I know, I know... none of you are shocked?! I have had "Update Blog" on my list of things to do for days and days now - but it just never makes it to 'next on the list'!? How can this be?! Already!? Already overbooked and out of time... and it's only January 6th?! (Right?! This is right, yes?!) LOL?! I blame it on the sudden return of routine and responsibilities, along with the fact that I have no Day Planner?! How does one survive with no Day Planner... no Blackberry or anything... just scraps with lists of things to do... nothing color coded or in a time frame... how is one supposed to function like this, really!?
I suppose I should just bite the bullet and go out and buy myself a Day Planner - then maybe I would grab control back of my daily schedule and actually feel like I accomplished SOMETHING!? Because - in reality - with all my running around and errands - it still feels like I am not actually DOING anything?! LOL!? But - the good thing is, when I go over my day with Dave - he assures me that I am, in fact, amazing and oober-productive! Yeah - well - I think he's just sweet talkin' me in the end?! But some days... well - some days - I need that!
So - I STILL have not made a Valentine's Flipbook - it will be a Door prize and the sample for sign-up's for my workshop at the end of the month! I need to call and see if my papers are in yet and then I will have to get busy with that! I also realized in thinking about this project that I have not made ONE thing Valentine-y for my Etsy store. I keep plugging away at this store - but am constantly discouraged because not much actually sells there. I wonder if this is something that I can take off my plate, and wouldn't you know it as soon as I begin to think this way, I get an order or have a sale?! Just enough to keep me hoping?! So - I SHOULD be doing Valentine's things to list... but, again, I am not?!
I had the local newspaper call me yesterday and want to talk regarding an article one of the writers is doing about businesses or a local business website... I am not sure. I was busy (Shocker?!) and I have not yet made the return call! That is on the top of my list for tomorrow! It would be great to have my business featured in the paper - good free advertising!!!
I managed to get through the holidays with only a One Pound gain... not the direction I want to go - but it wasn't as bad or as hard as I had anticipated it to be... but my entire workout schedule got switched around - and that is part of what is taking up much of my days. I WAS in the habit of doing it RIGHT away after dropping our kid off at school -and so far, I have dinked around here and there first - so by the time I get to workout - it is later and it pushes everything else back too! I need to get back on track... that will help immensely! (Well - that and a Day Planner! LOL!)
I have been looking for hotel deals and cheap flights for our trip in June... nothing yet and it's been a bit discouraging... I know God will open up the doors and bring in provision - so I just need to be patient on that front! I also know I need to be realistic in how long we will get to stay and what all we can squeeze in while we are there... I have wanted to go to DC for all of my adult life... so if there are any MUST SEE places that you know of - or anything we can skip that we wouldn't consider skipping - please do let me know!
We've also had some drama with one of our daughters' friends... not your typical girl teenage drama - but real life - real scary - this should never happen kind of drama that breaks your heart and causes you to want to keep a kid that is not yours! This may end up happening - it's all so new - we're really not sure how it will work out - but we trust that it WILL work out for this girls' best interest! Even today - as we spent hours in prayer - God began to move and shift things in place to bring her to a place of safety! Thank you, Papa!
Speaking of "Papa" - my Shack Team on SparkPeople just began a Chapter by Chapter study of The Shack - and that too is taking a bit of time and focus! Not that I am complaining... I love love love this book - and I know that many find healing and renewed focused or restored vision... many find Papa and accept His Love in a new or deeper way... I am always excited to talk about and study the things of God with others - but there is something special about this book that I can not wait to talk about with people! If you still have not read it - please - please - please - get your hands on it and read it and then talk to me!!!
and speaking of SparkPeople - I am focused to continue on with this amazing site... not only have I found success in weight loss there - but I have made some of my best friends' on this site as well... I am coming up on my one year anniversary (1/25) and so far, I have lost 60 pounds, and I have lost Inches everywhere... off my Waist: -10"; my Hips: -10"; my Neck: -2+"; my Arms: -3" each; and my Thighs: -8" each! I have gone from a size 20W in pants and 22/24W in tops to 14/16 overall! Who says this can't be done?! ...and all of this progress (excluding those frustrating plateaus, of course!) has been fairly simple when combining the right timing, the right determination, and the right tools thanks to SparkPeople! I really still have no 'number' in mind as a final/ultimate goal! I can't know how much more I want to lose... I can estimate at maybe 40#s more and then I will re-evaluate from there.
While I DO want to lose more weight - the things I am setting as goals this year have less to do with losing pounds, and more to do with gaining new experiences - trying new things... I am hoping to actually take some tennis lessons, increase my cardio to jog/run a faster mile - and a longer distance, maybe go bowling or try another new activity, explore more outdoors in hiking and seeing the beauty that is all around me, and just living - 'being' - with more confidence and less self-obsessiveness! I had a number of people ask me over the past couple of months what the biggest difference has been for me in losing the weight. The obvious answer is being able to buy clothes in a smaller size- at a regular store and in a regular department. But really - for me - the biggest change has been the fact that I really do spend less time assuming that everyone is watching/judging me. I have more confidence and less pride (in the vein of low self-esteem!) I really did spend a lot of my time talking myself out of trying something new, or stepping out of my comfort zone, because I was so uncomfortable in my own skin! Praise God - that is no longer the case! I am growing at the same time I am shrinking! What's not to love about that?!
So - I need to print out my Christmas photos - which means I can not say I am all caught up! I will tackle that within the next week or two... I have my monthly crop coming up and need to have SOMETHING to do there, right?! I also have a new client and will get to work with some Wedding Photo's soon! I can't wait! Babies and Weddings - those are my favorite jobs... oh - and Italy! That's up there too!
I am hoping to learn how to use my Cricut a bit more as I tackle these projects and work on Valentine's stuff...
Scrap Happy!
~Karrilee~
(LOOK!? NO photo's?! You'll survive! LOL!)
Yep - there she is... she's a beauty, isn't she?! All nice and pink and happy! Along with my Day Planner, is a few happy CDs I have been enjoying this week, and some fun HIP eye make-up, the new line of facial products that I rec'v as a gift that I LOVE, my journal that I try to write in on a regular basis, and a new wallet that my sister got for me that matches my (current) favorite purse! Yes - all of these things made me happy - but that paper there on the bottom put me over the edge! It is an essay that my daughter had to write in narrative form (after reading The Outsiders) for a class... and while she got a B rather than the A that she was hoping for - it is the content that made me cry! What Mom wouldn't want an essay written like this - especially at 13? Oh my... I am blessed! While I want to type out the whole thing - it would seem, well - a tad bit gloaty maybe?! LOL!? So - I will refrain... let's just suffice it to say she talks about our friendship and how I balance that with the Mom card and I am her best friend, she said, "My mother is incredible. When she puts her mind on something, she achieves it." This is a huge statement for me as I have really been working on achieving some goals and improving my follow through! Lastly, she ended with: "I only wish that I could be a hero to someone like my mother is to me." (Insert sobbing here!) Nice, right?
