No, this is not the once-a-year update

This is more for journaling purposes.  We had a fantastic day of family time last Sunday.  After church, Lily's nap, a short nap of our own, home teaching, and playing in puddles, we packed Lily and the stroller in the car and headed for the temple.  We walked around and had some important conversation as husband and wife.  Darin is training for the St. George marathon in October and has been very dedicated to a training schedule.  I am so proud of him and so motivated by him.  As a couple, we have done very well in eating good and wholesome foods, getting enough sleep, and working out regularly.  We talked about how it makes a world of difference in how you feel physically, but we have also noticed how many different aspects of daily living it truly affects.  I feel more awake and feel an incredible increase in energy.  I just started the third trimester of pregnancy #2, but that is still saying quite a bit compared to my first pregnancy.  Besides energy, I am more positive and more productive.  I feel I can accomplish more and I can tackle new things I have never done before. I feel happier.  Just to set a few things straight, we were not couch potatoes before, but we have dedicated ourselves to being healthy in what we consume and how we take care of our bodies ALL the time instead of sporadically, or when we weren't feeling like a batch of chocolate chip cookies needed to be consumed for the heck of it. (Let it also be known that cookies will still be consumed in this household, but sparingly and definitely as a rare treat that we share with friends and not just with our cookie-loving selves).

The first trimester  of this pregnancy was a rough one.  On top of the normal complaints of early pregnancy, I was working a ridiculous schedule at the MTC, waking up at 3:30 AM to vacuum and dust offices.  The work was easy-peasy, but the schedule nearly killed me.  Working out was toward the end of a list starting with "feed Lily",  "get more than 5 hours of sleep" and "make sure the house doesn't smell of anything rotting".  So, for me, dedication to regularity in living a healthy life was a must.  Darin, too, had his reasons for changing how he lived.  He agrees with me that this change has had a similar effect on him as well.

As we walked around the temple and discussed how much better we felt, we also saw the need for some changes in how we run our home spiritually.  We felt like we needed to come up with a "training schedule" of sorts for our family scripture study, family prayer, and family home evening.  We're doing ok in these things (some better than others), but feel we need to amp it up. So we decided on some minor changes that we know will help us feel better in every aspect of our lives, just as exercise has.

  I know personally that when I am doing better in my scripture study and prayers, I have more energy, I am more positive, I can accomplish more, and I am more organized.  I am also a better mother and wife.  I am a better person and I can more easily look outside of myself to help those around me.  So personally, I am coming up with a training schedule as well.  It is still in the works and will probably not be anything fancy. I'd like to have "cross training" days for example, when I study using additional resources to the scriptures, or I'd like to come up with some form of "recovery drink", and "stretching exercises".  I think it will mix things up and make me more involved.  I'm excited for it.

 I have noticed that once healthy living is no longer work, but becomes more of a habit, it is not hard at all.  It becomes the new way of life and soon ceases to be new and just is.  That is what I want for myself (and my family) anyway.  No trendy diets, or crazy workouts, or fancy over-involved FHE's, just moderation, dedication, and consistency.  Here's to living better in every aspect!