One Day at a Time

Hooray for a new year! I just finished setting up my daytimer and calendar with our schedule and goals for the year, and I have to admit that it’s all a little overwhelming. :-) One day at a time, right?

Our January is already packed to the brim with Cinderella play rehearsals and Girl Scout cookie sales and freelance writing opportunities and a writer’s guild meeting, not to mention work, school, and piano lessons. Surprisingly, none of our events conflict, which was a pleasant surprise. Somehow I think that this is how it’s going to be for us from now on, though. :-)

We had a wonderful Christmas weekend. We received a bunch of snow the week before Christmas, and uncharacteristic of clear and sunny Colorado, the snow hung around to give us a white Christmas and then some. In fact, Ryley’s snowman is still a tiny mound in the front yard, surrounded by the sticks she used for arms.

We did some more sledding on Christmas Eve, and something about the way Ryley ditched her snow hat, let her hair flow loose, and held her sled over her shoulder, added six or seven years to her in attitude. She reminded me of a snowboarder or something. She was really becoming quite confident!

Christmas Day was lovely, though it seemed that time got away from us, and the day flew by in strange ways.

The big highlight was that Ryley received a guitar from Santa.

She has been a Taylor Swift fan for several months, so now her new dream is to take guitar lessons. She’s already taught herself the first few songs in the lesson book Santa also brought.

“I have a new lifetime goal,” she announced the other day. “Before I turn 18, I want to learn how to play a Taylor Swift song on the guitar.” Such a lofty endeavor.

She also received the first season of I Love Lucy, which was a huge hit. Ryley is a big fan of slapstick, so she just sits and giggles at all of Lucy Ricardo’s antics. Oh my.

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Our original plan for Christmas was to fly to Atlanta and be with Ryan’s sisters, brother, dad, and stepmom for the holidays. But unfortunately, with airfare as ridiculously high as it’s been, the $1,100 plane tickets just weren’t possible for us. Also, Ryan wasn’t confident in his ability to be across the country from his restaurant for more than a week.

A couple of weeks ago, however, he realized he could have a few consecutive days off around New Year’s, and looking at our budget, we decided we could afford the gas for a quick trip to Oklahoma to see my parents. We hadn’t been to Tulsa in a couple of years, so it was really nice to get to show Ryley where we went to college, where we lived when we were first married, etc.

Here’s Ryley watching I Love Lucy on my laptop somewhere in western Kansas…

Ryley at the Praying Hands at ORU, where we attended college.

In front of the field where we had our first kiss… :-)

We showed Ryley the gigantic air vents by the classroom building, where Ryan and I used to go on hot days and just let the cold air rush our Oklahoma-scorched bodies. We used to call it “Little Bit O’ Colorado.”

They have done a lot of updating in recent years, so the campus looked amazing. We showed her our dormitory buildings and explained how we used to have to wait in line to use a computer or rush to claim the TV before anybody else. We showed her how I could stand in my dormitory window and see Ryan in his dorm room across the courtyard, and how we would stand in our windows and talk on the phone. Lot of good memories. :-)

Then my mom drove us around to see all three of our apartments we lived in after we were married, as well as the Railroad Bridge, where Ryan proposed….

All of that was very interesting to her! :-)

That evening my parents took us to the Rhema Lights, which though seemingly cheesy, always ends up being so beautiful. Ryley loved it.

Then we went to this place my parents had heard about in Sapulpa, whose lights were even MORE amazing. We got there too late, so we weren’t able to walk through them, but we did drive by…

My brother and his family drove up from Dallas for a couple of days, and it was so fun to be together! The twins are starting to walk and talk, and by the end of the weekend they were even saying “Ryley” in their own special way. Very fun!!

Will and Mammaw…

Ryley and Jack…

Jack denies any more kisses from his daddy…

Pappaw shows Ryley how it’s done! :-)

Ryley shows the boys how the train goes around the Christmas tree, a Steiner family tradition! They LOVE trains!!!

 

It is REALLY difficult to get good pictures of these little guys. They are constantly on the move!!!!

Yes, he’s napping. But he’s more of a Cowboys fan, I suppose. I’m not sure where his loyalties lie, and it bothers me, Justin. It really, really does.

Lots of games were played…

My mom made Ryley and Ryan “R”-shaped pancakes. Haha!

Uncle Ryan and Will in their Broncos gear on Game Day!

Just when I think I can tell these boys apart in their looks, they completely throw me for a loop. Will’s bump on his head is a real blessing! But they have absolutely different personalities. Oh my goodness, it will be fun to watch them grow up!

Ryley and Will, chillin.’

All plugged in…

My mom and dad with the grandkids…

What a trip! It was quick but full, and I’m so thankful that we were able to work it out. We had really good family time. Thank you, Mom and Dad, for hosting us!!!!! You guys are amazing, and we love you so much!

So hopefully now we can get cheap tickets to see Ryan’s family on Spring Break!!!!

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Wellness Update:

I decided sometime between Thanksgiving and Christmas that I was just going to enjoy the holiday and not feel guilty for “splurging.” Since I have never really dieted before this fall, I have never ever felt guilty for treating myself to what I want. I never fully understood the guilt people feel when they eat something they shouldn’t, so it was new for me to feel that way. I know that sounds strange!

But that’s when I decided to set a date of January 2 as my return-to-wellness day, and with that in mind, I was able to relax. I still stayed off pop and processed foods like chips, but I allowed myself some wheat and dairy within reason, like pizza, noodles, and ice cream. And it was all very delicious!!! :-)

When I weighed myself when we got back, I had gained 5 lbs since before Christmas. But after two days back on the wagon, I have lost 3 of that already.  I am returning to my original restrictions, except I’m allowing coffee this time around. So my total weight loss is at 28 lbs. and hopefully I will be able to keep going! We’ll see. By God’s grace.

A month ago, I ran my blender into the ground because I make myself a protein shake every morning. One day it just exploded from the bottom, and blueberries, bananas, and almond milk went everywhere. So Ryan and Ryley got me a new blender for Christmas. I used it for the first time this morning, and I am glad to be back in business! Having a protein shake really helps me make sure I eat breakfast (because I look forward to the deliciousness) and helps curb my appetite for the rest of the day.

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I’m also going to keep doing freelance writing for this company, Good Catch Publishing. I wrote that one story in November, and it was really well received. They sent me many compliments, and I guess I just figured that they are a very complimentary bunch (because they are). I did have to make quite a few edits for them, and I had to rewrite my ending, so I wasn’t sure how much they really liked it. But before I knew it, I was being invited to join a Writer’s Guild here in Denver, and my story won the January Story of the Month for the whole company! I just found out yesterday. I am just so grateful to God for this opportunity to work with them, become a better writer, and use my words for His glory.

It also gives me hope when I have a bad day at my day job. This job is not forever; God has other things in store for me down the line! Sometimes I wish it were just a tad quicker though. :-)

So those are my big goals for the year: keep achieving wellness, keep writing, and keep reading (because reading makes me a better writer, and I am not good at reading).

I’ve also been thinking of resolving to listen to more country music. Ryley has me pretty convinced with Taylor Swift. :-) We listened to every single album of hers (a gift from Ryley’s aunts) all the way across the plains of Kansas.

I kind of want to learn the guitar along with her, but I don’t know how I would ever find the time and focus for that. One day at a time, I suppose. ;-)