So a few weeks ago, I declared that I was going to make some changes. Some healthy changes. Eat healthier, stop drinking soda, exercise more. Here's an update on breaking up with old habits and the new habits I am trying to start.
Eating. My eating has gone up and down. I use the calorie counter and it helps, but sometimes it is hard to remember to enter everything or find what I am looking for in the searches. But, I am finding that even if it is a "close enough" search to what I have been eating, it makes me much more aware of how much and what I am consuming.
Moving into our house has made eating healthy much more difficult. When your trips to the grocery store become few and far between, it makes keeping fresh ingredients at home difficult. I am glad we are getting settled in and will be able to unpack all our cooking stuff so I can start making meals at home. Pizza and hot dogs for several days in a row are not exactly part of my eating-healthy plan. But, I have been able to make a couple quick trips to the store to get some fruit and salad stuff so I am making it happen the best I can in the interim.
One of my biggest things I am trying to work on is not to give up on this goal. It is discouraging when you can't eat healthy because of time constraints or because you don't want to overbuy right before/during/after a move while you are getting settled. It is so much easier to eat out or get something quick, like pizza. So, I am trying to keep a mindset of not getting frustrated. It is ok and it is only for a time. I am trying to monitor my portions, but if my current meal isn't ideal, don't worry, and don't fall off the bandwagon. You got this. I will try again the next time. I find that if I can't do something fully and completely, I tend to push it to the wayside. So I am working on that.
Soda Drinking. It is funny because I used to not be a big soda drinker at all. Times change, but I am doing pretty well with it. I have had some soda, especially with moving, etc., but kinda like with my eating, I am not going to fret over a soda I may have. Because I haven't been eating as healthy and the stress of moving and still going to work every day, my stomach has been giving me issues. Sometimes, you just need to drink a soda. Sugar and carbonation can help sometimes. So, what I decided was I should try and not have soda as much as possible, but if I am really craving one or am feeling not-to-great, try to just have 1 soda for the week. This goes back to the don't-fret-and-don't-fall-off-the-bandwagon mantra. Just have to keep plugging along and do the best you can.
Exercising. Packing boxes. Moving boxes. Unpacking boxes. This totally classifies as a workout. So the gym can wait. :)
So there's the low-down and update of my big declarations. I haven't found the scale yet in unpacking, so I guess that's probably a good thing for now.
:)
Here is to breaking up with old habits and keeping up with your new goals and sticking with them...but not fretting if you slip up now and then!
I want you to remember today. This moment. This last night. You have been working so hard to get this degree finished, and you are here. You have made it. You just have one presentation left, and you have your Master's degree...GO YOU!
Future Self, I want you to remember what this feels like. The excitement, the anticipation, the I-CAN'T-BELIEVE-I-MADE-IT feeling. It has been a hard couple years. There has been less sleep, more stress, lots of reading and writing, too much snacking (which in turn lead to gaining the grad school 15...yeah don't be fooled...it is not limited to college freshmen...UNFORTUNATELY!), and not enough exercising. But, it is worth it! You made it. You got through working full time, starting to date your now-husband, got married, had a mini-moon (our short honeymoon because of being in the middle of the semester), and many fun events having to be turned down because I had homework to do. No more turning down working out, or going out with friends, or watching a moving with the hubs. I get to be a normal adult! Well, let's be honest. Normal will never be a word that accurately describes me, but I can at least attempt to be normal:)
I can't believe I made it and I now need to do a round of thanks...picture it like at the grammy's or another award show, except I am sitting at home, in PJ's and the audience I currently have is my dog watching to see if I drop a morsel of a snack to him. But I really am grateful for all the support my friends and family have given me during this time. SO here it goes:
First.....KGK...well, you rock! You met me just a couple weeks before I started this graduate school journey and you have been with me through it all. You have only known me to be a grad student. I am excited to show you who I am without homework and other school stuff to do. I can't wait to have more time for us. I am glad I can now pull my own weight when it comes to normal life stuff like cleaning and errands. During this whole process, you would walk the dog, do errands or chores, or just sit there and tell me I could do it when I needed to hear it most. You are the most supportive person I have ever met, and I am so grateful for you. :)
And to my friends...thank you for not giving up on me with all my "I can't hang out" or cutting fun short because I had to do more homework. Thanks for still being my friend even though I was so busy and I didn't give you a lot of my time. Well now, I have more time! Let's celebrate! :) Beer? wings? let's make it happen.
And to my family, y'all have been awesome. Listening to my rants and raves, and ups and downs about my various classes, scheduling issues, and whatever else it was at the time. You listened. I talked. and talked. But you still listened. You had no idea what I was talking about, but you still listened. So thank you for that! :)
So future self, as life gets busy with other things, because we know it will, just remember this moment just before the finish. Remember how it feels to have 2+ years of late evenings, lots of papers and group projects, and all that hard work paying off. And remember that you didn't do it without the support of your family and friends. They made it happen as much as you did sitting doing those assignments....
So basically....
CONGRATS Y'ALL. We made it!
:)
I'm off to do my last presentation of grad school...here goes nothing EVERYTHING! :)
For the past several days, I have been basking in a lesser homework load. However, that lighter workload couldn't have come at a better time as work got kinda crazy all at once. So having a little less to work in the evenings after some very busy days has been great.
Valentine's Day was a nice, simple day for us. We ordered food and brought it home and watched a movie. I don't watch many movies while in school, so sitting a being able to watch one was fantastic. Nothing too extravagant, but it was just perfect. I had my husband-valentine and my pup-valentine...I am one blessed and happy lady:)
Other than that, things are just plugging along. Amazing how life's days are so filled yet there seems to be little going on, all at the same time. But I am trying to treasure these days of just normal busyness because as we all know, crazy happens so quickly. So I am trying to enjoy the feeling of "what do I do" because I am so used to having a to-do list that is so long I don't know where to start.
Well, I guess cleaning should be happening, since that is an ever-present need that always is on the list. Maybe I'll start on that...maybe :)
Here is my stream flooding of consciousness, in an effort to give my brain a break at thinking. It is amazing how simply writing things down makes it feel like it is no longer swirling aimlessly in my brain but has a place, a definitive space in my life and gives me comfort to know I have recognized that thought and it is no longer clouding my brain and my thinking.
Working Out. My stinkin' knee lately has given me trouble for a couple weeks! boo.... I love going to the high aerobic type classes at the gym, but with a recent knee twist, it has set me back in my work out patterns. In hopes of getting back into the work our groove, I tried a class last week. Not a good idea. My knee was still giving me trouble apparently. So this week, I am being lazy filling my time with other things I needs to be doing, and not hitting up the gym. The knee is much better, but still needs to be rested a bit to ensure it is all better. Then, I am back at it!! :)
Eating Healthy. Trying...but so much easier to each unhealthy foods sometimes. Keep on keepin' on...
Homework. Where to begin. This semester is kicking my butt with group projects, my individual projects and trying to do a book review. My planner is my best friend lately, and I STILL feel like I am missing stuff. No laziness allowed this semester, that's for sure! While it is not allowed, it still happens. Enjoying those bits of lazy times and enjoying it while it lasts:) I just keep thinking of May and all the glory that comes with being DONE.
Life in general. Life is great! :) I feel like every moment is taken up with doing something, but let's face it, if I weren't busy with work, school and all the normal life stuff, I'd most definitely be looking to fill my time with something. I am a glutton for busyness...my mother will attest to this and me being a very active, into everything type of child. Thanks Mom for putting up with me:)
Weather blues. PICK A TEMPERATURE... preferably warm:)
Thanks for listening to the rants and ramblings of one head-spinning-with-busyness chick.
Every have one of those days where you are completely overwhelmed and have so much on your to-do list that you just do nothing. Nothing. I mean, your list is screaming at your for attention, yet you sit on the couch, watch TV and eat like crap, when you know you should be up and moving and getting stuff done. You even have conversations about how you need to get so much done, yet you still sit there despite your best efforts to pump yourself up. Instead, you watch 3 movies in a row and neglect grocery shopping, cleaning and all other things you need to get done on those precious 48 hours we have of our own called, the weekend. Yeah, that was yesterday. I sat on the couch ALL DAY. I think there is a permanent mold of where I was lounging. Well, I lie. I did shift from one couch to the other as the evening went on. Then fell asleep on the couch until 2 am when I finally made it back to the bedroom. OH Yeah, productivity at its best:)
But I will say, sometimes you need to have those days. You get yourself so worked up and worried about all that needs to get done that you don't actually have any energy left to do those things. So Sunday, was my day of rest. I did some homework in the morning, but I did NOTHING the rest of the day. I didn't realize how much I needed it. I think I would have gone crazy crazier if I didn't just do nothing. It was so nice.
So now, I am refreshed. My task list doesn't seem as daunting as it did just 36 hours before. I am ready to tackle it now. I am ready to do all those things that I set aside for some much needed rest and laziness.
So here is to revitalized energy and going full force into my to-do list....
And here is to you too...because we all know everyone's lives are crazy at times....go you. :)
So we are on the home stretch of wedding planning, KGK and I! We are putting all the final touches to all things pre-wedding and pre-family arriving into town! :) We are so unbelievably excited!! :)
almost there!
So here's a few things that I want to remember when I look back on the last days/week before our wedding:
***
~I am nervous. Not about getting hitched, but about all the details. We are planners so that helps, but man! It still makes ya nervous. :)
~I have been doing really well with working out and plan to keep that up for the last little while before the wedding. I really enjoy water aerobics, cycling classes, core/abs classes and walking Buddy. I know he likes it when I decide to stay home and walk him instead of hitting the gym!
~I'm getting all my homework done and some from the week of and after the wedding. Staying on top of homework is one thing, but getting ahead...UGH! But I am doing it! Trying to stay positive! :)
~Have a few last minute things to buy, but other than that, all my accessories and dress stuff is taken care of for the most part. PHEW! That's always a big relief!
~Gettin' my tan on! Trying to have a little color so I'm not the stark white chick in the stark white dress;) So just getting a little rays to give me a good ole fashion glow.
~One of my good friends gets married just before us!! We are very excited to see them get married too! :)
~In honor of cooler temps and fall, I have a crock pot full of homemade chili waiting for us for dinner tonight. YUM!
***
So there you have it. Just a few things going on the last stretch before the BIG DAY! Buddy, you are gonna officially have a Daddy! ;)
As our lives are constantly in flux, we all have our ways of finding the light in the midst of all the crazy. I have many friends with young kids now and I just don't know how they get everything done in a day. Even other friends without kids, have their own set of crazy, and I still have no idea how they get so many things done in a day. Because let's face it, we all have crazy. It just comes in different forms.
For some of us, finding the light while all the crazy is buzzing around us can be overwhelming, tiring, and having feelings of not being able to catch up.
It is amazing how the grass is always greener can be so in the forefront of our minds when the crazy is upon us. Sometimes we are able to look past it and see our own green grass and other times it is so hard to stop drooling over another's greener pastures.
We all need encouragement and help in times of crazy. We just do. We need each other. I remember being in college and thinking, "Man, when I graduate and have a 'real' job, I will have so much more time. After 5, my time is my own. No homework. No obligations until the next morning."
Cue the laughter now!
Then, as I get the 'real' job, I think, man, I wish I had someone to share all this time with. Then, you find your One, and you suddenly have other things filling your time. Good things. But still things.
With all that is looming on my to-do, I fall into this sense of wanting more time. More time to get things done. I need like 1 week to get caught up on life. But let's face it, I would find other things to do than the productive things, right?!
Well, last night was a productive night. I didn't tackle much on my to-do, but I had a great sense of accomplishment by the time I went to bed. I went to 2 classes at the gym and was energized! I got group work done for class, FINALLY washed the new silverware we got from one of our showers, did reading for class, worked around the apartment, etc. etc. etc. And still got a good night sleep. It feels so good to have those bouts of energy and get caught up. Makes you feel like you can take on the world, doesn't it?!
This weekend, I am hoping to carry these feelings of determination and energy. I still have a few things I need to get done and out of the way before the BIG DAY:) So time to get those checked off the list.
I try to remind myself in those times where I feel like other people are able to get so much more accomplished than I do, or they seem to have more hours in the day than I get, I just try and remember that we all get the same 24 hours and we need to utilize what we have of it. Sometimes you need to lay on the couch and watch tv. And that's cool. You gotta do that sometimes. And other times, we need to get up and get moving. Sulking won't get the dishes done, but forcing yourself to tackle one project will feel better than if you don't do any at all. JUST.KEEP.SWIMMING.CLEANING. :)
So cheer's to the freakin' weekend y'all! :) Where our time is our own! :)
So if you read my post about remembering this time of my life in lieu of a letter to my Future Self, then Future Self, I am happy to report that we have checked off a GREAT DEAL from our wedding to-do list and I am feeling SO MUCH BETTER :)
But let's back things up a little...
Last week, I was going crazy. Not literally, because let's face it, I am already there. ;) I was just overwhelmed by all that was going on. So, I sat down and made my good ole fashioned list of all that was in my brain, all jumbled around and in need of escape. So this list....I wrote down all that needed to be done and actually got quite a bit checked off! KGK and I worked like madman and madwoman to get a large chunk of our to-do done. And we did! Here's the low-down (another list, you say?! I love it. It is a sickness, really). :)
1. We finalized our food/menu and some of the logistics of how that would go.
2. We finalized our hotel stuff for our guests (made sure the right amount of rooms were still set aside). 3. We made both my bouquet and my maid of honor's bouquet. 4. We created our photographer and videographer checklists. 5. I started transposing the design of our programs onto its finalized draft with color. 6. KGK started the insides of the programs and what it would say and how it would be formatted. 7. We created our schedules for the entire weekend basically and made the Wedding Day schedule. 8. I purchased stuff for our friend who is making the cake. 9. Did I mention this is a DIY wedding? YHL..you would be so proud:)
We may have done a couple other things too, but they are slipping my mind. Not bad!
I am starting to feel a lot better about the next few weeks now. While I still have homework (oh, yeah I had homework to do this weekend too! haha), I feel like a huge weight is lifted because of how much we accomplished this weekend. Always feels so good when you can check stuff off your list.
Should KGK be worries with how much love I have for lists?? I like to think it is one of the reasons why he loves me:) I will live in ignorance:)
Enjoying some cooler temperature...does this mean I can get all fall decorations out now? I think orange is moving up into one of the favorite colors category.
Remember: Life will always seem crazy. We usually fill our 24 hours of the day with a lot of busyness. Sometimes it is TV watching, homework, working out, or hanging out with friends. ETC. ETC. ETC.
Cup number 2 of the day
I know that these very busy days we have been having lately (and have scheduled to happen in the next several weeks as we lead up to our wedding), and they need to be treasured. So here are some things that I want you remember when life is so different several years and decades from now. [like...Do you still run on coffee as much as I do right now??] So here is your life as an engaged girl in the last month of preparing for your wedding:
Soon-to-be ~ AMK
~Name Change. This is the last month that I will still be technically single. I will have this last name for only 1 month more, then I will have a new last name and be known to people only by that name. People who have known me forever will know me as AMM to AMK. But people I will meet after our wedding day, will know me only as AMK. That is so crazy to me, but also so exciting! (Future self, how is it to be AMK? Do you ever accidentally sign your old name even though it has been changed for years now??). I wonder these things:)
So very tired...
~Sleep. I am a person that needs a lot of sleep. Like, 9 hours a night. (You are probably laughing at me future self!!) Otherwise, a lot of my stomach issues start to act up and can cause me to have several weeks or months of issues. Therefore, sleeping is a wonderful thing for me so I can tackle my days fully and completely. I don't understand how some people can operate on 5-6 hours a sleep a night and be ok. Now, I don't always get my 9 hours that I like because let's face it, life doesn't work like that. So I try to do what I can to get as much as possible because I feel so much better when I do. But right now? Not happening. After work, I have just a few precious hours before I start to do the head-bobbing, crash on the couch until the TV wakes me up, bit. So after work, I try to fit in a workout, do homework, cook something for dinner, and do wedding preparations. That's a lot for just a few hours before bed. Oh yeah, and laundry or cleaning. HAHA, yeah, that doesn't always happen. ;)
Having a beer with homework? Don't mind if I do! ;)
~Homework. I LOVE school. The deadlines, the task lists, and the ability to further myself. Right now, I am trying to get ahead on my work so I won't have to do anything while family is in town for the wedding and I am NOT logging in during my honeymoon...NO WAY. :) But it takes a toll and doesn't allow much times for breaks. But I have a weekly checklist of all I need to do for that week and then the start of readings for the next week too. Trying to get ahead! :) It feels good when you actually do get ahead!
~Cleaning. Let's face it. This goes to the wayside (as mentioned above). I do my best to keep up, but it is just so tough. Fortunately, I have an awesome fiance that picks up behind me as I leave a trail through the apartment. :) He is an enormous help and I am so grateful for that.
Caught 3 fish but put them all back...they were too small to keep. But it was SO FUN!
~Social Engagements. KGK and I went fishing this past weekend, and it was just what I needed! Some fresh air and a break from all the craziness. I love that boy:) In addition to outdoor adventures, going out to eat with friends is one of my favorite things to do (and I have the waistline to prove it, unfortunately---hence the working out point that's next...hehe). I love going out and being with the people that make you happy and you have a good time with. I also enjoy that a lot of our friends have kids now. It has added such a fun dimension to our friendships and the types of gatherings we have now. A dinner filled with laughter now has the additional shrieks and laughter of little ones. And we used to talk about what we wanted to do with our lives, now its what they will do with theirs. I love it.
~Working Out. My goal this school year has been to incorporate more working out than I did in my first year. It is hard when you work full-time, are planning a wedding, have homework galore, and still have normal life stuff to get done (ie. cooking, cleaning, sleep, laundry, grocery shopping, etc.).--we all have our own crazy version of this list--- But, I know that physical health gives you such a boost to your mental and emotional health too. And it doesn't hurt to make up for those "out-to-eat calories" I mentioned earlier :)
These are the things on the top of my list that I think about on a daily basis, future self. The things that consume my thoughts when I am not allocating my brain resources elsewhere. I find that to get through the times where so many thoughts are swirling, I need to make a good old fashioned LIST. It is like an escape for my brain. If I write it down, I can make room for another thought in my head instead of trying to cram it all in there and the fear of forgetting something.
So today is list-making day...to plan for the next month of my life. It will have things crossed off quickly and other things will be added. But, at least it will help with my sanity:) We gotta do what we gotta do! :)
So, future self, what's going on? How's my life going? Is it time to make a list to get through this crazy time?
Here's the run-down of life lately: My grad classes started back up, I have worked out several times, had the stomach bug, celebrated our friend Megan's birthday, played some baseball at a local field while Buddy ran around and barked at anything that went by, saw the Hunger Games for the second time, attended 3 showers, and had a busy work week last week and into this week on top of that!
Over the weekend, I took Buddy on a hike. It felt so great to be back on the trails. With all the crazy going on, I am not out as much as I would like. So it was a spectacular day to hike.
I also had 3 showers this past weekend! THREE! Two on Saturday and one Sunday. One was a bridal shower for my friend Can-dance (real name: Candace, but Can-dance is so much more fun to say:)), the other was a baby shower for our friends Kristin and Brian at church who are having a little girl in September, and then on Sunday, a few of my AWESOME friends threw a shower for me. It was the BEST time. I appreciate all the wonderful ladies who were able to come out. Everything was perfect down to the smallest details. I have been beaming with happiness ever since:)
In addition to the hiking and showering of love and gifts, I had an oddly insane amount of homework for it being the first week of class. But 5 chapters later, 4 discussion boards, and other activities done, I went to bed a little late, but got it all set and done on time.
Now, my goals for the rest of this week are to continue to work out and be motivated! I also have a few recipes I am hoping to tackle.
WOW...life is busy. I LOVE IT. But Fridays arriving are one of the best feelings in the world. Work is busy. Wedding planning is busy. Birthday season has arrived for several of our close friends and family...and for Kyle too! Things are good. Things are crazy. But they are good.
One of the things I find most helpful during these crazy days is to have a schedule or a list, even on days off. If it says on my schedule that I need to take an hour break to go to the pool, I feel so much better than if I didn't have that penciled in. I told you from our first meeting that I loved a schedule, list or any form of organization. Now, if only I could have that filter into other areas of my life...like keeping up with my growing pile of laundry to fold or picking up clutter. HHmmmmm.... :)
