What's Going On In My World...

Wow! It has been a long time since I blogged. So much for the part of my 30 before 30 that says I will blog once a month. Okay, that starts this month! So much has happened since I last wrote a blog. I got a job, fell off the weight wagon, and lost my grandmother. I did achieve some 30 Before 30 things though.

New things that happened in my life—I started a new job. I am teaching 2^nd and 3^rd grade at a charter school here in Albuquerque. It is so different from where I was at last year. Instead of nine well behaved 3^rd graders, I have 17 rowdy, bullying 2^nd and 3^rd graders. I am learning how to teach two grades in one classroom. It is quite the experience. I am really unsure if I am doing a good job or not. In fact, I am doubting my career choice. But I know that I will figure it out sooner or later. I just keep plugging along and I keep doing as my best friend Tiffany says, “Fake it ‘til you make it.”

I also fell off the weight loss wagon. This is not something that I am proud of. I guess that I just need to motivate myself and get back on the weight loss wagon so that I can run in a 5k sometime before I am 30. Any motivational tips would be greatly appreciated.  

On a sad note, I lost my much loved grandmother on September 23. She was 93 years old. She lived a great life and I know that she went to heaven. I miss her every day but I know that I will see her again. I did get to see her a week before she died and for that I am thankful.

As for progress on my 30 Before 30 list, I have done a few things. Mike and I cleaned out my sewing room. It took forever and we found a ton of stuff. I finished my niece’s birth announcement. It took forever too but it is done and my mom is getting it framed and sending it to my little Atleigh. I was also in my best friend’s wedding. My best friend Tiffany, who I have known since our freshman year got married. I had the privilege of being one of her bridesmaids. I am so happy for her.

That is what is new in my life. Take care until next month!

Love, Lindsay

30 Before 30!

August 12 marked my 29^th birthday. This is it, the last year of my 20s. I have a couple of friends who made lists called 30 Before 30. It is a list of 30 things that you want to accomplish before you turn 30. I loved the idea and I decided to do it too. Here is my list…

30 Before 30

1. Hike La Luz trail
2. Take a girls’ trip to Vegas
3. Learn to needlepoint
4. Run a 5k
5. Blog once a month
6. Lose 30lbs
7. Go on a shopping spree when I lose that 30lbs!
8. Be a bridesmaid in my best friend’s wedding
9. Climb Wheeler Peak
10. Watch Star Wars Episode 3
11. Organize my sewing room
12. Go on a date with Mike once a month
13. Finish my niece’s baby gift
14. Get my TESOL endorsement
15. Make a quilt
16. Make dinner at least 4 nights a week for a month
17. Go for a month without eating any fast food
18. See The Hobbit on opening night (not the midnight showing though)
19. Have a Lord of the Rings marathon one weekend
20. Read all of The Chronicles of Narnia
21. Learn how to rock climb
22. Read The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest and The Girl Who Played with Fire
23. Finish my guest bed
24. Make curtains for my guest bedroom
25. Clean out my closet
26. Finish my sister’s quilt that I started 8 years ago (It just needs to be backed)
27. Stop biting my nails
28. Read The Return of the King (only LOTR book I haven’t read)
29. Learn to knit or crochet
30. Go for a month without drinking soda

Wow! These are things that I want to accomplish before I turn 30. I have a whole year; I think I can do it! I have a lot of reading and crafting to do : ) Stay tuned for more to come!

My Life...Lately

A lot has been going on in my life lately, I just haven't blogged about it. I guess I haven't felt it worthy to blog about.

In July, Mike and I took a wonderful trip to Minnesota. We went camping at Lake Itasca, saw some good friends, and more importantly saw Mike's family. We celebrated our 2nd anniversary at Happy Joe's in New Ulm, MN. Happy Joe's is the place that Mike always celebrated his birthdays when he was a kid. It was wonderful to spend time together and see family. We had a blast!

At the end of July, we went to see my family in Ruidoso. That included Kendra, Josh, and my beautiful niece Atleigh! It was so great to get to see them all. I miss them a lot.

In other news, I also started to train for a 5k! I plan on running a 5k at the end of October. It has been hard learning to run and building up stamina, but I am loving it.

I also turned 29 on the 12th. I can't believe that I am in the last years of my 20s! I plan on doing a 30 Before 30 list (I got the idea from some friends) so look for that list in an upcoming blog post.

Unfortunately, I still do not have a job, but I am trying. Everyday, I remind myself that God has a plan and I will be where He wants me to be.

I hope you have enjoyed my current blog! Love you all! 

Our New Furbaby Addition

After months and months of wanting a new dog, Mike finally agreed and we got a new dog. We were looking for a puppy but a 2 year old Pit/Boxer mix captured our hearts. We got her from the city shelter. Her name is Athena. We thought that went well with Augustus. She is a very sweet girl, but also very scared. She was at the pound for a really long time. At one point, she had been adopted and then returned. She and Gus play a little, but Gus' arthritis has been hurting him a lot. Athena likes to go for walks and take naps. She especially likes to be with us and will follow me around all day long. We are excited for our new addition to our family.

My diet is still going well. I am planning on working a lot harder this summer. I have a new plan. My plan is that because I am not working, the gym or some form of exercise is my job. If I don't work out, it is like missing a day of work. I also have put an incentive program in place. I give myself little rewards on Saturdays for sticking to my diet and workout plan. I will also be getting a lot more exercise with 2 dogs now! I will be taking at least 3 walks a day.

A Bittersweet Goodbye

Friday marked the last day of my first year of teaching. It was a bittersweet goodbye. I am not going back to Cross of Hope next year. I am happy because I had to deal with some crap that really hurt and had me doubting myself and my teaching abilities, but I am sad because I will miss all of the kids and the friends that I made there. I got some great goodbye gifts. First my parents and students made me a flower pot of gift cards. It was a flower pot that all of my kids signed that had paper flowers in it and all of the flowers were pockets with gift cards in them! I got gift cards of all kinds: restaurants, movies, Target, and more. It was an amazing gift. Then, my kids planned me a surprise going away party all by themselves (well the girls did, they didn't really include the boys and the boys were a little sad :( ) The decorated the classroom and had cookies and yogurt for us (Greek yogurt for me!) It was the sweetest thing ever! Like I said, it was bittersweet and now I have to go on a job hunt.

As for my diet, I am still working very hard at it and it is going slow and steady. I have lost a total of 9 pounds so far. I think that it will be a lot easier for me this summer. I will have more time to go to the gym. Also, my diet calls for all meals to be made from scratch and I will have more time to do that since I won't be working. When it is all said and done, it will be worth it!

A New Car for My New Lifestyle

Yesterday I bought a car! It is my first car that I bought on my own. I am really proud of myself. It is a very nice Toyota Camry. I got a really good deal on it and I have always wanted a Camry, so I am one happy girl. I needed a new car because of my accident, but I also figure that a new car is a great way to start my new lifestyle that I am working towards.

Yesterday I also started week 2 of my diet. I am enjoying my diet and I am not finding it hard to stay on it. I think it is because I have told so many people my goal about losing weight and getting healthy. I lost 2lbs last week and I am really proud of those 2lbs. I didn't work out as much as I would have liked, but I worked out as much as my body would let me. Last week I worked out 4 days and this week my goal is 5 days. I have to take it slow because I am out of practice. I have already discovered that I am enjoying my healthy lifestyle a lot more. I have more energy, I look forward to eating my vegetables and going to the gym, and I feel like I am a better wife and teacher because I am feeling so much better. I look forward to getting healthier and losing more weight each week!

My Pathway to a New Lifestyle

      So for the past few months, I have been saying that I want to lose weight and get healthy. I will start a diet or a new workout and be good about it for a week or so. Then I had this whole plan and I was ready to start it and wham! I had to have my gallbladder out. Well now, I am ready to take action and I am well enough to do it.
      So, today marks the first day of my new diet and workout plan. My dear friend Ana wrote the diet herself and my Dr. said it was amazing! I am excited to start this journey and I will hopefully lose the weight I want to. My goal is 30lbs and to get down to at least a size 8, but hopefully a size 6. Well, I am ready to start and I hope for the best!