We do more before 9am than…

If you recognize this slogan, then the ad folks did their job. Actually, you might recognize it more as: In the Army, we do more before 9am than most people do all day, or Be All That You Can Be. It’s kind of motivational if you ask me. I want to get up and kick some butt before 9am, most days. (Here’s a YouTube video of it if you’re interested.) 

As a way of implementing some New Year’s self-home-work-flow improvement, I decided to get up earlier than usual on the weekdays. It was not a big stretch considering our kids don’t let us sleep much past dawn anyway. Perfectly doable, or so I thought.

See, just about anything can look good in theory or on paper. When it comes time to actually do it, is when you’ve got push through. It wouldn’t be so bad except we shoveled snow five times in the past three days, last night I somehow got sucked into a montage of funnies on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (here’s a preview) and set aside my book edits and stayed up past my bedtime—the one designed to help me have the energy to get up earlier and Be All That I Could Be.

Since then we got even more snow and school is closed. While my amazing husband did not wake me for the morning shovel, I did get up at my “early” time. We enjoyed breakfast before he headed off to see if he could get through the snow to work in under an hour. 

After a brief feeling of accomplishment at getting up early, I have cleaned up milk messes, dyed six fingers and my new favorite sweatshirt several shades of purple, placed three of the world’s tiniest balloons filled with water and food coloring (how I dyed my hands) on wax paper and set them on our front porch in hopes they freeze before a delivery guy squashes them. Water balloons and dye may seem like a bad idea in winter, but it looked cool on Pinterest. The water inside the balloons is supposed to freeze and make some kind of pretty colored ice balls, although as small as ours are they will be ice marbles.

I had good intentions, but sometimes things just go their own way. I’m perfectly content to keep writing/editing with purple fingers, complete more fun experiments with the kids, and Be All I Can Be. We’ll just have to see what else the day holds.

What are you doing to 'Be All You Can Be' today?

I resolve to make more reindeer cupcakes…and eat them!

This time of year New Year’s Resolutions make huge headlines. I know, I’ve been ignoring them for years. Which is surprising, considering my great love of lists – all kinds of lists.

Okay, I admit that I’ve made some effort to jot down a few goals every year, but it usually isn’t good when I’m still coming down from my annual Holiday Season Sugar Rush. I’m in no mood to restrict my self or my diet when I already have to deal with the sudden departure of decadent reindeer cupcakes and sugar cookies.

I am in a new state of mind there is no doubt. Sure, I want to publish a New York Times Bestseller, but realize it may take more time and work. And I will not kid myself that I can have a bikini body in three months, or even three years. No, this year is different. This year, for the first of as many as I can remember, I am ready to put away the lights, the trees and shed our family room of all the pine needles that are sure to fall when we remove the swags from our mantle.

This is big news, people! I am a holiday freak and am usually fighting to deck the halls early and keep things up at least until the bowl games are over. So why am I so eager to move on this year? There are several reasons, really – and perhaps some resolutions.

The first is I want to enjoy winter. What? Is she losing it? Yup! (That’s yes to enjoying winter. I will not admit to losing it, yet.) My 3yo is a fan of Frosty and it just seems like the right time to move on from the guy in the bright red suit to the one with the old silk hat. Building snowmen, sledding and searching for tracks in the snow with my kid is fun, and I want to do more of this (resolution alert) with my daughter before our second one comes along. Just for fun, I thought we’d get bundled up and attempt to make a snowman, woman or family with rounder middles than me.

The second is we are approaching our due date and we’ve got to get things in order around here (another resolution)! My belly may be about to pop, but I am not getting caught without a well-stocked changing table and pantry before this kid makes an appearance. We may have to add coffee and liquor to the list for dad, but we’re going to have things ready soon!

The third reason I am ready to move on from the holidays is that I want to enjoy the year. All of it. I want to take in every crazy blustery/rainy/steamy day from now until the next Holiday Season. Because that’s when I resolve to make even more adorable reindeer cupcakes with my husband and kids, and eat them up without worrying about fitness resolutions or reducing our family’s chocolate consumption.

And there you have it, enjoy, eat more cupcakes and worry less. I guess I did have some resolutions to share.

Happy New Year! Make it Great!

Here's a photo of the reindeer cupcakes we made from Family Fun magazine.