friesenfam.net

Friesen family blog

January 19, 2012
by janette
0 comments

does close count??

I was so close to blogging this morning…

So close…

Pictures picked out and everything.

And then…failure.

I was attempting to move some pictures to a jump drive so I could load them to the blog at work. Yes, I was going to do it at work – I will be here for 10 hours today…so I was thinking during a particularly slow time i could get a few pictures up and finish the text tonight and viola…we’d have a blog post.

Well, it was not to be. The computer wouldn’t recognize my jump drive and when I attempted to put them on a different one, the computer froze.

I was frustrated.

Frustrated with the computer. Frustrated that it was 9:07 and I had planned on leaving around 9:10, and frustrated that my 3 year old was not putting his boots on like I’d asked him to.

So…question of the day…

Does close count? Is it truly the thought that counts? Do I ever really have to follow through, or are good intentions good enough?

Last night, I was sitting in the recliner at approximately 7 pm when it struck me that I had forgotten to pull books for someone at the library. This patron was sending her husband in to pick them up for her and I told her they’d be waiting.

I dropped the ball…but I had good intentions.

It’s like asking for forgiveness constantly. I meant to, but…   I tried, but…

And then…in asking for grace, I think of my children, whom I should probably show more grace. They try. They mean to. Sometimes they just don’t get it done.

Interesting questions for the day I guess.

Thoughts?

January 11, 2012
by janette
1 Comment

damn…

So, the day after I post that I want to worry less and get rid of some anxiety, I pick this up at the library…

seriously, people?

I haven’t read it yet…

We’ll see what wise words of wisdom it gives me.

January 9, 2012
by janette
1 Comment

the post you’re all dying to read…

Okay…in all actuality, I realize there are probably relatively few people who are dying to read what I aim to do in this next year. However, I’m still going to put this out there in order to help myself be more accountable. Read on if you so desire…if you don’t, I promise to attempt to make the next post more fun. Something with pictures, Sue.

I have been struggling with how to make my new year’s resolutions quantifiable and meaningful…well, meaningful is the much, much easier part of that.

I have a lot of goals. Being able to check them off a list at the end of the year is much, much harder.

A couple easy ones…

1)I resolve to read one more book this year than I read last year. Always a good goal I think – especially given my profession. I started keeping track in 2010 of all of the books i read (excluding children’s books – wow, that would be a list!). This year, in order to best last year’s number, I need to read 41.

2)I resolve to exercise in some form at least 306 days this year. Last year’s number 305.

Bringing us to number 3.

3)This is the hard one.

First a confession – I have an anxious personality. I am a worrier. I fret. It is one of the things I wish I could change about myself.

I want to worry less in 2012. My husband may tell you it’s an impossible goal.

I lay in bed some nights unable to go to sleep and confess to my husband that I have “the bad feeling”, as I so often refer to it. You know the one…that feeling in the pit of your stomach that comes from expecting the worst to happen. It’s my anxiety and it’s killing me.

One example…We recently signed up for the Warrior Dash – this crazy, intense 5K. You can check it out at www.warriordash.com. I am scared out of my mind to complete this race. I usually have some anxiety before running at any event…but this one seems to be occupying a lot of my thoughts. I’m not even sure what it is about it that scares me so much. Am I able to run the distance? Absolutely. Am I able to complete the obstacles? I think so. Is it the height that comes with a lot of the obstacles? More than likely. Will worrying about it do me any good? Absolutely not.

My goal for this one – finish…without throwing up beforehand. If I throw up after, it’s a different story, I don’t want to worry so much about doing this that I make myself sick. I want to train as hard as necessary to complete it and maybe even have a bit of fun with my co-workers while doing it.

I want to be rid of the anxiety I have over it.

I want to be free of fear.

I have a feeling it’s going to be harder than I think.

January 2, 2012
by janette
1 Comment

Welcome 2012!!

It’s time to face the music…

It’s time to admit I may not have made it…

It’s time to resolve to do better this year!

I haven’t set my resolutions for this year yet, I’m pondering those this week. I have some ideas…trying to make them measurable and meaningful.

For now…the check on last year’s resolutions:

1) I resolve to continue the better shape goal. I am aiming to enter more races than I did this year…or at least longer ones. Last year there were five 5k’s, one 4-miler, and one 8k. This year, there WILL BE at least one 10K. I’m not sure that marathon…or even half…will ever be on my radar. But, i will admit, it is kindof fun to see how much I can do, and gain that new accomplishment pride all over again. I also aim to be a motivator to my friends and co-workers in this goal.

Okay…this year, there were 4 5k’s, one 4-miler, and one 8K. Wow, it felt like I ran more than that. :) I never did get the 10K run. It isn’t that i can’t do the distance. I have run it in practice a few times, it just never worked out to get to an actual 10K race.

Fun to see how much I can do?? Still is. I often find myself setting out to run a couple quick miles at the gym and end up pushing myself to 3.5 or 4 miles just to see if i can still get it done. There is a certain sense of accomplishment that comes with it – even if it is still less than 5 miles. It’s way more than I would have ever considered running 2 years ago and there are no plans to stop!

I think I have motivated people – friends and co-workers. We all check in with each other and see what we’ve been doing on the workout front. Some of us even workout together. I think we’ve all become healthier in the last year. Thanks to each other! It makes quite a difference to have a strong support network! (and one that will push you to your limit!)

So…on this goal – fail on the 10K and more races overall. I’ve got to be missing one…to at least tie last year – I’ll have to double check the records! But…win on the continuing on the journey. Last year (2010) I worked out a total of 255 days out of the year…2011 brought 305. It’s all about the numbers to me. This year I’m aiming for 306 at least.

I also attempt to run 13 miles a week. Some weeks are better than others – and some weeks I flat out don’t run at all. I think it’s better for my mental health.

Resolution #2 from last year:

2) I resolve to try harder when it comes to recognizing what people do for me. It has always been a habit to say “thank you” to people when they do something for me. I say thank you every day to the people that take care of my children, to the people that come to the library (therefore sustaining my job), and to the people that wait on my table. Basically, I say thank you to everyone. I hope that my children have noticed…I know my son has…he usually won’t stop saying thank you until you respond with a “you’re welcome”. In a entitlement society…I resolve to not become a part of that mentality and to make sure people get the thanks and recognition they deserve, if only by that simple “thank you” I can provide.

I am proud to say that this year we have all said thank you more! We have made it a priority to teach our children manners – and noticing what people do for you is a big part of that. Now, when saying thank you to someone, I don’t merely say it and walk away. I make sure I look the person in the eye and tell them thanks, and often add how much I appreciate it. Sometimes this shocks people. Sad to see that the simplest thing – a heartfelt thank you – happens so infrequently that people are surprised when it happens.

I say bring on 2012. Let’s all resolve to blow this year’s resolutions out of the water. Whatever they may be. Make sure to check back toward the end of the week for this years goals…and I welcome you to take the journey with me…whether by following along, or jumping right in.


December 7, 2011
by janette
0 comments

one place you have to go

On the way back from our Wisconsin adventures this fall…we stopped in Kellogg, MN.

There is a toy store there…Lark Toys…and it’s amazing.

My in-laws had stopped there a couple of years ago and bought some great wooden toys for the kids and had told us how it was a place we needed to visit. I wasn’t convinced….it was just a toy store, right? It wasn’t until I heard they had a carousel that I knew for sure we had to stop.

This carousel was incredible…hand-carved, wooden animals…they are beautiful! (And it’s fun to say you rode on a flying swan or a unicorn)

It was great…and if you have small children…definitely a place you’ll want to check out.