(Not So) Extreme Makeover: Me Edition -- Week 12

Ever hear a song that just grabs you? Screams at you? "Hey, You over there!! Pay attention, this was written for you!" I've had songs like that in the past but the latest one came yesterday. Yes, I'm 33 years old and yes, I (heart) Miley Cyrus...

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The Climb (performed by Miley Cyrus)

I can almost see it, that dream I'm dreaming

But there's a voice inside my head sayin', "you'll never reach it."

Every step I'm taking, every move I make

Feels lost with no direction, my faith is shaking

But I got to keep trying, got to keep my head held high

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There's always gonna be another mountain

I'm always gonna wanna make it move

Always gonna be an uphill battle

Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose

Ain't about how fast I get there

Ain't about what's waiting on the other side

It's the climb

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The struggles I'm facing, the chances I'm taking

Sometimes might knock me down but, no I'm not breaking

I may not know it, but these are the moments

That I'm going to remember most yeah, Just got to keep going

And I, I got to be strong, just keep pushing on, 'cause

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There's always gonna be another mountain

I'm always gonna wanna make it move

Always gonna be an uphill battle

Sometimes I'm gonna have to lose

Ain't about how fast I get there

Ain't about what's waiting on the other side

It's the climb

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Keep on moving, Keep climbing, Keep the faith, It's all about The Climb

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Here are my updates for the week:

1. Find and read a book to better myself. At long last, I have finished The Shack. It was amazing. Amazing. I don't even have the words to describe this book. I can see why some people might think it's controversial, but it offers such a great perspective on God, especially in the midst of tragedy. Regardless of your religious beliefs, I think this is a must read. Whether you agree or disagree with what goes on, it'll certainly open your eyes. There is no book I've ever read that I would recommend more highly. There is a lot to digest, a lot to think about and ponder and mull over. But no doubt, I am already a better person for having read it. THANK YOU to my friend Brenda for sending it my way!

2. Simplify. I'm working on it.... Refer to song lyrics, above.... More to post next week, I hope!

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3. Devise and implement a summer household organization plan. How hard is it to find baskets?!? I have looked in a few places and of course, I have a picture in my head of the exact baskets that I can not live without in order to organize my home / life / family for the summer. Wish I knew how to make baskets because apparently, the vision in my head does not exist in real life. Oh well... an excuse to keep shopping!

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Still going strong with:

Better skin care

Drink more water

Grump less

Have pretty nails

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What are you working on this week? Whatever it is, YOU CAN DO IT! Leave a comment so we can encourage you as you go!

(Not So) Extreme Makeover: Me Edition -- Week 11

Welcome to Week 11! Whether you're reading for the first time or have been following along for a while now, I'd love for you to join me in my "mini" self makeover. Post a comment and let me know what you're working on so we can encourage you as you go!

Here are my updates for the week:

1. Find and read a book to better myself. Sadly, I have not made any progress on this book. Not sure what's wrong with me since I love this book so far. Between the long drive and the kids, it's hard to find quiet time to read, but I've already learned so much just from the first half of The Shack that I'm bound and determined to get it finished. Next book, though, will definitely be a book on CD so I can listen to it in the car!

2. Simplify. This moves up to #2 on the list since I've officially moved "have pretty nails" to the "accomplished" list. I still have so much work to do in this area but there are two things I'm focusing on right now. One is to clean out "stuff." I have piles of "stuff" in so many places and slowly I'm starting to go through it and weed it out. Some is finding a new home in my own home, some is going to find a new home in someone else's home, some is going to find a new home in a landfill or a recycling center. This is going to take a LOT of time, but slow and steady will win this race. At least, I hope it will! The other part of this is some writing I'm doing around the whole idea of "simplify." I have the bones laid out but need to add the meat. Once I get that a bit more in shape, I'll start posting it here.

3. Devise and implement a summer household organization plan. The school year will be over in 3 short weeks, which is funny since I've finally now mastered the morning routine for 4 people going to 4 places at 2 different times every weekday morning. Starting in mid-June, both kids will be going to the same summer camp so that ought to simplify things a bit. (During the school year they go to different schools every day.) However, I find myself in a constant state of dismay and anxiety over unpacking book bags from the day, sorting mail and papers, making lunches, all that fun stuff that goes along with being a parent and running a household. The kitchen table and island are hopelessly hidden by piles of "stuff" that I don't have the time or energy to sort through and put away daily. Funny, though, how those piles seem to be perfectly content to just sit there and stare at me for days and weeks at a time. So, my goal here is to come up with a system to organize our "stuff" that comes in daily so that the island and the table are free for cooking and eating. I want the summer to be fun and stress-free, at least in the "organization" area. I'm hoping this weekend to purchase some baskets or bins or somethings to help collect "stuff" for each person in the family, and also get the family on board with the new system. I know it will take a while to perfect, but I find that just the idea of baskets and bins usually cuts down on my stress level (stop laughing!) so that's where I'll begin.

Still going strong with:
Better skin care
Drink more water
Grump less
Pretty nails

What are you working on this week? Whatever it is, YOU CAN DO IT! Leave a comment so we can encourage you as you go!

(Not So) Extreme Makeover: Me Edition -- Week 10

How are you doing this week? I need to get myself a bit more in gear on some of these things... hoping you've been making more forward progress than I have!

1. Find and read a book to better myself. OK, haven't opened the book this week. Really wanted to... will keep working on it! I did, however, make 2 friendship bracelets (you know, the kind you made when you were 12, out of embroidery floss?) for my daughter and her best friend. Can't read and tie knots at the same time. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it!

2. Have pretty nails. I have still not worked my way up to polish. (I suppose I can blame this on the friendship bracelets, too. After all, can't tie knots with wet nails!) Even without polish, I think I'm about ready to move this off the list and find something new for next week. A few have broken but they're still in good shape, so I think it's about time to call this one done.

3. Simplify. Ah... the big, amorphous "simplify." Made a bit of progress in two areas this week. Long story short, I recently applied for (and got - yay!) a new job. It required a drug test, which required a long wait in a lab. I brought my pen and paper and finally started putting some ideas on paper. Oh, how I miss that! Far from finished, but it's starting to take shape. Progress made!! On Saturday, I helped my 5-year-old clean "baby stuff" out of her room, built her a new shelving unit and got rid of a lot of broken, torn and useless "stuff." Her room looks great, I have a good pile for Goodwill and her little sister inherited about 70 books and 30 Barbie dolls. We did not yet tackle the closet but I'm feeling good that at least 1 bedroom has been sorted through and weeded out. Only 3 more bedrooms to go...
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Still going strong with:
Better skin care
Drink more water
Grump less
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What are you working on this week? Whatever it is, YOU CAN DO IT! Leave a comment so we can encourage you as you go!

(Not So) Extreme Makeover: Me Edition -- Week 9 (do over!)

So before I get to this week's regular post, I want to take a minute to thank my friend Julie at The Surrendered Scribe for passing on the Sisterhood Award to this blog. Isn't this just the cutest bloggy award button? This award is for blogs that display an "attitude of gratitude" and I'm honored that Julie included me on her list of blogs who do this. In turn, I would like to pass it on to any of you who are reading these weekly Makeover posts and especially to those who are taking steps to make themselves over. Go ahead, grab the pretty picture below -- this award is for you!

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I now return you to your regularly scheduled blog update....

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Last week, I was on a cruise. It was FAB-U-LOUS! I spent 4 nights and 5 days doing nothing but relaxing (read: eating, drinking, napping, drinking, sunbathing, eating, drinking, parasailing, eating, shopping, drinking, sunbathing) with my little sister, Sarah. I missed my kids but I didn't realize until the 2nd or 3rd day of the cruise just how much I needed a few good days of R&R. I've had a lot going on lately and it was the perfect little break. Mad props (I've always wanted to say that!) to my amazing husband, who booked the entire thing as a surprise for my sister and me!!

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I had grand plans for my vacation but didn't do much... see my definition of "relaxing" in the paragraph above. So, I'm calling this a Week 9 "do over" since I don't think last week really counted!
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1. Find and read a book to better myself. I did take The Shack with me on the cruise and on 2 separate occassions, I did open the book. I think I read a total of 3 pages. Don't get me wrong, it's not that I don't love the book... I just didn't want to work my brain hard enough to actually read the book. This one isn't done yet!

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2. Have pretty nails. I posted a few weeks ago that I was looking for a "nail product" to help strengthen my nails. My sister-in-law, Cathy, sent me a bottle of Nailtiques and it's wonderful! So, I made sure to put on a new coat every day on the cruise and since I've been back. My nails are looking good and feeling stronger, though I'm not crossing this one off until I work myself up to actual nail polish. My husband will be away this weekend so I'm sure the girls and I will give each other mani/pedis while he's gone... so maybe by next week I'll be ready to call this one complete.

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3. Simplify. From the outside it probably looks like I haven't made much (any?) progress in this area, but there are some ideas taking shape in my head that I'm really excited about. From a "simplify stuff" perspective, my older daughter and I will start tackling this one this weekend. She wants to make a "science lab" in her bedroom (not sure what that means to a 5-year-old, I'm a bit afraid!) and has asked me to help her clean out some of her old toys, books and clothes to make room for said science lab. So, this weekend we'll start sorting and purging and packing away things. From a "simplify my life" perspective, I'm still working through some ideas which I hope to have in a "ready for publication" state within the next few weeks. But, just thinking through things in my head has helped me a lot, so I'm feeling pretty good that I'm at least facing the right direction on this one, even if I haven't actually started moving yet.

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Still going strong with:

Better skin care

Drink more water

Grump less

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What are you working on this week? Whatever it is, YOU CAN DO IT! Leave a comment so we can encourage you as you go!

(Not So) Extreme Makeover: Me Edition -- Week 9

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Gotta love the "post ahead" feature on Blogger, eh? So I've written this post in advance since right now, I am sailing around in the Caribbean. Hopefully by now I've been parasailing, enjoyed tons of food, see some great shows, lounged on some beaches and had more than my share of fruity frozen drinks. Hopefully I've found plenty of time to finish reading The Shack and my nails still look nice and I haven't bought an excess of souvenirs that completely set me back on the "simplify" goal.

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So, since I'm not willing to pay for internet access during the cruise (isn't the point of the cruise to not have internet and cell phone access?) you won't know until next week how Week 9 really went for me, but I hope it's going great for you!

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Leave me a comment on what you're working on this week so I can catch up on the "real world" when I get back from the big boat :-)

(Not So) Extreme Makeover: Me Edition -- Week 8

So how's your Week 8 shaping up? Nothing new on my list this week but still feeling pretty good!

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1. Find and read a book to better myself. It's been a busy time at work and we had guests all weekend so I didn't get much more reading done on The Shack, but my sister and I are going on a cruise next week (can we say "CAN'T WAIT!!!" and "SO EXCITED!!!"), so I will surely finish this book while lounging on the sunny beaches of Coco Cay. It's been such a great read so far, I can't wait to see how it ends!
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2. Have pretty nails. As I admitted last week, I pretty much stole this one from Julie. It's been about 3 weeks and they're finally starting to look like fingernails! Hoping to work myself up to some polish this weekend. Fingers (and nails!) crossed that they last at least long enough for formal night on the cruise. (Oh, did I mention "CAN'T WAIT!!!" and "SO EXCITED!!!"?)

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3. Simplify. OK, so it turns out that Luanne is actually not helping on this one, though my girls and I thank her from the bottom of our hearts for the sixteen pound box of Disney treasures she sent to us last week. I'm still not clear on what this goal will mean for me, but I've had a lot going on at work lately that is starting to come to a resolution, so hoping that will get me heading in the right direction soon. THEN I'll start working on simplifying "stuff."
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Still going strong with:
Better skin care
Drink more water
Grump less -- still a daily battle but I think I'm finally winning it!
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What are you working on this week? Whatever it is, you can do it! Leave a comment so we can encourage you as you go

(Not So) Extreme Makeover: Me Edition -- Week 7

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Week 7 already, I can't believe it! This week, albeit a crazy one, I feel "accomplished" enough in two items to move them off the list and add new things instead. Feels good!

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1. Find and read a book to better myself. I'm about half way through the book The Shack, which my friend Brenda sent to me. I don't have a lot of time to read but when I find a few free moments, it's almost painful to put the book down. I'm not really sure where it's going, but what I've read so far has made me think. A lot. I love it! My original plan for "a book to better myself" was more along the lines of "how to get organized" or "how to stress less." But I think The Shack is a far better "bettering" of myself than I could have chosen on my own.

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2. Have pretty nails. I pretty much stole this one from Julie, but I'm hoping we can encourage each other. I have always had brittle nails and they break easily, so I never stopped myself from picking at them because, well, they were just going to break anyway. I had acrylics for many, many years and they were gorgeous. Of course, they cost money and more important, time. I stopped getting them done (professionally) around Christmas time and a few weeks ago the damaged part had finally grown off so I decided to let them grow on their own. They're looking OK so far. Now, to find some kind of clear coat / strengthener that will make them less likely to break. Anyone have ideas?

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3. Simplify. Might as well have written "achieve world peace" there. This is big, ambiguous and on some days, seems unachievable. However, I've been watching my friend Luanne go through a purge process with her stuff, getting rid of 100 "somethings" each month so far in 2009. I'm not sure that "100 somethings" is the way I'll end up going but I like the idea of taking small steps to simplify -- be it by eliminating stuff or unnecessary responsibilities or something else. We'll see where this takes me but it's time to begin beginning the process.

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Still going strong with:

Better skin care

Drink more water

Grump less -- still a daily battle but I think I'm finally winning it!

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What are you working on this week? Whatever it is, you can do it! Leave a comment so we can encourage you as you go!