Wizard of Oz Eve!

I hope everyone is relaxing and having a laid back day on this eve of our WOO challenge.  I think I am ready to get started.

Little R -- I do have Skype, haven't done a 3-way call but willing to give it a try.  And…..I love meal planning, shopping, cooking, etc.  so if you ever want to spend a few hours together I think I could get you going on a routine.  Now if you could teach me to crochet  -- then just think of what we could accomplish!

I have to say -- I feel like we have one up on everyone else.  I feel like my resolutions are organized and well-thought out.  BTW -- Little R…….what did you decide on?

So for now I wish you both a peaceful end to 2013 and an optimistic entry into 2014!




P.S.  Ethel, I hope your run was good….and you didn't freeze!

Meal Planning and Grocery list App

Hi Ladies,

I too am looking for ways to plan meals for the family this year.  My biggest problem has been the time involved in the whole process of finding recipes, keeping them organized, and making a shopping list.  This took too much time, and I basically quit doing it after a couple of days.

I found a new app that takes a huge amount of time out of the process.  You can find a recipe you want online, add it to your recipe box in the app, click on the recipe, and you will have the option of adding all the ingredients to your shopping list.  There is also a meal planning option in this app.  This cuts out a huge amount of time for me.  I thought I would share.

The app is called ziplist meal planning and grocery list app.  Love it!

Little R

3 Way Calling

Okay.  Nevermind.  The app was free, but the calls were not.  Skype allows three way calls.  Would y'all want to try that instead?

3 way calling

I got an app on my iphone to enable free three way calling.  I have never used it, but it has great reviews (but only 7 of them).  It is called Group Calling by Keku, LLC.  It was free.  Do you guys want to try it out?  I could also try it out here with Matt and a friend to see if it works.

Wow! This is so hard.

Hi,

You guys are so interesting!  I love reading your posts.

I am going to contemplate these goals some more before the end of the year, but here is my first pass.

Brain:  I'm going to change at least 12 of  my core beliefs.  I'm going to journal every day about automatic thoughts I have vs. what an objective person would say to me.  I didn't say that very well.  I said it fine. (ha!)

Heart:  My goal here is to do things that will enable me to be as active as I would like to be later in life.  I am not as concerned with distance as I am speed and agility.  By the end of the year I would like to be able to run 5k in 24 minutes, ride 12 miles on a bike in 40 minutes, and master some beginning yoga rasa poses.  I have to do at least one workout in each category every week.

Courage:  This is where I am going to work in spirituality.  I'm not exactly sure what I'm going to do here yet.
Home:  I want to implement "7 Habits of Highly Effective Families".  My main goal is to open up the communication in our household.  I'm going to propose one family meeting a month.  Those should be very interesting with two year old twins.  It's a start.

The character I identify most with is the scarecrow.  I feel like my thinking is messed up and it is hindering my progress.  If I only had a (re-programmed) brain!

Little Ricky

Character ID

A MUNCHKIN!  Short, fat, odd . . . what can I say?

OK, Just kidding.  I have to ponder this one a little more!  :)
E

Question……Which Character do you most relate to from WizofOz?

Ponder that for a minute……..

Feedback for my dear Ethel!

1.  You know how I feel about journaling -- its the holy grail of WW if you ask me!  I truly believe you will have much success with this.  I really want you to get pumped about this process.   So here are some fun things to consider.

• decorate it, color on the pages, use stickers to denote things that matter, add pictures, make it a work of art and love…..the more you prize it, the more you will use it.  I literally have mine with me all the time.  I keep it next to me like a security blanket.  I use to feel agitated if I went to work and forgot it at home.  Crazy I know, but once you confide all your secrets to it and make it your own…..I hope you will feel the same.
• in the beginning really take the time to look things up and measure -- you will reference things all the time, so get it right the 1st time.  I actually find the etools the quickest and easiest place to look up point values.  I use to use the books -- but it feels more accurate and easier online.  You can get very exact in what you are looking for!
• i use the journal to do other stuff to -- like I keep small post it notes on my pages.  I use them to plan my to do list for the next day.  SInce I look at my journal many times a day, it keeps me focused on what I need to accomplish.  
• last but not least, I encourage you to try and use all the pages/sections.  I admit I don't check the boxes (good health guidelines) or designate the power foods specifically, but otherwise I am pretty damn good.  I use the weekly routines to set mini goals for my week.  I love checking things off and feeling like I accomplished stuff.

2.  150 Workouts…..when I first read this I was concerned it was too aggressive.  What if you are sick a week -- then you get behind and discouraged.  If you are keeping it to 30 minute increments…..then I think it is feasible.  So I'm thinking a 30 min. brisk walk counts…correct?

3.  Meal planning -- good for you.  This is something else I love….so i will support you in whatever way I can.  Let me know your favorite types of food and I will keep my eyes out for ideas.  Just read about some queso dip at Trader Joes that is super low in points and supposedly good.  I plan to check it out tomorrow…..I'll keep you posted!

4.  You go girl!  I will keep this in the back of my mind….since I really can't swim either!

Ok -- that's maybe more feedback and commentary than you wanted but….couldn't help myself! ;)


Now back to the original question…..     For me it is the Lion!   What about you guys?

Lucy  

OZ Challenge!

 

Here it goes . . . we still have a week to contemplate, but this is what I am thinking for my goals.  It seems a little daunting right now, but OZ was a challenge for Dorothy, right? And she made it there - so all challenges are possible to achieve!

 

 

BRAIN:  I will write down what I eat every day.  This will be my "streak" item, so each day that I do not honestly, that day, write down what I consume I will put a dollar in the "pot."  This takes focus, concentration and commitment which involves my brain!  Of course there are side effects - I hope to weigh and measure more accurately and be conscious at all times what really goes in my body.

HEART: I commit to 150  workouts during the year. Basically 3/wk, but I hope to try to stay on task by quarter.  I believe this gives me the flexibility to do different things over the year, as well as when I travel or if I feel sick a day.  It is achievable, but enough of a challenge to take some work.  A workout is a deliberate effort to raise my heart rate for a minimum of 30 min. (my physical goal).

HOME:   (don't laugh, but you know it's true) I will cook at least one meal for my family a week.  When I eat well, plan a grocery list, and set an example, they all eat well.  Hopefully this will really mean I plan menus more consistently, have healthy choices in the house, and we all benefit most days, but the actual challenge is once a week.

COURAGE: The place in my life where I am definitely out of my comfort zone is clearly water.  And I don't want to be - my kids love the water parks and pools, I have often been invited to SUP, on friends boats to tube . . .  I have kayaked, which I like,  but it is just not in my comfort zone. SO, at some point this winter (that lasts until May here, FYI) I am going to take another swim class, and over the summer participate in some activity in the water. Not clear what that is yet, but I will know it when the opportunity arises.

 

Feedback?

Ethel

 

 



Wizard of Oz Challenge 2014

Merry Christmas to all!  

I have to say I have been thinking a lot about our new challenge and really trying to craft the perfect set of goals for myself.  Ethel sent this message from Pinterest and I love it.  It is perfect for me and my state of mind as I head into 2014!

This is my first pass at my challenge -- I am anxious to hear what you guys are thinking for yourself.  I may need to adapt if you have something that interests me....so stay tuned!

First I am starting with a mission statement of sorts.....

"This is my life, my choices, my mistakes and my lessons.  I have nothing to prove.  And as long as I'm not hurting people, I need not worry what they think of me." 

 [I got this from one of the Mark and Angel Hack postings -- want to give credit where credit is due]

Now the challenge itself!

Brain:  finish 2 current books in progress and read 4 additional books [as a reference I don't think I finished one book last year.....I would start them and then loose interest]

Heart:  complete 8 of the 30 Day Fitness Challenges  [there is a website and app for this program if you want to check it out]  Obviously this will be my ACTIVE category.

Courage:  commit to tracking my food intake everyday for 2014......I am at my goal weight -- but this is critical to maintain -- this will be my STREAK activity!

Home:  learn to crochet.....and make at least one mini-afghan!

There are a few other things I considered -- but they just didn't fill the bill for me.  I still may do some of them in a modified way, but don't want to commit for the year.  I plan to be much more active than just the HEART goal -- but wanted this challenge to be layered on to my current activity.

I hope you are both having a wonderful day!!!!!

Love.....Lucy!