DO IT!

JUST DO IT! That slogan has become synonymous with Nike brand. That and their little swoosh sign. I just think it is about the best slogan out there. I remember when I was a girl Spencer W. Kimball was the President/Prophet of our church(LDS). He had a little plaque on his desk --it said simply--DO IT! I have loved that slogan for most of my life.

Why then do I procrastinate? What makes it so difficult to just get moving and Do It? I have lots of reasons why I haven't ran a half marathon. I have lots of reasons why I haven't cleaned out my pantry. Truth be told, however, they are all just excuses. I just don't do them. I find other things to do to use up my time. Some of them good, valid things that need done. Things like picking kids up from one place or taking them to another place. However, the reality is that I have not been ill. I am not working outside the home for 80 hours a week. I am not traveling around the country. Those are real, valid reason to not be on top of things. Me? I just didn't DO IT?

Today is February 1st. I actually used to really hate February. It happened 24 years ago when my Dad died in February. It just sucked the life out of the month. Something changed a couple of years ago. I had one of those Oprah Ah Ha! moments. I realized that I was allowing the tragedy of my Dad's death to hold me hostage the month of February. I made a conscious decision to never do it again. I decorated like crazy for Valentine's Day that year. I found darling Valentine's to share. I sent them to my friends, my old lonely Uncle, my Mom. I just sent them to people I love!

Guess what? That February was no longer a terrible, dark dreary month! Yes, I was very aware that February 11th was the 22 anniversary of my Dad's death. That will never change. What I did do was change how I reacted to it.

I haven't put any decor up yet. I have been using excuses.

Well, February is here. There are no more excuses. This is a month to be celebrated and enjoyed. I am going to try and remember President Kimball's example and DO IT! What ever that IT is!

Wonderings

I am a thinker or more accurately a wonderer. I wonder about a lot of things. Generally these things have to do with the human psyche. Why do we do the things that we do? It must be the hidden psychologist inside me trying to emerge. I have always thought that someday I might go back to college and get a counseling degree.

Today my wonderings are about myself and my brain. I am confused about the ebb and flow I so often experience. Why does my body/brain have to have so many ups and downs? I want to feel energetic, happy, positive and healthy more than not. I don't want to have a great day followed by lots of average or less than average days. I am trying to find that body/spirit connection as well as trying to find the proper way to fuel my body that makes it stronger and less prone to the ebb and flow. I don't feel like I am making any headway today.

Today, after I was disapointed on the scale, I literally forced myself to run. I managed two miles on the trail. I am glad I did it, but it was hard. I really just wanted to sit on my rear and do nothing. Yesterday I went to boot camp at the gym and really felt pretty good(except when I about passed out because I am a good breath holder). So-what is the difference?

I am really trying to eat healthy. I have almost completely cut out processed sugars, which means I hardly eat any bread, potatoes or rice. I am getting my greens and fruits and I am getting enough protein. I rarely eat artificial sweeteners. Is my ebb and flow literally inside my brain? Am I truly that sensitive that I am already being affected by the changing light just as the leaves are? I know that light sensitivity is real, I have dealt with it before, but usually I really feel it in January and February when winter's dark talons engulf me and I can't get free until spring.

I read. I read a lot. I know that exercise and healthy eating are the best ways to help cure almost any ailments. I KNOW THIS. I have been trying so hard to do this. So why the ebb and flow so often? Is the ebb and flow caused by my femaleness and if so how do I combat this without getting sucked into its dark undercurrent?

Random Bits of Nothingness!

*My computer is alive! However, we are going to be adding a bigger hard drive so we will be without it again. So, my posts will be sparse--with no pictures.

*It is still winter here. It is April-Spring must come soon!

*I bought lovely daffodils for my table. My wonderful tulips finally bit the dust.

*I am still struggling with energy, the cold and dark weather just doesn't help me want to go out and go running! I am trying to enlist a friend to start going to the gym in the mornings with me. Perhaps it will be the motivation I need.

*I have been studying my photography books. The more I study the less I know.

*I am avoiding laundry. I have mounds.

*My children have been doing more chores--happy Momma-not so happy kids!

*I went to a scripture study class today and came home depressed. I don't think that is the intention of the class. I felt unlearned and like a failure as a mother. I took the little man to McDonald's after to try and relieve a little gloom.

*I bought more frozen fruit and raw spinach so I can have my green smoothies again.

*My best friend leaves tomorrow for a trip to Germany---without me! I will miss her, every single day.

Being Brave

I have health issues. The biggest health issue for me is that I am genetically predisposed to have a fat derriere. Because of this disposition if I choose to relax on any aspect of healthy living it shows---literally -- on my back side!

I have had a stupid foot issue-plantar fasciitis--for almost 1 1/2 years. Because of this I have not been exercising with the vigor that I had the 1 1/2 years before that. I also struggle with a mild case of Seasonal Affective Disorder every winter so I have been hibernating, not exercising,eating less than stellar and just being quite slow.

The combination of all these factors is not a pretty sight.

I have been coming to grips with the fact that I am basically a big lazy whiner. I don't like to push myself. I have not mastered the whole 'mind over matter' thing. My mind is lazy and doesn't want to stretch. I like to think big. I learn about all types of things.I am an information junkie! I can rattle off information about different healthy lifestyles or exercises better than a personal trainer.

Problem is---I don't walk the walk!

What to do? What to do? How does one get to where they can get out of their own slow stuck spot and be brave? Does healthy living really take being brave? I think that it does. For many people struggling just like I do it is easier to just be---whatever that being is. If we are overweight because we are predisposed to it or because we eat too many ding dongs we are still familiar with being overweight or unhealthy. We don't like it but we can't quite figure out how to change it.

Change is hard. It is uncomfortable. It is unfamiliar. I have known people that are in horribly abusive relationships, they leave the person only to go immediately back to that person. Why do they do this? They do it because it is familiar. It is what they know. Change is hard.

Learning to change ones life is hard. Much more mental than I ever imagined. I know the talk. I know WHAT I need to do. How do I walk the walk?

I am going to start the walk with baby steps. Yesterday I started drinking green smoothies. I have known people that have drunk them for years. My friend Laura swears that they have helped her shed weight more easily than ever before in her life. She has lost all her baby weight and more.

I am stepping out of my comfort zone and trying one BRAVE baby step. I bought fresh spinach and frozen fruit and ground it up in a blender and drank it--two days in a row! MissA is on the wagon with me. I also managed to go to the gym today. I guess that is two baby brave steps.

I am also trying to convince my lazy brain that I can now start to run again. My foot is going to be strong. I can do it. I have this need to become a runner. Someone that actually loves to run. Someone that needs to run. I want that runners high.

I also want to have the thin backside of a runner!

Wow!

I am taking this moment to exclaim that there is a ray of HOPE that my dark winter hibernation season is beginning to end! I got out of my warm comfy bed at the dark and cold hour of 4:30 am so that I could be at the gym at 5:00 am!!!! I did it!!

It is now 8:00 am and I have had a HARD boot camp workout, made eggs twice, and cleaned a dirty kitchen! This along with actually seeing all of my children before they go to school. Mr. Sweetness has been on early school duty since about early December when the hibernation took over!

Let's hope that it is truly the beginning of brighter, more energetic days!!

Here we go again!

Here it is Monday again! It is hard to believe that I found nothing to write about for an entire week. The truth is that I really tried to stay off the computer.

I don't think that I have anything terribly profound to write about today. Just little tidbits.

* attended a Jazz basketball with Mr. Sweetness
* went to the Temple with Mr. Sweetness
* attended a dance competition on Saturday for both girls
* ate at California Pizza Kitchen--very good
* went to church-the Primary did their annual presentation---it was very nice, I had to help little man do his part.
* took a Sunday nap! We have switched times of our meetings so this is such a wonderful thing!
* made dinner
* loaded dishwasher
* visited with Mr. Sweetness' parents
* went to bed
* went to the gym at 5:00am
* made breakfast for a few
* unloaded dishwasher
* felt woozy brained -- took a little nap
* made Little man some lunch

Now to really get something done on this rainy dark Monday!

Monday Morning

Ever just KNOW that you are having a hormone induced bad day? I did--yesterday. I was planning to attend Sacrament Meeting at Mr. Sweetness' ward. However, after going to 3 hours of my own meetings I just didn't have it in me. I came home and climbed in my bed. Lucky for me my children were incredibly well behaved and I got to stay in my bed-without any screaming.

By later evening I was doing much better. I even made cookies. Shocking, I know. I even ate a couple. They weren't that good but Mr. Sweetness loved them. Snickerdoodles are his favorite.

After having such a day I knew that I had to get back on the merry go round. So, I got my sorry butt up and made it to the gym this morning--albeit 15 minutes late. I did get there though and that is 2/3 of the battle for me.

What do you do when you are in a bit of a funk? I have to find ways to keep me out of them. I don't like myself when I am in one.

So---it is Monday. I am trying to stay home. I have cleaned my big tub, vacuumed up hundreds of dead bugs(sick little creatures--I have sprayed twice-I hope that they are all dead soon!).
I am going to vacuum my bedroom, try and pick it up some more(big project) and work on every other mess in my house. I am trying to stay motivated and get "caught up" enough that I can work on a little sewing project.

*clean kitchen
*vacuum carpet
*clean bathrooms
*laundry
*laundry
*laundry
*straighten up basement
*prepare for preschool
*50 other things that need done but never make it to the list!

Allergies

Dear Pollen,

I understand your purpose. I understand that we need you, however---could you take a little vacation? I need to have energy to function in my life. You cause me to feel lethargic and hungover(ok,I haven't ever had a hangover but it sounds good!). I have a pounding headache and I just want to lay on the couch and do nothing. So, think about it, just take a tiny little vacation. Do it for me. Please?

non-affectionately,
Stuffy and irritable

Living with Intention

This has been a good week. Is my house clean? No. I have decided to really change my focus. Perhaps it isn't actually my focus as much as it is my reason.

This past week my new Smart Habits Saturday goal was to find more personal enjoyment in my life. Well, I believe that I made a great start. I found snippets of time here and there and I actually enjoyed myself. I have sewed on my bags. They are all so close to being finished. A few more bits of time and they will be complete.

There is a book that I want to read. It is called Living with Intention. Perhaps you are familiar with it. I had a conversation with my friend, Tina yesterday. I was telling her about going to the "maturation" class for my fifth grader (eek). I really remember when I went to that class and I will be turning the big 40 this year! If I don't start to really LIVE my life instead of letting my life control me, I am going to be 80 years old still complaining that I can't get my dishes and laundry done so I just don't have time to paint! I don't want to live my life this way. I want to "live with intention".

I frequent a blog called homegrown hospitality and the author Stephanie is quite an artist. She has posted the most darling doodle today. It perfectly describes how I want to live my life. The quote is attributed to Mary Anne Radmacher.

So-- my kitchen, floors and bathrooms aren't as clean as I like but my children are improving their skills, I listened and read my scriptures, I bought tablets to write thoughts on. I read many books to my children,my family had Family Home Evening and we had family scripture study once. I made meals, gave and received many hugs and kisses. I talked with my own Momma on the phone, I sent an email and I scanned over 300 old pictures. I sewed, read, took pictures, went to baseball, had lunch at school with my 2nd grader. I went to parent/teacher conference with my 5th grader and I watched my 3 year old jump on the trampoline. I took a sick doggie to the vet,I went to the gym and I went to Costco. I tucked my babies into bed, went to a card making class with my Mother in law, I saw sunshine and snowflakes and I told my family I loved them.

It has been a good week.

For more Smart Habits Saturday visit the Lazy Organizer.

Snippets of Time

How many of you suffer from the illness of "All or Nothing"? I certainly do. Often I don't want to start a project, whether it be cleaning a closet or making a bag unless I know that I can finish it.

How many of you have three hours at any given time to finish anything? I certainly do not! Because of this I seem to never 'get around' to things that I need to do and also that I "want" to do.

With my habit this week of trying to find some personal enjoyment I am trying to implement something that many of you already understand.

Fifteen minutes is amazing! I am trying to focus on the tiny snippets of time that can be found in my day. I am trying to use those snippets wisely instead of wandering around not wanting to do something because "it will take too much time"

Today I had success on two levels. I really wanted to work on sewing a bag. I have been working on these bags for awhile now. I have been doing them in steps. Which is great! A few weeks ago I cut all the fabric and lining out for six bags. Then a couple of weeks ago I spent an hour and ironed all the interfacing on all the pieces for six bags. Last Saturday I realized that all six of the bags would be using the same decorative ribbon. It made more sense to sew all the ribbon on while the same thread was in the machine instead of rethreading the machine six times(this is a huge realization for me! Save little bits of time!) I sewed all the decorative ribbon on on Saturday.

Today I went downstairs to sort laundry. While I was downstairs I thought that I could actually work on a bag while the laundry was going and before I had to leave for a teacher conference. So, I worked for twenty minutes on a bag! It actually looks like a bag! Perhaps tomorrow I can spend another twenty minutes. In one to two little sessions the bag will be finished!

The point of this post? I can accomplish a lot in fifteen or twenty minutes! It might even meet my goal to find some personal enjoyment!

For more Talk about Tuesday ideas go to the Lazy Organizer!

I dislike laundry.

This is no new surprise. HOWEVER, today I decided (once again) to try and look at it as a blessing! I have five other people that I love who are wearing all these clothes. I am a lucky Momma after all!

It's getting Deep in Here!

Do you remember the old story about the cobbler who would wake up and have all these wonderful shoes made for him? The little fairy workers came in the night to do the work.

Where are my little worker fairies!

Still Working

My friend Lara wrote that it is difficult to always be changing, adding new habits constantly. I totally agree with her. I have tried to keep going with this new habit idea. Well, I too have had some success and some, well less than successful moments.

Isn't that what life is truly about? Continually improving. The only thing that we take with us in this life is the knowledge that we attain. We can't take the clean house, the car, etc. with us. However, the knowledge we gained from trying to stretch and learn will be with us through the eternities.

Last week I said that I wanted to be more complimentary of my children when they are kind. I am going to stick with this habit. We have had a pretty good week but there is still so much I need to improve on in this area. It is so easy to just not REALLY pay attention when they are being kind or helpful. We are just so glad that they aren't fighting that we just go with it. However, I firmly believe that we all need to have people notice the kind,good things we do. So,I am going to continue to try and be more aware of the wonderful beings that my children are. I also hope to find a way to celebrate it. I talked about "love notes" or something but I didn't do it. I know that with my #3 seven year old, she would just love the notes. She is also the one that I truly have to notice when she is kind because she can be such a difficult little pill. Morning is still rough. Working on a new routine with her.

If you would like to improve your life go over to Lara's place and join Smart Habit Saturday. It has helped me to at least be more aware of the changes I want in my life. It also provides a forum to talk about success and a place to hopefully be inspired!

It is what day?

As I get older and older I am realizing how quickly time passes. When we were young a week seemed like such a long time. Now it is over before I know it!

Smart Habit Saturday is here once again. I am so proud of myself! This was a very hectic week for us. We had four weddings to attend, school shopping,tennis, football practice, etc. etc. etc. However, I feel like I really made progress on my habit for last week. That was to be a finisher, not just a starter. I am going to contine this for this next week. My little ones (and not so little) start school this week so it will be another busy week for us. I want to continue finishing all the projects that I have started.

This week I really did accomplish a lot, considering how busy we were!

*Huge load delivered to Desert Industries/DI (thrift store)

*Tons of stuff in garbage.

*All DVD/videos sorted and put into boxes.

*Went through #2's closet and got a huge bag to donate, another bag or two of garbage.

*Went through #1's closet and organized her mess! Put baskets on shelves with things separated.(I hope that the baskets will help)

*Got laundry room useable, baskets, hanging rod, etc.

*Laundry, laundry, laundry!(washed, folded and put away!!!)

This week I am hoping to continue in this fashion. I have many projects that I am working on.

*#2's room is still a dive-we have to work on his junk collection more.

*basement family room is almost complete-it has been a disaster since the laundry room switch. I am almost to the point that it looks like a room again.

*desks-I have to finish these! I need to go and get some more wood and paint it and then just spend the time(hopefully, with hubby's help and get them finished.)

There are numerous other projects on the list that I am hoping to get to. One more thing that has to go back on my list is going to the gym to workout. Summertime kills me! I just haven't worked out much this summer. I can feel it and see it! So that is going at the top of the list!

Want to join me? Be a finisher not just a starter! Check out Smart Habit Saturday with the Lazy Organizer.

Digging Out

Still feeling overwhelmed but not as deep today. That is a good thing.

I find that it is so easy to wallow in sewers of self pity. Why? Must just be the Dev*l trying to win once again. So, trying to dig myself out of my sewer pit so that my house doesn't continue to look like one!

Normal stuff. I still have my huge list that I want to work on. We are just so busy that it is difficult for me to ask hubby to help. He is stretched so thin all the time with his responsibilities that I don't want to add "my" projects onto his.

Well, the mess is calling! I won't say what it is calling!

Today

Still tired. Still overwhelmed.

I have more to do than hours in the day. I don't even know where to begin. Drained.

Let's Have a Parade!

We have been playing hard these last few days!

In my home town we have a huge celebration around the 24th of July. It is in honor of the Mormon Pioneers that entered into the Salt Lake City valley on that date. Well, our little town has a great celebration. There is a great parade that all the different congregations enter a float into. These floats are every bit as good as the huge parade in Salt Lake.



It has been a tradition my entire life to watch this parade. I have carried the front banner, been on a truck for a baseball team(girls team in a boys league-that was an experience!) I have marched in full band uniform with full hat-playing the trombone (that was hot).I have helped on floats and helped with concessions and been to many rodeos. We have watched the parade from my brother's house, my Uncles house, my brother's in laws business, my best friends business and from numerous street curbs and now from my own front yard(ok,technically I don't live here anymore). I watch the parade now, after being gone away for as long as I lived in this town and still feel connected. I see people on the floats that I have known my entire life. I see people walking after the parade that have been part of my life. People that I love. There is something special about growing up in a small town. There is history. It doesn't seem like my summer is complete if I miss the parade.




This year we were so lucky because the parade route went directly in front of my Mom's house! How great is that? Super great! We had almost 100 people in our yard. Family, friends, friends of friends. It was wonderful.

The little kids got lots of candy(their favorite part of the parade) and we got to visit and just enjoy the celebration.



I am a person that loves tradition. I love that my little hometown still has a parade. I love that the wards(church congregations) all work so hard to make such neat floats. I love that LOTS of family from all around different states get together to celebrate. I love that my children have been able to have this parade become tradition for them.

Sixteen Minutes!

I have posted before about how I have a serious problem. I need to go to a 12 step self help program. This problem causes so many difficulties in my life.

I am here to admit it----I AM A PROCRASTINATOR!

There I said it. I will hopefully be miraculously cured of all future problems with this debilitating disease.

I have made one small step towards a cure. The other night I came home from a party in which I took six children. Lucky for me, I didn't have to plan, decorate, mow, cook or clean for this party! However, it was late when we got home and I was about to walk out of the kitchen. I looked at the sink full of dirty dishes and almost left them there until morning. I STOPPED MYSELF! I decided to use a Flylady technique and time myself. I set my timer for 10 minutes. I unloaded the clean dishes and then loaded the stinky dishes in 9:28! I was so proud of myself. I then reset the timer for cleaning off the counter. It took me 6:00! So basically, I spent 16minutes Saturday night and I woke up to a clean kitchen. I have been working on this Smart Habit forever. I have talked about my counter more than once.

Have I mastered this habit? I don't think so. I think that it will be a constant struggle throughout my life. However, I know that if I can just think of things in short snippets of time I am more successful. 16 minutes, that is all it took!

I am going to have a vinyl word saying printed "JUST DO IT" It isn't just a theme for Nike. It is a theme for life!

(Updated with Stacy Julian's links-just clink on them to check it out!)

Saturday-it seems to come so fast. I keep thinking that the summer is going so quickly. I want to sit and just enjoy it. I want to find a shady spot under a tree and read Anne of Green Gables. It is my favorite book/series ever. My Mom and I read the entire series many summers in a row. I need to do it again!

I have really had a very busy week. Where it is Smart Habit Saturday again I thought that I would look at what I have actually accomplished this week. I am really hard on myself so it is so easy to look at what I didn't get done.

Today I decided that I need to make a master list for all jobs that could possibly ever need done in this home. I KNOW all the things that need done. I have nightmares about the dirty baseboards and doorjams. I know that the hall closet is a crash waiting to happen. I can feel the clutter hiding behind closed doors in the furnace room. The problem? I am the only person that KNOWS what needs to be done. Everyone else walks around and looks at the dirty jam smeared across the wall and thinks "that is gross, Mom should really clean that up." Well, this Mom is tired of doing too much work!

So, what is my new Smart Habit Saturday habit? I am going to quit being the martyr and demand more from my family. My #2 said to me today after I had asked him to do his jobs--"Why do we have to do this? Kids aren't supposed to work!" I was ready to jump across the room and yell "that is the problem with our society, we have listened to people tell us that children shouldn't work. That is why we have 19-30 year olds that still live at home with their parents. They don't think that they should work!" Well, I am here to say that I feel that if you live in my house you have to help take care of it.

How am I going to get my family to buy in to this new regime? A really big 2x4 board! No,just kidding! One step at a time! However, I am going to us a technique that I learned in a former life as a special ed teacher. Detailed lists of tasks. I don't remember the official name of this method but we had to understand that many people just don't understand HOW to do some things. So, we have to break every task down into minute little details. I did this today for my two middle children. I made their lists about how/what to clean in the bathroom they are responsible for. I decided that I had to revamp the list to be so specific that it was ridiculous. However, if I have every little detail down on paper they can't argue that I didn't tell them to do it!

I am going to type these lists out so that I don't have to keep writing them. The benefit of this method is that I can add little things that seem to not be happening, more details if necessary.

Years ago I met a gal named Stacy Julian. I was her assistant at a scrapbooking convention. Since that time she has become the founding editor to Simple Scrapbooks Magazine. She travels, teaches etc. I totally respect this woman. She has five children. Four older boys and a brand new adopted little Korean girl. This woman is busy! She had to fly to SLC Ut often to do her job. Her husband is a busy doctor. This gal could just fly by the seat of her pants. However, she is so down to earth and simply organized that her life doesn't appear to be full of chaos.

Last week she posted on her blog about how she keeps her kids on schedule now that it is summer. I think that her ideas are fabulous! Check out Stacy's blog to get more details with pictures. I am thinking that I could have a clipboard somewhere in each bathroom with a checklist of what is supposed to be done when it is clean. I also think that I am going to have to make detailed lists of every cleaning job that happens in this home. I actually started a running list of those jobs that we do in those 2 minutes here and there. Things like--wipe down the baseboard in the bathrooom, wipe the smudges off the door, clean the garage door, clean cobwebs. The list is endless, however, if I don't write these things down, noone but me will ever know that they must be done.

So this week(despite the holiday) I am going to try and keep my kids picking up and doing the jobs that need done--because they live in this house!

For more SHS ideas check out the Lazy Organizer.

Progress!

This is what I have been doing this week!

Instead of this!

So, for the last 2 days I have been working on the mess that is my house and am feeling a bit more in control. If you walked in to my house today it would still look like a total disaster to you. You would not realize what I have done.

*15 loads of laundry

*huge flower bed weeded

*kitchen/dining room windowsills cleaned(yucky)

*baseboards and doorjams washed in utility/half bath

*3 out of 4 bathrooms cleaned(2 kids helped!) Windowsills and baseboards also!

*weed garden 1/2 mowed

*food fixed

*dishes unloaded and loaded 8 times

*made appointment with a cement cutter for my dryer move

All of these things are additional to the normal feeding, monitoring, reading, hugging, kissing and driving that has to happen if you have a family.

I have to toot my own horn occasionally. If I don't who will?