Resolutions Report

I know, I know.....January is already A THIRD of the way over and I haven't even made my New Year's Resolutions for 2014, yet!  What a slacker.  ;) 
I'm hesitant to do it.....and I think I know WHY.  It MAY have something to do with the fact that I already KNOW I wasn't even 100% on my last year's ones!
I wrote them on this blog o' mine, to hold myself accountable, so it's not like I could just "forget" about them ever existing!  {darn}

But, maybe I have to "close out" 2013 before I can move on to 2014???
So, here's the "Report."

1. Invite another couple to go out to dinner with us every month 
THIS one was suppose to be a FUN goal!  And it was......when we could get another couple to accept our invitation, that is!  ;)

THANKS FOR THE GOOD TIMES:

Page's

Sears'

Maxwell's

Knudsen's

Badham's

Lacy's

Waters'

Peterson's

Bryson's

Wood's

It actually turned out to be really tricky....and I hadn't expected it to be!  

At times, I had a High School Flashback - like I was getting turned down for dates, and all!  (Not that I asked too many people out on dates in H.S., but all those awkward/vulnerable/rejection/uneasy/wanting-to-be-accepted gumbo feelings are all related)  Matt, the eternal optimist, would try to tell me that people's schedules are just busy and it's hard to always match up with ours.  And, also, that a surprising number of couples are not even used to going out on weekly, or even monthly, dates.  I, on the other hand, assumed it meant that all these people who had excuses weren't able to go would rather poke needles in their eyes than go out with US!  (Is it ME?  Is it MATT?  Or is it the combination of the two of us?)  We take showers, and Matt wears cologne!!  (maybe THAT IS the issue? ;))
Report:  So, we actually were able to go out with another couple 11 out of the 12 months this year.  
BUT, I will confess; one month, we got invited - by relatives - and we "counted" it anyway.  The other month we missed, we happened to be at Station Park on the very last day, and we ran into some others we knew, and we sat together at an outdoor table to eat our treats, and talked for just a little while.....Matt thinks we should "count" that, too, and call it 100% accomplished!  
But, I'm more.....shall we say, "exact" in observing the rules, so if you ask me, I don't count either of those, and we only had 10 out of 12 for 83%.  
BUT, on the other hand, if you read the wording in the goal, it actually says TO INVITE another couple out, not actually TO GO (I just had the misconception that the two would go hand in hand).  So, looking at the goal LITERALLY, we WERE 100% in our inviting - even 110% - because sometimes we invited multiple couples before we got any takers.  So, YEA, check that one off, after all!?!

2. Get ready IN THE MORNING
I thought this one would be hard....and it was.
There is such a PULL for me to just hit the ground running in the morning to get things done - and getting ready just seems to get in the way of all that!  So, I really had to force myself to do this against my own natural urges.
Report:  I did this usually 5 out of 7 days (with Saturday frequently being the day I didn't)  So, I was about 71%.  Which is 5X better than it was before I started this goal! says Matt, the eternal optimist.  But, it's still not an instinctive habit.  {dang}

3. Write more on my blog
Even thought I really enjoy this one....it was hard to get it done!  There were too many days that had no blogging time in them. 
Report:  I had a frequency in my head, that I kept quiet - AND was super lofty, of how often I wanted to write on my blog.  Did I reach that number?  No.
BUT, again, if you read the wording in the goal, it actually says to write MORE.  So, looking at the goal LITERALLY (and the yearly count blogger so conveniently adds up for me) I did indeed write more than in 2012 and in 2011!  So, check it off?  Sure! says Matt, the eternal optimist.....or is that defined as a "short cutter?"  ;)   

4. Healthier Lifestyle
OK.....remember how I was going to introduce a new healthy thing per month and write on my blog about it?  Well, I did it in January, February, and March.....and then STOPPED!  Well, I stopped writing about it after March, and I stopped doing anything new one month later, in April.  I didn't even get to the "eat breakfast" month or the "reduce soda" month, let alone the "control your condiments/toppings" month or "more sleep" month.  (Probably because I knew they were too lofty?!?)
Report:  I sucked it up on this one.  Even though, I planned and announced my new thing those first few months, I never did do well at weight lifting in February, so I give myself a 16%.  And that's not even me being my usual "hard on myself/holding myself to high expectations" self!  That's the cold, hard truth.  Matt even has no comment.

5. Make new recipes out of ward cookbook
This totally should've been easy, and yummy....but I kinda forgot about it for the majority of the year, AND I had a heck of a time finding coconut pudding mix! (pina colada dip)
Report:  Buffalo Dip - check!
Famous Dip - check!
Pina Colada Fruit Dip - not until just last week, so it was already 2014....and since this was a 2013 goal, I was 66%.  (But, Matt would tell me to "count" it, of course!)  ;)

Final Verdict?  According to me:  I flopped!  According to Matt:  I achieved!
So, now that I've analyzed it all and "talked through" the rulings some, MAYBE I CAN do something for 2014.....

It is with great reluctance, I present to you my goals for the new year:
 
I saw THIS on Pinterest which I'm interested in, so here goes:

5 BOOKS I WANT TO READ:
(Let's go with the ones that are on my shelf right now)
She Got Up Off the Couch (a sequel to the one I was reading back here)
Reached
Fairy Godmothers, Inc.
The Book of Mormon (before our "Moroni's Quest" Youth Conference in June)
My Story (Elizabeth Smart)

4 PLACES I WANT TO SEE:
Nauvoo, IL
Cape Canaveral, FL (specifically the Ron Jon Cape Caribe Resort)
the different islands in Hawaii (via cruise?)
Disneyland

3 THINGS I WANT TO DO:
Be in the family cast of the Nauvoo Pageant
Finish Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons with Brookelle
Fill those empty spaces in our home with furniture & finally hanging things on the walls.

2 THINGS I WANT TO LEARN:
Gluten-Free baking/cooking
How to do a photo slideshow with music

1 THING I WANT TO CHANGE:
Give more compliments/encouragement to others.


There was also THIS ONE on Pinterest that I thought I'd do.  (some things are the same as above)

A BAD HABIT I'M GOING TO BREAK:  Staying up late (when I don't HAVE to because of work)...just to do [sometimes frivolous] things like surfing the internet, late-night T.V., and "getting one more thing done."  {Don't look at the time stamp of this post!} ;)

A NEW SKILL I'D LIKE TO LEARN:  See questionnaire above

A PERSON I'D LIKE TO BE MORE LIKE:  Jesus Christ - particularly His attributes of being calm, non-judgmental, & patient.  (Did I just describe Matt?  I believe I did!  Opposites attract?!?)

A GOOD DEED I'M GOING TO DO:  Keeping this one to myself....I want it to be anonymous!  ;)

A PLACE I'D LIKE TO VISIT:  See questionnaire above

A BOOK I'D LIKE TO READ:  See questionnaire above

A LETTER I'M GOING TO WRITE:  Maybe my OWN MISSIONARY SON? (possibly at the end of the year?)  If not, my Young Women at church or my children's Primary teachers - ANY or ALL.

A NEW FOOD I'D LIKE TO TRY:  Korean or Indian - our neighbors said they know some good places to take us!

I'M GOING TO DO BETTER AT:  Exercising in the winter.  My friend has recommended Bikini Body Mommy.  Apparently, it has a work out every day - and it started on Jan. 6th.....and I am going to start sometime....anytime now!  ;)

I shall look back on this post next year and either be really proud of myself....or extremely disappointed...

WHAT 2014 GOALS DO YOU HAVE?

We Aim High Around Here (?)

I found THIS "New Year's Resolution" paper in Katelyn's stuff.....

I wonder just WHERE IS that best set in the shcool found?  In her classroom?  In the Principal's office?  In the cafeteria?  In the Computer Lab?

Is it HARD to "land" this best set in the shcool?  Is it a "First come, First served" type of a deal?  Is it a "reward" for good behavior?  Is it "off limits?"  Is it only considered "the best" by Katelyn?  Or is she just hoping she [luckily] gets assigned to it when her teachers make random seat changes?"

It's obviously a very HIGH "set" that also has magic powers to make your legs grow extremely long when seated in it!   

Maybe it's the orange color that makes it so attractive?

And I wonder why she didn't include SPELLING SKILLS as part of her "aspirations" for 2013!?!  ;) haha.

Whatever the details are, however lofty [or not] her goal is -- good for her.  She's written it down, so it's SERIOUS.  How does that saying go?  "A goal not written down is just a wish?"  Or something like that.

Soooooo, that means I better write MINE down, right?!?
And what better place than my blog!  :)

The first one I made was for me AND Matt.  Don't you love it when other people push their agenda goals onto you?!?  ;)  But, he agreed to it immediately, so it wasn't as bad as it sounds.

Here it is:
We're going to invite another couple* to go out to dinner with us EVERY MONTH.
Hey!  Who says New Year's Resolutions can't be FUN?!?  They don't have to be grueling, sweat inducing, miserable, time consuming, mentally taxing, deprivation type goals, right?!?  Those are coming!)
I'm excited for this; we'll get to know our friends better, and make new friends, too!  We're already 1 for 1 as it is just January still.  We ARE taking a "waiting list" of couples who who like to be invited, so mail in your applications!  Just kidding.  :)
*As in a different couple every month -- unless we get turned down for these dates, and then we'll just stick with the one who says, "yes.")

Here's another one:
I'm going to get ready IN THE MORNING.
As in, before I start cleaning up.  Or paying bills.  Or get on the computer.  Or making my shopping list.  Or planning our vacations.  Or working on Young Women stuff.  Or looking for my ever-elusive cell phone.
THIS is going to be HARD
 .....because if I go into any part of my home, I can always see so MANY projects or duties "calling my name" that I want to start tackling right away.

But, what is my mantra, again?

BUT, I'm sick of being "caught" looking like a rag-a-muffin still too late in the day.  I feel like such a loser when that happens!   

PLUS, it just really makes a difference in feeling "on my game" and being productive.  When I AM doing a dozen other tasks while still in my "morning glory" (PJ's, no bra, bedhead, yesterday's leftover make up and smells), there's always that cloud hanging over my head saying, You still have to get ready! and it makes me feel 'eeeck' -- almost like I haven't accomplished anything, even though I have!  Do you know what I mean?

And, YES, I will have you know, here at 10:45 in the morning as I am working on my blog, I am fully dressed, make up, hair brushed, with earrings in!  Woo HOO!! :)

Which brings me to another one:
I want to write more on my blog.
It seems like ever since we moved into our new home, my posts have been declining.
But, ya know, it wasn't just since then, it was the whole time we were building this house, too.
....AND the entire time we had the old home up for sale - which was entirely WAY TOO LONG!
And, if we want to be really honest, my blog hasn't been given proper attention since I turned 40!  And that was in 2010.
I don't know why that's so, but just because I'm OVER THE HILL, doesn't mean that my "Weekly Gratitude List" should only gets changed every 4 months!
So, my plan is.....well, I don't want to disclose it exactly, so y'all won't hold me accountable if I don't follow it flawlessly......but, in my head I have decided that on certain days every week that I am going to write - of course, while I am fully clothed & READY for the day - and "reactivate" my blog.
And feel free to "motivate" me by leaving comments, I love 'em, so I'm not all by myself in blog world.
I chose the blog goal BECAUSE I really like to write in it (or is it 'on it'?) and I love to have the RECORD and the MEMORIES especially since I'm LOSIN' IT these days seems as I'm getting "UP THERE" in years.  (I get these comments from my kids!  Seriously.)
BUT, FOR REAL, I proved them RIGHT recently....I left my purse in the shopping cart, in a parking lot, at Wal-mart this week.  I unloaded the cart into my car, pushed my cart back to the "cart corral" and then walked back to my car without getting my purse out and drove home.....and didn't even notice until the next morning!  I had no recollection of doing that!  I usually put my purse in the car along with my merchandise at the same time.  I looked all over the place at home FIRST for my purse.  Then Matt told me I should go back to the store, but as I thought about it, I didn't really recall not having it with me - so I thought it was a "long shot."  PLUS, I'm ashamed of my lack of faith, but I figured IF I had left it at Wal-mart, it probably would've been stolen.  I didn't think the "People of Wal-mart" would be the most honest.  Well.....I WAS WRONG, and what a blessing!!!  My purse had been discovered by one of the store's "cart pushers" and returned to the Customer Service desk and was locked up in a back room until I came to retrieve it -- EVERYTHING intact, even my pens, lip balm, and leftover Santa Snickers candy!!!  (the most important things, ya know!)  :)

OK.  End of Sidetrack.

Back to these New Year's Resolutions.
I am implementing a healthier lifestyle.
I wrote down all these things that I can do.  BUT, unfortunately, right now I can't find that paper!  (See above section about losing my mind!)
Here's the good part:  I'm only going to start one new thing a month and then BUILD on each month - so it's not so overwhelming all at once - but after several months, and the end of the year, I'll have MANY good habits going on!
So, this month I have been drinking water.  A lot of it, too.  As in HALF my body weight in ounces each day.  (So, a 100 lb. person drinks 50 oz. of water/day.  A 150 lb. person drinks 75 oz. water/day.  A 400 lb. person drinks 200 oz. water/day.  You get the idea?)  I fit somewhere in there.  :)
I find drinking all that water bearable if I utilized THIS product sometimes:

(Now, please don’t burst my bubble and tell me that adding Crystal Light occasionally to my water isn’t technically water because in my fragile state right now I’m just not ready for that!  I know some super-strict water drinking people are wondering, but I DO fill the bottle up WITH WATER first [with pride] so I’m going to feel good about it.)
The only problem is....here's Murphy's Law in action in my life again....I have ALSO been sick this month with a variety of symptoms, but one of them is a violent cough - the kind of cough that shakes your whole body - or contracts all your muscles & seizes it up, one of the two.  And THAT condition does not go well with a constantly FULL BLADDER, if you know what I mean!  Note to self:  add "Do more laundry" to list of goals.  :)
So I have a couple more weeks to find that "healthy lifestyle" paper of mine, so I can add on the next thing in February.  That will give me more things to blog about later, thus, helping the above mentioned goal, as well.  SCORE!

And, last, but not least:
We just got a new ward cookbook, and I definitely need to make:
Jena Andrus' BUFFALO DIP
Julie Bushman's "FAMOUS DIP"
and
Dee Ann Stout's PINA COLADA FRUIT DIP
...and that's just in the Appetizers section.
I'll go through the rest of the cookbook, too, and try out new things.... of course, it needs to happen BEFORE I implement the "don't overdo it on dips/condiments" part to my healthy lifestyle plan!!  ;)


So, there you have it.  The FUN, the RIDICULOUS, & the HARD goals all mixed together.

HAPPY 2013, EVERYONE!