I've decided that I'm spoiled this coming year. Not only am I going to Florida with my family and Megan in June, but I just got my confirmation for my flight to Denver in March to visit my cousin that I haven't seen since I moved to Cincinnati almost nine years ago.
Sometimes I think I should have found a career that would let me travel for a living because I definitely have the travel bug. I hate to stay put for long periods of time and each year I have to get away somewhere. This year (2009) it was Raleigh. Next year (2010) it's Denver and Orlando/Vero Beach.
I'm not really sure how the time off of work is going to play off but for the Denver trip I'm using my five flex days that I have left. For my Florida trip I'm just planning on taking the week off without pay.
I think right now I'm more excited about the Denver trip because I haven't seen Terry Lee in sooo long and because it's a lot closer in proximity than Florida. Have I mentioned that I love traveling? Woo!
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Monday, December 28, 2009
Vacation
I am already over the cold and the snow, so much so that I'm already looking forward to our family vacation to Disney World and Vero Beach in June. This summer, Megan is also going on vacation with us which is super exciting.
I knew there was a reason we were best friends and last night our similarities shined through as she text me and asked me where the Florida Marlins played at in relation to Vero Beach. I did some research and learned that they play in Miami, which is only two and a half hours from Vero. So now not only are we planning on going to Disney and the beach, we are also going to make the two and a half hour drive to Miami to go to a Marlins game.
We're doing this because we decided a couple of summers ago after going to a Washington Nationals game in D.C. that every summer we wanted to try and attend a game in a stadium other than Cincinnati. This summer we're going to keep the tradition going by attending a game in Miami!!
Since it is cold and snowy in most of Ohio, I leave you with these glorious pictures of the beach and the Disney resort at Vero Beach. June can't come soon enough!
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Goals for 2010
I've decided this year that I'm not calling them "resolutions." Instead they're goals because I intend to meet each and every single one of them. I want to go into 2010 with a positive attitude and excitement about what it holds.
Weight loss
My goal in this area is to lose the last 45 pounds to get below 200 for the first time in a very long time. I'm using a website called sparkpeople.com and on that website I'm tracking my food intake and my exercises. It's also full of helpful resources such as recipes and message boards where members can share advice and encourage each other. I've been a member of the website since 2008 but have barely used it. I reset all of my goals on there the other night and now plan to use it so that it will be effective.
Along with sparkpeople, I plan to average three nights a week at the gym, intermixing my regular strength training and cardio with some classes that Fitworks offers. I was given an American Express gift card from one of my students and I'm going to use that to buy myself a resistance ball and some hand weights to use here at home for nights I don't want to go to the gym.
In this same area I also need to start watching what I eat and being serious about cutting out the excessive junk in my life, which means my caffeine intake has got to go. I don't need all of those empty calories that I take in every day at work. I'm going to start making a list and grocery shopping on a regular basis to help in this area. It also means I need to find something productive to do on my lunch breaks from work so that I'm not tempted to go to McDonalds and order french fries and a coke simply because I'm bored.
School
My challenge and goal in this area is to simply keep doing what I've been doing. I refuse to get any grade lower than a B but I would love to have all A's this quarter so I plan to push myself even harder than I did in the fall. I'm on campus a lot anyway so it's time to start using the library and resources available to get my studying done since I can't study here at home with all the distractions.
Faith
I originally talked about giving up my Sunday school position after Christmas but I love being in the preschool classroom on Sundays so I'm going to keep up my every other month rotation. Along with this, I have also become a youth sponsor and intend to hang out with the youth two Sundays a month and pour into their lives the way the adults did for me when I was in the youth group.
I want this to be the year that I trust God. I want this to be the year that I trust in His timing. I want to be content in Him and learn what it means to be a woman after God's heart. I don't want my singleness to define my life and instead I want to learn and delve more into what it means to be a Godly woman and what it means to be a Godly girlfriend and wife.
Attitude
I tend to fall back and give in because I don't know how to tell people no. I need to learn to stand up for myself and tell others no, even if it means they may become upset. I have a tendency to take on too much and with working full time and being in school, I need to learn that it's okay to say no and not spread myself too thin.
I want to have a positive attitude about everything, even on the days when it is hardest to get out of bed. I have so many blessings in my life and there is no reason why I can't find one thing to be grateful about every day.
Finances
My goal for 2010 is to stop spending as much money. With my winter quarter financial aid refund, I plan to pay off my credit cards and then tuck them away for emergencies only. I plan to make a budget and stick to it. My goal is to encourage my friends to find things that don't cost money to do, such as movie nights at our houses or walks or something.
Along that same rate, when it comes time to reapply for financial aid for school for next year, I refuse to take out as much money as I did this year. There was no reason to accept all of it because it's all loans which means I'll be paying it all back someday. The more I take out, the more I have to pay back. Next year, I want to take out just as much as I'll need and that's it. There's no sense in putting myself in more debt than is necessary.
Personal interests
I want to remind myself of all the things I love to do, such as going to art museums and reading for pleasure. I want to take a couple hours a week for just me. I need some of that down time, especially at the times when school and work stress me out the most. If I don't take care of myself, how can I ever take care of my future clients? Number one at the top of the grad school list in our program is counselor self care. Our one professor reminds us on a regular basis to take care of ourselves before we can take care of others.
These are my goals for 2010. I refuse to make resolutions anymore because I know I don't stick to them. Goals I know I can do. 2010 is going to be the best year yet and I look forward to the challenges and changes it will bring.
Weight loss
My goal in this area is to lose the last 45 pounds to get below 200 for the first time in a very long time. I'm using a website called sparkpeople.com and on that website I'm tracking my food intake and my exercises. It's also full of helpful resources such as recipes and message boards where members can share advice and encourage each other. I've been a member of the website since 2008 but have barely used it. I reset all of my goals on there the other night and now plan to use it so that it will be effective.
Along with sparkpeople, I plan to average three nights a week at the gym, intermixing my regular strength training and cardio with some classes that Fitworks offers. I was given an American Express gift card from one of my students and I'm going to use that to buy myself a resistance ball and some hand weights to use here at home for nights I don't want to go to the gym.
In this same area I also need to start watching what I eat and being serious about cutting out the excessive junk in my life, which means my caffeine intake has got to go. I don't need all of those empty calories that I take in every day at work. I'm going to start making a list and grocery shopping on a regular basis to help in this area. It also means I need to find something productive to do on my lunch breaks from work so that I'm not tempted to go to McDonalds and order french fries and a coke simply because I'm bored.
School
My challenge and goal in this area is to simply keep doing what I've been doing. I refuse to get any grade lower than a B but I would love to have all A's this quarter so I plan to push myself even harder than I did in the fall. I'm on campus a lot anyway so it's time to start using the library and resources available to get my studying done since I can't study here at home with all the distractions.
Faith
I originally talked about giving up my Sunday school position after Christmas but I love being in the preschool classroom on Sundays so I'm going to keep up my every other month rotation. Along with this, I have also become a youth sponsor and intend to hang out with the youth two Sundays a month and pour into their lives the way the adults did for me when I was in the youth group.
I want this to be the year that I trust God. I want this to be the year that I trust in His timing. I want to be content in Him and learn what it means to be a woman after God's heart. I don't want my singleness to define my life and instead I want to learn and delve more into what it means to be a Godly woman and what it means to be a Godly girlfriend and wife.
Attitude
I tend to fall back and give in because I don't know how to tell people no. I need to learn to stand up for myself and tell others no, even if it means they may become upset. I have a tendency to take on too much and with working full time and being in school, I need to learn that it's okay to say no and not spread myself too thin.
I want to have a positive attitude about everything, even on the days when it is hardest to get out of bed. I have so many blessings in my life and there is no reason why I can't find one thing to be grateful about every day.
Finances
My goal for 2010 is to stop spending as much money. With my winter quarter financial aid refund, I plan to pay off my credit cards and then tuck them away for emergencies only. I plan to make a budget and stick to it. My goal is to encourage my friends to find things that don't cost money to do, such as movie nights at our houses or walks or something.
Along that same rate, when it comes time to reapply for financial aid for school for next year, I refuse to take out as much money as I did this year. There was no reason to accept all of it because it's all loans which means I'll be paying it all back someday. The more I take out, the more I have to pay back. Next year, I want to take out just as much as I'll need and that's it. There's no sense in putting myself in more debt than is necessary.
Personal interests
I want to remind myself of all the things I love to do, such as going to art museums and reading for pleasure. I want to take a couple hours a week for just me. I need some of that down time, especially at the times when school and work stress me out the most. If I don't take care of myself, how can I ever take care of my future clients? Number one at the top of the grad school list in our program is counselor self care. Our one professor reminds us on a regular basis to take care of ourselves before we can take care of others.
These are my goals for 2010. I refuse to make resolutions anymore because I know I don't stick to them. Goals I know I can do. 2010 is going to be the best year yet and I look forward to the challenges and changes it will bring.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
In the works
This entry is mainly for Molly, who stalks me via my blog. :-P
There is a new entry in the works considering it's been over a month since I've updated. I've been journaling on another site where I can restrict who reads it since too many people read this one and there are certain people I don't want to read my entries.
No worries though Molly because you are not one of them. I'm working on a proper entry and then I will message you on facebook about what I can't share on here. :-)
There is a new entry in the works considering it's been over a month since I've updated. I've been journaling on another site where I can restrict who reads it since too many people read this one and there are certain people I don't want to read my entries.
No worries though Molly because you are not one of them. I'm working on a proper entry and then I will message you on facebook about what I can't share on here. :-)
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