Goal 4 - Batting "Clean Up"

The 4th goal is the hardest and probably the one I have the least direction with.  It seems like a constant struggle, every day it stares me in the face and just about every decision I make effects it.  Goal 4 is clean and organize my house so that its always ready for guests, and then have guests over.

I've never been good at being neat and clean. I've always wanted to be but I never seem to be able to keep things up.  A clean bedroom feels awesome, but as the week goes on, one piece of clothing goes on the floor and others follow.  I place a sock or two on my dresser, waiting for its match to turn up, and that before I know it I have a sock mountain.  I have resigned myself to the fact that being clean and neat is a conscious, daily decision.  It means slowing down and putting things where they belong and accomplishing small goals so that they don't build up into others.

To help me do this, I've used a bunch of different websites.  This breaks my rule about have clear actions that follow objectives.  I've been all over the place but I think I've settled on one that works best for me.  The one I've suck with the most was

Apartment Therapy's January Cure.  I get a daily email during the week and then one bigger project for the weekend.  The projects during the week are pretty manageable and sometimes more like exercises than tasks.  On the weekend we tackle a bigger project.  I am a little behind on this but I did clean my kitchen and organize my pantry which was really bothering me!  Plus, Apartment Therapy believes in fresh flowers every week...that is something I can stick to!  (I hope they have a February Cure!

Another great site that has to do with cleaning is the Clean Mama.  Becky has a set routine for the week and has free and paid printables to help you achieve it.  Following her on Facebook gives me reminders that I am supposed to clean the bathroom or wash some towels.  Whether or not I actually get up to do those things is another story...





Now for the last part, having people over.  First I have to accept that fact that I don't judge little messes in other people's houses and trust that they won't do that in mine.  Apartment Therapy stated at the beginning of the month that we had to have a set date for people to come over so that we had something to work toward. I love all things Olympics, I plan to have a few friends over to watch the opening ceremonies.  Check back to see how it goes!





Any tips and tricks on how to stay neat, clean and organized at home?  I can use all the help I can get!!!

A New Take On an Old Resolution

If you haven't resolved to loose weight on at least one January 1st in your life, hit the little "x" in the right hand corner, this post is not for you.  If you have and have been successful with keeping it off, please write in the comments below how you did it.  Chances are the majority of you reading this have made this resolution over and over and over again.  I have, but this year is different for two reasons.

First, I am not putting a number on it. Goal 2 is to make fitness a regular routine in my life.  I know the effect it will have on how my body feels, and I am pretty confident how my body looks will catch up with that.

Second, I am going back to my teaching roots and facing these goals as learning goals.  Goals involve learning and enacting new behaviors, it only makes sense that using teaching strategies could work. In lesson planning, learning starts with objectives that are followed by actions that prove the objections were met. The objective is to make fitness a regular routine.  I have two actions that I am taking this month.  The first is to spend every Sunday morning at 8am with these people....




This crazy crew was at spin on Christmas Eve and New Years Eve and you can find them every Sunday at 8 am led by instructor Brie with some great music and a great work out.  This month, you will find me there every Sunday. Once I make that happen, I'll do it again in February and again in March as it will be a routine (and a ton of fun!)

My second action is to complete the 24 day advocare cleanse as a jump start to get me going.  More on that in another post.


So that is Goal 2 for the New Year...I'll check back in February (after I get back from spinning of course!)
What are some of your goals for the new year?  What are some of the actions you can take  take to achieve them?

Sometimes You Have to Be Your Own Hero

Recently, my husband and a close friend had a long discussion about how glad they were that they married strong women.  Having wives that would stand up for themselves meant that they still had wives to come home to. Both of us had gone through medical emergencies where we had to convince the people treating us to take us seriously.  It would have been years before I'd be diagnosis and the prognosis would be much worse.  My friend would probably not be vacationing with us this summer if she hadn't advocated for herself. 

It looks like I haven't told the full story of the knock-down, drag-out fight I had with a midwife to get an ultrasound at my first doctor's visit (but I will).  But I have written about not having to be like Angelina to take control of your health and even talked a bit about it on a local newpaper's blog. I want to share more of my story with you but also share the stories of so many other people who stood up for themselves, acted as their own heroes.  It may be medical but it could also be standing up for yourself in a relationship, at a job, or within your family.  If you have those stories, please share them me kqdemars <at> gmail.com and come back here to read what I have in store for you.  

Everyday people are realizing that "Sometimes you have to be your own hero."  Have you? Please share.

I’m one of THOSE people

That’s right, I’m one of THOSE people.  I try not to be, but really I am.

I stand in freezing cold, pouring rain, the wind whipping against my bare legs.  It is dark, it’s been a long day and I am exhausted.  My hand is so cold against the metal handle I squeeze that I actually think its burning. 

If you haven’t guessed it, I’m pumping gas. Late at night. In the worst weather possible. In a skirt.  All because that ugly yellow light is staring at me and I’m more than 20 miles away from home.  Trust me, if I were less than 20 miles away from home I would take my chances and just drive home.  Only to forget to that I was out of gas as I as I ran out the door 5 minutes past the time I should have left for work.  Stress, lateness, hypothermia.  Just another day in the life of Kelly.

But does it really have to be?  Why do I have wait for the yellow light to stop and get gas?  Yes, my car runs out of gas at the worst possible time.  But that isn’t the world conspiring against me, it’s me conspiring against me. It happens to me all the time.  There were beautiful days when the sun was shining, I had some extra time, some money in my pocket and a half full tank.  I’ve tried be to that person stops for gas then.  It only ever happens when I also have a chocolate/coffee/and or milkshake craving and there happens to be a Stewarts.  That also has gas.

I do this all the time.  Finishing a handmade gift minutes before a party.  Pulling all nighters to finish writing assignments, grading deadlines, “reflection papers.”  Not writing on the blog because no one will notice anyway. 

There is a bigger story here.  A deeper philosophy that shows the true inner workings of my psyche. But really, the moral of the story is, get shit done before it becomes a necessity, emergency, crisis of epic proportion.  Stop being one of THOSE people.  I’ll let you know how it goes, as soon as I thaw out my hand.