New Years Resolutions

Lauren's Goals. . . In no particular order. :)



1. Show Gavin I LOVE him!
I want to make sure Gavin knows how much he means to me everyday and always make him feel appreciated and loved.

2. STOP drinking soda. Drink LOTS of aqua!
I have noticed, I dont feel as good, physically, after drinking soda. I love soda, but I want to feel better so I am trying to stop drinking caffiene and then stop drinking carbinated drinks completely.

3. Finish writing at least one script/novel. Or SEVERAL.
I love to write and I have so many stories rolling around in my head. The problem is just finding time to get it down and the modivation to stick it all the way through. Right now I probably have 8 ideas that are half written out, but not one is complete.

4. Write at least once a week.
This goes along with #3 and how I am to accomplish that.

5. Go to the temple with my hubby at LEAST once a month, if not more.
We used to be so good at going once a WEEK! Then we got busier and busier so if we could even go once a MONTH, it will be better than not going at all.

6. Cook more dinners and try new things.
I am not a great cook. There are maybe 7 meals I know how to make that I rotate through every time I make dinner. I want to learn how to make new and yummy dishes for dinner. Lately we eat out alot because we both work and cooking is the last thing we want to do when we get home. But I LOVED growing up and having my mom cook a nice meal for us (almost) everynight. I want to be able to do that for my family and be as good of a cook as her (someday).

7. Work out 2-3 times a week. ZUMBA!
Working all day at a desk makes you feel sloppy after some time. Although I LOVE my job, I dont have much physical activness during the day. So I hope to feel better by taking a Zumba class. (Someday I want to be Zumba certified so I can teach my own class someday.)

8. Say prayers with Gavin every night.
So far, we gave been AWESOME at this, even before we were married. Lets keep it up!

9. Read scriptures with Gavin and on my own.
This one we havent done a good job at doing. We both keep saying we are going to do better at this, but neither of us has really stepped up and taken action.

10. Do laundry at least once a week; more if needed.
I hate not having any clean clothes! I need to organize it so I dont have a huge heaping pile of laundry to do before I have a decent outfit.

11. Keep to a budget and shop smart.
I can be in impulse buyer...or I buy something when I am bored. I need to buckle down and save money for future wants and needs.

12. Stay organized.
I am kind of a clean freak. But only some of the time. If I had been cleaning alot and there is a mess, I go on strike and let it sit there until I cave or Gavin takes care of it. It is hard to stay clean and organized in such a little apartment.

13. Start filming SOMETHING!
As of right now I am involved in 2 different film projects and neither have really been close to getting done. I have helped all I can with one and am waiting on some things to be finished before we can continue and the other is still up in the air as far as scheduling goes. I would like to buy a canon t2i camera so I can start filming my own stuff and not have to wait for other people to do their end of the project.

14. Eat more healthy.
This goes along with #6 and #7

15. Find things to be thankful for everyday.
My life is so blessed and I need to be more thankful for all the wonderful things that happen to me each and every day.

16. Start putting money into savings.
Gavin will be trying to get into pharmacy school soon and we have lots of stuff we need to pay for thats coming up in the near future.

17. Take time just for me.
Sometimes I just need some ME time to unwind and rejuninate.

18. Find others to serve.
Enough said, pretty profound.

19. Trust more, fear less.
I need to learn how to trust my Heavenly Father and not fear so much. Whether its money, or time or anything else, I know that I just have to prepare the best I can and my HF will do the rest.

National Novel Writing Month

I (Lauren) have always enjoyed writing. My cousin and I have been working on a novel for how many years now, Kaity? Oh like 7? Seriously. It is something that means alot to the both of us and someday we will get it all down on paper and hopefully get it published. We just gotta get our rears into gear! :)
Anyway... I love to write. I love making up stories. Ironically, I have very vivid dreams and I keep telling myself to use those odd dreams and turn them into stories, like Stephenie Meyer! Hey, she dreamt it, she wrote it, she made LOTS of mulah because of it...
Ok I am not necessairly out for the money, that would just be an awesome bonus. I think I just really have a great imagination and would like the satisfaction of working on something and making it come alive in a book. I LOVE reading. Something about it is so relaxing and allows me to become another person and really have an adventure. I have always needed a bit of adventure. Kaity and I would play such fun make believe games when we were little, and that hasnt really stopped, its just been transfered onto paper (or Word Perfect)
I have made a goal...
November is National Novel Writing Month.
My sister, Lexi, showed me this website ( http://www.nanowrimo.org/ ) where authors all over the world are given a challenge to write a story in one month. The goal is to write a 175-page (50,000-word) novel by midnight on November 30.

I have decided to give it a go! I just gotta make a goal and go for it! I need all the support I can get to get this thing done.

The website says it is time to "Get excited. Get nervous. Try to rope someone else into doing this with you. Eat lots of chocolate and stockpile noveling rewards."

Is there an award you ask? Well the website says...

If you write 50,000 words of fiction by midnight, local time, November 30th, you can upload your novel for official verification, and be added to our hallowed Winner’s Page and receive a handsome winner’s certificate and web badge...

I am not really sure what that means... but whatev...(Lexi said if you finish, they will print a manuscript for you. Good enough for me.}

Anyways... I am getting excited and I'll admit, kinda nervous... I have no idea what to write about... any ideas?!