Resolutions 2013

Eat less.
Run more.
Purge the clutter.
Clear my mind.
Improve my relationship.
Be a better mum.
Work on ME.

May Goals

We're already at the halfway point but my BFF suggested we each pony up our running goals.  I've only been out twice this spring (not good) so I declared that I'd like to go 3x a week for the next 4 weeks.  I'll gradually increase my distance and hopefully get back into my pattern of 30km/week over the summer.

My week counts Monday to Sunday so I've got 2 left to do after last night's short run.

3 in 30

I've been slacking on setting challenges & goals for myself and I need to get back at it. So, 3 goals in 30 days. New monthly mantra perhaps?

What do I hope to accomplish this September?

1. I have 30 days to get out for 10 runs. Time & distance don't matter. What matters is that my feet are pounding the pavement and I'm doing something for me.


2. I need to make significant progress in M's future 'big boy' room. If I can finally deal with the closet, order the custom book shelves and perhaps, just maybe, settle on a paint colour, I'll be pleased.


3. Our grocery bills as of late have gotten out of control... again. I want to meal plan and think head in the hopes of not exceeding $130/week.

Seems easy & manageable? Hope so. Celebrate small successes and all that good stuff, I supposed.

The Jar - Part II

Remember the savings jar? You can read about it here. When D gifted me with the trip to NYC back in February, I immediately pulled out a big jar and got to saving. This time, we amended the rules a little and decided loonies & twoonies were acceptable but the goal was to save paper. We've been tossing in spare cash here & there and in just 4 months, we saved $1107 without feeling a pinch. Bring on NYC!

And It's Over...

The 3-day weekend is over and it's back to reality tomorrow. Actually, back to reality tonight because minimal workday morning craziness is all down to evening preparation. This is the first May long weekend in years that we've spent at home but it was worth it.

First, I survived days 6, 7 & 8 on the cleanse. I made a quinoa salad this afternoon and the feta called to me but I successfully fought the urge. I did a teeny tiny cheat on Saturday when my salad at the restaurant came with a delicious maple-vidalia vinaigrette and I didn't balk but rather inhaled. I also ate my weight in roasted unsalted almonds but those are allowed! I can safely say that I am loving this cleanse now. I feel amazing and it's so worth it. I'm used to the little side effects (more on that as well as the name when it's over) and the day-to-day is simple.

Second, I ran! The lousy weather & the cleanse (due to said side effect) meant I've been sitting idle for about 10 days but I forced myself out this afternoon for a 5km loop. Dropping a lb here or there is great but at the end of the day, I actually have to do something to lose the pudge. And really, I can hardly use the "I just had a baby" excuse anymore when my 2+ year old is standing beside me.

Third, I tackled my 'to do' list and got a lot accomplished:

• Trip to the St. Lawrence Market to pick up meat, fruit & veggies for the week. Done!
• Weed front garden. Done!
• Sweep & tidy the front porch. Done!
• Finish tidying the backyard & gardens and get the patio furniture set up. Done!
• Make a trip to Value Village to drop off clothes & household items no longer needed. Done!
• Finalize the pattern of the photos of M in our upstairs hallway. Done!
• Continue working on purging/tidying the spare bedroom (read: dumping ground). It isn't complete but I made definite progress. Deadline is our trip to NYC in late June.
• Hang the Gary Taxali print ANYWHERE just to get it off our bedroom floor. Didn't happen.
• Bake a batch of muffins and do a bit of advance preparation for next week. Done!
• Finalize my menu for Friday breakfast at work. Done!

All in all, it was a great & productive weekend. We spent so much time outdoors with lots of trips to the park & playing out in the backyard. We visited with the grandparents and had D's dad over for dinner last night. We wandered the nursery today and picked up a new hydrangea plant (to replace sad & dead rhododendron lost by my black thumb) and a few other garden essentials. Tomorrow's dinner is already prepared and lunches are packed.

Life is good.

Long Weekend Goals

3 days off and a whole bunch of things I'd like to accomplish around the house. We're staying local this weekend and expecting some not-so-great weather for Sunday & Monday so hopefully that works as an incentive to follow through.

• Trip to the St. Lawrence Market to pick up meat, fruit & veggies for the week.
• Weed front garden.
• Sweep & tidy the front porch.
• Finish tidying the backyard & gardens and get the patio furniture set up.
• Make a trip to Value Village to drop off clothes & household items no longer needed.
• Finalize the pattern of the photos of M in our upstairs hallway.
• Continue working on purging/tidying the spare bedroom (read: dumping ground).
• Hang the Gary Taxali print ANYWHERE just to get it off our bedroom floor.
• Bake a batch of muffins and do a bit of advance preparation for next week.
• Finalize my menu for Friday breakfast at work.

The sun is shining and it's a gorgeous day out there so we'll be making the most of it as well. I think a day outside, trips to the park and maybe a visit to Ed's Real Scoop will be in order. I'll just stare & drool while the boys enjoy ice cream!

Check, Check, Check... and Check!

'Nuff said!

Where are the Laundry Fairies When You Need 'Em?

I have organized our waste of space laundry area numerous times and once again, it's a disaster. We're behind on laundry with clean laundry still in the basket, random tea towels and clothes littering the stairs as we constantly toss them down the stairs to the basement and dry clothes spilling out of the dryer just waiting to be folded. The laundry counter is has a handful of clean clothes on it but is more or less covered with D's "stuff" that is getting moved TODAY!

D & I are surely going to kill each other over our laundry situation so my mission today is to do the following:

• Make a dent in the laundry pile;
• Clean & organize the laundry counter;
• Put away all clean clothes;
• Move the hanging rack to a more accessible location (apparently, crammed in the corner of our bedroom where the dog sleeps and piling it with miscellaneous crap isn't conducive to happy in-house laundry fairies).

April 2010 Goals

My biggest & most rewarding challenge this month is to truly enjoy every last minute I get to spend with M before heading back to work. Um, I'm going to plug away at the other goals yet to be reached but I'm not going to set any new ones for April. It's going to be an emotional month so I'm giving myself complete freedom.

Okay, I lied... I'll add one goal because my deteriorating self esteem is getting to me.

1. Attempt to hit 130lbs before going back to work. I may have to suck it up and weigh myself... tomorrow... first thing in the morning... naked... after skipping dinner tonight.

March Wrap Up!

Okay, here's the update on my goals that were on my March list:

1. Hit my target weight of 130lbs. FAIL! I haven't weighed myself in a few weeks but I KNOW this one didn't happen. I think you actually have to watch what you eat and get off the couch to achieve a goal like this one.

2. Start researching restaurants and cupcake shops for our trip to NYC! Done & done!

3. Install the window coverings in our bedroom & guest bedroom. Done!

4. Drop M's crib to the final setting. Done!

And an update on the items that carried over from February... er... January:

1. Finish the hall closet renovation. Still NOT done. Boo.

2. Create a guest room. Done! Yay!

3. Maintain current weight and/or drop another lb or two. Um, not done? Afraid to check.

4. Bring M's baby book up-to-date. We worked on it but we aren't done yet.

5. Spend more time with Cear by giving better walks. Done! The nice weather has allowed us to take her for better walks and more trips to the park each day.

6. Run with M in the jogging stroller twice a week. Hahahahahahahaha! Not done.

7. Find a nanny or caregiver for M. DONE! Yay! Got word last night that the daycare we liked finally had a spot open up.

8. Finalized start date back at work. Done! April 26th. So bittersweet.

9. Renew Canadian passport (DONE!), order M's passport (DONE!) and deal with British passport (NOT done).

10. Finalize theme for M's birthday and work on invites. Um, partially done.

April goals to follow shortly!

Goals for March 2010

I'm not even sure I should set any new goals seeing as I'm still responsible for everything I didn't take care of in February. I'm a glutton for punishment so here are a few more!

1. Hit my target weight of 130lbs, which is a rather lofty ambition. Diet & exercise will be my new best friends!

2. Start researching restaurants and cupcake shops for our trip to NYC!

3. Install the window coverings in our bedroom & guest bedroom. Well, this one is more for Dave but I'll add it to the list.

4. Drop M's crib to the final setting. This is a MUST!

Um... I don't even know what else to add to that list. I've got a lot on my plate already so maybe I'll keep it simple this time around.

Worst Procrastinator EVER!

Epic fail. Seriously.

Firstly, despite JUST blogging that I was about to get a few things accomplished, I'm back on my computer updating my progress on my February goals. In my defense, I did tell Dave that we'd work on the guest room together tonight but he's out grabbing dinner & a movie. I did go up there and shuffle a box or two but realized we need to start with the crawl space in the basement before we can do that room. It's a vicious cycle!

Anyway, here's my update:

1. Finish the hall closet renovation. STILL not done. Working on it but hit a few bumps that require a handyman.

2. Purge, organize & clean the guest room and start making it actually look like a guest room. Work in progress. Managed to get rid of some stuff and do a bit of organizing BUT the shelves we bought to push this along don't work in this room. Of course, we figured this out after we'd assembled them and thrown out the boxes. We're now trying to sell them on craigslist & kijiji in the hopes that we can recoup our costs and purchase something a bit more suitable.

3. Maintain current weight (135lbs) and maybe even drop another lb or two. I completely blew my diet this month and basically did NOTHING. For someone who was so thrilled with her progress and stoked to keep it up, I somehow fell off the wagon HARD. Weight as of February 28th? Check back tomorrow...

4. Bring M's baby book up-to-date. We're horrible parents. 'Nuff said.

5. Spend more time with Cear by giving her a good walk each evening. Okay, I wouldn't say I totally failed this one but I'll have to give myself a C-.

6. Get out for a run with M in the jogging stroller at least 2x a week. See #3.

7. Find a nanny or caregiver for M for when I go back to work. We're still working on this one BUT I think we are damn close to having it sorted out! Should know for sure within a week or two. Sad & stressful but it's life.

8. Finalize my start date back at work for April. Finally! I DID this!!! I actually completed a February goal!!! I start back on April 26th. After a mix up and a bunch of corporate BS, which means less EI, I am starting back 2 weeks after M's 1st birthday.

9. Renew my Canadian passport, order M's Canadian passport AND replace my lost British passport. I get a B+ for this one. I renewed my Canadian passport and ordered M's passport and have them both in my hot little hands! I have the paperwork for my British as well as the police report number (blame Cear) but I just need to sit down and fill everything out.

10. Finalize the date & theme for M's 1st birthday party and start working on invites. Ugh. Okay, we had a date all sorted out until we realized that his birthday doesn't actually fall on Easter weekend this year. So, that means our quasi-Easter/farm theme might need to be fudged a little. We bought the stuff to start making the invites but haven't done a thing (no surprise there).

Now, to quote myself back at the end of January:

Of course, there is a bit of carry over from January like the hall closet renovation as well as avoiding alcohol during the week. FAIL. I'm slowly trying to get back into working mode by cutting out alcohol during the week, getting to bed earlier and waking at a decent time, which is rather easy with a baby who currently likes to get up around 6am. FAIL.

*Well, I do get up early but the other things just aren't happening.

You'll have to excuse any errors because I don't even think I can proofread this post for fear of truly realizing how little I actually did this month. Gah!

Once again, lots of carry over for March. I'm going to give myself a day or two to see what else, if anything, I want to add to this list. Clearly, putting goals on paper (or online) doesn't seem to be the push I need to get them done!

Eek!

Panic has set in because I just realized that tomorrow is the end of February and I have to both update on the progress of my February goals AND set new goals for March! Oh, and I have to weigh myself as well. Bah.

But moving on to happier news...

Congratulations to C&T on their new home! Just in time for baby! Can't wait to have you in the 'hood.

Congratulations to S&K on the safe arrival of baby Isobella Isla! We can't wait to meet her and are so excited that a baby girl has finally joined the boys.

Off I go to get some work done!

February Goals

Here we go again!

1. Finish the hall closet renovation.

2. Purge, organize & clean the guest room and start making it actually look like a guest room.

3. Maintain current weight (135lbs) and maybe even drop another lb or two.

4. Bring M's baby book up-to-date.

5. Spend more time with Cear by giving her a good walk each evening.

6. Get out for a run with M in the jogging stroller at least 2x a week.

7. Find a nanny or caregiver for M for when I go back to work.

8. Finalize my start date back at work for April.

9. Renew my Canadian passport, order Max's Canadian passport AND replace my lost British passport.

10. Finalize the date & theme for M's 1st birthday party and start working on invites.

Of course, there is a bit of carry over from January like the hall closet renovation as well as avoiding alcohol during the week. I'm slowly trying to get back into working mode by cutting out alcohol during the week, getting to bed earlier and waking at a decent time, which is rather easy with a baby who currently likes to get up around 6am. Should make those 5-5:30am starts a bit easier come April!

Lots to do in a short month!

January 31, 2010

Happy birthday to ME! I had a fantastic time celebrating my birthday and was truly spoiled. I was surrounded by family & friends and had a weekend that made me feel loved.

It's time to wrap up January and move into the 2nd month of 2010. First, an update on the goals I set for myself earlier this month:

1. Lose a few lbs by the end of the month? Success! I'm thrilled that I managed to lose 10lbs by cutting out alcohol during the week, eating better and exercising more.

2. Cut out alcohol during the week? Success! I only cheated twice (going to a Leafs game and an early birthday celebration) but I'm glad I did it.

3. Use my Wii Fit 5 times this month? Success! I used it a lot more often and although I've slacked the last 2 weeks, I'm ready to start the Wii Active 30 Day Challenge tomorrow. I've also got my fancy new jogging stroller and I'm hoping to get a warm & cozy muff early this week so M & I can pound the pavement together.

4. Finish the hall closet renovation? Um... well... not really a success. I've got all the shelves ripped out but I still have to sand & paint. It's hard to work on this when it's down the hall from M's room because it's when he's napping that I have the time to do the work.

5. Get 30 loads out of a container of laundry detergent? Success! Seems like such a silly thing but I was determined to 'wash smarter' as I feel like we're always being wasteful. We use too much, which isn't good for the clothes or machine and it means we're spending unnecessary dollars.

I'm pleased with the results and I know that I need to set mini goals for myself each month. It's the only way I seem to stay on track and follow through with things. I'll be working on my list of new goals for February, which I'll post tomorrow.

Lastly...

D surprised me with a weekend in NYC for my birthday. I absolutely love New York and I can't wait to share it with D. We're going at the end of March for 3 days and I can't think of a better way to finish off my maternity leave. The only part (or person!) missing will be M. He'll be staying home so D & I can enjoy a few days to ourselves.

I think it's too easy to become complacent in a relationship, especially once a baby is involved, and you forget that you need to remember why you fell in love in the first place. It becomes easier to nag & complain instead of nurturing & encouraging. Amidst all the day to day things like work, maintaining a home and generally living life, you tend to go about your days without doing or saying the little things that keep you feeling close. I think D and I have both realized that relationships DO take work (or more work than we've been putting forth lately) and that we need to take time for ourselves. This trip to NYC is going to be a fabulous way for us to enjoy each other's company and celebrate all the good & luck in our life.

That said... I'm already dreading the thought of leaving M behind!

2010 is off to a great start and January was a great month. I'm so lucky in life & love and I truly couldn't have asked for a better start to my 33rd year.

Happy New Year!

I wouldn't say I'm the sort of person that makes New Year's resolutions but I'm pretty certain I say I'm going to do the same things year after year. You know... eat better, lose weight and those sorts of things. I never hold myself to them and they basically fall to the wayside.

So, I'm going to try something different this year. I'm going to set a few simple and small goals each month in the hopes that I'll follow through with them. Sounds easy, right? Well, we'll see!

My goals for January 2010:

1. Lose a few lbs by the end of the month. I don't own a scale so I'll go by the 'give' in my pants. It's time I dealt with my baby belly.

2. Cut out alcohol during the week. No more glasses of wine in the evening!

3. Set up & use my Wii Fit 5 times this month. Anything above is a bonus!

4. Finish the hall closet renovation.

5. Actually get 30 loads of laundry out of a container of detergent. I can't get over how often it seems like I'm buying this stuff.

See? Nothing to strenuous. I'm going to give myself until Tuesday, January 5th to start.

Stay tuned! I'm being held accountable here so I hope I do it!