Good-Bye January

I cannot believe that it is the end of January already! What is even harder to believe is that I will have a 2 year old in 8 days. It seems like just yesterday that she was born. We are having her birthday party this weekend. It is going to be a pretty laid back lunch with a Mickey Mouse Clubhouse theme. She likes that TV show on Disney Channel and I have a "few" Mickey Mouse things lying around the house so it made sense. :-)

I am excited that I have done pretty well on my goals for 2011. I have 8 big goals and I would say that I was successful at meeting or working toward 6 out of 8 of them in the month of January. I think that is a good success rate and feel pretty good about that.

I am particularly proud of the fact that I have met my exercise goals for the month of January. This is a hard one for me because as I posted before I would rather be kicked in the head than exercise (well maybe not that extreme, but pretty close.) :-) I finally beat Mark last week at the number of minutes. He has been winning because of all the shoveling of snow that has had to be done in January (which we count as exercise.) I think he will probably win this week if we get the major snowstorm that is being predicted. However, I am OK if he wins because exercising is bad enough without being freezing cold on top of it. :-)

The two goals that I need to focus on in February since I didn't do too well in January are memorizing 2 verses of scripture per month and fitting into a pair a pre-pregnancy pants. Since the memorizing of the Bible verses is a Beth Moore idea, I probably should be surprised that it is one of the areas with which I am struggling. I have never finished anything Beth Moore. I have no problem with Beth Moore...just must have a Beth Moore block when it comes to finishing things. :-) The Bible passage that I chose at the beginning of January is about 5 verses long and is kind of complicated. I think I will start February with a passage that is one verse long.

As far as the pre-pregnancy pants, I think I have lost about 2 lbs in the month of January. At that rate, I will be able to fit into those pants in about 4 years. I would like to make it happen before that. :-) I think I do a decent job at eating healthy meals, it is just all the other stuff that I eat. Sugar and carbs are my best friends and my nemesis at the same time. I love those girl scouts and their delicious cookies, but that didn't help me work toward this goal this month either. :-)

Hello February! Here's to a fantastic month!

EXERCISE...A Dirty Word?

I HATE to Exercise! I don't know why, but I would rather be doing about 5 million other things than exercising. However, I do want to live as long as possible so exercise is a necessary evil toward than goal. :-) I am not certain where my dislike of exercise came from. I have never been very coordinated or good at sports so maybe that is it. I tried to play sports when I was younger but was terrible at them. The only sport that I had any success at all in playing was softball. However, even after several years of playing, I was an average player at best...although some of my former teammates might even dispute that I was even that good. Although, it is my blog and I can say whatever I want...so forget average, I was the BEST softball player that ever lived. :-)

Anyway, back to exercise, I still don't like it very much but as I blogged before Mark and I have a contract so I have been doing really well in meeting my exercise goals so far.

Although, I will never love it, here are a couple of things that I have tried that I sort of like.

ZUMBA-This seems to be incredibly popular right now and I can see why. It is pretty fun and sort of doesn't feel like you are exercising, but instead dancing at a party. I just got the Wii Zumba game and I really like it. Since I am not coordinated, this is great for me because I am sure that the moves that I am doing look nothing like what the instructor is doing. Doing the moves in the privacy of my own home lets me pretend like I look awesome doing them. :-) I also have taken a Zumba class at the YMCA with the senior citizens. Maybe sometime I will graduate to the regular Y class instead of the Silver Sneakers class. :-) My only problem with Zumba is that the Latin groove of the music makes me crave Mexican food. Not sure that exercising should make you want guacamole and enchiladas. :-)

CARDIOKE-I found this on ON DEMAND Exercise TV. I am really liking On Demand because I can try lots of different exercise programs without buying a DVD. Anyway...Cardioke is a combination of Hip Hop Cardio and Karaoke. I actually finished this workout and said, "I really enjoyed exercising tonight." Mark immediately got the thermometer and considered calling 911 because those are words that do not come out of my mouth. However, who couldn't enjoy exercising and singing "Don'tcha wish your girlfriend was hot like me." :-)

TAP-I have been taking Tap for about 3 years and it is really fun. I am really terrible at it, but I do enjoy it. We are learning a routine for a Glee song so that makes it especially fun this year.

We do have a membership at the YMCA, but I have not been there in 2011. This is mostly because of the crazy weather and our crazy schedules (which are legitimate for 2011, but does not explain why I didn't go there in November or December of 2010.) :-) I am hoping to get back there soon for some of their classes and cardio room.

I'd love to hear what others are doing to exercise that is at least tolerable! I need all the help I can get. :-)

Friday Randomness

It's Friday! WOO-HOO!!! Here are the random things in my mind this snowy Friday afternoon:

• I met my exercise goal for this week and still have a day and half left. Mark has met his as well so no negative consequences for either one of us. We have to wait until tomorrow evening to determine who has exercised the most minutes during this week and see who wins the coveted sleep-in day. Right now, I am in the lead..but only by 10 minutes so one brisk snow shoveling trip outside and Mark would beat me. Maybe I will offer to do the shoveling when Mark gets home tonight. :-)
• Anna is going to be 2 in a month. I can hardly believe it. We are planning for her birthday party. We decided to do a Mickey Mouse theme since she loves the Mickey Mouse Clubhouse TV show. Since I already have entirely too much Mickey Mouse stuff, it seemed like a no-brainer.
• I am so rooting for this Ted Williams guy to make it (the homeless man with the golden voice.) He has such a compelling story and I want things to work out for him. I hope he has a great support system around him to help him navigate all this fame and not turn to drugs and alcohol again.
• Anna peed in the potty last night for the first time. I never though 2 grown adults would be so excited about urine, but it was ridiculous in how we responded. I honestly don't think that she is really ready to be completely potty trained based upon what I have read about potty training readiness, but it was still pretty exciting to hear the music coming from her princess potty. Although, it was plain creepy when I heard the music coming from the same potty while I was taking a shower and Anna was in her crib napping earlier today. :-) Maybe the cat snuck in and used it. :-)
• On a sad note, we found out that one of our neighbors passed away. We didn't know him well but had several conversations with him as he tended his garden in the backyard of the vacant house next door during the summer. We have never met his wife and are wondering what it is that we could do to be good neighbors to this woman who we haven't met who just lost her husband. More than anything, it was a reminder that we need to make a conscious effort to get to know our neighbors.

There you have it...some of my random thoughts for today! Have a great weekend!!

NEW YEAR, NEW GOALS

Happy 2011 Everyone!! I have really enjoyed reading other people's blogs with their goals and resolutions for this year. I thought this would be a good opportunity to do the same. :-) I have decided that I need to be sure have goals and resolutions that are attainable and that I know I can reach. So here are the goals that I KNOW I can do...

1. Watch every episode that has ever been made of Dora The Explorer
2. Eat Candy EVERY DAY...and large amounts of it
3. Get addicted to AT LEAST 3 new reality shows on TV
4. Spend lots of money on new clothes
5. Dedicate a large amount of my time to frivolous games and activities on the computer and Facebook
6. Eat out A LOT
7. Watch every episode of GLEE multiple times

These are goals that I know I can accomplish, but not seriously my goals for 2011. Here are the real ones:

1. Exercise at least 3 times a week-Mark and I actually signed a contract where we get rewarded and punished for meeting or not meeting our goals. The reward for the person who exercises the most minutes this week is a SLEEP-IN Day. If that doesn't motivate me to get my butt moving, then I don't know what will. :-)
2. Read the entire Bible this year. I signed up for a plan at youversion.com that helps me track my progress. My OCD brain LOVES this! :-) They have lots of great plans to choose from for everyone.
3. Blog on a more frequent basis.
4. Have a weekly family devotional time with Mark and Anna.
5. Read AT LEAST 40 books this year. They have to be a combination of personal/spiritual growth, professional growth and pleasure reading.
6. Complete Scrapbooks of Anna's 1st 2 years of life. Since I have started doing digital scrapbooking, I might actually be able to accomplish this. :-)
7. Memorize 2 verses of Scripture every month. I stole this idea from my friend Tracy's blog who is doing Beth Moore's Siesta Memory Verse plan. I am not going to Beth's plan, but love the idea of memorizing more scripture.
8. Fit comfortably into a pair of pre-pregnancy pants. :-)

So there you have it...the things I hope to accomplish in 2011. Since I am planning to blog more, I guess there will be more posted on this throughout the year. :-) However, I want that SLEEP-IN Day so I need to get off the computer and get moving.

Happy 2011!!!

Thankfulness

Several people on Facebook have been posting daily thankfulness updates as their status leading up to Thanksgiving. When I saw this, I thought it was a great idea and had planned on doing it...just starting a little late. However, it is suddenly the 24th of November and I haven't posted anything. So...here is my 25 days of thankfulness (in random order):

1. My Sweet Anna
2. My Amazing Husband Mark
3. Disney World
4. Wonderful Family-especially my Mom and Sister
5. Great Friends
6. An Abundance of Food (as evidenced by my waistline) :-)
7. The Generosity of Others
8. A Fantastic Job
9. Zac Efron (what can I say...he is a hottie) :-)
10. Radio Stations that play Christmas Music 24 hours a day
11. Cable TV (a recent addition in our house) :-)
12. Pop Style Popcorn (Green Apple is my favorite flavor.)
13. GLEE
14. An AWESOME Church
15. Good Books
16. A Nice Home in which to live
17. Two Cars that run and get us from place to place (Although I still would like a Lexus with a big red bow in driveway in Christmas Morning.) :-)
18. Digital Photography and Scrapbooking
19. Pomegranates
20. My Smartphone
21. Broadway Shows
22. Online Shopping
23. Cheesy Romantic Comedies
24. Good Health
25. God's Amazing and Abundant Grace!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

My Own Little World

There is a song on Christian radio right now by Matthew West called "My Own Little World." I have heard this song several times and like it OK, but never really thought about it too much and wasn't particularly impressed with the song. However, in the past week, it seems like this has been the theme song of my life.



It started earlier this week as I was reflecting on how I am not good at all at keeping up with friends who I do not see as a part of my regular routine. There are people who I love dearly who have moved to another city or are no longer in my regular circle. I lament the fact that these friendships are not what they once were and yet I have done very little to maintain them. I think it is because I become so focused on "My Own Little World...Population: Me." I am so focused on MY family, MY job, MY child, MY issues and problems that I don't take time to move out of Amy World.



Another experience happened last night as I was at our youth group. We have two different groups that meet on Wednesday night...one for High School and Older Junior High Kids and one for Younger Kids (5th and 6th graders mostly.) Last night we were blessed with enough volunteers so I was able to float back and forth between the two groups. As I was floating, I was struck by what I saw in some of the kids that were there. There is a lyric in the song that goes
that goes "Father, Break my heart for what breaks yours." Man, did that happen last night! I as I looked around the kids in the room my heart was broken by some of the life situations of the kids and things that they are dealing with. I can only imagine if I felt that way about the family and personal issues that some of the kids are dealing with...how much more God's heart breaks for those kids and how he so wants to transform their lives . It also went back what can I do step out of my little world and "look for open hearts and open doors" in the lives of these kids and the younger kids that I serve in our Children's Ministry.

So...I think I am getting the message to step out of "My Own Little World" and connect with people. I am going to do my best so that when I hear that song it can be a historical song of what my life WAS like but is now nothing like that.

Anniversary

Today is my 4th wedding anniversary!! I am so blessed to have such a great man in my life. Here are some amazing and fun facts about Mark Osterhout:

*He owns 2 keyboards, 5 guitars, 3 trumpets, 1 trombone and a bunch of others....and plays them all well.

*He is a great dad!!

*Our cat likes him way better than me. :-)

*He doesn't like dishes in the sink and does something about it. He almost exclusively is the one who loads and unloads the dishwasher.

*He loves silly cartoons and shows.

*I knew I was going to marry him on our 2nd date when he was singing a solo in a foreign language in at choir performance. (The song was called "Riu Chiu Chiu" and I think it was about a dog...so romantic!!) :-)

*He had never been to a football game before we got married.

*He loves putting frosting on a cake (and eating it.)

*He runs really fast...he probably could have been a track star if he had pursued it in his younger days.

*When we were planning our wedding, he basically gave me free reign as to what to do...except in the music department. He had very specific ideas about that!

*He proposed to me after watching Season 1 of The Muppet Show.

*His middle name is Rogers.

*His favorite place in the world is in a canoe in the middle of lake.

*He loves to cook breakfast foods: omelettes, pancakes, etc.

*He likes to play tennis.

*He sang "Some Enchanted Evening" to me at our wedding...and people still talk to me about it.

*He swore that he would never go back to teaching, but he did and he loves it!! (I am so proud of him for that!!)

*He could probably live without a TV, but watches TV with me just because I like it.

*He has written a ton of songs.

*He puts up with me and all my craziness!!

*He is serious about his faith in God and putting it into action.

*He is a fantastic husband!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Seriously, I am so lucky to have him in my life! He was well worth the 36 year wait!!! Love you Mark!!