My Brilliant Day And New Years Resolutioning....In Review (Part 2)

This Sunday has been fabulous....I wish I could bottle the sweet (a word so cheesy and over used, but I know no other to satisfy my description) spirit that has accompanied me this day.

Its gentle nudging insights throughout my classes

the unity I felt with the other women in Relief Society

The awesome feeling as I made lunch for me family, man, I love those guys!

Watching my wonderful husband bonding with the children - he committed to watching "Spiderman" with Master J, and to helping Ash build his catapult. (He also drove away because I was 20mins late coming out of church....but he did come back before I even knew he left, so I forgive him).

I hope I can maintain this feeling for the rest of the day....and most of all, I hope I can remember it.


I can't think of a better time to finish my 2011 goal review......

7. Follow the '5 Laws of Gold'
I felt so inspired by that book when I read it (YOU have to read it!) and ever since, almost every pay, I and then we (when we got married) have put aside 10% of our money, in addition to tithing for 'jingle money' (read the book!). This is money for investment purposes only - to assist in the making of more money for ourselves and our family. I admit, I haven't been perfect, I have dipped into it a few times - but on the whole I have been pretty good with it (The 'I' because I am the boss of this one!). This shall most certainly be a continuing practice - I endeavour to do better this year.

8. Compete in the West Coast Swing Dance Championships in October
This didn't happen. I was all set to, but I could not justify the costs involved at the time. 
However,I did make the finals in the Jack and Jill competition at Swingsation last year....and I am aiming high this year!

9. Start a vegetable garden/Food Sorage
Well, I started a herb garden. However, only 3 of the 6 sets of seeds I planted sprouted....found out some that I thought were successfully growing were weeds = fail. At the moment I have parsley, thyme (doing very well, and will be super great in the vegetable soup I have been craving to make all day), and chives (kinda dismal). So, clearly I still have a lot to learn about gardening...progress is good though, right? I may try some flowers this year too. 

I can happily say I have started building my food storage! 

Humble beginnings....in addition to my pantry

I now have a cupboard dedicated to it (too messy for a photo) - not expanding as fast as I would like, but doing well. Keep up the good work me!! 

10. Get a part time job in accounting

Not successful at all! I have applied for lots of jobs, had one promising interview and re-written my application letter so many times, that it's brilliant. I would be begging me to give me a job based on my letter! (Yes, it is THAT good!) I have been praying and fasting for months and concluded that maybe it wasn't the right time for me to be working and studying. Or maybe there is something better waiting for me. Regardless I have no job, but I am still trying to be positive and staying focused on my studies and my family. 

11. Do well in my studies

WIN! I did great this year! 3 D-istinctions and one C-redit. It was getting a Distinction in Business Law that gave me the confidence I needed to go hard and apply for the combined Accounting/Law degree I had considered, but needed higher grades to get into. I worked really hard and am very happy with my results - Yes, I am hoping for more this year!

12. Less Facebooking....More Blogging

I don't know how successful I been on this one. I am thinking I did not do as much blogging as I would have liked...but oh, how I love Facebook! This girl loves to share and good ol' FB knows it - endless statuses (random, insightful, amusing - hopefully), sharing music via my second best friend YouTube, photos, links.....Facebook I love you! and lets not forget my love affair with Google....but that is a whole other post in itself! And of course, I was studying really hard (see above). 

A quite successful year I would think. But I am wondering, there must be something said for the Law of Attraction and the nature of Goals in general. Although I did not review my list often, or at all - I did well accomplishing, to some degree, almost everything I set out to do. Maybe this year I will do a vision board and knock my goals out of the park!

Is it too presumptuous to add a kitchen like this to my vision board??
Although this doesn't have a breakfast bar for sitting and chatting - I need that! 

New Years Resolutioning......In Review

You can find my original post here.

I have to admit, most shamefully, that I probably looked at that post a handful of times throughout the whole year! That is a rather generous statement, since I do not recall any of these times...

However....

In looking back now I am patting myself on the back because I have done quite brilliant in achieving - or at least making a great start on most of them....

Indulge me, if you will, as I review....

1. Be prepared
Thanks to my awesome wall calendar - I have definitely been more prepared throughout the year. (And my dear husband thought it would be a passing fad...whatevs, kind sir!)

Oh, and did I mention I already have the children's uniforms (including shoes) and books sorted for this year? Oh, yes I do. And that my friends, would be a first!

2. Be Early
I am happy to report that we are usually early/on time to most events, especially church. However most thanks has to go to my husband for that achievement. Although I have also been early for most of my uni classes (except lectures...they don't count!) so...yay me!

However, I have just recalled the school run  (its easy to forget since we are in the middle of holidays)...I am not doing so well on that front....hmm continuing goal for this year perhaps?

3. Attend The Temple
When I set this goal I thought it was a rather lofty one - and it was with great hope that I added it to my list. I put a lot of effort into kicking old vices and prepared myself, as best I could. My goal was achieved the night before my 31st birthday.  It was a wonderful experience I was able to share with some members of my family and close friends. I felt overwhelming love and support from everyone. An intense (I am not going to lie) but brilliant, life altering, experience - 12 years in the making!

4.Nurture My Family's Spirituality
I have to think about this one...and I am not too sure how to measure it. We had family home evening most weeks (we have gotten out of the habit lately - totally my fault, the children do remind me...not so prepared here -  It isn't on my calendar!)

We have daily family prayer, attend church regularly (It was quite challenging for a bit as the children were not used to the habit - now they are wonderful and hardly complain = win!) and often talk of spiritual things. So when I look back we are definitely growing more spiritual as a family....'tis a good thing! I hope this years breeds more of the same! 

5. Eat Clean
My/our diet is always improving - although, as super good as I'm sure it is for us human beans - I don't think I will be aiming to eat 100% clean. Its a hard slog with three children and a limited budget. I am happy with where we are at and aiming for more healthy culinary experimentation this year...sorry family!! Of course, plenty of dessert too - you know how I love making new desserts!

6. Train And Run A Half Marathon
I trained - I was awesome! I got up to running about 20km - I was awesome! However, when I went to enter myself into the race I realised it was going to cost just over $100 to enter. Possibly I should have checked this before I started training...regardless it was too expensive for me at the time and I settled for being awesome in my training efforts. I was able to listen to entire General Conference sessions on my iPod running that far.....yes, I was awesome.



I think I will leave it on that, most awesome, point...my stomach is growling....and I don't know where all the children are.

Stay tuned for part two....

I tried 'ragging' my hair last year too - didn't work so well...I don't have a lot of hair!!

Tell me your yearly successes so I can humbly revel with you!!!

A Conversation About Conversations.....

Fun fact bout me, I love my local ABC radio station....more specifically I am seriously into the  "Conversations" with Richard Fidler program....

"On any given day Conversations with Richard Fidler might take you from a remote Chinese village, to inside the cockpit of a space shuttle, to a family home in the middle of a warzone, to a hospital on the side of an African volcano, to the mysteries of the human brain, or to the pitch of the MCG. Conversations with Richard Fidler is funny, provocative and often deeply moving."

Incredibly fascinating, you must check it out! I download the podcasts, and excellently I am currently listening to 'conversations from early 2010 - which means, I have 100's more get through....awwwwesome! :)

I quite often listen to them while I am doing the domestic goddess thing - cleaning, cooking, hanging out washing etc, but also while I run.....it feels amazing being intellectually stimulated/inspired at the same time as physically challenging my body (listening to General Conference talks is also most excellent on long runs)

Anyway I have found one of late particularly inspiring - a conversation with Elif Batuman, author of the books "The Possessed: Adventures With Russian Books And The People Who Read Them". This was particularly  interesting for me because, being part Russian (through my mum's side, her parents immigrated to Australia at the end of World War II), I have never read a Russian novel! Whaaat?! Even more shameful is that fact that I was named after a character in "War and Peace" and I have no idea what it is about or who wrote it. I did own a Dostoyevsky novel a few years, a nice hard cover version, but I again didn't read it and no longer have it! *sigh* 

SO....with three weeks to go until an epically long university holiday, I have set two goals for myself - One I will read no less than 5 Russian novels - starting with, of course, 'War and Peace'. Secondly, I want to start learning Russian again - I did one semester when I attended university the first time when I was 17...it was awesome, and hard and I hardly remember anything!....and as I sit here totally overwhelmed and inspired by all things Russian - I want to host a Russian Christmas (January 7th) at my house this year - yes!!! That means lots of Russian cooking and craft as well for the holidays - no, no - I am not obsessive at all!! Hahaha.....its going to be wonderful! :) 

Now I would like to slightly veer of topic for a moment, in Elif's conversation she also made reference to the fact that most Russians are not very smiley. (I was also inspired on the topic of genetic characteristics by this conversation with Joe Bageant) It got me wondering what parts of my character are genetically inherited from my Russian background.....hmmm anyway, its all rather interesting, genetic culture -I may delve into this more at another time.

Matryoshka Dolls.....
I want some for my birthday!!! :) I used to own a cute set, but my children loved them so  much when they were babies they destroyed them!

Cue my Russian obsession! :) 

Worth The Wait!.....

I have been wanting a herb garden forever....so a little while ago I got really definite about it and my awesome supportive husband went and bought me some coloured tubs, potting mix and seeds to get me started.

Admittedly the soil filled tubs sat outside for a few weeks before I actually did anything!

However, in my defense, I was doing research!....I wanted to get it right - and plus, I was super freaked out that they were not going to grow....that I would over water them, or not water them enough, or that I would plant the seeds too close together....bla bla bla.....slightly over dramatic, I know, but this was my first time growing anything and I would have been totally devastated.

So anyway....I decided to stop sitting around and just plant them already - the worse thing that could happen was that I would have to try again....right? The seeds were planted, I marked my calendar, and watered them nearly every day and night. (My awesome son took over watering duty this past week, he loves the responsibility!) By day 7 I was a little concerned - nothing was happening.....I reminded myself to be patient and I kept on....

AND around day 12....

They started growing!!

The first sight of green was soooo exciting!! :) I showed my kids, I showed my husband - I was super stoked!! Within a week every plant had started growing....it was working!!! I was/AM growing a herb garden!! Yay!!

I am feeling very awesome right about now! Thinking about planing some flowers next....:)

All About Me.....

Spending a lot of time in this room, in this chair lately....
my study space!

I have been hyper-aware of myself lately....I think its a combination of temple preparation classes, study deadlines, general conference and visiting teaching (I am a newbie!). More that ever I am aware of the fine balancing act that is required to keep on top of things and to stay spiritually focused.

I am slowly beginning to understand the necessity and the immense blessings available when adhering to the principles of the gospel with exactness. (ps. super loving the Visiting Teaching messages these last couple of months!! - I swear they were just for me! :) I just have to keep striving to live them....daily! This is where the balancing act comes in.....cause its rather hard, and requires constant vigilance (love your recent post This Girl Loves To Talk! exactly what I have been thinking about lately) .

Which leads to something else that I am learning - I will never be perfect. Not that that is new a revelation...but knowing that I will almost constantly require correction to varying degrees to keep myself on track....AND more importantly, realising that this is not failure! Tomorrow will always be a new day and it will be whatever I decide to make it.

So bring on going to the temple soon, the last four weeks of uni, crazy study, brilliant marks and just awesome life in general!!! :)

I Am Still Here!!!....

Its been ages, I know.

I think the semester holidays relaxed me so much that it was extremely hard getting back into the uni study/family combination. But, I am here, if only for a moment (studying for my final mid-semester exam tomorrow), and I wanted to give an update.

My life has been consumed with the usual family/study/dancing/cooking/cleaning - and although my head has been filled with 'blog thoughts' none actually made it on here. Sorry :) Michael and I had our 6 month anniversary a few weeks ago, we didn't do anything to celebrate (that I can remember!) but it was just nice to take a pause and bask the awesomeness of our life together.....I am so happy with him, it is all quite brilliant! I could go on, but I won't ;)

I have also been doing a little more dancing thanks to Raw Connection's 2 for 1 weekly class deal. Loved it! Although it really makes a different adding one extra night of dancing to my life - I was a little wrecked and not getting enough done - especially on the study front. So now I have had to take a couple of weeks break to study for these exams. I am definitely looking forward to dancing again next week though! :) Raw Con have also started up a half hour open DJ session before class - so for a week I was stuck in the late 90s, going through my CD collection and putting an old school R&B/rap playlist together. Super fun! This week I will be putting together some funky/smooth soul tracks for the gold coast class. I think some of this will go down nicely. :)

My Butt Lift challenge is still going - and its been great! I have increased my leg weights and my resistance band. (Is my butt higher? Looker nicer?? I think so, or at least Husband thinks it is! :) This past month has been off, however, due to busy life-ness....I am hoping my weight work at the gym will keep the strength up until I get back into it. It does feel great to set yourself goals and actually see results! Yay!

Speaking of goals, my goal for attending the temple this year is going well - even better than well, I didn't expect it to come about so fast. I admit, that freaked me out a little! (ok alot, it freaked me out alot!) I expected when I told Bishop I was feeling ready to get serious about my preparation it would be at least 3-4 months away. But no, he put me in the temple preparation class that was to start in a few weeks. I had my first lesson earlier this week. It was intense and brilliant! I have had a couple of challenges already just getting that started - the exciting thing is that challenges proceed blessings....I definitely have to keep reminding myself!

So yeah, that is some of me these past 6 weeks....gotta get back into more regular blogging after exams.

Bring.....It....OOOOON!!!!!.....

In our household my behind is affectionately called "jelly butt", and I regularly enjoy exclamations of "Its SOOOO squishy!" as my kids bust in on me in various stages of dressing or undressing....The youngest even goes as far as to have a favourite game where he comes up behind me and puts his head under my butt....and bounces!!! *sigh*.....

 If I didn't find it so amusing I would cry! :)

Although, as I have gotten older I have come to accept my body shape more and now view my ample derriere as some sort of personal trademark, instead of hating it.

Thank goodness!!

You may have noticed, from my blog posts or my frequent facebook updates ;),....that I love to workout, and I enjoy a good challenge. I am an active member of a couple of fitness FB groups and I have seen quite a bit of positive talk about the various BeachBody workout DVDs...and one in particular has taken my fancy.

Brazil Butt Lift.....(for obvious reasons of course!)

 I know...right? 
(ps. my aim is not to look like the photo)

I also have a tendency to get slightly obsessed with things - ie I will play an album/song/artist to death, or go on mad researching binges on particular topics. Therefore - I could not rest until I had this workout DVD. I couldn't find it in the stores and the US sites wouldn't ship it to Australia (without some serious shipping $$). I almost gave up, until Michael found it on a local 'ebay' type site being sold for $10 unopened!!....Score! 
  
I received it in the mail today.....arrrgh!! I am nervous! :)  For starters, its very confronting. As much as I have come to accept it, I am still quite sensitive about my body. So to have Michael over my shoulder pointing out what kind of butt I had was slightly offensive! I can talk about the size and 'density' (??) etc of it - BUT no one else can...I may just get a little snippy! 

Lets face it - the more you hate something the more you need to do it - and I really really don't like lower body exercises!! Give me push up challenges any day!(btw - I did 30 pushups yesterday...awesome! ;)

So....

The challenge begins here. *breathes into a paper bag*

This Is The Place.....

So after 3 days of of housing hunting with the three kids in rainy weather....I think we may just have found the perfect home for us!!

The main criteria we had were 3 bedrooms, a convertible internal access double garage (for Michael's daughter to have a pad, or family to visit) or an extra room, a yard for the kid to play in (and me to fantasise about having a vegetable garden) - and hopefully, tiles, wood or some other suitable flooring for Michael and I to practice dancing on.

The first day was really discouraging - all the houses were in tiny streets, with hardly any street parking, the houses were on top of each other, and the kids were driving me nuts! I only got to look in a few houses, with most of the day spent doing drive-bys, checking out the internet, and on the phone to  different real estate agents planning the next couple of days of house viewings.

I noticed something interesting as the day progressed....its not just the house, or the street that has the potential to sway my opinion - its the agent! If they are abrupt and don't seem to care about what we want or the quality/state of the house we are looking to rent - its a major turn off....but if they are super friendly, nice to my children, notice the things that I notice, listen to my needs - I will rent anything off them!

Day two turned out to be full of house viewings, and very rainy - but despite that I was in good spirits. I think it had a lot do with how prepared I was (kinda getting in the rhythm of it all), and I reckon a lot do with the amount of prayers we were sending up to help us in our quest (kids included - I love seeing their faith grow!). The third house we saw that day seemed to me to be a turning point....Michael had convinced me to have a look at complex houses, they are nicer/newer for the price compared to the houses we had been viewing. I hate complexes, but since the streets we had been finding houses on were so narrow anyway and complexes these days sometimes have small yards, I conceded. It was a four bedroom house, at the top of our price range, not ideal but still affordable. It was VERY nice, but had cream carpet everywhere - mind you, it was decent hard wearing carpet....nice house no big deal...

THEN.....the guys says "I wasn't going to show you number 5 because the owners were putting it on the market, but they called me this morning to tell me they wanted to rent it out - the yard is better, it has no deck and is $10 cheaper."

We walked inside and I swooned just a little - the guy apologised for the paint scheme and the few (minuscule) gaps in the floor boards....apologise for what!?....it was amazing! The owners had been living in the house and although it was very similar to the other house - they had pulled up the carpet and put in floor boards everywhere, and every room was a different bright colour! Yellow, pastel green, peachy red, blue with transfers on the walls for the boys. The kitchen was to die for, the rooms were huge, there was loads of cupboard space, we could dance, we could have Michael's family over, his daughter could live with us - it was perfect *sigh*....

Almost...

The yard was just a strip of grass all around the house, there wasn't a lot of parking space, nowhere for a garden.....'but there is a pool just across the road!' said the children. They were just as distracted as I was. Although it was in our price range we really needed to be saving as much money as we could so it really wasn't as perfect as it appeared....Oh, but it was so beautiful!

We filled out a bunch of applications together that night, and I sold Michael on how amazing the house was. Even when we read the complex's strict rules on noise and cleanliness it still seem great....I stewed on it all night, I didn't want to get the house and feel like we were living in a gilded prison....but I can't emphasise how tempting the appearance of it was.

Anyway...I called Michael at work the next morning and told him I wasn't going to lodge the application for the amazing house, it just didn't feel right. I would rather get a much cheaper house save our butts off so that 5-10 years down the line we can buy our own gorgeous house, and we can be free!.... For the kids to run wild if they choose, for me to be as clean or messy as I want and for me to play music as loud as legally permitted! :)

After that decision, the first house I looked at in the morning was possibly as perfect as we could get! It was $60 cheaper was on the main road (so no poky street), had a big fenced backyard (with an old hills hoist close line...yay!! I was so sick of looking at tiny ones attached to the house!), a verandah, a huged tiled room under the house with a toilet (perfect! for Michael's daughter to live with us, or as a chill/dance room, or anything!), three bedrooms, separate toilet, laundry downstairs in the double garage, bath/shower, a/c in the louge room, good size master bedroom and security screens.....One bedroom doesn't have a cupboard, no fans in the bedrooms, little kitchen, no built in pantry, living/dining area aren't very big....but I don't care!


So much potential to work with, I am queen of making do....admittedly thanks to my ex-husband! :) It has everything we need, and we can save money as well!!! And the real estate lady was really friendly....and when I dropped the application in to them, their business is run from a house, with only a couple of people and they were so nice to my kids....fingers crossed everything runs as smoothly as it has so far, and we continue to be blessed for our efforts and righteous desires.

I applied for two other houses as well that we would be happy to live in also. We will hopefully be moving in just over a week!!!

If we get this one.....house warming party!!!! :) :)

New Years Resolutioning....

I never specifically plan to make resolutions in the new year, but they just seem to happen.....fresh starts are so enticing and exciting!

I feel very blessed to have a lot of "new beginnings" in the next couple of months - new house, getting married, new university, new gym, going to back to work - change is definitely as good as a holiday! It was thinking about all these changes, and what wonderful opportunities they were (and an awesome Relief Society lesson - love my new ward!) that sparked my list of goals for the year.

This year I will have two focuses to center my goals around "Balance" and "Action" and this talk on "Keeping Lifes Demands In Balance" by M. Russell Ballard has been my inspiration - read it HERE - its awesome, I promise!

My 2011 goals:

1. Be prepared

2. Be early

3. Attend the temple

4. Nurture my families spirituality

5. Eat clean

6. Train and run a half marathon

7. Follow the "5 Laws of Gold" (in "The Richest Man In Babylon" - you HAVE to read this book! The simplest and best financial advice for getting out of debt and accumulating wealth....and so easy to read!)

8. Compete in the Australian Open West Coast Swing Dance Championships in October

9. Start a vegetable garden/food storage

10. Get a part time job in accounting 

11. Do well in my studies

12. Less Facebook....more more MORE blogging!

Looking forward to all the challenges, growth and success of the new year!!!

There Is No Going Back Now.....

Believe me I tried.....M said 'no' and that I needed to do this. Thank you for being awesome and not giving me a way out - and especially thank you for staying my friend...even if you did make me sit in the backseat! ;)

I have to admit I did have my own little miracle yesterday morning after balling (again) in the bathroom and feeling like I  really couldn't take it anymore -  I got a msg from a friend (its a little bit of a rare occurrence, so...wow)  who I had been wanting to catch up with for ages and was available to come and visit that day...exactly what I needed! Having a big talk and eating loads of brownies (me) really helped. Note: recipe for surviving the initial brutality of heart ache - brownies/chocolate, supportive friends and exercise, for endorphins (but also to counteract the brownies!), and a dash of distraction - thank goodness for children and their need to be looked after!

I definitely will not have letting go of such an amazing man (you have no idea!) be for nothing - so my focus for 2011, and starting from now, is to get to the temple. No looking back, no distractions - its on!

So...

I need a game plan - just general "say you prayers, read your scriptures" doesn't really cut it with me - I need specifics....Is there anything I can read/do that will be super helpful initially? I will discuss (and reconcile - since I have been kind of angry...oops) with Bishop, but any advice is most welcome....I cannot allow my life to linger on the fence any longer (try 10 years...ugh), its honestly excruciating!

This all may seem a little revealing (and rather bizarre to all my non latter day saint friends and family), but to me this is what blogging is all about - sharing and learning from each others experiences....warts and all!