Be it hereby resolved

Happy New Year! I love new beginnings! Not only do we have a new year to celebrate, but a new DECADE!!!!

I'm a New Year's Resolution junkie. Well, I'm a goal-making, planning, type-A junkie, period. Last year, my Resolutions spanned two pages, typed. It was basically a comprehensive plan of how to make my life perfect. No wonder I didn't accomplish more than a fraction of what I had set out to do over the past year!

This year, I've got a better plan! Instead of making an exhaustive list of everything that needed to be worked on in my life, I decided to focus on three. That's a tad more digestible, no? I looked at my life, and tried to figure out what three changes would make the biggest impact on improving my life.

First, I decided that getting into shape would probably make the single biggest improvement. I would have more energy, focus, stamina, and confidence!

Second, I decided that I needed to schedule time with God every day. Up until now, I only read the Bible or wrote in my prayer journal whenever an opportunity conveniently arose. Well, you all know how often opportunity and intention so perfectly come into convergence... I know that by focusing on my spiritual health, I will be renewed and refilled daily. That will outpour into every other area of my life!

Third, I will launch my own business this year, in conjunction with my two business partners. Early last year, I came up with an amazingly clever idea for a product that will benefit every mom! Even better, my partners and I could pretty much design and create this product completely from our (and our amazing hubbies') own resources and talents! There really is no excuse for not getting this business off the ground and running! So, this year, I will make it happen! Having the extra income from what I know will be a thunderously successful business would definitely help in so many ways! (By the way, I'm purposely not divulging the details of the business just yet. Rest ye assured, you will be the first ones to know and sample the goods when we're ready to launch!).

But, making goals is only the start. It doesn't do much good unless you actually execute them! Borrowing from Tony Robbins (one of my favorite motivational speakers!), I created a MAP - a Massive Action Plan. First, you clearly define the goal with specificity. Then you create a plan - every step, big or small, that I need to take to accomplish that goal and when I am going to complete each step. Here are my MAPs:

Resolution 1: Get in shape - 120 lbs by my birthday! (April 13)
* I scheduled all my workouts through April on my calendar.
* I am committed to getting up early in the morning to workout. I've learned that if I don't do it first thing, it just doesn't get done!
* I took my measurements and before photos so I can measure and track my progress.
* I have a program on my iPhone where I can journal my workouts and eating so I can see how well I'm doing over time.
* I've defined healthy eating limits and have made meal plans full of healthy foods. Every Sunday, I will go to the grocery and do all the prep work for all my meals and snacks so there are NO EXCUSES.
* I've established prizes to reward myself when I hit each goal - New tennis shoes after I've lost the first 5 lbs; a "Girls' Night" at the Melting Pot after the first 10 lbs; a trip to the salon for a new hairdo and manicure and pedicure after I've lost 15 lbs, and after I've hit my goal of losing 20 lbs - I'm going to buy myself a new spring/summer wardrobe! Now if that doesn't motivate me...

Resolution 2 - Grow Spiritually.
* After I finish my workout each morning, I will spend 20 minutes reading the Bible and doing my Bible Study program, and praying.
* I loaded up my iPod with new spiritual music!
* Each day while I eat lunch, I will read my daily passage (they are super short) from Joel Osteen's Your Best Life Now Devotions which I have loaded on my iPhone Kindle to make it super easy!
* I bought Ace the Love Dare Couples' Daily Devotions book (based on the movie Fireproof) for Christmas, and each night before bed, we are reading through that day's devotion and discussing. This is not just great for me personally, but also for us as a couple!

Resolution 3 - Launch my business by June!
* I made up a step-by-step process for developing the product and a time table for doing so.
* I have scheduled two hours each week where I will completely devote myself to this project!

I have also scheduled on my calendar a time each month where I sit down and review my progress on my resolutions and track my progress. I know that unless I keep this in constant focus, I will gradually lose steam over the year! I've very excited for 2010 and for the BIG changes I am making this year!

What are YOUR resolutions?????

One day I will....

Take a photography class.

Take a cake decorating class.

Join a book club.

Take up pilates.

Learn how to speak French.

And Tagalog.

Take my kids to the zoo on a weekday.

Go on vacation to a heavenly tropical island.

And Napa.

Plant a vegetable garden.

And a flower garden (with no bees, please!).

Write a book.

Start a volunteer support group for bedresting mommas-to-be and/or preemie parents.

Spend a whole day with both of my kids without anything on the to-do list, just savoring every moment of them.


You could say I've had a particularly long ... difficult ... day at work today. I thought maybe thinking about my "someday dreams" would make me feel better!

What will you do "someday"?????

Patience (With Yourself) Is a Virtue

So...I declare this "T-shirt Week"!! I've come across a few fun t-shirts lately that have inspired some blog topics, so each of my blogs this week will feature a new t-shirt. Go ahead, tell me how corney that is - I can take it!

I recently discovered an online store called Faith Baby that sells Christian-inspired clothing for kids and babies, and saw this t-shirt, which I think would be PERFECT for Carter:

If you can't see the writing, it says "be patient. God is not finished with me yet!" Of course, this t-shirt is intended for toddlers, but I could sure use one adult-sized for me!!!

So, I last left you all gloating about my grand plans to clean my house top to bottom. Oh boy did I have big plans! I arranged for Ace to take the boys and leave me in peace and serenity for SIX straight hours Saturday. Surely, that is long enough don't you think? Back in the day before frugality hit me, I had a cleaning lady come once every two weeks and it took her like 3-4 hours to clean the house. If she could do it, so can I! Right? WRONG.

In six hours, all I managed to get done was the family room (but boy was it disgusting), the exterior of the kitchen (didn't get inside the fridge, cabinets or pantry), the half bath, and the foyer. PATHETIC. I swear I only took one 10-minute break the entire time to pump too. What the heck is wrong with me??? Even when I have all time in the world (i.e. 6 hours when you are a mom of two), I can't manage to keep my house clean! I'm just falling apart people!

After getting over my initial disappointment (err...devastation), I decided to give myself a break. I'm always plunging in expecting that I can whip things into shape and get things "perfect" again. I have this long list of goals that I wrote up for 2009, which if accomplished probably would resemble something along the lines of a Stepford Wife, but with a full-time career added on top. And I'm always so frustrated that I can't seem to make any headway on this list. I keep declaring "This will be THE week when I get my life in order!" Yet, it just never happens. Alas, I am not superwoman. Maybe back in the day I was, but that was before two kids, a law career and chronic sleep deprivation descended on me. I just may never accomplish that entire list of goals. I'm a work in progress after all!!!

So, the moral of the story here is - baby steps. I've realized that the only way any of my goals will ever come close to being met is to gradually work toward achieving them (or achieving the steps it takes to achieve them, lol!). I just need to be patient with myself! God doesn't give up on me because I am not perfect (yet), now does he? So, I can't keep giving up on myself. Maybe my house will achieve model-home status one day, and maybe it won't. As long as I view it as a work in progress, then I'll be one step closer. And a lot less frazzled and stressed about it.