November + December + Year in Review + 2019

I never blogged about November...oops! So here is a mash up of November, December, brief year in review, and hopes for next year! Phew! 

November/December 

KNOWLEDGE: 

Read 52 (ish) books- well. Life happened. I ended up being so busy the last few months of the year, so I didn’t complete this goal. But, I’m happy. I ended up reading a combined 6 books between November and December. (37 total books for the year) 

-Big Magic: Elizabeth Gilbert 

-Anne of Green Gables: LM Montgomery 

-The Adoptive Parent Toolbox: Mike and Kristen Berry

-Small, great things: Jodi Picoult 

-In on it: Elisabeth O’Toole 

-The tattooist of Auswitz: Heather Morris 

SPIRITUAL: 

Attend the temple monthly- I went in November, but didn’t make it in December. 

I took the prophet’s challenge and read the Book of Mormon from October-December. So I guess technically I read 38 books. Haha. I have never read the Book of Mormon that quickly and felt like I took a lot more out of it than I have before. 

PHYSICAL:

Run 400-500 miles. I finished with just over 400 miles. Next year my running goal will be a little different! 

I ended up deciding not to trilogize. I had a race lined up, but due to the weather (and not wanting to get sick), I decided it wasn’t worth it. I have 0 regrets! 

Go to the dentist. Believe it or not, but I actually went! I hadn’t been in 3.5 years! I have had horrible experiences with dentists, but I’m really happy with our current dentist. I even actually made a 6 month appointment. 

I bought one 72 hour kit (today. Haha) it comes with a lot of stuff, so I plan to sort it out and see what we need for a second kit! (Next year we will get something together for hendo and baby) 

I pretty much finished my fun section, although we only traveled to 2 new places instead of 3. 

I didn’t finish scrapbooking, so I have that to look forward to in 2019. 

Best part of November: officially becoming homestudy approved! 

Best part of December: knowing we are officially ready for baby whenever he/she joins our family! 

2018 was literally so off from what I expected this time last year. We had a trip to Thailand planned, it was going to be our last big trip before we welcomed a child into our home. We planned on fostering. I had started applying for new jobs and was offered a few in April. Ultimately, I knew it wasn’t right. So I happily stayed at my job and we decided we would look into private adoption in January. July/August rolled around and I felt a strong push to start the adoption process, so we did, jumping right in. At the same time, I was offered an opportunity to take a few classes in order to expand my career, I couldn’t say no! Then I was asked to teach a second college class. It was busy! And honestly, I set my 2018 goals aside so I could work on my biggest dreams instead. 

It was a hard year. There were so many unknowns and I felt like I was on an emotional rollercoaster. I will be forever thankful for my husband, family, and friends who continue to be there for me. We’re not off the ride yet, but I have so much hope for the year to come. 

2019 is going to look a lot different. I realized this year, it can often be hard to set goals for an entire year, when you don’t know exactly what you’re getting into. In 2019, I will have a few goals for the year, but will primarily focus on monthly goals. And really, most of them are steps to building back up habits and taking care of myself. I expect them to change month from month. But the intention is to be present. To put my phone away, to be where I am and to understand my present needs/take care of myself. I don’t want to plan as much and want to allow myself to be happy with the way the year unfolds. It will be interesting, but I’m hopeful it will lead to a wonderful year and change in outlook. 

Here’s how I plan to start off: 

In 2019, I want to:

-Reduce my overall screen time. Ideally, I would like it to be an average of under 3 hrs/day. 

-Have a screen free day once per month 

-Make monthly goals and keep track of my progress 

-Cross off something from our family bucket list. 

-Visit 4 new national parks 

-Have a no spend month 

-PR (5k, 10k, or half) 

-Do better at journaling (ideally once per week) 

-Work on scrapbooks (ideally catching up) 

-Read 52ish books 

-Receive my SSW 

That being said, this is what January looks like (as of now) 

-Exercise 10 times

-Apply to take SSW test

-Drink 1,240 ounces of water 

-Screen free day 

-Journal 4 times 

-One scrapbook 

-Read 3 books 

-Endowment session 

-Try meditating 3 times

So we’ll see. I’m going to let “being present” really guide me. I’m going to listen to what I need and go from there. 

Do you have any big hopes for 2018? I would love to help you reach your goals! You can contact me at bethflint88@gmail.com 

OCT 18

October was a literal blur. And I know I say that a lot, but I mean, I don’t even know where it went. It’s somehow already nearly a week into November and my brain is still in summer mode. 

I still don’t have a theme for next year. My theme this year didn’t last. Looking back on the year, I’ve done a lot of going with the flow and for someone who likes order, I’m pretty impressed with the way I’ve been able to adapt. Next year I would like to have more focus and direction. One of my goals for this month is to start thinking about my goals for next year. 

At any rate, October was not quite what I imagined it would be at the beginning of the month, but I’m hoping to finish the year off strong.

 

KNOWLEDGE:

-Read 52ish books. 

I started reading one book in October, but haven’t finished it. I’m about halfway, so there’s that. 

 

SPIRITUAL:

-Attend the temple monthly

If you’ve been following along this year, you know I’ve struggled with this goal, BUT! I visited the temple twice in October and am making it a priority to attend in November and December as well!

-In September I said my goal was to read At the Pulpit. During Conference, we were challenged to read the Book of Mormon before the end of the year, so that is my new goal. I’m pretty behind, but I’m trying. 

 

PHYSICAL: 

-Run 400-500 miles

I am a couple of miles away from hitting 400 and have one more race to go this year!  (Come run with me on Thanksgiving!!) 

-Go to the dentist 

Believe it or not, I have an appointment for November. I’m dreading it, but I hate to not cross something off. haha

 

FUN:

-Create a bucket list with Mike and cross off at least one item.

One of the things I had on our list was to participate in a lantern fest. I actually won two free tickets to attend the lantern fest in SLC! It was kind of a bust, but at least I can say I’ve done it! 

 

I’m still working on scrapbooking and doing our 72 hour kits. Those have been placed on the back burner as we have been working towards getting our home ready for a baby. (No actual baby yet, but we know it could happen at any time and want to be prepared)

Speaking of, please continue to share our website (www.waitingforbabyflint.com) and scream it from the rooftops we are hoping to adopt. We have quite a lofty goal for this and need all the help we can get!

Last! We will be holding an online auction to help raise the necessary funds for the adoption (Instagram: @flintfamilyadoptionauction) Starting on November 30! 

 

I know November will fly by even quicker than October, so wish me luck! 

How are your goals coming along? You have less than 60 days left for this year. Set some goals now and finish strong with me! 

SEP 18

This year has been weird. Off. It has flown by and I still don’t feel like I’ve had much focus. And it’s okay, but it’s throwing me off. September was a literal blink of an eye and now it’s October. This is usually about the time I start thinking about a theme for the next year, but I’m feeling stuck. What do I focus on? What do I need to focus on? 

My goals have pretty much taken a nosedive this year. So, I will share what I did do in September. 

 

KNOWLEDGE:

-Read 52ish books. 

I started three books in September, but only finished one. Maybe I should preface by saying, I am taking two college classes, teaching two college classes, working full time, and working through an adoption home study. SO, my spare time is near non-existent. 

 

SPIRITUAL:

-Current goal is to read “At the Pulpit”, which I have been working on. 

 

PHYSICAL:

-Run 400-500 miles

I’m slowly chugging along here. I ran a half in September and am currently at 362 miles. 

 

FUN:

-Create a bucket list and cross off at least one item

We will cross an item off in October!!!

 

And honestly, that’s it. 

 

What I haven’t done/didn’t do:

-Learn something new

-Attend the temple

-Go to the dentist

-Work on scrapbooking

-72 hour kits

-Save 10% of income 

 

I could be disappointed by where I’m at, but this year has been different from what I expected it to be. At the beginning of the year, I thought I would be working somewhere else. I thought we would be fostering by now. We had a map planned out for the year. 

Instead, I’m happily at the same job and am actively working to move forward in my career. We are not fostering, but we are going through an adoption home study to do private adoption. I picked up extra work responsibilities. 

And change is okay. Change is good. Change is keeping me on my toes. 

If you haven’t already visited our adoption website, please do and please share! 

www.waitingforbabyflint.com

 

And let’s all hope I make it through the next few, busy months! 

AUG 18

August was a literal blur. And somehow we are already 4 days into September, so I’m guessing it will be a blur as well. I need to hit the pause button because this year has gotten away from me. Anyone else? I haven’t felt connected to my goals this year and plans change, which means goals change, so I’m just trying to go with it. And thinking about it, maybe that should be my theme for the last four months of this year: acceptance. I’ve done a lot of accepting this year. And it’s made me grow, think, and shift. 

When I look at the goals I made for myself back in January, I didn’t know where I would be here, in September. And while I could be disappointed in the ways I’m not succeeding in these goals, I’m actually happy with the way I’ve embraced and accepted the way this year has progressed. 

I don’t know what the next four months are going to look like (who does?), but I’m going to accept them for what they are and use them to continue to grow. 

So while it’s not perfection, here’s where I’m at with my goals for the year:

 

KNOWLEDGE:

·         Read 52(ish) books. 

I’m still chugging along here. I read 4 books in August:

1.       Model Mormon: Rosemary Card

2.       Soulful Simplicity: Courtney Carver 

3.       ***

4.       All of us and Everything: Bridget Asher 

·         Learn/try something new each month

I did a lot of learning this month! I read books and participated in trainings of the subject manner. 

 

SPIRITUAL:

·         Attend the temple monthly

I haven’t been in the longest time. I would really like to go this month

·         Read the Doctrine and Covenants

I finished this month! (If you remember, initially I wanted to read the Book of Mormon, which I finished. So at least for the month of September, I want to read “At the Pulpit”. 

 

PHYSICAL: 

·         Run 400-500 miles

August wasn’t my best month, but it wasn’t my worst. I’m at 331 miles. I hit a little slump in August. I’ve been so tired and added a lot to my plate. I want to remember how good running makes me feel so I can use it as my self-care as I enter into a busy few months. 

·         Trilogize with Runtastic.

I will be running race #2 for this next month. (Haunted Half Provo…come run with me!)

·         Go to the dentist

Sooooo…….still haven’t done this. I was totally, 100% planning on doing this in August. And then August became a month full of other priorities. I did see the doctor in August, so that’s got to count for something, right??? I’m still hoping/planning on doing this by the end of the year, but am guessing it will be more like October or November. 

 

FUN:

·         Create a bucket list with Mike and cross off at least one item

We are working on crossing off one item, I don’t know that we’ll actually cross any off this year, but it’s in progress. 

·         Travel to 3 places we’ve never been to together

I really want to hit one more place together this year. We did Thailand and South Dakota. Both trips were so fun! I’m trying to convince Mike we should do Yellowstone. So we’ll see. 

·         Catch up on scrapbooking

Have I mentioned how time consuming my August happening were??? Literally, this project ate up nearly all of my time outside of work. So, September, here’s looking at you to at least work on one book. 

 

FINANCIAL:

·         Create 72 hour kits

And nope. I’m thinking I may ask for these for Christmas. 

·         Save 10% of income

Still working on this. 

But I did pretty well with my no shopping for August. Not perfect, but there was a definite improvement. 

 

 

So yeah. August was a blur. And I’m excited to share what we’ve been working on. But until then, remember that your dreams are YOURS. And no one can take them away from you, unless you let them. Chasing big dreams is scary, but with baby steps, you can make it happen! September has always been my favorite month and I’m hoping this year it’s extra good for me! 

THAILAND

THAILAND!

 

I have been wanting to do a blog post on Thailand since I visited. Because, Thailand. If you’re reading this, maybe you have a desire to go too. Or maybe you’re planning your trip right now! Either way, I hope you find these tips, tricks, and suggestions useful! 

 

My husband and I visited Thailand in April. We didn’t plan it, but were there for Thailand’s Songkran. (Thai New Year). If you can, I would 100% recommend visiting for Songkran. To celebrate, they have a weekend long water fight. And they take it seriously. Businesses will set up garbage cans outside filled with water. Everyone has water guns. People literally stand on the side of the road and spray you, your scooter, or car with water. You can’t go anywhere without getting drenched. It was a unique experience and one we won’t forget. The picture below is not mine, but is from Chiang Mai at the time we were there. 

 

Okay, so logistics. We flew from SLC to Bangkok. We didn’t have a direct flight and it was LONG. We didn’t stay in Bangkok. As Mike had been before, he told me we would rather get out of the big city. That being said, if you plan to follow a similar itinerary, you can take a free shuttle from the Bangkok airport to the DMK airport (this is the airport you fly out of to get to other areas in the country) 

Directions:

1. Pass through Immigration, grab your bags and head for the exit. Once you exit immigration, you should be on Floor 2. Double check signage to make sure you’re on the second floor of BKK airport.

2. When you enter the arrivals hall (Floor 2), ignore all signs pointing you towards public transportation, buses, etc. Simply walk straight until you see Door 3 on your left hand side.

3. Exit the airport via Door 3 and turn right. You’ll see a little table with a few people standing around. Ask them for the free shuttle to Don Mueang Airport.

4. Before boarding the bus, the staff will ask you for your boarding pass and/or flight itinerary. Show your boarding pass, flight itinerary, or e-ticket and you’ll be all set.

5. Once the free shuttle bus arrives, you’ll be on your way to DMK airport in no time. The official time from BKK to DMK airport or vice versa is around 50 minutes but can be up to 2 hours depending on time of day and traffic conditions. Be sure to plan accordingly.

Note: Your flight itinerary must be for the same day or the following day in order to be eligible to transfer between Suvarnabhumi Airport and Don Muang Airport for free.

 

FREE SHUTTLE FROM DMK TO BKK AIRPORT

 

For those of you who are arriving to Don Muang Airport and want to get a free shuttle transfer to BKK, the process works the same exact way, just in the opposite direction. The free shuttle from DMK airport to BKK airport can be found on terminal 1 outside of Door #6.

 

We started our trip by flying north to Chiang Mai. We were so jetlagged by the time we got to Chiang Mai. I really wish we would’ve given ourselves a day to enjoy the hotel before we went out. Instead, we only had two days and didn’t do everything I had wanted to do. We stayed at the Lana Dusita (http://www.lannadusita.com/) and LOVED it! It was so beautiful and serene. The staff went above and beyond to make us feel comfortable, including helping us with transportation. The breakfast was amazing and being on the river was beautiful. I cannot say enough good things about this hotel. Oh, and did I mention it’s 4 stars and under $50 USD/night? 

 

While we were in Chiang Mai, we went to the Tiger Kingdom (https://www.tigerkingdom.com/chiangmai) I read mixed reviews about it, but ultimately decided I would probably regret not going. We went, cuddled with the big tigers and thought it was a fun experience. Now that we have done it, I wouldn’t go back, but I’m glad we went. The tigers seemed to be treated well and the staff appeared to enjoy playing with them. 

 

We also visited Ran Tong Elephant Sanctuary (http://rantongelephant.com/) 

This was the highlight of Chiang Mai for me. I wanted to ride an elephant, but knew I wanted to go somewhere with good reviews. Somewhere that rescued elephants and didn’t allow riders to ride with a saddle. Ran Tong picked us up from our hotel, transported us to their sanctuary in the jungle, allowed us a short ride, we were able to feed and bathe the elephants, they provided lunch, and took us back to our hotel. It was an unforgettable experience. For as much as I wanted to ride an elephant, the best part was truly getting into the water with them and giving them a bath. 

 

Our final night in Chiang Mai, we visited aSunday night market. We went to the Old City Square and saw some Wats (temples) and enjoyed some street food. I wish we would have had more time to do this type of stuff while we were in Chiang Mai. 

 

My biggest disappointment is we didn’t have a chance to go to the Monk’s Trail. However, after watching this season of the Bachelorette, I found out Becca took a date there, the literal exact same time we were there, so maybe it would’ve been closed anyway. 

 

Next, we headed from Chiang Mai, down to Krabi. Krabi is pretty close to Phuket, but is not quite as touristy and dirty (from what I’ve heard) as Phuket. 

Krabi is a real life dream. I could spend my whole life there. We stayed at the Pakasai Resort (http://www.pakasai.com/) The location was great. It was right in Ao Nang and across the street from the beach, but I wasn’t particularly impressed by the resort itself. 

 

Our first day, we immediately rented a scooter for the week (there was a rental place across the street from us) Renting a scooter gave us the freedom to go wherever we wanted for a fraction of the cost of paying for taxis. After we rented our scooter, we rode up and down the major street we were staying on. Mike wanted to go to the Ao Nang Krabi Stadium so we went there, grabbed some lunch (Thai food is amazing by the way), and then that night, we went to a private Muay Thai class taught by Khru Doc (https://muaythaidoc.com/) Mike trained with Doc the last time he was in Thailand and I am so glad we were able to go train with him on this trip. Mike had plans to train every morning and unfortunately that was the only time he was able to train. I would definitely recommend doing a private session and going to a stadium fight if you’re there for one. 

The next day, we visited the Wat Tham Suea. If you’re not familiar with it, go look it up! It is a grueling hike to the top of the mountain, but the views make it so worth it! Be careful of the monkeys, they will try to take your food or anything shiny! TIP: arrive first thing as it is HOT. The temple was about 30 minutes away from where we were staying. (****Mike bought a sim card when we arrived in Thailand***) As Mike had a sim card and was able to use his google maps app, we took our scooter and went on our own. We didn’t have problems finding it. If you’re relying on wifi, I would suggest taking pictures of the directions and maps. 

After the Wat Tham Suea, we went back to the hotel, showered, and hit a massage parlor. They are everywhere and I’m disappointed and embarrassed we only went one time. For an hour long Thai massage, we paid $6 USD each. And it was an amazing massage, especially after our long hike. We grabbed smoothies on our way back, and relaxed at the hotel for a bit. For sunset, we visited Noppharathara Beach (5 minute ride from our hotel). This island is not accessible at high tide, but at low tide, you can actually walk to it. 

On our third day, we rented a private long tail boat and had a 3 island tour. You can take this tour with others (which would save you money), but we ended up doing it just the two of us. It was perfect! We visited Poda, Tub, and Chicken Islands. I had wanted to do James Bond island, and if we ever go back, I will, but we didn’t have any complaints with what we did. It was fun to see all of the islands and rocks jutting up from the water. While touring, we also were able to snorkel at several locations. It ended up taking about the whole day, so after we walked around and got some dinner. 

For our final full day in Krabi, we went to the Tab Kak Hang Nak Nature Trail. This place should be on everybody’s list. Although, maybe not, because it is such a hidden gem! Again, we took our scooter to get there, it was about a 45 minute ride. Prior to going, we grabbed some street food and snacks and water to have there. TIP: bring more water than you think you’ll need. The hike itself was a good work out. We didn’t see many people while we were out there, which made it even better. The scenery was stunning and the view from the top was picture perfect. I’ll let my pictures do all of the talking. Honestly, this was one of my favorite (if not my favorite) parts of Thailand. 

On our last day, we had until about 6 pm. We took our scooter to the White Temple. It was cool, but I expected more out of it. It took about an hour to get there and ultimately, I’m not sure if it was worth it. We returned our scooter and checked out some stores to pick up a few souvenirs.

 

Thailand is an incredible country to visit. The people are so kind and humble. Everyone helped make it a wonderful experience for us. I loved both Chiang Mai and Krabi and would visit each place again. I sincerely hope we make it back to Thailand again. There are so many things to do and I don’t think you can go wrong with whatever you choose to do.

 

Things we did well: brought snacks and water bottles we could refill, light weight clothing-including multiple swimming suits. We brought a sturdy backpack (https://atlassupply.co/), bug spray (currently there is zikka there), sturdy hiking/water sandals, and buying the sim card. We were open to trying new foods and went to a variety of restaurants. 

 

What I wish we did better: I wish I would’ve researched a bit more, especially for Chiang Mai. We were close to the Monk’s trail at one point, but didn’t realize it until we were back at the resort. I also wish we would’ve given ourselves 1 day to rest. I had wanted to take a cooking class while in Krabi, but we didn’t have a chance to. 

 

Overall, we had a great trip. It was 10 days total, 7 in Thailand. 2 days in Chiang Mia and 5 in Krabi.

JULY 18

Oh, hey August. I’m not going to lie, July seemed like a long month for me. I don’t feel like I was particularly busy and I don’t feel like I did a lot for fun, but it seemed to drag. (Okay, that’s probably why…)

But I’m happy to welcome August. As much as I love summer, I haven’t been feeling it this year. I’ve been excited/anxious for fall. And for no real reason. Fall is going to be B-U-S-Y! But I think it’s going to be good.

I think my biggest issue is I came up with a theme for the year, but I didn’t particularly like it. So my motivation and focus haven’t been consistent. It’s amazing what having a theme does for my motivation. 

That being said, how are you doing with your goals? Are you still holding on? If not, it’s okay! Let’s recommit for the last 5 months. Maybe you need to change your goals. That’s okay too. Let’s use each other to stay focused and motivated! 

Here’s where I’m at after July:

 

KNOWLEDGE:

·         Read 52(ish) books.

I read 4 (3) books this month

-Girl Wash Your Face (again)

-Where’d You Go, Bernadette: Maria Semple

-So Close to Being the Sh*t, Y’all Don’t Even Know: Retta 

-The Little Book of Lykke: Meik Wiking 

 

·         Learn/try something new each month

I literally forgot I made this a goal until right now. I haven’t done anything really since April. I learned a few things at the beginning of the year and then stopped. Honestly, I don’t see myself getting back on this one before the end of the year. I think I have too many other things going on. What’s sad is I was really looking forward to this challenge. Maybe I would do better if I had someone else wanting to do something similar. Maybe not. Either way…..there hasn’t been any progress. 

 

 

SPIRITUAL: 

·         Attend the temple monthly

I had a date picked in July to attend. And then I had something come up. One year (2016), I had a goal to go twice a month, and I did it! I don’t know what has stopped me this year. My excuse is they’re far away, but living in Utah that seems like a ridiculous excuse. So if you want to go in August, PLEASE HIT ME UP!

 

·         Read the Doctrine and Covenants

I have been getting a lot better at this and should be done within the next month or so. After that, I will come up with a new spiritual goal to work on until the end of the year. 

 

 

PHYSICAL:

·         Run 400-500 miles

I’m still behind where I would ideally like to be, but I have logged 284 miles so far. The good news (and now I’m jinxing myself), but I haven’t been in a slump yet! 

·         Trilogize with Runtastic

I ran my first race for the year in July. I had signed up with two people (and ultimately only signed up to run with them, because I don’t like the course) and they both backed out. It was frustrating and taught me a valuable lesson. I changed one of my races, so I will officially trilogize in November. 

·         Go to the dentist

UGH. I’ve been putting this off and have said I would do it in August. Now August is here and I don’t want to do it. Who is the best dentist in all of the land? (Utah) I have only had crappy dentists, which is why I hate them so much. 

 

 

FUN:

·         Create a bucket list with Mike and cross off at least one item

I’m not sure that we’ll be able to cross off an item per se, but I think we are going to start working towards crossing one off, and honestly, that’s more than good enough for me! It’s a big one! 

·         Travel to 3 places we’ve never been to together.

South Dakota was so much fun, after we drove to get there! I love seeing and experiencing new places. We were able to learn a lot of history while we were there as well and that made the trip even more interesting. I still really want to hit one more place, so we’ll see. 

·         Catch up on scrapbooking

HA. I didn’t work on it again in July. So August it looks like I’m working on two….

 

 

FINANCIAL:

·         Create 72 hour kits

Nope. Dang. I’m failing at my financial goals. Madewell is taking all of my money…..

·         Save 10% of income

Kind of working on this one…UGH. 

In August, I’m having a no shopping month (clothes/shoes/accessories…anything to waste my money on). It’s not a full on no-spend month. But I need to get better at watching my money. If anyone has any tips on secretly saving money, let me know! 

 

 

So that’s that. It’s been a far from perfectly achieving my goals kind of year. And it’s okay. Some years go better than others. And maybe someday soon I’ll figure out what’s eating up all of my time and things will change. Then again, maybe not. All I can do is keep moving forward and hope at the end of the day I’m bettering myself through learning and growth.