Happy Monday!!!

31 day submission: Liz aka Dotty

I met Liz when she came two years ago for Daphne and Caleb's wedding. I knew we'd be friends...we had a few rough patches at the beginning, but now she's one of my dearest and favorite friends. OOO we met before Daphne's wedding. She gave me some enneagram + relationship advice. Priceless. Seriously, my life turned around at that point in some areas. I am forever thankful.

So, here are here things!!! I love love love that woman!

YAY! Jara has started a 31 day challenge, for all of us who want to get ready for summer to do 31 healthy things, something every day. I don’t know if my list fits the criteria exactly but it’s a start.

Everyone in the blogger world, around the world, you should do this too! 31 day challenge!

1. wear sunscreen

2. use make up wipes to wash off my eye make up nicely instead of smearing it off with hand soap every night
3. take Jed’s Advanced Yoga class on Thurs nights at the Y
4. start taking summer ballet class on Wed evenings at Omaha Academy of Ballet
5. call my dad
6. for that matter, call everyone in my family!
7. pray for WMF Omaha peeps at least once a week by name
8. stretch at least four times a week
9. incorporate intercessory prayer back into my morning prayer routine
10. ride my bike with Calvin once every other week somewhere (ok, I am trying to be realistic here)

11. find one other evening a week to be at the Y doing my own, unstructured work out with weights and music, so relaxing!

12. go to the farmer’s market 1+ time

13. eat breakfast everyday

14. journal everyday, even a few lines

15. do the examen of consciousness at night instead of some mornings

16. stop eating after 9 pm

17. stop texting during Thurs night dinners or other social events

18. start pre-marital counseling with Calvin

19. try out a new church with Calvin

20. practice positive self-talk in the mornings when i am most self-critical

21. pray the welcoming prayer when i am overwhelmed

22. find a class or work out on Fridays immediately after work if Omaha Modern Dance Collective’s class is not on Fridays anymore

23. finish Marcia’s Christmas present

24. try to eat 4 meals a day, plan ahead to make this possible

25. read more books on Christianity, including Friendship at the Margins by Chris Heuertz and Culture- Making by Andy Crouch

26. buy Beach Body meal replacement to eat immediately after taking class or working out (Jara, a little help here?)

27. do yoga push-ups every time I work out or take class

28. do a core strengthening exercise every time I work out or take class

29. take the core strength class 1- 2 times this month

30.

31.

sunday sundaaaaaaaaaay (stairs 'n' meals)

Today I'm going to run the Memorial Park stairs (if it's not raining)...the reason I've added this other day of cardio is that I wanted to try and incorporate something different into my workout for the next month.

Did you decide to try a new class at your gym? Or try a different activity? Or increase your mileage? If so, leave some love and comment. I'd love to know what you're doing...as i'm sure that other people want to know as well.

The second thing I'm going to do today is make my meals for the week. I'm not completely sure what i'll make but I want to make sure my meals are balanced...vegetables/healthy whole grain/protein. Mah body needs fuel...so does yours :)

I think i'll probably make a couscous salad with some Israeli couscous! Yum! Maybe tuna salad...the possibilities are endless. I might even add some almond butter with toasted flax seed. When I figure out what i'm making I'll post recipes.

31 day submission: Melissa!!!

I love love love Melissa. She's an amazing women who I've met in Omaha in the past year. She is a part of an inspiring collective of women who believe in whole health and offer their professional expertise with their clients and friends. I am seriously amazed with Melissa. She's going to one of the first people who will see my new haircut in person. I'm taking a vacation day and we have a morning coffee date and i'm so excited.

Here's her list:

1. Track my food
2. Track my spending
3. Floss more
4. Morning walks
5. Evening walks
6. Look for a yoga class where I feel really comfortable
7. Roast endamine
8. Drink more water
9. Give away clothes I don’t wear
10. Journal
11. End needless guilt
12. Be in the sun a lot
13. Use my herbs
14. Ride my bike
15. Walk to work as much as possible
16. Take more photos
17. Sit outside at night
18. Go to the farmers market
19. Eat at The Daily Grub
20. At least 1 day all vegetarian
21. Take more naps
22. Prepare more fish
23. Get massage
24. Visit Hitchcock Nature Center
25. Listen to more music
26. Water the garden mindfully
27. Go through all the toys and give some away
28. Add more light to the basement
29. Eat more fruit
30. Eat more dark chocolate instead of baked goods
31. Do less and Be more (Ani Difranco quote)

til vs. till

So, I realized that i'd sent out different literature/flyers out that had both til and till on them...and I couldn't figure out which one was really right. I tend to think that til is right...cause it's short of until...but I don't know. What do you think ?

31 day submission: SamJam style

Sweet Samantha just submitted her 31 things. She's an amazing artist who manages to smile all of the time. She might be one of my perpetual smilers!

1. Say “No” to one social activity a week
2. Spend at least 10 hours in the studio a week
3. Apply for one art teaching position
4. Get at least 6 hours of sleep
5. Make meals at home
6. Go to the gym at least twice a week
7. Have Jara show me free weights
8. Try Yoga with Liz
9. Keep my clothes off my floor and in the drawers
10. Take healthy snacks to work instead of eating the pastries
11. Revamp my budget
12. Cut 4 to 6 hours off my work schedule
13. Attend at least 2 community art events
14. Ride my bike more (at least once a week)
15. Get a helmet
16. Do my chores weekly
17. Call my home town friends (once or twice)
18. Try new recipes
19. Find more free and creative things to do with Adam and friends
20. Finish one of the five books I’m reading
21. Take time to really reflect on enquirers class
22. Eat a meal out by myself more often
23. Make a special trip home just to see my friends
24. Plan a fun trip for the summer
25. Go camping
26. Log my eating habits
27. Get ride of clutter
28. Eat less meat
29. Call my sister more
30. Take more photos
31. Take more walks and explore more of Omaha

31 things submission: Jason

Jason is one of my best friends from college...we've been friends for 11 years. He lives in Kentucky and owns his own design firm!

1. Write a short film screenplay

2. Establish a healthy sleep schedule

3. Start my day at 5 am one day

4. Shoot a personal video project

5. Go on a creative retreat

6. Run 10 miles or more.

7. Swim triathlon distance

8. Paint my bedroom

9. Learn to prepare 3 healthy meals

10. Learn healthy ways to deal with stress

11. Meditate

12. Spend less time working at the computer

13. Spend lots of time outside

14. Limit my soda intake

15. Finish my garden

16. De-junk and de-clutter

17. Write an encouraging letter

18. Come up with a redesign for my website

19. Journal once a week at LEAST

20. Dream about the future

21. Mow my yard regularly

22. Do situps

23. Finish one project I've put off

24. Wash my car

25. Catch up with an old friend

26. Skype with my niece

27. Have a networking session

28. Give myself a fun haircut

29. Get a massage

30. Do one atypical home design thing

31. Learn a song on the piano