Back to Basics

I've been struggling majorly to keep up with the goals set forth in this blog.  I have not been nearly as successful as I would like with both my German and my weight loss.  I've lost weight and gained muscle since it started, and I've definitely improved my German, but I haven't achieved the goals I've been trying to attain yet and it's been almost a full 18 months since I began this project.  As such, I'm going to start all over with a different approach.

There are a few changes I've been able to make and stick with since I started this blog and the biggest one is giving up soda.  Since I've been successful there, I'm instituting a few more similar changes for the next year.  They are:

• Giving up any liquid that isn't water (or tea I brew myself, if I'm in dire need of caffeine)
• Giving up going out to eat
• Seriously limiting my sweets intake

I'm also going to do the following:

• Attend church regularly and become actively involved in our parish
• Start operating a cupcakery out of my home
• Study the German language.  Really study it.

Those are quite the list of changes.  Let me explain how I got to this point.  The biggest reason is that I'm content in my life, but not satisfied where I'm at with my goals, as I already said.  I also feel entirely too complacent.  I felt like I needed to institute some changes and really do what I'm passionate about, so here I am.

Because the weight loss has been relatively unsuccessful, the changes I'm instituting there are pretty big ones that should be enough to shock my body into dropping past the rut I've been stuck in and actually making some real progress.  There are some exceptions to the rules, but there aren't many.  I will, for special occasions (birthdays, anniversaries, vacations) go out to eat or drink things besides water.  On a day-to-day basis, however, the rules stand.  As far as my sweets intake, I'll allow myself one day per two weeks to indulge a little.  It may be a cupcake or a few girl scout cookies, but it'll only be one serving.

As far as the other lifestyle changes, Matthew and I have found (as have many others) that there is definitely something to be said for attending church.  Truly accepting God into our lives has allowed us to feel more at peace than we ever have.  I love having a community of people who share my beliefs and who are passionate about the same things I am.  Matt's already joined the Knights of Columbus and I am looking forward to joining the Social Justice club at Pius, as well as the women's group.  I'm also really looking forward to using my talents baking by providing cupcakes or other baked goods as necessary for parish functions!

On that note, since baking is definitely a natural, God-given talent, I've decided to use it to my advantage (and honor Him in the process)!  Even though I'm limiting my sweets intake, I still love to bake more than a lot of other things, and operating a cupcakery will allow me to do something I love.  The best part is that I will donate 5% of the total order price from EVERY order to the church (or charity) of the purchaser's choice.

The business will be called Kelsey Likes Cupcakes.  I don't have a website (yet), but I can be contacted via email at kelseylikescupcakes@gmail.com or by phone at (402) 455-1173.  I will make pretty much whatever you want and my prices are really reasonable. :)

Finally, as far as the German goes, I want to actually get out my textbook and grammar books and go through them until I can explain German grammar and word order better than English.  In addition, I want to go through all of the German movies and TV shows my sister lent me until I can actually understand spoken German when it's at a conversational pace.  I don't have a timeline for this goal, but I'd like to be much better in August than I am now.

On that note, I need to get back to the cupcakes I'm working on for a dinner tomorrow.  Hope everyone has a great rest of the weekend!

Tschüss!