Goal 6: Play Hard

I finally let myself spend the money on a bike. For years I have wanted one and I bought my husband son and daughter bikes without ever allowing myself to have one. I told myself I'd never ride it, or I wouldn't remember how. It's a blast. Can't even remember why I ever stopped riding!

Goal 6: Have fun.

I have loved music and dancing but for years but I told myself there was no point in dancing because I wasn't going to be a dancer. Since I started dancing I have developed a different view. Dancing is fun... That is why people who have very little talent pay money to get into clubs on Friday night. Music is a joyous expression of who we are and this... is my song of the day. I dedicate it to all the Keri, Kari, Carries of the world!

You want to have a little fun? sing on!

Pretty Girl Rock lyrics by: Keri Hilson

I can do the pretty girl rock rock rock rock
Do the pretty girl rock rock rock
Now what's your name?

My name is Keri, I'm so very
Fly oh my it's a little bit scary
Boys wanna marry looking at my derri-
erre, you can stare but if you touch it I'ma bury

Pretty as a picture
Sweeter than a swisher
Mad cause I'm cuter than the girl that's with ya, I don't gotta talk about it baby you can see it
But if you want I'll be happy to repeat it

My name is Keri, I'm so very
Fly oh my it's a little bit scary
Boys wanna marry looking at my derri-
erre, you can stare but if you touch it I'ma bury

Pretty as a picture
Sweeter than a swisher
Mad cause I'm cuter than the girl that's witcha
I can talk about it cause I know that I'm pretty
And if you know it too then ladies sing it with me

All eyes on me when I walk in,
No question that this girl's a 10
Don't hate me cause I'm beautiful
Don't hate me cause I'm beautiful
My walk, my talk the way I dress
It's not my fault so please don't trip
Don't hate me cause I'm beautiful
Don't hate me cause I'm beautiful

Aye, now do the pretty girl rock rock rock
Do the pretty girl rock rock rock
Do the pretty girl rock rock
All my ladies do the pretty girl rock rock rock
Do the pretty girl rock rock rock
Do the pretty girl rock rock rock
Do the pretty girl rock

Now where you at?
[ From: http://www.elyrics.net/read/k/keri-hilson-lyrics/pretty-girl-rock-lyrics.html ]

If you're looking for me you can catch me (pass by)
Cameras flashing
Bet he turned his head just as soon as I passed him
Girls think I'm conceited cause I know I'm attractive
Don't worry about what I think, why don't you ask him?

Get yourself together don't hate (never do it),
jealousy is the ugliest trait (don't ever do it)
I can talk about it cause I know that I'm pretty
And if you know it too then ladies sing it with me

All eyes on me when I walk in
No question that this girl's a 10
Don't hate me cause I'm beautiful
Don't hate me cause I'm beautiful
My walk, my talk the way I dress
It's not my fault so please don't trip
Don't hate me cause I'm beautiful
Don't hate me cause I'm beautiful

Doing the pretty girl rock rock rock
Do the pretty girl rock rock rock
Do the pretty girl rock rock rock
Do the pretty girl rock rock
All my ladies do the pretty girl rock rock
Get low witcha pretty girl rock rock
Steal the show witcha pretty girl rock rock
All my ladies do the pretty girl rock rock
Sing it with me now

All eyes on me when I walk in,
No question that this girl's a 10
Don't hate me cause I'm beautiful.
Don't hate me cause I'm beautiful.
My walk my talk the way I dress
It's not my fault so please don't trip
Don't hate me cause I'm beautiful
Don't hate me cause I'm beautiful [x2]

Goal 2: Calorie Trackers

I really want a heart rate monitor watch so I can keep track of what I burn no matter what activity I am doing. While I was searching for a mythical cheap one... which may or may not still exist I found an excellent website to track your weight loss.
I now have...

Created by MyFitnessPal - Nutrition Facts For Foods

I still don't have a heart monitor watch but at least I have a plan.
Wish me luck!

Thank you military members for all you do!

I so often hear stories of service members going above and beyond and I think they are such inspirations. They volunteer to read to students, drive home people who have too much to drink and are always there in crisis situations like the earthquake in Japan to help others. In a world where it is sometime hard to find the good in people they are a very bright beacon of hope.

Goal 6: Day 7

A photo of something you stand for:

I support many of the charities that provide treatment and care to people living with HIV/AIDS. The drugs exist to keep these kids alive yet they are still dying and it is easy to help. Donations can be small and make a huge difference and if you are too selfish or broke to give your money away buying RED allows you to buy the item you wanted and donate.

Keep a Child Alive, "a charity dedicated to providing life-saving anti-retroviral treatment, care and support services to children and their families with HIV/AIDS in Africa and the developing world". 

"(RED) money funds grants that go to HIV/AIDS programs in Ghana, Lesotho, Rwanda, South Africa, Swaziland, and Zambia. Over 7.5 million people have been impacted by (RED) supported Global Fund grants. (RED) is the largest business sector contributor to the Global Fund. To date, (RED) partners and events have contributed more than $160 million. 100% goes to programs on the ground - no overhead is taken by either (RED) or the Global Fund"

Goal 6: Day 6

A picture of someone you love:

When I was a kid I used to love the picture of my dad in his military uniform. Now my husband is in the military and I see uniforms everyday. This on the other hand was a one time thing. I took this picture of my Marlboro Man in Monterey for a photography class. He almost never lets me take his picture so this has prime wall real estate.

Goal 6: Day 5

A photo that makes you laugh:

This is a picture that I took in my most advanced photography class and then hand painted. It's of a booby and mine trap manual that my husband and I found at a military surplus store in Salinas, CA. I love the simplicity of the directions and it's implications for life in general always kind of crack me up.
And because we all need more laughter in our lives: Another:

Hide and seek anyone?: "Mom I can't find her!" 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Goal 6: Day 4

A place I'd like to visit...

I have been fascinated with the fall of Rome since I was a child. In high school I wanted to go to Rome so badly I took 2 years of Latin. I failed and never got to go but the want never went away. In college I read Daisy Miller and longed to go to the Colosseum at night even though it was the death of Daisy.

Goal 6: day 3

A picture that makes you happy...

My babies when they were still babies!

Goal 6: Day 2

A baby picture of me...
I have two.

Me and "ugly doll" (Yes that was her name).

Your standard Kmart setup.

Goal 5: A note to parents of smelly children everywhere.

My son of whom has hated baths since he was well born played in a mud puddle today just so he could have one. My trick is a simple one and apparently a trick I have had around a long time and didn't remember. My son got the most amazing toy called swim to me puppy a couple years ago and somehow it ended up in the top of his closet probably due to a lack of batteries. We found it the other day while cleaning his room and put batteries in it and low and behold it is awesome. I still can't figure out how it does what it does but it swims on it's own when placed in the water. I have never heard my son laugh so much. It will settle the bath time disagreements (Not that we ever disagree with our children, right?) and it's cute as a button.

Goal 6: Read what you want to read.

 Good reads is a brilliant application on Facebook where you can share your readings with others. I keep track of my reading there as often as I can. As I have no doubt blogged about previously one of the books I am reading is The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin and one of my favorite ideas that I have taken away from it is to "be gretchen" as she puts it. Too often in life we do things that don't make us happy because they interest others and we think they should also interest us. I love books... all books... and I don't mind people thinking of me as bookish especially as I am sure to relate to Rachel coven's new female lead. She states: "I particularly loved the adjective bookish, which I found other people used about as often as ramrod or chum or teetotaler."Dash & Lily's Book of Dares. One thing I did mind until I read the happiness project was my tendancy to lean towards children's literature. It always made me feel like a silly little girl. I love fairy tales and as a college student I was expected to read literature all of the time and put away my childish endeavors so I read the great BFG with my son and smiled quietly to myself. However, from now on I plan to "Be Kari" and let my love of children's literature continue to capture my imagination for years to come...
As Gretchen quotes this was even the view of C.S. Lewis who said "When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed if I had been found doing so. Now that I am fifty I read them openly. When I become a man I put away childish things, including the fare of childishness and the desire to be very grown up".

Goal 6: Day 1

A Photo of me:

I don't know if it was the clothes... the hair... the makeup... or the fact that I was surrounded by people I loved but when this picture was taken I felt beautiful!

Goal 6: Have fun.

Thanks to my friend Kari ( yes we do have the same name) I found a challenge to post 30 days of pictures that looks like this... so just like almost everyone else I know has. I now have to try and do it.

Day 1: A photo of you.

Day 2: A photo of yourself when you were a baby

Day 3: A photo that makes you happy.

Day 4: A photo of a place you'd like to visit.

Day 5: A photo that makes you laugh.

Day 6: A photo of someone you love.

Day 7: A photo of something you stand for.

Day 8: A photo of something you enjoy doing.

Day 9: A photo of yourself at least a year ago.

Day 10: Any photo you like for any reason.

Day 11: A photo of a night you loved.

Day 12: A photo of when you were happy.

Day 13: A photo of one of your favorite movies.

Day 14: A photo of your best friend (s).

Day 15: A photo of you and a family member.

Day 16: A photo from your childhood.

Day 17: A photo from a trip you'll never forget.

Day 18: A photo of your town.

Day 19: A photo of your favorite thing from school.

Day 20: A photo of something you ate today.

Day 21: A photo of somebody you find attractive.

Day 22: A photo that you associate a good memory with.

Day 23: A photo of something you want to do someday.

Day 24: A photo of what you want to be when you grow up.

Day 25: A photo that inspires you.

Day 26: A photo of your favorite subject in school.

Day 27: A photo of something you are looking forward to.

Day 28: A photo of something/somebody that made your day.

Day 29: A photo of your favorite person from history.

Day 30: A photo you find beautiful.

Goal 2: Music

I don't know about you but I cannot workout without music. I just do not possess the ability to enjoy the sound of my sneakers on the treadmill. I have been wanting to make a new workout playlist for a while and have put it off thinking it would be too much work but yesterday I got on the treadmill and could not listen to Avril Lavinge again without gagging. I thought about it long and hard and came up with a solution, I would take all the songs I knew worked to pump me up from my old playlist and mix them with the zumba music from class that I can't get enough of. This is the end result:

1. Let's get it started   Black eyed peas   
2. Zumba Mami - Reggaeton  Zumba Fitness Vibe Tribe         
3. Just Dance  Lady GaGa & Colby O'Donis    The Fame   
4. Don't Cha The Pussycat Dolls & Busta Rhymes  
5. So What   P!nk         
6. This Is Tha Song - Hip Hop    Zumba Fitness    Party Nation   
7. Whip My Hair      Willow   
8. Zumbalicious  Salsa / Reggaeton    Zumba Fitness    Cardio Party Soundtrack   
9. Dynamite     Taio Cruz           
10. push it     The Diplomats    
11. Cumbia Jam - Cumbia     Zumba Fitness    Party Nation
12. 'Cuz I Can   P!nk    
13. One, Two Step (feat. Missy Elliott)    Ciara      
14. what you waiting for Gwen Steffani   
15. Only Girl (In the World)  Rihanna   
16. Work It   Missy Elliott    
17. M!ssundaztood       P!nk    
18. Can't Get You out of My Head      Kylie Minogue   
19. Waka Waka (This Time for Africa) [The Official 2010 FIFA World Cup Song]Shakira   
20. Sahara Oasis - Belly Dance     Zumba Fitness    Party Nation

Yep. I know it's all over the place but that's why it's my music.... go out and find your beat!

Goal 4: Eat real food.

This is a goal I have been working on for a while and that I still struggle with from time to time. I firmly believe that frozen junk food and take-out are loaded with unnecessary garbage and the numbers don't lie. When I eat it I gain weight no matter what. So, I have been taking up cooking again in an attempt to keep myself from failing to pay attention to what exactly I am stuffing my face with. Here is my current favorite recipe in the world. It is very yummy and easy to make. I made it in about a half an hour off things I just happened to have in my house. It is called a quick quiche.

Goal 5: The importance of play on a parents psyche.

Alright, you just got home from work or errands... You're beat and you have to have dinner on the table in an hour then a shower and you have to go to bed to start the grind all over. Suddenly a wonderful opportunity to de-stress presents it's self. Your ___ year old son/daughter comes up to you and asks you to play the newest video game in their collection or tea party. Do you...

1. Explain to them nicely that you are a grown up with grown up things to do and send them on their way? (Kill peter pan... go ahead... who needs em anyway)
2. Yell at them about wasting time and make them set the table? (If mama/papa aint happy)
3. Postpone them as long as possible so you can get something done? ( As is that one thing will ever be finished and it won't splinter into 100 other things and suck out your soul)
4. Drop everything and play? (remembering that we only get a few years when they want to play with us) 

Let's think about this logically and research it.
Logically as an adult you have very important and time consuming tasks to get done and tea parties seem like a waste of time but it is suggested often that in order to relieve stress you should let your inner child out. These suggestions are great and I agree that as a child coping strategies come naturally and it is good to embrace them again as an adult.  I would just take it a step farther and add that if you have kids you should do the things they want to do and see if they rub off on you. My guess is when you are outside at the swing set you will trigger good memories which induce a better mood and create new ones you can access down the line. Also, it is easier to remember how to be silly when you have a pro around to show you how.

Goal 5: family first even when they're not all with you.

As most of the world knows my daughter visits us during the summer which is consequently my favorite time of the year. This year however my daughter will be here and my husband will not. His work is taking him far away for the summer and I am heartbroken. I think that I have figured out that being a stay at home mom was definitely what my family needed though. I could not imagine how my kids or husband would have handled this on their own.
It is now my full-time job to consul and encourage which won't change until he comes back home.  I will take my son to sports practices, play video games and read dragon tales. I will work out and clean and stay busy and when my daughter gets here and my husband leaves I will write, take pictures, and miss my husband terribly all the while helping my kids to have the happy summer they need and deserve.
I went to a meeting today all about the struggles families have when they have to be long distance and I realized that we will all be okay because we have done it already. We spend six months out of the year on the phone with my daughter and we still love our fractured little family just as much. I am so blessed to have a husband who works so hard to provide for us and children who can light up even the darkest day.