Zumba & Running: 2011 with Intention

Back in January 2011, I published a post about my word of the year. (Click here to check it out if you missed it!) The word that I selected for this year was "intentional". It's a simple reminder to live each day with a purpose. For me, it has served as a reminder not to act for the sake of acting, but to think out each action, it's cause and effect. This was the first time that I selected a word to live by for the year, and I have to say that I was pretty pleased with the result.

I've never made a New Year's resolution that I've been able to stick to. In the past, I would half-heartedly make a commitment to myself and then let it fall by the wayside. This year, I wanted to do two things. I wanted to become a Zumba instructor, and I wanted to run a half marathon. I fulfilled one of two, and although I fell short, I feel like I accomplished so much.

Becoming a Zumba instructor has been one of the greatest blessings in my life. It has enabled me to stay fit, stay committed to my workouts, and meet a ton of great people. I've loved every single minute of it! Where I fell short was my half marathon. I was able to run a 10k this year, but some personal issues toward the end of the year stopped me short of my half marathon goal. I did, however, become a runner in 2011. I impressed myself with what I could do with a little commitment and a lot of heart. A girl who could barely run a mile at the beginning of the year ran a 10k at a respectable time. To me, that's amazing! My half marathon goal will continue into 2012, and I plan to stick with it!

It all comes back to living intentionally. I made a resolution, and I intentionally set out to make it happen. In addition to resolutions, I made some personal choices and decisions this year that were all done with intention. It's been one of the best years of my life in terms of fulfillment, and it's all because I set out to make it that way through commitment and prayer. In essence, I was living life on purpose.

I hope that your 2012 is blessed with all that you set out to do. May your resolutions be fruitful and your life be lived intentionally!

The Reading Room

Recently, I read Mindy Kaling's Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? If you aren't familiar with Mindy Kaling, she plays Kelly Kapoor on The Office, and she is also one of the head writers for the show. I find her to be absolutely hysterical on The Office, and I was really looking forward to reading her book. Unfortunately, I think it fell a little flat. 

I really enjoyed listening to Tina Fey's book (my first venture into audiobooks; see below), and I hoped that Kaling's book would provide similar entertainment. While I found the book to be light hearted, and at times very funny, it just never amounted to much. Kaling has always been obsessed with comedy, even from the time she was little. So, you can imagine my disappointment when she reviews her top 11 comedy sketches/scenes and most of them fall within the last decade (think Talladega Nights, Anchorman, etc.). Also, she talks a lot about The Office, but she leaves much to be desired in the way of actual relationships she has with her cast mates (other than Ellie Kemper). Overall, I enjoyed the book, but if you're looking for hearty laughs and solid entertainment, skip it in favor of Tina Fey!

My Christmas Hobbies (Obsessions)

It's Christmas time once again! Can you believe it's already December? Where does the time go...

I look forward to Christmas for so many reasons. The most important reason, is the meaning behind the celebration. Without Christ, there would be no celebration. There would be no celebration, because we wouldn't have the hope of eternal life. As you're out and about doing your shopping and other things to prepare for the holiday, I hope Christ is the first thing you think of during Christmas.

After the meaning of Christmas, I look forward to spending time with my family around the holidays. Despite the craziness of gift buying and giving, it feels like everything slows down around Christmas. I love spending hours sitting around a table talking, or playing games, or just watching TV. There is no better time of year than when the tree is twinkling, the snow is falling, and the house is full of people you love!

If you know me, then you also know that I love Christmas cards. Not only do I love to receive Christmas cards, but I love to send them. I think about my Christmas cards all year long. My favorite kind of Christmas card is a photo card. Now, don't get me wrong. If you send a Christmas card that doesn't have a photo, I love it just the same. There is just something so exciting about opening a Christmas card that has the faces of friends and family engaging in some kind of memorable activity from the past year. I can't get enough!

Anyway, I start scouting out my Christmas card photo on January 1. I like our Christmas card to have a photo of a memorable event from sometime during the year, so I'm always taking photos and making mental notes of ones that would be good candidates. I would call it a hobby. I think my husband would call it an obsession.

There are two websites that I particularly love when it comes to my Christmas cards. First and foremost, I recommend TinyPrints. I can't say enough about this website! Their customer service and products are unmatchable, and they are FAST (very important around the holidays!). The site has hundreds of beautiful, quality cards to choose from, and they are all on quality stock (no flimsy paper or cheap envelopes). If you're looking for a site for great cards (no matter the occasion), visit TinyPrints!

The second website that I would recommend is Expressionery. They offer tons of great address labels and stamps that would be the perfect complement to your Christmas card. Additionally, they offer gift tags that I simply love! The website also has some beautiful personalized collectible items that would make great Christmas gifts.

Whatever your hobbies or obsessions might be around this time of year, I hope that you take time to remember why we celebrate. I also hope that you take time to relax, enjoy the company of your family, and maybe share a Christmas card or two. Merry Christmas!