Goals for a new year

I'm not really big on making resolutions for the new year.  I like the concept, but it seems that most of the resolutions that people make in January are totally unrealistic and get forgotten before the winter thaw.  I do however like goals and I pretty much always have a running list of things to accomplish in the weeks & months ahead.  So, since it is a new year and a fresh calendar and since people like talking about their goals I thought I'd type mine out.

1. I would really love to finish selling off/giving away the rest of our baby gear.  Unless God has other plans, I'm pretty sure that Eleanor is to be our last baby.  And I am super done with all of the large baby equipment that we have cluttering our house and attic space.  We've gotten rid of some of it in the past few months but we still have a long way to go.  I'm more hesitant to part with the baby clothes, but it has nothing to do with future babies and everything to do with sentimentalism.  I think I'm going to sort through the clothes and set aside outfits that I am most attached to and space saver those to give to the girls when they are adults....you know, for their own babies! :o)

2. I want to read 75 books.  I had this same goal for last year and only got through 67.  I know.....only, right?!?  I feel good about getting through as many novels as I did, but I would really like to make my goal.  If you have any awesome book suggestions, let me know!

3. I want to be more intentional with fun activities for my kids.  Most of the stuff we do together (craft wise) is spur of the moment, throw together kind of stuff.  And it also seems to go in waves.  I'm really good about planning stuff to do around the holidays because I LOVE Christmas, but I'm not nearly as good at keeping that momentum throughout the year.  I want to have weekly plans, maybe even a set day of the week where I have specific plans for us, and most importantly.....I want to be prepared.

4. I want to continue nursing Eleanor.  I don't really have a set time frame on this one, but I know that as of right now I want to keep going.  I can't believe that it has been 15 months already!  There have been moments when I've felt like I desperately wanted to be done and have my freedom, but that was mostly around the 9-11 month mark when she was still nursing a ton.  Now she'll nurse 2-3 times a day and it just feels normal.....it feels like it's what I'm supposed to be doing.  Don't worry, she won't be going into kindergarten still attached to my boob, but for now we'll keep on keepin' on.

5. I want to make a pot of soup every week (during winter/spring).  I know this one seems weird, but every time I make home made soup I absolutely adore it!  There is nothing cozier or more comforting than a big pot of soup.  It is so easy to make, and it can be a fill in for meals all week long.  Got soccer practice, or AWANA in the evening?  Hey, we have this soup here......wa-la, dinner is made!

6. I want to blog more consistently.  I got very neglectful of my blog these past couple months and I feel really bad about it.  It's not like many people even read my blog, but that isn't why I do this anyway.  I want to save our memories.  You wouldn't believe how many times I've referenced my past blog entries to jog my memory of something.  I love having this record and I want to make it a priority.

7. I want to take more pictures of my life.  This one might seem hard to believe since I have upwards of 65,000 pictures on my external hard drive, but it's true.  I haven't taken very many pictures the past couple of months (of course this is relative) and I completely regret it.  Days go by without me even picking up my camera.  I won't get these days/weeks/months back and I want to capture as much as I can!

8. I want to go to bed earlier.  This one is going to be TOUGH!  I generally don't go to sleep until 12:30 or 1:00 every night.  I have the best of intentions but I take a long time to fall asleep and heading off to bed at 11:30 is just too late if I want to be asleep before tomorrow.  I honestly don't know if I'll be successful with this goal, but maybe by putting it in writing it will keep me motivated!

9. I want to make tons of money doing what I love.  I'm kidding.  Kind of.  I want my business to be more successful!  2011 was actually really great and unexpected, but I want to get my butt in gear and get organized and proactive with my photography.  The winter here is cold which makes it less than desirable for people to get outdoors and do photo shoots, but I have big plans for the spring!  I'm going to do some advertising and be more proactive about drumming up new business.  I also would love to get my feet wet with some wedding photography.....so if anyone knows of couples looking for very reasonable wedding photography, send them my way! :o)  I love that I can make money doing something that I truly adore.

I think that's it for now.  Of course I have a gazillion other goals, but I don't have the time or the energy to get into all of them.  I think that my biggest "goals" are ones that are always on going.  I always want to be a better person, a better wife and mother.  I want to be less impatient, kind with my words and overall more empathetic.  I want to be more awesomer than I already am! :o)  Here's hoping that 2012  is everything I want it will be and more.