Happy 2011!!

Whoa! I still can't believe it's actually 2011! I've written 4 checks already this year, and I've put the wrong year on THREE of them! We had such a great Christmas Break... including spending part of an afternoon at the Clark Plantarium with two of my sisters and their kiddos. (That will be my next post).

I am definitely a New Year's Resolution Maker.

I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not.

Sometimes I do well... sometimes NOT so well.

For instance - last year Jared and I resolved to get in shape. I wanted to lose about 20 pounds that I'm still hanging onto after my huge weight gain from being pregnant with the Haydster. We wrote our starting weights on a mirror in our room, and each week we would write where we were. By summer I had lost 15. I was feeling great. Apparently, however, it had not become a "lifestyle change" and I put every bit of it back on, PLUS 2 or 3. Oops!

I also had resolved to stop biting my fingernails once and for all. I did it. Then I had a little bit of stress and started right back up again!

Grrr!

This year: I have those same two goals. So far, so good. (Mostly I just want to be able to wear the jeans I already have and not have them cut off my circulation!) I also decided I would do MEGA DEEP CLEANING and REALLY get my house organized. I'm off to a great start on that one. I cleaned out under the stairs and totally cleaned out the food storage room. Both rooms have become 3 times bigger, seriously! Our house has lost a lot of weight, even if Jared and I haven't! LOL!! It feels so good, and I'm going to continue. After the organizing will come the painting. There is a lot of that to be done.

I do have spiritual goals as well. I really want to be better about reading my scriptures... I want to be a more patient person, especially with my kids, and I want to be less stressed-out all the way around. My fingers are crossed!!

I love fresh starts. I've decided, however, that I don't need a New Year to have a New Start. I'm going to evaluate my week each Sunday, and decide what I want to do the NEXT week. Less daunting, if you ask me!!

Here's to a beautiful New Year, with fresh starts every week!!

My mom gave me this Amaryllis bulb in November to plant... it took me a couple of weeks to get it planted, but it was so fun to watch it grow, and get bigger each day. The kids tried to guess when it would bloom as soon as we started seeing the buds forming. It took longer than we thought, but it was definitely worth the wait. I'm going to remember this pretty flower as I evaluate my goals and how I'm doing each week. It may take me longer than I would like to accomplish some of them, but it will be worth the wait!!