Music Tuesday!

Today is Tuesday, and you know what that means....new music is released in iTunes!

I always get excited when new music arrives in iTunes! I wish I could spend all day every day listening to music. As I've said before, there is never enough time in the day to listen to all the great music available!

Here are some songs I've downloaded within the past week:

1. Red - I actually downloaded their new album which was released 2/1/11. It is phenomenal! Their music is hard rock, and I don't think everyone will love it, but I sure enjoy it! It is definitely great workout music!

2. The City Harmonic - Manifesto

I really enjoy this song! My favorite part is during the bridge when they sing the Lord's Prayer. It reminds me of when I was in Junior High and High School and we would say the Lord's Prayer prior to games. Great song! Check out this one on iTunes!

3. Kutless - Remember Me

I really enjoy music by Kutless. This is their newest song out right now.

4. Seabird - Rescue

This song has a really fun beat, and I really like the lead singer's voice. It reminds me of Train. This is a really catchy song!

5. Disciple - Invisible

The more I hear songs by this band, the more I like them. My trainer recommended this song to me, and I definitely think it's worth downloading.

What songs do you have on your playlist? What music have you purchased recently?

FITastic Cooking Challenge: Day 2

One of my biggest challenges with cooking is how long it takes. I tend to go from feeling satisfied to STARVING in a matter of 5 minutes, so anything which requires time to make poses a problem. That's what happened today at lunch. Once I realized I was hungry, it was too late. I drove to Braum's and purchased some meat and milk and then stopped by Chipotle on my way home.

Here is Food Journal, Day 2:

Breakfast:

1/2 cup egg beaters (60 cal/12g/2g/0g)
1 slice Sara Lee 45 calorie 100% whole wheat bread (45 cal/3g/9g/0.5g)
crushed red pepper
pepper
8 oz. glass Trop50 apple juice (50 cal/0g/12g/0g)

Total: 155 cal/15g/23g/0.5g

Lunch:

1/2 Chipotle Burrito (372.5 cal/18.5g/39g/15g)
(burrito consists of tortilla, fajita veggies, wild rice, barbacoa, medium salsa, and sour cream)
8 oz. glass of Crystal Light Lemonade (10 cal/0g/0g/0g)
1 small/medium nectarine

Total: 382.5 cal/18.5g/39g/15g

Snack:

1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese (90 cal/14g/4g/2.5g)
1 tsp honey (22 cal/0g/5.5g/0g)
cinnamon
1 tsp splenda
4 oz. skim milk (65 cal/6.5g/9g/0g)

Total: 177 cal/20.5g/18.5g/2.5g

Supper:

Taco Lettuce Wraps



 

 

 

 

 

4 oz. 90/10 ground beef (200 cal/23g/0g/11g)
2 tbsp Jalapeno Dip (60 cal/1g/2g/6g)
2 tbsp Pace Medium Salsa (10 cal/0g/2g/0g)
0.75 oz. pepperjack cheese (83 cal/4.5g/<1g/6.75g)
lettuce (for wraps) (10 cal)
2 tsp diced onions
crushed red pepper
jalapeno seasoning
pepper
8 oz. tea with splenda

Total: 363 cal/28.5g/5g/23.75g

Total for Day 2: 1,077.5 cal/82.5g/85.5g/41.75g

(This is what I've eaten so far today. I will edit the post if I consume anything else.)

When on Chipotle's website, I saw just how many calories are in each ingredient I put in my burrito. If I were to order the burrito bowl (exact same burrito, but leave off the tortilla), I could have saved 290 calories. 290 CALORIES!! DANG! That's a can of Coca-Cola, 5 crackers, and 1 oz. of gouda cheese! Crazy talk! I could have left off the tortilla and ate the ENTIRE contents of the burrito for 455 calories. I need to keep that in mind for next time!

Keeping this food journal has been interesting. It takes quite a bit of work, but it's nice to see exactly how many protein/carbs/fat consumed over the course of the day. I definitely recommend doing it, if for just a few days.

I'm already scheming up a plan for what I'm going to prepare tomorrow. Isn't that crazy?!? Maybe one of these days, I will become like the Pioneer Woman, with my own food blog. Wow. That just made me laugh a little.

Have a great night!

 

FITastic Cooking Challenge: Day 1

Here is my food journal from Day 1:

The setup is calories/protein (g)/carbohydrates (g)/fat (g)

Breakfast:

1/2 cup egg beaters (60cal/12g/2g/0g)
1 slice Sara Lee 45 cal multi-grain bread (45cal/3g/9g/0.5g)
1 tsp Miracle Whip Light (7cal/0g/0.7g/0.5g)
crushed red pepper
pepper
1 8 oz. glass tea (with splenda) (0cal/0g/0g/0g)
1 scoop chocolate whey protein powder (93cal/20g/2.3g/0.33g)
4 oz. water

Total: 205 cal/35g/14g/1.33g

Lunch:

5.25 oz. boneless chicken tenderloin (144cal/29g/0g/2g)
1 MiCasa 100% whole wheat tortilla (120cal/4g/20g/4g)
1/2 cup fresh spinach leaves (20cal/2g/3g/0g)
1 tbsp Jalapeno dip (30cal/1g/2g/3g)
1 8 oz. glass tea (with splenda) (0cal/0g/0g/0g)

Total: 314 cal/36g/25g/9g

Snack:

1 oz. smoked gouda cheese (90cal/7g/1g/7g)
4.5 oz. red grapes

Supper:

2 slices Sara Lee 45 cal. multi-grain bread (90 cal/6g/18g/1g)
1 tbsp reduced-fat Jif creamy peanut butter (95 cal/4g/7.5g/6g)

Total: 185 cal/10g/25.5g/7g

Snack:

5 clusters True North Pecan Almond Peanut Clusters (170cal/5g/9g/13g)

Total for the day: 964 cal/93g/75g/37g

(Note: This does not include calories for the grapes. I don't know how to measure calorie count on fruits and veggies. There are different websites which offer answers, but at this time I am choosing to not worry about it. When I googled the calorie count on grapes, it averaged around 100 calories. The problem with knowing that information is it makes me rationalize pop drinking. Example: I can have 100 calories for grapes, or for 40 calories more, I can have a Coca-Cola, which I'm totally craving right about now. See? This is why I'm not going to focus on calorie count for fruits/veggies at this time. I can be completely irrational when it comes to Coca-Cola or cheese!)

Uh-oh. I didn't get enough calories in for the day! That will not be the case today (I can PROMISE you that!) One issue I have is I want to eat as healthy as I can so that if I go out and eat later in the day, I can spend extra calories on that. Last night, I was wanting something to eat, but I had to go to the grocery store after work, and by the time I got home, I was exhausted and I wanted to go to bed. I can tell by what I purchased at the grocery store last night just how hungry and tired I was; I purchased 4 different types of cheeses and 2 yummy dips. Never fails! You'd think I'd learn the first 20 times this happens not to go to the grocery store hungry or tired, but alas, I did it again.


Looks like Day 1 wasn't too shabby! Let's hope this continues!

Bring It!

Howdy! (This is what it says when I log into my WordPress account. It always makes me smile. Even WordPress wants in on some Oklahoma action.)

The Packers won the Super Bowl last night! Yay! I was scared for a bit that the Steelers would come back for the win, but the Packers stayed strong! I'm hoping next year my Cowboys will be in the Super Bowl. (I'm an optimist, what can I say.)

I've been feeling pretty frustrated over the last month. I felt as though I was putting forth tons of time at the gym, but I wasn't seeing any better results (in terms of the scale) than others who have just cut out some foods in their diet and don't spend much (if any) time at the gym. As I was talking about this with my sister last night, I mentioned how I don't just want people to look at me and say I'm skinny; I want people to look at me and say, "Wow. That girl spends some time at the gym!" I have always wanted to be fit with very noticeable muscle definition.

Then, the comment that caused my epiphany: "I want to look like _______."

Once that statement left my mouth, it all made sense. I'm not just going to the gym to lose weight; I am going to the gym to build a strong, lean, very muscular body.

Wow! This changes EVERYTHING! It doesn't matter if others lose weight faster than me, nor does it matter if I spend way more time at the gym than anyone else. My goals are different than most other women's goals. Most women's goals are simply to lose weight and be skinny, and the focus isn't so much on muscle building. While my goals also include losing weight and being skinny, I don't want that to be my only result. I want to be lean and muscular. I want to be very physically fit. I want to be able to fuel my body with the right nutrition to maintain that type of physique. In order to achieve these goals, my workout has to be different. Strength training has to be different. The cardio has to be different. It ALL has to be different!

Good grief! Why did it take me so long to figure out this important piece of the puzzle?! Even though I've thought about this often, it didn't really dawn on me just how different my workouts have to be from other women's workouts to achieve the results I want.

There's no better time to have an epiphany like this than the night before starting my 30 day cooking challenge! Oh snap! This is gonna be big. HUGE!

Today is the first day of the challenge, and I must admit, I'm off to a fantastic start! I had my workout this morning with the trainer. I was told that starting today, I am to do less cardio on days I train with him. It felt pretty awesome only doing 10 minutes of cardio prior to my workout! I still had to stretch (boo!), but it wasn't too terrible. I had an hour of strength training and then 20 minutes of cardio at the end of my workout. I have eaten very well this morning, and my lunchbox for work has some nutritious foods in it.

Unfortunately, I am not going to post the results from day 1 until late tonight or tomorrow morning since I won't be off work until 10:30 p.m. and then I have to hit the grocery store. (It's hard to cook healthy meals and snacks when there's no food in the house.) I will say that the chicken I was cooking on the George Foreman grill earlier sounded like it was chirping at me. Seriously. These 30 days are going to be interesting, for sure!

I am most excited for this challenge to begin! It's time to learn how to provide the appropriate fuel for my body to achieve the results I want!

Bring it!

30 Day FITastic Cooking Challenge

It's time for a challenge.

I have been whining lately about how I need to be cooking more at home. Everyone I know seems to cook scrumptious meals at home, and I want to jump on the bandwagon. I'm tired of eating the same types of healthy foods over and over and over again. I am not bland (that's an understatement), nor do I want my diet to be.

Cooking is not something I naturally enjoy doing. Some find it to be very cathartic; I tend to find it time-consuming and a chore. I think part of the reason is because I cook for one person, me. It takes 30-45 minutes to prepare, 15 minutes to clean, and 5 minutes to eat. That's quite a bit of time in preparation and cleaning to spend 5 minutes eating. Nevertheless, I am too old to not know how to fix yummy dishes. Seriously!

Something has to change. I don't want to be the woman who doesn't know how to prepare Thanksgiving Dinner. I don't want to be the woman who doesn't have any recipes to pass down because I simply didn't take the time to cook. I don't want to be the woman who doesn't have dinner parties because I can't cook anything beyond the basics. I want to be the person who loves preparing healthy meals at home. Just think of how much money (and calories!) I could save by eating at home.

I want to be the woman who knows how to cook! I want to be the woman who people can't wait to see what concoction I've created! As a woman, I need to know how to cook. (Yes, I just went back in time about 60 years with that statement.) The time has come for me to step it up and develop my cooking skills.

And what better way for me to develop my cooking skills than to have a challenge!

During this 30 day challenge, I am going to prepare healthy meals 5 days each week and post the recipes (with pictures) for you, along with calories and protein/carb/fat count. Because I'm a novice cook, I haven't mastered the art of creating my own dishes (yet!), so my recipes aren't going to be of my own creation (unless I'm feeling adventurous...or out of my mind). I am going to search for recipes that are easy to prepare, budget-friendly, and healthy (or healthier than the alternative).  I plan on throwing in one dessert recipe each week since many people are dessertaholics! (I am a cheeseaholic. Someone told me about how delicious a 24 layer chocolate cake looked. I immediately thought of a 24 layer cheese dip. Seriously...it's THAT bad.) Not only will I be posting the recipes, but I will also post my food journal. My diet can be very repetitious at times, and I am all open for suggestions. Variety is the spice of life!

The challenge will start on Monday. If you have any suggestions for recipes I should try, please let me know! Also, if there are any pointers you have in terms of cooking, preparing, or cleaning that makes things easier or better, do tell! I need all the help I can get!

I am anxious to get started! It's time for me to cook at home and branch out in terms of my diet. It's time for me to make a fool of myself in the kitchen. IT. IS. TIME!

Let the FITastic challenge commence!

Ode to the Gym

Oh, Gym! Must you be so wonderful?!

As I walk from the parking lot to your front door, I hear you calling out to me, beckoning me to cross the threshold into a new world filled with endless, health-laden possibilities.

Once inside, my senses are instantly awakened by your smell of sweat and mold (from your leaky roof). I scan my card and walk over to your stationary bike section. I sit down, adjust the seat, and begin pedaling. As I'm sitting there listening to my iPod and watching tv, a gentleman sits down next to me. The scent of Old Spice wafts over me, melding with your leaky roof smell to create a fragrance which really captures my attention. I notice something dripping. I look up, and behold the condensation from your vent. Thankfully, it doesn't land on anyone's head throughout my cardio session.

After I finish my initial cardio, I clean off the bike with alcohol and walk over to the "Trainer's Lair." This is where your prized possessions prepare to torture mentally prep to motivate your other gym-goers. I meet with my trainer and he feels the need for a good laugh, so he decides to weigh me on your scale which mimics one seen at a doctor's office. As the lever slows to a halt, I can almost hear you taunting me to work harder and spend more time at your residence, as though approximately 10 hours a week isn't enough.

My trainer and I then enter your purple room I've so rightly titled "The Dreaded Yoga Room." Thankfully, my trainer is kind enough to not make me do any yoga (although recently he started making me stretch, which is the poor man's yoga, in my opinion). After stretching, I am told to lie down on your sweat-stained yoga mat to do push-ups, planks, and crunches.  As the aroma of moldy sweat approaches my nostrils, I remind myself that being FITastic is hard work. It's all about survival of the fittest. If I want to win at this, I have to suck it up and deal with it. As they say, "No Pain, No Gain." I look at the clock a few times to gauge how much time is left in the room before I can move on to better things. I also perform other exercises in your purple room, such as squats, lunges, band work, and the like. You seriously need to get rid of the mirrors. I'm just sayin'!

Once enough pain has been inflicted upon me, my trainer decides it's time to venture out to the rest of the gym. I would like to fill up my water bottle, but your water fountain is out of order. Not good, Gym-bo!

We walk past your large rubber tires and hopscotch section towards the weight machines. I quickly glance at the clock on your wall to see how much more time of torture I have left before my hourlong training session is finished. (Perhaps you should use larger clocks, and more of them, so I can see them from any area throughout the gym. I'm sure my trainer would appreciate that very much!) I have the pleasure of seeing the guy with the orange and black shirt, purple and black shorts, and blue crocs (I need to take a picture one of these days) as I begin my weight lifting. You so cleverly ensure he is in my view at some point during my workout session. Smart one! It makes me chuckle, which then allows the "keep your core tight" speech from my trainer to ensue.

After my workout session is finished, it's time for me to head back to the Trainer's Lair for one last emotional beating pep talk from the trainer. I then head out to your treadmill/elliptical area again to finish my cardio for the day.

The last part of my cardio session generally goes unscathed, as you have decided to not foist any more unpleasantries upon me. I end with my hair being soaking wet from sweat and my face being red, and I am exhausted. I clean off the machine with alcohol one last time, and I then look at the clock as I exit your presence.

All in all, my experience at your residence is physically demanding, but I always feel satisfied when I leave. The release of endorphins for several hours following our encounter is pretty fantastic! You have a positive, lasting impact on me! I think I will keep you around in my life for many years to come.

Oh, Gym! You are too wonderful for me!

Out with the Old...

Day 2 at home from Snowmaggedon 2011 found me coming out of the closet...with tons of clothes in hand.

This morning I walked into my closet and decided it was time to clear out the clothes that did not fit any longer. I was tired of having to search through the mess to find the clothes that DID fit. It was definitely time to clear the clutter.

I started around 8:45 a.m. this morning; by 11:15 a.m. I was finished.

Check out the photos:

Before

I went through EVERY SINGLE article of clothing and tried it on before deciding whether to keep it or not. I was completely AMAZED at all the clothes that were too big. It was really exciting!

 

After

Look at the space between the hangers! It looks so much better! I was able to get rid of so many items!

Look at all the hangers leftover!

It felt so good seeing all those clothes out of my closet. It was almost like a cleansing of sort. Today was another reminder of how far I've come in terms of my FITastic adventure. Pretty remarkable, I must say!

Out with the old...in with the new!

Snowmaggedon 2011

This winter season has been particularly nice. We haven't had any major ice storms. The weather hasn't been too cold. In fact, just last Saturday, the weather got up to 76 degrees...in January!! It was such a BEAUTIFUL day! I really thought we were going to make it through an entire winter without major weather. From last year's crazy winter, it was time for a nice break from ice and snow storms!

On Christmas Eve 2009, we had a blizzard. They said the probability of a blizzard occurring in Oklahoma is one every 300 years, and I actually got to experience it! Because blizzards never happen here, no one really knew just how bad the storm was until they began driving in it. We are used to ice, not 3' snowdrifts!  There were cars stranded EVERYWHERE! Thanks to having to dodge tons of cars already stranded, my vehicle ended up getting stuck in a snowdrift. Fortunately, there were firefighters helping people get their vehicles unstuck, so they were able to help me get out of the drift and I went back to work to park in the parking garage, shielded from the weather. A coworker who drove a 4-wheel drive Chevy Tahoe offered to take Sarah, my close friend and coworker, and me to her house. Needless to say, his Tahoe got stuck in a snowdrift, and it took quite a bit of time before someone was able to help us get unstuck. I ended up having to stay the night, on Christmas Eve mind you, at work. This ended up being the first Christmas I wasn't able to spend with my family. This was the Blizzard of 2009.

This past week, the weathermen have been predicting a decent winter storm. They said there could be a possibility for moderate snow accumulation with high winds.

Yesterday, we entered into a Blizzard Warning, with thundersnow heading the storm.

Today, we received roughly 10" of snow (where I live. Other parts of Oklahoma received more, with one area getting 21" of snow!), with 3'-5' snowdrifts, temperature of 9 degrees, wind chill @ -20 degrees, and winds gusting to 50 mph. It started around midnight at my house and when I woke up this morning, it was snowing pretty hard.

I'm so thankful I was able to stay home and just enjoy the snow! Other times, I had to drive to work in it, so this made for a pleasant day!

Here are some photos I took from the storm:

This is the view looking out towards the front yard.

 

This is looking out the front door. The winds gusting to 50 mph made for some seriously blowing snow.

 

Can you see Coki's tail? It is barely sticking up from behind the snowdrift. She was running all along the edge of the fence. This was earlier in the morning.

 

I decided around 5:30pm to go outside and do some shoveling of my driveway so I could make it to work in the morning. I spent roughly 30 minutes outside trying to clear a path for my vehicle. The snow was light and fluffy, so it wasn't as difficult to shovel as the Blizzard from 2009 was, but because there was a large amount of snow, it still took some time and effort. The temperature outside was 9 degrees, with the wind chill at -12 degrees while I was shoveling. It was extremely cold! Let's just say, when I came inside, my legs were extremely red and splotchy. I immediately took a bath to warm up and I had to gradually warm the water because it was burning my legs so badly. My face right now feels like it's sunburned (more like windburned).

 

This is my foot in the snow where I was shoveling. It seriously looks like my foot fell into a black hole.

 

This is what my driveway looked like after I stopped shoveling. I was bringing it All. Day. Long. Oh snap!

 

I was feeling pretty impressed  by my snow shoveling job and how I wasn't out of breath, nor did I have to stop at any point to rest. Perhaps I'm not as in bad of shape as I imagined!

Or so I thought...turns out my legs are feeling a bit sore already and my shoulders feel like I've just lifted some serious weights. I definitely got in my workout today. My trainer would be so proud!

After I finished shoveling, and since my clothes and shoes were already wet, I went into my backyard to stand in a big snowdrift and take some pictures.

An example of the snowdrift in my backyard. It was pretty huge!

 

 

These two pictures are of me standing in some of those snowdrifts from my backyard. They don't even show when the snowdrift was up to my hip. MY HIP! Crazy! (And please ignore the baggy sweatpants. It was the thickest pair of pants I had for staying warm in such dangerously frigid weather!)

 

While I was standing in huge snowdrifts trying to take pictures, Coki was running and hopping through the snow. She would run from the back porch out to me and then back to the porch. She couldn't get very close to me before the snow would be too tall. It was so funny watching her!

 

We hit a record of 11.8" of snow in one day in the month of February. The total snowfall was 12.1". Our peak wind gust was 58 mph! What a day!

Be safe out there and stay warm!

Happy Snowmaggedon!

Brain Dump

Today is (and feels like) Monday. I finished work day 8 of 12, and I'm starting to feel it. The gym was completely crowded when I went at 4:30pm. Gas stations were running out of gasoline as people were preparing for Blizzard 2011. We are officially in a BLIZZARD WARNING! Saturday was an absolutely beautiful day! The temperature actually reached 75 degrees! Today? It's 28 degrees and dropping.  I can feel it getting colder in my house. These next few days are not going to be fun for travelers.

1. I am NOT looking forward to Snowmageddon. We were doing so well this year without any bad weather. Now it appears we are going to receive 6-12 inches of snow with 4 foot drifts. Crazy!

2. The fortune cookie I received last night said, "You will become more passionate and determined about your vision." This is really interesting because at work this past weekend, I was talking with my friend about being impressed with people who have a passion for something. It may be cooking, astronomy, music, biblical history, sports, or anything else. Whatever it is, I think it's fantastic listening to people discuss their passion. I'm praying that God will open my eyes to what HIS will for me is so I can make that my vision. Then I want to pursue it passionately.

3. My Bible In a Year Plan is going well. I just finished reading about Joseph making himself known to his brothers. It's interesting reading the stories I haven't heard in a long time. I'm so glad I decided to do this!

4. I purchased a new flavor of protein powder: Banana Cream. It SMELLS like banana pudding; I wonder if it TASTES like banana pudding. Time will tell. I was needing a new flavor in my life; chocolate and cookies-n-cream were getting pretty old.

5. If you aren't reading Jon Acuff's blog (or tweets or fb), you are definitely missing out on hilariousness! He CRACKS. ME. UP! Seriously, he should hire me as his publicist. I have mentioned him in conversation daily for the last few weeks.

6. I hope Green Bay wins the Super Bowl. I seriously don't want to see the Steelers win the Super Bowl in Cowboys Stadium. That would be TERRIBLE! I'm hoping next football season will be kinder to my Cowboys. This year was U-G-L-Y!

7. I bought a new organizational planner a few days ago. Let's just say, I am DEFINITELY creating my own. I found a few planners with sections I like, so I need to tweak them and get my own made. It makes me laugh how many different planners are available, yet they are all basically the same.

8. I have been craving cheese, milk, and Coca-Cola lately. What's the deal? How do I make the cravings stop for these three marvelous items?

9. I am very disappointed I haven't been able to blog daily. I am going to spend the rest of the evening deciding what I'm going to post. I have some great ideas for posts and I can't wait to share them with you!

10. I didn't go to the gym all weekend, and I felt like a slacker. I'm really supposed to minimize my workouts this whole week. Thankfully, the weather will help with making that happen.

Now is a great time to curl up with a blanket, have your pet(s) by your side, and enjoy time at home.

Be safe and stay warm these next few days!

Motivation, Where Are You?

Why is it the more I want something, the more I seem to struggle?

I've been eating healthy and going to the gym almost every day of the week. I have made working out my number one priority. I've been completely and totally into health. I actually LOST weight during the Christmas season!

After Christmas, my motivation disappeared. While I've still been going to the gym daily and meeting with my trainer three times a week, I have been eating out almost every night. I'm back to drinking Coca-Cola on an almost daily basis. I'm fortunate I'm still losing weight, even with the setbacks.

Where did my motivation go? One minute, I'm feeling as though I am going to conquer the world; the next moment, I am whining non-stop to my trainer, and I have no drive to push myself further during my workouts.

Recently, several people have commented on my change in appearance. I even had people tell me they were INSPIRED by me! Wow! What a huge compliment! Now that people consider me an inspiration, I definitely want to give my fitness and health 110% effort. People depend on me now. There is no room for failure.

My trainer recommended I basically take next week off from the gym. Here's what I heard in that conversation: "..... time off..... 20 min of cardio ONLY..... only cardio on days I train with him..... maybe just train once next week ......"

I have to admit, when he mentioned this at the end of our workout session today, I felt unsettled. What does this mean, exactly? Will this really help with my motivation? Has he finally had enough of me?

I realize I have lost some weight. I know I am stronger now than I was. But I have so much more work to do before I reach my goal. I greatly desire to be physically fit and healthy. I know everything I have to gain from working out, pushing myself at the gym, and eating healthy.

What will it take to jump-start the motivation again?

Music Me

I love music!

Whether it's Christian or Country, Rock or Alternative, Christmas, Punk... I love it!

It's amazing how much money I've spent on music. Thankfully (or tragically) iTunes wasn't around when I was in junior high or high school; otherwise, I would have spent all my money there. I have over 200 songs in my wish list on iTunes right now! It's crazy! That is not including full albums I want, nor does it include many other songs I have been wanting to check out over the last month. As I've mentioned before, there is not enough time in my day to devote to music-listening.

Because Tuesdays are when new music hits the stores, I thought I'd share with you some of my favorite songs at the moment. Hope you like!

• Chris Tomlin - And If Our God Is For Us (This song reminds me of just how powerful our God really is. Great song!!)


• Taylor Swift - Speak Now, Dear John, Last Kiss (her new album is definitely one to purchase. While the songs aren't as pop-ish as her previous albums, she definitely created some songs with more intense lyrics. It's a more "grown-up" album.)


• Red - Death of Me (great workout song! I'm super pumped Red will be at WinterJam!)


• David Crowder Band - How He Loves (This song rocks my world! When the bridge plays, I turn the music up really loudly and I. Rock. Out! I probably look like a crazy person as I'm driving down the road, singing at the top of my lungs and flailing my arms around as though I'm a guitarist, drummer, and worshipper...all at the same time. Awesome!)


• The Classic Crime - Salt In the Snow (great lyrics!)


• Jason Aldean - Heartache That Don't Stop Hurting (I really like Jason Aldean's music.)


• The Harters - I Run


• Train - Marry Me (The older I get, the more I'm becoming a hopeless romantic.)


• Joshua Radin - You Got What I Need (very nice sound)


• 30 Seconds to Mars - The Kill (great workout song! I love music like this, where some parts are quieter and the chorus and bridge get loud. Dynamics (piannissimo and fortissimo) make music more passionate. Love it!)


• Brad Paisley - Any song he sings makes me happy! I can't get enough of his music! I heart you, Brad Paisley!


• Sent by Ravens - A New Fire, Salt and the Light (new Christian band. Really like their music!)


• Skillet - Hero, Awake and Alive, Forsaken, Savior, Whispers In the Dark (great workout music!)


• Sick Puppies - Maybe (This song is about change. Good stuff!)


• Go Radio - Goodnight Moon (This is my trainer's fault. He introduced me to some new bands, and this is one of them. When I first heard this song, I wasn't really into it; now it is played on a regular basis.)


• Casting Crowns - To Know You (I would love to break this song down by where the verses are found. Awesome lyrics!)


• Bent Tree Bible Fellowship - Stand Amazed (By far my favorite version of Amazing Grace.)

Right now, I am needing to update my playlists. I have heard the same songs over and over so many times I am about to go crazy. I always have to prepare myself before diving into iTunes. Once I start purchasing music, I usually don't stop until all my money from my gift card is used.

All I can think about as I'm checking out music to purchase is, "What will it sound like as I'm driving in my vehicle?" Listening to music while I'm driving is so exhilarating! I really can't explain just how much I enjoy it. It's similar to reading a book and getting caught up in the characters and the storyline. The amazing part of music is that it relates to me personally as opposed to fictional characters, and each song can evoke completely different thoughts and feelings.

This is just a small glimpse into my world of music. I have tons more songs I listen to which deserve to be mentioned here, but this list will have to do for now. Perhaps I will get creative and build a playlist for you to see which will be updated weekly. That's my plan, anyway!

What are your recommendations for music? Anything that's drive-worthy?

 

 

Reverie

Sunday is here. With the football game on and my dogs by my side, I am enjoying this afternoon.

1. This is my first blog post in a week, and I have to admit I'm very sad I haven't blogged sooner. Beginning today, I am going to start posting 6 days a week. I really enjoy blogging, and it doesn't make sense to not spend more time doing something that makes me happy.

2. After doing cardio this morning at the gym, I decided to step on the scale. I have been eating out A LOT the last few weeks, so I wanted to see where I was in terms of my weight. I OFFICIALLY HIT MY GOAL #1 WEIGHT!!  I was completely surprised! In fact, I stood on the scale for several minutes, checking to make sure that it was actually accurate. The last few days, I was reminded of how many people were watching me to see how I am doing on this weight-loss journey, and seeing my first goal weight being reached was very motivating! It's so exciting to finally reach the first goal! Now I can finally purchase new gym clothes and shoes! (I wouldn't allow myself to do it until I reached this milestone. Trust me...I need new clothes! The last several times I have been on the treadmill, I actually had to get off the treadmill and go to the locker room to tighten the drawstring on the pants I was wearing so they wouldn't fall. Pretty awesome!) Look out, trainer! I'm baaaack!

3. I am starting two bible studies this week. The first study is "Experiencing God" by Blackaby. The headline for the study is "Knowing and Doing the Will of God." I have been told this study is fantastic, and I can't wait to dive into it! The second study is the book of Romans. I have been wanting to study the book of Romans for YEARS now, and the opportunity has finally presented itself. It's such a foundational book of the bible, and I'm ready to be amazed at what God will teach me!

4. My Bible in a Year plan is right on track. It has been very interesting so far. I finished reading the entire book of Job, and now I'm back in Genesis, learning about Abraham. Genesis 22 was a very interesting chapter. This chapter discusses Abraham being tested by God to sacrifice his son, Isaac, as a burnt offering. I can't imagine what was going through Abraham's mind as he set out that morning! And Isaac... what was he thinking as his own dad, a strong believer in God, bound him, laid him on the altar, and grabbed the knife to kill him? The book of Genesis never mentions what Isaac was thinking during that time, nor does it mention what Isaac's conversation was with his dad as they were walking back to the servants. What do you think of that chapter?

5. I really like my iPad. I downloaded two books so far, "LoveHampton" and John MacArthur's "Romans" bible book study. I thought of purchasing the bible study at the bookstore, but with highlighting capabilities and note options on my iPad, I figured I would give it a shot. And I must say, Angry Birds in HD is pretty awesome! I am wanting to download the Mac version of MS Word to use (Pages). That way I can have access to all my documents on it without always having to have my laptop. I love technology!

6. I am in serious need of a playlist remodeling. I have around 200 songs on my wishlist, but the majority aren't what I would generally listen to while trying to do cardio. What are your recommendations?

7. Football season is almost over, and it makes me sad! I'm curious to see if the NFL will actually extend the season to 18 regular games and two less preseason games. That would make me happy! I'm really hoping my Cowboys will step it up next year and play well. This year was not a very good one (to say the least), but I have big hopes for next season. Cowboys fan forever!

8. With football season coming to an end, I will now have to start watching College Basketball. March Madness is fast approaching! Because I don't watch the games until football season is finished, I don't really know enough to fill out brackets. I would end up being like that girl from SNL (during the Peyton Manning taping) who chose the teams based on obscure info. That whole show really made me laugh. You should definitely watch it. Peyton Manning is super funny!

9. I will have plenty of posts coming soon on my trainer and some of our sessions. Stay tuned!

10. Why is it so hard to find a decent organizational planner? Seriously!?!? There are 10,000 planners available and they are all basically the same, just with a different design. That makes no sense to me. I am definitely needing to get started with creating my own.

11. Speaking of creating my own....why is it not possible to have your bible custom-designed? The bible is the most amazing and interactive book I will ever own, yet I can't customize its design to fit me. I would like a bible with a specific type of leather, wide margins that are lined (for writing notes), a blank outline at the front of each book so I can write in my own words what each chapter is about as a quick reference, thicker pages so highlights and pen writing won't bleed through, cross-referencing, and the greek and hebrew meanings of certain words for further studying (this is where an iPad app would really come in handy. I do have the YouVersion Holy Bible app already, but it's a really basic app. Plus I can't access live sermon notes like the same YouVersion app on my iPhone. I'm ready for that update so I can use my iPad during church for taking notes instead of my iPhone. But I digress.) There are several bibles which own individual characteristics, but not one bible encompasses all these. I actually called Zondervan (the bible publishing company), and they told me there is no option to customize my own. I also called FedEx Office, and explained to the girl what I was wanting to do. I'm not kidding. She told me the only way I could do that is if I typed out the entire bible, since there were copyright laws which would prohibit them from making copies of any bible. (I don't have the time nor the energy to type out the entire bible. That would take forever! Plus I would have to have an editor to make sure there were no typos. I guess I am going to give up on that idea.) I am looking at getting the NIV Study Bible with wide margins and renaissance leather. I guess I can put in my own sheet of paper at the front of each book to create my own outline guide. I am thinking of using this bible as my main bible and maybe purchasing the New Inductive Study Bible (NASB) as my other bible. NASB is more word-for-word translation, so it's a great bible for word studies. (This bible is the one I mentioned earlier which provides the blank outline at the front of each book and it also leaves the title of each chapter blank for you to fill in what it is.) At the end of the day, I want my "forever" bible. I want that bible that 50 years from now (Lord willing I live that long), it will be so full of notes and highlights and be almost falling apart. What an amazing gift to pass on to future generations! Which bible do you own? What's important to you in terms of your bible design?

After all this bible talk, I need to pull out my bible and get started on my bible studies. Be on the lookout for upcoming posts regarding the studies. I'm excited to share what I learn from them!

Happy Sunday!

 

The Initial Meeting

I remember the day I made the call to the gym to request a personal trainer.

It was a beautiful day outside that Saturday morning. The sun was shining brightly and there was not a cloud in the sky. Mom and Mema were in town, and they drove to my house to pick me up so I could spend some time with them while they were running errands.

I was feeling so frustrated with myself. Why was I not physically fit? Why, if I really wanted to be fit, was I not doing anything about it? I don't know what sparked those thoughts that day, but the more time went by, the more upset I became.

After a few hours, they took me back to my house and decided to come inside for a few minutes. I started up again about my wanting to lose weight. While mom and I were talking, I decided I was going to call up the gym and request a trainer. As soon as she and Mema drove away, I made the phone call.

A lady answered the phone at the gym. I told her I was wanting to lose weight and would like a trainer. She then asked me what type of trainer I wanted. I explained to her that my ideal trainer would be fairly tough on me, but I didn't want someone who would yell at me or talk down to me. (I have very limited tolerance for either of those things, so if they were to happen, I would completely shut down and my stubborn streak would take hold. Plus, that's just nonsense!) She asked me if I had a preference for a male or female trainer. I told her I wanted a male trainer, but if a female trainer fit the description of what I wanted, I would be willing to give her a chance. The conversation ended with her telling me that someone would call the first part of next week to schedule a training session. And that was that. I hung up the phone and felt relieved and excited. I'm going to do it this time! I am going to succeed! This is it! I'm not just going to talk about losing weight and being fit and athletic anymore; I am going to do something about it!

Not 30 minutes after I hung up the phone with the lady at the gym, a trainer called me. I spoke with him for a few minutes, and we settled on a day to meet and begin training. Anxiety began to creep over me as I thought of what this trainer would be like. What kind of trainer will I have? How will he treat me? Will he ask me to do jumping jacks? When will I have time to train? How much will this cost me? What if I don't succeed? At this point, I knew this was it; there was no turning back.

On Tuesday, it was gym time. I pulled into the parking lot and nervousness swept over me. I'm actually meeting my personal trainer today. What will he think of me? I look like a slob! Why didn't I go buy new gym clothes and shoes? Oh geez! This is going to be disastrous! I got out of my vehicle, took a deep breath, and walked into the gym.

Upon entering the gym, I told the lady at the desk I was there to see the trainer. He then came over and introduced himself. Oh no! He's nicer than I expected! Great. Now I REALLY feel like a failure. Where's the mean, 'roided out guy I was expecting? My anxiety rose as my self-esteem fell through the floor.

He walked me over to where his desk was, and he had me sit down so he could talk with me. We first discussed my goals. What was I wanting to get out of the training sessions? He appeared somewhat surprised by the specificity of my goals. (Purchasing training sessions was not something I thought of on a whim; this was something I've had planned for a while.) The discussion then turned to dieting and what I should(n't) eat/drink. Pop limitation was the biggest downer of that conversation. (I drank tons of pop at that time, Coca-Cola to be exact. Not diet, but REAL Coca-Cola.)

After the initial discussion, he had me do a few exercises. To be honest, I really don't remember what they were. I do know I had to get on the treadmill for a few minutes. I was having a self-esteem crisis, what with seeing all the physically fit people everywhere I looked and knowing I had some hard work ahead of me before I would reach that point. Once the session ended, we scheduled the next few sessions and I went home.

Once home, I remembered sitting on my couch thinking about the session and what changes were going to happen now that I started back to the gym. Healthy living will be my new lifestyle. Maybe I will finally be able to join a basketball and softball league. Perhaps I will finally regain the self-confidence I've been lacking to start dating again. My life will soon be changing for the better! I'm so ready!

I felt satisfied. What a relief it was to have taken the first step towards improving myself! Not looking on the outside the way I felt on the inside was really taking a toll on me. Not only that, but I was tired of feeling undisciplined. It was time to make a change.

This was the beginning of the rest of my life. This is where it all began...the initial meeting.

Equal Parts Inspiration and Creativity

While searching through a Pottery Barn catalogue (I just love PB!), I stumbled upon this page. I love the buffet and the overall look, but the black chalkboard tiles really caught my eye.



How fun would it be to have twelve chalkboard tiles (20.5" wide x 14" high) on the wall to create, write, and draw whatever comes to mind! Anything can be put on the tiles: favorite bible verses, motivational sayings or poems, song lyrics, Facebook or Twitter posts, a funny joke...the sky's the limit! This would be a great way to add a creative touch to your home.

Wouldn't it be exciting to have guests come into your home and see something like this?! It would be a great conversation starter, not to mention an excellent opportunity to share with your guests something of great importance to you or something that makes you laugh.

I may just have to make a purchase!

Tell me, what would you put on YOUR chalkboard tiles?

Mindless Musings

Because it is still the weekend (and my brain doesn't feel like working today), I have decided to post some random musings. Enjoy!

1.  I purchased an iPad today.

I am a techno junkie. I love technology! I think it would be awesome to be the person who tests out new devices (like iPads and iPhones) and gives advice on how to make it better. Because of my love for technology, it is shocking to me that I didn't purchase an iPad when it first came onto the scene. Why in the world was I waiting? I guess I didn't really understand why I would need an iPad when I already had a laptop, iPhone, and iPod.

The last few months, I have become intrigued with eReaders. I never purchased an eReader previously because I wasn't impressed by the Kindle (it doesn't have a backlight. Why would an electronic device specially designed for book reading not have a backlight? Craziness, I tell ya!) and I love the feel of a paper book in my hands. When I went on vacation, I began reading a book that was at the house where we stayed. Because I wanted to read it on the flight home, I went to both Borders in town to purchase the book, and neither one had it. This began my desire for an eReader; I could purchase the book, download it immediately, and begin reading it. On the flight home, I was the only (ONLY!) person who had the light on to read a book (we were on a night flight). All the cool people had eReaders. I was crushed! The more I started researching eReaders, the greater their appeal. Finally, a few days ago, I walked into Barnes and Noble and discovered the NOOKcolor. That was it. That was the final straw. I HAD to own an eReader. Because I really wanted an iPad, I didn't see the point in purchasing a NOOKcolor, only to spend lots more on an iPad.

Today, I walked into Best Buy (BB) to return something; I walked out with an iPad. I am so excited about it! The only drawback to it is that the iPad 2 is coming soon. I am TOTALLY getting the new iPad as soon as it hits the market. (I purchased the buy-back plan from BB, where I get a decent percentage of my money back from the iPad I purchased today to upgrade to the new one (50% back if the iPad 2 enters the market in the next 6 months.) I can't wait to start using it! (I would be using it now, except the screen protector from BB is terrible and it's driving me crazy! Sounds like an Apple Store trip is coming soon. Plus, the Apple Store will apply the screen protector for me.) I already know the first book I am downloading--that book from vacation! I need a beach read!

2.  I am doing the Bible in a Year plan.

Lately, I have been bothered by the fact that I have been a Christian for a very long time (20 years, at least. I actually don't remember a time in my life when I didn't believe that Jesus died on the cross for my sins. 20 years ago is when I walked down the aisle at church and was baptized.) and I haven't read through the entire bible. What a shame! I find it very disappointing, so this year I am reading it! I decided on reading the bible in chronological order (in the order the events occurred, according to recent historical research). I have finished reading the first 11 chapters of Genesis; now I am in the book of Job (just finished chapter 16). Really?? Job? The most depressing book in the bible and this is next up on the list? I just finished reading how the entire world was wiped out (Noah's Ark), and now I have to read about Job's troubles? This is too much for me to handle! Fortunately, one of my favorite bloggers is doing the same Bible in a Year plan I am. (His name is Jon Acuff. His blog can be found at www.stuffchristianslike.net and his Twitter name is @jonacuff. You should definitely take a look at his blog and follow him on Twitter. He cracks. me. up!) He did a blog post on "Comparing Our Situations to Job." It was pretty funny but it brought up a great point that nothing in my life I find troubling can even come close to what Job endured. He also tweeted on the fact that we don't really associate the name Nimrod (in Gen. 10) with a "mighty hunter before the Lord" as in biblical times. This Bible in a Year plan just got interesting!

3.  My trainer FORCED me to do the StairClimber at the gym on Friday.

At the end of my workout with him, he decided I should attempt the StairClimber. What?!?! Are you serious? Me?? On the StairClimber??? I don't plan on climbing Mount Everest! I don't plan on going to the Great Wall of China any time soon. Why do I need to do the StairClimber? Apparently he wasn't kidding with me because next thing I knew I was climbing some stairs. I actually lasted longer on the machine than I thought, but it still wasn't very long. My knees were definitely achy later that evening. I have decided that this is my new challenge.

4.  I love romance-comedy.

Whether it's books or movies, I am obsessed with rom-com. It makes me so happy! In fact, because there are no football games on tv this evening, I have a rom-com on right now. There is enough drama going on in this world, why would I want to spend time watching it on my tv or reading about it in a book? Rom-com is light, funny, and always has happy, romantic endings. What is there to not love about that!?!!

5.  I love music.

I love music! Love! Love! Love! Music makes my world go round. I get so excited when it's time to listen to my music library. There is so much FANTASTIC music to listen to that I don't even know where to begin! Thanks to iTunes, I can find all kinds of music (without having to purchase an entire album each time). What's even better about iTunes is every time I purchase new songs, "genius recommendations" introduces me to more new music (and new bands). (Genius recommendations is a section in iTunes which recommends music based off the music in your library. If you haven't tried it yet, you should! It's pretty awesome!)  Because I love music so much, I plan on creating quite a few posts about music. Maybe you will share with me your playlists and music loves!

With all this talk of music, I need to mess around on iTunes now. I have some new music (and iPad apps) to download.

Happy Sunday!

Chug It!

That's the chant I hear as I prepare my protein shake. I take my colorful Blender bottle, pour cold water into it, add a scoop (or two) of protein powder, and shake it until it (sorta) dissolves. I then add tons of ice. (The colder the protein shake, the easier it is to chew, er...swallow.) I let it sit for a few minutes so it gets as cold as possible. After a few minutes pass, I hear the chant.

Chug it! Chug it! Chug it!

I can hear the clumps of protein powder calling out the chant with exuberance as though I am competing for the gold. This is now a competition I HAVE to win. Defeat is not an option. My muscles begin tensing as the event looms on the horizon. I take several deep breaths as the anticipation builds.

Chug it! Chug it! Chug it!

My heart begins to beat faster. Beads of sweat start to form on my forehead. My hands and knees begin to quiver as nervousness takes hold. What if I don't win? What if I can't finish the race? The torment is almost unbearable.

I take another deep breath.

"You got this. You are an unstoppable force!" I tell myself as I quickly stretch my arms and pop my neck. "I'm so going to win! Bring it!"

It's finally game time and I can't take it anymore. I reach out and wrap my trembling hand around the Blender bottle.

Chug it! Chug it! Chug it!

There's the chanting again. The protein powder is taunting me with its relentless cry. I give the bottle one last shake and then open the lid. I ever so slowly put the bottle up to my mouth. I start to chug it.

I chug half the bottle and then stop. It's time to catch my breath. Because the adrenaline is going at full throttle, I have to continue the race; otherwise, I will surely fall to defeat. I hurriedly grab hold of the bottle again and I chug until the last sip is gone.

I WIN! I am on top of the world! You can't beat me, protein shake! I can bring it All. Day. Long! I ROCK!

After a few moments of celebrating my win with a victory dance, I smile and walk away with my head held high. I am the triumphant one!

Until we compete again, protein shake... just remember one thing: I always win. Always!

Shep  1           protein shake  0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FITastic

Thump. Thump. Drip. Drip.

What is that, you ask? It was the sound of my heart beating rapidly and sweat dripping from my face (and hair) as I finished my workout this morning.

I started this FITastic adventure a few months ago. On Saturday, August 14, 2010,  I decided I was tired of not living a healthy lifestyle, so I called up the gym where I had a membership (but never used) and requested a personal trainer. They asked me several questions about what type of trainer I wanted. At the end of the conversation, I was told I would receive a phone call the first part of next week from a trainer to set up a training session. Not 30 min. later, my phone rang. It was a trainer! We set up our first training session for Tuesday, August 17th, and I was ready to begin!

I guess I wasn't as ready to begin as I initially thought because I didn't make a full commitment to working out, cardio, or dieting. Because of my lack of commitment, I saw no results.

On October 9, 2010, I officially made the commitment to my trainer (most importantly), my workouts, my cardio, and my diet. Since that time, I have lost weight and gained muscle strength. I feel so much better! My knees don't hurt, I have tons more energy, and I made it up six flights (six!!) of stairs without feeling like I was going to tackle a COPD patient for his oxygen mask.

This category is all about my fitness adventures. My hope is that it will make you laugh (trust me, there is never a dull moment when I train with my personal trainer) and inspire you to achieve a healthy lifestyle. My goal is to blog about my (mis)adventures at the gym, provide tips and recipes for a healthier diet, give training tips and advice that I've learned either from my trainer or from personal experience, and provide inspiration for healthy living!

Bring it on, Trainer! I can handle anything! (except jumping jacks...as we've already established)

And the FITastic adventure continues...

What's in a Name?

Apparently, names are a big deal, as I spent months trying to come up with my blog name. Will I still like this name later on down the road? Is it catchy and easy to remember? What first impression will it give? Will it be descriptive of me?

I searched everywhere for blog name ideas. Music titles and lyrics, books, google... you name it. Some of my favorite blog names were ones that were short, sweet, and catchy. How was I ever going to narrow down my options?

One evening, I was talking with mom about what to name my blog. I mentioned some of the names of my favorite blogs I read and why I liked them. Because my nickname is Shep, I wanted to somehow incorporate that into the title. I then started thinking of adjectives and adverbs that started with "S" that would be descriptive of me and would give me a catchy blog name. One of the words was "simply."

Simply Shep.

I liked the way that sounded. It really seemed to describe what my blog content will be. This is a name I could use for a long time if I wanted. It is very catchy, easy to remember, and easy to spell. When someone types simply shep into the address bar, they will know that this blog is all about the world through my eyes. It is descriptive of me!

Simply Shep.

Yep. That's it! That's my name!

If I have this much trouble coming up with a blog name, how in the world am I ever going to come up with names for children?

 

 

A New Start

I have always liked New Year's. It marks an opportune time for reevaluation of what's going on in my life and what I'd like to continue or change. With a new year comes a new list I get to create, full of goals I hope to accomplish. (As a list maker, this excites me like you wouldn't believe!)

My New Year's resolutions list looks like a power point presentation. I usually have a main goal followed by bullet points underneath to show how I am going to accomplish it. What's the point of setting goals if there is no plan of action? This year, my list has a few additions to it, which excites me! I'm definitely ready to see what God has in store for me this upcoming year.

Here are a few of my resolutions for 2011 (Note: this is a simplified list of what I have already created. Scary, I know):

1. Lose Weight/Gain Muscle (start date: October 9, 2010)

A.  Continue training with personal trainer

1. This leads to the category of FITastic, where I will be posting about my fitness endeavors. You will get a kick out of these posts, I'm sure. With weight loss and personal trainers comes fantastic, drama-filled adventures that are begging to be told!


2. Quit whining when told to do horrible things such as side planks, squats, and the like. (I cross the line at jumping jacks. There is absolutely no way I am doing the hideous jumping jack, EVER!)

B.  Continue with eating appropriate amount of calories to further advance my weight loss/muscle building

1. Create weekly menus to ensure diet is balanced (and appropriate groceries are purchased)


2. Increase protein intake (as set by personal trainer)


3. Cook more and incorporate a variety of different foods so boredom doesn't derail efforts. (It will be much easier to have a healthy lifestyle when I'm able to cook decent, healthy meals.) This will be accomplished with the use of cookbooks, online recipes, and overachieving friends who love to cook yummy food and always have great ideas!

C.  Continue with setting daily, weekly, and monthly goals

D.  Increase water intake to at least 64 oz. per day (and don't even ask how much my trainer wants me to drink. It makes me laugh every time I think about it.)

2.  Deepen my Christian walk with God

A.  Read the entire bible in 365 days. (I'm going to go in either chronological or canonical order.)

B.  Get more involved with church activities

1. Talk with College Ministries leader about starting a bible study or helping out with Sunday School


2. Volunteer with different projects or activities the church offers


3. Attend women's bible study offered by church

C.  Attend weekly bible study with the girls (which will be starting back up again in the next few weeks. Yay!)

D.  Create a bible study (which will be a new challenge for me, as I have never done anything like this previously.)

3. Spend less, Save more

A.  Set up direct deposit to savings account and deposit 10% of paycheck

B.  Pay off vehicle (which will definitely happen this year! This will open up quite a bit more money to go into savings.)

C.  Be more mindful of where I'm spending my money (focusing on activities and things I love as opposed to the everyday stuff which has much less meaning.)

4.  Spend more time doing activities I love

• Spend more time with family and friends


• Attend more concerts and shows


• Drive more (road trips, anyone?)


• Perform random acts of kindness


• Blogging (yay!), twitter, and facebook


• Read more books (join a book club?)

5.  Create house project folder

• I am wanting to have a house built sometime in the near future (hopefully by next year), and I need to have a plan in place. Because I am indecisive, I need to start preparing now.

6.  Find a hobby

• Could this be the year I learn to speak another language? Play the guitar? Create a new organizational planner design that will outdo Franklin Covey? We'll see!

As you can see, my list of resolutions is pretty, um...extensive, and this isn't even the full list! It's going to be a great year and I'm anxious to get started!

What about you? What are your New Year's resolutions?

My First Time

Welcome!

Starting this blog is something I've been wanting to do for a while now. I'm so glad it's finally time to begin!

I sincerely hope you find this blog to be fun, inspiring, thought-provoking, and informative.

I can't wait to share my life with you!

Let's get started, shall we?