catchin' u up

I haven't written in this blog in forever. So you're behind. Whoever "u" are. So here is my summary of the last year. I've decided that it's really important to record things because it's so easy to forget things that have happened even just a year ago. Write things down, what happened when. Organize your photographs, write down who's in those photographs. Don't put it off. Do it now. Little bit by little bit.

Started with a self-improvement goal
In March, I started going to a new fitness facility here in Lincoln. I wasn't happy with myself, and I am continually feeling pressure that everyone thinks it's time for me to have a baby. I am not going down that road until I'm in better shape to start with. So my friend Susan prodded me into going to the WOW center. I never did get to working out consistently with Susan, but I made a new dear friend. I think it was all meant to be. That Amy and I met there for a reason.

So I worked out consistently for about 6 months, and I got a little bored. Maybe lost sight of my motivation. I had gained a lot of muscle, felt a lot better, but really hadn't lost any weight. I needed to be pushing myself harder and I should have changed my eating habits as well. I used the farm as an excuse to stop going for awhile. I played softball for a few weeks, got injured. Didn't get back into WOW until November. And I haven't been very consistent so far. BUT this month I started recording what I eat online at my-calorie-counter.com. I think, for me, being forced to see on paper, or on-screen, what exactly is going in helps me keep my love for eating in check. For some, writing things down all day is a pain in the ass. For me, it' s not a problem because I'm at the computer all day anyway.

So my new goal is to use the winter months to keep working out, get my eating habits regulated better and lose that first 10% of my weight. That should give me the motivation to keep going. And doing it over the winter is precisely the time of the year when I normally gain another 10 pounds so I have a high goal, but that's a good thing.

Old Mac-Jrod had a farm -e-i-e-i-o
So our farming is steadily improving each year. I am always looking for ways to improve the business side of things, make it into something profitable. The Easter freeze didn't help the wheat harvest this year, but the wetter year (compared to the last 5) made for an awesome fall harvest. Jarrod and I have taken over another chunk of 1 of our farms, and are getting to make the decisions on what goes into it and how. My baby has grown so much over the last 5 years into an excellent farmer and rancher. I can't wait to see him grow even so much more in the next 5 years. Making smart decisions and conserving what he has to work with. I just wish we had the financial independence to really do it right. But I guess that's part of the learning process - making the best of what you've got. And constantly trying to put yourself into a position to do better.

One of these days, we are going to have a gorgeous farm that we maintain, complete with animals, crops, us, kids and lots of love. Patience is hard to maintain over time. And it's so hard to gauge or judge when you need to sit back and be patient and wait for that better deal to come along, and when you should push, and aggressively go after what you want. I think that being patient the last 5 years has given us some time to mature, learn how to work together better, and prepare for what it will really take to manage a farm. I no longer feel like a big kid stuck in a grown ups world. I feel mature like I'm ready to move forward. When did that happen? Sometime over this last year I think.

Downhome fun

First - Josh Turner has the hottest voice there ever was. I wish I could download the clear channel stripped performances, because #1 I often love the stripped down/acoustic version of songs better than the radio mixes and #2 Josh Turner's low notes give me chills!

Second - Who knew you could have so much fun in your own living room learning a new dance with your sweetheart? Push all the furniture out of the way. Pop in your video and try to keep up. Dance, laugh, wrestle, kiss, dance some more. Try it without the video. Still suck when you're done. But vow to do it every Thursday so maybe by the time winter is over you can do it without stepping on each other's feet and counting out loud. :) That is the most good clean fun we've had in the living room since we've been married. He has no idea how much that meant to me that even though he dragged his feet getting started that we had that time together that had nothing whatsoever to do with farming!