Goodbye El Torito

Last Sunday, the restaurant that I worked at for almost 7 years from 1995-2001 closed it's doors for good. Some of us who worked there for a long time (several still were working there until Sunday) got together to have a last meal before it closed. I worked most of my way through college there and still worked Friday nights for the first 3 years that I taught. I have lots of fun memories of that place and met some wonderful people there who I still keep in touch with. It is a beautiful building and I am sad to say that they are planning to tear it down to build something else. Anyway, here are some pictures I took on Sunday.

How to Fail a Test with Dignity

A friend forwarded me some of these in an email. You should be able to click on them to enlarge them if they are hard to read.

Ringing in the New Year EST

I know this is a little late, but I just uploaded the pictures...

A friend of mine has had a New Year's Eve party for the past few years that is very kid-friendly and a lot of fun. We played games and made smores in the backyard (it was probably about 60 degrees outside that night) and had a great time together. Then, at 10:00 Arizona time, we watched the ball dropping in New York and celebrated the new year 2 hours early. We popped crackers and had sparkling grape juice and made it home in time for everyone to get enough sleep and before most of the crazy people were back on the roads. Rick always works on New Year's Eve because in his line of work it is one of their busiest nights of the year, but the kids and I had a blast.

Rope Yourself Into a Healthy Habit

My January goal is health and nutrition. One thing I have been very good at so far this month is eating a healthy lunch. Why that? I thought about it and realized that I chat away with coworkers pretty much the whole time I am eating anyway, and I hardly notice what I am eating. Also, whatever I bring is what I am stuck with. I can go out and get something if I really want to, but I don't if I bring a lunch because I don't want to waste it. What a great opportunity to eat better! So I have been preparing healthy lunches the night before and taking them to work with me, and that has been going great. I can actually feel more sustained energy through the afternoons and I know it is partially because I am eating better and drinking more water.

Health and Nutrition: The Specifics

Well, my big umbrella goal for January is Health and Nutrition. Why does this make me happy? Being in good shape and eating well makes me feel good for many reasons. Among them are, feeling more energetic, looking better and feeling more healthy. I also think it is important to set a good example for the kids that we take care one of our greatest gifts, our bodies. Here are a few specific steps toward making this happiness happen:

• Walk and/or run 5 days a week. Work up to a 5 mile long-run once a week and 2-3 mile short runs the other 4 days (I was up to 6 miles at this time last year, but then got shin splints and had to stop for awhile)
  
• Stretch a lot to feel better and avoid injury


• Get out of school by 3:40 as often as possible so I can get in a 45 minute work out and be home by 4:50


• Have workout clothes, water and lunch ready the night before-set up for success!


• Drink more water throughout the day


• Take vitamins


• Eat a healthy breakfast at least most days


• Plan better, more healthy meals, lunches and snacks for all of us


• Eat at least 5 fruits/vegetables a day-work toward ensuring that for kids also

So far this is going very well. I have realized that in order to make it really happen, the key is to be ready the night before. This takes a lot more preparation than just eating whatever is available and not working out, but it is well worth it, as I already feel more energy throughout the day.

My Twelve

I was recently inspired by Petra's and Denise's Happiness Project posts. I always have lots of ideas for New Year's resolutions, and really liked the idea of focusing on one area per month, with the overall theme of working on things that will make me happy. I think it is so easy to get buried in all of the other "work" of life that people forget to work toward being happy. There aren't many better goals than to live a happy life, and one of the best ways to commit to a goal is to tell people about it!

For those of you unfamiliar with The Happiness Project, the idea is that you choose a big area each month that will make you happier and work on it for the month, for a total of 12 in 2010. Here are my twelve:

January-Health and nutrition
February-Parenting
March-Home improvement/organization (I have 2 weeks off in March)
April-Documenting
May-Writing
June-Doing things and going places (at least 3 of us will be free most of June)
July-Keeping in touch with friends and family
August-Quick and easy ways to relax each day (this is the month school starts for us :)
September-Cooking
October-Photography
November-Being thankful and showing thanks
December-Family traditions-old and new

Another thing that makes me very happy is reading, but I already do that a lot. I was thinking I would just incorporate any books that seem to be good fits with what I am doing each month.

If you would like to join us, post your own 12 and follow up with specifics on how you plan to work on your January goal. We would love to hear from you!