Like every other person on the planet, on New Years Eve, I announced my plan to become a better me. That was the ultimate goal with many smaller "sub goals" if you will that all cumulatively amount to me being a better me. One of these goals was for me to lose weight. I started off strong like most people do when they attack a new goal. But like everyone else I also allowed myself to fall off the wagon. After feeling pretty bummed about that I forced myself back onto that weight loss wagon. Then I fell off again when I went on vacation. So basically for the last 5 months I've lost and gained this stupid 5 pounds twice!! It's ridiculous!

So, since being home I've finally been convinced by a good friend to run in a 5k run/walk. It wasn't hard for her to convince me because I've desperately been looking for the inspiration and motivation I need to get back on the path to weight loss. The catch is that the race is on June 6th! That's three weeks away!

I'll admit after talking to her I began to panic a bit. She's been running all most every day for a while now trying to get ready. I've been hit and miss for the last FIVE MONTHS and I only have three weeks to get ready!

So after I put the kids to bed I got on my computer and quickly converted the klicks into miles. 5kilometers is 3.1 miles. That made me feel a bit better mostly because it doesn't sound as far as 5 kilometers. But me being me and I had to test myself to see how much work I'd actually have to do to get ready for this race. So I immediately went upstairs and jumped on my elliptical. I'm proud to say I went 3.2 miles in 30 minutes doing an average of 154 strides per minute. Now in my mind (even though I sweat just as much) the elliptical is kind of cheating because when I'm done working out on it I don't really feel like I've worked out where as on the treadmill I FEEL like I was running and I KNOW I've just worked out. So today I will test myself again and this time I will do it on the treadmill. I'm nervous I wont do as well but I guess at least then I'll REALLY know how much work I have to do.

So it's a new year and of course like everyone else I have my own set of resolutions. Some are the same as many of you and some are the same even for me.

This year my overall resolution is to just be a better me. A better wife, a better mother, a better friend, a better person all around. I feel like over the last 5 years (maybe more) I've really neglected myself, which in turn has caused me to neglect so many of the people I love in this life. I'm sick of being the lazy procrastinator that I have been!

So goal #1: Lose weight. After 3 babies it's high time I kicked my butt into gear! Especially if I'm going to have another 2! I know, I know, I'm just a baby makin' machine!

Goal #2: Be a better wife. This is hard one because I all ready think I'm pretty swell! LOL! However there is always room for improvement and this is an area in my life I have gotten in a bad habit of neglecting. I have a wonderful, hard working husband who works 10 hours a day, sometimes more, at a company he really doesn't like, to bring home the bacon for me and our kids and he deserves better. End of story.

Goal #3: Be a better mother. I think as a women I will probably always second guess myself and think someone else is doing a better job than me. But there are days when I'm tired and don't have the patience I should for my kids. They are my reason for living and they deserve better.

Goal #4: Be a better friend. I have some of the most special people in my life who love me and would do anything for me and I have gotten in a bad habit of not calling or writing or telling them just how much their friendship really means to me. Being far away from my home I have been blessed to meet some extrodinary people who have touched my life in ways they will never understand. It's high time I start being an equally extrodinary friend.

Goal #5: Be a better servant to the Lord. This is also a difficult one for me because I have such HUGE issues with authority. As a teenager I made choices that took me farther away from the the spirit of the Lord than I care to think about. I love God he sacrificed his son for my sins. I am eternally indebted to him and it's time I learned some humility and start acting like it.

The list goes on but I think you get the point. I want to start holding myself to a higher standard and being accountable for when I fail. I have all ready started working out and though it's hard and body aches in places I'd forgotten even existed, it feels really great! I've started paying more attention to my daughter when she speaks to me and playing play dough even though I know it's going to make a mess and she's just going to eat it, and I feel really good about myself as a mom right now. Change is never easy, but I have to not just so I can feel better about myself but so that everyone can benefit from it.

Thanks for reading and God bless!