Hi y'all. How the heck are you? Me? I'm swell. A little tired tonight but I'm feeling so good y'all. I've been working on my 50x50 and really getting somethings done. I'm kicking butt and taking names. Its been 5 months since I came up with this crazy celebration of my life. Almost half way there! I've learned a few things along the way. The first one is that if you want true and lasting change consistent small steps everyday really add up. Also do it even when you don't want to. Your future self will thank you. And.. You cant do everything at once. Everything in its own time. But the big lesson that I have learned is that when you are intentional about what you want. When you write it down and break down the steps from here to there big things become doable. I noticed that when I named and published all of my ideas with all of the honesty and vulnerability I could muster I started to see the manifestation of these things in my life. Not without hard work and elbow grease but people and inspiration started showing up at just the right time and in just the right place. So here is a peek into a few things I have been working on lately. This past few months my house has become a priority. I went looking for someone who could help me get my laundry problem under control and instead I found a handyman who is whipping this place into shape. Holes are getting patched. Toilets replaced. New flooring going in. It is inspiring me to want to make my home the place I have always wanted to come home to. Happy dance y'all. The other thing I have simmering on the front burner is my solo weekend trip. I put this on my list because I want to learn to enjoy my own company. I don't like to be alone. But I think its important for rest and relaxation. I want to go on a trip and not worry about what everyone else needs or if anyone else is happy. But I was having such a time deciding where to go. Then I happened upon a travel agency that books mystery tips. You tell them your budget, how you want to travel and fill out a survey about your interest and they plan a mystery trip. You don't know your destination until three days before you go. This adventure has me so excited. My kids and I make guesses every night about where I might go. Its also been a nice geography lesson. No Evan, Paris is not in the United States. I find out my mystery destination April 21st. I'll keep you posted. I have always wanted to give a Ted talk. The deadline for application for the the Rapid City TEDx event that will be held in June is this week. I'll tell you true. This one scares me to death. I have a lot of good ideas. Ideas worth sharing. But it terrifies me. But y'all I'm going to do it scared. Stay tuned. One of the huge things I have been working on is my eating. I have been following this eating plan called bright line eating. No sugar (not ever sugar substitutes or honey) No flour (not even nut flour) Eat only three meals a day. No snacks. I followed the plan for 5 weeks and lost 16 pounds. Better than that I felt great. No more foggy feeling in the afternoon. No more waking up exhausted. No more irritable mood swings. I just felt great. Then I went out of town for a work trip and I ate like crap for two weeks. I could feel the change in my body. Inflammation in my feet. Irritability, exhaustion the works. So I'm back to healthy eating. I'm no longer willing to trade feeling healthy and well for a bag of Cheetos and a soda. The kids and I have been continuing our date nights and family outings. We recently went to a Harlem Globetrotters game. Oh my word! Watching these kids expressions and excitement was priceless. A night I know they will never forget. Our next planned date night is Lego night. I am so excited because I have a Lego surprise for them. One of my original ideas was to have my cousin Melissa paint a portrait of Walter. I decided instead that I would rather have Melissa paint a picture of my sister Julie's aging dog, Sam. He's a great old boy and I think it would be really special for my sister. My friend party is planned for March 28th. All of the invitations have been mailed and I am giddy with anticipation. I cant wait to gather my people in one place and celebrate our friendship. Its been a great 5 months and it has flown by. I am so full of expectation and hope for what the next 7 months will bring. What an amazing adventure.
