2017 Goals: How's it going so far?

In late January, I wrote a list of goals for 2017 and I started planning how I was going to reach this goal.  It's about a month since then, so let's check in with all the goals and see how I'm going...

This Year, 2017, I will…

Quit… eating because I’m bored, sad, angry, frustrated or confused.

I am doing very well with this one.  I did slip up twice.  Considering how many times I have one of the feelings listed above or similar emotions that make me want to hide in an endorphin fuelled cave of avoidance, only two slip ups is a huge victory.  I haven't conquered the emotional eating mountain... but I'm on track.   

Eat…   three balanced meals and two snacks at least 6 days a week. 

I am getting there on this one.  I am not snacking, except the days that I am at school and I need to have something quick to get me through until I have a chance to really sit down to a meal.  The balancing of the meals is improving compared to my previous diet, but I'm not quite there yet.  That's okay. 

Start… exercising for 30 minutes, at least 4 times a week.

Wow!  I don't think I have even made it through one week of this.  The heat is a good excuse but not a great reason.  I am working on it.  On the plus side: I have started looking at exercise routines I can do in my home in the air conditioning.  I have increased my incidental exercise... that is, I'm moving more in my everyday routines.  I'm taking an extra lap of the house to pick up mess, before going to bed.  I'm taking the stairs at work instead of using the lift.  I am lifting boxes and tyres and other household items instead of leaving it until my nephews or brother in law come over to help me.  I'm getting there.

Visit… family and/or friends once a month.

This one is going very well, so far.  I went to my sister's house last weekend and spent some time with my cousin who was visiting.  My aunty and uncle came over and some other cousins came over.  Despite my deep desire to hide in the bedroom and go to sleep, I got myself together and I walked out to the lounge room where they were.  I sat, I listened, I talked, I was social and while it was tiring, it didn't actually hurt.  This is a good start.  Technically, I have fitted three visits into one month so that means I don't have to do any more visiting until April.  ;) I jest. 

Accept… that I cannot fix everything. 

This one is tricky.  I'm on track though.  There have been several times when a problem has arisen and while I have tried to solve it, I have been able to accept that I can't fix it on my own and doing something (no matter how small) to make the situation better (while not fixing it completely) is better than doing nothing.  I am feeling good about this goal because so far, I'm doing well.  The reason this one is tricky, is that it will be an ongoing, almost daily, effort to remember this fact and accept it.  Accepting this won't be a one off activity. 

See…    Melbourne in real life.

This one is in the planning stages.  I have chosen the week on the calendar when I plan to go.  I am saving the money.  If I don't have enough money to truly enjoy it by the date on the calendar, I will postpone it.  I'm saving.  I'm planning.  I'm researching. 

Learn… at least 12 scripture passages by heart. 

I have learned one.  Colossians chapter 1:11.  I am working on Psalm 23 and I'm almost there.  I have chosen a few more scripture passages that I want to learn.  So, I'm going with "on track" for this one too. 

Give… to Christian Missions overseas and in Australia (12 times or once a month).

I am already donating once a month to a Day Care Centre in Tanzania, through the Salvation Army.  I'm looking for organisations that are working in Australia.  I need to do more research.  I am thinking that the Just Brass program (also through the Salvation Army) might be a good cause.  However, I know it's important to give to other missions as well. 

Be…   Quiet.

So I can prove that I am doing well at this one.  I'm not going to say anything more about it. 

Grow… spiritually by reading my Bible 5-7 times a week and attending church at least 3 times each month.

I am on track for three times a month with church.  Sometimes the attending church thing is out of my hands, as I have to rely on Mum to give me a lift.  If I have enough notice I can arrange to go to church with friends.  If not, I can watch a church service program on one of the three Christian channels we subscribe to with Foxtel.  At least I have a plan.

Reading 5-7 times a week.  I think I'm on an average of 4 days a week.  However, it is becoming a habit that I don't like to miss.  I can tell that I feel gross if I have missed more than one day in a row.  Still, I don't think I'm quite up to 5-7.  The problem here, is that I haven't been recording it when I do read.  I usually write some kind of reflection but I'm not writing the date.  From now on, I'm going to mark a calendar (beside my bed) when I read so I can keep better track of this and know whether I'm actually making progress.  I feel like I am making some progress, but I can't quantify it. 

Invest… in reaching these goals.

I am doing well on some of the goals above.  I could invest more time and money in reaching these goals.  I have been spending money on birthday parties that I have been planning for my nephews and niece.  I need to create a savings plan and stick to it so I can have enough money for my holiday and my charitable donations. 


That's that then.  Now you know how I'm going.  I'm feeling positive. 

Returning to the Real World

If you are a regular around here, you know that I took some time off work last year so I could be my dad's carer.  He died towards the end of the school holidays and I wasn't ready to return to school so soon after his death.  I took three weeks off.  On Monday, I went back to work.

Monday was very hot and my new classroom (yes another classroom) is not air conditioned.  In fact, none of the classrooms that I'm working in this year are air conditioned.  Thankfully, I was asked to ignore my timetable for the first day and dive into some data sheets and check all the work that has been done in my absence. On the other hand, I am not a numbers person and staring at data all day, really isn't my thing!!

The second day was more of the same, only I was able to spend a little bit more time in the classroom.  That was hard work.  Some say that teaching is like riding a bike, once you learn how you never forget it. That is partly true.  The thing is, there are lots of skills that a teacher has to implement all at the same time. 

I have been living in a world where it was very important that we did one thing at a time and did it perfectly.  I was living in a world that stayed together when it was calm and quiet.  It was my job to keep things calm and quiet and stick to one thing at a time. Being a teacher in a fast paced environment, working in a busy staffroom, does not work quite like the little world I had built.  It is almost the complete opposite. 

I think I may have missed a few things, not just while I was away, but in the last few days, when I was sitting right in the middle of said things.  I have arrived home everyday feeling very tired and sore. I have been in bed before 8:30 every night!!

Everyone I have seen at school has been glad to see me.  That's a nice feeling. 

This week has been especially busy because #2 is turning 13 this weekend and I have been organising the party!!! Busy, busy, busy! I will share pictures, plans and all that behind the scenes fun in a few weeks.  We have also been planning for #7's birthday party which is in 3 weeks! She is turning 5.  There is heaps to do.  I'm excited even if I am tired.   

I hope your week was not such a shock to your system as mine was.  Either way, tomorrow is a brand new day. 

Have courage and Be Kind!

I made lots of cards!

This week, I am revealing my January card creations. 

There were some special people who needed to be thanked for their awesome helpfulness of late.  So, I made a series of cards.  Check these out.

 In case you are interested, I used similar coloured washi tape (or co-ordinating at least), music note stickers and a new "THANK YOU"  Die that I bought from Kaiser Craft.  I also used stick on gems that I bought from a discount store (I don't remember which one). 

Moving right along to my Birthday Collection for this month. 

On the left: a "Go Wild" card for my nephew who turns 13.

On the right: the perfect card for a soccer lover- for my nephew who turned 12 in January.

The "Go Wild" card was made using patterned paper and die cuts from Kaiser Craft's Into The Wild collection.  The lettering was from an alphabet set that I bought from "The Reject Shop" (a discount store here in Australia). 

The "Soccer" card was made using one of the hexagons from a nested Die set from Kaiser Craft (linked above) and a polka dot embossing folder (which came with my Cuttlebug).  The banner was made using a Banners Die from Lawn Fawn that I bought from Craftie Café.

More Birthday cards...

Selected embossing folders and hexagon die cuts (mentioned above)

A birthday cake clear stamp (purchased from Craftie Café)

The birthday patterned paper came from a paper set I bought years ago.  No idea where from. 

The gifts were created using a die purchased from Kaiser. 

I backed the gifts with various washi tapes,

which was very time consuming and difficult.

I whipped up the other card using scrabble stickers and pre-cut banners.

Another washi tape card.... the easiest and quickest card to whip up in a hurry.

The card on the right was the result of simply playing with some new dies and embossing folders I bought.

Rectangle nested dies can be very helpful for creating cards with several layers!

If you want to see more cards that I have made you could check out this previous post, or this one.

If you are seeking more inspiration check out my pinterest boards about gifts and cards and cuttlebugs and washi tape.

Have a Wonderful Week!

Some Kind of Week

This week was sort of busy, but not. 
I was tired and cranky and excited and overwhelmed and bored all at once. 

Suddenly it was today.... Friday... and I realised that I hadn't blogged yet this week.  Oh no!!

So, now I've blogged. 

Not my best effort.  Probably not my worst either. 

That's That Then. 


O, wait.  Facebook just told me that it's Friends Day today. Do you think they made that up?  So it turns out, I have something to else to say!

Happy Friends Day!

Ok, now I'm done.