Our vacation is almost over. Ryan goes back to school tomorrow which ends our vacation as well as officially starts the "New Year" for me. I look at the past year and the year to come, and realize that I have so many aspects in my life that need improvement. I find myself at times ashamed of all that I lack in. I have thought and pondered much about the things I need to change and improve. About my New Years resolutions. I've started lists many times, but never finish or simply lose them. When it comes to my thoughts and feelings I feel like a very private person. However, I have decided to write down and keep track of my New Years Resolutions in this blog. I fear to expose my weaknesses that others might pass judgment and see the true me. However, I am not perfect and I perhaps as others see my imperfections they will help lift me to where I need to be. That being said, here we go.
1- I just want a clean house! I put this at the top because I feel it plagues me daily. Don't get me wrong. I know how to clean. It's the maintaining part that is a problem. My house can go from perfectly spotless, everything in its place to total and complete CHAOS (can't have anyone over syndrome) overnight. And that is not an exaggeration! The worse it gets the less I want to clean it. Or I feel like I have to ignore my children to get something done. I want to learn how to maintain my home efficiently while still being able to enjoy being in it. Your best tip for maintaining a clean home is greatly appreciated.
2- It's time to lose weight. I know this is a typical new year's goal. But it's at the top of my list. It's time to quit blaming the baby, (he is 9 months you know) and take control of myself. No more eating after 7, no more cookies and goodies. I plan on exercising at 5am and doing a better job at portion control. I will drink water water water. I'm tired of going shopping and only buying shoes because it's the only thing I feel comfortable in. What's your best/favorite workout tip?
3- If I don't read my scriptures, why would I expect my children to? Scriptures reading has been the single hardest thing for me to do regularly. I don't know why this is a habit I haven't been able to make. I want that love for the scriptures and I want to instill it in my children. So after I exercise I will read my scriptures, I will read with my husband before helping the Bellows, and I will continue to read the Scripture readers with my children each night.
4- I will wash my face and brush my teeth before bed. Sometimes I'm just too tired/lazy to do it. All I want to do is crawl into bed and go to sleep. So, I will do this after scripture reading and before helping Sylvia.
5- Teach the children. I have all these wonderful activities and things to do with my children to help them learn and grow. However, it seems that I lose my enthusiasm when I focus too much on the perfect learning situation. I have a hard time playing it by ear. Therefore I spend more time focusing on how we will do it rather then just doing it. It is my children who pay the price for this.
6- Didn't I just give a talk on this subject. I will go to the temple every month!! Sometimes life gets away from us all, but all that is is an excuse. I truly admire those who go to the temple every month, no matter how many kids, how long it takes, they just do it, and are blessed because of it. I want to be one of those!
7- Just turn off the TV. Ok, I admit it. I like to watch tv. I like to stay up late and veg out working on my projects (or not) with some mindless tv show in the background. It's a disease, and one that needs balance. There are probably two shows that I really look forward to so I will limit myself to those. The only exceptions are if I am exercising, having a movie date with my husband, or on Friday's Family Movie and Pizza Night ( Brayden just loves this). And I will not buy myself an hour of freedom by allowing my son to watch tv. TV for him will be a privilege that must be earned by obeying the first time, and finishing his chores.
8- I will date my husband again. Either Friday or Saturday will be reserved for a date. Not necessarily going out, but just being together, playing game, watching a movie, something fun, one on one. We just enjoyed spending our 6 year anniversary together. What a wonderful day, start to finish. How I love this wonderful man I get to spend eternity with. How blessed I am!
9- What's for dinner? I will make a meal plan for each week in order to have dinner more smoothly on the table, and more importantly to ensure that the food is purchased to have the meal. I've been planning on doing this for years, and I just need to do it!
Well, there you have it take it for what its worth. I'm sure I will be adding more to this list as time goes on.
3 comments:
I can relate to most of these and they are on my list of goals for the year as well! The first one (CHAOS) used to plague me as well. 2 little boys can wreck a house very quickly! Now that they are older, we have less of that happening, and if it does they are good at helping. It will get easier, so don't feel too bad about it. :)
One thing that has worked for us is to do the "10 minute tidy" to maintain the clean. 10 minutes isn't overwhelming and you would be surprised how much can get done in ten minutes, espesially everyday. After the 10 minutes reward yourself and the boys somehow. My kids are excited for me to just play a game with them afterward. On days when you have more time or need more cleaning done, do a one hour clean. Set a timer and do the things that need it most.
You might check out flylady.com I have a friend who loves to do things that way. You have different zones for each day that you clean and by the end of the week it has all been done.
Good Luck!!! I know for myself, when the house stays clean I feel happier, the kids get along better, I feel more like cooking, and its easier to do the other goals (read scriptures, play with kids, have date night, etc)
Wow Kelsey, you have a lot of goals this year. Don't let this long list bog you down. Baby steps are best, pick one thing and focus on it until it becomes a habit then pick another one.
And we ALL still think you are great. After all, we all have stuff to improve on...all of us.
Hey, Tammy writes her dinners on the calander for an entire month that way she doesn't have to think about it when it's time to go shopping and when it's time for dinner she just looks at her calander. She is great because she loves variety. I on the other hand fix the same meals over and over, I lack crativity and embrace convience.
Also, you should swap babysitting with someone (like Ginger) once a month and treat yourselves to a "real" go out on the town date! You'll be surprised how much you will enjoy it.
Good Luck!
Your resolution list looks almost identical to mine. Go to the temple, excersise in the morning, watch less T.V. etc. Same,same,same. I have found that not staying up to watch T.V. makes it easier to get up at 5a.m. to exercise. And did you know that there are 531 pages in the Book of Mormon and 365 days in the year? So reading just two pages a day makes it possible to finish in a year with some days to spare or catch up. So right now I am going to read 2 pages in the Book of Mormon then go to bed so I can get up at 5. Love, your cousin Carmen
p.s. I know two people on your blog list: Tammy Finch (an old roomate from BYU) and Louis Woodhouse (the brother of an old roomate from BYU) Small world!
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