Goals » Stop, Drop and Blog

April is Here

Apr 012010

“The first of April is the we remember what we are the other 364 days of the year.” – Mark Twain

I planned no April Fools’ jokes. I fear, however, the gorgeous 80 degree weather with a lovely Spring breeze that we are experiencing today will be Mother Nature’s cruel joke against us. April is, of course, the cruelest month though, despite what T.S. Eliot wrote, January and February seem much more difficult for me. Today the sun is shining and I feel like a new person. A person soon to become one year older but a new person all the same. Ah, birthday month is upon us.

Despite my reservations about my upcoming birthday, I am delighted that it is April. The birds are chirping. The sky is blue. My apple tree is finally forming buds. My lilies sprouts continue to grow daily. The breeze is whipping the curtains. And later today, we’ll take another walk. We’ll eat dinner with the windows open, the screen door pulling the air through the house. We’ll breathe in the fresh air that evaded us all winter. Eventually, of course, it will rain again. But we have boots. And rain jackets.

My April desktop features our loves, old and new: taking walks with our new wagon.

April Desktop

(This month’s desktop came from Designer Digitals.)

I am also pleased to announce that I am on track with my Project 365. My March mosaic is finished.

March Mosaic

But I am also worried. There were a few pictures in March that were done as we entered that haunting eleventh hour and I realized that I had taken no green pictures. My theme for the month was green and despite having taken good, quality, artistic pictures on certain days, I found myself at 11:35 with no green pictures to show for all of my work. I am uncertain if I will do a theme this month though, again, it kept me on my toes. I’m hoping to avoid default pictures (using the only picture I took on a day) or eleventh hour “what can I find in my dark house that is okay to photograph” shots. We will see.

Book wise? I have read 15 books thus far. If I continue at this rate, I’ll be well over my goal of 50 books this year. My worry, of course, is that with the lovely weather we’re having, I’ll be outside chasing small children more than I will be cuddled up on the corner of the couch reading. April, however, is known for rain and the like so I imagine I should be able to stay on track. I have some interesting books lined up. I’m pleased with my progress thus far. The boys have added 25 books to their physical library (though their list only shows 22; some aren’t available on Goodreads). And I just ordered eight more from Scholastic. What can I say? I can’t say no to a book purchase.

Weight wise, I have hit my first goal (10 pounds)! I am hoping to continue with the weight loss as I have something big planned for later this month. The goal I have in mind for April 24th is healthy and do-able but not at the current rate in which I have been losing weight. It also took me three months to make it this far so I won’t be absolutely devastated if I don’t hit my twenty-four day goal but, still, I’ll be kicking the workouts up a notch!

April will be a busy month for us. I’m learning to re-balance my time. My #momspotting gig has come to an end but I’m now a Contributing Editor for Mom Central on the Tech Blog. (My first two posts are up! Go see!) I have some interesting photography prospects going on as there are many newborns in my life right now. Add in Easter (and these cupcakes), the start of t-ball season, four other family birthdays, my birthday, rehearsals, the big thing at the end of the month (oh-so-secretive, no?) and the daily ins and outs of life and April seems to be overwhelmingly busy.

Overwhelmingly wonderful as well. Happy April!

Gathering Roses in January

Family, Goals, Living Life, Photography 5 Responses »

Feb 012010

©Jenna Hatfield, 2008

“It is the memory that enables a person to gather roses in January.” – Unknown

©Jenna Hatfield, 2008

January is over. I can’t say that I’m sad to see it go. What started off as a wonderful month has become an increasingly difficult year. The death of my beloved Grandfather has thrown me for a loop, leaving me unable to find the words to properly blog over the past few weeks. With some other severe health concerns in my husband’s family, FireDad and I are somewhat dreading the continuation of this year. That sounds so negative and unlike me, unlike us as a whole.

And yet, while I’ve been immensely sad, the quote above applies. Something about the passing of someone so dear allows us to reach into the back caverns of our mind and remember things we simply hadn’t taken the time to pull to the front of our brains. I know that I was lucky. Or, rather, I am lucky to have been so loved by such a wonderful man. I am the luckiest of all of the grandchildren in the fact that my children not only got to meet their great-grandfather, their Big Papau, but they got to love and interact and play and laugh with him as well. I feel sad that my brother and his wife won’t know that same joy. I feel even more sad that the other grandchildren won’t get to introduce their future spouses to Grandpa. Maybe I am the luckiest. I do try to remember that.

Despite the grief of this month, it’s been a rather successful one. I’ve read eight books and, no, I don’t know where I found the time. I hit my deadlines though it was very difficult for me to do last week and contributed to a lack of blogging here (and there). I drove around Ohio. We just finished the floor in our kitchen and dining room (more about that project here). (By we I mean my amazing husband with a smidgen of help from his dad, his grandpa and a phone call to one of my uncles.) I started yoga in a class setting and really kicked up my own personal workout time, successfully losing two pounds this month (though I may have gained that back this weekend during a lovely day out with my friends). I started hosting two separate (awesome) giveaways. I had a post syndicated on BlogHer (go leave a comment on my parenting in public post if you would). And I took (at least) one picture, every single day.

In 2008 when my maternal (step)Grandfather died, I failed that very week at Project 365. I really thought that the passing of my paternal Grandfather would do the same. Instead, in the confusing hour after that phone call, I picked up my camera and expressed my grief visually. I may fancy myself a writer but the photographer in me comes out when I can’t find the words to say what I’m feeling in the deep recesses of my heart. January, of course, proves difficult in this region when it comes to creativity and lighting. I do hope that during the month of February I can work on being a bit more creative and not just flubbing through the project. Either way, I’ll keep at it.

January was difficult but it seems that I not only survived but managed to be rather successful despite the fog of grief. I will admit that even though they often bring tears, remembering and sharing stories and memories about my Papau has been a welcome distraction from the sadness. It’s been my way of gathering roses in this bleak midwinter month of January. Though, I’ll be honest, I’m ready for Spring as I have an idea to honor my Grandfather.

Plus, I’m cold. Brr.

Happy New Year! And My 2010 Goals

Goals 11 Responses »

Jan 012010

Happy New Year!

New Year’s Eve was great. The kids played together, danced and raced their Mario Karts. The adults played card and board games. Everyone, including every last child, stayed up until midnight. I got to kiss FireDad as the ball finally dropped. And, minus packing up to leave, not one child cried. All evening. There wasn’t even much whining or arguing. It was a New Year’s Eve Miracle!

Which means it’s now 2010. Time to make some new goals for the year.

1. Reading Goal: 50 books. I set a goal of 60 last year and made it to 57. I find this acceptable. I’m dropping back down to 50 because I know it’s attainable with everything else that I do. I have my 2010 read list on Goodreads set up and will really be striving to keep it updated this year. More over, I have another goal to add 100 books to the boys’ library this year and I’ll be keeping track of their new books on Goodreads as well.

I thought about discussing my five favorite books that I read this year but, I’ll be honest, I can’t pick five. I will say, however, that The Time Traveler’s Wife was not only my favorite this year but likely ranks as my favorite ever. I need to re-read previous favorites and make that final decision.

2. Photography Goal(s): Participate in (and finish!) Project 365, get better at sports photography, purchase my new personal dSLR and push myself creatively. As you know, I’m working part-time for the local newspaper. Minus the getting better at sports photography, which will come in time, my goals are all personal. I failed at Project 365 last year but have faith that 2010 will be my year of completion. Similarly, my plan in 2009 was to purchase my new dSLR but then my laptop died mid-year and that took over the purchase money. Then I got the newspaper job and my plans for sticking with Canon flew out the window (we shoot with Nikon) so I’ve been busy researching Nikon purchases. As far as pushing myself creatively, it’s harder in the winter but I know that the reason I fail with Project 365 is because I get stuck in a rut. I hope to start following some more blogs, join some great challenge flickr groups and generally surround myself with other awesome photographers (likely virtually) to keep me on task. Also, I’m going to make a Vision Board (not just about photography but largely).

3. Fitness Goal: Tone up and/or lose 10 pounds. I don’t want to discuss the failure of last year considering, at one point, I exceeded my goal and then lost it. I do, however, want to get back on the fitness train this year. I’m fine with certain aspects of how my body has changed but I desperately need to tone up. I am not needing to lose a ton of weight so I’m not applying to be a #mamavation mom but I have considered the sistahood. I’m also back to tracking things on SparkPeople. I think I’m going ahead with the purchase of Wii Fit Plus. When warmer weather comes around, I might do something more outside. Not sure yet.

As per usual, I hope to stay organized, be a great mom and continue with some of my professional writing goals. (Which I’m apparently doing in ways that are bigger than I could have imagined at this time last year.) I’m hoping that at the end of 2010, whether or not these three(+) specific goals are fully “finished,” that I am a happy and healthy version of myself and that my husband and children are the same. Really, in the end, that’s the ultimate goal but, for me, that happiness is tied to some of these things as is my health.

Here’s hoping your 2010 is happy and healthy, too!

I Need Some Book Suggestions

Goals 17 Responses »

Feb 202009

I’ve just updated my Goodreads list of read books for 2009. I always forget to update that thing. But it now reflects what is actually going on in my reading life. I have read six books this year (one of which I absolutely loved). I am now currently reading nothing (see?). I did request the following books from our library just now:

1. Marley & Me: Life and Love with the World’s Worst Dog by John Grogan. I saw the movie first, which is something I rarely do. I now am forced, by my own personal moral code, to read the book and make the necessary comparison: which was better? The book or the movie? My guess will be the book but, oh, the movie was so wonderful.

2. Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire. This is evidence that I am deep in the throes of dorking out musically as of late. As our chorale continues to practice for our spring show, I’m finding myself listening to soundtracks non-stop. While I know the story (and the music) of Wicked, I now need to read the book. Why? Because I need to.

3. Son of a Witch, also by Gregory Maguire. I’ll be honest. In all my musical dorkiness, I didn’t know this book existed until today. I about fell off the couch when I was bebopping through titles and saw this one. And so, it must be read as well.

4. The Mighty Queens of Freeville: a mother, a daughter and the people who raised them by Amy Dickinson. I requested this one because Redbook told me to. Okay, I don’t do everything Redbook tells me to (but look for a theme on this in the near future) but I do always check out their book reviews. This one spoke to me and so, here we go.

They should all arrive in the next week through our awesome library system. (Also requested? The Making of Miss Saigon DVD and the full vocal score of the same musical. For those who don’t know what my renewed interest is in that musical, I encourage you to read this post and then offer me your congratulations.) I hate that I’m wasting a week in the process. I think I have some books in the house that have not yet been read and so I could jump into one of them but… sometimes they haven’t been read for a reason.

Especially that one book. That’s right. Two of my friends have ganged up on me and I currently have a copy of Twilight sitting on the table next to the couch. I said I’d read it if my one friend liked it after the other lent it to her first. And she went ahead and liked it. No, loved it. I should make good on reading it but I’m avoiding it like some kind of vampiric plague.

As such, we’re heading into town tonight and I want to buy a book. Please offer me your best suggestions. I like fiction and nonfiction alike. I could probably do without reading any serious parenting books right now as I feel parented out. A funny look at parenting would be accepted. I don’t really dwell much in chick lit but appreciate a good one. And, also, if the book totally avoids the word adoption, I’d be grateful. I’m also somewhat adoption storylined to death as of late.

You have until 3:30pm (EST) to offer suggestions. Winning suggestion (how well you sell your book to me and if it is available where we will be) will receive… a link if you’re a blogger… my deepest thanks… and a virtual cookie. Mmm, cookies. Unless you suggest more Twilight books. Then you will receive virtual liver and onions. It’s your choice.

[Note: No blog post yesterday because we were without internet due to an outage in a main city for most of the day. Yes, it was horrible but we did survive. Shockingly.]