Frosty
Frostygoth.com

Archives

2018

December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January

2017

December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January

2016

December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January

2015

December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January

2014

EUROPE PHOTOS
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January

2013

December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January

2012

PORTUGAL PHOTOS
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January

February 2016

Well, it's already the start of February and while I feel like the year is already flying by, when I look back at my very busy, color-coded calendar for January, a lot has happened!

Event-wise, we had 3 Avalanche hockey games, one my friend Mary attended with me because JC was once again in San Francisco for work. I had a LOT of shifts at the Scrapbook Shack, but still found time to attend the Moravia Colorado holiday gathering (it was just a small group of 6 of us at a restaurant, three of which I knew from Lionbridge, so it felt good to catch up in person!), as well as get together with friends here and there. JC and I also took a quick trip to Colorado Springs so that he could go to his gaming store and I could go to my scrapbooking store, where I took a coloring class.

I am also still doing my required two days a month of volunteering at the Wild Animal Sanctuary. It is SO fun, despite freezing to death most of the time. I'm prepared, though! I have invested thoroughly in knee-high winter boots, a new coat, a super-thick hat, thermal underwear, and even waterproof gloves that allow a thin pair of regular gloves underneath, so that when I'm, say, chopping cold fruits for four hours again, I can still feel my fingers!

In January, I did my Animal Care shift on a Sunday when apparently there is not as much to do. While no meat buckets were made, I did get to clean the tiger roundhouse and feed the tigers. I tell you, standing a yard away from a tiger that weighs four times what you do is always going to be intimidating! During my Education day, it was so nice and warm in the morning (around 60 degrees!) that four of the bears actually awoke from hibernation and walked around! I went to lunch at 1 and when I came back, the temperature dropped 20 degrees, it was cloudy, and a very cold wind was whipping down the walkway. The bears all went back into their concrete dens! But the lions were facing the wind, letting it blow through their manes, and the wolves were howling. I also got to see the two porcupines get fed and they are too cute!

Personally, January was a great month. I'm getting the hang of this new job thing and my boss is the best. She and I get along very well and so far she's pleased with the work that I'm doing. What's even better is that I'm actually getting up out of my chair and moving around every hour when my Fitbit alarm goes off. I've vowed to not let the work-from-home desk job affect my health this time around. I'm climbing 10 flights of stairs a day, taking at least one walk in the neighborhood (when it's not snowing or icy), doing other types of exercises at my desk like planks, lunges and squats, and really watching what I eat and counting calories. So far, in just four weeks of doing this, I've lost 4.5 pounds, and I'm 8.5 pounds lighter than my heaviest weight. All without doing a lot of exercise because my foot still hurts too often to do that. Just in eating less, eating better, moving around more and getting out of the chair.

I also feel very productive and organized. I'm getting up early every day to tackle something before I have to work, whether that's emails, scrapbooking, laundry, bills, dishes, personal enrichment or reading. I'm also reading at night, watching less TV, and keeping my to do list very short. I'm not sure where I'm getting this energy from, but I'll take it!

I've also been working hard on keeping up with scrapbooking, and right now I am caught up to September 2015!

You can see all of my 2015 layouts here.

Links to older albums are also in the bottom right corner.

And now, without further ado, my Year in Review. I hope this is not super boring for all of you! If it is, please tell me and I'll stop. :)

Year in Review

1. Highlights of the year

  • Our awesome cruise to New England and Canada with friends
  • My awesome cruise with my mom to Mexico, Belize and Honduras
  • Welcomed another nephew into the family and enjoyed seeing Leonardo grow
  • Finally took the leap to quit my job that alternated between stressful and boring
  • JC become a manager and tried to figure it out (still...trying...)
  • Landed a new job doing something completely different
  • Swam with manatees and dolphins
  • Made a lot of positive changes with my time, my energy and my attitude

2. Lowlights of the year 

  • Freaking foot STILL hurts off and on
  • Turned 40 OMG!
  • The scary half a year trying to find a job and figure out what I want to do

3. What do you have at the end of 2015 that you didn't have before? 

A better attitude about change, fear, obstacles, worry, and opportunity. And a new job that's considerably less stressful.

4. Did you make any resolutions at the start of 2015 that you managed to keep?

Through the One Little Word exercise, I made a bunch of resolutions that focused around health and nutrition, and sadly, most if not all of them did not come true. I'm not beating myself up for it, though, because many things changed throughout the year that I hadn't anticipated, plus other positive things came into my life or changed for the better. It's a trade off, not a loss.

5. Strangest thing of the year

Leaving a job I was at for my entire time I've lived in Colorado. I forgot how to do a résumé, apply for jobs and interview. Man does that process suck.

6. Funniest thing of the year

Meeting my new nephew in November, who is all smiles. He just makes you laugh when he's laughing and sticking out his tongue!

7. Saddest thing of the year 

JC is quite stressed out at his job. He's working non-stop and is glued to his work cell phone. Not amused.

8. Any goals for the new year?

  • Take losing weight more seriously than ever before.
    • Track my calories and eat wisely.
    • Heal this $@%*& foot once and for all.
    • Remember that every little change I make will add up to a large impact over time. Just keep plugging away at it all and I will see results.
    • Get moving and out of the chair.
  • Read!
  • Knock off a few more US states.
  • Give of myself more--money, time, and concern.
  • Practice grace.

9. Summarize 2015 in a word or sentence

DIVERGENT. Paths turned abruptly, or became dead ends, and all sorts of unexpected twists and turns occurred. Attitudes also changed in positive ways, some of them I thought I'd never change.

10. One Little Word for 2016

INVEST.

  • To put more resources into self-improvement.
  • To get more involved in things and people that matter to me.
  • To learn, grow and expand in knowledge and grace.

GGGOOOOOOO BBBRRROOONNNCCCOOOSSSS!!!!

 

Archives

2011

SPAIN PHOTOS
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May - none
April
March
February
January

2010

ALASKA PHOTOS
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January

2009

December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January

2008

WEDDING PHOTOS
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January

JILL'S CREATIONS:

Album - 2017
Album - 2016
Album - 2015
Album - 2014
Album - 2013
Album - 2012
Album - 2011
Album - Penn State
Album - Cedar Point
Album - Wedding
Cards
LOAD513
LOAD214
Mini Albums - Coffee and Daily Junque