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I learned a lot this week!  The first couple of days were incredible.  I thoroughly enjoyed how simple and quiet life is when you don't have so much technology crowding things out (including the spirit!).  Then I realized what and addict I am and fell off the wagon a few times during the week.  I wasn't feeling well and was getting a little bored since I didn't have a lot of energy. Overall, it was a real eye opener for me.  I got much more scripture reading in after the kids went to bed each night. I definitely want to stay away from social media and web browsing all together during the day from now on.  I am going to try to get most of my blogging done once a week as well and schedule the posts to cut down time there too. I highly recommend this experiment to anyone who tends to sit down at the computer several times a day.  I felt like I was living life more.

Signing Off

One of my 101 goals is to take a one week media fast.  I thought now would be a good time so that I can work on getting my life/house back in order after slacking for a couple of months.  After considering this, I realized that I may need to get online to do banking and check for important emails.  I am giving myself 2 times for that so I don't miss any important church calling stuff or events.  But there will be no blogging/social media/blog stalking/movie watching going on.

So......be back in a week!

101 Goals Update

I updated my progress on my goals!  I'm not as far as I was hoping to be, but hey, we took the holidays to a whole new level this year so we have been BUSY.  There are several in progress:

3. have whole house organized for at least one day.
6. be 10 minutes early to church for 3 months.
11. Complete "Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons" (with Eden)
26. Frame and hang kids pictures (they are ready, I just need to hang them.
28. No fast food for 3 months
34. 30 minute scripture study for a month
39. Sing 3 solos (one down 2 to go)
80. Follow Body for Life exercise for 3 months
83. Study D&C with manual

And a few less completed:
25. Get and mp3 player.  I got an Ipod Touch on black friday for my Christmas.  I love it so much, how did I ever live without it?
64. Decorate for Christmas. I wrote about this already.
66. Finish Christmas advent calendar and plan activities.  We had so much fun with this and I even helped 12 ladies at church make their own calendar.

I hope to start getting through these a lot faster now that we are back to the grind around here.

Progress

This week was a hard week for me to start goals.  I was just out of it I guess. But here is where I am so far:

Goal #71 Follow Body for Life program for 3 months
Around the 14th or 15th of this month, Sarah and I started the Body for Life exercise routine. OUCH! It is a combination of lifting weights and interval cardio training. We have really been pushing to get through the initial soreness of the new routine.  It is really kicking my bootie.  Working out hard 6 days in a row is no easy feat, but I felt great for that accomplishment. Towards the end of this week, I puttered out.  I think my body was rebelling from pushing so hard.  Today I am feeling much better so I think resting a couple of days really helped.  Now I will keep going with it.  I haven't noticed a big difference on the scale, BUT I am wearing pants today that I haven't been able to fit into for a long time(specifically in the thighs and butt).  That started a whole string of trying things on of course. I have the same skirt in 2 sizes.  Last spring I could barely fit into the larger size and now the smaller one is nice and roomy.  I see why people say when you are lifting weights, it is more about how your clothing fits.

I can't say I have just changed in the past 2 weeks though.  About 4 months ago, I decided to be a grown up (at least in my mind)  and make a couple of big changes.  I decided to start walking every morning at 5am.  It was hard!  I have always wanted to be a morning person, but liked being a night person too much.  The first couple of  months were so rough!  I hated getting out of bed.  Slowly over the next few months it has gotten much easier.  That kind of change does not fall in the 28 days to make a habit deal for me.  It really has taken about 4 months to adjust, and I am still tired sometimes.  I was also really out of shape to be walking over 6 miles a day.  I was sore for a couple of weeks.  These habits have deeply changed me though (thanks for the push Sarah!).  I feel better for starting my day off right.  I don't stress about when to exercise and then not doing it anymore.  I lost about 5 pounds of baby weight which felt great too. 

2 pieces of reality that I finally faced were that 1. I do not have enough motivation to do this on my own.  I had to have a partner to be accountable to meet each day. 2. Early mornings are my only option for long term, consistent exercise.  I think getting to this point with these changes has been the springboard to move on with more of my goals.

Goal #12: Go to bed at 9 and get up at 5 for a month
I started that this week, but need to start again tomorrow.  Weekends will be hard especially, but I am doing it so that I can really get the habit of getting up early solidified.  I also really want to feel the benefit of D&C 88:124:
"Cease to be idle; cease to be unclean; cease to find fault one with another; cease to sleep longer than is needful; retire to thy bed early, that ye may not be weary; arise early, that your bodies and your minds may be invigorated." 

I want to feel that promise to the maximum benefit.  Doesn't that just sounds so appealing?

Goal # 6 Be 10 minutes early to church for 3 months
Starting Sunday....no more running in at the last second.

Goal # 34 30 minute personal scripture study at the same time every day for a month
Filling the 6-6:30am spot with that. 

I figure that is a big start and then I should begin a new goal about every 10 days.