January
*We made a commitment to lose weight together. We achieved much, but still have a lot to go! 2014 will be getting back into the grind of working out and eating right.
*And don't forget Billy and his fathers' birthday!
Feburary
*Anndee got baptised. Billy's family came down as well as Anndee's sister and brother-in-law. It was a great time to share with family
*Anndee starts running. I hated the sound of running when I first started...I haven't run since October and I can feel it. Here's to back-tracking what I already did!
March
*Anndee starts running on Monday's with a group of runners. This was a fun run for "all running types" however, my friend and I were deceived when they all ran 5 miles and we didn't even make it a half mile...
April
*Anndee's Birthday
May
*Anndee starts a 5k training program and signs up to run her first 5k. I started getting into this whole running thing and challenged myself by being in the advanced group the whole time, because I knew if I didn't, then I wouldn't try my hardest...it turned out to be a great idea
June
*Anndee run/walks first 5k. It was the Color Blaze in Springfield...I'm sure the Color Run would be much better as this Color Blaze is the bootleg version
*Billy decides he's going to start working on getting into the school system by applying for assistant jobs in local school districts. I'm so very proud that he made this decision.
July
*Anndee applies for teaching jobs and other art jobs in the area, and interviews for a full time position for current job. There were 3 art teaching jobs that opened up in the area and one in a K-12 school about 10 mins away. It would have been the ideal job for me, however I didn't get any interviews. There was another job that opened up at Illinois Wesleyan, to be the office coordinator for the Art Department. I thought that would have been the best job in the world! I had an initial interview with HR and they LOVED me...I never had a second interview and was given a letter a month later...after college was back in session, that I didn't get the job...thanks but I think already knew...
August
*Billy quits State Farm/Temp and becomes a Special Ed assistant for Kingsley Jr. High. Most people that we tell this to are baffled that he would give up a job at State Farm and the chance to be hired on, to go work as a special ed assistant for Junior High kids. But here's the thing, when you have passion to do something and when you know it's your calling, you need to follow it. Eventually it'll lead to great things, even though the timing may suck, or you're not getting paid as much as you would have but these are all things we considered when he decided to this. It's not like it wasn't thought through.
*Anndee gets hired on full time with State Farm. I was really excited when this day hit and then when I realized what it actually was...I'm glad I did and they saw that I had potential and great work ethic, but I can't wait to get to where I really want to be with State Farm and that is either Creative Services or Learning and Development.
*Anndee goes to California with family to a very special friend's wedding. This was one of the BEST vacations. I had so much fun seeing Hollywood and LA and spending time with my dear sister Morgan and her wonderful son and spending much needed time with our dear friend who got married! It was the most beautiful wedding I had ever been through, and this may be sappy of me, but it was the only wedding to where I had tears running down my cheek. Seeing Tierney walk down the aisle so confidently, and how beautiful she looked and to think back to what her life has been and to share this moment with her was priceless. I can't be more happy for her!
*Anndee RUNS her first 5k. Yes folks that's right! With a time of 40 minutes 30 seconds, Anndee ran an entire 5k without stopping. This was the graduation race for the 5k training program.
September
*Anndee joins the fall 5k training group...but doesn't commit to follow through with this program. This was when I was under 200 pounds and have maintained that weight the rest of the year.....the lowest weight being 193. but hey, I haven't gone over 200 so I'm very proud for fluctuating 5-6 pounds for 4 months!
October
*Anndee's car starts breaking down slowly. I started to feel glum and it didn't really end until December. I wasn't feeling appreciated at work, finances were constantly on my mind trying to figure out how we could afford a car and the dreams of getting house someday, in my mind, were going out the window...I stopped working out, lost motivation and basically got my life sucked out of me.
November
*Anndee's mom died 5 years ago this month. It's getting a little easier now that some of the firsts are out of the way...however, not all of them. I don't how many times I've had an art question and I'll be like, "I need to call mom," and as I pick up my phone, I realize that I can't. That's when I remember that I have a husband who is an art major. How ironic right? It's hard when people talk about their mom's or hearing them arguing with them....what I would give to have those moments again.
*Anndee's car officially dies. We don't really know exactly what is wrong with it, but know that it's something to do with the transmission/system tracking and electrical system......yay! So we went on the hunt for a car and found one, thankfully, but it wasn't a fun time. We ended up getting a 2012 Nissan Versa, I call it the Mario Kart car because it's small and I feel like with every turn I take I need to be throwing shells or banana peels behind me...and ooooo the mystery boxes would be fun too.
*Anndee and Billy spent Thanksgiving with a WONDERFUL family from our church that we have all adopted each other as family. So grateful for them and their hospitality always! Someday Billy will win in Blokus and hopefully we'll someday soon play Ticket to Ride
December
*Anndee goes to Costa Rica with a friend from work. We went ziplining, (which broke my fear of heights) took an ATV tour around the Volcano, went horseback riding around the Volcano and then went to a Wildlife Refuge to see the wildlife that we had hoped to see on the tours, but didn't. Even though we lost a day due to weather, it was still a fun trip. Some day I hope to go back and see the things that I didn't get to see, but until then I'll have to dream!
*We spent Christmas with both Billy and Anndee's families. Christmas day was spent with Billy's family in Gary. Lots of food, fun, laughter and playing with Makayla (fatface) is always enjoyable. We then spent the weekend after Christmas with Anndee's family in Eldridge, IA at her sister's house with LOTS of children and tons of fun!
*We spent New Years Eve with close friends going out to dinner. Anndee did the unthinkable, and tried a piece of swordfish. Now if you didn't know, I have a terrifying fear of fish. I don't eat them, I don't look at them, I don't touch them, dead or alive, real or in picture books, I'm terrified. I tried it and did not like it at all....all I could taste was fish...yuck....however the others at the table loved it! Kudos...no fish for me thank you!
So what will 2014 bring for the Simmons household? I don't know. But with all our traveling over the Christmas season, we've discussed a lot of how we are going to do things differently this year. To be honest I'm really excited to see the year unfolds and how we both grow, challenge and lean on each other. In a previous post, I said that I wanted to live a simpler life style and try to be content and happy no matter what. I'm going to work on losing more weight and go back to the healthier life that I did have before. Here's to 2014!
November
*Anndee's mom died 5 years ago this month. It's getting a little easier now that some of the firsts are out of the way...however, not all of them. I don't how many times I've had an art question and I'll be like, "I need to call mom," and as I pick up my phone, I realize that I can't. That's when I remember that I have a husband who is an art major. How ironic right? It's hard when people talk about their mom's or hearing them arguing with them....what I would give to have those moments again.
*Anndee's car officially dies. We don't really know exactly what is wrong with it, but know that it's something to do with the transmission/system tracking and electrical system......yay! So we went on the hunt for a car and found one, thankfully, but it wasn't a fun time. We ended up getting a 2012 Nissan Versa, I call it the Mario Kart car because it's small and I feel like with every turn I take I need to be throwing shells or banana peels behind me...and ooooo the mystery boxes would be fun too.
*Anndee and Billy spent Thanksgiving with a WONDERFUL family from our church that we have all adopted each other as family. So grateful for them and their hospitality always! Someday Billy will win in Blokus and hopefully we'll someday soon play Ticket to Ride
December
*Anndee goes to Costa Rica with a friend from work. We went ziplining, (which broke my fear of heights) took an ATV tour around the Volcano, went horseback riding around the Volcano and then went to a Wildlife Refuge to see the wildlife that we had hoped to see on the tours, but didn't. Even though we lost a day due to weather, it was still a fun trip. Some day I hope to go back and see the things that I didn't get to see, but until then I'll have to dream!
*We spent Christmas with both Billy and Anndee's families. Christmas day was spent with Billy's family in Gary. Lots of food, fun, laughter and playing with Makayla (fatface) is always enjoyable. We then spent the weekend after Christmas with Anndee's family in Eldridge, IA at her sister's house with LOTS of children and tons of fun!
*We spent New Years Eve with close friends going out to dinner. Anndee did the unthinkable, and tried a piece of swordfish. Now if you didn't know, I have a terrifying fear of fish. I don't eat them, I don't look at them, I don't touch them, dead or alive, real or in picture books, I'm terrified. I tried it and did not like it at all....all I could taste was fish...yuck....however the others at the table loved it! Kudos...no fish for me thank you!
So what will 2014 bring for the Simmons household? I don't know. But with all our traveling over the Christmas season, we've discussed a lot of how we are going to do things differently this year. To be honest I'm really excited to see the year unfolds and how we both grow, challenge and lean on each other. In a previous post, I said that I wanted to live a simpler life style and try to be content and happy no matter what. I'm going to work on losing more weight and go back to the healthier life that I did have before. Here's to 2014!
