I Resolve

January 1

I threw out all the junk food and alcohol in the house today. We had oatmeal for breakfast (mine plain, Darren’s with brown sugar, and Kristi’s with the last of the Christmas candy stirred in). We had salad for lunch (mine with tuna, Darren’s and Kristi’s with chicken nuggets on top). In the afternoon, we snacked on apple slices and almond butter. I made a big pot of vegetable soup with quinoa for dinner. (Darren and Kristi had theirs with grilled cheese sandwiches). After dinner, Darren asked why there wasn’t any beer and I explained that we were going to make some changes around here. He sighed and told me he’d be out in the garage. Right now he’s pouting, but he’ll thank me on his eightieth birthday.

The gym was closed today, so I did squats, lunges and burpees until my legs started to shake. It was distressing how quickly that happened. I need to sign up for a trainer at the gym. I’m sure that will help.

I meditated for twenty minutes. Okay, I may have slept through part of it, but I’ll get better at it.

I sat down with Kristi in the afternoon and read four books to her. It was actually the same book four times in a row, but that still counts doesn’t it? Afterward, we made labels for everything in the house. The toothpaste says “toothpaste” on it. The athlete’s foot cream says “toothpaste” on it.

 

January 2

I am backing off of the fiber for the next few days, until my system adjusts. I substituted spaghetti for the zoodles at dinner. Just this once.

All the trainers at the gym are booked solid for the next few weeks. I did a half hour on an elliptical, then I tried out some of the machines that work arm muscles. It wasn’t that hard. Maybe I can skip the trainer.

I forgot to meditate earlier, so I will do it just before going to bed. I bet I’ll sleep great tonight!

 

January 3

I was in so much pain I could barely get out of bed this morning. Once I got moving, it wasn’t so bad. By the time I got home from work, I was only a little sore. I decided to skip the gym and go for a walk instead. I bribed Kristi into going along by digging out her old stroller and allowing her to fill it with dolls to accompany us on our stroll. The attic badly needs to be cleaned out. That will be my weekend project.

I meditated for ten minutes during my morning break at work. People kept interrupting me at my desk, so I had to go out to my car. I felt calm and focused when I returned to work.

I made tacos for dinner with soy crumbles. Neither Darren nor Kristi could tell the difference! Overall, it was a good day.

 

January 4

I had been taking the vegetable and quinoa soup for lunch every day. I was tired of it, so I added some frozen meatballs and grated parmesan and we finished it off for dinner. Thank goodness! This weekend I am going to look up some of those clever little mason jar lunch recipes. Then I’m going to go buy some mason jars.

 

January 5

Ran errands. Forgot the mason jars. I tried out a baked veggie fry recipe for dinner. Went over like gangbusters! Just kidding. Darren used a lot of ranch dressing with his and Kristi refused to touch hers.

 

January 6

We went to IHOP after church and I ordered all-you-can-eat pancakes. Everyone deserves a cheat day, right? At home, I fell asleep on the couch while Kristi watched a marathon of Paw Patrol.

I forgot about the attic. I’ll tackle that next weekend.

 

January 7

I made a big casserole with chicken breast, brown rice and vegetables. Kristi refused to eat it until I melted cheese on top of hers. The cheese looked really good, but I resisted. Darren did not.

I couldn’t face the gym today, so Kristi and I went for a walk again. I tried to return the stroller to the attic afterward and Kristi threw a fit. I’m afraid it’s going to have to sit in the front hall until she’s twelve or so.

I forgot to meditate. Will meditate for twice as long tomorrow.

 

January 8

Tired.

 

January 9

Darren brought home a package of hot dogs to cut up and add to the casserole. I also saw him carrying a big bag of ice and a twelve-pack of beer into the garage.

All the ellipticals at the gym were busy, so I did ten minutes on a treadmill then went and got in the hot tub for twenty minutes.

I meditated for twenty minutes while in the hot tub.

I read an article about gender bias in toys, so I brought home a toy car for Kristi to play with. She cried until I promised to buy her a tiara.

 

January 10

My boss chewed me out for losing a form, which was sitting on his desk the whole time. I stopped at the grocery store after work and bought a pie. I ate it in the gym parking lot while playing Candy Crush on my phone. Then I went in and took a shower so Darren wouldn’t be suspicious when I got home.

I meditated in my car while at stop lights. Only got honked at a few times.

 

January 11

When I picked up Kristi, her preschool teacher complained that I had sent an inappropriate food for her afternoon snack. I explained that we had adopted a vegan lifestyle and Oreos are vegan, therefore they are an appropriate snack for my daughter. I am going to have to explain to Kristi why she has to drink the “weird milk” at school now.

Picked up KFC for dinner on the way home.

 

January 12

It snowed. The three of us sat around and watched Looney Tunes cartoons for hours. I made a hash brown casserole with extra cheese and bacon for dinner. In the evening, we toasted marshmallows in the fireplace and made s’mores. Darren told me that he loved me, and that he was glad I had come back to my senses. I resisted whacking him with the fireplace poker, so all that meditation must have worked.