Reflection

2013 was a good year for us.  

Nothing earth-shattering happened.  

We didn't win the lottery.  Or swim with the sharks in Indonesia.  Or complete an Ironman.  

But in its own quiet way, 2013 was really good to us.  

My job was renewed for another 2 years.  J started kindergarten.  We enjoyed a fabulous vacation in Florida.  Husband completed all his professional licensing.  Everyone stayed healthy all year.

All good.  

Specific to me, I had surgery to fix my wonky ankle and am now back to my normal activity levels.  I comfortably wore a bathing suit in public.  I completed several moderately rigorous exercise programs (Chalean Extreme, Body Revolution, C25K).  I read for pleasure more than I expected to.

2014 is looking to be a good one, too.  

I have a handful of personal goals I want to accomplish, and it's looking like there are a few things on the horizon that could be significant for us as a family.  

For me, the following is on my Goal List:

1. Remodel the Kid's Bathroom.  Floors, paint, light. 
2. Caulk & touch up all the trim in the house.
3. Buy & install new pantry doors. 
4. Run a 5K race. 
5. Organize the laundry room. 
6. Replace all the doorknobs. 
7. Organize the kid's schoolwork/ artwork. 
8. Go through each room of the house, organizing and purging.  (This is the one that is most needed, and least likely to get done).
9. Buy 4 new bras.  
10. Read at least a book a month.  

Wishing you a joyful and prosperous 2014!

  

Resolution Revolution

I don't really care for the idea of New Year's Resolutions. Too binding. I prefer a little flexibility in my goal-making. Can I call them Areas of Focus instead? It's my blog & I can if I want to.

Areas of Focus for 2009

(aka the More/ Less List)

1. More Health & Wellbeing/ Less Couch - This is not just for me, but for our whole family. I want to learn how to cook more healthfully, add more vegetables, reduce our meat consumption, and be more diverse in our food selections. I also want us to all move it, move it, a little more often and on a regular basis. If I can accomplish all this perhaps I will become reaquainted with my old friend Skinny Jeans.
2. More Kindness/ Less Frustration - A kind word or a smile goes a long way. This isn't just for strangers or friends, but for me, too. I will be a little more accepting of myself, a little more understanding of my failures and foibles. With acceptance comes understanding, and hopefully a little insight.
3. More Creativity/ Less TV - I've enjoyed busting out my sewing machine and making some simple handmade gifts, and want to gain some momentum in this. I also want to learn more about photography this year, and perhaps even make a tremendous jump forward in camera equipment to leverage that knowledge. It's amazing what I can get done when the TV goes off.
4. More Organization/ Less Stuff - I am a recovering Pack Rat. (My husband would vehemently debate the recovering part). Recovery is a long process, with many bumps in the road. But with a little dedication and some Sterilite containers, I hope to lead a less cluttered existence in 2009.
5. More Family/ Less Everything Else - I want to be a better wife, mother, and friend (in that order).

Happy 2009 to you and yours. What are your Areas of Focus for the year ahead?