Toby Playing Chopsticks on YouTube

10.2 pounds and counting!

Down 10.2 pounds, and counting down! Don't worry, this isn't from January 1st...a bit unhealthy! I started officially right before Thanksgiving, and cheated plenty during the holidays, so I'm excited it didn't set me back too much. Hopefully when Spring comes in May I'll have lost the next 40! Still walking 4 miles per day, and sometimes extra when we walk into town to check the mail, visit the library, and go to the store. Thanks for all the encouragement!

The Crafty Bug

I admire all things crafty, but never actually get the TIME and ENERGY together to do anything myself. I already blogged about the stockings I made, but here are some pics of my newest projects. I made these wallets, using That Darn Kat's tutorial, genius! And most recently I whipped up these burp cloths for a friend who just had a baby. I will be making a quilted changing pad to match...I'll post those pics when finished. It was SOO satisfying to start a project and finish it!

Blog Posts that stayed in my head

There are many posts I meant to put up.....but never did, so here's a quick synopsis!

Tea with "the girls" Sophia's best girlfriends Ella and Avery

Snow last week falling in Damascus....brrrrr!

And Frank's dad visited the day after Christmas. Fun Fun Fun!

Jude the Dude

This little boy is so funny! He makes me laugh every day! He loves dressing up lately, this is what he walked down with a couple of days ago....

New Year's Update

So I started the week of with a bang! Monday and Tuesday walking/jogging for 60 mins, a total of over 4 miles each day. Today it's been snowing ALL day, so I will be toning and strength training with my balance ball and hand weights. I love healthy food options, so that is not my problem as much as convenience is! When I am making the kids pb&j for lunch, it's just much easier to make one for myself! Either that or I don't have time to eat at all, so when I finally do....can we say indulge?! That's why I love my Cinch shakes so much! I already know what's for breakfast & lunch, I don't get hungry and healthy choices for dinner are much easier to make ahead of time. Tonight is Chicken Tortilla Soup, Rachael Ray's recipe. Yum-O!

One of my resolutions was to volunteer at least once a month. Well, I was just asked to teach an ebay class for the adult education program at the community college. This is not a paid class, so I'll be volunteering every Thursday for 6 weeks! Working on business ideas this weekend and next, and the kids are getting lots of healthy options every day! Good luck with your resolutions!

New Year Resolutions

So, I have to admit, I am not a big New Year's Resolution person. I have probably only actually stayed up to watch a ball drop a total of 4 times ever. So what is it about a new year that makes us want to improve ourselves? Stores start stocking up exercise equipment and organizational items for those of us who have vowed to lose weight and clean our houses! We should be constantly trying to improve ourselves, physically, emotionally, spiritually and socially. So I decided this year I would have some resolutions. Maybe I've always been worried I'd just break them anyways, so why make them in the first place? So for the first time, I figure I'll post them up for all to see, so you guys can check in on me and so how I am doing with them! Here goes:

• Volunteer or perform an act of service once a month


• Write an article once a month


• Get the family healthy and green


• Lose 50 pounds


• Start a garden


• Start recycling


• Walk everywhere I can, as often as I can


• Pursue business ideas

You may have noticed the loftiest goal in there by far, and the one that scares me the most is the lose 50 pounds one. That's a tough one to put out there, but since I am 100% determined to get down to business on it, there it is! There are many other things that this new year is bringing. Frank is still "new" at work, and learning the ins and outs of a comission only job, Toby is starting 2nd grade, Zane is sooo close to being a full fledged reader, Sophia is starting speech therapy in January, and Jude is almost 2! I have also started a new business, selling health and wellness supplements as an independent distributor for Shaklee. This will be a full year, and as the Cardinales do it, I am sure it will be fun! Wishing health and happiness, and all of God's blessings to you in 2008!