Do and Don't Like

This year, I am trying to make it a point to be honest with myself about things that I do and do not enjoy. There are some things that I really really wish I enjoyed that I just don't, and some things that I wish to the heavens that I didn't like that I simply do.

Example 1: I really, really want to like spaghetti squash. It is low carb. It is a vegetable. It pulls itself into noodle-like strands when cooked. It is clearly the PERFECT noodle substitute. But I just do. not. like. it. It is watery, finicky to cook and ends up either soggy or crunchy. I wish I like it, but I don't.

Example 2: Fake cheese powder. Do I even have to say in words that the stuff is bad for you? This strange violently orange substance that was never once seen in nature that coats cheese curls and Doritos doesn't even really taste like cheese. My food snob self wants so desperately to deny the feelings that I have for this probable poison. But I love the stuff. I mean, yum. Now admiting I like it doesn't mean I'm going to eat it, but how I wish I could justify buying a bag of Cheetos and set a world record for fastest time to snarf down a bag.

Some things are a little bit harder to admit to myself. Like;

Example 3: Gardening is wholesome, economical, environmentally friendly, outdoorsy, charming, and... well... dull. Once upon a time, I envisioned having a huge garden, growing mostly my own food, and spending countless magical hours cultivating growing things while my children eagerly assist or play quietly in the background. Here is the thing, I don't not like gardening. I kinda like having a (small) garden with some of the basic stuff that we eat a lot of... zucchini, tomatoes, cucumbers, sugar snap peas... you get the idea. But this year I am not going to pretend that I am a true hard core gardener. I am not planning on starting my own plants from seeds, I am not going to bother growing tricky things that frustrate the heck out of me (I'm looking at you spinach), and I am actually going to enjoy planting flowers this year. Just because I like them. So there.

Example 4: Envision this; the kids are finally asleep after a grueling day of potty training, errands, and tantrums. You finally get the kids in bed. You look around the house. It needs cleaned. You look at the half finished painting you need to finish. You look at the rolled up yoga mat in the corner, just waiting to be used. This is your time. You can finally do something you want to do... so you sit down on the couch with your laptop, type in netflix and binge-watch Once Upon A Time for 3 and a half hours. Guys, I wish with all my heart I didn't like watching mindless tv so much. I wish I didn't use it as a pacifier for myself in the evening, when I finally have the chance to get things done. But I do. And I like it. So much so that I had my husband change the password to netflix and told him not to tell me. I just signed out and I can't get back on. I may regret this tonight, but with any luck at all, I can be more productive and do things that are more meaningful than watch hours of NCIS.

Sigh. The kiddos are down for the count at the moment... I love nap time. But they are bound to wake up soon. Probably I should go clean up the breakfast dishes now. Though I probably won't.

Checking in for my monthly report!

Waiting, Watercolor on paper, 2016

Hm... so umm... yes. Its been a little while. Sorry about that, but life happens you guys. Life just happens.

So some of you hypothetical people might be wondering how my new years resolutions are coming along. (For my years resolutions, go here for what's up) In January, I wanted to concentrate on making devotions a daily part of my life. I give myself a solid... C. Maybe C-. Guys, I just did not do as well as I had hoped. Devotions certainly have not become a habit. The combination of uncertain sleep habits with my kiddos and a slightly different sleep schedule than my husband (we try to do devotions together) didn't make the time or practice regular enough to become a habit. BUT I press on. I am certainly going to continue trying to implement devotions into my life this year. Still... one could wish my foray into this years resolutions had started off with some more success.

"But now we are in February," you say, "Isn't it time for something new?" Well yes, yes it is. This month had been designated my yoga month. But umm... remember how I said in the beginning of this post "life happens?" Well, it has indeed been happening and in a more expensive way than we might have hoped for. With registering our adoption the state and the accompanying paperwork and fees, an almost $1700 car repair, a new desk, and a new gym membership, we are hemorrhaging money at an alarming rate. So am I still doing yoga this month? Well yes I am, that is what the gym membership was for, after all, but I will be the first to admit that my mind hasn't exactly been on getting to the gym regularly or on mastering various asenas. We have been number crunching over here, and we are making the rest of this month and all of next month into the "Buy nothing month(s)". This will shift things around a little bit, and it doesn't mean that we wont do another buy nothing month in November. So yeah, that's what has been going on.

What else shall I say? Well, while my resolutions are based on creating habits this year, I have several non-habit goals that I hope to accomplish. One of them was to complete a series of free pieces of art I promised to people last year. It is going to be the last time that I will be offering so much free artwork. The goal of it was to get my butt in gear and to get some new artwork for my portfolio, but so much happened last year that I didn't get it all done. Now I am playing catch-up. But I thought you might like a sampling of some of the work I have done so far this year! There are a few more, but I am posting my favorites so far (The first one is at the top, obviously.)

 

Graybill, Watercolor and Ink on paper, 2016

Hobbiton, Watercolor on paper, 2016

In case you hadn't guessed, while I have been enjoying blogging an awful lot, given the choice between blogging and painting, I will almost always choose to paint. So I may not be a particularly consistent blogger while I have these projects going on, but I still plan on keeping at it and updating when I can. :) Also, I'll be posting some more of my artwork and projects, because I guess I need something to post about. 

That is all. Now if you will excuse me, I am going to go get ready for yoga.