Dropping First Thing In The Morning...

Whole 30 February 2026 starts in the morning with warm lemon water and a dash of cinnamon, plus a cup of hot broth for breakfast. I love the Whole 30 lifestyle, and though I cheat now and then, I mostly stick with it.

Looking back at January 2026, I had both good and bad days. My blood pressure is 120/80, I drank plenty of water, and while I ate some meat and other off-plan foods, I often reset to stay on track. Overall, I did well for the month.

With February starting tomorrow, I’m ready to load up on veggies, keep my protein in check, and cut out sugars and breads. I’m especially happy the month begins on a Sunday—it makes meal prep and kicking off the month so much easier. 

I’ve got my frozen veggies ready, I’m re-reading the Whole 30 book, and my February binder is already planned out. I’m ready to crush my Whole 30 goals.

MY journey….

Google Budget - 1st Month Down...

Yay! I just wrapped up my first month using Google Budget, and it’s been amazing. I stuck to my budget, saved money, paid all my bills without stress, tracked my expenses, and even finished the month three days ahead of schedule.  

Pros of Google Budget:  

- Free to use  

- Simple to enter bills, income, expenses, and other categories  

- Automatic calculations  

- Accessible on any device through your Google account  

- Can be saved as a spreadsheet for use in Excel  

Cons of Google Budget:  

- You need to copy the budget for each month  

- Limited to about 12 rows by default, so more bills mean adding rows  

- Basic design and layout—nothing fancy, but functional  

- No option to connect bank accounts  

Overall, Google Budget works great for me, though it may not suit everyone. If you want to try it, search “Google Budget Template” on Google.  

MY journey….

Rhythm & Mood...

I’m really enjoying my rhythm right now—wrapping up taxes, finishing projects, and ending the month on a high note has me in a great mood. I’m excited for what’s ahead, especially the 100 Day Project, and I’m putting the final touches on all my plans. 

And oh, what some plans I have...

The only thing I need to work on is getting back into is walking—my goal is to walk every day, not just when I feel like it. The cold, windy, damp weather makes it tough, and while I could do my exercise videos, nothing beats being outside. I am hoping the weather improves. 

As far as my journey -- my Whole 30 journey is going well, but I’m ready to kick it up a notch starting February 1st. So much to do, time is flying, and I’m feeling pumped to see how much I can crush in the new month!

MY journey….

Up, Up and Away

 

Cold But Happy III...

 

Cold But Happy II...

 

Cold But Happy I...

 

I Am Creative...100 Day Project Coming...

I’m so excited—less than a month from now, the 100 Day Project kicks off on February 22, 2026, and runs through June 1. This is a huge challenge for me, as I’ve never even attempted it before, and I am READY!  

The 100 Day Project is all about committing to one or more creative projects and completing them within 100 days. According to the official site, it’s a “free, global art project built around one simple idea: show up to your creative practice every day for 100 days. Anyone can participate!” I’m beyond thrilled to dive in.  

I’ll be working on multiple projects—scrapbooks, photos, videos, recipe collections, blog posts, YouTube videos, exercise goals, scanning and conversions, sewing projects, and even some home improvement tasks. I plan to share every finished piece here on my blog and across my social channels.
 

As for my big, show-stopper project? That’s top secret for now—I want it to be a surprise, and trust me, it’s going to be BIG!  

Time to get planning and cooking up ideas. If you’re thinking about joining the 100 Day Project, check out #The100DayProject Newsletter by Lindsay Jean Thomson on Substack.  

MY journey….

Growth…

Happy Saturday!

As part of my 2026 reinvention, I’m focusing on GROWTH—developing a positive mindset that embraces new experiences, exploring places I’ve never been, and trying things I haven’t tried before. I thrive on change and newness.

Today was a perfect example of GROWTH. I visited an art show featuring work from senior citizens at the local senior center here in Las Cruces. Normally, I wouldn’t interact much with seniors, but it was my first visit to the center in four years, and I truly enjoyed the art and the fresh environment.

Now I’m back home, reading, watching a movie, working on home projects, and soaking up this cloudy winter day in Las Cruces. Thank God it is not snowing here – just rain and lots of dark clouds.

I’m really enjoying this GROWTH!

My journey continues...

Ask yourself…

It’s Thursday, and I’m glad this week is almost over. Holiday weeks are always so busy, trying to catch up on work, home, and life projects. I’ve been a bit off my game, but I’m slowly getting back into the groove of the new month and new year.

Lately, I’ve been asking myself—What am I doing to make myself happy? I promised myself that this year I would focus on happiness and work hard at it every day. I keep wondering what truly brings me joy.

I believe happiness is possible for everyone, even though it’s so easy to slip into negativity. For me, happiness comes from things like reading, traveling, cooking, vintage cars, and anything vintage, 1980s music, 1970s horror movies, sunrises, and places like Paris and Malta/Gozo.

Well, time to go make myself happy.

My journey continues…

3 Values…

Oh, Tuesday… I saw you, I loved you, and then I tucked you away. My life revolves around the number 3. Waking up each day is one part of 3, going to work is another, and coming home is the last. I like 3. My days are always split into three parts – morning, midday, and evening.

So, the three values I hold most dear are:

1. Being blunt and clear about my feelings

2. Not being shy or fake

3. Loving myself and doing things that only benefit me

Some might say these values are selfish – and yes, they are. However, you must love yourself first before you can truly love someone else. I never put anyone before myself. Why would I pour into someone else first and let myself suffer?

My journey…

A Little Bit of Santa Fe II...

 

A Little Bit of Santa Fe...

 

Quiet Place…

Happy Monday! I’m off today and enjoying a quiet morning in bed, watching my favorite YouTube shows and soaking in life before a 9 a.m. Zoom call about making 2026 “my year.” I’m excited for the call, though I decided last year not to claim 2026 so I wouldn’t risk disappointment. Instead, I’m letting the year unfold while I focus on doing my own thing.

So far, 2026 has been both relaxing and productive. I’ve been sipping hot tea almost every day, cutting back on coffee, reducing sugar, and slowly shifting into an exercise mindset.

As for today’s plans, I’m keeping them to myself and focusing on personal projects. I know I’ll wrap up the day with a good movie.

My journey…

Reflecting On Good In My Life…

For so many years, I focused only on the bad in my life. I let negative thoughts rule me, and I hated every single day. It started in my early 30s, stopped for a few years, then came roaring back at 40. My 40s were pure hell—like living with a demon inside me every day. I had toxic friends, toxic jobs, toxic living conditions, and toxic finances. My 40s were brutal - my dream job ended, my dream relationship ended, my dream house ended, and my world was a HOT MESS.

Now, in my 50s, I’m working to shed that negativity and toxicity. It’s tough. After spending so many years hating everything, letting it go is hard. How did I do it? By cutting ties with everyone and leaving the city I loved, starting over in a small town in southern New Mexico. Sure, I complain about Las Cruces constantly, but this is my season to rebuild and reinvent myself.

I push myself daily to focus on the good, even when I want to complain about everything. I probably ask, “What kind of place is this?” ten times a day. But I live in a place that’s helping me heal, repair, and think about the future instead of dwelling on the last 20-plus years.

I can’t look back on the years of pain, sorrow, bitterness, and all the other bad stuff. As part of the Whole 30 lifestyle, I have to focus on the NOW and my FUTURE. 

This is my journey.

Up...

 

Up, Up & Away...

 

Up, Up & Away

 

Kindness…

What is kindness to me? In 2026, it’s something I’m learning. It’s something I didn’t use to practice, something I often got punished for, and something I usually avoided. 

Let me explain. I enjoy doing things for others, but sometimes a good deed goes unrecognized or unappreciated. When that happens, I think back on how people treated me in the past, and I decide not to be kind. 

Most of the time, I prefer being rude and nasty. But this year, I’m giving kindness a shot—maybe one good deed a week, a month, or even a quarter. I’m not doing much, just trying to work through bitterness, jadedness, and disappointment I’ve carried since 1974. 

My journey continues…

Mid-week Catch-up…

Wednesday night -- I have had a week of nothing but work. But I am going to inject some ME stuff this week. I plan to walk tomorrow during lunch, and I may also do some treadmill walking at the gym on Thursday at work. I may even try to walk on the treadmill in the morning. I have spent entirely too much time at work.

I did squeeze in some walking after work today. Not a lot, but some. Right now, I am just relaxing and relearning Gimp – a photo editing program similar to PhotoShop. GIMP is free, open source, easy to learn, and is available for Windows and Mac platforms. I like GIMP, but it has so many features within so many menus. I need to download a tutorial for it. I love that the program has a lot of filters. I like to add different filters to my photos.

In other news, it feels so good to just relax tonight. I may even work on some recipe scrapbooking stuff. You never know – I may even stay up and watch a movie.

MY journey….

Keeping a Positive Scrapbook…

I attended the best scrapbooking Zoom call last night – that I found out about on Facebook. The call was all about making a recipe scrapbook for yourself or others. The lady offering the call showed several different book designs: letter-size, paperback-size, 5 X7, and even a pocket-size design. She was also selling a recipe scrapbook kit that came with some cool colors, inserts, recipe cards, and die cuts.

I used to make a lot of cookbooks back in the day, but really only started making scrapbook cookbooks. I am going to pick up this new hobby this weekend. I have a lot, and I mean a lot, loose recipes just stuffed in boxes and baskets. I am going to scrapbook ALL OF THEM!!

MY journey….

Home Projects & Bar Refresh…

Happy Sunday...I have been busy today – walking, cleaning, refreshing, designing, and loving my projects. To start, I had a light breakfast – broth soup, coffee, and some fish. Then I did an hour walk and picked up my vitamins. Next, I created my Atari 2600 ET display for my desk.

After that, I had lunch/dinner – a pork chop and mashed potatoes. Next, I refreshed my bar – cleaned the glasses, shot glasses, and cute add-ins.

In other news, I didn’t spend much money this weekend – about $40 in all. My new budget starts on Thursday – saving more money and living cheaply.

Well, the sun has set, and I am ready to move on to my next home project – decluttering paper!!

MY journey….

Sunset…

The sun has set on this first full week of 2026. It was a busy week with a lot of work, little exercise, some home projects, and two surprises in the mail. I received a debit savings card, so I can save money for future “fun activities” - a big win.

My second surprise – I received a glass drinking bottle to replace my plastic Starbucks bottle. I am moving to all things glass because plastic contains a lot of bad elements.

Now..tonight, Friday, Jan 9th, I am working on house projects, watching my YouTube shows, and finally watching a movie. I am going to relax all weekend but still get a few things done.

It feels good to be off and at home!

MY journey….

Isolation & Doing Work…

As I have said before, 2026 is all about Resetting, Rebuilding, Reinventing, and RE-EVERYTHING. As part of this plan, I reset better when I isolate myself from others and get what I need to get done...DONE! I love being alone, and isolation doesn’t bother me. I feel that everyone needs to lock in and get things done ALONE.

Others can and will distract you. And when I say isolation, I mean stop hanging out with others, stop attending events, stop wasting time on social media, and stop wasting time doing things that are not pushing me closer to my goals.

It is Day 8^th of the new year, and I am heavy into isolating myself from EVERYTHING!

I am loving this resetting and rebuilding process.

MY journey….

Sunrise…

The sun was in and out today. It still looks like it’s going to rain, and I hope it doesn’t. Anyhoo, Wednesdays are always busy and tough – a meeting started my day, and then it was a day of playing “catch up”. I managed to get a lot done today, but I was totally drained once 5 p.m. hit.

Here are some of my “Sunrise” wins:

- walked doing lunch

- read a book about saints

- finished some online training for work

- had one meal during the day and a nice dinner after I got off

- and finally...worked on a few house projects

Well...I loved today, even with all the work I had to do. I also loved seeing the sun pop out, but there was no sunset...just rain - please go away. Every day should be sunny and pretty!

MY journey….

Walking Pad Adventures…

It’s a NO for me. My friend Jessica let me test out her walking pad, and I just don’t like it. I keep coming off the belt; it doesn’t have side supports, and it doesn’t work well on carpet.

The first disappointment of 2026. I thought I would like it, but it is a no-go for me. The device also doesn’t feel right – I guess the belt is dragging the carpet even though I don’t have plush carpet.

I guess I am back to walking the streets...

MY journey….

Congrats to Me…

I got through the work day without feeling the Whole 30 drain - headaches, fatigue, brain fog, cravings, and irritability. I ate crackers to overcome this drain. I am so happy.

So...for breakfast, I had a kale smoothie and some crackers. For lunch, I had a small salad with sliced ham and some crackers. For a snack, I had crackers.

I just had dinner – a salad with canned fish and some pulled pork for protein. As for drinks, I had herbal tea and ACV water. Thank God!!

I am now in my water fast period until tomorrow morning!!

MY journey….

Three Things I’m Grateful For About My Body…

 My Whole 30 Journey is a rough one...I have trouble controlling portion sizes, I love alcohol, I love junk food, and I love buffets. So, starting this journey – yet once again – is hard. But I am overcoming all those negative things.

With all that said, I am grateful for the following things:

1. My pretty eyes – hazel in color and not contacts.

2. My pretty legs – still fit even though my thighs are thick.

3. My feet – I can still walk fast, and my feet are not sore.

Now...I am on Day 4 of my Whole 30 journey, and I feel good. My bloated stomach is going down, and I have been alcohol free since New Year’s Eve.

Well..let me run and CRUSH some house goals before lunch.

MY Journey….

Welcome to My 2026 Journey…

 I have been absent from the blogging world since December 2024, and now I am back. My year off was just that – a year of not blogging, not taking pictures, and not shooting videos. I ended Life In ‘Cruces, and I have no regrets about that decision. That blog had run its course, and I ended it.

Now, this blog is all about my journey of resetting, rebuilding, reinventing, and repairing myself. This blog is not about entertainment, not about a town or city, nor is it about other people. This blog is my soapbox for stuff that I am going through and stuff I am resolving.

My primary goal at this point in my life is to RESET, REBUILD, REINVENT, AND REPAIR my life. I am completing this task by following the Whole 30 Lifestyle. I am letting go of all the bad and all the pain. It is time to heal and live!

So...let me go and get started by taking an hour walk to clear my head.

Welcome to MY journey….