....

So while I don't plan on starting my "journey" until the New Year, I have been trying to make little changes in my day to day life.
One of my biggest complaints about myself is that I feel frumpy...and I hate feeling that way! I have written off the feeling, saying that I will feel that way until I loose the weight I want, and have a brand new wardrobe. But honestly, I am tired of feeling that way.
Over the past few years I have been blessed by acquiring some nice jewelry pieces that I haven't really worn because I always have looked at jewelry as things to wear when you go out. My friend Kelly's mom gave me a wonderful small strand of pearls.....yes, you may start with the June Cleaver jokes. The other day I wore them, just around the house, it was something little but it really did make me happier...and yes...I even vacuumed the floor with them on.


I have also been making sure to do my hair and at least put on mascara. They sound like really little things, but it really has made me feel less frumpy. Part of me really struggled with the idea of feeling shallow...I know the outward appearances don't matter as much as what is in your heart. But the more I thought about it I realized that our physical body is given to us by God and he wants us to be good stewards of it. As I get ready every morning I feel like I am getting ready for a purpose. It doesn't matter if I leave the house or not, I am getting ready for me. And to quote the song, "I feel pretty...oh so pretty!"