March, the Month of Misfortune and now happy to be Moving ON

Welp, it's that time of the month where I reflect yet again on how the New Year Resolutions are going... And I have to just sum it up: March was not my favorite. We almost doubled our monthly spending on irregular expenses, like car repairs and doctor/dentist bills, had persistent winter weather and more sickness than I care to admit (seriously, why do I feel ashamed about getting sick? like I should have more life skills than to allow something like illness to strike me/my family?) I don't want to dwell on negatives or sound whiny, but feel compelled to give some sort of explanation to myself about why I fell off the bandwagon in a few key areas of my goals. Indexing: tried to happen but computer died followed by brand new laptop getting water dumped on it. Daily routine: fell apart as sickness after sickness graced our home (at one point, that Lo was so fed up with his stomach flu, he just reverted to subsisting on wholly breastmilk for about a week straight and I didn't realize when his diarrhea subsided because when he got over his sickness, his poops had already turned into that liquid newborn type poop) (tmi?); we did institute more social time by signing up for library story time and YMCA gym/swim but because of aforementioned sickness even getting out for that socializing was sporadic. Scripture study: was just ok...missed a few days and again blaming the persistent illnesses. No refined sugar at home...um, actually I cannot recall messing up too much on this one, though I did bring home a pack of Hershey bars when they were on sale (50 cents for 6 regular sized Hershey Bars?!) and Husby and me made chocolate covered strawberries with them. And shared with the neighbors so we didn't eat excessive amounts. Strength Training twice weekly: um, see above notes on sickness. Exercise didn't happen much. Attend Temple Quarterly: we made it!! YEAH!! It was a huge ordeal as usual, involving that poor Lo screaming in his carseat on the drive home for about a half hour straight. But it was a revelatory experience to spend time worshipping in the House of the Lord. Totally worth putting our baby through a day of compromised sleep routine. Daily talk from GC: did ok. Missed a few days, but still, this one is my favorite goal and it feels like a TREAT most times I pick up that conference Ensign. So maybe March wasn't so bad. But I'm still looking forward to getting on to a new month. Hooray for April. And hooray for General Conference which is TODAY and TOMORROW! Hope you all tune in.

Goal Update

I really like this new idea for me to do a public checkup on a regular (monthly) basis for my 2011 New Year's resolutions. I think it is helping me stay motivated whereas in years past my goals got forgotten more easily.

1. Daily Routine: not doing as much structure now as we did the first month or two. I think the different activities just started to get boring to me. Maybe we need some new ideas to try? We did start a gym/swim class per the suggestion by readers (thanks so much) and it is definitely a weekly highlight. I'm thinking of introducing an art time for each day, since we haven't yet tried playdough or a few other "crafty" things I think that Lo could handle.

2. Indexing: after that initial struggle in January, I was all set to ditch this goal in favor of other genealogical pursuits (such as scanning all the hard copy ancestral photos my mom has sitting around in shoe boxes and file cabinets). But then just a few days ago at church, our stake president requested we each make a goal to index half an hour per week. *sigh* So that's my new goal. Guess I'll have to figure out this indexing thang afterall.

3. Reading the New Testament: I am still enjoying it, though starting to think of using a study guide. Now that I'm through with Matthew and a good portion of Mark, it is starting to sound redundant. So study guide might help me keep a lively interest.

4. Daily Book of Mormon study: too often over the past month my only BoM study was the regular daily study with Jerry. I need a way to incorporate the BoM more into my personal study, rather than just random topic studies. Hmmm...

5. Spiritual Journal: going great. Missed just one day out of all of February.

6. Journal Weekly: yep. Did a few extra entries too.

7. Attend Temple quarterly: we tried to go in February, but Lo's ear infection kept us up all night the day before the stake bus trip we'd signed up for. We have scheduled a temple trip down into March--cross our fingers and pray it happens this time!

8. No refined sugar at home: ugh. I have such issues with this one. Sugar is just connected to the fun times too much. I made valentine cookies to hand out to some of our visiting/home teachees and church classes and neighbors, and of course I ended up eating my fair share of the cookie dough in the process. BUT I am doing better now having made this goal than I used to be a few months ago, so any progress is something to celebrate.

9. Daily talk from most recent GC: I still love this one, but missed a few days in February. I have noticed it makes me less likely to read the current issue of the Ensign, so maybe I'll try making Sundays be Ensign day, and the rest of the week be GC talk days.

10. Adding a goal to do strength exercises twice per week. At our latest wellness check, my numbers were good but the doctor said I could probably stand to increase my muscle tone. =) But Lo Lo SO enjoyed squishing my tummy fat. Now what will he do to entertain himself when my abs get hard?

Goal Checkup

Here are a few thoughts on how my goals have gone, now that we are a month into the new year.

1. That Lo and me are doing okay with our routine. Observe smiley kid in photo above, having plenty of fort-building playtime. But we need more socializing. Once a week playgroup isn't cutting it. Especially when Lo naps long (like today) and we end up missing playgroup (which is happening this very minute...boo).

2. I indexed 50 names so far, but that is only according to the counter device on the computer. Actually, I think I only indexed 1o names. And then had a bunch of blank spots. I am feeling a lot of worry about this indexing game, sort of like I might be making a ton of mistakes without realizing it. I have only the faintest idea how to index, even after taking the online tutorial. Lost, lost, lost. Scared, scared, scared. Where is the Spirit of Elijah when I need it.

3. Reading the New Testament is a delight. I had forgotten how much I love these first-hand accounts of the Savior's walk through mortal life. Beautiful. After getting a calling in the nursery a few weeks ago (hooray!) I ditched the Sunday School schedule, so now I have been reading a chapter of the New Testament each day, just going straight through. Currently on Matthew ch. 16. I read it online because the lds.org site helps me look up more of the footnotes and they have been adding a lot to my study.

4. Daily Book of Mormon study is happening, though some days it has only been a short few verses with that Lo. On my better days, I've used this scripture study time to do topic studies on whatever I feel needs work in my life.

5. Record daily entry in spiritual journal. Yes! This one has been going so much better than last year, and it really does add to my scripture study to look for personal revelation to put in the journal. I've done entries 25 days so far this year...not perfect, but doing fine.

6. Journal weekly: I've averaged at least an entry per week, but one time during the past month went 9 days without writing. Room to improve. I've heard it is harder to do weekly goals than daily, because weekly is more easily forgotten. True, true. But anyway, I'm sticking with the weekly goal and will just try to at least journal every Sunday night to help me remember it in the schedule.

7. Attend temple quarterly. We signed up to go on the stake bus trip to the temple in a couple weeks. I feel a bit nervous how it will go because of the long day traveling, and not having as much control over our stopping schedule--what to do when that Lo needs a break...but I'm having faith it will be a good experience overall.

8. No refined sugar at home: well, could be doing better. I made the mistake of hanging onto some Christmas candy instead of throwing it away, and then during my moments of weakness it was too accessible. And one time we forgot the goal while grocery shopping, with Jerry buying hot chocolate, and me tossing a new kind of candy bar into the cart. But anyway, I'm doing better than before I had the goal, so that is moving in the right direction.

9. Adding a goal of studying one talk each day from the latest General Conference. I've done it pretty consistently over the past couple weeks and have felt a real boost in my spirituality. Interesting to note how often the conference talk of the day seems to complement so perfectly whichever chapter I'm reading out of the New Testament. I always feel like the Lord is trying to tell me something.

Life is good. I love goals.

Looking forward to February!

Lo's goal for 2011

Brush his teeth at bath time each night. And squeeze in that overdue first visit to a dentist.

Goals for 2011

Theme for 2010:

"Come what may and love it"

I did okay. Made a plaque with this phrase on it to hang in the bedroom, and it helped me be more serene amid challenges many a time over the past year. Still find I have a tendency to complain when my plans go awry...but anyway, moving on...

Theme for 2011:

"More diligent and concerned at home"

I really want to be a better wife, mother, and daughter.

Goals to assist that theme:
1. Establish/teach a routine for that Lo & me. More to come on as I figure it out! I've started reading a couple more parenting books for ideas. And if anybody else who has parented toddlers has ideas for how to spend the hours in the day, please feel free to share.
2. Index 200 names each...month? I actually have not done enough indexing to even know what would be a valid amount for me. But I want to start doing it regularly. Something to add meaning to my days.
3. Read the New Testament. This one is sort of a given goal, since we are studying the New Testament this year in Sunday School. I will follow the schedule for the class.
4. Study the Book of Mormon daily. I still need to make this one happen earlier in the day so it is higher quality study.
5. Record a daily entry in my spiritual journal. Often this would come from my scripture study, but I also want to focus more on remembering/recording the Lord's hand in my life.
6. Journal weekly. The blog is a good outlet to record common joys, or reach out for a type of social connection (comments are always comforting). But my journal is best for more personal musings and reflections and I've found it has slipped over the past year.
7. Attend temple quarterly. This was our goal last year, and it seems good to repeat because we felt it stretched us but was achievable. Jerry made the goal, but I came short because of forgetting my temple recommend when we went to the Hong Kong temple...! Anyway, really hope to make it happen in 2011.
8. No refined sugar at home. I've done the 100% no refined sugar rule before, and it was highly beneficial for my emotional/physical health. But sugar is just so fun. I love getting an occasional milkshake for date night, or tasting a cookie at a church function, etc. But if it is in the house, I find myself reaching for sugary treats as a quick energy fix too often. Which then backfires on me when I experience my frequent "after sugar crash." So we just aren't going to buy any refined sugars (if people bring us a goodie plate or something, I wouldn't boycott it). It has worked well so far. I ate no sugar since January 1st and noticed an almost immediate improvement in my mood and median energy levels. Today at a baby shower, since it was out of our home, I ate half a cinnamon roll and two (smallish) blueberry muffins. My first "sugar" in over a week. I think this system will work as it won't make me feel deprived as I did at times during the 100% rule and it is easier to control my intake with other people around. Accountability, you know.

Well, that's it for goals for now. I am commencing reading of Rubin's Happiness Project for book club meeting later this month, and it will probably influence my resolutions. I'll update as it comes.