I've Been BUSY! Making progress towards my goals!

I just realized that it has been right at 2 months since I wrote ANYTHING in my blog! I have been a very busy gal these past 2 months! For the first time in my adult life, I'm not just thinking about things to do, making plans and dreaming dreams.....I'm busy about the work of DOING the plans and LIVING the dreams! :) So far this year....I've met many, many of the goals that I set forth at the begining of the year!!! I have been riding the motorcycle with Steve! He even bought me my very own motorcycle armored jacket IN MY SIZE!!! (A size that they actually make and sell!) and I have really enjoyed our outtings! At first, I was scared silly, holding on for dear life the entire time....but I've learned to relax and enjoy the ride more. Things look a lot different from the open freedom of a motorcycle than they do from the confines of a car. We rode for almost 2 hours this past Saturday! And being able to snuggle up behind Steve the whole time is just an added bonus! ;) As of this Sunday afternoon, I finished a HUGE project! I was able to condense an entire suitcase worth of souvineers and over 3000 photographs from our trip to Japan into 4 very well-organized scrapbooks! This has been a massive undertaking. Hours and hours of formatting, pasting, taping, finding scrapbooking papers, finding stickers and what-not to decorate my pages....going through the photos and narrowing down the selection to what would fit into my scrapbooks...it was all quite a daunting task! I'm so excited to have them all completed now! Alyssa laughed when I told her that I had 4 whole scrapbooks...she said that I had made the Japan Encyclopedia instead of scrapbooks! I just wanted to remember all of the amazing things I saw and did while we were there....so I wanted to document all of it very well! Work has been very busy as well...which is a good thing! Job security is always a good thing! I'm so happy that our office is thriving! I’ve been busy gardening. I have a little 4 X 4 raised garden bed in the back yard where I have planted 2 heirloom tomato plants, a pepper plant, 3 little Tommy-toe tomato plants, oregano, thyme, chives, onions, celery, basil and my seedling fig and forsythia “sticks” that I hope will one day grow into real trees!  We have also planted a plethora of plants in flower beds all around the back patio and the back fence including roses, coneflowers, cannas and iris (generously supplied by my Mommy from her yard), phlox, dianthus, Asiatic lilies, sedum, hollies, rosemary and red-hot-pokers…among others. Our trips to Riverbend Nursery are like field trips of fun in and of themselves! I love to walk along, smelling the flowers, seeing the variety of growing plants and dreaming of what I can grow and plant in my own yard! And their prices are very reasonable. We also skulk around Lowes looking for “clearance” plants…usually perennials a little past this years prime…but with some TLC and watering…they will look amazing this time next year! And we get them for next to nothing…often less than $1 per plant. I did take clippings from my Grandpa’s fig tree….dipped them in Rootone (rooting hormones) and planted them in my vegetable garden. So far, it’s hard to tell if they are living or dying….but I’m going to leave them alone and see if there is some root-magic happening under the soil that I just can’t see. I’d love to have a little piece of my Grandpa’s fig tree growing big and strong in my own yard. I still haven’t found a reasonably priced lemon tree yet…..I do want one terribly…but the ones I’ve seen have been out of the price range I want to spend. One of these days though….I’m gonna get lucky and just snap one up!  I’ve also been busy as a little bee working on getting my craft-room organized! I moved the tall bookshelf from the empty bedroom to my craft room and painted it green to match my craft storage hutch and it’s now chocked full of my cookbooks and craftbooks!  I found a green braided rag rug that matches my craft room furniture….and it’s starting to look cozy! I found a pretty vintage hat-box at the antique store that’s just darlin and I found an old picnic basket at the Goodwill that is so pretty! I have them on the top shelf of the bookshelf and I can even use them for storage! Steve still hasn’t finished the grout on some of the tile…but for the most part, the room is done. Once the time is completely done and I can clear all of his tools out…I plan on getting a comfy chair for reading and I need to think about some kind of window-treatment…..then I should be pretty much set for décor in there! There is plenty of room for crafting, painting, etc. etc. etc. Now…I just need to begin planning crafting projects!  I’ve been taking lots of pictures! I do so much enjoy taking pictures and then uploading them to see what I captured! I realize there are scientific principles behind photography….but I prefer to think of it as some special kind of magic that makes my photos magically transfer from the camera to the computer and sometimes, even to printed paper. I love how I can preserve memories that way! I love nothing better than to sit and look through old photo albums from when my children were little….from our vacations…even from when I was in high school. I love the idea of preserving some little piece of our lives that someone else can look back on. I suppose it’s a sort of validation of my own existence, I guess…but mostly, it’s just that sense of wonder and nostalgia that I feel when I look back at the pictures. I’ve been taking pictures of about everything lately….my puppy dog (who, I’m afraid has become my surrogate child now that my kids have left home), my son, my husband (who’s usually an unwilling participant), flowers, trees, old buildings, churches, places we visit, old barns along the roadside…..just about everything seems to catch my eye. I’m so glad that we have digital technology now! I can snap thousands of pictures and it never costs a dime! (Unlike the old days where we had to pay for the film and then pay to get the film processed and then pay for albums in which to store the pictures). Now, there’s really no limit to what/how much I can photograph!  My husband and friends like to tease me about always having my camera…but looking back over the pictures makes me extremely happy….and it’s such a simple joy.  I have been working out at least 3 times a week…often more. I go to the gym on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings and work out on the elliptical trainer and weight machines, bikes and arc trainers. My endurance has really improved! I’m getting stronger and my aerobic capacity has more than tripled! My weight is down about 80 pounds! I have so much more energy too! I come home from work and instead of dying on the couch….I feel like cleaning, cooking and a lot of evenings, I’ll go for a walk around the neighborhood with Miss Sophie! We get to meet our neighbors, see other puppy dogs and even see some wildlife! Last week on our walks, we saw deer, bunny rabbits and wild turkeys! It’s always an adventure! Sophie can use the exercise too….and I like being more active….it just makes me feel better. I’ve also been shaping up some too! I was able to buy a blouse at a REGULAR store…not a “plus-size” store! And I was also able to buy a bra at Wal-Mart! That doesn’t sound all that impressive…but after not being able to buy “normal-size” bras anywhere for the last 10 years…and having to spend upwards of $40 per giant bra at Catherine’s…I was ESTATIC to be able to buy a bra at Wal-Mart! I also was able to buy panties in a size that wasn’t PLUS!  I’ve dropped 10 dress sizes!!!! TEN!!! And at my last check-up, all of my labs…every SINGLE one was completely normal. Now there’s a reason to celebrate!!!  I also enjoy spending a few minutes each evening perusing “Pinterest” and finding cool recipes and ideas for crafts or home décor or gardening or whatever. I currently have about 43 boards and thousands of pins. There’s just always something new to see! It’s like being able to subscribe to 1000000 magazines each day!  I will have to admit that I’m totally addicted. I can’t help it!  Well….all of that to say….for the first time in a very long time….instead of THINKING about doing things…DREAMING about doing things and WRITING about doing things….I’m actually out DOING them!  It leaves a little less time for writing and journaling…but it’s totally worth the trade off!! I’m happier than I’ve been in years…and I’m completely 100% free from antidepressants!  It’s amazing what a little self-esteem will do for a soul, huh?  I have been blessed beyond my wildest dreams this past year. And while I won’t promise regular and consistent blog postings…..I do promise that I will continue to pursue my interests and goals and I will check in from time to time!     PROGRESS TOWARDS THE 2012 GOALS SO FAR: Wear a pair of Go-Go boots!  I've wanted a pair my whole life, but they've never fit! Ride Steve's motorcycle with him! I've always been too heavy. DONE IT! Go Horseback riding (Don't worry....I'll wait until it's fair to the horse!) haha! :) Go Hiking!! DONE IT!!! Wear high-heels! DONE IT!!! Go on a romantic Picnic. DONE IT!! Dress up in Fancy Clothes and go to a Fancy Party. DONE IT!! Wear a Swimsuit (It's been a while). Keep my toenails painted nicely (now that I'll be able to SEE them!) :) Get a massage on a monthly basis for pain control (Thank you, Massage Envy!) DONE IT!! Create and organize my craft room. DONE IT!!! Take more painting classes. Get involved in a small group at our new church. Consistently do my Bible Study. DOING IT!! Learn how to apply my make-up. Change things up. DOING IT! Visit Nappa Valley. SCHEDULED IT FOR November 2012!!! Make my Japan Scrapbook. DONE IT!!! Cruise to Mexico for 25th Anniversary. DONE IT!!! Schedule at least 3 romantic weekend "get-aways" (Day Trips) ONE DOWN, TWO TO GO!!! Study local history and visit local historic places. DOING IT!!! Take more thoughtful photographs DOING IT!! Send at least 1 encouraging note a month to my friends who are struggling. DOING IT!! Open my home to my friends more often for entertaining. I'm tired of being lonely!!! DOING IT!! Do something extra special for Steve on a consistent basis (monthly??) to let him know how much I appreciate and love him. DOING IT! Get a frilly 50's style retro apron to wear while I do housework and cook! GOT ONE!! WEAR IT ALL THE TIME! Plant a fig tree in the back yard....I want a cutting from my Grandpa's tree! GONE ONE!!! I want a lemon tree! And maybe a lime tree too! I will bring it inside in the winter and keep it outside in the summer! I want to be serious about my little garden this summer and not be lazy and forget to water it like I usually do. I want a big beautiful harvest!! And I want to use my produce to cook healthy meals! DOING IT!! I want to organize my closets and drawers! And have them STAY organized for more than a week! I want to FINALLY make a fairy garden for my back porch! I've talked about it for years...I want to actually DO it! I want to decorate my work office....something with a cohesive theme! It's plain, depressing, ugly and non-inspiring right now. I want to make at least 2 new friends this year. At least 2. I'm so tired of being lonely! Maybe in the spring when it's not too hot, I'd like to go to a Drive-In movie! I haven't been to one since I was about 5 years old! I want to learn to use an ipod or MP3 player...whatever it is you call them (just realized that I sound like I'm 80 years old now!) and I'd like to upload all of my favorite music to listen to while I work out at the gym.