1. Take the kids camping. This was on last year's list....but we never did it. I really want to do this, so we will try again. And I really don't want to go just once. I would like to get some use out of the tents and the sleeping bags, etc. We didn't do this agian this year. :-( It seems like you start the good weather season with the best of intentions and then next thing you know, its gone. We are trying something a little different this year...and hopefully camping will be involved as well.
2. Read 12 new books. Last year I said that I wanted to read 10 new books, and I didn't do it. Well, in truth, its possible that I might have, but it was by the skin of my teeth. Vince gave me a Kindle for Christmas this year....and since Christmas, I have already read two books on it (technically in 2010 - so they won't count). But I see no reason why I can't read one new book a month.
- Two romance novels which I won't even list their titles for fear of utter embarrassment.
- Love On A Dime (A Ladies of Summerhill Novel) by Cara Lynn James
- Hide in Plain Site by Marta Petty
- Happily Ever After (Deep Haven Series #1) by Susan May Warren
- Abomination by Colleen Coble
- Choosing To See by Mary Beth Chapman
- Cry in the Nights (Rock Harbor Series #4) by Colleen Coble
- Something Borrowed by Emily Giffin
- Something Blue by Emily Griffin
- Baby Proof by Emily Griffin
- Abduction by Wanda Dyson
- Eyes of Elisha by Brandilyn Collins
- The Help by Kathryn Stockett
- Obsession by Kathi Mills-Macias
- Against All Odds by Irene Hannon
- An Eye for an Eye by Irene Hannon
- In Harm's Way by Irene Hannon
- Last Light (Restoriation Series #1) by Terri Blackstock
- Night Light (Restoration Series #2) by Terri Blackstock
- True Light (Restoration Series #3) by Terri Blackstock
- Dawn's Light (Restoration Series #4) by Terri Blackstock
- Millie's Fling by Jill Mansell
3. Take Jake to a new state. Jake has been to PA, VA, WVA, MD, OH, NY, and FL. I would really like to take him to GA to meet some people that I went to college with or possible IL to meet my best friend from college. Who knows if we will be able to work either of these out, but we will see :-). We didn't do this one either. Vince and I went to NY this past summer, but Jake didn't really go on any big trips. We do have one scheduled for March this year though...and its already booked, so no backing out! We are going to Pigeon Forge, TN!
4. Spend time with God everyday. I passionately want to follow God's will for my life and his plan for my family's life. The only way I will hear his voice is by spending time with him. I would like to spend time with a devotional and in prayer everyday. This will be quite a new routine for me...I pray regularly, but that is not enough to truly know God. This has also fallen victim to "the best of intentions". I don't like waking up early, and if I wait til right before I go to bed, I am too sleepy...but I need to figure this out. How can God and I be on the same page, if I am not even listening to Him!?!?!
5. Move on purpose at least 3 days a week. I have given up on weight goals. I think that all they do is make you frustrated. When I worked in sales, we always focused on the behaviors, not the outcome when we were coaching our associates. The idea is that if you focus on the behaviors, the results will come. So...I will strive to move on purpose at least 3 days a week. This means not just walking while shopping or lifting laundry baskets (lol). This means going for a walk in the morning, or maybe running (wow....don't want to get ahead of myself), or going for a bike ride. I am not going to rejoin a gym. Its not worth the money, because life just gets in the way...and besides, why pay for something that you aren't even doing the basics for first. I tried running...and my mother said, "CAN you run?" And I found out that the answer is no. Apparently I am way to out of shape at this point to even run. I got an excercise bike this year from a friend, and I joined Weight Watchers..and as of my last weigh in of the year, I have lost 32.5 lbs! Yay me! Still a long way to go...but that will continue this year.
6. Try 12 new recipes. One new one for each month - I figure this is easier to do than 50 new recipes when every time I ask Vince what he wants for dinner in the upcoming weeks, he says the exact same things that we had the week before. Ha! I have tried some new recipes...the majority of which were while Kristy was living with us and she was helping with some cooking. Otherwise, I have made some recipes a little healthier...but not too adventurous.
7. Stop worrying about money. This doesn't necessarily mean that our financial situation will improve (although I can only pray that that will happen too), but it does mean that I have to realize that I can't improve anything by worrying myself sick about it. God calls us not to worry, but to trust that He will provide for us. I haven't worried as much...it isn't gone completely, but I have tried to do much better about putting our future in God's hands, knowing that He will take care of us.
8. Make my mother's applesauce this year. Last year, my mom taught me how to make her applesauce. It is amazing and our whole family thoroughly enjoys it. Jacob sings it's praises. He tells everyone at school that doesn't like applesauce that they should his Grandma's applesauce cause its the best! He gives a cheer everytime he find out that we are eating her applesauce instead of from a jar. So....this year, I would like to actually make it myself. I did it! I actually did it! I took two days off of work to spend with my mom and I know how a freezer full of applesauce! YAY!!! And I still have a ton of that applesauce today! People open our big freezer and look at the door lined with containers of applesauce and ask what in the heck it all is!
9. Get a promotion. I can't guarantee that this will happen, but it is definitely something that I am shooting for. Yeah, so that didn't happen either.
10. Have people over for dinner more often. I don't know if I can quantify this into a certain number, but we really enjoy people, and I think that now is a good time for my husband and I to build our friendships and help surround ourselves, our marriage, and our family with friends that uplift us, that we can uplift, and that will strengthen us in our walk with the Lord. We didn't do this as deliberately as I would have liked, but we did meet some new Christian friends...and that excites me!
11. Make the kids' scrapbooks. I have decided to create a scrapbook for each of my kids...with pictures and letter to each of them about the year and their lives. My goal is to be able to give it to them when they graduate from high school or some other major event in their lives. However, I am really good at starting something...or even prepping to start something and not following through...so maybe that should really be #11 - follow through. I started...but never followed through :-(
Well...its about half as long as last year. Which means there is less to do, but never the less important. I pray that God will give me strength, and the I will recognize His work in my life...even if it is just through losing my keys or missing my phone, or getting stopped speeding. I pray that I will be aware enough to listen and to obey. And so, on the 11th day of January, I welcome 2011.
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