Good Bye 2014- Welcome 2015

I am not much one for resolutions at the beginning of each year- Mainly because they are normally destined to fail.  I am however a planner and I love to plan and scheme and attempt to figure things out.  I LOVE goals (although I am not always that good at actually completing them) and today I am going to make some in front of the entire blogesphere (that creates commitment and accountability). So as I hello to 2015 here are some goals I want to accomplish (I am intentionally not numbering them because it isn't about rank- it's about completion).

• Take a daily vitamin-  I know this should be an easy goal but I do good for a few weeks and than fall off the wagon. It should be an easy win but I will admit is is not the first time it has made my list.  BTW this goal is to just take a daily vitamin and not to add more than one.  I think that is where the failure has occurred in the past.

• Run/Walk 12 5K's with my Dad.  This is also a roll over goal from last year.  I think the final count we did together was only about 6 so we need to do a better job this year to hit our goal.  I think we did learn last year that we just need to hit 12- not necessary one each month because that makes it harder for scheduling conflicts.  We also made the rule that we didn't have to do them together but it was still preferred.
• A sub-goal of this one is to blog each one we complete as well so we have a record of it.  This is important because let's be honest I am struggling to remember which ones we did last year.  

• On that subject my blogging goal for this year is to make sure I blog at least one time per week- meaning that the end of the year I will had at least an additional 52 blogs.  It doesn't have to be mild blowing stuff (I may not even be capable of that) but it keeps me in good practice for writing and I enjoy the outlet.  One last thing-  this is probably the closest I am going to ever get to scrap booking for Marcus so it is important to remember these things.

• Do something for others/ volunteer.  I realize that I have become a bit of a bump on a log when it comes to serving others.  I value this and I need to show that I do by becoming involved in something.  Not sure what or when but this is a goal that I would like to make this year.

• Continue to work on turning off-  After my previous job and the schedule it entailed this has been a difficult transition.  I know I am a better mom and wife when I can successfully focus and decompress.  I just need to keep pushing this one forward.
• This also means physically exerting myself more often.  Whether it is yoga or running this does help me focus.

Well that is five (plus a couple of sub-goals)-  Now I just need to make them happy.  I think that this is a good set and very well rounded.  What are you goals for 2015? 

Marcus and his favorite foods...

           

Marcus and Food

 So we went to the Shamrock tonight-  this is a awesome family restaurant in St. Paul and on Sundays- Kids eat free.    So it make me think about the funny things that Marcus loves....

1.  Bagels-  This is currently his FAVORITE food.  When he wakes up in the morning it is the first thing he normally asks for.... "bagels with cream cheese".  Marcus has also been known to say "Mom go Target and buy bagels"...... He says this even when we have a lot of them at home.  He just never wants to run out!

2. Coleslaw-  I know this is seriously weird.  Last winter we went to the 5-8 club in south Minneapolis and Marcus was introduced to coleslaw for the first time-  It blew him away and he ate it all.  We have since bought him different brands but he always seems to love it.  One fun memory is a having a picnic on the side of the road at the Ding Darling Refuge in Florida where Marcus chowed down on his Coleslaw!

3.  Tofu-  Another odd one I know.  Our favorite Chinese restaurant Shuang Cheng is in Dinkytown.  We have been going there forever and I always get one of the many tofu dishes that they serve-  My favorites are either the Sesame Tofu or the Tofu with Garlic Sauce.    Whenever we bring food home we always see if we can get Marcus to try the food.  Sometimes Marcus is willing try it but not always - every time I get tofu Marcus eats it.  He has now taken to eating to more than his share of MY tofu.  So the new game plan is that I now order enough to share.

 

One funny side note on this is that Marcus also LOVES the chopsticks.  He actually keeps trying to use them (probably because Luke and I normally eat our Chinese food with chopsticks) and it is down right funny.  He has two different techniques first he tries to pick it up like we do- this requires two hands because uses the other hand to actually bring the food to his mouth.  His second technique is the stab- where he impales the piece of tofu with his chopstick-  sometimes he uses the right end and sometimes not.... it usually creates a giant mess but it is amusing to watch.  This week-end we had lunch and Marcus took home a pair of chopsticks.... Check out this picture of him napping while still holding on to his chopsticks.....

                                                    

4.  Sweet Potato Fries- I ordered sweet potato fries tonight because they are so good at Shamrock and much to my surprise Marcus ate over half of them (Luke was there to see this too)... Looks like another food to add to the list of things I need to order more of to share with him.

5. Noodles and Company Pesto Cavatappi-  I think that most toddlers prefer the Mac and Cheese but Marcus loves the Pesto Cavatappi- although to be honest he is happy if I leave out the mushroom and the tomatoes (he won't eat either).  He has loved this since he was pretty young.  He never even has a real interest in eating whatever Luke and I get- just focuses on his favorite pasta dish.

6. Fruit-  Marcus Loves Fruit and always has since he was really little.  We have not found very many things that he will not eat but his current favorite is pineapples, blueberries, apples, strawberries, craisens (they count right?), mandarin oranges and raspberries.  For awhile there he would eat a banana for breakfast every morning but not he seems to be off of that, which is unfortunate because it made the mornings a bit easier.  He strangely doesn't seem to like pears even though he thinks they are actually apples.




7.  Other Normal Toddler things- He likes a lot of things that most toddlers are happy to eat like Cheese, Macaroni and Cheese, bread with honey (honey toast), Panda Puffs (a peanut butter cereal), chips (although he doesn't get them very often), fruit snacks (or as he calls them "car treats"), and cookies (he calls them "hookies" and gets them pretty rarely).

Sometimes I worry when I can't get him to eat with us or anything not listed on this page that I am doing something wrong but I have been assured by others that I am not alone in this plight and that he will eat if he truly is hungry!

I know this may seem like a silly blog topic but this is the small, little things that I find so irresistible about Marcus and that I am so worried I will forgot.  I hope in 50 years I still look at chopsticks and smile because it reminds me of Marcus and how darn awesome he is!