2017's Awesome Goals

Do you know what my FAVORITE number is? Wait, do you have a favorite number? If not, you need one. I'm not sure exactly why, but I LOVE having a favorite number. It helps when you're deciding things like, how many M & M's should I eat? How to randomly pick something out of a list? Things like that. Anyway, my favorite number is 17. It has been my favorite number since, hmm....Actually, it's funny, it became my favorite number when I was 17. So, I'm thinking that this year is going to be OFF the charts AWESOME! I can't wait! I came up with 10 super awesome goals for 2017, and I'm hoping to update you on those goal this year.

Alright, here's my new awesome goals for 2017.

1. Complete the #DeanNoSoda17 Challenge.
This one is going to take the WHOLE year to accomplish! Tim, Roman, Raiden, and I are challenging  each other to go without soda/soft drinks/pop, whatever you call it for as much of the year as possible.The only exception is one drink on your birthday, other than that, NONE! Everyone can win by remaining Soda-free all year or the last one standing wins. Any winner will receive $100 to do as they wish. It will be a fun and healthy challenge, we hope.

2. Get back to the Paleo lifestyle.
Paleo is a lifestyle, not a diet. It's a way of eating, and a plan to be physically active and get more sleep.We switched to Paleo back in August of 2015 and maintained it until about Mid-December. I lost about 25 lbs and 2 pants sizes, but more importantly, I felt better. This time I'm hoping to have similar results. I'd also like to be more physically active to help make these dietary changes more sustainable. I'd also like to strive for the 80/20 lifestyle, so that I don't beat myself up when I'm not eating 100% Paleo. Just 80% is the goal. It's also, like I said, not just eating, it's about living the lifestyle. Being more active, getting more sleep, just being more healthy.

3. Go to bed by 10 pm Sunday-Thursday.
If you know me very well, you know I'm a night owl, but being nocturnal is not effective during the school year with 4 kids, a full-time job, and trying to be healthier. So Friday and Saturday Nights can be all-nighters, but during the workweek, I'm striving for more healthy sleep decisions.

4. Weekly "Power Cooking" Hour.
This one goes along with Paleo, but it will also go along with another goal coming up. One of our biggest obstacles for Paleo is the prep work and cooking for weekly meals. Between schools, scouts, sports, camps, the gym, church, and everything else we are doing or are involved in we often get caught up in the hustle of the week and want to swing through a drive-thru or order pizza. We did a little meal prep last time when we were doing Paleo before, but I want to dedicate one hour each weekend to meal prep. I got most of my inspiration from here. I know some weeks will be tougher than others but I know it will be so much easier and better for us during the week.

5. Invite at least one family over for dinner each month in 2017.
Let's be honest, we're busy. We don't spend enough time with other families because we let time/no planning get in our way. So this year I'm writing it down as a goal. I must also confess that when I mentioned this one to Tim, he said, "Ok, so who's eating bologna sandwiches with us in January?" Don't worry, he's just kidding. So if you are just dying to be on our guest list, feel free to comment your month. That would really take the leg work out of this goal. Hee hee.

6. Eat more meals from the food in cabinets and refrigerator.
Let's face it. Some months we feel like we can splurge a little more on food because "we don't have time to cook." REALity is, we don't plan or make time. So we are going to start the new year off with a new trend. Something my parents always called "Cobbs' Kitchen".  Growing up in a house with 3 kids, it was expensive to eat out a lot. So when someone asked what was for dinner, the answer was often "Cobbs' Kitchen". That just was fancy talk for "We're finding something to eat at home." Dollar menus have come along and my last name has changed, but the cost of eating out is not only a food budget killer, but it's also a waistline killer. 2017 will hopefully help us find more change at the bottom of our pockets while we look into the cabinets and the refrigerator to feed our bellies.

7. Read more for purpose.
I'll be honest. I read a lot. I love to read. I have spent hours of my life buried in novels, magazines, and on websites. I've read less the last few years from books because of the littles, but probably just as much from Facebook, Twitter, Google, and search engine finds. I just haven't been spending enough time reading for purpose. For example, I need to find myself more in love with reading Scriptures instead of a few lines for a short quiet time each day. I need to make sure that the reading I am doing is purposeful and valuable. I've began exploring the idea of minimalism, which to me, ties very close to my spiritual beliefs about following and having a relationship with Christ. I want to explore these things, but wasted time on articles about the top 10 things NOT to wear this Spring is just not going to cut it.

8. Date nights each month with my sweetie.
Tim and I have always tried to have time together. We lead super busy lives and our kids are part of the busyness, to be honest. We often have to ask others to watch the kids for us to do things with our other kids or for work, which leaves us with (a) little time to do things for just us or (b) guilt over asking for another night of babysitting. Our other issue is always the money factor, but this year, I'm not going to let either of those stand in our way! We are going to make it happen! It might be popcorn and a movie when the kids are tucked in bed (on a Friday or Saturday if it's after 10 pm of course), but it's going to happen!

9. Update my blog (at least once a month).
I know, it seems pretty impossible for this one to happen, but come on, once a month?!? You can do this Renata! Ok, so this one is already requiring a pep talk. I'm going to try! Every time I look back at this thing, I'm amazed at everything I've written and what I was thinking at that point in time. I also love the idea of a journal for the future me to look back on. So I'm going to add it to my list and see what happens.

10. Finally, my WORD for 2017 is CONTENTMENT.
As you can tell, many of my goals have to do with consuming less, finding more in less, doing things with purpose. This year I want to focus on CONTENTMENT. I want to be more content with the things I have. I want to plan my food choices and routines better so that I can be content with the meals that I have on hand to prepare and feel good about spending time with others, going to bed early, dating my spouse, sharing with others how life is going. No matter where my goals take me, I want to find contentment in my year.

Teagan: End of Summer Update

What a great summer for Teagan! Soon to be two year olds really do a lot of learning and growing in just a few months. At the beginning of the summer, Teagan was using short sentences. Now, it seems like she completes paragraphs (well, maybe they aren't that long). She's also discovered some new things along the way. For example, POPCORN! Teagan absolutely loves in and can be found eating it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner...not the same day of course.

When I decided to take the littles to SMBC with me, I thought it would be hard. It turned out to be not so bad. First, I had a lot of really good help from a good friend, my brother, and my dad. They were really well behaved at chapel. They only missed one service (lunch time chapel on the last full day...they slept through it!). They actually slept pretty good as well, although Teagan napped very little. The biggest issue was just the whole concept of going places. Hills, especially steep ones, aren't made for 2 year olds. We did make it to the pool just about every day, even though Teagan just wanted to play in the puddle on the cement. She did however, LOVE the creek.

Our other big adventure this summer was camping at Kerr Lake. We had a lot of fun playing and swimming. Teagan even took Deuce for a walk one morning. We celebrated Teagan's birthday on Tuesday of the lake trip with homemade ice cream and chocolate cake. She blew out the candles on the first try!


I'll be honest. I don't have as many pictures from the summer that I thought I'd have, especially since I spent the whole summer with the littles. But I feel like I spent a lot of quality time with them, not just playing paparazzi. Two kids under two is a challenge. Most days we do well just to be fed, changed, and rested, anything else is a bonus. But I will always remember this summer, and the special time we spent together. I can't imagine life any other way.

Raiden: End of Summer Update

Raiden's summer has been just as busy as Roman's, although his has been busier here at the end of summer, where Roman's was busy at the beginning. Raiden went to Cub Scout Day Camp at NC Wesleyan this year while Roman was off at YMCA camp. He really enjoyed the camp there. He has been to the twilight camp in Pitt County and the Wilson District's day camp at Camp Charles, but he really liked this one the best. This year's theme was space so he enjoyed making a bottle rocket and a spaceship, but as always, his favorite things were the shooting and archery range as well as playing football with his den.

Raiden had a great week at SMBC. He really enjoyed the pool as always. A few weeks after camp, Raiden said, "Mom, how old do you have to be to work at South Mountain?" I told him at least 16, and he said, "That's what I want to do when I turn 16." It melted my heart to hear the love and passion he has for a place that is so near and dear to my heart. I don't know if that will ever become a reality, but it made me feel good to know that he values camp as much as I do.

Raiden and Mom selfie

I'm not sure if you know that Raiden is our first family comedian. Until Teagan came along, he was the only comedian, so he has been making us laugh by himself for years. I can only imagine what it will be like when Teagan gets a little older and they can double team us. Anyway, these are a few photos from when Raiden and I went to visit the boys at Scout Camp. 

Raiden was excited about his dew rag

Of course, I have zero pictures of Raiden at the lake. I promise he was there, and we were all there together. It's just much more difficult to take pictures with two littles running/crawling around.
Raiden spent more time this year riding his bike around the campground instead of swimming like he did last year, but he still had fun.

Raiden in his practice uniform

The biggest event of the summer that Raiden counted down to was football camp, followed by tryouts. He was so excited about starting football. We weren't sure if he would like it because of the hard hitting, but so far, so good. The first day he got his pads he wore them ALL day the next day.

So long summer...

Roman: End of Summer Update

It was a summer of firsts for Roman. He went to summer camp in Greensboro all by himself. I think it was mom and dad who worried the most. It was the first time they went several days without talking to him. But Roman had a TON of fun. He rode a horse for the first time. When he left for camp, he wasn't even worried about packing long pants for the horseback riding. When we picked him up, he said it was the thing he liked most.

Roman at Camp Weaver YMCA 

Roman spent a few other weeks at camp as well. Camp Weaver was followed by a week at South Mountain Baptist Camp. Although this wasn't Roman's first trip to SMBC, his 4th in fact, this was his first time with Mom in tow. I got to share a very special place with him. A place that I have loved for so many years. It's so fun to see how much Roman loves South Mountain and how his experience, although different, is very special to him.

Roman and Ryker in Chapel at SMBC

For his final week of camp, Roman got to spend the week at Camp Boddie Boy Scout Camp with his dad who is taking over as the new Scoutmaster for Troop 16. I'm not sure which one was more excited when they left, but they had a whole lot of fun. Roman enjoyed the first year Scout program and earned a few merit badges along the way. 

Tim and Roman at Camp Boddie

We did spend a few weeks at home before heading to Kerr Lake for the week which has become an annual tradition. Another first for Roman, he learned to ride his bike for the first time this summer and has been riding around the neighborhood. On a first full day at the lake, Roman was riding around the campground when he had his first bike wreck. He scraped both arms/hands, chin, and his left knee pretty good. It didn't keep him down for long. He still enjoyed his trip to the lake and was back riding his bike by the end of the week.

Tim bandaging Roman up after his wreck

As summer comes to a close, we can remember all the fun times we had. It was a really great summer with friends and family. Roman is looking forward to heading to middle school this fall. It seems so hard to believe he will be in 6th grade.

Roman jumping in the pool at the Zipko's

Smoothies...Pineapples...Porkchops...Oh MY!

I have learned a lot just in the 5 days I have been on this new Paleo diet. For one, I've learned that cucumbers and zucchini look ALOT alike. I'm such an idiot. If you look back at my post from Day One, you will see that I clearly used cucumbers instead of zucchini. What a dummy!

Anyway, if you can't laugh at yourself who can, right? Normally, this time of the year I make lots of milkshakes. I'm not sure what inspires me to do that, but I always start making milkshakes during school breaks and as summer breaks grinds to an end, it's just what I do. Well, milk is a Paleo no-no, so I have been on a smoothie kick. I honestly have never been good a smoothie making until I realized last night what I had been missing all along. HONEY!! It is the ultimate sweetener. So, now I just throw some frozen fruit in the blender with some fresh fruit maybe a little apple sauce and a tad of honey. YUMMY!

I have to confess...I've never cut a pineapple...until today. I admit it. I watched a guy on Youtube show me how to do it. It worked. I still don't like pineapple, but I threw some in my smoothie and I used them on our VERY VERY awesome porkchops. They were so yummy...I should have taken a picture. We sprinkled them with ginger and paprika and glazed them with minced garlic. Then, we put pineapple on top about halfway through and they were AWESOME! Definitely going to make those again. 

...and on a side note, the scales went down 2 more pounds. I know, water weight, but that's 7 pounds down in 5 days, and that makes for an excited Renata! And I've never eaten so much and stayed so full in my entire life!