Oops! Day 2 & 3 of 2014 Linky

Linking in with Blog Hoppin'

Welcome 2014 Day 2 - Craft & Creating 

I absolutely love to be creative!  Problem is…when??  When I lived in FL, I had a group of gals that encouraged the creativity with regular, fun-filled scrapbooking nights.  It at least gave me a fix of being able to create.  Before that, I used to spend countless hours creating elaborate bulletin boards at a school (oh the life of a new teacher).  But now, for some reason (hmmm), I just don't seem to get to be crafty/creative as much as I NEED.  With the exciting world of Pinterest and TPT, I have so many ideas.  And even made some feeble attempts.  I just need to find make the time to commit to those things.   So, I have my TPT store with a few items already posted.  Goal = spend time in the summer creating all the ideas I have floating around in my head.  Then I have scrapbooking.  Goal = print out some of the pics we've taken since the BIG move from FL to CA to TX.  And in the meantime, find ways to create some of those great ideas from Pinterest.  Here are a few I've done this past year:

Teacher Gift for one of Destiny's Teachers

Recent Bulletin Board idea from Pinterest

TX Homecoming Mums for Dejah & Elijah's girlfriend

Welcome 2014 Day 3 - Fitness

Ok -- let me be honest…I haven't thought much about my fitness goals for this year.  Not that I didn't need to.  So let me say, "thank you" Blog Hoppin' for helping me put some important ideas/resolutions into my already cramped space inside my head.  Here they are:

Yes -- last year I began my Ideal Protein journey.  I started in late July and by the end of November, I was down just about 40lbs!!  40 lbs!!  Whew!  Where did those things creep in?  I reached my goal with a lot of work, determination, and just a few break downs (yeah -- I'm talking tears and all).  I probably could stand to lose a few more.  But since it was time for the holidays and with that comes lots of yumminess (is that a word?), I decided to stop and maintain at this weight and move further with exercise and eating habits.  

                                      

186lbs

148lbs

Which leads me to my next goal.  Before I lost the weight, I actually took up running.  I used to Hate to run (that is with a capital H).  But in 2011, when Dennis went out on a 6 month deployment, I decided to try a silly little app called C25K.  I LOVED running!  I dropped a few pounds at that point too.  But the bigger reward was the enjoyment.  In September I ran my 1st 5k and finished it in about 45 minutes.  It was such an accomplishment.  Well now I want to get back to running.  Everybody keeps telling me that now that I lost the weight, I will probably enjoy running even more.  So it's time to lace back up.  We have even talked about doing a 5k together as a family.  You know…one of those fun ones like Color Run or something. 

And I guess if I'm doing the running thing, I'd better do the eating thing too.  All over Pinterest and Facebook I keep seeing posts about eating clean.  I got a little taste of that type of diet with IP.  There were some great recipes that I tried and so I think if we slowly began to take that approach to eating and cooking, I could get the whole family involved in thinking about how much better it would be for all of us to do it.  Plus, Dennis keeps reading information about how clean eating seems to be the way to go to get away from all the possible causes of cancer.  Maybe there is something to it.  I plan on looking further and getting us all on board (yes honey, you too!).