So....we are three weeks into January, and its the time that most people give up their resolutions. Here's my progress:

Here are the original goals and an update on each:
- Place a real, lasting ban on eating food in the car and at my desk. This is most certainly a key cause of my decline in personal health, and it's an important one to try. Of course, I realized that I had an apple at my desk about five minutes before I typed this...and so I am going to really have to push myself to meet this goal.
This one has been really tough for me. I have completely eliminated eating in the car. Eating at the desk is another story. Sometimes, it's really hard to step away from work. I am going to work harder on this part of the goal, it's actually one of the most challenging areas for me.
- Average 3 dinners per week cooked at home, by me. Not the babysitter. Not the local market. ME.
Has not happened. Not at all. Not one bit. I think this goal is much more about having the time to sit down with the kids and have dinner. I am going to start by revising this to two nights per week, and hopefully catch up to get to my "average" of 3 by March 31st, which is when I need to meet these goals.
- Lose 25 pounds. Dave is a big believer in metrics associated with goals, so I am including this one here, but I sort of envision this as the result of all the other health related goals.
Ironically, the goal I was most hesitant to put here is the one I will achieve with the most ease, I think. Ever since discovering My Fitness Pal I have been keenly aware of what I am eating throughout the day. When I first discovered weight watchers at age 23, I felt like I KNEW I was going to achieve my goals because I found a program that worked for me. I feel this way about MFP. I really love it, and I hope I can stick with it.
- Walk to the train 4 days a week. I like walking to the train, and the walk is good for clearing my head.
I'm averaging about 3 days a week and I'm okay with that!
- Personal Development Day-- Take one day per month for me-- that means hair, pedicures, and a massage. I work hard. I need it and I deserve it.
January? Check!
- Take 1 family vacation. Family time is my favorite time-- and when you work this hard, you need to chill with your family.
I just got back from a heavenly four days at Beaches resorts in Turks and Caicos. I realize I blew my vacation wad a little early here, but I think it was much needed and we had the best time.
Take 1 photography class, and take more pictures. Time goes to fast not to capture everything
Not yet. Thank goodness these are quarterly goals!

I am including a picture from my vacation here, to showcase achieving one important goal (family time/vacations) and the need to achieve the next important goal (weight loss-- I am not comfortable in my skin in these pics, and while you might not be able to tell-- I sure as heck can!)

This is a picture of the "first quarter" of the moon. Although a first quarter moon shows half of its lighted hemisphere – half of its day side – to Earth, we call it a quarter moon because it is one quarter of the way around in its orbit of Earth, as measured from one new moon to the next. I am a big fan of measuring goals in quarters, because annual goals tend to fall by the wayside, especially when you are making said goals around (eek!) New Year's Resolution time!

Here are my personal goals for the quarter:
- Place a real, lasting ban on eating food in the car and at my desk. This is most certainly a key cause of my decline in personal health, and it's an important one to try. Of course, I realized that I had an apple at my desk about five minutes before I typed this...and so I am going to really have to push myself to meet this goal.
- Average 3 dinners per week cooked at home, by me. Not the babysitter. Not the local market. ME.
- Lose 25 pounds. Dave is a big believer in metrics associated with goals, so I am including this one here, but I sort of envision this as the result of all the other health related goals.
- Walk to the train 4 days a week. I like walking to the train, and the walk is good for clearing my head.
- Personal Development Day-- Take one day per month for me-- that means hair, pedicures, and a massage. I work hard. I need it and I deserve it.
- Take 1 family vacation. Family time is my favorite time-- and when you work this hard, you need to chill with your family.
- Take 1 photography class, and take more pictures. Time goes to fast not to capture everything

Michelle Obama did an interview with Barbara Walters, where she says that, above all else, she puts herself first. I was completely shocked by this, as it seems counter intuitive. A mother's job is to take care of everyone ELSE, right? But according to Michelle, if she doesn't take care of herself, she is a worse mother, wife, and friend. So this quarter = the quarter of self. Let's see if it works.

I am showing how easy it is to blog using Posterous! Do YOU use Posterous?

Well, it's official. My mom is in her apartment and it's going great. I'm going to do a full photo shoot as soon as she's fully unpacked (and post the reveal video), but in the meantime, I think this picture of her snuggling in her new bed with her grandchildren shows her current state of being! :)

The Extreme Home Makeover has happened! Pics and reveal coming soon. We couldn't finish the last bathroom in time after hitting some complications with the new accessible shower, but it will be done by Tuesday. In the meantime, the rest of the house is complete! Stay tuned for pics, what an amazing experience.

I sent this from my iPhone...sorry for typos and/or interesting autocorrected words

In the hizzouse!

I sent this from my iPhone...sorry for typos and/or interesting autocorrected words

Complete chaos

I sent this from my iPhone...sorry for typos and/or interesting autocorrected words

In less than 36 hours, my mom will be moving into an apartment that currently looks like a war zone. It will look incredible when she moves in, of course, but right now, the sight of the apartment is simply overwhelming. And yet, somehow, instead of feeling overwhelmed, I feel nothing but grateful.

I'm grateful to have a team that allows me to take off from work for a week to help my mom without worry. (This means you @ottogrl, @jennal15, @mallorierose, @caraizzle, @margauxeve @benlieblich)

I'm grateful to have a husband who let me sleep in this morning even though it might not have been my turn to do so, because he knows how exhausting this project is. I'm grateful to him for more than I can really say.

I'm grateful for the team of workers, who are working around the clock to help get my mom in on time. I'm grateful to Randi, my dear friend, who oversaw this project and is currently keeping me from having a nervous breakdown.

I'm grateful that my family is able to afford a reconstruction of a home to be equipped for someone with Multiple Sclerosis. So many families are not similarly able. I think this project has inspired me to help others-- it's been a window into disability that I've previously only seen through a peephole.

And finally, I am grateful for the health and well being of my children. And I'm thinking about children with disabilities, and what it must be like for them, and for their parents.

I will remember this feeling, as I embark on this project today, and we hit the inevitable bumps in the road.

Today, I am grateful.

As the carpet goes down in my mom's apartment, I'll be shopping for essentials, and stopping to do the following today:

- get my hair done
- get a facial
- get my nails done

Because, if not, I'll be looking like this as I wander the streets looking for shelving units, mezuzahs, and bedding. And that, my friends, is not acceptable!

I sent this from my iPhone...sorry for typos and/or interesting autocorrected words