Try Something New: Week 1

I have a million posts to catch up on. Sorry. I've been on a very long and awesome Christmas vacation with no personal computer, so now that I'm home, I'm sure my catch up efforts will come crashing in on each other soon.

UNTIL THEN...

I have a little something to share. I've decided that one of my resolutions this year will be something to make my life more interesting. Are you ready for it? 

IN 2012, I WILL TRY SOMETHING NEW EVERY DAY. 

Every day. Seriously, do you think I can do it?

The importance of this goal to me is three-fold:

1) I need a reason to keep blogging. I need an appointment with my blog at least once a week, along with a topic to report on. Something I care about, something I want to record, something that will tell a little about my everyday life for posterity's sake.

2) I need to broaden my horizons. I have long been resistant to certain foods. I don't warm up to new clothing styles until at least a couple years after they come out. I like the old music I liked in high school. I want to eat at restaurants where I already know what I'll order and that it will be delicious. In short, I need to learn how to step out of my comfort zone more often. The greatest enemy to human potential is the comfort zone.

3) If I am not constantly learning or being physically useful, I feel irrelevant. Stagnant. Worthless. If my progression is not measured in some way, it basically doesn't exist. That's my personality.

Don't take this the wrong way. This might seem like something to brag about (sort of a "My weakness is that I work too hard and love too much" kind of thing), but it is actually a big fat tricky CURSE. 

Have you ever tried to relax for a few days while someone else parents your children, and felt so antsy that you actually started exercising or shopping to keep busy? Have you ever gone to bed feeling guilty after a few short hours of relaxing on the couch with your spouse in front of the TV, because your brain hasn't been working fast enough? Yeah, that's me. 

I have a problem. Back in school, I got grades to tell me that I was doing well. I was working toward goals with tangible, measurable outcomes. I had proof of my accomplishments, my progress. As a full-time mom, this is not the case. I have garbage cans full of snotty tissues, baby poo, apple peels, fruit snack wrappers, and secretly discarded art projects (you can't keep them all). That is my progress report at the end of the day.

SO...this little goal that I have is supposed to help with those needs. Wanna know what I've done so far?

January 1 -- Made a new carrot cake recipe with PINEAPPLE in it, per my mom's request. Moist and delicious! Didn't last long enough to get a picture.

January 2 -- Went to Trader Joe's for the first time. I know, I've been living under a rock! My mom took me because she's obsessed with their chocolate covered peppermint Oreo-like cookies. (Can you tell that my mom is a junk food junkie? Now you know where I got it.) I'm still not sure what's so great about Joe's, but I think I'd give it another try.

January 3 -- Got my pits waxed! That's right, my blond armpits. My sister has a wax pot at home and has been waxing everyone she can, probably because she likes to hear us scream. While I was there for Christmas my curiosity got the best of me. I've never been waxed in any way before and I wanted to see what it felt like. It didn't work very well because my hair wasn't long enough, but it was really hot and stingy, so...yeah I probably won't be doing it again unless I suddenly become Armenian.

January 4 -- Learned how to wipe a computer that was infected with a virus. Fixed my dad's computer. Made my husband proud. I was feeling pretty awesome.

January 5 -- Flew across the country with two young children and no help. With one layover and at least two hours of driving on each side of the airports, we're talking fifteen hours of travel. With no stroller, no second set of arms to hold the baby while I use the bathroom, and no extra space on the completely full flights. This is something new that I would prefer never ever ever to do again. But it does give me sympathy for those moms who have to do it all the time.

January 6 -- Made my first successful batch of bread bowls using a new recipe! A skill I've always needed to master because I LOVE me some broccoli soup in a bread bowl, especially in snowy weather. Next I need to figure out sourdough!

January 7 -- Learned a new song to teach the Primary kids tomorrow at church. Never heard this one before because it's a new addition for the program, but I'm hoping the kids will like it.

There. My first entry! Think I can keep this up? It's not supposed to be a hard thing. "Something new" could be as simple as listening to a song I've never heard before, trying a new restaurant, or meeting someone new at church. I can do this. 

Who wants to do this with me?? It's not too late to start!