Complete Overhaul!

Desperate times demand desperate measures...it's time for a change!!  Summer is right around the corner (like next week for us!) which means I have...(insert drumroll)...
125 days until I turn 40!  Please don't get me wrong...this isn't a day I'm dreading.  I'm really not worried about turning 40 or starting a mid-life crisis and feeling like my life is over...it's more about making it memorable and starting this 2nd half of my life in a way that I'm proud of and looking forward to doing it MY WAY!!  So...that's where my "list of 40 things" came from and it was a good way for me to get some things done.  Well, it's been hard....not because the tasks are difficult (some are down right easy) but more because as a wise man (Thank you, Rick A.) once said to me..."You're goals aren't S.M.A.R.T."  

S= Specific
M=Measurable
A= Achievable
R=Relevant
T=Time-Bound

And he was right...I love that my goals make me accountable for doing those things that are important to me or giving me tasks that I've been trying to get done for years.  BUT, I wasn't feeling very successful because I couldn't cross many off since they were "works-in-progress" or "on-going"!  Everyone wants to feel successful and for all my friends out there who are "list-makers" and even better, "list crosser-offers"...there's nothing that beats having a list with EVERYTHING crossed out!  So...I'm changing things up a bit  A LOT.  

New look, S.M.A.R.T. goals= SUCCESSFUL and HAPPY 40-year-old ME!!

Am I starting over?  NO.  Did I say my list was a "work-in-progress"?  YES.  Are my friends helping me?  YES.  Am I giving up because I can't do it?  NO.  

Some of the "40 things to do before 40" will remain and some will be worded differently.  Some I'm going to declare as DONE and others will change completely.  I'm changing the look because a wise woman (thank you Lori G.) said it was impossible to read my blog on her phone!  Another wise woman (thank you Steph A.) said I should consider giving myself the entire YEAR I turn 40 to get everything done...Hmmmm.  I'm considering this and will see how things go in 125 days.  I LOVE feedback!!  I especially love that people are reading this and asking me how it's going.  It does keep me honest and keeps my "list" always in the front of my mind (no matter how annoying this can actually is-who's idea was it to go public???)  So, THANK YOU to everyone and keep the positive vibes coming my way!!  I need all the help I can get...

Oh yeah...guess I should post my NEW and IMPROVED "40 things to do"...

1. Lose 40 lbs...keeping this one.  I know it's big (and a little cliche) but I have to try.  This may take me until the end of my 40th year!

2.  Use up all those gifts cards I've been saving all these years.

3.  Fix and print out Aiden's blog

4.  Put together all 3 boy's baby books...yep, gonna happen.  

5.  Keep my toes looking pretty, whether professionally or self-done.  No one likes to look at feet that appear to have been in hiding for the past year.

So far so good...all S.M.A.R.T!!

6.  Clean up/organize my desk weekly.  Honestly, who can get anything done when you can't even find the top of your desk?? 

7.  PAY BILLS ON TIME...shouldn't be difficult if the desk is clean and the bills are organized.

8.  Talk to far away friends more than 1x/year...I know this isn't "measurable" but it's really something that takes reminding and some effort.  I hate it, but with social media, it has made keeping in touch with people easier, but less personal.  I'm going for personal here...phone calls, letters, even email seems more personal than FB these days!

9.  Keep my parents/in-laws in the "loop" of what's going on...boy's activities, summer plans, etc...should be able to do weekly or at least once/month.

10.  Go out with girlfriends...put myself out there!  Plan a girl's night out, take part in a social event, suggest a movie, etc.  I need help with this because let's face it, my pi's are on around 8:30 and I'm in for the night.  PLEASE...HELP ME!!  I'm turning 40 NOT 80!

11.  Go out with my husband...this is one task we've actually gotten into doing and enjoy it.  We usually meet for lunch sometime during the week.  With summer, this will be more challenging, but we can do it!

12.  Pursue new job opportunities and/or look into a new job.  With all 3 boys begin in school full-time next year, I intend on having some down time.  Should probably consider filling that time with something productive...we'll see.

13.  Cancel any credit cards we don't use...time to slim down the wallet.  This one I have completed and it feels good.  I'm actually considering closing my Kohl's account!  YIKES!  Have I created a monster???

14.  Put pictures on the walls.  We'll be in this house 5 years next month...guess it's time to make it a home.  Anyone an interior decorator??

15.  Make all the doctor appts. and follow-ups you're supposed to do when you're an adult.  Like the lovely OBGYN annual, dentist 2x/year, annual physical (when was the last time that was done??) vision, blah, blah, blah...I'm actually re-thinking this task as it's cost me the equivalent of about 3 international vacations and I know I'm not any healthier!!  But, at this point, I might as well finish it off...GO BIG or GO HOME!

16.  Get a family picture taken...gotta have something to hang on the wall.  

17.  Finish Connor's tattoo.  

18.  Help the hubby with more chores.  Again not so measurable, but I have seen a difference since I started helping out more.  Pretty sure he likes the help and Lord knows there's not enough cleaning that can go on in this house as long as there are 3 boys that live here!

19.  Workout.  Since I'm out of bootcamp for a little while, I really have to make a point to do something.  No more feeling sorry for myself...if I can't do any type of impact exercise, I'm going to work my arms, core, back, etc...until they are ripped!  Ok, a bit of an exaggeration, but I'm including it on my list so it MUST be done.  Yep, I'll be the one lifting all 3 of the boys out of the swimming pool at the end of the summer!

20.  Make an appt with my hair stylist when I should, not once it becomes absolutely necessary!  I think I've learned (since getting better with this over the past couple months) that I need to go about every 6 weeks.  That is a huge difference from my previous wait time of 3-4 months!

21.  Go shopping for me!  Ok, I admit it, this is really hard for me.  I HATE shopping and HATE buying clothes when I'm unhappy about my weight (which is pretty much all the time).  I tell people all the time, though, you have to wear clothes!  I'm down to wearing my "fat clothes" right now and I know it doesn't help to see myself in these baggy, old      t-shirts and yoga pants...I need to bite the bullet and preach to myself.  No one wants to see my wearing the same old clothes day after day.  Gotta wear clothes...(really wish someone would just do it for me!)

22. Put my jewelry in the jewelry box that's sitting on top of my dresser.  That also includes going through my jewelry and getting rid of the things I don't wear (like the necklace my middle school boyfriend gave me-yes, I'm serious)  I even have an earring holder that I made (thank you Pinterest) that is hanging on the wall...EMPTY!!

23.  Go through the abundance of boy's clothing...donate, throw out, organize and LABEL tubs to make seasonal changes and fining specific items easier.  I was really good at this when I have 1 kid...just saying!

24.  Buy a bike.  I have always loved riding (hubby and I even did a 62-mile race once) and it's great for the mind and body.  Especially good with a bum foot!  

25.  Organize my pictures.  I have more pictures out there in the "cloud" and "internet space" than I'd like to admit (somewhere in the range of 5000-7000) in addition to a full external drive, Picture people memory sticks, cd's, laptop hard drives...do I even need to continue.  Too many pictures, not enough editing, and absolutely NO organization.  Sad face.  I LOVE taking pix but hate not being able to find what I'm looking for.  I also have picture boxes filled with actual photos.  This task seems impossible to complete...

26.  Do random acts of kindness.  I know, I know...not measurable, but so important!  Makes you feel good and I want the boys to see how something small can have a big impact on someone else.  Keeping this one.

27.  Use all the Groupons/Living Social deals I have spent money on...such good deals unless you forget about them or let them expire.  This also includes finding all those great deals and calling to make sure you can still use them...oy vey!

28.  Go through the bookshelves.  Donate, sell, get rid of the books we don't use, want, or need.  

29.  Re-do my bedroom.  I HATE my bedroom.  Love nothing about it.  But, also have no ideas on how to make it better...HELP!  This may be one of those that gets done during my 40th year??!!  Need LOTS of help, professionals, money, ideas, interior decorator!?

30.  Read more books.  I've been reading a series with a girlfriend (thanks Anna H.) and even took part in a Lenten book club (Thanks Debbie F.)  I'm enjoying this task and consider it complete!

31.  Almost forgot...Get a blog up and running about how excited I am to turn "40"!

32.  Organize and label my pantry.  I was so thankful when we moved here and I had a pantry.  That may sound crazy because most people take them for granted.  I, however, have NEVER had a pantry before...not in Chicago, not in Georgia, not in New Mexico!  SO...I have this great pantry now (although would love it more if it was a tad bigger) but I have never been able to keep it organized.  You all know those pix on blogs that show an awesome makeover pantry (or is it just me that drools over those?!)  I'm going to do it.  Maybe not all color coordinated or labeled all pretty, but gosh golly, when I open the door, I'm going to be able to see what I have and get out what I need without anything falling on my head or dropping out of the container!

33.  Re-do mud room closet...a couple years ago, I made the (huge) closet in my mud room into a craft/art supplies storage space (don't be jealous yet).  But to this day, I can't find a thing and the boys keep ruining it!  Obviously, I didn't do a good job.  

34.  Create a wrapping paper/accessories place in the basement...again, I have such good intentions when I see things on Pinterest or I see a neighbors entire wrapping paper closet all pretty and organized, but I don't quite get 'er done?!  I hate going out and buying bows or ribbon or God forbid I buy another sheet of tissue paper...I swear I could open my own party store!  

35.  Create an exercise binder...since I'm not allowed to bootcamp until July and even then I'm not sure I'll be 100%, I want to create a binder of exercises I can do at home.  Not just until July, but for those days I can't make it to bootcamp or for days I want to do a little extra (probably necessary if I'm going to lose those 40 lbs)  Thanks to Pinterest, this shouldn't be too difficult AND it will help me cross out #19!! 

36.  Get the boys' rooms done.  Their bedrooms are always one of the 1st things we do when we move into a new house (Just helps make them feel like it's theirs) but since apparently our boys change their views a lot (doesn't everyone's kiddos switch rooms like every other month??) AND I think hope they are finally settled where they want to be, it's time to arrange, paint, organize, hang curtains so they actually like  love where they sleep!  Unfortunately, this means it's time for my amazing jungle mural to be painted over. :(

37.  Plant a garden...nothing huge, but we have been saying since we moved here (5 years ago) that we wanted to start a vegetable garden.  We have a great place to do it, I have 4 strapping boys who love to do manual labor, and veggie eaters to enjoy it!  This is the year...not just tomatoes (we've done that in our topsy tomato) but real stuff, in the ground, that you can eat.  Who wants to help me??

38.  Have a garbage garage sale...actually, I have really great stuff which is why I hate giving it away at garage sales!  Those people can be relentless!  The hubby is great at this because he sees the value of it being GONE and I see the $$$ being lost as it's given away! But, it's time to get rid of the junk in our storage rooms and make room for more priceless treasures!

39.  I feel like this is Letterman's Top 10 list and this should be the best one??!! (Right, #2 was always better than #1)  So...Try something NEW!  Maybe not a surprise here, but I don't really like to try new things.  I'm not the risk-taker I used to be, but this seems to be a good time in my life to try something I've never done or something I haven't done in a really long time.  There's no way I'm going skydiving or bungee jumping, but maybe I can find something that will get my blood bubbling without sending me to the E.R!!  Plus, I want the boys to think I'm a "cool Mom".

40.  Always remember what that yoga instructor said, "...look deep inside and smile at your soul of acceptance..."  Good stuff.

There you have it, folks...as you can see, I'm 8 tasks short.  I took out the tasks that were never going to be completed because they were ongoing and hard to measure.  I have to put some thought into replacing those with better, more S.M.A.R.T. goals.  I've kept a few of the old "ongoing" ones that I think are important enough to keep.  I guess I'll mark those off on September 29, 2014.  

For now, I'll take the 4 that are done and smile...a little is better than none, right??  Plus, I get to think of 8 more things to add to my special list.  Hmmm, I bet the hubby could help me!!  Hoping I can start crossing things off sooner than later and start feeling good about what's to come!! 

40 and FALLING...

...falling apart that is!  Or maybe it should be, "40 and FAILING", as in my body is failing me!  I've been told that weird things start happening to your body in your 40's, but could it be just my luck that it's happening as I turn 40??  I have just about 150 days until the big 4-0 and instead of feeling confident that 40 is the new 20, I'm hoping I'm not using a walker!!

So it's been about 10 weeks since I starting seeing my dr. about my plantar fascitis.  After 10 rounds (?) of shots and 8 weeks of PT, I graduated from therapy (even got a $500  free 
t-shirt) and started back full-time at bootcamp.  Then on a sunny Monday while doing some band work (I <3 bands, seriously) I heard and felt a subtle <<pop>> in my right foot.  Thankfully, I was scheduled to see the dr that day and she wrapped me up tightly and said best case scenario was that I tore the fascia and I'll have some relief (yay me!) in a few days. Took it easy and miraculously I have been pretty much pain-free!  So you're probably thinking everything sounds like it's getting better??  I thought so too!  Then, this past Monday, I was at bootcamp again and joking that I should try and "tear the other foot and I'll be cured!" Ha...well, I was skipping along (literally, we were skipping) and this time there was no subtle anything, it was an explosion (I may be exaggerating a bit) and I went down.  Boom...I open my eyes to find people looking down at me and asking if I'm alright.  Of course, I say I am and hobble back to my spot.  Well, it didn't get any better and this time I couldn't even put any weight on it.  Back to the dr I went (ch-ching), another x-ray is done (ch-ching), an ultrasound is done (ch-ching) and I end up coming home with this...
  

Ch-ching!  And oh, so sexy!  

At least my toes were pretty and painted when it happened (yay me!)

Also, remember that goal to make all the appts. you're supposed to make as a responsible adult??  Great goal...so I had a tooth that needed a filling, went back and now the dentist actually recommended a crown (totally NOT like a queen crown) but went for my temporary and was taking ibuprofen for days because it's my last molar and as the dentist said, "it's a tough one to get to".  Ugh...well, tonight, just 5 days away from my appt., the stupid temporary crown pops off!  Seriously?!  What's next...my tattoos start drooping or moving?? (wait, that may or may not have already happened?!  Wouldn't you like to know!  Mums the word Anna and Debbie!)  

I guess the lesson here is even though my body may slowly be disintegrating, my mind is as sharp as a         ???  What's that saying??  Anyway, I am still working on my goals, although I seem to be accumulating gift cards again??  WHAT??  BUT, my hubby and I are having lunch together more and we even had a date night this past weekend.  Dinner at one of our favorites, PF Changs, then an impromptu miniature golf outing (wasn't bedtime for the kids yet so we COULDN'T go home!)  Here we are among the high school students and families with young children...

It was fun and I only lost by 3 strokes...my personal best!  THAT was a good day.

Now if only I had more good days than bad  not so good days!!

Always a work-in-progress...

Better get my toothless (and very sensitive) mouth and robot-leg to bed!!