Friday Feature: goals for the school year

The apple doesn't fall far from the tree; to start out this school year, Justin had the kids write out ten goals for the year ahead. Amazingly, the results were almost 100% their ideas, with just a little bit of help from Daddy to articulate them more clearly.

I believe in the power of writing goals down, and in posting them where you can see them frequently. These goals hang on the wall in the kiddos' rooms, so that they can see them every day - and maybe as importantly, I can see them every evening. I'll help them meet their goals where I can, but I'm excited about a year where they might better understand the link between effort and results.

Here's to achieving the goals we've set before us!

New Year's Resolutions: mid-year update

Here we are, June 30th, halfway through 2014. Cliches become cliches for a reason: the older you get, the faster it goes.

Have I made 2014 count for as much I wanted it to, so far? I think so - we've had family fun, personal adventures, set backs and triumphs. But what about the list of goals and resolutions I laid out for myself at the beginning of the year? How am I doing on that?

The unvarnished truth: I'm doing... meh. Okay. Not perfect by any means, but not too bad, either. Here's my mid-year-in-review:

1.  Write one snail mail letter, card or postcard per week. Success! That's right - every week, I've managed to get a real, live, handwritten item in the mail to a friend or loved one. There have been a few random letters or notes sent out there, but nobody said they had to be manuscripts of the highest order. And it's been fun, too - I've remembered a few extra birthdays, reached out to friends who I thought might like a little cheer in the mailbox, and reconnected with friends I've missed keeping up with. Twenty six weeks down, and this is one I look forward to keeping all year long.
2. Achieve a higher Marathon Maniac level. And so begins the tale of woe... the biggest setback of 2014 was yet another broken bone, brought on most likely by a combination of too many miles and new shoes that didn't give my feet the support they needed. I was on track to move up from a Bronze Maniac to the Gold level, but just a few days after completing the Hogeye Marathon, I got that twingy (read: searing) feeling in my foot that indicated something wasn't right. Eight weeks later I'm still on the road to recovery, but at least I'm back to running. I won't manage this resolution this year and, frankly, this may never appear on the list again. I think a modification to "run injury free" is appropriate for the rest of 2014, and I'll reevaluate come January 1st, 2015.
3. Be on time to meetings and events. Better, but definitely not perfect. With a new job in a new office and in a new culture, I recommitted to this as of April 28th, but easier said than done. I can at least point to a few meetings where I've actually been early. And by early I mean, there a minute or two before the scheduled time. Baby steps on this one.
4. Treat myself to a manicure/pedicure/massage once a month.  I was doing so well until THIS MONTH! Maybe I'll go for two in July to make up the miss. My resolutions, my rules.
5. Make a list of scrapbooking projects and FINISH THEM. Forget finishing projects; I haven't even made the list. I do have a couple of adorable sewing projects to point to, though. Recommitting to this for July through December. First one on my list: getting my race album up to date. Second: Disney trip from 2012. There! List begun - positive progress.
6. No eating straight from the chip bag. I was doing so well with this, but fell off the wagon sometime in late March or early April. Actually, now that I think about it, the slip-up was concurrent with the broken foot. Doh! True confessions: I ate straight from the chip bag this evening as part of my dinner. I knew this one would be hard. But here we go - back on the wagon! Giddyup!
7. Stop using air quotes. Unqualified success!! I don't think I've used them one time this year - ok, maybe once, but I caught myself immediately and stopped. I did resort to the hashtag thing, but that was short-lived. Now if I can just break my not-yet-nine-year-old daughter from the air quote habit, this will be a major accomplishment in 2014.
8. Do pushups and sit-ups before every run. What is it with me and my weak-willed inability to do anything that remotely resembles weight-bearing exercise? I'm a cardio junkie and I need a 12 step program. Cutting bait on this one - know thyself, know thy limits. I can at least take credit for my running twin picking up this excellent habit. Shauna, you're welcome.
9. Mark at least one thing off of my life list. Now THIS one - I am so on track, I'm a steam engine!! More to come, but our upcoming summer vacation was in large part inspired by this resolution and some of the items on that list.
10. I need to try once again to stop messing with my phone while I'm in the driver's seat. Would someone please tell me why this one is so hard? There is nothing, and I mean nothing, that is so important that it can't wait. Recommitting to this one, too. If anyone has any tips or recommendations on how to get better at this, let me know!!

So there you have it - halfway through 2014, and about 50% success on my resolutions so far. I'm a big believer in things happening when you write them down and when you revisit them. If you made your own resolutions and set your own goals this year, tell me about them! Misery loves company; success begets success; and I'll be your cheerleader as we cram every bit of living we can manage into the second half of the year we've been blessed with so far.

New Year's Resolutions 2014

It's that time of year - turn over a new leaf, start anew, make plans to be a better version of yourself. And I shall start by reviewing my resolutions from last year:

1. Start and keep a blog for one year
2. Take one photo every day
3. Stop messing with my phone while I'm in the driver's seat!!

One out of three is a pretty lousy track record, no? And since you're reading this post (for which I thank you very much!), it's pretty obvious which one I stuck to.

I truly enjoyed this blog over the last year. There were times when it felt a little bit like another chore, but it's been a wonderful outlet for me to write, share triumphs, disappointments, and most importantly, the little moments that made up 2013 for the Coussoules. So while my resolution was originally to keep the blog for a year, I think I'll see what 2014 has in store. Less pressure in my mind to keep it up this year, but keep it up, I will.

That brings me to 2014, a year full of promise and unknown blessings. Also, a year for resolutions - more than last year. I mean, maybe if I make more than three, I'll have a better chance at keeping more than one.

For the record, with all of you as my witnesses, here are my official resolutions for 2014:

1. Write one snail mail letter, card or postcard per week - I'd love for you to be on the receiving end, so if you comment here, you'll be at the top of my list!

2. Achieve a higher Marathon Maniac level - now, this one is a stretch. In fact, I would say it's more of a goal than a resolution, but I feel compelled to write it down, as that makes it much more real than just hoping for it. I am currently a Bronze Maniac, having run two marathons within 16 days back in 2012. I did the Hogeye Marathon on April 15th and then the Nashville Marathon on April 28th. The next level up requires three marathons in 16 days or six marathons in six months. I think I can do six in six months, but it will require a lot more advance planning than I've done at this point. So like I said, doing this one in 2014 is a stretch. Be prepared for it to show up again on my list in 2015.

3. Be on time to meetings and events. Truth: I suck at being places on time. It doesn't matter that in general, it's culturally acceptable at work for every meeting to start a few minutes late. Being late is rude and shows disregard for others' schedules. I'm going to try and remember that little fact this year at work and at home, regardless of how much I may not want to be wherever I'm going. On time.

4. Treat myself to a manicure/pedicure/massage once a month. You'd think this would be an easy resolution to keep - I mean, you can get an express manicure in something like 20 minutes, right? But without planning for it, the days, weeks, then months fly by, and I haven't done anything to pamper myself. Or recover from a race, either way. I hope by writing it down, I'll put it on my calendar, then actually schedule it and make it happen. My cuticles and hamstrings will thank me.

5. Make a list of scrapbooking projects and FINISH THEM. Just like my sewing projects, I have beaucoup pictures piled up with accompanying paper and embellishments just waiting for me to sit down and put everything together. I haven't made the list yet, but I will before I go back to work. And my deadline will be December 31st again - though this time, I'm giving myself the entire year instead of starting in August. Pretty generous, I think.

6. No eating straight from the chip bag. I KNOW!!! I honestly don't know if this is humanly possible. I mean, look at it:

Party of ONE, they mean. This resolution is going to take some serious self discipline. I can walk by an entire buffet of sweets, but you put a bag of potato chips (or Doritos, Cheetos, Fritos, whatever crunchy/salty) in front of me, and I'm down for the count. But it's a terrible habit, mindless consumption of empty calories, when I work so hard to be fit and keep my body in shape. So that's it - it's straight cold turkey come January 1st. All chips must be in a bowl or on a plate before consumption. ** Disclaimer - snack size bags don't count. I mean, the whole point is that you eat them from the bag. But I must limit myself to one snack size bag, if I stoop so low as to raid my kids' lunch chips. **

7. Stop using air quotes. Do I even have to justify this? I do it so often I annoy myself.

8. Do pushups and sit-ups before every run. My team building trip to the rock climbing wall gave me several days to acknowledge my pitiful, pitiful lack of upper body strength. And since yours truly is not about to start lifting weights unless they come with a personal trainer, a tropical island, and endless wealth, pushups and sit-ups it is. I've tried doing them after my runs, which lasts for about a week and then peters out. But I think this time, the before-the-run part is the key piece. Also, that I have a friend willing to do it with me, so I have accountability. Nothing like peer pressure.

9. Mark at least one thing off of my life list. This year, I think it's going to be "grow strawberries in my garden." That feels manageable, especially since last year we decided we'd had it with everything except tomatoes, green onions, carrots and radishes. There is some mysterious something that has wiped out our cucumbers and squash the last two years, so we're done trying that. But strawberries - well, we will give it a go, at least.

10. Finally, to round out the list to an even ten, I need to try once again to stop messing with my phone while I'm in the driver's seat. I at least progressed to acknowledging how dangerous it is every time I did it. But my kids aren't getting younger or less perceptive, and I absolutely must do a better job of setting this example. Lord knows, I'm going to blink and they're going to be asking for the car keys.

I'm ready - bring it, 2014. I've got goals and resolutions, and I expect I'll have both successes and disappointments along the way. To paraphrase a friend, though, life without goals is just the repetition of waking up everyday.

Here's to making the most of the next 365. Happy New Year!

Finishing What I Started: Update on my mid-year resolution

Back in August, I shared that I was a bit of a pack rat when it came to sewing projects. Over the years, I had accumulated more than a handful of projects that had gathered dust without any plan for completion. I made a resolution that I would go on a craft-buying diet until all of the projects were done - and the list wasn't small. Fifteen things to finish, almost all of them different patterns, with a deadline of December 31st.

So here we are, and 2013 is almost finished - and I'm more than just a little giddy when I can say

I DID IT!!!!

Nothing like coming down to the wire - the last dress took every spare minute I had between putting away Christmas decorations and packing for our trip to Houston. But if there was ever an example of where writing things down and giving myself a deadline are a sure way to make sure I stick to a plan, this is it.

Once again, this time with feeling, the projects I laid out for myself back on August 5th:

• Tooth fairy pillow for John
• Red/black/white twirl skirt for Caroline
• Music twirl skirt for Caroline
• Doll cheerleader outfit
• Doll Belle dress
• Doll Sleeping Beauty dress
• Doll Colonial outfit
• Five coloring bags for friends and cousins' kids
• Brown pants for me
• Pink dress for me
• Monkey pajamas for John

I can't say that every single project was a smashing success - in fact, the brown pants were such a terrible fit that they went straight to Goodwill. I hope some very, very thin woman finds them. The pieces for my kiddos probably won't last another season - John's pajama pants were short from the first fitting, despite lengthening them as much as the fabric allowed, and the waist on both skirts for Caroline are tight enough that if they make it to fourth grade, I'll be surprised. Thrilled, but surprised.

I also didn't get pictures of everything - below is evidence of a few, and you'll just have to trust me on the others!

John's pajama pants and tooth pillow:

Caroline's twirl skirts:

Coloring bags:

Pink dress for me (I promise, it looks much better on me than on the hanger):

And finally, the best dressed American Girl dolls in Arkansas:

Belle, an All American cheerleader, and the envy of the American Colonies

It feels great to have all of those projects done. I don't think I'll run out and buy more fabric any time soon, either; my remnant basket overflows with the detritus of good intentions, and I have enough craft patterns that I'll give it a go to use those remnants up before investing in another project.

Far be it for me to not have something going on, though, some sort of list to work off of. Across the room from my sewing spot is my scrapbooking cabinet... so come 2014, I'll put another list together of long-neglected projects, and I'll take it from there.

Here's to finishing what I've started!!

Making Progress - my mid-year resolution

So about that mid-year resolution. I may need a stretch goal. Apparently, I overestimated how hard some of these projects were going to be. I knocked out one more in the last few days, bringing my total completed projects to three.

The doll cheerleader outfit:

Lucky for me, I'm actually down from 15 projects to only 11 left to do. Turns out, I made the doll Aurora dress last year, and just have so much left over fabric that I thought it hadn't been started.

• Tooth fairy pillow for John
• Red/black/white twirl skirt for Caroline
• Music fabric twirl skirt for Caroline
• Doll cheerleader outfit
• Doll Belle dress
• Doll Aurora (Sleeping Beauty)
• Doll Colonial outfit
• Five coloring bags for friends' and cousins' kids
• Brown pants for me
• Pink dress for me
• Monkey pajamas for John

It never fails, with every project, there's always one thing that I messed up, but when I realize it, it is usually too late to go back and fix it. On this one, I mistakenly flipped the ribbons on the sleeves, so that the blue and red stripes don't match up with the bodice. Oh, well. Let's just all pretend it's supposed to be that way.

It's also true that with every project, I get a little bit better. My seams get a little bit straighter; my darts match up a little bit more precisely; my hems get a little bit more even. This was my first attempt at pleats, and I'm proud to say that the skirt at least looks like a pleated skirt.

When I think about the prom dresses my mother made in high school, I can't even begin to imagine the intricate pattern piecing and stitching she had to do. I knew then that they were pretty complicated projects, but honestly, I had no idea just how complicated.

Sure am glad I don't have a prom dress on my project list.

Finish what I started

Sewing is one of my hobbies, and I have the ideal set up. Not long after we moved here, Justin found this excellent thing called the Sewing Box. It looks like a nice piece of furniture up in our bonus room:

But when you open it up, it turns into the perfect sewing corner for me. Sweet.

Everything I need at my fingertips

Pivot in my chair, and cutting station behind me

I can sew, watch football, and be with the kids while they play, all at the same time. Unfortunately, my sweet set up conveniently hides something: I have a ton of projects I've bought everything for, but never started. The evidence is literally piled up against me:

How many projects, you ask? Here's the list:

• Tooth fairy pillow for John
• Red/black/white twirl skirt for Caroline

• Music fabric twirl skirt for Caroline

• Doll cheerleader outfit

• Doll Belle dress
• Doll Sleeping Beauty (did you know her name is Aurora?) dress

• Doll Colonial outfit (what was I thinking?!)

• Five coloring bags for friends and cousins
• Brown pants for me

• Pink dress for me (this was supposed to be my Easter dress two years ago - hmph)

• Monkey pajamas for John (please note how small the children on the pattern are...)

Hard to be an example to the kids when it comes to finishing what you start when I have all of these projects piled up, some literally for years. No time like the present to fix an outage, so I have officially made a mid-year resolution: finish all projects by December 31st. 

Fifteen projects, five months left in the year. Hoooo boy... better get started. I spent most of the day yesterday in front of my sewing machine and managed to knock out two of the projects on the list. This might not be too hard, after all!! 

So about the little kids on the pattern... Given that I've had this project since we lived in Ohio (ahem), I had to lengthen the pants for John, and didn't have enough fabric to make the top, but hey. Don't big boys do just sleep pants, anyway?

My little monkey

And despite my intent to finish my projects and not buy anything else until they're done, I'm apparently missing some of the notions, so I had to run to Joann's for elastic yesterday. Even with that errand, though, I got one of the twirl skirts done for Caroline:

Razorback Red if she ever decides to
root for the Hogs!

Now I ask you - what's your mid-year resolution?

The magic elixir

I love coffee. There's really no other more effective way to put it. It's a magical delight that tells me the day has started and everything is going to be okay. I would drink coffee from the minute I got up until the minute I went to bed if my stomach could handle it. When I drink it, it's like someone sprinkled good-mood pixie dust on me. Now, before you start thinking I'm some hard core caffeine junkie who may as well hook up a mainline, let me come clean: I see coffee primarily as a vehicle by which to try all of the wonderful flavors of creamer the good food scientists at Coffee-mate and International Delight come up with.

For ages, I've been a dedicated Dunkin Donuts Cinnamon Spice with sugar and Creme Brûlée Coffeemate creamer girl. Recently, I finished up a bag of Gevalia French Roast that Justin had bought and didn't really care for. I didn't really, either, but who am I to let coffee go to waste? It wasn't bad, but I was pretty happy to get back to my Dunks. 

While there's comfort in being a creature of habit, I recently tried a new creamer. Make that, three new creamers. International Delight came out with - wait for it - Cold Stone Creamery inspired flavors. For someone who in high school thought that a Sweet Cream milkshake was as close to heaven as you could get in this lifetime, this is the picture of pure bliss:

I kept the Sweet Cream at home, and have the Hot For Cookie at work (Founder's Favorite is on deck on the fridge). New creamers to go with the free Folgers, Millstone, and Dunkin Donuts coffee in the break room. Do I work for an amazing company or what?

So every workday morning, I fill up my travel mug with water, pour it in the coffee pot, and make exactly one mug of coffee to take with me to work. My commute now is so short, I can't even drink the whole thing before I get to the office. When I lived in a suburb of Cincinnati, I would make a mug plus a Thermos full of coffee, and still be sitting in traffic with a full bladder before ever coming in sight of Winton Hill. I currently have four travel mugs, and Justin has two. I rotate them based on my mood or my outfit (I'm a girl, I'm allowed to make decisions like that). 

In my experience, coffee mugs are one of those things that multiply spontaneously. Kind of like wire hangers and lone socks. I think there was a five year period when I was a kid where every gift giving occasion resulted in a new mug for Mom or Dad. My parents' cupboard has a remarkable collection of mugs, consisting primarily of music, Army, and Texas Aggie designs. 

With our moving every two or three years, we've been ruthless about keeping things pared down, including our coffee mugs. We have some that match our dishes; a set that was a Christmas gift from my mom one year; photo mugs with our adorable kids' mugs (haha, very punny); and a few that the kids have collected from hot chocolate sets.

My not-pictured Army travel mug is drying on the counter...

My favorites are the mug I got at Disney last summer

and my very first kid-art mug that John made me for Mother's Day.

This morning, I pulled out an oldie but a goodie. This mug has seen far more cups of hot chocolate than coffee, as it was a Christmas gift from my Uncle Bubby and Aunt Laurel about 30 years ago. My sister has one just like it, and I always thought it was such a wonderful gift.

I have a habit of "saving" things that have incalculable worth to me, only using them on special occasions. But this blog is not just a fun New Year's Resolution for me. It also reminds me that every moment is special; all of life's little moments add up to a richness that is priceless. So this morning, I drank my coffee in a mug that reminds me of my much-loved uncle who passed so many years ago, and my aunt who is far away in North Carolina but always near to my heart. 

The magic isn't in the coffee today. This morning, the magic is in the mug. 

This is what happens when...

One of my goals in 2013 is to take at least one picture per day. A month into the new year, meh... I'm close, with a couple of days undocumented. Part of sticking to the goal, though, has been enrolling the help of the kids.

It doesn't matter what the picture is of; I didn't have a checklist or artistic notion when I set the goal. I just thought it would be interesting at the end of the year to have one picture from every day to pictorially define "A Year in the Life of the Coussoules."

When I take the pictures, inevitably, the subject is one or both of the kids, 99% of the time. I have managed to get a few pictures of me, thanks to my always-accommodating world's-greatest husband. I figured as part of the picture-a-day project, I could document the wardrobe makeover from last year. Another blog post, another day. :)

When the kids take the pictures, though... talk about a different perspective. I just downloaded the pictures they took over the weekend, and was once again struck by the magic and the gift of digital photography. At no cost to anyone, the kids gleefully ran around the house snapping shots of whatever struck their fancy.

And, at no cost to you, here are some of my favorites so we can all see their day through their eyes.

New Year's resolutions

So I tend to make resolutions - or at least a list of goals - every year. So far this year, I've come up with three:

1. Start and keep a blog for one year
2. Take one photo every day
3. Stop messing with my phone while I'm in the driver's seat!!!

I have several race and fitness goals, but those feel like a different list. Maybe a post for another day.

So I figure while most resolutions are kaput within a month (highly scientific research accomplished by considering my own resolutions over the last few years), I've at least taken a positive step by getting a blog post down on day one.

So why blog? I know the reasons are varied; when you google blogging for beginners there are all kinds of tips for monetizing your blog, optimizing your searchability, and gaining lots of followers. Nope, not my goals. I mostly want to try and capture the little moments that slip through your fingers; the funny things the kids say that you think you'll never forget; the sweet things people say that touch your heart in that moment; the triumphs and tribulations of living life one day at a time, 365 days a year.

So that's the plan. I'm sure there will be days that will consist of nothing but a photo, and there will certainly be days that go by without any entries at all. But it's a year long project, so if I'm blogging on New Year's Eve 2013, then that's one resolution I'll have proof was kept.