Totally cliche, but I will do it anyway

(first apologies. my apostrophe is currently not working. it is as if my keyboard is falling apart. but anyway, just pretend there are apostrophes for this entire post. thanks.)

(spell check found my lack of apostrophes and corrected them! hooray for spell check!!!)

New Years. Always a time for renewing, reviewing, and changing things. Do you actually do it? Do you follow through with them? Usually, to make changes, I wait until we move. We seem to move fairly often, and at Christmas time, which allows me to be able to make those changes. This year, that not being the case, I am going to have to make more of an effort in this.


This last year has been a year full of major changes. And things that I had no control over forced me to find things in me that I did not think I was capable of doing. Capable of getting through and coming out OK.


Sadly, those sorts of things are not easily measured. But sometimes, you want to be able to SEE some progress, to visually tell that you are better than you were before. So, this January, I will be starting to work on these things:


~I know I posted a while back that I wanted to tackle bread making while he was gone. Well, this far into it, I have not made even one loaf. This goal has changed to at least attempting it. I do have loaf pans (finally!!) and yeast. Just a matter of getting other things in order so that I can give it the time it needs to be good! Because if my bread comes out terrible, well, I just do not know what I will do if it does. I do not get along with bad bread.


~I am going to exercise. A lot. And change my diet as best as I can. I would love for my husband to come home to a fit, toned wife. It is possible!! I just do not know if I can give up my treats.


~I am going to become more organized. In whatever small way I can. It is such a huge effort for me to get myself there and then to keep it up. I am also going to purge purge purge. I have so much crap (as does my husband) that we never use. That we have no need for. And my kids toys!!! I get so tired of all those toys! They do not even play with half of them. Just have to convince them. Or do it when both of them are gone.

~I started really reading my scriptures every day when we were in North Carolina. And amazingly, I have managed to keep it up and I still do it. I want to keep that up, and add a few more aspects to my whole prayer/reading routine. I also want to be consistent with family home evenings. I hated them as a kid for many reasons (mostly my brothers made it miserable for the rest of us) but I have realized that mine do not have to be like that. They are whatever we want them to be. So, mine are going to be short, sweet, and if I can manage, with a little bit of fun thrown in.


~Boundaries!!! Boy do I love these things. My life becomes so much easier when I can set boundaries and stick to them, no matter what the situation. My personal resources are spread pretty thin. So, my goal is that no matter what other people think or want me to do, I am always going to do what is best for my kids and I. I really don't get pushed too much from the church, but I have been pushed on the FRG side of things, of people wanting me to do this and that. And sometimes I just cant.

Well, I have covered the spiritual, physical, and mental aspects of my life. Anything else that I accomplish on top of these is just extra. Next step is to write them down in my journal, and then get them on something so that I can see them every day. Nothing like a daily reminder to keep you on track!!

I hope this year is better than the last, that you find happiness, and that when there are problems, you get through them. Happy New Year!

(I will be spending it with five kids. I got some noisemakers and fun snacks for them. Who will bet me $20 that they don't make it to even 11pm??????)