Well... I guess I've already proven I can't be trusted to blog weekly :-) It's ok... I'm not going to be too hard on myself-- I'll just try harder next time... really... I promise! The last few weeks have been full of dreary weather, stomach bugs, and general blah. But I did read some great books! I read two more Children's books toward my goal:
The Keeper by Kathi Appelt
The Dreamer by Pam Muñoz Ryan
I enjoyed both of these books but I LOVED The Dreamer. It's a beautifully written "fictional biography" of Pablo Neruda. I think adults who enjoy poetry should definitely give it a shot even though it's written for kids.
I've also read a few other books towards my goal of reading 50 books this year (you can check out my goodreads page if you are really curious) and one I especially enjoyed was Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins. I enjoyed the characters - all of them, not just the main characters and the love story was well done and not cheesy--a lot of the moments felt very true to teen life and while the plot was nothing groundbreaking the quality of writing makes this book stand out.
Surprisingly I did manage to try a few new recipes so far this year as well. I made this Chicken Noodle Casserole which was quite good - though a little bland (might have to play with some spices) and also a Cauliflower Hamburger Casserole which was not delicious in the least (I used the ingredients search on the website and searched for ground beef and cauliflower because I had some of each that needed to be used- there aren't many recipes with both and I think now I know it's for a good reason).
As far as my 2011 goals I have been reading my ten pages of The Bible as many days as I can - I admit that a few days of oversleeping got in the way (I like to read it in the morning when I first wake up). The 10 minutes a day of exercising which seems so easy has gotten done maybe half the time and as I already pointed out - I haven't exactly been blogging weekly. So the good news is that there is so much room for improvement! If I had aced the first few weeks it would have all been down hill :-)
For the coming week or so:
I hope that when I blog next I will be able to say that I have drug myself to the gym (that gets the benefit of my money monthly without me actually walking through the door on a regular basis) a few times, gone for a few runs, read another 50 pages or so of The Bible and finish my goal of reading 5 Children's novels (from my 101 things to do list).
daffodils
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Resolutions... i never keep 'em.
It's true... I can't remember ever accomplishing new years resolutions... but that's ok... it's good to think positive and plan for the future. I'm going to make them again this year anyway and see how it goes. I'm going to try to make them easier to attain and also easier to keep track of and more specific. No I'm going to "eat healthy" and "exercise more" and "be a nice person" ya da ya da ya da. So here are my goals for 2011
1. Read 10 pages of the Bible everyday. I usually have at least a half hour in the morning before getting ready for work when I drink coffee and play around on the internet... I think I can devote some of this time to this goal. It's on my 101 things to do list to read the Bible in it's entirety and hopefully this will put me on the right path.
2. Write on this blog weekly. I'm thinking I will try to write on here once a week about what I have accomplished that week and what my hopes are for the next week...sort of like a system for checking on myself. Every now and then I might have something exciting happen that makes me want to write more often (but judging by my past record - this might not happen very regularly :-))
3. Exercise 10 minutes daily - This is a tiny little goal - I can accomplish this by walking the dog around the block or walking for a few minutes during lunchtime at work.and some daysthat might be what it amounts to! Hopefully though some of the days will include longer stretches (so I can get actual use out of my gym membership). For me I have realized that exercise is important to my mental well being (as well as being obviously important to my physical well being). I deal with stress a heck of a lot better when I am exercising regularly so I really need to make this a commitment.
4. Read 50 books. I was sort of disappointed in the amount I read this year. It was a busy, stressful, often times crummy year and I just didn't read as much as I like. 50 will be my goal and we will see how well I do. I'm not going to do anything special like try to read a certain number a month or make sure I keep pace. I will just try to carve out time for my favorite hobby (made even easier with my new Nook!) and check in on goodreads.com next December to see how I did.
5. Run a mile. This will seem like such an easy goal to most but I don't think I have ever run a complete mile without at least walking some in my entire life. I was TERRIBLE at running in gym class as a kid and therefore HATED it. I had bad asthma and it's hard to enjoy running when you can't breath. The asthma has subsided for the most part in my old age and I actually enjoy doing a little jogging (lets be honest when I say running I really mean jogging!) but at this point I am still alternating short bursts of jogging with walking... by 2012 that will not be the case!
Hope everyone else has had a few minutes to reflect these past few days on 2010 and think about all the possibilities 2011 holds for us. Have a great year!
1. Read 10 pages of the Bible everyday. I usually have at least a half hour in the morning before getting ready for work when I drink coffee and play around on the internet... I think I can devote some of this time to this goal. It's on my 101 things to do list to read the Bible in it's entirety and hopefully this will put me on the right path.
2. Write on this blog weekly. I'm thinking I will try to write on here once a week about what I have accomplished that week and what my hopes are for the next week...sort of like a system for checking on myself. Every now and then I might have something exciting happen that makes me want to write more often (but judging by my past record - this might not happen very regularly :-))
3. Exercise 10 minutes daily - This is a tiny little goal - I can accomplish this by walking the dog around the block or walking for a few minutes during lunchtime at work.and some daysthat might be what it amounts to! Hopefully though some of the days will include longer stretches (so I can get actual use out of my gym membership). For me I have realized that exercise is important to my mental well being (as well as being obviously important to my physical well being). I deal with stress a heck of a lot better when I am exercising regularly so I really need to make this a commitment.
4. Read 50 books. I was sort of disappointed in the amount I read this year. It was a busy, stressful, often times crummy year and I just didn't read as much as I like. 50 will be my goal and we will see how well I do. I'm not going to do anything special like try to read a certain number a month or make sure I keep pace. I will just try to carve out time for my favorite hobby (made even easier with my new Nook!) and check in on goodreads.com next December to see how I did.
5. Run a mile. This will seem like such an easy goal to most but I don't think I have ever run a complete mile without at least walking some in my entire life. I was TERRIBLE at running in gym class as a kid and therefore HATED it. I had bad asthma and it's hard to enjoy running when you can't breath. The asthma has subsided for the most part in my old age and I actually enjoy doing a little jogging (lets be honest when I say running I really mean jogging!) but at this point I am still alternating short bursts of jogging with walking... by 2012 that will not be the case!
Hope everyone else has had a few minutes to reflect these past few days on 2010 and think about all the possibilities 2011 holds for us. Have a great year!
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Goodbye 2010!
2010 was certainly not my favorite of years... and I'm wishing and praying for a better 2011. As you can tell I fell off the blogging wagon way back in October. Dad has been ill, life has been busy, and all those other excuses. Truth is when I get stressed I pretty much don't want do do anything and I guess that's where I have been for a few months... grabbing sleep where I can and not much else when it comes to free time.
I did manage to get a few items from the 101 things to do list done (I don't really know how...) so here goes:
5. I read another biography: Confessions of a Prairie Bitch by Alison Arngrim
55, 77, 100 - I bought several Christmas gifts for charity, got new luggage and transferred my addresses to an old fashioned address book. The luggage one was extra easy as my inlaws got us the luggage for Christmas :-) I love it when other people take care of items on my to-do lists!! I did have to remember to let them know we needed it when they asked for gift ideas - so I will take a teensy tiny bit of credit for putting the ball in motion!
That's about it for the last 2 1/2 months... pretty sad set of accomplishments I know but I'll get back to it... promise! Look for a new years resolutions post in the next few days to pair up with my 101 things to do list.
Happy New Year everyone... hope 2011 treats everyone splendidly!
I did manage to get a few items from the 101 things to do list done (I don't really know how...) so here goes:
5. I read another biography: Confessions of a Prairie Bitch by Alison Arngrim
55, 77, 100 - I bought several Christmas gifts for charity, got new luggage and transferred my addresses to an old fashioned address book. The luggage one was extra easy as my inlaws got us the luggage for Christmas :-) I love it when other people take care of items on my to-do lists!! I did have to remember to let them know we needed it when they asked for gift ideas - so I will take a teensy tiny bit of credit for putting the ball in motion!
That's about it for the last 2 1/2 months... pretty sad set of accomplishments I know but I'll get back to it... promise! Look for a new years resolutions post in the next few days to pair up with my 101 things to do list.
Happy New Year everyone... hope 2011 treats everyone splendidly!
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
The journey continues....
I've been sort of off track lately with everything... house cleaning, cooking, reading, etc. There just aren't enough hours in the day it seems.
I have completed a few more items though (not many!). Here they are:
Tried one new recipe: Salsa Chicken . The recipe calls for it to be baked but I took the advice of a few of the recipe reviewers and did it in the slow cooker. I sprinkled my chicken breasts with the taco seasoning and then placed it on top of some salsa (and some extra onions and peppers I had on hand) in the slow cooker and then added a little more salsa on top of that. I let it cook on low all day and had perfect filling for burritos :-) yum! The chicken practically fell apart and mixed with the other ingredients it was a great filling. I'm sure it's good baked as well and served more traditionally but I had errands to run and wanted it to be ready when I got home.
I also read another Children's book: One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams Garcia . It's getting some Newbery buzz out on the internet which is the reason I picked it up. I'll let you judge for yourself if you decide to pick it up :-)
Those are sadly the only two things from my list that I've gotten to lately :(
I have been going to the gym and doing some walking/jogging and trying to stay physically active... I feel a lot better physically and emotionally when I manage to stay on top of this. I've also been visiting dad a few times a week and trying to squeeze in chores, reading etc when possible... maybe as fall and winter set in I will be able to tackle some of the "inside activities" from my list.
I have completed a few more items though (not many!). Here they are:
Tried one new recipe: Salsa Chicken . The recipe calls for it to be baked but I took the advice of a few of the recipe reviewers and did it in the slow cooker. I sprinkled my chicken breasts with the taco seasoning and then placed it on top of some salsa (and some extra onions and peppers I had on hand) in the slow cooker and then added a little more salsa on top of that. I let it cook on low all day and had perfect filling for burritos :-) yum! The chicken practically fell apart and mixed with the other ingredients it was a great filling. I'm sure it's good baked as well and served more traditionally but I had errands to run and wanted it to be ready when I got home.
I also read another Children's book: One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams Garcia . It's getting some Newbery buzz out on the internet which is the reason I picked it up. I'll let you judge for yourself if you decide to pick it up :-)
Those are sadly the only two things from my list that I've gotten to lately :(
I have been going to the gym and doing some walking/jogging and trying to stay physically active... I feel a lot better physically and emotionally when I manage to stay on top of this. I've also been visiting dad a few times a week and trying to squeeze in chores, reading etc when possible... maybe as fall and winter set in I will be able to tackle some of the "inside activities" from my list.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Short and Sweet
Things I have accomplished:
Read 1 biography: My Fair Lazy by Jen Lancaster - It was an enjoyable read while I have been home sick this weekend... fun but also had moments where it was thought provoking.
Read 1 Children's book: Welcome to Camden Falls by Ann M. Martin. This is the first in the Main Street Series... I really enjoyed it - I included a few thoughts on the book in my goodreads review (follow the link).
I read a third book: After Ever After by Jordan Sonnenblick -It's a young adult book (though I would put it on the younger end of this age range -- middle school probably) so I can't count it towards my list because I already finished that category but I thought I would include it here anyway. It was well written and deals with a weighty subject without making the reader feel depressed the whole time they are reading it (though there were tears at the end). This book is a sequel to Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie which I have not read yet so they are definitely able to stand on their own.
I also made two new recipes - both of which I would recommend. As with many of my recipes I found them on allrecipes.com
Here they are:
Pasta Salad: I didn't actually include the chicken in this ( I was going to a party where I knew there would be vegetarians) and I left out the corn as I didn't have any but threw in some carrots because I had some shredded carrots on hand. The dressing was good and I think overall it was well received.
Turkey Burgers: Like a few reviewers said I added a small amount of bread crumbs ( I use panko) and I also had "fiesta ranch" dressing mix on hand so I used that in place of the plain ranch and it was really good... a little bit of a kick. It was a big hit in my house.
The only other task I accomplished was to attend one "Groove" class at my gym (out of the 3 that is my goal). I'm not very good at it yet but I think I will need to attend the 3 that I set out to do to see if I will get better and give the class a chance. It was a good workout and the hour went by pretty quickly. "Kick" is still my favorite though. Something about pretending to kick and punch things is nice after a long day of work :-)
Read 1 biography: My Fair Lazy by Jen Lancaster - It was an enjoyable read while I have been home sick this weekend... fun but also had moments where it was thought provoking.
Read 1 Children's book: Welcome to Camden Falls by Ann M. Martin. This is the first in the Main Street Series... I really enjoyed it - I included a few thoughts on the book in my goodreads review (follow the link).
I read a third book: After Ever After by Jordan Sonnenblick -It's a young adult book (though I would put it on the younger end of this age range -- middle school probably) so I can't count it towards my list because I already finished that category but I thought I would include it here anyway. It was well written and deals with a weighty subject without making the reader feel depressed the whole time they are reading it (though there were tears at the end). This book is a sequel to Drums, Girls & Dangerous Pie which I have not read yet so they are definitely able to stand on their own.
I also made two new recipes - both of which I would recommend. As with many of my recipes I found them on allrecipes.com
Here they are:
Pasta Salad: I didn't actually include the chicken in this ( I was going to a party where I knew there would be vegetarians) and I left out the corn as I didn't have any but threw in some carrots because I had some shredded carrots on hand. The dressing was good and I think overall it was well received.
Turkey Burgers: Like a few reviewers said I added a small amount of bread crumbs ( I use panko) and I also had "fiesta ranch" dressing mix on hand so I used that in place of the plain ranch and it was really good... a little bit of a kick. It was a big hit in my house.
The only other task I accomplished was to attend one "Groove" class at my gym (out of the 3 that is my goal). I'm not very good at it yet but I think I will need to attend the 3 that I set out to do to see if I will get better and give the class a chance. It was a good workout and the hour went by pretty quickly. "Kick" is still my favorite though. Something about pretending to kick and punch things is nice after a long day of work :-)
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Vacation....
This is actually my second week back at work now but I was away from work for so long it still feels like a novelty. I was out two weeks in July (one when my mother passed away and a second for a training) and then away the first two weeks of August for vacation. It's good to be back and back to some sort of normal schedule- though I could probably get used to being on perpetual vacation too.
Vacation was fantastic. I definitely had a lot of moments where I really missed my mom because I always called her a lot during previous road trips, checking in from all of our various locations. Traveling was also a good distraction for me though and I got to spend some actual quality time with the hubby which hadn't happened for quite a while. It was good to have the first week just the two of us exploring the country together. The second week was a ton of fun in a different way when some good friends met us for a week in Vegas. I didn't win big but I also didn't come home broke so I will call it a success!
So now the whole point of this blog: What did I accomplish from my list in the last few weeks/ while I was away... quite a few things actually!
Items completed:
69. Make a photo album/book for Hawaii trip
70. Make a photo album/book for Keys trip
*shutterfly - the service I usually use to print photos was having a 20% off sale on photobooks which is how I ordered the first one and then I got an email for a free photobook which I earned with my first order (I also ordered a few other prints) so I was able to get the second one taken care of as well. YAY! I actually really like the photo books instead of albums (I'm a librarian - I like books - what can I say?) because I can easily add captions etc and they look so nice on the bookshelf.
79. Spend the night in a National Park
80. See the Grand Canyon
*Seems I had some luck because the items on my list are getting checked off in pairs! I have always wanted to stay in one of the large national parks over night to really see and experience the park without having to rush. We were able to stay at a lodge in the Grand Canyon National Park which was fantastic because it let us see the sunset and sunrise over the canyon. It was a beautiful park... though VERY crowded in the summer which for me unfortunately took away from the experience a little bit. Hopefully next time we are there we will have the time and be prepared to hike (or take a mule) to the bottom and back up. We did hike a short distance down into the canyon but they really recommend that it takes two complete days to go all the way down (camp overnight) and then back up. They take their warning signs seriously!
83. Visit Bill and Beth (and new babies Violet and Henry!) -- we had a great time stopping to see old friends in Colorado. Henry and Violet are adorable and Bill and Beth were fun to watch as new parents. I am excited to say that the four of us took the wee ones on their first restaurant outing (which was delicious - I highly recommend Coopersmith's in Ft. Collins http://www.coopersmithspub.com/
95. Play a table game at a casino - It would have just been wrong if I hadn't been able to check this off my list while in Vegas. I played $1 blackjack at the Sahara. I lost about 10 bucks. The novelty of it was fun but I don't feel the need to do anymore table gambling ... I enjoyed the Deal or No Deal and Sex and the City slots just as much (maybe more) and I could play those a penny at a time.
This week I hope to:
a. get back to the gym at least twice
b. get back on the treadmill at least three times
c. read a biography
d. maybe make another attempt at a peaches and cream pie - I made one over the weekend but messed it up so I'm not gonna cross it off my list til I get it right :-)
Vacation was fantastic. I definitely had a lot of moments where I really missed my mom because I always called her a lot during previous road trips, checking in from all of our various locations. Traveling was also a good distraction for me though and I got to spend some actual quality time with the hubby which hadn't happened for quite a while. It was good to have the first week just the two of us exploring the country together. The second week was a ton of fun in a different way when some good friends met us for a week in Vegas. I didn't win big but I also didn't come home broke so I will call it a success!
So now the whole point of this blog: What did I accomplish from my list in the last few weeks/ while I was away... quite a few things actually!
Items completed:
69. Make a photo album/book for Hawaii trip
70. Make a photo album/book for Keys trip
*shutterfly - the service I usually use to print photos was having a 20% off sale on photobooks which is how I ordered the first one and then I got an email for a free photobook which I earned with my first order (I also ordered a few other prints) so I was able to get the second one taken care of as well. YAY! I actually really like the photo books instead of albums (I'm a librarian - I like books - what can I say?) because I can easily add captions etc and they look so nice on the bookshelf.
79. Spend the night in a National Park
80. See the Grand Canyon
*Seems I had some luck because the items on my list are getting checked off in pairs! I have always wanted to stay in one of the large national parks over night to really see and experience the park without having to rush. We were able to stay at a lodge in the Grand Canyon National Park which was fantastic because it let us see the sunset and sunrise over the canyon. It was a beautiful park... though VERY crowded in the summer which for me unfortunately took away from the experience a little bit. Hopefully next time we are there we will have the time and be prepared to hike (or take a mule) to the bottom and back up. We did hike a short distance down into the canyon but they really recommend that it takes two complete days to go all the way down (camp overnight) and then back up. They take their warning signs seriously!
83. Visit Bill and Beth (and new babies Violet and Henry!) -- we had a great time stopping to see old friends in Colorado. Henry and Violet are adorable and Bill and Beth were fun to watch as new parents. I am excited to say that the four of us took the wee ones on their first restaurant outing (which was delicious - I highly recommend Coopersmith's in Ft. Collins http://www.coopersmithspub.com/
95. Play a table game at a casino - It would have just been wrong if I hadn't been able to check this off my list while in Vegas. I played $1 blackjack at the Sahara. I lost about 10 bucks. The novelty of it was fun but I don't feel the need to do anymore table gambling ... I enjoyed the Deal or No Deal and Sex and the City slots just as much (maybe more) and I could play those a penny at a time.
This week I hope to:
a. get back to the gym at least twice
b. get back on the treadmill at least three times
c. read a biography
d. maybe make another attempt at a peaches and cream pie - I made one over the weekend but messed it up so I'm not gonna cross it off my list til I get it right :-)
Sunday, July 25, 2010
One Day At A Time
It's been a few weeks since I've posted an update...actually it's been a full month now that I look back at the date... and life has been hard. On July 10th I lost my mom and one of the best friends anyone could ask for and I'm still not sure I've come to terms with it. I often reach for my cell to call her like I would several times a day to say good morning, or tell her something silly her grand-dog had done and I miss those little moments like crazy. Knowing she doesn't have to struggle anymore and that she's with my nephew in Heaven is comforting and I feel so blessed that I was given the gift of saying goodbye and being with her and my family in those final moments. I have never ever witnessed the kind of bravery as I did in her that day.
The weeks following have been a blur. As hard as the week of mom's funeral was - I was lucky enough to be surrounded by family and friends and the love and support was overwhelming. Someone mentioned to me during that time that it was amazing to see how close my highschool girlfriends and I still were after 15 years and I am so grateful for that, they were there for me and my family each and every day making sure I ate, holding me when I cried or just sitting quietly with me. It was also wonderful to be surrounded by family everyday and perhaps the hardest moment for me was when everyone started going home and "real" life had to resume.
"Real life" however didn't really resume for me right away as the following week was spent at a work training, the "Maryland Library Leadership Institute" in Port Deposit, Maryland. Truly this was for me just what the doctor ordered... It was intensive and engaging and kept my mind occupied almost every waking second. I was lucky enough to have a fabulous group of peers to work with through the week (Thanks 46% Fairly Content!) and I must say it lived up to the praise of all of my coworkers who have gone before me through this program. I learned a lot about myself and how to push out of my comfort zone at work and hope that it will carry over into my personal life as well. Plus - the food was amazing!! The "meal" bell rang five times a day for breakfast, lunch, dinner and morning and afternoon snack. Fresh baked scones/tarts/and cookies between meals is something I will definitely miss but I'm sure my trainer at the gym will be glad was only for a week!
So now after a week of being able to distract myself I find myself back in the real world and it's definitely an adjustment...one I'm taking day by day as I work through my grief, prepare for a crazy busy week at work, and try to regain some focus on making myself a better person. I took a look at my list to see if I had in fact accomplished any of my goals in the last month and this is where I'm at:
a. I tried a new recipe (new to me anyway) and made dad some barbecue with mom's recipe. He liked it much better than when I cook with my own recipes :-)
b. I ordered fish at a restaurant and had tuna steak when we went out with Chad's mom 4th of July weekend. It was good... but not as good as the Rockfish I had in Ocean City!
c. I pushed my comfort zone by speaking at my mother's funeral. I didn't think I had it in me but I did and it was a blessing to be able to honor the woman who meant the most to me in life and I thank God for helping me get through it.
Today it's off to see my dad and hang out with the family...and tomorrow back to the library for the first time in two weeks...and whatever comes my way I'll just take it one day at a time.
The weeks following have been a blur. As hard as the week of mom's funeral was - I was lucky enough to be surrounded by family and friends and the love and support was overwhelming. Someone mentioned to me during that time that it was amazing to see how close my highschool girlfriends and I still were after 15 years and I am so grateful for that, they were there for me and my family each and every day making sure I ate, holding me when I cried or just sitting quietly with me. It was also wonderful to be surrounded by family everyday and perhaps the hardest moment for me was when everyone started going home and "real" life had to resume.
"Real life" however didn't really resume for me right away as the following week was spent at a work training, the "Maryland Library Leadership Institute" in Port Deposit, Maryland. Truly this was for me just what the doctor ordered... It was intensive and engaging and kept my mind occupied almost every waking second. I was lucky enough to have a fabulous group of peers to work with through the week (Thanks 46% Fairly Content!) and I must say it lived up to the praise of all of my coworkers who have gone before me through this program. I learned a lot about myself and how to push out of my comfort zone at work and hope that it will carry over into my personal life as well. Plus - the food was amazing!! The "meal" bell rang five times a day for breakfast, lunch, dinner and morning and afternoon snack. Fresh baked scones/tarts/and cookies between meals is something I will definitely miss but I'm sure my trainer at the gym will be glad was only for a week!
So now after a week of being able to distract myself I find myself back in the real world and it's definitely an adjustment...one I'm taking day by day as I work through my grief, prepare for a crazy busy week at work, and try to regain some focus on making myself a better person. I took a look at my list to see if I had in fact accomplished any of my goals in the last month and this is where I'm at:
a. I tried a new recipe (new to me anyway) and made dad some barbecue with mom's recipe. He liked it much better than when I cook with my own recipes :-)
b. I ordered fish at a restaurant and had tuna steak when we went out with Chad's mom 4th of July weekend. It was good... but not as good as the Rockfish I had in Ocean City!
c. I pushed my comfort zone by speaking at my mother's funeral. I didn't think I had it in me but I did and it was a blessing to be able to honor the woman who meant the most to me in life and I thank God for helping me get through it.
Today it's off to see my dad and hang out with the family...and tomorrow back to the library for the first time in two weeks...and whatever comes my way I'll just take it one day at a time.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)