Sunday, January 31, 2010

Update on January Goals


Here's how I ended up:


Complete one entire writing project.  Finished it today.  Not ready to share though.


Participate in a writing workshop either online or in person.
     Revised: Instead of doing the workshop, I found several that I will be participating in this year.  


Enter at least one writing contest.


Have an artist date per month. Actually got away to write more than once!  Thanks Chris!


Write every day. May not have been a lot, but it was done!


Write 10 query letters. Wrote 10 agent queries today that I will be sending out early this week (to avoid weekend inbox build-up.


Print 12 photographs and display in house. I printed them, but have yet to display them.


Complete The Pilates Lifestyle book proposal. WooHoo!!!! Starting to query agents this week!


Will work on February goals sometime this week, have a big deadline at work tomorrow so I doubt I will get them up right away.  Going to go a little easier on myself, this was a bit much.


Friday, January 29, 2010

It's Snowing!


It's snowing!!!!!

Sorry about my absence this week, but I have been diligently working on my goals and am happy to report that I can cross another off my list- I have finished my book proposal! My mom, aunt and husband now all have copies to comment on and mark up. My 10 query letters will be written this weekend and sent to possible agents. I'm so excited!

There are quite a few of the goals that I may not meet this month, considering there are only 2 days left, but we'll see. I may need to be a bit less ambitious in the next few months as work picks up.

Off to enjoy the snow!


Friday, January 22, 2010

Appliachian Trail

I'm watching a PBS special on the Appilachian Trail. I have no desire to hike it all the way through. I kind of wish I wanted to, but I really don't. Do you?

Amanda Moon

I'm Not Happy

I debated just posting this on my personal, private, diary like blog, and I may change my mind before I hit the "Publish Post" button, but right now I feel like having support from others wouldn't be such a bad thing.

I'm not going to go into it all, but let's just say that the past six months have not been easy for me or my family. And I don't get enough sleep, or anything that resembles enough sleep. Those things put together are overwhelming me to the point where I took yesterday off of work because I couldn't take it anymore.

I don't feel like I'm spending too much time obsessing over things in the past that I can't change, but I also don't feel like the terrible-ness is not over yet. And I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop. All the time. It's a crappy way to live.

If you could keep me and my family in your prayers, we would appreciate it. Feel free to share any resources you have that you think might help!

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

I could fall off my chair


I'm so tired today I could fall off my chair. Literally, just fall over and fall asleep.

Austin has not slept at all the last two nights. He's been stuffy, irratable, won't eat...yep, he's TEETHING! Two new teeth in the last three days, one on top, one on the bottom. Hopefully now that they are fully through the skin he will start to sleep.

The eating has been weird, because he doesn't typically like to eat from a spoon, but lately if it's not on a spoon (if it's in a bottle) he is just not interested. From 3pm yesterday to 9 am this morning he drank a total of 8 oz. And that's because we made him. But when i tried to feed him cereal this morning he wolfed it down like his usual incredible eater-self.

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Daily Intention & Thanks

Ala Kimberly Wilson my intention for the day is Tranquility. Based on my work calendar and the few emails I've opened in the 40 minutes I've been here, I know this is going to be a challenge. But, instead of getting all poopy and mad and crabby by 11am (my status quo these days) I intend to let it wash off of me. If I can't control it, I can't do anything about it, and I shouldn't let it get me down. That's where I'm at this morning.


Today, I am thankful for the black dress that I found on the clearance rack and Target, admired, and left there only to be haunted by it for the next 4 days. I went back and, crisis averted, it was still there in my size. I'm wearing it today and must say, I look amazing. And I feel amazing. The only sad thing is that I got dressed at the gym this morning so Chris hasn't had the opportunity to see how awesome I look.
Here's the dress (I've got black boots on with it):


Monday, January 18, 2010

Today I'm thankful for

  • Kids who don't mind throwing up.
  • A job that lets me work from home so I don't have to use up my vacation time because kids are sick
  • My computer
  • My roller
  • My husband
  • Exercise
We spent most of the night up with puking kids, so I didn't set an intention for the day other than a mental one to just get through it. Turned out not so bad. Both kids seemed to be fine as the day went on, minor fevers but no more vomit, thankfully. They both took incredibly long afternoon naps which meant that Chris and I got to nap too. I taught a great class and did what I'll call "Toddler Pilates" with Lily climbing all over me after I got home. All in all, not a bad day.

Friday, January 15, 2010

Floating Leaves


This is one of the pictures I printed as part of my goal to print and display 12 of my favorite pictures. I love how it seems like the leaves are just floating in air. They weren't falling- can you guess what was holding them up? I'll give you a clue- it made me scream.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

Today, I am thankful for breakfast

I am going to try (again) to start a practice of setting an intention for each day and giving thanks for a few things.

Today, my intention is peace. I need some calm in my head and I am the only one that can acccomplish that.

I am thankful for:
  • Cuddling with Lily this morning when I got home from the gym and it was too early for her to get up
  • The quiet in the house as I flat ironed my hair
  • The joy of jelly toast for a 2 year old
  • My husband, who graciously gets up in the middle of the night with our kids so that I can have the energy to get up really early and exercise.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Cross one off the list!

I have accomplished one of my January goals- printing 12 pictures to display, gallery style, in the house. I have yet to buy the matting or display medium, but the pictures are printed and on my desk which is very exciting. Also, I have written in some way, shape or form every day so far. I have spent quite a bit of time working on Pilates Lifestyle Proposal and am excited that it looks like I really will have it done this month (I thought that goal was a bit ambitious, but good to work towards.)

All of the pictures that I printed seemed to have a "journey" theme which was interesting, because until I had narrowed it down to about 20 I didn't consciously acknowledge it. Once I noticed it I felt that it was rather appropriate for the start of the "journey" of 2010, so I went with it. I'll post some of the photos later when I'm at my other computer. Now, though, back to work!

Have a fantastic day!

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

This is how I started my day

This is my yoga mat. I started my day on it today, with some great music playing in the background. Now, remember, I'm a Pilates Instructor, not a yoga instructor, so I kind of make yoga up as I go along. In fact, my yoga practice is very similar to my Pilates practice before I got certified- I read a lot of books, try to learn as much as I can, and then put it into practice.

I will check my body bug in a bit to see exactly how much work I did, but I know that this (at least right now) can't replace my normal morning cardio. I'll have to get to the gym at another point today or get outside and go for a walk on my lunch break. But it could definitely become my strength regimen. I'm shaking.

---Oh, and in case you're wondering, yes, I did do some Pilates too- but I wouldn't call what I did Yogalates or Piloga- I did yoga, then I did Pilates. I didn't try to mix the two. Too much thinking before the coffee.

Mmmm...coffee...that's where I'm headed. Have a great day!

Thursday, January 7, 2010

Goals for January

In order to accomplish my yearly goals, I have to break them down into steps. Here is what I will accomplish this month:

January


In January I will:


Complete one entire writing project.


Participate in a writing workshop either online or in person.


Enter at least one writing contest.


Have an artist date per month.


Write every day.


Write 10 query letters.


Print 12 photographs and display in house.


Complete The Pilates Lifestyle book proposal.


Goals for 2010

Here are the goals I set last week, all compiled and SMART.

I complete one entire writing project each month.

I participate in a writing workshop either online or in person.

I enter at least one writing contest every month

I have one artist date per month.

I write every day.

I write 10 query letters per month

By 1/15/2010 I Print 12 photographs and display in house

By 1/31/2010 The Pilates Lifestyle book proposal is complete

By 2/1/2010 The Pilates Lifestyle blog begins with one post per weekday

By 2/28/2010 I have completed a “Best of” series of photographs

By 3/1/2010 My Etsy store is up and running with 10 pieces

By 4/1/2010 The Pilates Lifestyle book is complete.

By 5/15/2010 The Staircase Story is finished and published

By 6/1/2010 I have 1 paying writing gig per month

By 6/1/2010 The Book of Ruth is complete.

By 7/1/2010 I have samples of my clothing line made that I can work out in.

By 10/1/2010 I have a exhibited my photos.

By 12/31/2010 I have exhibited at a craft show/arts fair/farmer's market

By 12/31/2010 I have had three meetings with potential investors/sales for clothing line.

By 3/1/2011 My clothing line is for sale.

Needs Vs. Wants


I'm (once again) learning the difference between needs and wants. Like I want to go take Pilates classes every night, and drink a latte from Maxximo Joe's every morning, and quit my job so I can lay around and read and write and take naps all day, but that's just not realistic on our budget right now. So, while I want to go get my manicure refreshed by the amazing technician that I saw last week, I will spend this evening with my cotton balls, nail polish remover and nail polish, doing it myself. And that's okay, because my husband is gracious and lets me get my shopping bug filled with our needs- mainly diapers and formula these days, but shopping is shopping. And, I know that in a few years, I will be able to get my wants more often because we will have saved the money we need to make our family feel secure.

But...I will admit that I still want to go to the mall and buy a pair of knee high brown boots. I never claimed to be perfect.

Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Book Review: The Sweet By and By by Sara Evans and Rachel Hauck


5 Stars -- Refreshing Read!

The Sweet By and By
is the story of a woman being forced to deal with her past before moving on to her future. Jade Freedom Fitzgerald is finally getting ready for the life she dreamed of- a marriage to a man who made her feel safe and loved, feelings she didn’t experience from her high achieving judge father or galavanting hippie mother. She and fiance Max made an agreement “The past is the past.” Unfortunately, the past doesn’t always remain in the past.

The Sweet By and By
is incredibly well written with engaging characters that you find yourself rooting for and identifying with, with a story that weaves past and present together seamlessly. It’s one of those books that makes you feel good when you read it. There are no huge surprises in the story, at the same time it isn’t utterly predicable. The spiritual theme is naturally incorporated into the story line without feeling forced or contrived.



I review for Thomas Nelson Book Review Bloggers

Monday, January 4, 2010

Between Sleep and Awake

I dream. A lot. Very detailed. And often, I remember most of the details. Sometimes my dreams are good, sometimes I have nightmares. Two nights ago I dreamed that fake police officers who were doing a drug deal in Kroger were trying to kill my daughter and I so we couldn't implicate them. They were stopped by campus security at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, where they had tailed us to from Nashville.

This morning, in the 9 minutes between my snoozes, I had a dream about the people in my dreams. I dreamed I was on a subway, or some sort of silver train, and there were all of these people that I knew or that I had interacted with recently and they were all just sitting, staring at me, waiting for me to "cast" them in my dream. There were real people, and people who were a blend of people. Some faces I could see, some I just sensed who they were.

My husband doesn't remember his dreams. Do you remember yours?

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Breakfast with my book


On Sundays, I like to cook breakfast for my family. Usually it's pancakes, but this morning I was feeling the waffles. So, with just over an hour before we needed to leave for church, I whipped some up. The problem with whipping up breakfast with so little time is that everyone needs to eat as the waffles come off the griddle, leaving the cook to eat alone. Never fear though, I had a great book to read! (And yes, that is peanut butter on my waffles. I like peanut butter on waffles, pancakes and french toast. You can thank my dad for introducing me.)

Look what was in my yard!

When we got home from Kentucky yesterday, there was a deer in our front yard. Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture of it because the camera on my iPhone took too long to open, but here is a picture of the deer that was in our back yard earlier in the fall. The one that was in our front yard yesterday was a fawn- looked like he had just lost his spots and was very frightened. I felt sorry for him, but he seemed to make it back to the woods just fine.