Friday's 10--Times 2

Since I missed last week's Friday's Ten, I am going to make it up by doing two lists this week. For all of you teachers out there, I know the deadline for turning in a late assignment for partial credit has LONG passed, but we know that a person should do the job for the satisfaction of doing it and what is learned from it. So here goes:

Ten Great Things That Happened This Week

~ Menu Planning: I actually planned a menu for the week on Sunday, went grocery shopping for everything, and have stuck to it pretty well. We only ate fast food once this week. For us, this is HUGE!

~ Exercise: Hubby and I have exercised four out of the past five days. Both of us have been tempted to not do it, but we have pushed through and done it, anyway.

~ Home Office: Hubby spent the better part of his New Year's vacation getting our home office ready. If I do say so myself, it looks really nice, and we are really enjoying having a space to put all of our stuff. I no longer have a sagging card table set up in my bedroom piled with computer and work mess!

~ Home Office, Part 2: The very comfortable office chair that we ordered arrived. We love it! I need to get busy and order a 2nd one for me!

~School: The kids have had a great school week! Everyone has buckled down and gotten lots done with minimal complaining.

~House cleaning: The house managed to stay picked up for a couple of days in a row! I definitely need to sweep the wood floors in the living room, but my husband actually had the kids clean the family room in the basement on his own initiative!

~Fun Mail: This week, along with the myriad of bills, junk mail, etc. I got several "fun items" in the mail: my business cards, which have my name and "title" on them for work. I have never had business cards before, and a BEAUTIFUL calendar from one of my long-distance friends with all of the Hebraic holidays and Sabbaths on it.

~Shopping: A great things list is never complete without shopping--2 pairs of adorable brown suede shoes for my six-year-old (I am a sucker for little girls' shoes) that I have been eyeing for several months on sale for $3.75 a pair! And a pair of darling flats (same price) for my oldest daughter, to boot! Too bad she and I don't wear the same shoe size!

~Haircut: A "kid-free" hour in a darling salon with fun conversation, and a ten-minute reduction in my "morning routine." I didn't realize how long--or shaggy--my hair had gotten!

~A certificate for POINTE SHOES!!!!!

10 Aspirations for 2008

I didn't really have any intentions of posting 2008 goals on this blog. I didn't think my 3 readers would want to be put to sleep by them. I have noticed, though, that many blogs I have read have them posted. "Peer Pressure." I always succumb. But seriously--I can see the advantages of letting other people in on what you are working on. It gives you some accountability--and maybe your friends who have kids selling Girl Scout cookies will not send you tempting emails if they know you have a weight-loss goal!

• Spiritual life--More. More prayer, more scripture reading, more spiritual instruction with my children, more scripture memorization, more involvement with our local community of believers. It is time.


• Exercise--more of it hopefully equals a decrease in waist and hip measurements which hopefully equals a decrease in jean size, which might mean getting back into the jeans that fit this time last year. And maybe a half-marathon in April.


• Nutrition--I want to cook better meals for my family, eat out less, and start making bread again. Hopefully, this will help with above, and instill lifelong good eating habits in my children.


• Water--64 oz. Every Day. I went to a workshop where the professor pointed out that because water is a great conductor of electricity, and neurons firing in our brains have to do with something electrical--us being dehydrated can affect how fast our neurons fire. Plus, if you are dehydrated, your body stores fat.


• Patience--yada, yada, yada...More of it--RIGHT NOW!!!


• Personality flaws--this could take the rest of my blog space, so I'll just focus on one--I am too judgmental. I need to work on loving people for who they are, and where they are.


• Chores--for me--for my kids. Jamie, you've inspired me!


• Organization--routines, routines, routines!! I want to have more of them so I can balance this home, work, school thing better.


• Home--I want to be content with our living space, while improving it to fit our needs and style. I want to paint all of my woodwork white and refinish my living room floors. Advice on how to do this is more than welcome. I would also like to get steps on the back deck and keep flowers alive all summer.


• Connections--I would like to have an open Saturday morning coffee (or tea, or cocoa, or whatever) once a month--invite my friends, have them bring their friends, etc. I am way too introverted, and my "friend table" isn't nearly full enough!