2014 is going to be exciting!

My blogging sort of fell off after September. A lot of things happened in the summer/fall of 2013 and rather than rehash everything, I'm going to start 2014 off fresh.
I have a few goals to accomplish this year in my personal life and work life. Big changes made me reevaluate what was important last year and gave me a really great focus for the new year.

1. Be a healthy pregnant lady and have a healthy baby.

I am currently 23 weeks pregnant. I have loved every minute of it. The aches, the pains, the joy, the kicks, the crazy emotions, the love. Every moment is worth it. We are due in early May. I won't give the exact date because most people know babies make their debut into the world when they damn well please. I eat fairly healthy and want to continue to do that during the pregnancy.

2. Be a fit mom

After the baby is born, I want to continue with the healthy eating, and be physical. There are so many programs for moms with little ones. By December I want to be in shape. Not pre-pregnancy, but better. My family has a tendency to lose baby weight quickly, so for me, the goal will be to tone and build muscle. It would be awesome to start running again. I really miss it.

3. Write and pass my Nutrition Final

I have until January 2015 to complete my courses and write my final. My goal is to finish my courses before baby. Deadline is April. I will have to do case studies after the baby is born. Hopefully write my final exam in November.

4. Read 20 books

I had a hard time relaxing and reading last year. I want to get 20 read this year. It's the lowest goal I've had for reading, but I'm going to be really busy. I have multiple devices to read on, so I figure while I nurse, I should be able to read a little... right?

5. Travel

We have a couple trips planned already. Palm Springs in February, Fairmont Hot Springs (annual family vacation) in July. We are even thinking of a bigger trip in October when baby is still very portable and we've figured out this parenting thing. We'll see where finances stand.

Wishes for 2013

Rather than resolutions or goals, I saw a blog post that said "Wishes for 2013". What a beautiful way to put it. There are lots of wishes this year. Stability would be number one. We've had so much change in 2012.

1. To go to France with my husband. We have everything booked, just in the waiting phase!!

2. Try to start a family. We have two wonderful "kids" of the fur variety. We will see what happens!

3. Read 40 books. Hopefully most of them off my shelf at home.

4. Exercise more. Strengthen my back and have less pain.

5. Run a 5K with my sister and husband in May!

6. Work towards playing my Grade 9 Royal Conservatory of Music songs. We'll see how it goes, might do an exam in December.

Goal Check in 2nd Quarter

We are halfway through the year. Can you believe it?
Here is my quarterly check in for goals.

1. Complete Jillian Michaels Ripped in 30 - She's so mean but definitely kicks your butt
   • I finished Week 1 and 2.
   • Revising this one: Complete New Rules of Lifting for Women and Couch to 5K
2. Start a dance class
3. Save more money and tighten up on a budget - We have a lot of vacations in 2013 planned
   • We are well on our way! Budget for our biggest vacation is relatively set and we've saved enough for it already.
4. Possibly find a new job - I like mine, it's just not what I was hired for
   • I swear there is nothing out there right now. I've been looking for 6 months and sadly, only one face-to-face interview, one phone interview.
5. Renovate the kitchen cupboards - Change the color and add better organization
   • I'm not sure this will get done this year.
6. Read 40 50 books! I missed by goal by 6 in 2011 but read some amazing books
   • I revised this to 40 last quarter.
   • Currently finished 18 books!
7. Go to church more often - I'd like to go twice a month
• Didn't go once this quarter either.
8. Do a bible study - either with friends or by myself
   • It's taking us longer than 30 weeks as the book suggests. Life has a way of messing up our schedule.
9. Keep in better touch with friends and family - Call friends and see family more often
   • Still horrible at the friend part. Why is it so hard for me to just pick up the phone? 
   • Now that Sister#2 is down here, we are seeing each other a ton! All 3 of us have been getting together frequently which is awesome.
10. Meal plan weekly
    • Good for a few weeks, and then we lose it. Overall, pretty good.
11. Start teaching piano in the fall
    • Advertised for lessons.
    • I have 2 prospective students right now.
12. Piano: Practice, Complete Grade 9 RCM Exams 
• Reworking through Grade 7 and Grade 8. My wrist only allows me to play for 15 - 20 minutes at a time.

Goal check in: 1st Quarter

I can't believe it's been 3 months already! This year is flying.
I thought I would do a check in on my goals I set in January and see if anything has happened or changed.

1. Complete Jillian Michaels Ripped in 30 - She's so mean but definitely kicks your butt
• Didn't do more than a couple nights. I planned to do the New Rules of Lifting for Women and that's fallen off the wagon as well. Why is fitness so hard for me right now?
2. Start a dance class
• Signed up for Ballet and have my recital April 15. I'm so excited! The class has been great to get me out of the house and back to dance.
• I signed up for Tap class to begin at the end of April for 8 weeks.
3. Save more money and tighten up on a budget - We have a lot of vacations in 2013 planned
• We've consolidated a lot of our finances so we can use a few tools to track where our money is going. We've paid off our car we bought last year. We are also being more conscious of how much we're spending eating out for lunch.
• Frenchie just got a raise so that will help significantly
4. Possibly find a new job - I like mine, it's just not what I was hired for
• Working on it.
5. Renovate the kitchen cupboards - Change the color and add better organization
• This will be a while. I have no idea if we'll even have the money or the time to do this right now.
6. Read 50 books! I missed by goal by 6 in 2011 but read some amazing books
• I've already opted out of this one by lowering my goal to 40. My commute has somehow destroyed my reading time. I'm not sure if it's just busier or there are more people. Being crushed between 6 people on the train isn't conducive to reading. I put OverDrive on my IPad which has allowed me to take library ebooks out and I think that will really help.
7. Go to church more often - I'd like to go twice a month
• Fail on this one. I haven't gone once this quarter
8. Do a bible study - either with friends or by myself
• My friend Julie and I have been doing a bible study of Power of the Praying Wife over Skype together. I love it. It really helps me focus on my husband and our life.
9. Keep in better touch with friends and family - Call friends and see family more often
• Terrible on the friend part. Family a little better. Sister2 is moving down to the same city as Sister1 and I so I've been chatting with her a lot. Hopefully they will be down here in the next couple months permanently and I'll be able to see her more often!
10. Meal plan weekly
• So far so good! There's been a few weeks we've missed and those are the weeks I feel disorganized. since selling Epicure I'm definitely trying new recipes and have a wealth of healthy eating ideas. Planning just got exciting!
11. Start teaching piano in the fall
• Nothing happening yet. It's still too early
12. I would like to complete my Grade 7 and Grade 8 Royal Conservatory of Canada. I already completed the exams when I was in high school, so I'm basically just going through both grades myself and then move onto Grade 9. Working towards my ARCT in Pedagogy. There is SO much work to do it's going to take a few years to complete.
• I've really fallen away from playing as often as I did in January and February. I need to kick my own butt and get back to it. I'll blame Sons of Anarchy on this. The show is just WAY to good to not watch 3 episodes a night... right?

Happy New Year!! 2012

I hope everyone had a wonderful New Years Eve. Frenchie and I watched a movie and went to bed just before midnight. We've both had a cold (Frenchie for a week, me for 3 days) and today isn't any different. Hopefully watching football all day will make us both feel better.

I'm not a fan of making resolutions, but I am a fan of setting goals and working towards them no matter how long it takes. I read a book that says, as long as you take steps towards your goals, you are a success.

That said, here are my goals for the year in no particular organized fashion or order

1. Complete Jillian Michaels Ripped in 30 - She's so mean but definitely kicks your butt
2. Start a dance class - Signed up for Ballet to start January 18th!
3. Save more money and tighten up on a budget - We have a lot of vacations in 2013 planned.
4. Possibly find a new job - I like mine, it's just not what I was hired for
5. Renovate the kitchen cupboards - Change the color and add better organization
6. Read 50 books! I missed by goal by 6 in 2011 but read some amazing books
7. Go to church more often - I'd like to go twice a month
8. Do a bible study - either with friends or by myself
9. Keep in better touch with friends and family - Call friends and see family more often
10. Meal plan weekly - We did pretty good this year and it sure makes life easier
11. Start teaching piano in the fall. I have my business cards and schedule all laid out already. I just need to advertise closer to the fall and hopefully get 3 - 6 students. This will be a replacement for dance and hopefully turn into a business for me when we decide to start a family. I have so many plans in my head for when that time comes.
12. I would like to complete my Grade 7 and Grade 8 Royal Conservatory of Canada. I already completed the exams when I was in high school, so I'm basically just going through both grades myself and then move onto Grade 9. Working towards my ARCT in Pedagogy. There is SO much work to do it's going to take a few years to complete.

This year will be full of ups and downs just like any year. We have a lot of things to look forward to. Frenchie's side will be blessed with two more grandbabies and in early 2013 another sister-in-law. All 4 boys will have wives!  My family will watch the 5 littles ones (4 girls and a boy) grow up another year. No plans for kids with us yet. We have some trips planned and a lot of life to spend together before we bless our little family with a child. For now Beta the furbaby will do. (She's 2 years old!!!)
Frenchie and I will celebrate one year of marriage this year. I can't believe it's been 6.5 months already. We've been together for 5 years and I couldn't ask for a better man in my life.

So here's to 2012! May you find joy, happiness, and live life to it's fullest. We always have ups and downs, it's how you deal with them that makes a difference.

Happy New Year!!!!