A new year, a new me

Yes, January is almost over, but better now then never.

I feel like people either hate January 1st or love it. Some people think that resolutions are dumb, and some embrace them. I am a lover of January 1st. There is something about it that gets me motivated and I work harder at this time of year to achieve my goals.

This year I have decided to start eating clean. I have been going strong since my birthday at the end of December and I feel a ton better already. I am completely off sugar, white flour, and processed foods. I am an all or nothing kind of girl, and I can't really have cheat days - I just go crazy when I do. I am hoping to go a whole year without sugar.

I also have been trying to work out Monday - Friday. When Bob works later in the day I am able to go to the gym. And when he works early, I do a workout video during Olivia's nap. I love being able to workout at home and not worry about bugging my neighbors like in our last place.

Since having Olivia (yes it's been 14 months) I have had a hard time cooking consistently. We always had something for dinner but I didn't cook as much as I used to. I am working on cooking more dinners and am proud that I have made some clean dinners that Bob has enjoyed. For some reason Bob and I are never on a health kick at the same time. Last week I made English Muffin Pizzas, Baked Chicken Parmigiana, and Pork Tacos. My Mom and Dad are eating clean right now too, so it is fun to talk recipes with my Mom.

I could've made a goal about how many books I want to read, but the main goal I have about reading is to read my scriptures everyday. I also would like to try and prepare my Sunday School lesson earlier in the week so I can be thinking about it more, compared to when I prepare the night before. I was recently called to teach the 14 year old Sunday School class. They are a great bunch, but it is definitely a change from 3rd graders.

Something that I have been trying to implement during the day is not looking at my phone or being on the computer while Olivia is awake. It is so easy to become distracted by the internet. Right now I have to physically move my phone to my bedroom, so I don't pick it up for a "quick" look while I am playing with Olivia. Bob often says he wishes we could go back to the day when we just had a single home phone and things were much simpler. As much as I love having so much information at my fingertips, I do have to agree with Bob. I hope I can be better at managing my time this year.

And lastly, I want to be better at taking pictures and blogging. For me, this is my journal. I love going back through my blog and reading past entries. I sometimes don't blog, because I don't feel like I have something good enough to post. It's important for me to remember that this is for me & my family, and no one else. I have so many things I don't want to forget!

Here's to 2014, I am excited for a new year!