Weekly Goal: Drink More Water

My water consumption has been...  well... lacking... in recent weeks.  I've allowed myself to slide back into some bad habits.  But in my defense - Dr Pepper is just soooo good.  What?  Not a valid excuse?  OK, I know that.

But that's all about to change. This is one of those areas where I'm going to be #better this year - thanks to this little beauty:

I first saw these online when they were featured in a post at Robin Charmagne's That's So Pretty  blog.  But it was one of those "that's pretty neat, but do I really need it" kind of things.  After that it slipped my mind until Christmas came around and I was having a hard time coming up with a wish list.  It was nestled under the tree Christmas morning.  (Oh, and just in case anyone worries that I only got a straw cup for Christmas - don't you fret... it was right there beside a new purse with matching accessories and some smell-good items, along with a few other goodies)

Here's how it works:  the bottle holds 20 oz of fluids.  Every time you finish a bottle, you move one of the colorful bands up.

All day long you know exactly how much water you have consumed.  Or not consumed, as the case may be.

Pretty.  Clever.  I'm loving it!  (Thanks sweetie!) So much, that I'm not even gonna tell you how much it bothered me that the band's were not in rainbow order when it arrived.

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Like A Dog

One morning recently I mentioned that I wish I could be as excited as the dog is each and every morning  to take a drive down to the bus stop.  Whether it's nice outside, cold or rainy - the minute the alert sounds on my phone to head for the bus he is pacing around, wide eyed and ready to go.

As I vocalized this thought, The Man of the house made a comment that maybe we need to be more like the dog. And as I thought about it, I realized he may be right!

Whenever a member of the family comes home, Oscar is always happy to see us.  Whether we've been gone 5 minutes, 5 hours, or 5 days.  He is usually right there to greet us as we come in.  He lets us know he missed us and is happy to have us back home.

It's not just family either.  When anyone - friend or stranger - arrives, the dog vocalized his greeting, welcomes them as they come inside, and gives them a good sniffing over.  Which I'm pretty sure is the dog equivalent of a big hug. Although I don't think any of us should ever be so excited to see anyone that we pile on the floor.  (And that includes you too, Oscar!)

The simplest things make the dog happy.  Every day he dives into his bowl of food with great pleasure.  Never once pausing to grumble that it's the same thing he ate the day before.  And the day before that.  Going for a ride in the car or a walk around the neighborhood  are pure bliss for him.  He never complains that he's bored.  Ever.

So... maybe it is time to start behaving more like a dog. Enjoy the little things.  Don't complain.  Be happy to see people - and show it. 

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Better in 2016

Resolutions and I had a love/hate relationship for years.  I loved making them with every new year.  By March I hated myself when it became clear that I was not going to achieve most (or all) of them. It never ended well. This is why for the past few years I have selected one word as a focus for the year rather than making resolutions.

The word always seems to present itself to me in some way as the current year draws to a close.  I never have to go looking too hard for it.  Usually an idea comes from somewhere and then keeps recurring in different ways.  Like directional signs on life's highway, telling me that this is indeed the way I am supposed to go.  Gentle hints from God that this should be my focus for the coming year.

For 2016 the word that has been given to me is Better:

Better relationships.

Better health.

Better work habits.

Better organization and planning.

Better communication with the Lord.

A Better year.

A Better life.

A Better me.

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