A Look at My 2015 (Erin Condren) Planner

By bobbi
February 26, 2015
11 Comments

Note: For the update version of this post, click A Look at My 2015-2016 (Erin Condren) Planner & Favorite Planning Tools

* * *

I planned to do a post about my new planner in January but life happened. So, I better get it posted before February is over. 😉

Anyone that follows this blog knows that I love making lists and using planners. Not because I am organized but because I am scattered and have the attention span of a two year old sometimes. If I don’t write it down, I won’t remember it five minutes later. Literally. If I am not within reach of my planner then I’ll write a note on my phone (which is usually in my pocket) and at the end of the day the notes get written down before they are also forgotten.

Last year I was using a Martha Steward Discbound planner and I loved everything about it except that it was too big to carry around with me everywhere. Because I spend a lot of time out of the house, I needed something that was more portable. I heard a lot of people rave about the Erin Condren planner but I was doubtful and they were pricey. However, I had a coupon and decided to give it a try.

The delivery of it became an “event” because it came in such a pretty box with special treats.

I looked through their selection and chose an Erin Condren Life Planner with the Favorite Things cover. (I bought my planner in later 2014 so the new 2015 versions may look a little different.)

I love that you could choose the words that filled your cover. I also like that the covers are interchangeable so if I am tired of the cover or want to change it according to seasons, I can lift the cover off and pop in a new one. (I have another version of this cover in darker fall colors but I am back in spring mode now.)

I do not like planners with plain black and white pages. I like bright colors that make me want to actually use the planner. However, I do not like my planner to be so filled with decor that I don’t have room to write.

I use washi tape to make small squares on my monthly calendar. Blue are doctor appointments and speech therapy. Green is school related. Red is an event I need to attend or drive the kids to. Orange is a family birthday. Pink polka dots is a night out for me. I write the definite items in ink and possible dates and notes in pencil.

The weekly page is where people can really go to town to decorate and fill the boxes with all sorts of decor. Me? I seriously just need a space for my To Do lists.

The calendar is divided into three sections – Morning, Day and Night. I covered the Morning label with washi tape and use it as my schedule for places I need to be that day. In the Day section I write down the things I need to try and get done that day. The Night section I use to add To Do things that I eventually want to do but it’s not urgent. I make little boxes next to each item and fill them in as I complete them. In the last bottom section I keep track of my dinner menu and posts that I will publish on the blog that day. The right side column is for goals and notes.

There are some days when I want a whole page to keep track of what I am working on. When I had my discbound planner I made daily goal sheet printable pages. They were too big for this planner so I shrunk it down and cut it to size. On the goal sheet I keep track of my prayer/inspiration of the day and my act of love to put it into practice, my “must do’s”, household goals, who I need to contact and if I am really ambitious, I’ll also track my food and exercise. I don’t use this on the days I am hardly home but I love it for the days when I have longer stretches at home. You can buy Erin Condren coil tabs to add sheets like this to your planner but I just used a bit of washi tape and stuck it to the plastic book mark.

If you’d like to print out a copy for yourself, you can find the full size Daily Goal Sheet in this post here. The roughly 6.5 x 8.5 sized Daily Goal Sheet (as pictured) can be printed from here. (I added the blue lines to know where to cut the paper.)

Other featured of the planner – Along with pretty inspirational quote pages, there are lined pages for notes and blank pages for drawing or scribbles.

A Look Ahead calendar.

Stickers – both pre-labeled and blank. (To be honest with you, I forgot about these until I was doing this post. I’ll have to put them to use next month.)

There is a pocket for papers and zipped pouch. I keep the free labels they sent with my order in there. (Not pictured is a pull out perpetual calendar to keep the dates of birthdays and dates to remember.)

As an extra, I purchased a pen loop and a separate tablet that sticks to the back of the planner. I use these for notes at room mom meetings and such.

For Christmas the kids got me a EC planner pouch. I love it since I am always throwing the planner in my purse or a tote bag or a diaper bag. Technically, we are out of diapers but I still need a big bag for changes of undies, snacks and random Legos and Star Wars figures. The pouch keeps the pages from getting smashed or smeared with jelly hands.

Along with my planner I am still using my traveling office. 🙂

I’ve been using the Erin Condren planner since August and so far it has worked really well for me. You can take a look at the planners that are offered and see if one suits you. The most important thing is to find a planner that you like and that you will use. Whether it is an EC planner or a 99 cent notebook from Target. Find something that inspires you, matches your current needs and is in your budget. Then have fun planning (and doing!) 😉

What about you? Do you use a planner? What kind? Do tell!

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NOTE: These items were purchase by me and I received no compensation. However, if you order anything from this link – bit.ly/ec_referral_rol, I will get a small compensation and you will get $10 off your first order! Yay! 🙂

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Learning to Love: 15 Marriage Lessons in 15 Years

By bobbi
February 15, 2015
20 Comments

I am working on another marriage post with guest writers that I’ll be posting later this month, but in the meantime, I wanted to join Mary over at Better Than Eden for Learning Love: A Lesson A Year in Marriage.

Brian and I have been married for 15 years.

Here are 15 lessons I’ve learned so far.

* * *

~ 1 ~

It’s okay if you don’t feel in love all the time.

Let’s face it, the honeymoon time of marriage is great. You are over the moon in love and everything your spouse does is sweet. Even his quirks are endearing. However, as the years go by and the kids start coming, you find yourself off your honeymoon high. Those endearing quirks now drive you up the wall and you won’t always “feel” in love. That’s okay. As you mature in your love, you realize that love also means the cross – sacrifice and giving of yourself to your beloved.

~ 2 ~

The grace of God can get you through anything.

God has been giving me overtime in this lesson lately. The crosses of life can rip your marriage apart or bond you and your spouse closer together. This is where your mutual faith and trust in God will help you to endure both the small, everyday crosses and the heavy life changing crosses. When a couple humbly kneels before God, figuratively and literally, they receive the grace to live out their marriage vocation together. God will not abandon you, even when things seem darkest. Brian and I had to learn not lash out at one another or close ourselves off from each other. Instead, hand-in-hand we face life’s mess.

~ 3 ~

Marriage gets better as the years go by.

There were times in our marriage when we were going through difficult seasons of life and I wondered if we’d ever share that same happiness of the early years. It took some work (focusing on the lessons listed) but I have found that you can find that happiness and keep the honeymoon alive, so to speak, many years later.

~ 4 ~

The sex gets better too.

Likewise, in the bedroom, as you learn to be more vulnerable and open with your spouse, you become more in sync and you are more comfortable with each other and can laugh and have fun. You realize that he really doesn’t care about the physical flaws that bug you, he thinks you looks great and just wants to be with you. You also learn what makes you and your spouse tick and you can express yourself more fully, which bonds you more intimately. (Okay, was that vague enough not to make my mom blush?) 😉

~ 5 ~

Be playful and flirty.

This one will have to be adjusted according to your personality but remember how it was when you were dating? It was easy to laugh together and have fun. You enjoyed each others company and you had a hard time keeping your hands off of each other. Keep those moments alive. Laugh together. Send him a text telling him you are thinking about him. Steal a kiss in the kitchen. Whisper something the kids shouldn’t hear into his ear. Let him know that you still find him attractive and that you still desire him. It definitely helps keep the romance alive.

~ 6 ~

Go on dates together without the kids.

This is tough when you have young ones but it really makes a big difference when you have time alone together. You can plan date nights at home after the kids are in bed but try to have an outside- the-house date at least once a month. If you don’t have a regular babysitter or family close by, try bartering babysitting time with another fmaily. They babysit your kids one night and you babysit there’s another night.

~ 7 ~

Lift him up. Don’t tear him down.

This is one I still struggle with. There are too many times when I want to treat Brian like he is my 5th kid. I’ll unintentionally patronize him or correct him like I am his mother or I’ll make a comment that implies that I am more capable or knowledgeable about something. I really have to make an effort to shut my mouth and let him be. Instead, I try to lift him up and acknowledge when he does something well. I show him that I have confidence in him and that he is capable of great things.

~ 8 ~

Learn to say thank you.

Along with lifting up my hubby, I try to thank Brian for the things he does around the house that usually go unnoticed. Whether it is a kiss for throwing out the trash or wiping down a bathroom sink or a little love note in his lunch that says thank you for working so hard to provide for the family. Learning to say thank you and being grateful also helps curbs the tendency to complain. (Not that I would know anything about that.)

~ 9 ~

Do little acts of kindness that show him that you love him.

It can be something really simple like making his favorite meal, even though you may not like it. (I’m looking at you, Moroccan soup.) Or getting his coffee ready when he is running late or picking up his dry cleaning so he can come home early that evening. These little things let him know that you love and appreciate him.

~ 10 ~

Don’t keep tabs or compare.

It is easy to be resentful when you start to keep a mental tally in your head of all the things you do for the family in comparison to what he does. There will always be times when one spouse does more than the other but it usually always balances out. When Brian was sick with cancer, I was running the household but when I was pregnant or dealing with a newborn, he ran the house. It’s also easy to think he is out having “fun” at work while I am at home taking care of little ones. Meanwhile, he wishes he was home with the family instead of dealing with annoying customers and difficult deadlines. If each of us are giving and appreciating the other, there won’t be any tabs.

~ 11 ~

Your way is not always the right way.

From the way he burps the baby to the way he loads the dishwasher, wives have long held that their way is the better way, myself included. The sooner we accept that our husband has his own way of doing things the better off we will be. As long as he is not causing anyone harm (like leaving a kid unattended in the bathtub or something) then just look the other way and let him do it. Even if your way or arranging dishes is better, just let it be. The dishes are getting washed and that’s all that matters.

~ 12 ~

Don’t expect your hubby to read your mind.

I think this is my favorite lesson learned because I needed it so bad! I had the attitude that if Brian really knew me, I shouldn’t have to say what was on my mind. He should just pick it up. Maybe it’s a female thing but I think we women are able to perceive things without words being spoken. I expect Brian to be the same way and while there are moments when he and I can look at each other and read the other person’ mind, when it comes to ins and outs of life, I need to spell it out. For example, when I would get mad or upset about something he’d try to comfort me and it only made me madder. (Yeah, my mom calls him a saint because he’s married to me.) I finally told him straight out, “When I am mad, please leave me alone. Don’t talk to me. Don’t touch me. Just let me be. Then when you see that I’ve cooled off, please hug me and give me your comfort. At that point, your hug makes all the world right again.” He said okay and started doing just that. Since then it works like a charm! Likewise, it used to be that when I was overwhelmed and needed his help, I’d huff and puff and stew inside because he would not come over and help me automatically. Finally, I learned to just say, “Sweetheart, (or “hey!”) I need some help. Can you (fill-in-the-blank) for me. He was always more than willing to help, I just had to ask.

~ 13~

Give your hubby the benefit of the doubt.

This goes hand-in-hand with # 12. While I was stewing and wonderingd why Brian could not see that I was in need of help. Or I wondered why he could not figure out why I was upset with him. I’d think, “We’ve been married for 15 years? How can he not know me by now?” When we are mad, we can think of all kinds of crazy motives

for our husband’s behavior. We’ll sometimes assume the worse when in reality there was a simple explanation or it really wasn’t a big deal. If you give your husband the benefit of the doubt that he did not mean to hurt you, you can start to see the situation from his perspective. It’s not always easy but it makes for less heart ache in the long run.

~ 14 ~

Realize that you are no saint and say you’re sorry.

It’s true that we are all working towards sainthood (or should be) but the majority of us are far from it. When you are angry with your husband, think about your own faults and shortcomings. Think of all the things he has to put up with you. When you stop looking at his faults and start focusing on your own, you see that neither of you is perfect. Don’t be too proud to say “I’m sorry” first. Ask for God’s grace to bring peace back into your home.

~ 15 ~

Pray for your spouse (and yourself.)

No one knows better than a husband and wife, just how hard marriage can be. You need God’s grace to not only survive but to thrive and be happy in your marriage. Pray for your spouse every day. He is like a soldier going off to battle each day, trying to be a man of God in a godless world. He needs your prayers and love to lift him up and strengthen him. Likewise, ask Our Lord to help you be a good wife to your husband. The tone of your home life is governed by your attitude. (Hence the saying, ‘If mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy!”) You are the heart of your home and your love for your spouse (and children) are capable of making a little piece of heaven in on earth. 🙂

How about you? What is your top lesson of marriage that you’ve learned so far?

PPS – This post may contain affiliate links.

Loving Until It Hurts

By bobbi
January 30, 2015
10 Comments

It’s been a long and stressful week. My father-in-law is recovering from his stoke, although he is having heart issuesw which has not allowed him to leave the ICU. We are pleased he is getting the best care at Stanford but it makes spending time with him difficult since we are 90 miles away. My mother-in-law is unable to board up there so Brian drives and stays with her at Stanford on the weekends and we’ve been trying to round up enough of her friends to help drive during the week so Brian does not have to miss too much work. I feel bad for my in-laws and I am doing what I can to make this situation easier on them.

However, that also means doubling my current busy workload. That would be fine if I was a saintly woman who loved to suffer. It is not so great for a selfish sinner who hates to be put out. By Monday evening I was drained. Brian came home and we had a conversation like this.

Brian: You won’t believe what I just saw outside. There are four wild turkeys in front of our driveway.

Bobbi: Are you sure those aren’t just our kids?

Brian: No! There are huge turkeys walking up the street.

Bobbi: What the heck are turkeys doing in the neighborhood? That’s weird. So is that a good omen or a bad omen?

Brian: Well, it could be that we are in a time of Thanksgiving.

Bobbi: Or it could mean we are about to be shot, beheaded, plucked and cooked.

Brian: (Sighs)

Yeah, I was not in the mood to be looking on the bright side. Later that evening, after apologizing to Brian for being so grouchy, I started thinking about a Hallmark movie I recently saw. (Don’t hate on Hallmark. I love those sappy love stories.) 😉 In the movie, A Novel Romance, two characters were having a discussion. The young woman Sophie was talking to an older friend Harris. They were recalling his wife who had died. The conversation went like this:

Harris: I don’t pretend to know much about relationships. I only loved one woman in my life.

Sophie: You found your one true love.

Harris: I know that now, but when Lola and I were together it wasn’t always so clear. Loving someone is the hardest work there is. Oh, I messed up plenty. So did she. We disappointed each other sometimes. We said things we regretted later, but we never let it keep us apart no matter how bad things seemed at the time. It wasn’t true love because it was easy. It was because we worked at it. We fought for it.

I love that.

It wasn’t true love because it was easy. It was because we worked at it. We fought for it.

That little piece of dialogue pretty much sums up our life lesson as wives and mothers. I have found my true love but it isn’t always kisses and love notes. There are also disagreements and annoying habits and the monotonous day to day chores. I have four sweet babies but it isn’t always hugs and kisses and drawings for mama. There are also messes, laundry, tantrums, sleepless nights and an endless stream of toys on the floor. There are seasons of joy and celebration and there are seasons of heavy crosses – illness, job loss, miscarriage, infertility, (or no break between pregnancies,) a death of a loved one. These big and little crosses stretch us and test us to the core. We find out if our love is only pretty words or the real thing through thick and thin.

I admit there are times when I can’t take it and just want to scream. Why am I so stressed? Maybe because I spent too much time goofing off on the computer and then I had to rush around in a tizzy to get dinner on the table. Or maybe I am tired and cranky because the night before I binge watched too many episode of my favorite show. Times like that, I have no one to blame but myself. I know I am capable of doing what I need to do but I am just being very self-centered and not wanting to love the way God is asking me. My priorities are askew and I need to make corrections pronto.

Monday was one of those days. I made matters worse by not doing first things first – ie. prayer and daily duties. The following day I made sure to put prayer first. I opened up my daily meditation and began to pray.

Sometimes God is every so gentle with me and sometimes He just gives me the swift kick in the arse that I need. This was a swift kick day. The line that jumped out at me was

‘Taking up our cross’ might have a little more to do with love of neighbor and a little less like playing the martyr.

Ouch. This kept echoing in my head – “Pick up your cross without playing the martyr.”

But I am so good at playing the martyr, Lord! Huffing and puffing and rolling my eyes because nothing is working out the way I want it. At those times I can almost hear Jesus say, “Really? After all that I’ve done for you, this is how you are going to act? Like a spoiled child? Is your love really that fickle?” Sigh. Our Lord knows me too well.

However, there are those days, when I am seriously giving 110% of myself and it is still not enough. I am overwhelmed by the weight of whatever cross I am caring. That is when Jesus is most gentle with me. He comforts me and gives me the grace to love even when it hurts. That is when He reminds me to slow down long enough to look at the blessings around me, despite the difficulties.To love someone, whether a spouse, child, parent or friend, means to be there in the good and the bad. To lift them up and carry them when they are weak. As I type this, I’m getting a mental picture of Samwise Gamgee as he carries Frodo up the slopes of Mount Doom. That is love. Right now God is calling me to be Samwise to my family. I need to stop whining and get to work.

I’ve been in this position before and I know what I must do to survive it.

1. Drop to my knees.

My day goes so much better when I pray in the morning, whether it is long of brief.
Talk to God throughout the day. I need to ask for God’s grace and for the strength and courage to follow his will in my life right now.
When the complaining starts to enter my mind, I need to give it to God and ask for his grace to see the good around me.

2. Take care of my physical needs.

Eat. (No skipping breakfast then binging at lunch because I’m starving.)
Take my vitamins and drink. (Water, that is.) 😉
Exercise. Sure my beach walks are awesome but those are getting more difficult these days. Even a 10 minute walk up and down the driveway is better than nothing.
Sleep. I am a night owl and I have to force myself to not stay up until the wee hours of the morning.

3. Know my limit and not be afraid to ask for help.

I can do a lot (when I am in the right frame of mind) but when I reach the point of losing it, I have to do whatever I can to step away or take a break. If Brian cannot watch the kids for a little bit then I need to find someone who can give me a hand.
Sometimes even a call from my mom and just hearing her voice is enough to settle my spirit and give me strength.
There have been many times people have offered to help but I always tell them, “oh, that’s okay” because I feel like I need to do it myself. People want to help. I need to humble myself and let them.

These are a few steps I take to help me love and live my vocation as a wife and mother. What about you? What things help you when you are loving until it hurts?

UPDATE: After posting this, my father-in-law was moved out of ICU. He is still having issues but it is a step in the right direction. The next hurdle is to get him out of Stanford and back to Monterey to heal. Thanks for your continues prayers! 🙂

* * * * *

Photo Credit – ElizabethFoss.com

I know I mentioned this before but if you are in a difficult season of life or you feel like you are struggling to find joy and peace in your current chaos, I strongly recommend Elizabeth Foss’ online Lenten Retreat – Restore. I joined last year when I was struggling with Brian’s cancer and caring for the household and it did wonders for me. The daily meditations, the essays and the podcasts were a balm to my soul. A year later, I still go through my notes and remind myself of the lessons God was teaching me.

Currently, I am not experiencing the burnout I had last year but I signed up for the retreat anyway because I know the Holy Spirit will use it again to continue to guide me and draw me closer. I understand that the cost of $65 is more than some people can afford. If that is the case, but you feel like you need to go, then lay it before the feet of Jesus. Tell him that if you are meant to go, then to please provide the means. He just may surprise you.Photo Credit: ElizabethFoss.com

I hope you’ll join me so we can make this journey together. Have a blessed weekend!

Goals for 2015 & Mini-Goals for January & February

By bobbi
January 18, 2015
10 Comments

AND

Last year (in Fall) I sat down and thought about the goals I wanted to set for the next six months. August and September and October saw real progress as I slowly worked on key areas of my life but once the holiday season started, everything went on the back burner. Finally, in mid-January, I am just about recovered from holidays and traveling for a wedding/family reunion. I have chosen my word and saint of 2015 and now it is time for me to revisit my main goals for 2015.

I was reading over my sister’s Goal List and although I divided my goals into categories as she did, I love the way she labeled them – I am a child of God, woman, wife, mother, homemaker. I am hijacking the idea and adding it to my list. (Thanks, sis. 😉 )

Here are my main goals for the year and my mini-goals for January and February.

* * *

I Am A Daughter of God

Main Goal #1: To always have God at the center of my life and to deepen my love for Him. I want his will to be my will and motivation.

January & February Mini-Goals

Prayer is something I always struggle with. I seem to take two steps forward and three steps back unless I am diligent about not getting lax in my relationship with God. I can see how important it is that I connect with Brian and talk with him and be with him if I want our relationship to grow. I need to remind myself that it is the same thing with God. If I want our relationship to thrive, I have to work on it and not take it for granted. My min-goals:

Set clock 20 minutes early to pray after my shower but before I wake up kids.
Turn my mind to God through the day, even if only for a brief moment.
Turn off the TV and do a little spiritual reading.
Monthly confession.

* * *

I Am A Wife

Main Goal #2: To be a loving and holy wife to Brian and to work at keeping our marriage strong. To do what can to hep him relax and feel like his home is a haven from the world.

January & February Mini- Goals

Plan weekly date nights with one date a month being out of the house alone.
Don’t monopolize the conversation. Ask Brian questions and let him talk without interrupting.
When Brian comes home don’t bombard him with the stresses of my day. Greet him with a smile and a kiss and let him relax a little before dinner.
Work on the kids’ homework after school so Brian is not left doing it all after dinner.

* * *

I Am A Mom

Main Goal #3: To be a good mother that loves her kids and spends time with them and is not always “too busy.” I want to teach them about their faith and how to love and serve God in their young lives.

January & February Mini- Goals

Plan bi-weekly outings as a family. The off weeks can be spent playing with them in the backyard searching fossils or blowing bubbles or having a picnic on the deck.
Update the kids’ chore chart to give them more responsibility around the house. Go back to the sticker reward charts since they seem to work well.
Incorporate 1-2 church feast days into family life.

* * *

I Am A Homemaker

Main Goal #4: To bring order into our home so I am not stressed out by the mess and chaos. When things are organized our family life runs smoother and there is more peace.

January & February Mini- Goals

Participate in A Bowl Full of Lemon’s Home Organization 101: 14 Week Challenge. I missed Week 1 & 2 so I am jumping in at Week 3 and will make up the other 2 weeks at the end.
Make a weekly cleaning schedule for maintenance. For example, the laundry gets insane if I don’t do at least one load every day or so. Fridays are my I’m-not-leaving-the-house days so I’ll plan bigger jobs then.
Look through my saved recipes and pull out a few to try each month since the current meal rotation is getting stale.

UPDATE: I’m actually switching my cleaning challenge. I’ll complete the more intense ABFOL challenge later in spring but for now I am doing the 31 Day to Clean: Having A Martha House the Mary Way hosted by Christian blogger and author Sarah Mae. God has been putting Mary and Martha into my life left and right! I’ve already started and I must say, it is just what I needed! I’ll blog more about it soon. 🙂

* * *

I Am A Woman

Main Goal #5 – To take care of myself physically, spiritually and mentally so I can be a happy and healthy wife, mother and friend.

I have a bad habit of starting a new book before the previous one is read. I started all these last year but have yet to finish one of them completely! I want to remedy that this year.

January & February Mini- Goals

Daily hydrate, take vitamins and walk for 20-30 min. Use my Fitbit to keep track.
Lately, God has been opening doors for me to meet (in real life) other local Catholic moms. I will not make excuses and about having to stay home and realize that I also need female companionship. I will work out my schedule to meet up with these moms and make some new friendships.
Make sure I have time for a little creativity – whether pulling out the big girl camera or working on a family photo book or spending time writing in my journal.
Participate in the Goodreads’ 2015 Reading Challenge. I pledged a book a month, so 12. (Are we friends on Goodreads? If not, find me here.)

It may seem a bit lofty but working on these smaller steps will keep me headed in the right direction.

What about you? What is the one thing that you really want to work on this year?

PPS – This post may contain affiliate links.

Weigh-in Wednesday: Sharing Health Goals (vol 1) – A Review of Fitbit Flex

By bobbi
October 29, 2014
8 Comments

The 31 Days of Writing Challenge continues. It’s Day 28 & 29 of my 31 Days of Gratitude.

* * *

One of my goals for September and October was to better my health by walking 30 minutes a day. I got a Fitbit Flex to help me with my goal and a few people have asked me about it so I thought I’d start a new series – Weigh-in Wednesday: Sharing Health Goals.

Now, to my friends reading this who run marathons and look great in your skinny little yoga pants, you can skip this post.

I want to talk to the women who spends more time in front of the computer looking for health tips than actually exercising and the mom who only runs to chase her naked toddler down the hallway and to the fellow husky mama who doesn’t want to get OUT of a size 18 but INTO a size 18. Yeah, this is for you, baby.

Those chubby cheeks have long been acquaintances of mine.

Okay, some background first. I have always been overweight. Like forever. I wore Sears’ Pretty Plus until I graduated to Lane Bryant. I hated it then but I got to a point in my life after I married and has a few kids where I made peace with it. This is just who I am – a plus size mama. That’s good…and bad. Good that I am comfortable in my own skin but bad in that I know I am not as healthy as I should be.

When Brian got sick with cancer, we made healthy changes in our lives but to be honest, although I was feeding him better, I would still stress snacking and eating foods and sweets that were no bueno. In September, I wasn’t feeling well myself. I was sluggish, was getting light headed and feeling slight numbness in my legs. Scary. In general, I was not feeling good. I decided it was time for a full physical and for me to get serious about my health. Besides doing it for myself, I’ve got four young kids and a husband that needs me to stick around for awhile!

After all the tests, I found that in almost every aspect – blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol – I was on the fence, border-lining between normal and too high. Some of my hormones (like progesterone) were off but that has always been the case and I was deficient in some vitamins, particularly iron and D3. So the doc has me on multiple supplements, I am walking at least 30 minutes a day and I’ve cut out white flour (and for the most part) processed sugar and sweets and eating a lot more veggies.

For this post, I am focusing on the walking.

It is recommended that every person take 10,000 steps a day for optimal health. I knew I probably wasn’t at that level but assumed I was not too far off. I would take random walks here and there and I felt like I was always running around but I wanted to know for certain how much I was moving each day. I read a lot of positive reviews of the Fitbit Flex so I decided to give it a try. I liked that fact that I could wear it all day, every day without giving it much thought. (Technically you can also wear it in the shower, but I take it off.)

The first day I wore the Fitbit, it was a leisurely Sunday and as the sun set I checked my numbers and was surprised to see I had only logged in 3,500 steps. I figured that was a fluke because it was Sunday. Surely during a busy week I’d be logging in closer to 10,000. Well, I was barely getting over 4,000. Ouch. That was eye opening. So for the next two weeks my goal was to add an extra 1,000. I worked on it and got up to a 5,500 average. The next two weeks I upped it another 1,000. Then another 1,000. Right now I am averaging between 8,500 – 9,000.

Some days I kick it and log over my 10,000 goal.

Other days I don’t quite get there.

My problem is consistency. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays when all the kids are in school, I have time alone where I can walk 2 miles on my favorite trails like this one.

The Monterey Bay Rec Trail

Can you say, “Gorgeous!”

But the other days of the week I am usually running around or taking care of kids or the household and the day speeds by without me strapping on my walking shoes. On those evenings, I walk for 30 minutes doing laps up and down my driveway after the kids go to sleep.

Sometimes it is soothing to put on my earphones and walk away the stress of the day as the stars come out.

Other days, I am draaaaaagging. There’s no pretty ocean to motivate me, just the asphalt and shadows amongst the trees and the chilly wind nipping at my face. There were plenty of days I was ready to say, “Forget it!” but looking at my Fitbit steps in black and white motivated me to get outside and bring that number a just a little higher.

Another great features of the Fitbit is the calorie log. The same way I would over estimate my steps I would also under estimate how much food I was eating. Once I started tapping in my meals into my Fitbit app, I could see that all those little nibbles here and there added up quickly. On the plus side, on the days I did extra walking I was allowed extra calories in.

The Fitbit also has a sleeping mode which will tell you how many times you wake up in the night or are restless. I don’t use this all the time but it is interesting to monitor now that the kids pretty much sleep the night through. (Heavenly.)

I also recently started adding friends to my profile. We are able to set a daily challenge and “compete” or offer support to one another. And I can use all the support I can get!

I will add, however, that the one negative I have heard about the Fitbit is that it does not do well tracking your steps when you are pushing a stroller. Apparently, it likes when you move your arm back and forth as you walk/run. It’s not really an issue for me since I walk alone now, but it may be something to look into if it’s a concern. That aside, I love my Fitbit and I know it has helped me stay motivated.

My goal now is to be more consistent with my 10,000 steps a day. Perhaps, going out early in the morning on the weekends when Brian is home with the kids or bringing Matthew with me on a walk on Mondays and Fridays. (I hesitate with that one because I feel like one of those people who walk with their dogs and they have to stop every five minutes so their pooch can sniff around and do their business. Picture the pre schooler version of that.) 😉

So what are the results from the last two month of walking and eating better? All the crazy symptoms are gone. My blood sugar and blood pressure are normal and I’ve lost ten pounds. That’s just a small portion of what I need to lose but it is a heck of a lot better than two months ago. I don’t think I’ll ever be “thin” but I certainly don’t mind being a healthier version of myself. 😉 And for that , I am truly thankful!!

What about you? Are you working on health goals? Or do you have exercising advice (like how to keep at it!) or healthier eating advice (like how to not fall off the wagon??) Spill, por favor!

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For more 31 Days of Gratitude, visit the home page here.

Revolution of Love

Do small things with great love.

Category Archives: blog upkeep

A Look at My 2015 (Erin Condren) Planner

Learning to Love: 15 Marriage Lessons in 15 Years

Loving Until It Hurts

Goals for 2015 & Mini-Goals for January & February

AND

I Am A Daughter of God

Main Goal #1: To always have God at the center of my life and to deepen my love for Him. I want his will to be my will and motivation.

I Am A Wife

Main Goal #2: To be a loving and holy wife to Brian and to work at keeping our marriage strong. To do what can to hep him relax and feel like his home is a haven from the world.

I Am A Mom

Main Goal #3: To be a good mother that loves her kids and spends time with them and is not always “too busy.” I want to teach them about their faith and how to love and serve God in their young lives.

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I Am A Homemaker

Main Goal #4: To bring order into our home so I am not stressed out by the mess and chaos. When things are organized our family life runs smoother and there is more peace.

I Am A Woman

Main Goal #5 – To take care of myself physically, spiritually and mentally so I can be a happy and healthy wife, mother and friend.

Weigh-in Wednesday: Sharing Health Goals (vol 1) – A Review of Fitbit Flex