I am a bit of a resolution junky. I might mock the idea of resolutions every year (especially the ones that show up on the list again and again), but I still make them. Sometimes I make them in secret so that I am not accountable. This year I will put them out into the open (or at least out in the world wide web).
I will even tackle the most common resolutions (yeah, I’m going to be a cliche).
1) Get a handle on my budget. Considering that my pre-kid employment centered on me being a bookkeeper, I have been woefully bad at budgeting this year. We have been dipping into savings a bit much and spending an exorbitant amount on food. I think I need to switch out my mystery books next month for some budget books. I really know I should be spending less and learning better ways to save as a stay at home mom.
2) Shop less. I LOVE shopping. I was raised as a good shopper (and still love shopping with my mom). Elizabeth has become an excellent little shopper, too. It gives me a wrong kind of happy feeling and I know I need to cut way back. Did I really need two different packs of vanilla scented LED candles this year (one with remote?). Do we really need all of the toys that overflow our cozy little house? How about all of the half painted furniture and projects littering the garage? Maybe I should vow to not go to IKEA or Target in 2012, but I know that would be too hard. Shop less will be the start.
Elizabeth happily surrounded by the spoils of Christmas.
3) Stop being such a pack rat. There are some precious things I have saved since childhood that I know I will never part with: my favorite little people doll, my name badge from Outdoor School (those who don’t live in Oregon miss out on this pivotal life experience), a sand dollar from my first trip to the beach. There are probably at least a hundred other things like those that are precious to me. It is the other hundreds (or thousands?) that have my closets, dressers, and garage filled. I need to learn to tell what is really important and part with the rest.
4) De-clutter. I had thought my urge to clean and organize was novel, until I started reading other blogs the past few days. So apparently I am jumping on the de-cluttering bandwagon. It starts today. Today I will be starting in on the house. Tomorrow, Duncan has agreed to clean out the garage with me. Family and friends are hereby on notice: you may be getting calls or texts offering you some of our excess stuff.
5) Finish a project before starting another. The big one that got me started on this was the kitchen. We finally finished it, but it would have been done sooner had I refrained from starting a dozen other projects in the meantime. I still have a closet full of half done projects, from knitting projects needing the ends sewn in (so easy, yet I hate doing it), Elizabeth’s name flag banners that need ironing and bias tape (also easy, but I have never done it so of course I put it off), patterns for sewing, picture frames for painting, and so much more. All self imposed projects that I feel compelled to finish. Then there is the next big project: The Dining Room. I think I will just have to start by picking one at random and getting it done.
6) Lose weight. I know. It is a pathetic resolution to have, but this is a continuation of a very successful 2011 of losing weight. So far I lost 20 pounds in 2011 and have been maintaining for the past two months (with a little fight against the holiday goodies). This really does mean I should be going to the gym more (even when it is cold out, or raining, or I’m tired, or I’m lazy, ect.). I would really like to lose at least 5 or 10 more because I would like to …
7) Gain weight. With luck 2012 will be the year of healthy pregnancy weight gain. No, I’m not pregnant now, but I do hope that this will be the year we start on baby #2.
8.) Cook and Menu plan more. Since I made my little menu board I have been spotty with actually using it. When I use it, we eat well all week; when I don’t, we flounder around wondering what is for dinner and end up eating a little worse than we would.
9) Keep our family healthy. Knock-on-wood, but we have been really healthy for the past few months, and hopefully we can get through the coming winter somewhat unscathed. We have been super about taking vitamins and Elizabeth is finally happy about washing her hands, so hopefully we are on the right track.
So those are my new resolutions. They don’t seem too overwhelming to me right now (in my optimistic fervor). I hope everyone else has success with their goals and resolutions in the coming year.
Happy New Year!
~Krista
