Denise’s favorite reads

Good morning. A couple of days ago, I took pictures showing that Spring was on its way:

 

Here are a couple of pictures from our first day of Spring yesterday in Kentucky:

Several school closings are already posted today. If you have lived in Kentucky or the tri-state area for any amount of time, this weather is no surprise to you. Don’t worry, the spring weather truly is just around the corner. 

Since today is a good reading day for those of us inside, I wanted to share with you some books I’ve enjoyed reading. I tend to lean toward a good story line with a sweet love story intermixed. I like romance, but I can do without the smut that enters so many books. Here are a few of Denise’s good reads. You can also purchase these as audiobooks (which is my preferred venue, since I have a two-hour commute to and from work). A few of these stories are centered around Christmas, but if you don’t mind reading off-season, I’m sure you’ll love them. 

https://www.amazon.com/Noel-Diary-Novel-Collection-ebook/dp/B071RBQ9XQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1521619484&sr=1-1&keywords=The+Noel+diary

https://www.amazon.com/Finding-Noel-Richard-Paul-Evans-ebook/dp/B000JMKVLC/ref=sr_1_2?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1521619484&sr=1-2&keywords=The+Noel+diary

https://www.amazon.com/Mistletoe-Secret-Novel-Collection-ebook/dp/B01CO34DGM/ref=sr_1_4?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1521619484&sr=1-4&keywords=The+Noel+diary

https://www.amazon.com/Gift-Novel-Richard-Paul-Evans-ebook/dp/B000SEVWU0/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1521620170&sr=1-3&keywords=The+gift+Richard+Paul+Evans

https://www.amazon.com/Guestbook-Madrona-Island-1-ebook/dp/B008VUR7ES/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1521620573&sr=1-1&keywords=The+guestbook

Spring forward

Can you believe we're already past the first week of March? Although the temperature this morning is 23 degrees, with a high of only 47 degrees today, I can see hints of Spring's arrival.  So, as the first day of Spring approaches, I can't help but feel hopeful.  As much as I appreciate every season God has given us, I especially look forward to Spring.  After the stale, cold days of winter, I love to step out into the freshness of each Spring morning.  

Spring brings our senses alive: the smell of fresh air, the sight of flowers blooming and green grass, and the sound of birds chirping their sweet songs. All of nature is waking up offering renewal and hope.  

Isaiah 40:31 says, "But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

I remind myself that Spring is one of the ways that God renews all of creation.  I'm thankful for the hope we have in Him, and I'm grateful that He shares such beauty with us.  Please take the time to enjoy the beauty of Spring and the fresh start it offers.  God offers us hope in many ways.  Don't forget to "Spring Forward" this Sunday, 3/11/18, by setting your clocks ahead one hour. Have a great weekend!

Homeschool

     My husband and I started homeschooling our second grade daughter a month ago. She had been enrolled in the same private school since kindergarten, and although we loved the school and the teachers, we wanted to spend more time with her.

Teaching new concepts to “the class”

   Mark works a night shift schedule as a Peds ER nurse, and I work several 24-hour shifts a month as an OB Hospitalist. He and I were both finding it difficult to find quality time to spend with our daughter because of our sleep schedules. Most of our parenting was revolving around evenings and homework.
     Aside from the safety issues in schools, and the fact that we wanted to spend quality time with her, we also wanted to be present as parents. Homeschool seemed to be the most logical solution to these issues.
     We have adopted a 4-day school week which extends our school year into the first week of July this year. If we keep this same schedule for third grade, we will do year-round school. That may not sound palatable, but it works out great. Our every day curriculum starts at 8:30am and usually ends by 1:30pm. The same structure is used every day:

0830 Bible (Lesson, prayer, Bible Verse, tests)
0900 Spelling (Writing words, worksheets, tests)
0930 Arithmetic (Lesson, review, doing problems on the board, worksheets, flash cards, games, tests)
1030 Lunch
1100 Letters and Sounds (Phonics lessons, worksheets, tests)
1130 Language (Lesson, worksheets, tests)
1200 Writing (Cursive Lesson, practice worksheets, journal writing)
1230 Snack/break
1245 Reading (Carpet time, reading from reader)
0115 Science/Social Studies/Music/Art/Health & Safety (rotate these weekly)


Some days we are finished earlier. Those days we have the option for a trip to the library, the science center, Barnes & Noble, or any desired field trip. This week we planted a “fairy garden” and learned about plants. We are starting to see the sprouts come up already. We have several science experiments planned, and we are gearing up for some fun art projects.
     I’ll be honest.  When we first started this, I worried. Would she get the proper education without getting behind? Everyone worries about socializing their child when homeschooling. Would she end up not liking it? Would Mark and I be too tired to maintain a school and the required structure?
     Since we pulled her out of traditional school mid-year, I’ve been able to keep in touch with her teacher to know what milestones she should be achieving. We are blessed because our daughter loves to learn. We are using the Abeka curriculum with a few substitutions. The curriculum gives you a daily work schedule that is quite honestly too aggressive. Despite the fact that we’ve slowed things down a bit, we are still ahead of schedule and having a fun time learning.
     As for socializing, our daughter takes swim lessons every week with a friend. We have planned tennis clinics. She spends time with her cousins as often as possible, and we have play dates with friends her age. We don’t have a regular homeschool group at this time, but we don’t seem to be needing one.
     Our daughter has “adopted” several baby dolls that she considers to be her children. Every day at school, she is allowed to bring two dolls to class as fellow students. They even have their own desks. They participate in class by asking questions, solving problems, and getting in trouble (I am their voices and personalities). This approach allows our daughter to take a teaching role every day. She likes to go up to the board and show them how to solve math problems, or how to write a word in cursive, or how to spell a word.
   

    This week after school we even had a spelling bee for her dolls. Our daughter made up the words herself. Homeschooling our daughter has been a little challenging, but it’s been so worth it. We love seeing her learn a new concept and be excited about it. We just love being with her, teaching her, and helping to shape her into the person God wants her to become. If you are considering homeschool for your child/children, be sure to look up your state’s laws for homeschooling. There are many more specifics I can help you with if you’re interested (attendance records, grading, work portfolio, etc). We plan to homeschool until middle school. We will reassess putting her back in private school at that time.

Hope

Hi Friends,

Happy March! There are many days I find that the news is not an uplifting part of my day.  The negativity in our world can sometimes become overwhelming.  Today, I wanted to share some of my good stories that offer hope and a smile.  I hope you'll share a story or two with me as well.

 

As many of you know, my mom and I have both survived breast cancer.  I'm 18 years out from my diagnosis, and my mom, with more advanced disease, has been with us since her diagnosis in October 2016. She is doing great, and each day that I get to see her and spend with her is a blessing.

  

My friend, Barbie, has survived two primary breast cancers. She is incredibly courageous.  She is a BRCA carrier, and her battle has been rough. She is more than a survivor, though, and God has blessed her. She is doing great! The woman is fearless and all "sass," and I just love her!

This is a picture of me with my daughter a couple of years ago at Christmas.  My husband and I were blessed to be able to adopt her eight years ago.  She has brought so much joy to us.  I'm thankful to her biological parents for having the courage to adopt her out. God has been gracious to us.

This is my dear friend  from medical school, who lost her husband to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in February 2015.  It was such a heartbreaking time, and she battled her loss and her grief with perseverance and determination.  Today, she is engaged to marry another wonderful man! She is with my daughter in the first picture in 2015.  The second picture is more recent, after she became engaged.

 

This little guy, Bryce, was born prematurely at 23 weeks.  His life is a miracle and still is.  He will be 5 years old this March.

This beautiful young lady is my stepdaughter.  She was just accepted at Boise State.  So proud of her!

This silly, young man with my husband is my nephew.  He came to live with us a year ago, and he has been a blessing to our family.

This is my dad. A few years ago, at the age of 70, he fell 25 feet from a roof while building his house (hobby). He broke several ribs, punctured his lung, and told me how he had started to feel the peace of entering heaven. It wasn’t his time to see God, yet. He was only in the hospital for a few days. He healed completely and was back to building in a short time.

 

This is Zoey, our dog, with my daughter.  We adopted Zoey into our home 2 years ago.  She was a rescue dog.  She is still as sweet as she looks.  So is my daughter :)

I hope these stories bring you a little joy today. Have a great day!  Please post and share your stories with me!

For your safety...

Greetings Friends,
I wanted to share with you something that recently happened in a public place that scared me and my daughter.  I hope that by sharing this, you will be more cautious when you are out and about.

My daughter and I were at the Evansville Target about two weeks ago.  It was around 4pm and we had just gone through the toy section to pick out one item.  We were in the check out lane behind two other people.  I didn't notice anything strange at first. I paid for the toy without incident, and while waiting for the lady to put the toy in a bag, I noticed a guy standing over by the carts at the entrance/exit.  

At first, I saw a woman and a boy near the carts, so I thought he was with them and was getting a cart for the three of them.  Then I noticed he was not with them, and he was "straightening up" the carts.  So then, I thought, "he must work here."

As my daughter and I walked to the exit, I could see him out of the corner of my eye.  He wasn't wearing Target employee attire, and as soon as we walked past him, he followed us.  As I was walking through the exit doors holding my daughter's hand, I was very aware of his presence behind us.  My big purse was on my outer arm, and I thought for sure he was going to steal my purse or maybe something worse.

My heart was racing, and I knew something was up.  On the sidewalk outside the exit, no one was around.  I quickly decided to say out loud to my daughter, "Oh my gosh, I can't believe I forgot that," and then I proceeded to make a direct U-turn back into the store.  From the corner of my eye, I could see that he paused, as if he wasn't expecting that.  Then he turned and walked toward a white SUV with dark windows.  

My daughter and I waited inside the store near the carts at the entrance, hiding.  I waited to see what he would do.  He sat there for awhile.  As I started to think I needed to talk to the store security officer, the guy drove off.  I should have reported him.  He hadn't purchased anything.  He wasn't carrying bags.  He had been waiting at the exit, loitering.

Several  years ago, my husband ran after a guy and tackled him after he stole a woman's purse.  This was at the Target at Tinseltown in Louisville.  The lady was lucky, since my husband was fast and has a black belt in Jiu Jitsu. He was able to take the guy down and subdue him until the police arrived.

Moms, be aware of your kids and your belongings at all times.  I've heard too many similar stories like my own lately.  

Improved results with ketogenic diet and Pruvit keto supplement

Hi everybody! I wanted to give you some follow up on my ketogenic diet and Pruvit KETO//OS supplement. In September of last year, I had a lipid profile done along with a hemoglobin A1C. As you may know, a lipid profile tells you about your cholesterol and triglycerides. If they are high, then you are at increased risk for heart disease, heart attacks, and strokes.

At the end of September, I started a ketogenic diet, Pruvit KETO//OS supplement at least once a day (sometimes twice), KREME coffee supplement (adds fat and vitamin B12), and yoga two to three times a week. I wanted to lose a little weight (I was 132lbs), and I didn’t want to have to take cholesterol-reducing medication (my internist threatened me with it).

So I reduced my carb intake to less than 50 carbs/day (most days) and took the supplements and exercised moderately (some days only stretches). Here are my results as of 1/23/18, four months later:

Total Cholesterol went from 206 to 219. Normal is 0-200. Yep, it went up, but I’ll explain why that doesn’t matter in a minute. My triglycerides went from 130 to 84!

My HDL (good cholesterol) went from 58 to 87. This is the protective cholesterol. You want this number to be high. This number is the one that boosted my total cholesterol. 

My LDL (bad cholesterol) went from 122 to 115. 

My overall cholesterol number improved significantly from an LDL/HDL ratio of 2.1 down to 1.32. The lower the better, and optimal is less than 3.5.  A higher number means a higher risk of heart disease, heart attacks, and strokes. 

In addition, my diabetes risk dropped, since I dropped the sugar/carbs. My hemoglobin A1C went from 5.19 to 4.9 (normal is 4.8 to 5.6). 

My weight has stayed between 124lbs and 126lbs. Keep in mind that I’ve only been at this change in lifestyle for FOUR MONTHS!! I plan to stay with it, and stay healthy. My husband has also joined me on this diet and supplement for weight loss around his middle. He is a cyclist, and as Spring approaches every year, he cringes at the thought of trying to burn his winter belly fat to get down to a more comfortable riding weight. In only two weeks, he had lost 20lbs. Don’t tell him, but that quick weight loss irritated me a bit! How do men do that, right? But he sure looks good!

               

  

The first picture was taken in August last year. I was 132lbs and he was 230lbs. The picture at the top of this post was of me a few days ago. This second picture of my husband was a week ago. We are both very pleased with our results. Our favorite KETO//OS drink is the raspberry lemonade. My husband also drinks the orange dream flavor. It contains fat and helps to curb his appetite. Every morning, we both put the KREME supplement in our coffee. It’s delicious and contains vitamin B12. By the way, my vitamin B12 level was great when I had my blood work done in January. 

It’s definitely possible to improve your health with the ketogenic diet alone, but it’s really hard to eat less than 20 carbs/day and get proper electrolytes and vitamins. We are loving this supplement and how it complements our lifestyle. The numbers don’t lie. I thought you might want to know. 

For more info on Pruvit supplements, go to dashcarbs.pruvitnow.com.

What has happened to our hearts?

A tear escapes my eye and runs down my cheek onto my pillow. It’s 3:30 in the morning.  I had awakened to get a drink of water. As I lay back down, my thoughts replaced my sleep with sadness.  Actually, it’s more than that.  It’s heartache. In the last few years, I’ve watched as our world has slowly started to fall apart. People have become mean, hateful, and angry to the point of killing other people. I can’t help but feel cynical about our future because the news is full of stories of hate, child neglect, pornography, drug addiction, and murder. Children are killing other children for reasons that only used to cause a disagreement. We have seen examples of this. When a teen girl and boy “break up,” the disgruntled teen doesn’t cope with the situation by rising above, seeing that the relationship was toxic, and moving on to better things in his or her life. Instead, he or she gets a gun and kills someone. Many kids and adults today have no ability to cope with conflict. How did this happen? We’ve seen recent examples of this where kids or adults haven’t been able to address and defeat bullying or hurtful situations. Their solution has been to commit suicide, hurt someone, or kill someone. 

In just the last month, I have read news stories about home invasions where murders have been committed during a robbery; a mother who killed her five-month old baby; a mother who purposely parked her car in front of an oncoming train in order to kill her children who were inside the car; multiple child pornography arrests; a foster dad who killed his foster child; drug addicts who endangered and neglected their own children by exposing them to danger, drugs, and no parenting; a mother who was beaten just outside her home while her four-year old daughter was kidnapped; children who have shot and killed other children with guns; and the list goes on and on. There are so many more, gut-wrenching and unnecessary killings. It’s overwhelming. 

Why is the value of life declining so rapidly in people’s minds? When we are born, and as we grow up into young people, it is the responsibility of parents and other adults to be present for children and teach them right from wrong. Where are these responsible, effective parents and adults? 

There is a moral code that works well, and it’s ancient. The code comes from a book that was written so long ago, yet it has stood the test of time. But that moral code is no longer being taught or even recognized in many parts of our society. People want to remove God and His Word, the Bible, His effective moral code, from our government and our schools. So this is what we get. We remove teaching of right from wrong, effective and present parents, prayer to God who is able to intervene, and fear of effective consequences, and this is the inevitable result. We get a society where wickedness and evil run chaotically through our streets. We get to live in fear of being harmed at a concert, at church, at the grocery store, or at school. 

When God created us, He gave us the choice to love Him, obey His laws, which keep us safe, and to choose right over wrong. He does not force us to listen to Him, and many do not. The consequences of not living by His laws and commandments, again, given to us to protect us and let us live in harmony, are apparent in our world today. Just look at some of the commandments He gave us. They are simple, yet when followed, are so effective. Don’t steal, don’t covet, honor your father and mother, don’t murder, and only worship God and no other gods (anything on this earth, i.e., wealth, pride, powerful positions, other relationships, etc).  God gave us these simple commandments in order to keep us safe and to keep us from giving in to the evil of hurting each other. 

In Deuteronomy 4:2, God refers to the Ten Commandments and says, “Do not add to what I command you and do not subtract from it, but keep the commands of the Lord your God that I give you.” Verses 6 and 7 say, “Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him?” Verses 9 and 10 add an important warning, “Only be careful, and watch yourselves closely so that you do not forget the things your eyes have seen or let them fade from your heart as long as you live. Teach them to your children and to their children after them.”

Our society is catapulting rapidly into a futuristic science fiction movie. It’s becoming that movie where the apocalypse is the impending doom, where people have turned against people, where communities have failed, and where truth and moral code no longer have an effect. Have you seen enough wickedness yet, because I know I have. God did not mean for us to live like this.  Jeremiah 29:11 is quoted quite often because it tells us what God really wants for us. It says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” God really loves us and wants good for us. The thing is, we cannot reject Him. Imagine trying to have a relationship with someone, but you decide that you don’t want to talk to that person, interact with that person, or listen to anything that person says to you. In addition, the friend code between you where you honor and respect each other is removed. There is no code, no law that governs the way you treat each other, and you can’t talk to each other. By definition, no relationship can exist in those conditions. This is what is happening in our society. Relationships are breaking down. 

We can’t reject God’s moral code, The Bible. We need to pray. Prayer is not a formality or a prayer book or a religious code.  It’s a conversation with God. It’s talking to God.  Imagine reinstating that code to our society and living by it. Imagine what that would look like. Do you want to see less of these evils? Me too, and it starts with each one of us. We have to commit to being effective parents and adults.  We have to teach our children God’s moral code. We have to set an example and live by it. Relationship with God, like any other relationship, takes effort. We have to set some time aside to be with Him. We have to talk to Him — to pray. We have to read the moral code book He gave us, the Bible, and write those words on our heart so that we can live by them. Our children watch us and learn from us, even when we don’t think they are paying attention. My challenge to us is that we start living an example of what we want other people to be. This is not an easy task, but it’s worth a self-evaluation.  We all make mistakes, but what matters is that we get back on track no matter what. God loves us and wants the best for us, just as He said in Jeremiah. Those words are for all of us.  

As cynical as this world makes me feel sometimes, I take comfort in the fact that ultimately, no matter what happens in our world, God will overcome the wickedness, in His timing. He has promised this to us. Revelation 22:12 says, “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done.” Verses 14 and 15 say, “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.” Perhaps that sounds simplistic, but I take comfort in knowing that God will ultimately bring justice. He has given us a simple and effective moral code to live by.  The question I leave all of us with is this: “What change can we each make that will help to reinstate moral code and goodness back into our world?” Everyone of us shares this responsibility by living out our own lives with goodness, doing what is right according to God’s moral code, and loving each other. 

Desired change

Good morning, friends.  I was reading a devotional during my quiet time this morning, and it struck a chord with me.  At some point, each of us desires a change for the good for some part of our lives.  Common areas that we all need change in are:  our weight, level of exercise, work schedule, stress level, spending, and amount of sleep.  I'm sure you can all relate to one or more of these areas where you've really wanted change.

Last week, I posted my needed changes for 2018.  I'm sure many of you also decided on a New Year's resolution or two.  The gym, where I've been a member for years, was so packed this past Saturday, that I had to park in the boon-docks.  I don't remember that happening, since last January.  By February, parking probably won't be an issue, because people will get too busy, and exercise and weight loss will fall lower or off their priority list.  I'm guilty of it. 

I'm honestly tired of the cliches in my life, i.e., "life gets in the way," and "I'll start tomorrow." Then there are also the "if onlys" that tend to slow my progress:  "if only I worked fewer hours, if only there were more hours in the day, if only I could hit the gym in the mornings (but I can't because I don't get enough sleep), if only I could get at least seven hours of sleep at night, if only I made more money, if only I could lose weight easier, etc."

As a doctor, I hear so many complaints from patients who want things to be better in their lives, yet they seem unwilling to put in the effort to make those things happen.  A classic example is cigarette smokers.  Smoking is bad for you, and everyone knows it, even the smokers.  This is not news.  I get this question from patients all the time, "Doc, can you help me quit smoking?" I ask them how much they smoke a day, and the classic answer is always, "I'm trying to cut back."  So I ask, "What have you done so far to help you quit?"  The answer is usually something like this, "Well, I've tried cold turkey quitting, and that was awful. I felt terrible."  Then they might add, "I've tried nicotine patches, but those broke out my skin."  I ask, "Have you tried the nicotine gum?" The answer, "I don't like the way it makes my teeth feel."  I ask, "How about Chantix, a prescription medicine to help you?" The answer is usually, "My Internist gave me that, and I couldn't take it. It made me feel weird."  So I ask again, "Do you really want to quit smoking?"  Then the patient says, "Of course I do.  Why would I be asking you to help me?"

I had a friend recently want to try the keto supplement I take to help her lose weight.  The supplement is to be used in addition to a ketogenic diet.  That means that weight loss occurs if you can eat less than 100 carbohydrates daily and maintain a low level of exercise at least three times a week.  I specified that the drink alone will not help her lose weight.  Again, I emphasized that she would have to eat under 100 carbohydrates a day and exercise a little.  Within the first week, she complained of headaches, dizziness, and cold chills.  I told her to give it a little more time.  The next week was the week of Thanksgiving.  She texted me and asked, "What am I supposed to do over Thanksgiving?  I can't eat less than 100 carbs a day.  It's the holidays."  As you can guess, it didn't take long for her to decide that this supplement "was just not for her."  

We all want change, but we're not going to see it unless we are willing to put some effort in.  If I want to lose weight, I have to adhere to some sort of eating and exercise schedule.  There is no magic pill I can take while still eating ice cream, cookies, pasta, and potato chips, and still lose weight.  If I want to get my finances under control, I have to make a budget and stick to it.  If I want to quit smoking (I don't smoke), then I have to quit.  If I want to feel more energetic and be healthier, I have to exercise regularly.  There is no easy button.  Too many people (including myself, at times) want this easy button.  We don't want to put in the work required to see the results we want.

In my devotional this morning, the first paragraph says, "Some people want the fruit of change -- like a better marriage, freedom from debt or some other benefit -- but they don't want the discipline of change....The truth is that change requires something of us."  It goes on to say that change "doesn't happen if we don't replace our wrong thoughts with the right ones." (From: "Help Me! I need to change my life!" By Brian Houston, http://bible.com/r/2jK).

Change requires some work on our part.  It requires effort from me and then discipline to stay on schedule.  It also requires determination and perseverance.  Only then will I see the change that I so desire.  There is no magic pill, no magic spell, and it just doesn't happen out of the blue.  We have to change the way we think.  Our thoughts lead to our feelings, and if our thoughts are negative, they feed our negative feelings about ourselves.  It's a vicious cycle.  Here is an example of this (my own):

Yoga is on my schedule this morning.  Gosh, I'm tired.  I didn't sleep very well last night, and I'm postcall.  Class is at 10:30, oh, but look, now it's raining.  What a yucky day.  Do I really want to go out in that?  I could get some things done here at home before the kids get home.  I can skip exercise for a day.  It's not like I'm going to lose weight by going to one class.  I can miss one.  And then that train of thought continues for another two days until a week has passed, and I haven't exercised at all.  Then I look in the mirror and step on the scale, and the negative and discouraging thoughts flow.

If we want change, to lose weight, to be healthier, to get out of debt, to have a better 
marriage, to advance in our jobs, etc., it takes work.  There is no way around it.  There is no easy button.  The thing is, once we start changing our thought process (get rid of negative thoughts) and start sticking to our schedule (discipline), we find it easier to persevere.  We start seeing the change we want, and that change fuels our positive thoughts and determination.  So what I'm telling myself now is that I just have to get started and stick to a schedule for two weeks, then another week, and then another week.  Eventually, I'll look up and see the change I want, and I won't even notice the work anymore.  But the bottom line is that I have to put in the effort or nothing will change. Check out Hellomornings.org.

Have a great day!

2018

A photo from my October 2017 visit to Chicago

Happy New Year, dear friends! I hope you've had an enjoyable Christmas and holiday season. I have to admit that for years, I've secretly dreaded this time of year.  It's time to take down the Christmas decorations, time for snow and ice in Kentuckiana, and time for new year's resolutions.  I don't know about you, but I usually start out the new year with really good intentions to conquer my new year's resolutions.  Somehow, those good intentions get lost somewhere. 

Each new year, I believe that most people choose resolutions that they truly need or want, such as, weight loss, more exercise, budgeting, cutting out something from their diets, etc.  In the last few years, I've focused on setting some attainable goals for myself.  I've realized that not much in my schedule changes from December 31 to January 1, and so I have to try to to focus on the goals I know I can make a dent in.

Instead of "weight loss," this year, I'm focusing on maintaining my weight loss.  Three months ago, I shared with you my ketogenic diet.  I've been able to maintain that diet and my weight loss by eating less than 50 carbs/day and by taking my Pruvit Keto/OS supplements (www.dashcarbs.pruvitnow.com).  I have easily maintained my 125 pounds, and I'm happy with that.  The key for me on that resolution this year will be maintenance.

Exercise used to be one of my favorite things to do.  However, as I've aged, taken on a busier work schedule, and taken on a family, I've become tired and my joints ache.  This year, with the help of President Trump's tax reform, I should be able to cut back at work.  With more rest, I plan to follow a yoga class schedule and add some free weights.  I'm not one to "kill myself" with cardio at the gym, nor do I think that that kind of intense exercise is always beneficial.  What I am telling myself this year is that I just need to start somewhere with some form of exercise and try to stick to a doable schedule.

I'd like more time at home this year.  Again, with President Trump's tax reform, I'll be able to work fewer shifts and be more present at home.  Time at home means more quiet time with God, more time with my husband and my kids, more time baking and crafting, and hopefully more time writing.

My last resolution is my toughest.  I finally agreed with my husband that a budget is probably a good idea (he's been telling me this for years).  Begrudgingly, I submitted this time.  As awful as the word "budget" sounds, it also makes sense especially today.  I feel like the world, people in general, and our economy are unstable. My financial advisor recommends paying down debt and having a hefty emergency fund.  Today, I sat down and drew out a budget. It was painful, but necessary, and I'm glad I did it.

What about you?  What are your resolutions for 2018? I'd love to hear from you.  Please comment or send me a note.