On the other hand, I was better about getting short term things done when I had to announce it to the web-public. Maybe I'll start doing that again...
For now, here's what I've done in the last month.
I looked at the last blog post and realized that I had a major change of direction. I decided to go for it with getting my teaching credential. It is going to be a really hard thing. 2 hour commute hard. Full time student and a mommy hard. Being in college again hard (at least I don't have to deal with stressful boy-drama any more. Mine or my roomie's ;) But, as I thought about doing it, and started to put some wheels in motion, I wasn't getting butterflies in my stomach. No more "I don't know if I can do this" knots. Just a feeling of yes, this will be hard, but it will be good, kind of calm. Prayers were leading to the same feeling. I don't usually make big decisions without some sort of nervousness, but I wasn't getting that with this decision. I'll take that as a sign from the Spirit saying it will be ok. So, I completed the applications, sent my transcripts and signed up for an audition as a Post-bacc Music Education student. I had my audition yesterday. It went really well. It wasn't perfect, but I think it was a good representation of my skills and my desires as a student and teacher. It was a four part audition: instrument performance, piano skills, sight singing and an interview. All of which went well. I had my husband coach me with my flute pieces and it was great to have someone listen who knew what they were listening to. He really is quite good at what he does. :D
Some people mentioned to me about my reading goal, so here's a little clarification: I don't intend to re-read all of the fiction I own. I intend to have read all of the fiction that I own, which means I will read everything I own but haven't gotten around to reading yet.
I actually haven't read anything from my own collection yet this year. Sad, huh?
I got started on the Lunar Chronicles and got sucked into those lovely potato chip books. Not much of substance, but enjoyable to read. I read Cinder over Christmas, then finished Scarlet (which I didn't like as much) Cress and Fairest this month. I'm waiting in line for Winter from the library. Waiting, waiting, waiting.
I did read other things too. I read the Martian, which was fantastic. More language than I would have like, but, while I don't like swearing, it doesn't bother me as much as it used to. Younger me would have thought there was a problem with that. 30 year old me isn't sure.
I also read a great book called Weakness is not Sin by an LDS author named Wendy Ulrich. Great look at the doctrine of trying and failing. A very similar book I listened to was Daring Greatly, by Brene Brown. It pretty much said the same things, but she looks at it from a more secular, and research based, point of view. Pretty much, the research and the doctrine agree. We make mistakes and we have the best relationships with people who allow us to make mistakes and love us anyway. That's one of the great things about the Gospel. The Lord never says we shouldn't try something just because we might fail. And failing at trying to do good things is not sinning. Sinning is doing bad things on purpose. And even that can be fixed.
I started reading one called "Why are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria?" I can't say that I agree with everything she's said, but it has been enlightening. Not finished yet, but I'd like to finish it this week. Nonfiction is usually a slower read so I don't know if I'll make it.
I did find some good weight training to do, and I can feel it when I do it, but I really miss running. It's been sooo wet lately though. We get some sun most afternoons, but the fog and rain in the morning make running really not fun for my 2 year old tag along. So, I've been at the gym. Actually the last few weeks I haven't been much of anywhere. 2 year old has had a runny nose for weeks and with my audition yesterday I spent most of my work out time last week practicing. I'd like to do more running though. Mentally, I feel more refreshed after a long run than after a tough weight lifting session. I know this isn't true for everyone, but it is for me. :) (Once again, younger me never, ever would have believe that.)
Here are some things that are coming up this week:
This week begins my break from junk food. The last couple of years I've started "fasts" for Lent. Mormons don't really do Lent, but its a convenient pre-specified amount of time. Actually it started with a friend. In her younger years she had lived in a very Catholic area of Ohio where people really did Lent. She learned that she told someone that she was trying to stay away from sweets they would try to talk her into having something. Leave it in front of her. Let her know how GOOD it was, etc. But, if she said she was avoiding sweets for Lent, they "would apologize and remove the temptation." So, she started giving up sweets every year "for Lent." So I started giving things up for Lent, as a way to slow some bad habits. One year I did Netflix (though I allowed it if my baby decided to do one of his "it's 3 am and I want to play" parties.) Last year I shut down my Facebook account and it was really good for me. I realized just how compulsive it becomes to check when ever you have your phone in your hand. Not good.
So, this year is a junk food fast. There are no hard rules as to what is "junk." Just, if I think it's a junk food I won't eat it. Granola bars are junk. Cookies, even if you make them with coconut oil/flour/sugar, are junk. Tortilla chips are probably junk. Pretzels will minimized but probably not avoided completely. I still get to put sugar on my oatmeal. No hard rules, these are just to keep me from mindlessly shoving stuff in my face.
I will, however, allow chocolate. Just chocolate, not snickers bars or chocolate ice cream or brownies because they have chocolate. Just chocolate, if I really feel the need to hide in the pantry and eat something.
I looked up when they offer CPR courses on base and the next one isn't until June (???). Last year they offered one every other month, so I wonder what's up with that. I'll keep my ears open for something else, but if nothing turns up by April or May I'll sign up for the one in June.
Oh! We bought a dog. She's a total sweet heart. Her papers said Lab/Blue Heeler mix, but I don't see any Blue Heeler in her. I looked up some stuff and I think she's part Vizsla. She's got brown in her undercoat, is super affectionate, and rarely barks.
Here's a vizsla
Here's a lab 
Blue heeler
Here's my dog. There is no blue heeler there.
She's very small, so there's probably something else in there. But she has a perma-puppy face!
So far, we love her. Well, the kids are still getting used to her, but they love her from a distance.
I'll update my scripture reading stuff in another post.
This week:
- Kennel train the doggie. She really doesn't like being crated.
- Finish currently-reading books and start one fiction book from my shelves.
- Run 2-3 X, weight train 2X, 1 day of Yoga
- 6 days of 6 am scripture study.
- Search and apply for financial aid for school.
Happy February everyone!
