Forward March

Life keeps moving forward at an alarming rate. Sean's college applications have all been sent - seriously? $600 just for the application process???? Now we sit back and wait...who will see what we know he has within him and bring him on board? Will the places on the top of his list offer him enough that it will be possible for him to go there? Lots of prayers these days. Meaghan's musical dreams are about to take off. By this time next year our home will have one less body living in it. I am always amazed at how many mom's look forward to that freedom...I find it sad, really, as for 98% of the time, we enjoy the time with our children! Yet another blessing we may not truly deserve! Today marks the beginning of Meaghan's journey into the real world of music...in the very safe hands of some really important and connected professionals. It's a time filled with excitement and trepidation! As parents, we are obligated to help our children reach their goals and dreams and help them to pursue what brings them joy and happiness in life. We do so willingly, yet it comes with the fear of "are we doing the right thing" and "have we given them the right tools to be strong enough to succeed?" Again, all we can do is support and pray that she finds happiness and discovers what the true plan for her life is intended to be. Knowing that those who want to help her along this road to discovery are truly good people. Now there is much to do to plan and prepare for all that this upcoming year will bring our way. The more prepared, the less stress, the more successful we will all be. Looking forward to the whole process!

Change can be scary....

But it can also be the best thing in life! I have had so many changes in my life and I can pinpoint the moment I began to toy with the idea of REALLY making a change. It was a spring evening up in Princeton, MA on the sidelines of the soccer field. I was chatting with my son's soccer coach - who incidentally has become one of my best friends - and he said to me "reinvent yourself. I love reinventing myself. I've done it a bunch of times." I thought he was nuts!

We'd been talking about all of the chaos and negativity in my life, especially where my career was concerned, and he said that like it was the easiest thing in the world. That moment stuck with me and I realized that I'd already been doing that for a while, but was still hanging on to the thing that made me most unhappy and I was doing so for others; for my family, for my students; for their parents; for the love of my alma mater. When had I stopped taking into consideration what was best for me? Why was I not even on the bottom of the list but not even on my own radar???

That night began what would be the summer that changed my life. I spent the summer working w/coach and loving every minute of it! I remembered what it felt like to be happy again. I enjoyed all of the ripple effect of that change - from my relationship with my children to my husband and I enjoying life together again - the transformation had be constantly aware of the joys of life.

After returning to my full time job for three days, I realized without a doubt that it was the cause of all of my troubles and stress. I also realized for the first time that I deserved better; my family deserved better. So I quit. I found a better job and am loving it. It is amazing how my life has become something that I feel blessed to be a part of again. The one change has domino-ed into many small changes. All have resulted in me remembering what my soul needs to be truly happy!

It all began with a simple yet profound encouragement from a friend for whom I will always be greatful - "reinvent yourself."

I highly recommend it to everyone!

Making Plans

Making plans for the following things will hopefully get me back on track.
1. bill/budget reconciling every Saturday 7-9am (Updating again on Mondays and Wednesdays)
2. Journey Girls updates Saturday 9am
3. Weekly meal plans Friday evenings
4. Food shopping weekly on a lightly shopped day to avoid crowds
5. Walking/elliptical on the calendar
6. Weekly updates on the college planning with Sean
7. Weekly time in office filing/purging/prepping for start of lessons
8. Weekly video taping for Meag - scheduled dates and times

My hope is that this will make life less hectic and stressful. Work is going to have to stay at work except for the conducting practicing. The rest of it will have to be done on the clock or not done.

Ladies! Check your email! Site moving.

Hi girls! I sent you all an email. I am moving the site/blog and explain it in the email. Please respond to that email asap and I'll finish the move!

Christine

No Rain

I am so glad that there has been no rain lately. YEA! no more getting soaked on my walks. I am currently working on speeding up my walking but doing the same distance. 2 miles everyday on my lunch breaks. That works out to be 10 miles a week...not bad. I plan on adding in two to three days of Jazzercise a week to that but haven't gotten off work early enough yet. Tuesdays and thursdays though they have a later start to class...there I go there's my two days. WHAT'S MY PROBLEM???

Sammy I am glad to hear that you are still loving WW.

Christine I am sorry to hear that you guys are still burried under snow!

Day 4 and I'm feeling good

Hello ladies here is an update! It is currently day 4 on Weight Watchers and I am feeling good. I am learning a lot of new things and I would love to share them with you girls. I have been sticking to my points like crazy. The great part is I have been eating food that I love. A cookie, frozen yogurt, popcorn from target, and a McDonalds hamburger. I'm happy haha. It's a cool little system and they have a mini facebook online so you meet people and gain a support group. Molly and Christine you are of course my biggest and best support group :)

As far as my activity I am still walking and my mom is even joining me! I also went swimming for the first time since my surgery. I spent an hour using the kick board and a noodle to do laps at the YMCA. I was exhausted after! I had to take a nap. haha So I am going to try swimming two days out of the week and I am going to continue walking. So far I feel good but I am waiting for that moment when something happens and I am ready to throw in the towel...I think that is when I really know if WW is for me. However I think with you ladies here to support me it won't hurt to bad and I will get over it. <3

Okay so one of the great tips I learned was from an article they had about using the scale. It says to be persistent so if you weigh yourself in the morning but then weigh yourself in the afternoon you will get numbers you aren't happy with. The main thing is to be persistent and consider the time of day and what you are wearing every time you weigh in. I have been known to scale hop haha. Also in the article I read was this great quote to remember!
"Weighing in is important it gives you a measure of accountability. But it is only one measure of your success."

Something to think about right? So just remember don't get to strung up on the numbers focus on your other successes! I'm ready to write that quote on a poster board or something and put it up by the scale. haha

How are you guys doing so far?

-Samantha

Groundhogs Day

Christine- when I saw on the news that the groundhog didn't see his shadow I thought of you. Here's to wishing you an early spring!!! I know you need it over there. Fun Fact: since 1887 the groundhog has only not seen his shadow 16 times. Wow!


I was able to walk on my lunch break today and I finally remembered to figure my distance. I am walking two miles. Not bad huh? I make it in half hour. If I can do this four or five days a week plus make it to jazzercise or shred it two to three times a week then I will be ready to live it up in a one-piece swim suit by June. I hope!