I love that week between Christmas and New Year's Eve, it's quiet and relaxing, full of late mornings and lounging on the couch. Gave me plenty of time to come up with some goals for the new year. I was talking to my daughter about resolutions, trying to explain that "eating more cookies" and "playing at my friend's house" aren't exactly what I had in mind, but then again, enjoying good food and good company are pretty great goals. From the mouths of babes people.
So my list for the new year is daunting, but I'm trying to see it more like an outline to keep me on track, to avoid those days when I feel I'm being pulled in seven directions, to give me focus and enjoy the good parts.
1. Eat More Cookies.
My daughter's idea rings true, the English have tea time, I have 2:00pm coffee cookie time. Those are Candy Cane Jo-Jos, a personal favorite.
2. Plan Weekly Menus.
This one is tricky because A. my daughter will only eat three different things for dinner and B. my husband is only home for dinner three nights a week. I tend to wing it on nights he's not home and end up eating frozen waffles or salad while my daughter dines on chicken nuggets for the 567th time. I would like to plan a week of meals, shop accordingly and stick to it.
3. Include a New Recipe Once a Week
This is tied to goal number 2 obviously, but I get stuck in a rut with our menu options, which is silly because I love to cook and I am not a picky eater.
4. Organize My Day
This idea comes from my friend Robin at
TheFancyLamb. She has a wonderful daily time plan that I strive to achieve. I'm constantly running around, trying to figure out what needs my attention next, instead of planning what needs to get done and when I should do it. In fact, I just ordered one of her
awesome daily planners to do so! I do love chartreuse.
5. Have a Daily Routine to Keep the House Clean
I am a neat freak but my child and husband seem to be on a mission to constantly sabotage my organization. The kitchen table is a case in point. I go to bed with a clean table every night, magically every morning I wake up to this:
And my husband's bowl of mail drives me crazy:
I need a daily check list of little things to get done so at the end of the week I'm not starting over again.
6. Record Receipts.
I use my debit card a lot. My husband is a cash person. I have a tendency to hoard receipts in my billfold until I have a wallet that could contend with George Costanza. This also leads to our bank balance online not matching our checkbook register. Which doesn't bother me, but drives a certain someone nuts. Also, the pages of receipts in my wallet make me feel frazzled, so on my daily list of chores goes "Record the days receipts"
7. Take My Camera Everywhere
I love my camera, I love taking pictures, why don't I take it with me more often? I think I'm scared of breaking it by dragging it everywhere with me, but sitting on my shelf at home isn't doing me any good either. I can't tell you home many times I've been driving Kelly to a class or the library and saw a tree, a gorgeous view of the river and wished I'd had it with me.
8. Figure Out What to Do With My Uterus.
Sorry, that's probably TMI, but this is the year I need to choose a path. I have severe endometriosis, with a lot of pain. I had laproscopic surgery last year to remove a cyst from my left ovary and my doctor didn't think we'd be able to have more children based on the adhesions and scarring she saw. I've been on Lupron to treat the pain for the last 5 months, but it's beginning to be ineffective and my old friend Lefty (that's what I call the troublemaking ovary) is having a negative impact on my life. So, we have choices to make this year, try for one more child, have a hysterectomy to end this battle of failed treatments, or both? Obviously, one has to follow the other.
9. Blog More
That really speaks for itself, I hope taking my camera everywhere helps me here.
10. Launch New Product Line and Website
I have a new type of jewelry I'm working on that I hope to launch this Spring. And a website, I love Etsy and will definitely keep my shop there, but feel I also need my own site to take it to a whole 'nuther level.
So, 2012 is going to be a big year. It appears my main goal is time related, how to use it, how to maximize it and how to not throw the mail bowl through the window. It seems like a huge list, but I have a whole year to achieve it!
What goals do you have this year? I'd love to hear your resolutions and how you hope to reach them.
Happy New Year!
