Goal Update March 13, 2012

I seriously cannot believe it is the middle of March already!  I haven't done my taxes.  Yay, something FUN to do this weekend!  This past week was emotionally draining for me, for one reason or another that I'm not going to go into right now.  I was busy, my allergies cropped up, PTA took over my life, and to top it all off the taekwondo studio was closed for tournament. 

I hate living in Alabama during allergy season.  Our cars, and everything else that resides outside, is covered in a film of pollen.  When the weather guy says the pollen count is high, it makes me want to say "No shit, Sherlock," anyone who has a nose or lungs can tell!  Living in D.C. and then Maryland was so much better for my allergies.  I was dreaming about living there last night. I miss parts of it, and we have only stopped by Hagerstown once since we left.  I haven't even been back to D.C. in over five years.  I told Hubby when the kids are older I want to take them to D.C. and revisit some of our old favorite places.

I just realized I am supposed to be writing a goal post, and as usual I have taken a long winded diversion.  Someone stop me!

This week, I wanted to lose one pound.  Well guess what?  I fell off my plateau and I lost FIVE pounds.  I have lost 27 pounds total.  I'm so proud of myself.  I would like to lose between 23 and 33 more pounds, depending on how I look and feel once I reach the first of those numbers.  What did I do differently this week?  I played tennis in the middle of the day.  I played outside with the kids in the afternoons.  I did a whole lot less sitting during the day, even on the weekend.  More importantly, I think I changed it up just enough for my body to be confused and drop the weight.  Plus, I tried a supplement, and who knows if it helped or not but maybe it gave me a bit of a boost.

I had a baby shower this weekend, and I was pleasantly surprised when my friend posted this photo of me and my bestie:

I think we look fantastic!  This was a wonderful visual affirmation of my weight loss.  I can really see 

the progress I have made. 

As far as writing, I'm afraid I fell off the wagon this week.  I had so much going on in my personal life, and I did not focus on it the way I should have.  I'm jumping back on this week.  I had thoughts of my story and my characters lingering in limbo last night, and I don't like them being there.  Today, I will write for at least a few minutes.  I will make an effort. I WILL NOT PROCRASTINATE this week!

I still have not beaten Hubby at tennis, but there's always today and Thursday.  We're trying to play twice a week now.  Last week, I got a blister because our rackets need to be re-wrapped.  Maybe it was a cop out, but I ended the game because of it.  My forehand has major issues, and I need to work on it the most.  I also have trouble hitting the ball while I'm running.  Hubby says I'm rushing it, and I know it's true.  I find thinking positive while playing tennis and psyching myself up helps me play better.  My whole tennis game I tell myself things like, "You can do this, Lauren!  Follow through!  Hit the ball over the net.  Beat Hubby!"  Especially that last phrase.  I repeat it about a hundred times to myself!  If you were a bug in my head you'd laugh!  I realized this works pretty darn well back in eleventh grade when my tennis partner was beating me, because I was acting negatively. I started creating positive think-talk in my head, and I came back and beat her.

Marriage should be on the goal list every week, because a marriage is always a work in progress.  Romantic comedies give Americans (and I guess other cultures too) an allusion of love that isn't real.  They make one feel that if your marriage or relationship is not all encompassing and overwhelmingly passionate then there is something wrong.  I was noting the other day that most romantic comedies end at the beginning of the relationship.  Few delve into the day-to-day aspects of living with someone who sometimes drives you a little bit crazy and sometimes fulfills your every need without you having to even ask.  Hubby and I are working on issues in our marriage, which have been lacking for a needlessly long time.  We've been spending more time with each other and with the kids TOGETHER in the afternoons.  I DO feel like this will help us, but it will take time. Marriage is work and a struggle.  How many of your friends do you keep over a lifetime?  You meet people when you need them in your life, and they move on.  This is not so with a husband.  You stick by each other through thick and thin (and there is a lot of thin!), through changing personalities, through crappy jobs, through difficult children, and this simple act shows care and love.  Continue to work on my marriage, I will.

One added goal this week: Complete our taxes.  Yay, fun!