New Year's Resolutions

The new year will begin soon (this Tuesday, to be exact) and I, for once, have several resolutions I plan to make. I have never been a "resolution" sort-of-a-gal but since becoming a SAHM I have found that I need to time-manage and make goals in order to get things done. It is easy to spend entire weeks just cuddling, playing on the floor, and doing a few dishes or some laundry during the Bear's naps and then realize that I have hardly done anything spicy, exhilarating, or challenging and constructive in a month! I think that habit and structure are important, but showing your kids a few "wow!" things is also immeasurably important; whether it be a new nature spot or a trip to the zoo, a growing boy needs to explore! My resolutions are all things that will motivate me and structure our lives a little more, while allowing us to get out and to LIVE more.  

NYR #1- I plan to go raw for 2 months. From January 1st to February 28th I am going to eat raw fruits, raw vegetables, nuts, and raw milk. I will also take my prenatals for good measure. I am doing this to lose a few holiday pounds but, moreover, to "reset" my eating habits. I have done a true raw diet once before and it was phenomenal. I lost weight, felt alert and never had the overwhelming desire to nap after eating. I felt lighter and spry on my feet and found myself having less emotional fluctuation due to hormones and the like. The ONLY negative is simply that you are eating differently than everyone around you so it is hard to maintain as a "lifestyle". That is why my goal is only two months-- after that time I will try stay off the junk wagon and maintain healthier choices. I find myself, my weight, and my GI system to be a lot happier with a mainly plant based diet. Cheers to goal #1!

NYR #2- I am changing my goal for a 365 project to a 52 project. In other words, my new goal will be to have one "best picture" per week for Augustine's first year of life. I found that I was just snapping whatever picture was convenient most days lately, and the project became a big chore instead of an enjoyment for several reasons. First, there aren't THAT many interesting or new things that happen in the daily life of a 0-1 year old. I seemed to be snapping similar pictures every day and lost my inspiration. Second, the fact that I was just trying to get ANY picture in for the day was drastically decreasing the quality of the photos. I was tired and stopped caring about composition, lighting and was sometimes even posting downright blurry photos! Lame-o. I am going to go back and choose my favorite picture from every week and go from here renewed and happy, with a simpler goal and a happier heart in accomplishing it. Cheers to goal #2!

NYR #3- I plan to revamp, redo, and reorganize one room in my house per month. This includes wallpaper and paint. I have lived in this house for over two years and there are several rooms that still have the (no offense) old-lady wallpaper from the people who lived here before Forrest. I frequently think "I need to change this or that" but never make a plan. One room a month doesn't seem too daunting, and not every room will involve painting. Even a closet counts as a room, so on harder months my goal may be as simple as organizing one closet. Cheers to goal #3!

NYR #4- We can call this "The Aug-olution". I plan to start taking Aug to the library for story time every week, and do one special or new activity once a month. A special activity includes museums, zoos, a hike in the woods, swimming in a new lake or even visiting relatives in a place he has never been. This one will not be terribly hard to meet, as a 9 month old has yet to see many things, but I need to get into the habit of this early, because I don't want to look back and realize that I have a four year old and his lazy mama barely leaves the house but for an occasional play date. Adventures, we seek!

Cheers to goal #4!

I will document proof of my goal completion along the way as motivation. What are your resolutions?