A 6 month Resolution Check Up

Resolutions. Remember when we made them...10 months ago? Resolutions, goals, whatever you want to call them. How's it going? This is about the time of year (if not before) that most resolutions have been thrown out the door or long forgotten.

But fear not, my friends. In order to keep me on the resolution's straight and narrow, I put mine on this ol blog. Therefore, I can be kept accountable. Since it's been 6 months since my last update, I figured today was as good as time as any to let you know how it's going.

Here are my 2010 Resolutions made back in January and how it's going:

1. Work out 5 days a week.

This is pretty much a done deal. I've been running quite a bit lately and have even done a few races. So this is a big, fat "CHECK!"

2. Recycle more household items.

This one has actually turned out to be fun. Our recycling gets picked up every other Monday and most "recycling days" finds our bin overflowing. The best part is the kids have really gotten on board with it, too. If I throw something away that is recyclable they will quickly call me out on it and say, "mommy! that goes in the 'cycling!" Yay!!

3. Only one Starbucks a day.

Hmmm. For the most part I'd say this has been successful with my one venti decaf mocha, BUT...since I've discover the Toffee Mocha Frappaccino things have gotten a little interesting. Normally, though I will just opt for one or the other and not both on the same day. But, some days I'm cave to the pressure of the creamy, chocolaty sweetness.

4. Do 20 or more posts a month.

Well, just look at the number over there on the right and you'll see what an epic fail this one is. But, considering that each and everyday (I'm not kidding) I tell myself that I'm going to quit blogging all together, I think it should be considered good if I have 1 post per month. But I'll work on this. Starting today.

5. Read at least one book per month.

I pretty much do this. I've read some great books lately (and some really cruddy ones over the summer). I just need to do some book reviews--I'm a little behind.

So there you have it! Not too bad. If I can maintain for 2 more months (really 3), then I would say it was a good year on the resolution-front.

Oh--and the most important thing about today...HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY MOMMY!!!! I love her and you'll get a post about her this week. I have to convince her it's okay for me to put a pic of her on the www! She's silly that way.

April Check In

I've been MIA for the past couple days. You're probably thinking after my last post that I might be curled up in the corner sucking my thumb with an IV of Starbucks inserted directly into my veins. But, oh no, my friends. NO! I have been keeping very busy--kid stuff, life stuff, keeping my mind off my need for Starbucks. But today is your lucky day. It's my first of the month "Resolution Check-In." So here we go....

1. Work out 5 day a week--besides this past week, this has been a good solid "CHECK!" I don't know what's happened this last week, the motivation has fallen. But I'll get back on track, maybe even today.

2. Recycle more household items--again, CHECK, this is getting easier and easier and I'm finding more things around the house that I can recycle. It's actually getting kind of fun...like a game.

3. Only one Starbucks a day--um, yes, I was doing very well at this. Obviously this is going to be a moot point now, since I'm doing ZERO Starbucks a day.

4. Do 20 or more posts per month--CHECK, done!

5. Read at least one book per month--Yeah! This is the one I was struggling with because I simply was having a hard time carving out time in my day to sit and read. But I did it! You can read my review here.

So I think I did okay this month. How are you all doing on your New Year's Resolutions? We're going on 4 months now...sticking with them? Abandoned them? Let me know-leave me a comment! :)

Good Friday to you.

Decaf Detox

I have a big announcement to make. BIG!

Decaf is NOT caffeine free.

Oh, you knew that already? Well, me too, kind of. But I didn't realize how caffeinated a decaf drink, **ahem**-a Starbucks Decaf Venti Mocha--really is. Let me tell you how I discovered (besides the fact that I Googled it). As you might have read, one of my New Year's Resolutions for 2010 is to only have one Starbucks a day. I know for those of you who are new to the blog this might sound crazy-that I was drinking more than one Venti Starbucks drink a day-but I was. But I'm not now. So, in my quest to keep to my resolution, there have been days where I didn't go get my normal drink...ALWAYS a Venti Decaf Mocha.

Jump forward a month or so...flowers are blooming, trees are budding...allergies are in the air. I've never had allergies, but an onslaught of a recent sneezing attack has made me rethink. I've always had headaches, and they seem to be more frequent, too. So, maybe, just maybe, I am acquiring allergies in my "old age." The sneezing is an annoyance. But the headache, oh, I can't handle the headaches!

Being the health conscious person I am, I started tracking when I get these headaches (I started tracking them mainly for hormonal purposes--sorry any dudes out there--it's just something that we women have to do to figure out what the heck is going on with these rockin' bods of ours. Just wait 'til I do my breastfeeding post). Anyway...I started to notice a pattern.

No Starbucks=headache.

Well, good for Starbucks, huh?

So today I've made an executive decision. I'm going cold turkey. Today, as I type this, I'm sipping on my last Starbucks. I'm sure it won't be my last one ever. But it's my last regular, get-a-coffee-once-a-day, have to have it Starbucks.

The main thing is this--I don't like my body depending on something to feel normal/good. I've de-toxed myself from caffeine before...about 8 1/2 years ago I went cold turkey from Diet Coke and Mountain Dew. It was tough...major headaches, fell off the wagon and went on a week-long Diet Coke binge, then said "enough is enough" and went totally caffeine free. Then a couple years ago I discovered I like Venti Decaf Mocha's from Starbucks. Being decaf, I thought it would be okay. But it's caught up to me and again, I say, "enough is enough." If I did it once, I can do it again.

So bear with me if I'm grumpy. If my posts are gloomy and grumpy for the next week (which is usually not like me, I'm kind of a "rose colored glasses" type of gal). Encourage me, tell me it will be worth it. I'll need it. (I sound like a drug addict getting ready to go to rehab, huh)? It'll be hard because I like the taste of my Starbucks and I'll crave that creamy, chocolatey goodness. But I can do it!

Plus, think how many calories will be taken out of my daily consumption (450 calories, thankyouverymuch).

And, cha-ching! $33 per week in my pocket.

So come on--LET'S DO THIS THING!!!!

Help me, what've I done?

Let me reiterate...decaf does not equal caffeine-free.

Check-In Day

Today is March 1. Can you believe it? March...WOW! When I hear March, I think "spring is almost here." Thank goodness.

But today is check-in day. Kind like people who do those weight loss programs have "weigh in" day, today is Resolution "check in" day. I know most of you probably don't really care how I'm doing, but this blog is a way of keeping me on track. I put it out there, so I gotta follow through, lest I let you down. Umm....yeah.

So here's the abbreviated version of how I did with my resolution during February:

Resolution #1:

Work out 5 days a week

I could give you all sorts of excuses of sick kids, sick me, snow covered earth, etc. But I won't, I'll just tell you that I failed on this one this month. It was very hit and miss. But I got a new spurt of inspiration this weekend...I'm back on the workout wagon.

Resolution #2:

Recycle more of our household items

CHECK! Done--doing it.

Resolution #3:

Only 1 Starbucks a day

For the most part success. I think I had one "failure day." Not bad.

Resolution #4:

Do 20 or more posts on the blog

CHECK! Did it!

Resolution #5:

Read at least 1 book per month.

No comment.

Have a happy Monday!

Monthly Check-In #1

I decided to keep myself accountable and on track with my New Year's Resolutions, that I should post how I'm doing at the beginning of each month. That way when June/July rolls around I won't feel so guilty about saying "I've failed." At least you'll see it comin'.

So here's how we're doing:

Resolution #1--Work out 5 days a week.

How I'm doing: This one is going to be tricky...especially if it continues to snow 9735" every month...that really hinders my outdoor walks/runs. BUT, we did join the Y and I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the Y that I go to (South Neighborhood). So really there's no excuse other than I overcommit myself in other areas of my life and can't make it to the Y. But I would say that I'm not a failure on this one...in the past month I would say that I've worked out at least 4 days a week. I think that's a good start.

Resolution #2--Recycle more of our household items.

How I'm doing: Considering that we used to recycle ZERO of our household items (please, I know that's terrible and I always felt guilty about it), we are making huge strides in this area. We get the newspaper daily, and each day it goes in the recycler. During our 3 day stint without water due to the water main break on our street, we drank A LOT of bottled water. And every single one of those bottles is in the recycling container. Along with a few laundry detergent containers. I know this doesn't seem like much, but considering where we've come from, I would say that we are succeeding on this one.

Resolution #3--Only 1 Starbucks a day.

How I'm doing: Um....well, ahem. Next question, please. Ha! Fooled ya! This one has been super tough but I've been 100% successful! As a matter of fact, there have been several days where I didn't even go to Starbucks. So yes, this one, as difficult as I thought it would be has turned out to be nothing more than a little willpower. Well, make that a lot of willpower.

Resolution #4--Do 20 posts or more on the blog.

How I'm doing: This one is right over there on the right hand side. See it...18 posts in January. Failure. I failed. But I'll do better. I promise.

Resolution #5--Read 1 book per month.

How I'm doing: Again...failure. I'm reading a good book. Maybe I'll finish it soon. Maybe not. I just don't have a lot of time to read. If I have time to be sitting still reading, I have time to be folding laundry, cleaning the house, checking homework, planning a girl scout meeting, baking treats for the Kindergartners (working out, blogging, recycling). But I am going to trrrryyyy to make more of an effort to find "me" time to sit and read.

So there you have it. I'd say I'm not doing great, but I'm not doing horrible either. Pretty middle of the road. Hopefully on my next monthly check in, everything will be SUCCESS!

Resolutions...Schmesolutions

I've debated and debated whether or not to do a post on New Years resolutions. At first I thought "nah, no one cares about what my resolutions are" and then I thought "if I don't post about it, no one will know if I don't follow through" which then made me decide "I need to be held accountable, so I better spill the beans" but that just made me say "someone is going to call me out in mid-June about my epic failure on my lack of follow through on my resolutions."

But then, I looked at the forecast, and then our furnace quit. And that has nothing to do with my post on resolutions. I'm just looking for someone to feel sorry for me.

So...the resolution(s)? Here they is:

1. Eat chicken once a week

2. Do laundry each day

I really think these are attainable. Don't you? I'm just trying to keep it real.

Ha ha ha ho ho ho huh huh huh--I'm so stinkin' funny!!!

No?

Okay--here's the real ones: (deep breath, I can't believe I'm putting this out to the public):

1. Work out 5 days a week.

2. Recycle more of our household items.

3. Only 1 Starbucks a day (yes, you read that right and yes, there are many days when I have more than one and yes, this is going to probably be my most difficult).

4. Do 20 posts per month on the ol blog.

5. Read 1 book per month (I know that sounds totally dumb that I can't do that, but I'm terrible about starting a book and then just getting busy and not finishing it).

So, seriously, do you think these are doable?

AND, I'm just putting this out there--these are resolutions...not GOALS. That just bugs me. But it's just me. If making "goals" makes you a better person, then I want you to have "goals." But to me, it just reminds me too much of my days when we had to make yearly goals that were SMART. So it's all about resolutions at my house.

If you feel so inclined...please share some of yours in the comments. I promise I will be encouraging and not post a comment in mid-summer saying "so, are you still eating healthy? It's been 6 months."