2010 Goals

I will not make a new year’s resolution this year. I have nothing to resolve however I will make goals for myself. Lots of them may I add.

This year was a huge year for me I thought. I turned 30 and I wasn’t one of those ladies who was dreading it, in fact I think I tried to embrace it some. I wanted more for myself, I wanted to be happy and I wanted my family to be happy as well. In February I decided to lose weight, if you follow this blog you know this. I went to the doctor and told her I wanted to be the size I was when I was 18. So we ventured back in my files to 1997, the year I graduated and I was 140. That was the goal I set out to be again. I wanted to be a cute, happy healthy looking mother and wife. Five nights a week I would do the Biggest Loser videos working my way to being 140 pounds. They worked great; it was coming off, slowly but surely. I also stopped drinking sodas and tried to eat less…it was hard work! Then in September a neighbor of mine asked me to join a running group with her. I was very reluctant to do it. I hated running and just couldn’t do it but I signed up anyway. I was tired of the work out videos and needed a change of pace. I ended up loving the running group and for me it was even more motivating, setting goals for myself and making sure I went through with the goals, 3 miles, 5 miles and so on. I am now at 10.5 miles and of course the next big mileage will be 13 for a half marathon.

Goal setting has been big for me since February so I feel that setting goals for me in 2010 instead of resolutions will be better fit. I have made every goal in running I have set so far so I have no doubt that setting goals for next year and seeing through with them will be a problem.

My goals for 2010: (random order)
Run a ½ marathon
Take a photo shop class
Take a photography class or two
Get down to 135 and maintain it (I decided to go 5 pounds under 140)
Train for a triathlon
“Compete” in a triathlon (I am not much of a competitor, I just want to finish the race)
Pay off credit cards, one at a time and cut them up!
Cook more often (I am sure my mother and husband will laugh at this one)
Read more books
Start a photography website

I am sure as the time passes I will think of more but for now this is what I will start with for 2010.

Happy New Year to everyone!

Christmas Eve

We do our Christmas with the Flores family on Christmas Eve each year. The kids love going over there. We started the night off with fireworks so they wouldnt ask to often when it was time to open gifts!












Me and my hubby


Cutting the turkey...yummy I can still smell it!

White elephant gift time. This is the first year we have played this but it was so fun and I think everyone had a great time and lots of laughs. Hopefully its a new tradition.


Aleigha got a perfect gift, floating cooler...it will get great use in Garner!


The most popular snuggie of the night!


Crown Royal...


Nope that got stolen and ended up with a funnel cake maker...hilarious!


Brenda got a snuggie too but that ended up being taken too!


Jeremy stole the crazy snuggie from Carlos but in the end Carlos did get it back!

Opening Gifts

Myranda


Bryanna


Kaela


Jonathan


Mason




Ta do da do's...total inside joke but they were hand made by me and Carlos! They were a big hit though.

Happy Birthday Bry

I am going back, I am a little behind.

December 21 my girl turned 9! 9 years has flown by extremely fast. She is sassy, energetic, smart, messy but she wouldn't be Bry if she were any other way! We celebrated very low key. She wanted to go ice skating again this year so I let her bring a friend. After that we came home and decorated Christmas cookies and then ended the night with Christmas caroling through the neighborhood.

Happy Birthday Bryanna


Birthday girl!


Caught a ride to the ice rink


Oliver and Bry




Bry and Sophie...BFF's


Kaela and Dad


Mr. Oliver loved it this year!


Me and Kaela


ha ha caught her falling!


Jonathan enjoying the rink


Thumbs up to ice skating from Aunt Jaime


Bry doing the splits on ice...only she would try it!


Decorating christmas cookies


Opening birthday gifts


Singing happy birthday to Bry, didnt have 9 candles so we added 7+2=9!


More cookie cake please?!


Christmas caroling

Merry Christmas to all...

I send out a letter each year updating everyone about the kids and it always includes a picture. Since I have finally officially send out the letter and pictures I can now post it here:



Dear Family and Friends,

I think I start every letter out the same, “I can’t believe it’s another year”. But I truly can’t believe another year has come and will soon be gone. I wanted to start this letter a couple weeks ago but I wasn’t sure what to say. Everyone has grown up and changed so much this year. We no longer have little children that NEED us much anymore other then the parental duties (i.e. laundry, cleaning, food and of course our unconditional love). This year they have needed their own calendars to keep up with what they have going on! This is the first time we have had all three kids doing different activities and it has been one busy fall for us.

Kaela finished her first year in middle school in May. She truly loved the transition to middle school; she did not once look back to elementary school and say she missed it. She was very excited to start 7th grade after the long “boring” summer away from all her friends. She is definitely our social butterfly! She loves texting on her cell phone and being with her friends. She was on the swim team this summer and did really well but she says it is to much work! She was also on the volleyball team at school this fall and loved it. The season came to an end in October; she will definitely try out again next year. The tournament games at the end were by far her best games of the season. She learned a lot and has a new love for the sport. She is also in band, still playing the flute. My guess is that this will be her last year playing in the band though; she is interested in being a part of the year book. Academically she is doing great, we have upped our expectations for her because we know she can do it and she is making us proud. Moving to middle school introduced her to name brand stuff which I knew it would but hoped it wouldn’t hit us until maybe 8th grade…I was wrong! Her Christmas list is crazy expensive, Ed Hardy, Uggs, Ipod Touch…trust me it goes on! She turns 13 on Christmas this year which is pretty special for her but scary for Carlos and I! She has blossomed in to a wonderful young lady.

Bryanna…I should probably stop here BUT I can’t…she is our WILD child for sure. You never know what she is gonna do or say…EVER! She was glad for 2nd grade to end and for the summer to begin. She loves summer and loves being home, sleeping in, and staying in her pj’s all day long with her tangled non-brushed hair and teeth! She too was on the swim team this summer and improved a lot from years past. She was not ready to return to school in the fall but was excited to see her friends. Her 3rd grade year has started out great. She absolutely loves her teacher to death and her teacher feels the same towards her! She started gymnastics in September but it was a short run, she thought it was boring. She played basketball in January and decided she wanted to play again this fall but it was too late to sign her up so she missed out. Her basketball skills were good though, she was very aggressive! I may try to convenience her to do softball in the spring. We like her Christmas list the best; she has stuff like a tide dye shirt and tide dye flip flops. She even looked at it and said, “Man there is nothing good on here!” Gotta love a girl who doesn’t need too much to be happy. Actually the first thing on her list is a Yorkie. She wants that dog so badly but we have told her we cannot get another dog until our older dog has passed. She then went on to say, “He will be dead before December!”…oh lord hopefully she doesn’t feed him chocolate or do something crazy. Needless to say we have been watching her closely! She turned 9 on December 21st and had a great birthday; we ice skated, decorated Christmas cookies and ended the night with Christmas caroling through the neighborhood.

Jonathan ended his 1st grade year with all E’s on his spelling tests, he is our child that actually wants to study and make straight A’s! He was not ready to start back to school this fall. He would love to be home schooled. He doesn’t care much about hanging with his friends although he claims he has lots of best friends. He would rather be at home all day everyday if he had a choice. He does however seem to like 2nd grade so far. This year he has done basketball, baseball, swim team, golf lessons and football. Football was not my choice, I actually didn’t want him to play and was secretly hoping he would hate it but of course any sport with a ball Jonathan immediately falls in love with and no doubt tries his hardest. His season ended in November and he went back to golf lessons with his Caddie (that is what he calls his grandpa)! He was chosen the play Santa in the second grade holiday play. He had about 9 lines and did not miss one of them, it was very cute! His Christmas list consists of everything he sees on tv: remote control helicopter, laser race car, motor scooter, a new DSi…the list goes on! He will be happy with whatever he gets though because that is just the way he is, so easy going and care free.

We have been very proud of all three kids this year. The have been very selfless towards others. We have befriended a homeless man and the kids sincerely worry about him and his safety along with his dog. Any time we have left over food they immediately think to take it to him. A few times we have made multiple trips just looking for him because they do not want the food to go to waste. There are lots of items on their list to give him: toothbrush, socks, blankets, dog food and even their own money. We will no doubt continue to give to him as long as he is around. Their faces each time we stop are priceless and they truly know they are making some type of impact in his life, even if it is a small one.

We hope everyone has a wonder, safe and happy holiday season. Happy 2010!

With love, Carlos, Ryan, Kaela, Bryanna and Jonathan

The Incredible Reindeer

Jonathan was in his very first play last night, The Incredible Reindeer. He played Santa and did so well! At first he was nervous, he didn’t want to get into his suit in front of everyone thinking they would all make fun of him. After he eased out of the dressing area in his class room and saw that everyone was more accepting to it then he thought he was “cool” with it. They put on two performances of it; one for the school yesterday morning and then one for the parents in the evening. Everyone did really well and they all received a standing ovation at the end!

Working out update

I know you all care but I haven’t had a work out update in a while. I am STILL at it, can you believe it…I sometimes can’t! 42 weeks later and I am still motivated to get up and do something about my weight! I don’t weigh often. I am not the kind of person who needs to step on the scale daily, I like to see results. The last time I weighed in I was at 28 pounds down with only 5 more to go to get to my goal weight of 140. I am thinking I will go for another 5 pounds after that and then hopefully in the future stay between 135 and 140. My other goal was to be in a size 8 comfortably. I can get into the 8 but it definitely isn’t comfortable yet so this journey is not over!

I have only been running. I stopped doing exercise tapes about 2 months ago or so. I did however recently purchase a new tape, the Biggest Loser: Last chance work out and when that comes in I am very eager to do it the days I don’t run. My running has improved greatly and I am still really enjoying it. I am up to 7 miles, hopefully going for 8 this weekend. My goal was to be at 9 by Christmas so I am pretty close but that last mile will be tough. I eventually hope to get to ½ marathon status but for now I am concentrating on 9 miles. I did start to lift arm weights at home. I look in the mirror and see a difference everywhere else but my arms; they haven’t moved an inch so I figured at least they can look somewhat toned!

This has by far been the longest I have ever committed to working out and it feels so good and rewarding. The end of February will mark 1 year total and I am excited to see where I will be. I will not lie, staying motivated has been difficult. There have been weeks that I just feel drained and done but then I look at how far I have come and how close I am that it would be a total lose for me to go back to my old ways. It’s been a long 42 weeks but definitely a rewarding one for me!

I have 2 really motivating pictures of myself that I look at quit often. I look at them and can’t believe that it was just a mere year ago that I looked so awful, unhealthy and unhappy! I will try to scan them and post them soon.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow

Ok so I am totally late on this post. It snowed here in Texas a week ago yesterday and it was alot, at least for us it was! The kids had a ball playing in it. I think there was a bit of competition between Bry and Jonathan to see who could make the bigger snow ball. Kaela took the pictures so she isnt in them but she loved it too. We are hoping for more before year end but we are not holding our breath!