a new year: a guide to making your resolutions

Year after year people make New Year's resolutions,

and year after year people CAN'T keep them.

Well, ya know what?

I have some great tips to help you BREAK that cycle!! :)

1. Don't Bite Off More Than You Can Chew!

A lot of us make resolutions like this:

Don't drink ANY caffeine!

Work out AT LEAST 20 minutes a day!

Here's the problem with that...

The chances of you doing it ...basically non-existent.

Try:

Drink less caffeine.

Try to drink no more than one diet coke a week.

Work out 3 times a week.

Something doable!

Because the first time you break your resolution, you'll give up.

Unless..

2. Don't Wait to Try Again

Let's say you do make the resolution to drink no more than one diet coke a week.

You have a slew of tests coming up and a lot of work to do, and you let yourself slide..

you drink a diet coke three days in a row.

That's when most of us say something like this:

"Well, I blew it. I'm done. I tried"

or

"I'll try again on Monday!"

NO!

Try again right then and there!

You won't ruin your resolution by slipping or messing up,

you'll ruin your resolution by giving up or waiting to try again!

3. Plan it Out

Instead of "Work out three times a week"

try "Take time every Sunday to plan when I can work out that week"

or "Work out every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 3 pm"

The more specific you can be, the more likely you will succeed.

4. Keep it Positive

Lots and lots of "don'ts" "never" and "DO NOTs" can help you better yourself,

but the goal is to make yourself feel and become better,

lots of negative resolutions can make you feel reaaaaaallly cruddy when you mess up.

Instead of "Don't eat junkfood"

try "When I feel hungry, eat a carrot or an apple"

"Try new healthy foods once a week"

If you must have a "don't" resolution, try to replace the don't park with a "do"

Like... "don't drink so much caffeine, drink more water!"

Resolutions don't do us any good if we set ourselves up for failure.

So, set yourself up for success!!!

:D

friday's letters 12/28

Dear readers,

Thank you so so so much for all your helpful feedback on my last post! You guys rock! I'm super excited to try out your methods and finally have long hair again! Y'all are genius :)

Dear snow,

I used to like you okay, but I'm beginning to hate you.

I REALLY wanted to see some family members and now I can't!! 

Please stop so that they can one day drive down...

Dear Tay,

WOW!!!!! You're working 50-70 hour weeks! You are literally knocking my socks off with your amazing attitude and incredible work ethic. I really could not be more proud of you. I love you so much!

Dear library,

Thank you for giving me the perfect job. Now I can earn money, have fun, and do homemaking things! .....I just have to start doing the homemaking things.

Dear Desperate Housewives,

You are reaaaallly good at taking up my time.

Dear outfit today,

You're super cute. 

I like you.

I love you.

But please, if you would, stop sliding down and showing the world my coconuts.

LOVE,

Kolie :)

hair

No, not Hair the musical.

Although, I don't know how many people think of that when they see the word "hair"

But this is what I mean:

I was once a redhead 

I once had black hair

Once a brunette...

(I look like a child)

and once a dirty blonde

Yes, that buffalo was disgusting..hence the "I'm totally disgusted" face.

Anyway,

now that my hair is kind of purple, you know what I realized?

well, a lot of stuff.

1. I like dying my hair.

2. I look good with a lot of different colors of hair

3. I need to start dying my eyebrows to match...

4. I love LONG hair.

Here is where you, my dear readers, come in.

I've heard of different things to eat and do to ensure healthy hair that can grow...long.

I'm sure dying is not one of them, but putting that aside, what can I do to make my hair grow faster?

Thank you so much for letting me show you all my hair adventures.

Now...

please help me.

:)

how i know..

      How do I know that I married the perfect man for me? Because of our first Christmas. I knew beforehand, but now, there isn't any doubt. This sure knowledge is partly because of his ever so thoughtful gifts, partly because of how he spent today with me, and partly because of what is important to him. 

First thing he did today was come to work with me. He HELPED me open the frozen bookdrops and sort all the books down. When we got home, he eagerly handed me the gifts that he had spent so much time preparing and gathering for me. Weeks and weeks and weeks ago, I mentioned I wanted to start tanning...I got a month pass. I talked about how I miss my lace tops. I got one. I talked about how I want more flat boots. I now have 2 pairs! I mentioned how I wanted a foot spa in passing. I got one! I posted a picture on instagram about some jeans I thought were cute. He got me 2 pairs in the colors I wanted!! And a beautiful handmade hat in my absolute favorite color :)

Oh, and of course, he got some things that he loves :) Journal of Discourses from me :) Candy canes...from him, and a book on his favorite celebrity from his very sweet brother!! :D

The next thing he did? Called his mom. He's so sweet and loves her so much! So do I :) He then texted his brothers. Family is so important to him! He excitedly got ready and went to a party on my mom's side. Talked to everyone, asked sincere questions, complimented the food... Then my dad's. He played games and ate and had so much fun. MY family is his now..and really important to him too!

Next? We watched Christmas Story and cuddled..

And now? He's letting me blog, because he knows I like it..

Yeah, we get annoyed at each other sometimes. Yeah, we fight on occasion.

But he's a gem..

I love him so so much :)

Day of Silence

Please visit this page to place a donation.

Donations can also be sent directly to Newtown Youth and Family Services via 

Caroline's Gift,

15 Berkshire Road

 Sandy Hook CT 06482.

it's almost here

Christmas is almost here!

I can't help but feel different this year...

maybe it's because it's my first Christmas with Taylor as my husband,

or that it's my first Christmas not in school,

or maybe it's because I'm not quite prepared for it,

I don't know!

But it doesn't feel like Christmas to me. 

Not yet.

But I really hope it kicks up soon.

Because I miss it!

I feel like Cindy Lou Who!

"Where are you, Christmas?"

........

Okay, so this is what I been hearing for the past 30 minutes:

"I don't know what to write..."

"What am I supposed to do?"

"This is hard..."

"Will you finish it for me...?"

 

So here I am, folks. You may remember me from Taylor Tuesday's. It was around for a whole 2 weeks. Meaning 2 posts. 1 for each Tuesday. Yep. I blog. 

 

And here we go. If you haven't caught on yet, I'm Taylor. THE Taylor. The one she goes on and on and on about. The one who is supposedly the greatest thing ever. The one that is so nice and sweet and good looking and what not. Yeah... That's me! 

 

How are you guys doing? I am well. Okay enough about me. Back to the story...

So my baby is struggling to write. She runs into her road blocks, as does everyone else. And I'm just trying to bring up so many alternatives!!! 

 

Blog about connections! How we went on an hour drive last night talking about life and love and looking at Christmas lights. How we loooooooove to catch up on each other's thoughts and views. How great it is to be together. How we're making new, great friends, and developing strong relationships with our current friends.

Blog about new things you've learned! I just got done reading a book about Mr. $100 bill, Ben Frank. He was quite the man. Wise, funny, intelligent, kind, proactive, and one of the most important people in our country's history. The things we can learn from him! 

Blog about the freaking season we're in! Which is what she did start now kinda... So I can't get after her for that. 

Blog about updates with our lives! Like how we've finally paid off our pictures! (Oh, and this means you will be getting to see them very very soon on here!) 

OR something like that! 

But what do I know? I have no idea how to blog. I don't think I have it down one bit. Look at my spacing!! I don't know what I'm doing! But I like to think I'm given some slack for my third time ever. 

 

And there you have it. Not just more spacing, but another post in the life of Stubbornly Delighted. I hope it was a fun or somewhat entertaining read for you guys! If it was, let me know! I love feedback! If not, let me know! I love to hear what I can improve with my content or structure or spacing! I need help there! You guys are great. I know my wife truly adores the blogs she reads, and when you guys read her blog and comment and be involved with her blogging world. I know this is a huge thing for her. She loves to blog. It is one thing that kinda defines her! 

Aaaaaaaaand I'm done. Have a great Sunday, y'all! Most importantly, have a very Merry Christmas!

friday's letters...hope it's not too late

Dear Library,

Thank you so so much for letting me work here! It is by far the best job that I have ever had!

Dear Mikarose,

YOU SUCK! Please stop tormenting people with your overpriced and very low quality clothes that you store in a working bathroom. Good luck with your awful ideas and horrendous work ethic. I hate you.

Dear Husband,

I know working two jobs is really...not fun. But I'm proud of you for working hard, and being really optimistic! YOU ROCK! And you look super sexy in your Uhaul Thug Nasty Threads!

Dear House,

We are going places! You are gonna look absolutely grand in no time! I promise!

Dear Hair,

I know you're purple. I understand this is a big change. Hopefully we can pull it off without becoming one of those trashy purple hair people. I think we can.

Dear Blog,

I know you're not the most popular girl in school...or the prettiest..or the nicest, but I really enjoy you. :)

Dear Reader's Blogs,

If I'm not a follower yet, please email bomb me! I love reading blogs and getting to know people! It's the best! 

Dear Christmas Tree,
I really like that we decorated you with pictures of me and Taylor. Tay likes it too. :) Did you know that I love him? ....a lot??

writers block

Every day at work, I see hundreds and hundreds of books.

I put them away, I pick them up, I skim through them, I scan them.

I'm immersed in books.

I walk home, I sit down, and I blog about what?

In all those hundreds of books, most are not center aligned, with snippets of whatever nonsense, and big pictures of random whatevers.

Although, I suppose, some are like that...

mostly magazines, or picture books,

but the point is:
 my blog is so different than a book.

And as I work, I think about all the things I could write about..

religion, history, fantasy, a book about a teenage girl in love with a vampire, something!

 But at the same time, I can hardly figure out where I'm going with this one post!

I started a novel in High School...

it was about a kid named Matt who was an abnormally gifted at the piano..and he found a magic coin that transported him to a magic...place.

It was awful.

Maybe I'm not meant to write a book, but I have this blog.

And I really want this blog to NOT be... Matt and the Magic Coin,
but every time I sit down to write, all the ideas I once had are gone..
My brain melts and runs out my nose, and I'm left with a blank white rectangle on my computer screen.
I'm afraid to write about politics or theories or science,
good heavens, I'm not about to bore 92 people!

So.
Here we are.
Here I am rambling about my writers block,
and here you are reading about it.

Quite frankly, that's all I can think of to say.

double trouble

Remember how I had two jobs?

Well one was just awful awful..

It's actually quite the story!

And now, I have one job.

BUT Taylor has two jobs

So, that still equals three jobs.

But even with those three jobs, we will have to wait til January for Christmas,

(The part of Christmas that Christmas is NOT all about, but that we all know that we all look forward to.) 

Stuff like that happens to newlyweds.....right?

But now I have time to catch up.

With bills.

With cleaning.

With groceries.

With cooking.

With life.

So, my double jobs ended up being trouble, but that is not what I intended creating this post about.

I'm talking about a much more fun kind of "double trouble"

Double dating!!

I don't know if you married folks agree, but I think that when you're married (or in a serious relationship) couple friends can save your life!

I love love love our couple friends!!!!

We have Sara and Kevin, Michelle and Russ, Bri and Ryan (they count if they're family...), and we are always looking for more!! 

We all have friends, and some of us have lots of single friends.
For some reason, when we get married, hanging out with our single friends changes drastically.
Not that we don't want to! Or that we can't!
But a lot of the time, your interests change.
Instead of shopping and boys and make-up, it's marriage and housekeeping and babies.
Well. Not that exactly, but you get what I mean.
It's hard being in different places, and we all need friends.

Anyway, my advice to all you love stricken fella's and ladies,

get a couple friend!
I promise, if you get along, then you will never regret your new friendship!
What do you think?
Oh, and any ideas for inexpensive and amazing Christmas gifts?
I'm kind of in desperate need..