Sunday, January 6, 2013

Living with Intention

Gosh, it has been a long time since I've written anything!  So much has happened in the past few weeks... My oldest daughter turned 4 just before Christmas and she continues to amaze me with her ability to wear pink from head to toe.  Although, technically, she is wearing purple on her toes, not pink.  I finally relented and painted her toe nails for the first time ever last week -- a sparkly purple color -- and I caught her licking her toes later that same day as she thought they might taste as good as they looked.

it appears my younger daughter is following in her sister's (pink) footsteps...

a very excited (one-eyed) birthday girl

The day after my daughter's birthday, we began the Christmas celebration with a house full of friends and family.  We hosted everyone at our house for three nights in a row and I was more exhausted at the end of it than I have ever been at any point during marathon training.  My in-laws were staying with us and my poor mother-in-law ended up doing a huge amount of the cooking and cleaning for me.  She worked until she was (literally) sick and boarded the plane home with a fever.  I only hope she will not be scared from any future visits!  I love you, mom, and couldn't have done it without you!!

my mother-in-law...a.k.a. the woman who saved Christmas for me


most of the rest of us

Christmas was followed by a week of vacation in a snowy winter wonderland with all the peeps pictured above.  Had so much fun skiing, sledding, running on snowy trails, playing poker, soaking in the hot tub and just being together.

and, yes, apparently you have to hold your arms up when happy

On the second to last night of vacation, 2012 quietly slipped into the history books as a new year began.  (It was especially quiet for me.  I climbed into bed with my girls at 10pm in order to get them to go to sleep...of course, it was me who fell asleep first and woke up to a new day and new year!)

The upside to going to bed early (and sober) on NYE is that you get to start the year off feeling rested, refreshed and ready for all the day (and year) has to offer.  I celebrated with a snowy 10 mile run in 10 degree weather.  It was cold out but the sun was blindingly beautiful and caused snowflakes to sparkle and dance with each passing breeze.

Although I've never been big on resolutions, I do always feel a new year brings with it all kinds of possibilities.  My head was full of those possibilities as I was silently crunching through the snow that morning.  I returned from my run full of hope, full of happiness and full of love.  Love for my friends, my family, my life and even myself.

Without a doubt, there are a lot of areas of my life where I could do better...from being a better parent and wife to being more generous with my time and resources to being more compassionate and forgiving.  The list is long, for sure.  But instead of making an actual list of resolutions, I like to take the positive energy that I get from life (and, often, from running) and focus on living each day to the best of my ability.

Living with intention.


Maybe that's the easy way out.  If I don't make a list, I can't fail to achieve anything, right?

But I like the challenge of waking up every day and trying to be the best that I can be that day.  Many days I will mess up.  I will yell at my kids or hold a grudge or disappoint a friend or tell a lie or quit in the middle of a difficult run.  I'm sure there will never be a perfect day.  The beautiful thing, however, is that tomorrow is always a new day and tomorrow I can begin again in my quest to become the best version of myself.  And best of all, when you live the best version of yourself, you inspire others to do the same.

Do you make resolutions?  

- Kristen

16 comments:

  1. What a wonderful way to celebrate the holidays and to welcome in the new year! Being a morning person myself, I don't bother with trying to force myself to stay awake for every last minute of the year. I prefer to be awake for the early hours of the last day of the year (a time that the New Year's Eve celebrators often miss, but it's the best time of day, in my opinion).
    I am finding myself "living with intention" for reasons unplanned, but I wish I had always lived this way. I'm happier than I could have ever imagined as I focus on accepting life and people just as they are. No grudges, jealousy, anger or work stress. Of course, I don't succeed every day at this, but the more I focus on accepting myself and others as they are, and living each day celebrating whatever the day brings, I'm happy.
    Thanks for sharing your wonderful perspective. Casey and I laughed at the description of your 4 year old licking her toes!

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    1. Jamie, truth be told, I am just not one who loves New Year's Eve. I always feel like the holiday puts so much pressure on us to have some big plans and do something exciting. Such expectations usually lead to disappointment, at least for me. Of course, that could just all be an excuse for the fact that I never have any plans on NYE! I am happy to stay home with family and we usually celebrate at 9pm when the ball drops in NY. Ha!

      Thinking of you and Casey and all you are facing in your life is something that inspires me to live my life with intention. You both enjoy every minute of every day together and it shows in your smile and laughter. We all could learn a lot from you two. I also think getting older helps us all gain perspective, too.

      Love to you both and looking forward to seeing you soon! xo

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  2. Love how you said it, Kristen! I was just thinking how weird it is that there are so many different kinds of exhaustions! Your daughter's toes... Love! and I'm a little jealous of all the pink, to be honest. And, thank GOD for good mother-in-laws!!!!

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    1. While you may be jealous of all the pink, I'm jealous of all the penises in your house. Wait, that came out all wrong! Ha! Just meant that I love having a son and would have been perfectly happy with a house full of boys. I'm scared to have two teenage girls in my house one day!

      Yes, LOVE my mother-in-law. So blessed to have all my in-laws in my life. :)

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  3. What a great post! You have such a sweet and loving family. My daughter is also 4 and wears pink head to toe daily! I can do an entire load of just pink laundry! And it absolutely cracked me up when you said she was licking her toes!! I don't think not making a list is an easy way out... you choose to be the best you everyday, how many people can honestly say that about themselves? And you're honest with yourself about the mistakes you make. again, how many people really stop and acknowledge that and then try to do better next time? I'm inspired and motivated to do the same :) I like to make a list of goals, mostly having to do with running & fitness, but also family oriented ones. Bringing back daily family sit down dinners is big on the list! So glad you're back! Your blog always makes me smile :)

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    1. Isn't the pink thing so funny?? I am not at all a pink person or a very "girly-girl" and assumed my daughters would be tomboys. I couldn't have been more wrong!

      A list of running goals would certainly be a good thing to have. I love that you have some big goals out there for 2013 and I am sure you will achieve them. I might have to come cheer for you in Eugene!

      Your blog makes me smile, too. :)

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  4. Your little doll is adorable! How funny about licking her toes!!

    My son has a December 22 birthday, so every year we have a fun Bday for him, and then get last minute christmas shopping done on the same day. This year it was mini-golf.

    I bet that was a beautiful 10 miles!

    Your family is precious :)

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    1. Oh, Raina, then you know exactly how it is having a birthday SO close to Christmas! My daughter's birthday is the 23rd so it turns into a 3 day celebration from the 23rd-25th, which is great but also exhausting! Mini-golf sounds like a fun bday party.

      It was a gorgeous run but I have to say I am always jealous of the pics you post from your runs, too! Wish I lived a little further south and then I could join you for a run. :)

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  5. omgsh, the girls are adorable. Absolutely gorgeous! Beautiful family :)
    I'm going to steal that Live With Intention picture and put it on my phone. what great positivity!

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    1. Aww, thanks for the sweet comments! I like the idea of saving that picture to your phone. You can steal the picture from me and I'll steal the idea from you. :) Will be a nice reminder to live with intention every day.

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  6. Just discovered your blog--happy to read inspiration from a fellow running mama. Love the idea of setting intentions for the New Year.

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    1. Thanks for reading -- now I'll have to go check out your blog as I always love to read from fellow running mamas, too! :)

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  7. You are such a beautiful writer, and you have such a beautiful family!

    "The upside to going to bed early (and sober) on NYE is that you get to start the year off feeling rested, refreshed and ready for all the day (and year) has to offer." <- I couldn't agree more!

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    1. Thanks, Kate!! Some year I'd love to organize a run on New Year's Day for those of us who go to bed early the night before and want to start the year off by celebrating with a run. Might have to be a virtual run since we live far away! :(

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  8. Love this post - and like you I went to bed sober and early on NYE and my doesn't it give you a fresh perspective on New Year's day? I really feel for your mil - that's what my mother and mil tend to be like at Christmas,like I said - it's HARD work, no? But you all look like you had a great time.

    I love the intentions too - and would just tell you not to be so hard on yourself. Sometime you can quit a run halfway through and just hug yourself and tell yourself that it's okay - it's not a bad thing. And oh we all get grouchier and tougher with our kids than we need to be - sometimes I just hug them and say sorry... and we move on.

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    1. YES, it is such HARD work!! And you are right that it is okay to quit a run halfway through sometimes...I just always feel badly about it at the time. I need to remind myself that sometimes our bodies know what they are doing when they convince us to stop!

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