Happy New Year!

I am very ready to ring in a new year!

I am one of those who always makes new year's resolutions and then don't really remember them a month down the road, but this time is different...

Wait...Am I having deja vu?...Did I say that very same thing last year...and the year before...?

Well, this year I have a blog, and hopefully many readers that will help hold me accountable for all of the resolutions I am going to make.

I pledge to make a bigger list to hang somewhere in the house.  The laundry room is probably the best place because I go through it to leave the house everyday, and none of my guests will have to see it!  I will check off the items as I complete the resolutions (some of which won't be checked off until the end of next year!)

I also pledge to make resolutions that are attainable and that are possible even with a sometimes high-maintenance husband and a 1 year old running around (well, still crawling for now...)

I pledge to stay on track with the resolutions even if I have an occasional slip-up (which I'm sure will happen!)

I pledge to make resolutions that will be positive for me and the relationships in my life!

2011 New Year's Resolutions 

1.  Try your best not to make negative comments about other people.  This includes family, friends, acquaintances, and strangers!  This includes people that don't seem to know how to drive and people that may have never been taught manners in their lives!  If you do make a negative comment about a person, make sure to do something nice for someone that same day that you wouldn't ordinarily do.  I didn't put, "Don't make negative comments," because I know one will slip out eventually!

2.  Eat and drink healthier.  I am not vowing to lose 10 pounds or be able to run a marathon, because I know that they might be unattainable for me.  But on a day-to-day basis, I want to do my best to simply eat and drink healthier.  I am going to make a big commitment to cut out all caffeine and carbonation for the first week at least...but I hope to never have more than one or two caffeinated or carbonated drinks a week.  Not only will I save money, but I think I will feel much healthier!  I also want to make better decisions when eating.  I will cook more and eat less processed foods!

3.  Spend more time in prayer, and be more aware of God's presence in my life.  Yes, I am a minister's wife.  No, we don't have a devotion together everyday and live a perfect life.  I am setting a personal goal to make more of a conscious effort to set aside time each day for prayer and reflection.  As of now, I do pray everyday.  More of the type where I think of something or someone and say a quick prayer in my head.  I will continue to pray like that because I think it's important too, but I want alone time with God...and that is very attainable!

4.  Teach Little Man something every day.  This one shouldn't be too hard since his mind is learning constantly at his age.  I do spend so much time playing with him and reading him books.  I want to make sure that I help him learn!  I will work on colors, the alphabet (which is already his favorite song), and identifying objects.  Instead of just playing, I want to focus on learning too!

5.  Keep the house clean!  Most of y'all know, I am not a huge fan of cleaning!  I have always felt that it takes too much time, and gets dirty two seconds later!  But, I have been much better lately!  The mister and I share pretty equal cleaning duties around the house (which is rare and I am so fortunate to have him!)  We have a weekly cleaning chart that we started in November, and it's been pretty successful!  I just want to stick to the chore chart and do more when I have the opportunity!

6.  Read more books!  This one shouldn't be too hard.  I plan on cutting out some television time and reading more at night or when Little Man is napping during the day.  My very attainable goal is one book per month!

7.  Clean out the house!  We are planning on having a yard sale in January or February.  We want to rid the house of everything we really don't need.  The mister and I are going to clean out every nook and cranny and really decide what purpose the item is serving.  If the purpose isn't good enough, out it goes! Whatever doesn't sell will be given to Goodwill or the Salvation Army.

8.  Volunteer more!  I really have a passion for missions, yet I have not followed through on this passion.    My favorite trips to take as a youth were the church mission trips each year.  But the high I got from serving was over a few days after I returned home.  I want to make that high last a lot longer.  I am going to plan to volunteer somewhere once a week.  Whether it's the soup kitchen, Meals on Wheels, or the Bowers-Rodgers home, I want to make a commitment to volunteer!

9.  Spend less money!  This is a big one for me.  The mister and I decided that I would become a stay-at-home mama beginning last July.  Since then, it has been hard for us to save anything.  We have started cutting coupons and looking for better deals, but we still eat out too much and spend money on things we don't truly need.  I plan to really change that!  We are going to try and only eat out once a week.  When we do eat out, we will share a meal.  I will make a budget and stick to it!

10.  Spend more time as a couple!  It is very important to make date nights and have alone time for the mister and me!  We usually just do date nights on a whim when we realize we haven't had one in awhile, but our goal is at least once a month!  Another goal for me is to eat dinner together at the table.  We usually eat dinner on the couch while we watch television.  This is going to change!  It will be hard for me, because I love to watch tv while I'm eating, but I know our relationship will be better if we sit at the table and talk over dinner...which is what will happen when Little Man is old enough to eat dinner at the table with us...we don't usually eat until after he's in bed.

*As I am about to post this, I want to add that last night as the babysitter was about to leave, I asked her if she had any resolutions...and she said, not really, but I remember yours from last year.  I asked her what it was, and she said it was to not be mean to anyone!  I couldn't believe it!  And then I remembered that I gave that up for Lent...not as a New Years Resolution!  Still...obviously something I want to work on.  Her mom said she knows a woman that never says anything negative about anyone.  When a group of women (from church) get together...if they happen to start talking about someone...this woman pretty much drops out of the conversation.  So...it does make an impression...and that's what I intend to do!*

HAPPY NEW YEAR!! Welcome 2011!