New Years' Resolution Updates

In the beginning of the year I listed 4 resolutions. I just wanted to take a chance to check in on our progress. 1. Be good stewards of our money.

So far this year we have established a very detailed budget. We now are fully aware and track what our money is spent on, as well as how much is going towards debt.

We set a goal to be $30,000 less in debt by the end of the year. So far we are more than half way to our goal! We applied our entire tax refund on bills and are "snowballing" the rest. It was so nice to see some zero balances!

2. Focus time and finances on the house.

We have sold our travel trailer so that we can use that income on our current debt. We also will be able to spend more time on our house projects rather than traveling up north.

With my bonus from my work, we have purchased a new couch and table and chairs. We also are looking into countertops. These were items we really needed, but pushed off to the side for a few years.

Lastly we bought the materials to build a raised garden bed. We are really excited to get the kids involved in a garden and grow our own produce this summer. Oh, and David and Eli got some chickens....apparently we are trying farming again.... :) 3. Be Healthy!

My weightloss challenges are over, and I'm happy to report I won one of them! In the last 12 weeks I have lost over 8% of my body weight! I also finished the Irish Jig 5k in 30:16 which is a personal record! I am very excited with my results. Currently I am working through Jillian Michaels 30 day Fat Shred. I am two days in so far and VERY sore!

4. Be Organized. Well, this is an area I still need to work on. Physical Organization- We have been working on organizing our home. I did the mom 2 mom sale and got rid of a LOT of baby things we had been storing. So we are really getting somewhere physically. However- Mentally I have some work to do. I need to start using the calendar on my phone to keep track of upcoming events. I sort of signed up for a race only to remember later that night it is the same day as my brother's graduation...oops! So in the next 9 months I hope to continue improving in this area.

Weigh In #8

Well today is the eighth weigh in for both of my weight loss challenges! I cannot believe we are nearing the end of our 12 week challenge. To date I am down 5. 43%! That is a great start, but I am hoping to lose another 5lbs before the challenge ends.

The work out room at my work is not available while we remodel...so I need to make time to workout before or after work. My goal this week is to fit in 5 workouts this week.

Big Events!

Okay- I know I am slacking with my blog- but I have been very busy! Let me just share what I have planned for this spring.

1. My work has started a running club! We are going to do the Grand Rapids Triple Crown- which is three separate 5ks. The first one is the Irish Jig on March 19! I am so excited and am hoping to come in under 33 minutes. Wish me luck

2. I have signed up for a run/walkathon to raise money for Of One Heart. Of One Heart is a non profit organization that assists local families with children who were born with facial deformities such as cleft lips and palates. They provide assistance with oral surgery, orthodontia, counseling services, and speech therapy. The event is April 23rd at the Grandville High School track. I would love for you to join me in 5 hours of running/walking or you if you able to support the cause with a donation that would be AWESOME!

Week Four

Okay confession- Week three was not as disciplined as the first two weeks. I gained one pound...Well I have put that in the past and am working on a great week 4! I got 3.25miles in today! I am focusing on drinking more water and getting my exercise in.

I need to keep remembering how great it feels to see the number drop on the scale, and my clothes fitting better and better. That feeling is SO much better than the taste of food. Food is for energy not for entertainment. I need to savor my meals more and spend the time inbetween meals drinking water.

Let's hope for a great weigh in on Wednesday!!

Weigh in #1

Well today was the first weigh in for both of my weight loss challenges! I am happy to report I lost 3lbs this week! I was happy with that number, because I know some of the difference is muscle gain. I can see the muscles define in my legs, arms, and abs already. I cannot wait to see the changes after 12 weeks. This past week has kept me very busy. I have been working out twice a day almost every day. For this weight loss challenge I am going to keep things interesting by changing up my daily routine. This week I did the stationary bike and the elliptical along with my running. It was a lot of fun!

Me by the numbers:
Current weight: 166lbs
Weekly Mileage: TBD (I left my running log at work!)

Welcome 2011!

Happy New Year Everyone! I am soo excited to discover what 2011 is going to bring. This past year has been full of trials and blessings, and I feel like 2011 is a fresh start just waiting for us to makes some changes. David and I have set a few resolutions that are going to be challenging.

#1. Be good stewards of our money. To accomplish this, we are setting a new budget and going to the cash/envelope system. This change is going to be very difficult for us, however will be VERY worth it.

#2. We hope to focus our time and finances on the house. Our goal this year is to finish the projects we have started (remodel of the bathroom, laundry room, and finish the trim in the living room) and Lord willing we will be able to replace the rest of the windows and MAYBE reside the house. Woah, long list...we will see how well that cash system works for us! :)

#3. Be Healthy! I am going to focus on being active this year, and get atleast 2 races in. I am going to try to run in the mornings before everyone gets out of bed, and maybe at lunch if I can get to work on time to take an hour lunch! Both David and I are going to focus on eating healthy and more meals at home. I also signed up for a weight loss challenge to hold me accountable. I am starting the year at 167.5lbs... I will NOT be that weight at the end of the year.

#4. Last but not least- be ORGANIZED! Between working full time, school full time, and 2 kids I need to be more organized to keep up with life. I have placed a calendar on my fridge to track dates and we are setting up an office space for me to keep our paperwork and finances organized. A huge garage sale will be held this spring to help us declutter the things we no longer need.

Well here is to 2011! A year of change!

AHHHHH! Weigh in is Approaching

Only one more day before the first weigh in on Wednesday. I am feeling pretty good about it. My beginning weight for the challenge was 175. When I weighed in a few days ago I was at 172.5....so that's not too bad if that's the number my scale shows on Wednesday. I cannot believe the competition in this challenge! I am a VERY competitive person....and I HATE losing. So- game on! I can't wait to spend my winnings. :)



By the Numbers:

Current Weight: ?
Weekly Mileage: 2.08 miles