New Years Resolutions

You know, it’s almost too depressing to even write down. Same thing every year ---- lose weight, exercise more, eat healthier, blah blah blah. It’s exhausting, repeating myself like this every year and then dragging around the weight of the guilt and shame of never actually doing it. What? What’s that you say? The weight of shame doesn’t actually WEIGH anything? So dragging it around *isn’t* technically exercise? Well, crap, no wonder I’m not losing anything --- I thought that counted as a cardio activity!

I also vow every New Years that I will try harder to be organized, not let clutter overtake my life, and not be so discouraged by the never-ending piles of laundry. Now that last one, I think I have a handle on this time. Although I was moaning and complaining about the expense of having to buy a brand-new washer and dryer two weeks before Christmas, I can say, after using them for a few weeks, that they are fabulous. I can wash loads twice as big, and dry them in half the time. Plus my utility room is nice sized in this house so I’m not hitting my head on the dryer door when I bend over or bumping my big fat rear against the washer whenever I turn around. In fact, next to my pantry, the utility room might be my favorite room in this house --- I’ll have to share pictures so you guys can truly know the depths of my goober-ness.

But back to the weight thing. As I was stuffing my face last week with all the chocolate and carb-y wonderfulness that is Christmas, I asked myself, “What can I do this year that will be different? That will encourage me to actually stick with a diet and exercise plan past the 2nd of January? That will motivate me to in fact GET ON the treadmill, instead of telling myself that since it’s upstairs, by the time I get up there I’ve already exercised enough?”

Oh, I don’t know. Maybe the fact that this past Sunday, I had to wear maternity pants to church. MATERNITY PANTS. And I’m NOT PREGNANT. I’ve just gained so much weight that none of my dress slacks fit me. All one pair of them, that is. Obviously, I haven’t gone shopping for church clothes in the past twenty pounds few years, and it’s time to either hit the mall, or the gym.

(sigh) You know which one I want to choose, don’t you? Is it that transparent?

In the meantime, I’ve dvr’d The Biggest Loser tonight. I’m going to go sit in the living room, watch tv, and eat all the leftover spice drops from our Gingerbread House Making Extravaganza this afternoon. Hey, if I eat *enough* spice drops, maybe I’ll eventually qualify as a contestant on the show ……

Seriously. I have no idea why I have a weight problem.

Happy New Year to you, too.

PS. I didn’t journal about it because I got completely freaking overwhelmed with the move and the house and the new school and the unpacking and good heavens I’m going to have a nervous breakdown busy with the holidays, but Blaine and I attended the TSO concert last Saturday. I love, love, love that band and normally play their music on my site the entire month of December. However, I think I must have let the domain name where I store my music expire because all of a sudden I can’t upload music or access the site anymore, and quite frankly, I’m so computer-challenged that to sit down and figure it out is more than I can undertake right now. But for a hysterical and VERY TRUE account of the concert, go here and scroll down to her Dec 21st entry. She is right on the money and I laughed the entire time I was reading it.

Now, where are those spice drops?

NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS, 2006

SUCCEED OR FAIL????

Day 18 OT

So, like everyone else, I’ve made my New Years Resolutions for this year, and once again, have vowed to lose the same twenty pounds I’ve been trying to lose since I was a teenager. (snort! I’ll never lose those twenty pounds unless I have them surgically removed!) Quite frankly, I’m too lazy to work for world peace, or save any whales or rain forests, so this year, I set my sights a little lower. I set goals that I thought might be “do-able” for me. I’ll detail them for you, with photo hints, and we can play a little game called “Succeed or Fail?”

Yesterday, Jan 1st, the bright, shining, optimistic NEW day to a NEW year, did Kristie succeed or fail already at her resolutions??? Let’s play:

Resolution #1: No more washing laundry, and then drying laundry, and then leaving the clothes either a) in the dryer for a week, or b) in laundry baskets in my bedroom, waiting to be folded. I am really, really bad about this. So, did I succeed or fail?




Well, since this was the view from my bed late last night, three baskets of clean laundry that needed to be folded and put away, obviously Resolution #1 was a big fat FAILURE already. It’s always so sad to be off to such a dismal start, isn’t it?

Resolution #2: Eat healthier. I officially give up on the twenty pounds, but really, would it kill me to lay off the snack food and soda? So, the first day of the first month of the new year, did I succeed or fail?



Well, this is the bag sitting beside my computer late last night …. So you can pretty much guess for yourself. (But honestly, was it a big surprise to anyone???)

Resolution #3: Get more exercise. Ha! Who am I kidding????



(Ahhhh, wiping the mirth from my eyes and giggling …..) This is what my treadmill looks like, and this is most likely what it will always look like. Let’s just be truthful about it. A little honesty never hurt anyone. But a treadmill ... now, THAT can hurt you! Muscle pulls, ligament aches, ankle pains, groin strains ..... no wonder I don't use it, it's dangerous!

Resolution #4: Don’t lose my patience as much with my kids. Don’t yell. At least not as often. Find creative, inventive ways to solve arguments and problems. Be the kind of nurturing, smiling, happy mother you see in the magazines.

Well, ***this*** didn’t go so well. I made it until 9:42 am without yelling, which really isn’t so good considering I didn’t get up until 8:42 am. All three kids were in time-out before noon, Brayden and Kendrie were put to bed at 7pm as punishment last night, and before falling asleep, Brayden managed to yell at me, “I don’t even know why you HAD kids!” Now, if that’s not a loving family, I don’t know what is.

So, this morning, I awoke determined to right my wrongs from yesterday. By noon I had folded and put away all three loads of laundry, cleaned off the treadmill (although I still haven’t actually walked on it yet) and worked much harder to keep my kids happy. I had hoped they could go outside and burn off some energy today, but it is raining here (thunder and lightning and everything) so instead, I played eight games of Boggle, innumerous games of Toss-Across, and let the kids color Easter Eggs with some coloring kits I found in the back of my closet while putting away the Christmas decorations.






Don’t adjust your monitors, yes, it’s January 2nd, and yes, we’re coloring Easter Eggs. Then, I cooked lunch (well, that’s a generous description for heating up Bagel Bites) and hooked up the dvd player so the girls could watch a movie in Brayden’s bedroom. So far, so good.

But, I must confess, I ate at least ten Hershey kisses while typing this, and it’s only 1pm. So the potential for total resolution failure is definitely there. Don’t pass me that parenting trophy just yet.

In the meantime, hope your own resolutions are holding strong. :)

Kristie
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MOMENT OF THE DAY:

Last night, while both girls were *supposed* to be in bed already, you know, what with the punishment and all, I was in my bedroom reading when I heard all kinds of giggling. They came in my room with orders to “Close your eyes, Mom, we have a surprise.” So, dutifully, I closed my eyes. Kendrie said, “OK, open them” and I did, to the disgusting sight of a FROG being held not two inches from my face. You can imagine the scene that unfolded, flailing limbs, bedclothes flying, screaming, and me trying to get to the other side of the room as quickly as possible.

Kendrie had very few limitations during her treatment, but one of the biggies was NO reptiles of any kind … frogs, turtles, lizards, etc, because they can carry salmonella and her immune system might have had problems. So for the past two years she has not been allowed to touch any of those things, much to her great disappointment. Apparently when Blaine saw one on our back deck last night he called them out there and well, the temptation was just too great.

All I have to say, is yuck. I SO could have done without that.

New Years Day 2005

(348 Days to Go)

New Years Day --- a New Year, a Fresh Beginning, a Bright Start, the Launch of an Unsullied Time …..awww, who am I kidding? I’m going to be trying to lose those same 20 pounds and doing the same old laundry as always. But today certainly *seems* optimistic, doesn’t it?

Thanks to all of you who checked in on us during the holidays. I certainly hope you all had a wonderful time, no matter how you chose to spend them. (It would be un P.C. of me to actually come right out and say the words, but at the risk of offending anyone …… Hope your CHRISTMAS was MERRY!!!)

We had a really nice time with our family and friends in Oklahoma and Texas and actually survived the all-night drive in both directions without any major meltdowns (mine *or* the kids). For the record, though, just in case it helps anyone in the future, there is apparently not one single McDonalds with an indoor play-place anywhere in the entire state of Alabama. We only know this because we were driving through Alabama, at dinner time, with whiny, cooped-up kids, in the rain. Somehow, letting them run through the parking lot at the Pilot gas station wasn't quite the same thing.

Otherwise, though, no mishaps. The kids loved spending time with their cousins and were completely bummed to leave. Here is a picture of all of them clowning around one night at a walk-through Christmas light display that we try to attend every year when we are home:



Yeah, you should see the looks my sister and I get when we go places with this motley crew. They are fun, though! Usually. When they're not fighting or throwing mud on one another.

As far as the holiday itself, everything there was fine, too, although the lesson we learned this year was to request that in the future, our kids not be given **ANYTHING** that has more than one single piece to it. Not so much Kellen and Kendrie, but Brayden was like a tornado on Christmas morning, not only opening the gift, but also opening up whatever *was* the gift in a span of seconds. We looked away for only brief moment and suddenly she had her new Digi-Draw, new Scrapbook kit, new Grow-A-Frog kit and new make-up kit all opened and scattered everywhere, amid the bows and boxes and bags. When there are seven kids between the ages of 2 and 9 all ripping frantically into their presents, lets just say my anal-control-freak personality gets a little wound up. (For the record, the damage to the Grow-A-Frog was unsalvageable …. Those poor tadpoles never stood a chance.)


The calm before the storm. :)

Anyway, despite the chaos, or perhaps *because* of it, we had a great holiday, and hope you all did, too. Now we face forward, ready to get this New Year started. Not that I’m wishing our life away (ok, maybe just a little) but I am so hopeful that at this time, NEXT year, I am writing about our new life WITHOUT CHEMO. Like the line above says, only 348 days to go!

Speaking of chemo, we are driving up to Atlanta on Monday for Kendrie’s monthly appointment. The kids will still be out of school, so it should be fun with all of them along for the ride. (I’m actually not being toooooo sarcastic …. They got new movies for Christmas so thanks to the genius that invented the portable DVD player, the ride up and back should go smoothly.) She's had a cough for a few days (running around that stupid parking lot last night probably didn't help much, do you think?) Also, wish us luck that her counts are good. Actually, wish us luck that her counts have come *down* a little. They’ve been high ever since she started long-term maintenance in August and in the back of my head I have the worry that the chemo isn’t strong enough. Silly, perhaps, but what would I do if I wasn’t worrying?

Well, darn it, I already broke New Years Resolution #2 with that sentence. Here is my list in its entirety:

NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS, 2005

1. Skip more. (See journal entry of Dec 4th, 2004)

2. Worry less. (See journal entry of Dec 12th, 2004)

3. Lose 20 pounds. (Do you realize that I’ve had the same resolution for the past twenty-five years and have never lost a pound? In fact, at this rate, I should weigh NEGATIVE 400 pounds or so!)

4. Don’t wait until 10 pm on Jan 1st to come up with lame list of resolutions.

That about sums it up. If you guys have any suggestions for resolutions, maybe I could just piggy back onto yours ….. then I wouldn’t feel so un-ambitious!

Enjoy what is left of the holiday weekend and I’ll check back in after the appointment on Monday,
Love,
Kristie
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KENDRIE’S PERSPECTIVE:

WORST PART ABOUT HAVING CANCER TODAY:

Well, I sort of was goofing around during dinner and didn’t eat much and now I’m really hungry but my mom won’t let me have anything to eat until at least an hour after my chemo …. All these silly food rules are putting a damper on my ability to put away the last of the Christmas candy before Brayden and Kellen get to it!

BEST PART ABOUT HAVING CANCER TODAY:

I got some of the COOLEST Christmas stuff from people that my mom has met online! I know, I know, it’s not about the gifts ….. well, yeah, when you’re five, it IS about the gifts! My mom wants to take some photos before I can tell you about them but they were waaaaaaaaaayyyyyyy better than the lame Grow-A-Frog thing that Santa brought!