a long overdue update

Hi readers! I say 'readers', because my blog has officially had over 825 reads! I know in the world of blogging, that isn't that many, but I'm still excited about it! I was thinking the other day how it would be interesting to find out who is reading my blog (since I only have a few followers)... Maybe someday I'll figure that one out :) Keep in mind, people, the comment link does work!

So a while back I wrote a post including a short list of things I wanted to accomplish sometime in the near(er) future. Well looking back, I think I forgot to add a thing or two. Not wanting to go back and amend the list, here's what I've got in the way of accomplishments so far:

First, I would like to say that I am on my way to achieving success on #2, making certain food items that people request and honestly enjoy. Neither of them are outstanding works of culinary genius, but they are things I can whip up and know that people will love. Anyone for spinach dip or chocolate chip cookie brownies? Not together, of course!

Second, I have partially fulfilled #5, being able to go for a run and enjoy it. Since signing up for the half marathon, I've been so much more active than I was in the past, and I actually want to go to the gym now! (On a side note: I recently changed my registration from the half marathon to the 5k run instead. I thought setting smaller goals for myself and working up to the beast was a better plan for me.) I wish I would go more, but it's a start! The reason why I said 'partially fulfilled' is because I've also learned that while I can run now, I really don't enjoy it! Way to go, friends who love to run, but unfortunately, I am not one of them :)

One of my other ambitions (that was more like a 'want to learn this lifetime' sort of thing) was to learn how to drive a stick shift car/truck/whatever. Notice I said was?! With our recent boat purchase, we needed to buy a vehicle to tow with, and that meant selling one of our cars ASAP (we decided it was a better option to sell mine). The only problem with the plan was that we had found the perfect truck and needed to purchase it within a week, so that meant I had to learn to drive a stick in literally 5 days! Thank goodness I was blessed with a patient husband who spent hours driving around the city with me and even helped me tackle my biggest fear - the parking garage at work. I successfully drove around town the first day, and only 2 weeks later, even he says that he's proud of how I'm doing. Now that counts for a lot! Check that one off the list!

Oh, and since January, I've also given up alcohol, Dr. Pepper (and all soft drinks), cheese, and ranch dressing. That mini list sounds really dumb, but it's a lot! Come on! - I live in Oklahoma, land of ranch dressing and Dr. Pepper :). Plus, I've been drinking either Coke or Dr. Pepper for pretty much my whole life. Now I just need to cut out french fries, fried food, sugar, and everything else that's bad for you! Small steps, right?

Not too much else has been going on lately, other than working on growing our business and trying to train Mac to do the things a grown-up dog should do... That's a whole other set of goals right there! We bought our truck a couple of weeks ago, and we will be the proud new owners of a boat at the beginning of May, just in time for our 2 year wedding anniversary! Now that it's spring, we are faced with yard work and final landscape projects, and we are hoping to get them well on their way or finished by the time lake weekends roll around! I've been working on getting some of my smaller projects done around the house as well, but I still have that dresser and both chandeliers to refinish. I'll start taking pictures again and posting some of my latest stuff (because if anyone is like me, blogs without pictures are 'boring' :)). I'll just say that since my last project completion, I now want to paint EVERYTHING black.

I hope you all have a great weekend and enjoy seeing the world come to life again outside!