My Resolutions for 2012

I think I posted maybe 5 or 6 times in the last year, with the first being about new years resolutions. When I read that post again, I realize I was very vague in my goals, and basically wanted to change my entire persona. Well, it didn't happen. I don't know what I was expecting then, but I can't completely in change in under a year. I need to take it step by step and have fun in the process.

I am really excited about this new year and all of the possibilities it holds. I am always a sucker for these new resolutions. So here are my resolutions for this year:

1. Create a playroom for my kids in the unused space downstairs. (I am really excited about this one.... I will get to be creative and I will get to create an entirely new space. Can you say remodeling?) - Oh, and I want to get dress ups for that room - trip to the D.I.

2. Each Sunday I am going to write at least 1 personal story/experience for my own personal history. I have been wanting to do this for a while, but I just need to get started. I have A LOT of unused time on Sundays, and I think this will fill it in quite nicely.

3. I am going to completely pay off one debt - I think the truck will get paid off this year - actually it WILL be the truck.

4. Here it goes again - lose 29 pounds by my 29th birthday. Do I need to talk about weight loss more???? I think not.

5. Complete 72 hour kits for the family by April's general conference. I have some of them done already, but I just need to finish them off.

I also want to have a monthly goal. Just to keep me on my toes and remind me of the yearly goals. So my January goal? Organize at least 1 shelf, drawer, closet section,etc. per day. I have already done a few drawers and it feels so good! I can't wait to do more.

The "Game On" Diet

This past month I participated in the "Game On" diet - with my mother in laws co workers. I didn't know any of the people in the game, but I thought - heck....it is a month long health challenge..... maybe I could win some money .... maybe I can lose some weight .... but mostly I just wanted to prove that I could do it. So 4 weeks ago it began.

I was on a team with 3 other women, whom I didn't know, and we each earned a certain amount of points each day for doing healthy things. These healthy things were to drink 3 liters of water daily, exercise 20 minutes daily, sleep 7 hours each night, keep a new good habit, and eat 5 small meals daily. Being in a team and not just being accountable to myself really helped me a lot! If I didn't get the points for a meal, or if I didn't exercise - I wasn't just letting myself down - I was letting these ladies who didn't even know me down. It was a killer to mess up. I felt so bad on the weeks that I didn't get full points!

So now that the month is up, we tallied our scores, and unfortunately, my team did not win. I am okay with it though because I lost a good 8 pounds this last month, and I feel like I can keep going!

The food is the hard part - for sure. Each meal has to have protein, a healthy carb, and a healthy fat. I have a hard time thinking of new things, but I think I can keep this up for most of my meals. The hard part is dinner - because I don't want to subject Ryan to bland fare - but he probably doesn't know the difference since I am not a great cook anyway!

So cheers to the "Game On" diet. You got me out of my rut - you got me motivated - and I am glad I participated.

Here's to a new healthy life!

On Again

On again - that is with dieting... I am the WORST at this part. I love all sorts of comfort foods, and never feel full eating unless I have me some good ole carbs. Oh well. I realize that this needs to happen, but I am still not happy about it. But come to think of it - am I happy the way I am now? No - for sure not. I am so sick of feeling inferior to others and not leaving the house because I have nothing to wear or I feel stupid because I have gained over 40 pounds since having my first child.

There, I finally said it. I have to lose at least 40 pounds to be back to pre - 1st pregnancy weight. That is ridiculous! I keep trying to hide myself and my weight. If you are a follower of my actual family blog - you may notice that I am in maybe 1 out of every 100 pictures. Why is this? Because I weigh too much! And I don't want anyone to know about it. So I avoid people and situations where I have to see someone I haven't seen in a while. How sad. Weight is a big problem, and I am sick of it. Things have got to change.

So thanks to my iphone I am tracking calories on the "Lose It" app. Too bad I struggle with finding healthy things I like to eat. Here's to a good week!

Love Your Body 10k

I'm doing it ... anyone else in?

(P.S. Jogged a solid 2 miles today - I'm well on my way!)

Goals Unfulfilled

So I didn't reach my goal of reading the entire Book of Mormon in the month of June :( Things just have been crazy and we have been having too much fun going camping and everything to just sit and read. Maybe I will try this project again in the winter - and then we will see how it goes. Unfortunately, finishing the book is also an unfulfilled goal. I am so close - so hopefully by the end of July.

In other news - I am training for a 10k! I once attempted to do a half marathon. I even paid the $35 to register for it - but when it came down to it, I knew I wasn't ready and didn't do it. I have always regretted it - plus this was back in 2007. So now, 4 years later, I have decided to at least do some sort of race and to get motivated to do it. Enter the "Love Your Body" 10k. It is on October 8 - and I am only 2 days into the training. So far, so good. I did pretty awesome on my jog yesterday (yes, I jog - I do not run). I only had to go for a mile, but I jogged for that entire mile without stopping. It is quite a big accomplishment for me. Hopefully I will keep up with the program!

I Have a Little Crush

So I have been continuing reading - and am on track. Today I am going to finish the book of Alma - and let me tell you - after reading this book of scripture I have a little crush. Alma the Younger - what a guy huh? He is amazing and is my new favorite prophet in the Book of Mormon. Most of the book of Alma is of his experiences preaching the gospel and changing the lives of those around him. His ultimate joy was in bringing others to the gospel. I can't say that bringing others to the gospel is my forte. I pretty much do nothing in that regard. I guess I just feel that the people who live around me here in Utah have been "fellowshiped" way too much and don't want me to bring my little experiences their way - but maybe this is not the case. I guess if I am just more open about sharing the gospel, that I will feel when I should share certain things.

Just this experience of reading the Book of Mormon brought one type experience my way just the other day. Let me share. So since Tara and I have been doing this project, I wrote her a little note on Facebook to indicate that I was behind. Well, I guess this sparked the interest of a mutual friend of ours who saw the post - she has never been a member, and we were always good friends in High School. I never really shared much with her in High School because I thought she was just sick of it. She would come with "the girls" to girls camp and Young Women's, but that was as far as it went. So anyway I was on Facebook again (a little too often actually) and she wrote me an IM asking what Tara and I were doing. At first I thought I should play it down and not make it sound like not a big deal, but then I realized I don't have to be ashamed of my religion and what I believe - especially not in what the Book of Mormon represents. So I told her flat out what we were doing. I don't really know how she took it, but we had a good conversation about what was going on in our lives and now she knows that this is an important part of my life. It probably won't result in any conversion, but at least I was willing to share.

Okay, so that may be a lame example, but I am happy with myself okay? So if you are reading this, take 2 things away from this post: 1) I have a crush on Alma, and 2) be willing to share the gospel and not be ashamed!

Spiritual Revitalization

So basically all of these posts have been about weight loss, dieting, and exercise - which I must say I am bombing at. I am just off the wagon for sure.

So I decided why not try to increase something in other areas of my life. I have taken on a challenge. Read the entire Book of Mormon during the month of June. My friend, Tara, posted that she was doing this, and I thought - Heck! I can do that! And I need to do it too. I have not been doing so well spiritually and it is showing. My poor 3 year old doesn't even know about personal prayers, family home evening, etc. and I know it is my fault because I am not on a spiritual "playing field." I have been relying only on myself and my husband to make things "right."

Yesterday I started the challenge and was intrigued by one scripture. 1 Nephi 2:16. "wherefore, I did cry unto the Lord; and behold he did visit me, and did soften my heart that I did believe all the words which had been spoken by my father; wherefore, I did not rebel against him like unto my brothers." As I was reading about Lehi taking his family into the wilderness - I couldn't help but think that if it were me and my dad was making me leave all my friends and comforts, I would be a GIANT whiner. I would not be happy about it. And I guess I always thought that Nephi was so excited to go and so obedient from the get-go, but this makes me second guess that. I am sure he wasn't too thrilled about the idea, but instead of complain, he "cried unto the Lord" to soften his heart and help him understand. I know I need to do a lot of that. I need to not be so ill-minded about what the prophets and the scriptures tell me to do and just cry unto my Father in Heaven and ask him to soften my heart.

So there it is. I need to pray to be more excited about the things I should be obedient with. Hopefully I will find another gem of a scripture today as I read.