Sunday, February 1, 2009

Making Progress..mostly

I ran six miles this week. Next week I will run seven miles to be on track in my training for the half marathon.

If only the other goals in my life where this easy to measure and have definite starting and ending points. (and to be honest, my goals are things like get up, change diapers, feed everyone--but not too much, and don't watch too much tv. I guess it's time to re-evaluate my long term goals)

If anyone has tips on how to get your three-year-old to sleep past 4:30 am, we're all ears. Baby is sleeping great, but I'm exhausted thanks to my early riser.

Also, I'm taking tips on how to get motivated to get my house clean and organized. I'm sure part of it is just this frustration with our leaky roof. The drips have definitely slowed down or stopped for the most part. However, Friday a new spot started leaking. Sigh. All in due time I guess. The insurance agent sounded hopeful.

On a bright note, we went to the temple this week and (thanks to Stella) actually got to do some sealings together. Additionally we feel like we got some much needed peace of mind with regards to some thing things that have been leaving us a bit unsettled. Remarkable how personal revelation works. How blessed we are to have that wisdom and knowledge. Anyone want to foot the bill for $20,000 a semester for J to go back to grad school to study, of all things, nuclear engineering?

4 comments:

Kristen Wilde said...

Oh my gosh, I hear you when it comes to needing motivation to clean and organize the house. Here's what's been helping me lately:
1. Flylady.org.
2. I've been inviting acquaintances over at least once a week, usually for lunch. I want them to think I keep my house fairly tidy. The main reason I'm trying to get in good habits is for my children, husband, and self - but sometimes I need extra motivation.
3. I've been reading books on home organization and am still digesting the ideas. I liked House Works by Cynthia Townley Ewer and The Organized Life by Stephanie Denton.
4. Get rid of stuff you don't need, use, or love. This was hard for me at first, but I've realized that uncluttered space is worth much more than an extra set of oven mits or that shirt I hardly wore. All the books talk about decluttering. They all say it's the best thing you can do to get more organized. Plus, it feels great to give stuff away to people who need it. (What I do is put stuff in a bag, give it to someone I think might want it, and tell them to donate whatever they don't want to Make-a-Wish, Goodwill, etc. You could try to sell it eBay, but seriously, when would you find the time to do that??)
5. Start small and recognize the progress you're making. You're moving in the right direction, and you will eventually get where you want to be. For example, decide to work on a room for just 15 min. and then give yourself permission to stop and do something else. You may be surprised how much you got done.

Do this! Some people are naturally organized, and I am not - but developing this talent is very important to me and I've made tons of progress!

K-Krew said...

Good job on training for your half-marathon. I don't think I can even walk 6 miles at this point in time but I'm hoping to get back to the gym after my 6-week check-up.
As for tips on sleeping - our kids were getting up early, around 5 or so and it was wearing me out. We went back to starting their bedtime routine an hour before we wanted them in bed. I also got Andrew back on a nap schedule - it was funny but the more rest he got during the day the better he did at night. He went from sleeping 8-9 hrs at night to 10-11 hrs. Lucy gets in about 10 hrs and still has rest time. I also read "sleeping through the night" by Jodi Mindell, Ph.D.
As for organization I like the book Mission Organization - it's also a tv show. I also recently read one by Better Homes and Garden. It looks similar to their cookbook but covers everything to do with organization from closets to paperwork, etc.
I've also heard good things about freecycle - an easy way to get rid of things that are still usuable.

Dani W said...

I am so proud of you for running! That is awesome... maybe one of these days I will be able to join you, one of these days. If you ever need anyone to go to the temple with... ry and I are dying to go but it is usually just too expensive for us to go by ourselves. I will let you guys know the next time we decide to go as well... extra company is always nice.

Lindsay said...

Four thirty in the morning?! Could the 3-year old give the newborn a bottle then and let you sleep in? Sigh...if only.
For grad school, I'd say if J has at least five years of enthusiasm, a dynamic advisor, an idea for a dissertation topic, and a secure funding source, go for it. But that's the wife speaking.
James says just have him call some time, "because really, it doesn't work that way."
Nuclear engineering sounds interesting!