Last Day of 2007

Well, the time is upon us. It's the last day of 2007, and it's been a fantastic year! I married the most wonderful man, gained two new step-sons, worked on improving our already great house, and got prayers answered with a healthy dad (and mom). It's been a great year and I look forward to an even better one in 2008!

However, I need to get myself in shape and feeling and looking better! With all the changes in medication last year - and an indulgent honeymoon - I am out of shape and heavier than I should be. In order to get this started off right, I have signed up for and been selected to participate in the Juice Fitness Challenge! That will include my photo and weight published in the local paper this week (if that's not motivation for success, I'm not sure what is)!

I have a goal of losing 30 pounds in the next 6 months, although I'd like to accomplish that in less time. I am going to need a lot of support and some major life changes in order to keep this on track. I have started by signing up, getting the elements for success in place. I also have a weight loss page I will use to track my progress. If anyone is curious, it is located here: http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage.asp?id=LKELDERMAN

I won't be using this blog for discussion on this, but feel free to check back for occasional updates. Here's to a great 2008!

Ahhh, Christmas! What a wonderful day it was! We had a busy weekend traveling to stay with Eric's parents, it was great to see everyone and enjoy the holiday together. And this weekend we will head back to see my family.

But as much as I love visiting with family, it is great to come home and spend Christmas in our house. The term "home" takes on a new meaning when you are an adult. As a kid, home means being picked on by siblings, being cooked for by parents, and enjoying the carefree lifestyle you don't realize you have as a kid. As an adult, home is about creating those same experiences all over again - the way you want to. It's about creating that same comfort, excitement and memories for your kids.

We had a great Christmas day; slept in, made a big breakfast, opened stockings and gifts. Eric and I had fun creating a scavenger hunt for the boys to find their gift, the same way my parents did long ago for me. We watched movies, popped popcorn, had a snowball fight and just enjoyed some good old fashioned time at home as a family (see slideshow on the left). Hopefully creating wonderful memories for the boys, the way our parents did for us when we were kids. It's good to be a family, and great to be "home".

Merry Christmas!

Shame on me for not writing since Sunday - but my goodness was this week busy! We have been Christmas shopping, wrapping, cleaning, laundry, cooking and mostly - working on our bathroom remodel! What a mess, but it is going to be beautiful! I will post some before/after photos as soon as it's done!

I am excited about the upcoming holiday, but stressed a little by making two weekend trips in a row with presents, dogs, kids, bags, etc. Wow. I will definitely be ready for a 'Happy New Year' when it's all over! Thankfully I have wonderful friends who are always willing to go celebrate - as evidenced by many photos in my personal archives!

But this Christmas - I am excited to celebrate another wonderful Christmas with Eric and feel very blessed to have everything we do in life. I got news on my dad's biopsy today and he is still cancer-free! That alone is reason enough to celebrate a great holiday season with family.

Here's to a wonderful, warm, and blessed holiday season to everyone!

Take me away!

Oh, as much as I love the holiday season, there are times when the phrase "Calgon, take me away" is all too true. Like the picture posted to the left (our honeymoon in Cancun), we are just all too often in need of a serious vacation!

This weekend was good, but between cleaning, trips to the store, laundry, cooking, remodeling bathrooms, and one very sick little boy - it was pretty much one of "those" weekends. You know the kind, where you actually look forward to going back to work on Monday! It makes me think about why we work so hard? It is obviously human nature to want more, and better in life. But sometimes it seems like our time, money and efforts would be better spent on just getting away and letting go of all the stresses of life! Ahhh, what I wouldn't give to lay back on the beach again, soaking up the sun and drinking something fruity.

We all owe it to ourselves., even if it's just a little weekend getaway every fes months. However.....being responsible enough to commit to taking time away, that's the most challenging task. But truly, some days if you hope to stay sane, it's the only thing that may help!

Who are we?

It seems that as an adult, I've been forced to redefine myself, many times over. In high school, who you were was solid based on what group you fell into: the goths, the band geeks, the poets, the preps, the jocks, the nerds..... you were always able to surround yourself by friends that were just like you. In some ways, there was no battle with defining yourself. There's no desire to evaluate yourself more when you're 16.

As adults, we are now forced to redefine ourselves with each decision made. We have the added complexity of never-ending responsibilities: bills, jobs, kids, houses...the list goes on and on. Some of us are solid in who we've become- we have a secure base of friendships, a comfortable job, perhaps even a relationship. But other of us struggle harder, to fit in and figure out what we want to be as a person. Because from day to day, friendships can diminish, people change, loved ones die, families grow, marriages fail, jobs change. There is a constant need to redefine what your life is, what makes you, YOU? Do you define yourself based on who you associate with, or the salary you make, or the lifestyle you live? Take away everything you have and are comfortable with, and what's left?

I know I struggle with many redefining issues on what I hope to be. I know that I want to be a giving soul, I don't want to be the 'heavy girl', I consider being a mother, and I have occasional battles with self-esteem with the direction my life is headed. I have lofty goals for myself, but wonder which ones are most important in contributing to the person I am, heart and soul?

Through it all, I don't want to define myself by how many friends I have, how big my house is, or what important job I have. I want to define myself as the person I am, someone who loves getting to know new people, has a passion for music and writing, someone who learned from her mistakes, someone who loves to talk, laugh, and even cry.

At the end of the day, when you strip all of it away - who are you? In some ways, I think we are all still those kids from high school...trying to find ourselves.

Snow Day!

Oh what I wouldn't give to be a kid again and get a snow day! It's so funny to think back about the amazing excitement that would generate, to know you got a whole day off from school unexpectedly? Although I can't tell you what I did with those days? I'm sure when I was young I would go sledding or play in the snow, but as you got older, it was more uneventful.

What I wouldn't give to have an adult "work" snow day now and then! Instead, as adults with responsibilities, we not only need to trudge through the snow and ice to get to and from work, but then the parents have to make arrangements for their kids who are home all day due to no school - what a pain? It's something we never thought of as kids (but most of us as kids had a stay-at-home parent).

But even through the pain of it all; shoveling, throwing salt, driving with an ice-covered windshield, and having to go out in the bone-chilling cold....there is still some innocence in a fresh snowfall. When things slow down and I can find a moment to stand outside and listen to it fall - it still can bring a smile to my face, and a moments peace in my heart.

A time for prayer

Today I dedicate this post to one of my best friends, Mary. The challenges that her and her family have had to go through in the last year and a half, are more than most people could handle in a lifetime.

Her mom, Pat, was a beautiful, strong, energetic, loving, loyal follower of God and an inspiration to everyone who knew her. She will be greatly missed. But just like her mom, Mary is also an amazing woman and has more strength and courage than nearly anyone I know. I love Mary with all my heart, and will be praying for her and her family today.

"He put His arms around you, and lifted you to rest, God's garden must be beautiful, He always takes the best."

Holiday fun!

Christmas is such a great time of year! I'm always reminded of the blessings surrounding me, the fond memories I have from growing up in a loving home, and the ability to provide that same joy to my new family. It's so much fun to get out the decorations and Christmas tree and think of gift ideas that will make loved ones faces light up (last year it was a projector for Eric)!

We also had the pleasure this past weekend of visiting my brother and sister-in-law, Todd and Paula, and my nephews in Minneapolis. Although it was a short weekend, it was so much fun to laugh and play and enjoy celebrating my nephews birthday. I wish so much that they lived closer, we all get along so well together, especially the boys.

So the real excitement for Christmas isn't just the eggnog, or snowball fights, or even watching the dogs run from the wrapping paper tube, but all of it! It's the overall experience of spending time with family and creating new memories for ourselves and the kids. Sometimes it's hard not to get caught up in the craziness of shopping, packing, traveling, etc. But when it's all over - it's great to look back at the pictures and think how much fun it all was.

Here's to another fantastic, memorable, exciting and fun Christmas season!
--L