Tuesday, April 11, 2017
{March Madness...and I don't mean basketball}
Thursday, February 9, 2017
{Memory Keeping: January}
Are you also a collector of memories? Sharing today my pages for
January 2017, made using the Project Life App. Love Project Life or do
you scrapbook another way?
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| Journaling cards from the Project 52 2016 Edition. |
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| Journaling cards from the Project 52 2016 and Everyday Editions. |
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| Journaling cards from the September Skies and Just Add Color Editions. |
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| Journaling cards from the Project 52 2016 Edition. |
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| Journaling cards from the Project 52 2016 and Good Vibes Editions. |
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
{Goals: One month, One week}
Time for another goal check in, and asking myself how I'm doing.
I'm really challenging myself to make time to make dinners from whole ingredients, rather than using a lot of processed mixes, pastas, and sauces. I've lost a couple of pounds since the first of the year, but weight loss isn't really my overall goal here, it's being healthy and being fit. I'm also listening to days when my body needs time off of working out and when it's wanting to work out. Most days, I have at least 15 minutes for a good sweat session, which releases toxins but also releases negative emotion. I just finished a 30 day fitness challenge, have started teaching Oula again, and am really looking forward to springtime when I can begin running more consistently again. I began training for a half marathon in April, and then have had to take a few days off due to snow (literally everywhere!!!) and sickness, but I'm looking forward to getting back in this week. I am certainly enjoying feeling stronger, and am excited to start my next challenge to push myself toward being more healthy and fit!
We have also been through some difficult emotional times the last couple of months when we had some misunderstandings with friends. This experience has stretched and grown me in ways that were very uncomfortable at times, yet also very good. Some days, though, I have felt like the answer is to shrink back and not be vulnerable to others. It is a difficult thing to hold your heart and feelings out for others to trample on...especially when they take advantage of that opportunity! It's definitely a process of pushing and pulling, of taking steps forward and backward, to try to figure out this thing called life!
And while we've been more intentional about being with people as a couple, I can definitely reflect that I haven't been the best at reaching out to my friends personally over the last couple of weeks. I've definitely been in more introvert mode, and maybe that's myself trying to balance for the busyness in other areas of life. So that's a goal for the next little phase of this experiment. To reach out to others, and let them know what's going on with me.
How are you doing on your New Year's Goals? Have you all but given up? Or still going strong? What steps will you take this week to get back on track or continue to push forward? We are all in this together!!
xo,
Becca
- to listen to my body, intentionally.
I'm really challenging myself to make time to make dinners from whole ingredients, rather than using a lot of processed mixes, pastas, and sauces. I've lost a couple of pounds since the first of the year, but weight loss isn't really my overall goal here, it's being healthy and being fit. I'm also listening to days when my body needs time off of working out and when it's wanting to work out. Most days, I have at least 15 minutes for a good sweat session, which releases toxins but also releases negative emotion. I just finished a 30 day fitness challenge, have started teaching Oula again, and am really looking forward to springtime when I can begin running more consistently again. I began training for a half marathon in April, and then have had to take a few days off due to snow (literally everywhere!!!) and sickness, but I'm looking forward to getting back in this week. I am certainly enjoying feeling stronger, and am excited to start my next challenge to push myself toward being more healthy and fit!
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| Hubs and I after a quick run this Fall. |
- to intentionally give myself structured down time.
- to challenge myself to share more of "me" with those around me.
We have also been through some difficult emotional times the last couple of months when we had some misunderstandings with friends. This experience has stretched and grown me in ways that were very uncomfortable at times, yet also very good. Some days, though, I have felt like the answer is to shrink back and not be vulnerable to others. It is a difficult thing to hold your heart and feelings out for others to trample on...especially when they take advantage of that opportunity! It's definitely a process of pushing and pulling, of taking steps forward and backward, to try to figure out this thing called life!
And while we've been more intentional about being with people as a couple, I can definitely reflect that I haven't been the best at reaching out to my friends personally over the last couple of weeks. I've definitely been in more introvert mode, and maybe that's myself trying to balance for the busyness in other areas of life. So that's a goal for the next little phase of this experiment. To reach out to others, and let them know what's going on with me.
How are you doing on your New Year's Goals? Have you all but given up? Or still going strong? What steps will you take this week to get back on track or continue to push forward? We are all in this together!!
xo,
Becca
Tuesday, February 7, 2017
{Meal Planning: Back to it!}
Yep, I'm back to my meal planning ways!
I didn't really take January off, but as a part of the 30 day fitness challenge I did, I had my meals planned out for me, so I didn't really have much I could post about with meal planning.
But now, I'm back to my old ways, and I'm trying to really incorporate more whole foods into my plans. But lemme tell ya, it's a hard, hard thing to change old eating habits. Especially in winter when all those yummy colorful veggies are in shorter supply than during the summer. And when it's cold outside, creamy comfortable soup and bread sounds so much more appealing than a cold, heartless salad!
So here's my February plan!!
Week 1:
February 1: Chicken Enchiladas
February 2: Leftovers
February 3: Out~Red Robin, I had a yummy salad. :)
February 4: Snacks... not super healthy choices, I'm afraid.
February 5: Souper Bowl Sunday!: Potato Soup and then appetizers at the game.
February 6: Spaghetti
February 7: Tacos
Week 2:
February 8: Grilled Chicken w/veggies
February 9: Yellow Soup
February 10: Pork Stir Fry
February 11: Leftovers
February 12: Cheesy Chicken Rollups (with Corn tortillas instead of flour)
February 13: Tilapia and veggies
February 14: BBQ Chicken, fresh grilled veggies and baked potatoes
Week 3:
February 15: Lettuce Wraps
February 16: Beef Stew
February 17: Chicken Piccata
February 18: Leftovers
February 19: Nachos
February 20: Turkey burgers
February 21: ??? Meetings this night, so I'm not sure yet.
Week 4:
February 22: Grilled chicken & veggies
February 23: Crockpot chicken soup
February 24: Gyros
February 25: Homemade Pizza with Black Olives (per special request for my son's birthday dinner)
February 26: Leftovers
February 27: Shepherd's Pie
February 28: Beef in Stout
Yum, yum. I'm hungry now. Lot's of comfort food, but also lots of opportunities to alter some of these recipes and make them with as many whole foods as possible, instead of mixes and processed food. There are some sauces, or things with bread crumbs, etc, but the main ingredients for many of these are not from a mix or a box. Little changes at a time equals success in my book!
Happy planning!
xo,
Becca
I didn't really take January off, but as a part of the 30 day fitness challenge I did, I had my meals planned out for me, so I didn't really have much I could post about with meal planning.
But now, I'm back to my old ways, and I'm trying to really incorporate more whole foods into my plans. But lemme tell ya, it's a hard, hard thing to change old eating habits. Especially in winter when all those yummy colorful veggies are in shorter supply than during the summer. And when it's cold outside, creamy comfortable soup and bread sounds so much more appealing than a cold, heartless salad!
So here's my February plan!!
Week 1:
February 1: Chicken Enchiladas
February 2: Leftovers
February 3: Out~Red Robin, I had a yummy salad. :)
February 4: Snacks... not super healthy choices, I'm afraid.
February 5: Souper Bowl Sunday!: Potato Soup and then appetizers at the game.
February 6: Spaghetti
February 7: Tacos
Week 2:
February 8: Grilled Chicken w/veggies
February 9: Yellow Soup
February 10: Pork Stir Fry
February 11: Leftovers
February 12: Cheesy Chicken Rollups (with Corn tortillas instead of flour)
February 13: Tilapia and veggies
February 14: BBQ Chicken, fresh grilled veggies and baked potatoes
Week 3:
February 15: Lettuce Wraps
February 16: Beef Stew
February 17: Chicken Piccata
February 18: Leftovers
February 19: Nachos
February 20: Turkey burgers
February 21: ??? Meetings this night, so I'm not sure yet.
Week 4:
February 22: Grilled chicken & veggies
February 23: Crockpot chicken soup
February 24: Gyros
February 25: Homemade Pizza with Black Olives (per special request for my son's birthday dinner)
February 26: Leftovers
February 27: Shepherd's Pie
February 28: Beef in Stout
Yum, yum. I'm hungry now. Lot's of comfort food, but also lots of opportunities to alter some of these recipes and make them with as many whole foods as possible, instead of mixes and processed food. There are some sauces, or things with bread crumbs, etc, but the main ingredients for many of these are not from a mix or a box. Little changes at a time equals success in my book!
Happy planning!
xo,
Becca
Sunday, January 8, 2017
{Goals: One week later}
Time to check in on how those New Year's Resolutions are going.
We're just one week from New Year's Day, so most of us are still probably rocking and rolling on our goals, but checking in here and there is good to keep me motivated.
Here are the big 3 goals (condensed version) that I've set for myself this year:
I'm focusing a lot on making sure to listen to what my body wants, nutritionally, and in regards to activity and rest. I've cut back on my evening munching quite a bit, choosing instead to find something to drink before heading straight for the chips and salsa. I've found this week that much of the time when I feel like I'm getting hunger signals from my body, that they are actually thirst signals. I just haven't learned to recognize them as that. So I'm choosing to try getting something to drink first, and then to wait before I head for the munchie cupboard. So far, I feel like I am making better choices, which will eventually lead me into better health. I also focused this week on really listening to when my body is saying it is full, and not just continuing to eat because my mouth wants more. This part is REALLY difficult for me. It is really easy for me to overeat when things taste good, because I just want MORE! Taking my time when I am eating and stopping when I'm full (not overfull) has been a good challenge for me this week. Teaching my body not to feel deprived or disappointed when I don't have just one more helping will definitely be a process.
Giving myself some structured downtime has also been going well. My plan is this: when I get home from work, I take about 15 minutes to have some downtime. This can be resting, checking social media, chatting with family members if they are already home. Depending on how my day at work was, my daily workout sometimes falls into "me time" and sometimes I have to make sure I get it in after I've had some other form of rest, before I move into the tasks or plans for the rest of the evening. These can be household tasks, Oula or church things that need to be taken care of, or even leftover stuff from work that needs to be done. The key for me is that I've scheduled in more downtime at the end of the evening. From 9:00 on, I've given myself freedom to stop working on "scheduled things" and move into something of my choice (usually reading a book). So far this week, I've been able to remind myself of that scheduled "unscheduled" time, and have been able to move ahead with things I need to focus on, instead of retreating into a book at the first moment I get home.
Extending myself to others has already been a challenge this week. Heading back to work after winter break is always a little challenging, because I go from having a ton of free time, to almost none, especially not at times when other people tend to be available (9:00 gets a little late to hang out, haha). So I feel that lack of contact with others. And if you read my last blog post, then you already know that I'm still struggling with a lack of confidence that people actually want to hear what I have to say. I'm working on it. I knew going into this that this goal would be the most challenging one for me. I wasn't even sure I wanted to put it out there, but sometimes just saying it makes the difference between thinking and doing.
So how am I going to focus this week in each goal area? Here are some thoughts:
Eating/Wellness: Continue with daily workouts, and do one thing each day that physically affects Oula (work on a new song, practice old songs, do flexibility training, etc.). Continue to listen to my body, and focus this week on staying hydrated instead of reacting to dehydration.
"Me" time: This week I'm going to try to limit my social media "browsing". When you write a blog (and are trying to be more intentional about actually writing a blog), and promote small businesses through social media, this can be a time sucker and a pitfall. Which is why my focus this week will be to limit my browsing time.
Sharing: One area I've been working on is how to reach out to young moms/wives with meal planning. So, one focus this week will be to begin putting some feet to some brainstorms I've had about how to go about doing this.
How about you? How are your goals and resolutions going? What are you focusing on this week to achieve your goals?
xo~
Becca
We're just one week from New Year's Day, so most of us are still probably rocking and rolling on our goals, but checking in here and there is good to keep me motivated.
Here are the big 3 goals (condensed version) that I've set for myself this year:
- to listen to my body, intentionally.
- to intentionally give myself structured down time.
- to challenge myself to share more of "me" with those around me.
I'm focusing a lot on making sure to listen to what my body wants, nutritionally, and in regards to activity and rest. I've cut back on my evening munching quite a bit, choosing instead to find something to drink before heading straight for the chips and salsa. I've found this week that much of the time when I feel like I'm getting hunger signals from my body, that they are actually thirst signals. I just haven't learned to recognize them as that. So I'm choosing to try getting something to drink first, and then to wait before I head for the munchie cupboard. So far, I feel like I am making better choices, which will eventually lead me into better health. I also focused this week on really listening to when my body is saying it is full, and not just continuing to eat because my mouth wants more. This part is REALLY difficult for me. It is really easy for me to overeat when things taste good, because I just want MORE! Taking my time when I am eating and stopping when I'm full (not overfull) has been a good challenge for me this week. Teaching my body not to feel deprived or disappointed when I don't have just one more helping will definitely be a process.
Giving myself some structured downtime has also been going well. My plan is this: when I get home from work, I take about 15 minutes to have some downtime. This can be resting, checking social media, chatting with family members if they are already home. Depending on how my day at work was, my daily workout sometimes falls into "me time" and sometimes I have to make sure I get it in after I've had some other form of rest, before I move into the tasks or plans for the rest of the evening. These can be household tasks, Oula or church things that need to be taken care of, or even leftover stuff from work that needs to be done. The key for me is that I've scheduled in more downtime at the end of the evening. From 9:00 on, I've given myself freedom to stop working on "scheduled things" and move into something of my choice (usually reading a book). So far this week, I've been able to remind myself of that scheduled "unscheduled" time, and have been able to move ahead with things I need to focus on, instead of retreating into a book at the first moment I get home.
Extending myself to others has already been a challenge this week. Heading back to work after winter break is always a little challenging, because I go from having a ton of free time, to almost none, especially not at times when other people tend to be available (9:00 gets a little late to hang out, haha). So I feel that lack of contact with others. And if you read my last blog post, then you already know that I'm still struggling with a lack of confidence that people actually want to hear what I have to say. I'm working on it. I knew going into this that this goal would be the most challenging one for me. I wasn't even sure I wanted to put it out there, but sometimes just saying it makes the difference between thinking and doing.
So how am I going to focus this week in each goal area? Here are some thoughts:
Eating/Wellness: Continue with daily workouts, and do one thing each day that physically affects Oula (work on a new song, practice old songs, do flexibility training, etc.). Continue to listen to my body, and focus this week on staying hydrated instead of reacting to dehydration.
"Me" time: This week I'm going to try to limit my social media "browsing". When you write a blog (and are trying to be more intentional about actually writing a blog), and promote small businesses through social media, this can be a time sucker and a pitfall. Which is why my focus this week will be to limit my browsing time.
Sharing: One area I've been working on is how to reach out to young moms/wives with meal planning. So, one focus this week will be to begin putting some feet to some brainstorms I've had about how to go about doing this.
How about you? How are your goals and resolutions going? What are you focusing on this week to achieve your goals?
xo~
Becca
Tuesday, January 3, 2017
{Voices}
Remember when I said I was going to actively be working on ways to share myself with others, and to have confidence that I have something to offer? But that little, niggling voice that keeps telling that no one is listening, and that it's not really that important?
I hate that voice.
I hate it more when I listen to it.
Like the entire blog post I just deleted because I reread it and thought that no one wants to listen to what I'm saying. That the only person it matters to is me. That there are other bloggers out there who can say it better, do it better, blog it better, which is true.
But.
But.
The instant I hit delete, I was mad. Mad at myself for giving in and not revising and revisiting and taking a chance. Not having the confidence that someone might be interested, that it might be helpful to someone. Mad at that voice of insecurity that said my voice isn't worth my time. Such a lie.
We all have a voice. We can use it in various ways. This blog is just one of many ways I use my voice to influence my world. And when our voices are shut down, we lose our influence. When others shut our voices down, it is hurtful to us. When we shut ourselves down, it is catastrophic.
Your voice is part of the song. This part is so easy to say. It belongs to someone else. YOUR voice.
And so I need to stop. I have to take a minute and take that in. Make it real. Make it personal. My voice is part of the song. Each voice has a part to bring, and my voice, MY VOICE is part of the song. In this moment, when I am writing this, I believe it. And yet, even as I'm writing, the voice is creeping in. The one that says this is too much, or not enough. Will I let it silence me?
While I can't get that deleted draft back, I can choose to be a part of the ongoing song of life. Blog posts can be rewritten. But how will I go forward and not doubt myself in the future, to remember that my voice is important? I'll be doing some reflecting this week about how each person has a part to play in life. I often come to Ephesians 4:16, which speaks about how each person has a unique role, and that we grow in love and life when each person comes in and fills their place.
I picture it as a huge tapestry of life, and when each person steps in, and adds their voice to the song, eventually it can weave a beautiful picture of humanity and love. But this can only happen when we willingly choose to lend our voices to the sound.
My voice is part of the song.
I hate that voice.
I hate it more when I listen to it.
Like the entire blog post I just deleted because I reread it and thought that no one wants to listen to what I'm saying. That the only person it matters to is me. That there are other bloggers out there who can say it better, do it better, blog it better, which is true.
But.
But.
The instant I hit delete, I was mad. Mad at myself for giving in and not revising and revisiting and taking a chance. Not having the confidence that someone might be interested, that it might be helpful to someone. Mad at that voice of insecurity that said my voice isn't worth my time. Such a lie.
We all have a voice. We can use it in various ways. This blog is just one of many ways I use my voice to influence my world. And when our voices are shut down, we lose our influence. When others shut our voices down, it is hurtful to us. When we shut ourselves down, it is catastrophic.
Your voice is part of the song. This part is so easy to say. It belongs to someone else. YOUR voice.
And so I need to stop. I have to take a minute and take that in. Make it real. Make it personal. My voice is part of the song. Each voice has a part to bring, and my voice, MY VOICE is part of the song. In this moment, when I am writing this, I believe it. And yet, even as I'm writing, the voice is creeping in. The one that says this is too much, or not enough. Will I let it silence me?
While I can't get that deleted draft back, I can choose to be a part of the ongoing song of life. Blog posts can be rewritten. But how will I go forward and not doubt myself in the future, to remember that my voice is important? I'll be doing some reflecting this week about how each person has a part to play in life. I often come to Ephesians 4:16, which speaks about how each person has a unique role, and that we grow in love and life when each person comes in and fills their place.
I picture it as a huge tapestry of life, and when each person steps in, and adds their voice to the song, eventually it can weave a beautiful picture of humanity and love. But this can only happen when we willingly choose to lend our voices to the sound.
My voice is part of the song.
Saturday, December 31, 2016
{Let's talk goals}
Goal setting is on my mind lately. Call them intentions, call them goals, call them New Year's Resolutions, it's all the same in my mind. I've never really been a big fan of the whole New Year's Resolution thing, because I've failed so. many. times. (You feel me, I know.) But, as I've mentioned on this blog before, I do like the idea of starting something fresh, and the start of the New Year is a great time for that. And, I'm turning 40 (wow!) in just over 2 weeks, so making some goals to accomplish this year just feels right. Plus, I don't know about you, but I ate waaaaay too many cookies during the holidays, and it's time to dial that down a LOT.
So that said, I do have some pretty intentional goals this year. And I'm limiting myself to just a few goals, so that I can actively and intentionally work toward completing them. And I'm putting them out there for you all to see!! It's a little scary and out of the comfort zone. But, that's where growth happens, right? So here they are, my main goals for 2017:
I have some other goals, too. I have some really huge ones, that aren't quite ready to share with the wide world yet. They are still marinating in prayer and planning. I have work goals, such as finishing the process of getting my National Board certification. I have smaller personal goals, such as continuing to catch up on memory keeping, and completing projects around the house (one of my living room windows has been without a window covering for almost 2 years!!). Seriously.
So what about you? Did you set some goals for 2017? Or are you taking each day as it comes? Either way, I hope you have the opportunity to challenge yourself to grow in 2017, and to enjoy the beauty that happens along the journey.
Happy New Year!!
xo~
becca
So that said, I do have some pretty intentional goals this year. And I'm limiting myself to just a few goals, so that I can actively and intentionally work toward completing them. And I'm putting them out there for you all to see!! It's a little scary and out of the comfort zone. But, that's where growth happens, right? So here they are, my main goals for 2017:
- to listen to my body, intentionally. I often find myself eating out of habit, or giving into cravings just because I can. My goal for fitness and wellness this year is to stop and listen carefully to my body before giving into those feelings. Is my body really asking for chips and salsa, or is it actually asking me for something else? (cookies!! wait. no.) I also have a goal to re-ignite my passion for Oula and to push my body toward the best health level I can this year. (Fabulous, Fit and 40... that can be me, right?)
- to intentionally give myself structured down time. I'm an introvert by nature, and it's really easy for me to escape into books and movies when my life feels stressful, and to let my relationships suffer in the meantime. It is my hope that by scheduling some time into each day for some automatic "down time," that I will have more energy to put into relationships with others, instead of feeling the need to just veg out.
- to challenge myself to share more of "me" with those around me. This includes my time, my activities, my weaknesses and my strengths and knowledge. I know a lot of people focus so much on their weaknesses, and that includes me. I am my own worst critic, and often feel like "well, who am I to speak into (fill in the blank)?" Even though I *KNOW* there are things I'm good at, there's still this doubt in my brain that it's not quite good enough. A sweet friend recently reminded me that I *DO* have something to offer, especially in the areas of homemaking and family. Exploring ways to share and stepping out of my comfort zone is going to be a challenge for me, but I hope that I can help others and grow in my own self-confidence as well.
I have some other goals, too. I have some really huge ones, that aren't quite ready to share with the wide world yet. They are still marinating in prayer and planning. I have work goals, such as finishing the process of getting my National Board certification. I have smaller personal goals, such as continuing to catch up on memory keeping, and completing projects around the house (one of my living room windows has been without a window covering for almost 2 years!!). Seriously.
So what about you? Did you set some goals for 2017? Or are you taking each day as it comes? Either way, I hope you have the opportunity to challenge yourself to grow in 2017, and to enjoy the beauty that happens along the journey.
Happy New Year!!
xo~
becca
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