New Year goals

  I've spent the past week compiling the final volume of our 2014 picture book and putting captions and dates by the pictures.  It's a pain, but totally worth it.  It is so fun getting to look back at the year and reflect.  I forget how much we have done.

  I don't know about you, but I love this time of year.  Reflecting on the past year, looking forward to the next year with a sense of renewed hope.  Hoping you'll get better at something or reprioritizing the things that mean most to you.

I am totally goal-oriented.  And I love talking these sort of things out with Mike.  It gets us on the same page, motivates and inspires us to be better parents, spouses, friends, swimmers, Crossfitters, etc.  I get energized by the idea that as long as I live, I can always get better, go deeper, and learn more.  The New Year is so motivating for me.

  Sometimes this means cutting things out, but it also could be adding more things on.  I am definitely doing some of both this year.

 

  I have been evaluating where my time and energy is spent and where I want it spent.  Not everything adds up, but this side of heaven it never will.  God willing and most definitely helping me, I can certainly try!

 

For now, this is what I have been thinking about.

 

This year I will be adding:

-Church calendar devotional with Mike (Holy Mosaic Devotional Bible) each week.

-A second sunday spent in Sunday School with Hannah each month.

-More playdates and little friends coming over without their parents.

-Taking people dinner more often.

-Reading for pleasure (currently reading The Invention of Wings).

-More sleep, 9:30 bedtime has been working for me lately.

-Neighborhood walks with the kids, even if it's only 15 minutes.

-Sending my handmade cards.

  

This year I will take away:

-The need to blog every week day (sorry my faithful few).

-The need to buy something, even if it goes on sale or double sale.

-Sugar for one week each month.  There, I said it, keep me accountable!

-The need for all house chores to be done before playing with the kids.

-My 2 hour free time every other Friday to instead work in Hannah's class.

This year I will continue to find balance in:

-Swimming for my sanity, but being okay to sleep in if I need to.

-Working out with Mike, but not doing too many two-a-days.

-Having people over for dinner, but not feel like everything has to be perfect.

-Reading for personal skills/gain (parenting, marriage), but not beating myself up.

-Crafting for fun, but not become crazytown, so only when time and energy allow.