Resolutions: 2013 graded & 2014 resolved

Alrighty...I found my post from last year about my resolutions, as a reminder, this is what I resolved:
 
- Be able to sing Oh Holy Night in church for Christmas...in Italian - Have my photography studio up and running - Keep going with Isagenix and get to my goal weight - Be able to carry on a conversation with someone in Italian - without Google Translate - Mail my Christmas cards by December 1st - De-clutter every room in our house - Catch up Nathan's Navy scrapbook - 20 pages in Nathan's Navy scrapbook -  20 pages in Miles' scrapbook - Read the entire Book of Mormon  - Read one book a month - of my choice. - Keep up with the Sunday School lessons 

And how I fared at year end:

- Be able to sing Oh Holy Night in church for Christmas...in Italian - A
Done.  I almost peed myself from fear, and being 7 months pregnant with a rib-dweller definitely made the long, high notes a bit tougher...but this one felt awesome to accomplish! 

- Have my photography studio up and running - A
My photography business here in Italy took on a life of it's own this year.  Fueled by mini-sessions, it grew rapidly.  Our babymoon to Paris (pictures coming, I swear) was almost completely paid for by holiday photo sessions!  I got a new logo custom designed and I'm also working on a new, more professional webpage.  I can't wait to see where 2014 takes it!

- Keep going with Isagenix and get to my goal weight - A
I started the year out hard, got to a grand total of 50lbs lost and was losing more...then got the surprise of a lifetime finding out that (shocker!) my uterus & ovaries actually decided to work.   Even though I was about 20lbs from my goal weight I'm giving myself an A.  I busted by butt this year and I am so proud of the work I did.  

- Be able to carry on a conversation with someone in Italian - without Google Translate - B
This one depends on the topic...but I'm definitely more equipped to handle random conversations than I was at the end of 2012.  My language base grows every week, and I think I'm going to add a few lessons this year and see how far I can really go.  (since we'll be here another two years, why not?)

- Mail my Christmas cards by December 1st - F
Fail.  Total fail.  I never even got cards printed, let alone mailed.  I was SO busy with my holiday photo studio it was the furthest thing from my mind.  

- De-clutter every room in our house - C
We got a lot of the house de-cluttered...out of necessity for finding a spot for baby girl to fit.  But I didn't get to everything like I'd wanted.  I'll just keep on trucking with this one. 

- 20 pages in Nathan's Navy scrapbook - F
I didn't even do ONE page in any scrapbook this year.  Not one.  I need to try and fix that. 

-  20 pages in Miles' scrapbook - F
See above

- Read the entire Book of Mormon - D
Ok, so I read scriptures over the course of the year...but it was mostly according to topic or research for a lesson, etc.  I didn't sit down and read the BOM (or bible for that matter) from cover to cover. 
  - Read one book a month - of my choice. - C
I sat and thought about this one today...wondering if I actually did it.  And some months I can remember exactly what I might have read and others?  Not so much.  
 
- Keep up with the Sunday School lessons - F
This one just completely fell by the wayside.  Keeping up with the Sharing Time lessons each week in addition to the lessons for the primary classes (we have teachers no-show almost every week...we need to be prepared) kept me busy. 



Well it seems to me that the ones I did - I did fantastically.  And the ones I didn't - well, they just didn't even make it off the ground.  But you know what?  I'm not going to focus on those that I failed.  I had an amazing year.  I pushed myself to limits I thought I'd never reach.  I started running again, I even managed to get in four official races before I had to stop in July (puking 24/7 really takes the steam out of ya...and by the time the puking stopped I was SO jiggly from my growing appendages it hurt to run).  I poured my heart into getting healthy...and it blessed me back 100 fold.  Knees felt better, I slept better, I felt comfortable in my own skin...and my stupid reproductive system fixed itself and I got pregnant.   I have loved seeing my photo studio really get off the ground.  It makes me feel so good when strangers tell me they were referred to me by a former client.  I love it when clients make the photos I took their profile pics on FB or their Christmas card picture.  I love capturing sweet little faces...because they grow so quickly.  My language skills have made our time here easier.  I like finally being able to chit chat with people after church or at the market.   

And as I mentioned before...my 2014 resolutions are simple: spin only the important plates.  So here it goes:

1- Lead a healthy life, for myself and also as an example to my family
2- Try to be a better example of a follower of Christ
3- Spend more time doing things to make me & my family happy and spend less time worrying about making others happy

Keep the plates spinning

You know those fancy trick guys who put a plate on top of a stick, spin it, and keep it spinning without falling off?  I've been thinking about those guys a lot the last couple days.  And it reminds me of life.  We all have things to keep spinning.  Sometimes we are the one who starts the plate and other times a stick is handed to us and we just have to keep it going.  

In the last few months I have felt - in more moments than I care to share - that I wasn't going to be able to keep all my plates spinning.  Wife, mother, photographer, ombudsman, friend, teacher, cook, maid, daughter, sister, etc, etc, etc... it was a lot to keep spinning all at once.  The thing is, you never know how close you are to that point until you are to that point.  People would hand me spinning plates and I'd gladly take them.  I'd see others struggling with a plate so I'd offer to take it.  Then I'd think, huh, a pink spinning plate would be cool...so I'd start a pink spinning plate.  And then I'd stack plates on top of ones already spinning.  And all the plates are great and need someone to spin them, and I am more than capable, so why not me?  And every once in a while one would wobble a bit and require a little extra TLC to keep it from toppling off it's precarious perch.  And that was fine.  I'd take my eyes off the steady spinners long enough to tame the nervous plate.  But then I had more than one wobble at the same time...and the wobbles became more than wobbles and I didn't have enough eyes or hands to tame the finicky dishes.  I did my best to keep them all from falling, but some did.  And the unfortunate thing is the ones that fell are some of the ones that matter most to me.  I was so concerned about keeping plates spinning that could have been kept going by someone else that a few of my own crashed to pieces.  

Over the last month I have learned a few things: 

I don't need to spin all the plates.  

It's ok to sometimes say no to someone who wants you to spin one.

It's even ok to ask someone else to take one and have a turn spinning it.  

Next year I will spin less plates, and I'll only spin the ones that REALLY matter.
It's my only resolution.  

Resolutions: edited

So I've had a bit more time to ponder my resolutions and I want to (in typical Holly fashion) add some.  Hopefully I'm not biting off more than I can chew.  I am also editing a couple.  

Here is what I resolved:

- Be able to sing Oh Holy Night in church for Christmas...in Italian
- Have my photography studio up and running
- Keep going with Isagenix and get to my goal weight
- Be able to carry on a conversation with someone in Italian - without Google Translate
- Mail my Christmas cards by December 1st
- De-clutter every room in our house
- Catch up Nathan's Navy scrapbook

Here's what I'd like to add/edit:

- 20 pages in Nathan's Navy scrapbook (edit)
I realized that completely catching up his book may not happen...so I'd at least like to get a big chunk done.
-  20 pages in Miles' scrapbook (new)
I want to try and catch up how far behind I am...before he leaves on his mission or goes to college.
- Read the entire Book of Mormon  (new)
Shouldn't be too hard. :)
- Read one book a month - of my choice. (new)
I want to keep my brain lucid...and lately all I do is read kids books to Miles and recite nursery rhymes.  All of which are AWESOME...but I just want to make sure I have words other than "Old MacDonald had a farm" in my brain. 
- Keep up with the Sunday School lessons (new)
Working in the Primary keeps me pretty out of the loop as far as Sunday School goes.  Well let's be honest...that and the fact that Gospel Doctrine class is taught in another language.  I want to keep up so I'm going to study on my own. 

Here goes nothing!

Resolved: 2013

**EDIT** I have updated my resolutions...you can find that post HERE.

I feel great with how much I did with my 2012 resolutions.  I hope 2013 is also a great year...with that in mind, here it goes:

- Be able to sing Oh Holy Night in church for Christmas...in Italian
This one will take some work.  Oh Holy Night is a tough song to begin with, and doing it in another language will make it that much more difficult...but it is something I want to do.  I want to sound good, and also not butcher the pronunciations...so practice, practice, practice is what I'll have to do. 

- Have my photography studio up and running
It is well on its way...just need to give it a little push and keep it going. 

- Keep going with Isagenix and get to my goal weight
Once my parents head back home Nathan and I are hitting it hard again.  I want to be able to pick out a cute swimsuit for summer and not worry that it needs to tuck my tummy and cover my thighs.

- Be able to carry on a conversation with someone in Italian - without Google Translate
I can communicate just fine now...between my language skills, hand gestures, and Google Translate.  But I want to be able to sit and chat with some of the women at church, and my landlord's family...without having to use a translator and excessive amounts of pantomiming.  

- Mail my Christmas cards by December 1st
This is kind of a nerdy New Year's Resolution...but I had all the best intentions this year and our Christmas cards are going in the mail tomorrow.  Next year I'd rather people get them before Christmas than after.  

- De-clutter every room in our house
I would ideally like to do this in January and then KEEP it de-cluttered.  We shall see...I have intense hoarding genes on both sides of my family.  Poor Nathan is the opposite...and I think sometimes he wants to wack me over the head with bags of the stuff that I hoard. 

- Catch up Nathan's Navy scrapbook
I know I will never be 100% caught up with scrapbooking...especially at the rate that I take pictures.  BUT I would really like to have Nathan's Navy stuff all caught up so I have less of a mountain to scrapbook when he retires (which isn't for another 12 years but I'd hate to have 12 years of pictures to scrapbook at the last minute)

What about you...any resolutions?

Looking Back: 2012

It's that time again...for me to be publicly accountable for how I did on my New Year's Resolutions. As a reminder here were my resolutions for 2012:  

- Be well on my way to becoming fluent in Italian.  

- Get my photography business up and going

- Have our home more Christ centered: family prayers, scripture study, FHE, etc.

- Never say no to Miles when he asks me to read to him
-Make healthy choices: eating, exercising, etc.  

- Remember birthdays

- Once a month send a letter (as in paper and pen) to someone 



And now for the grades:

B - Be well on my way to becoming fluent in Italian.    

This one has happened partially because of my studies and partially because of everyday life.  Learning to navigate the markets, grocery stores, and church (which is 90% in Italian) has really beefed up my knowledge.  I'm not fluent but I'm working on it!

B - Get my photography business up and going
This is going...I had several paid shoots this year and I've studied and practiced and read a LOT.  I also updated my website and created a Facebook page for my photography business.  Plus I got a lot of sweet photography goodies for Christmas and my birthday. 
 

C - Have our home more Christ centered: family prayers, scripture study, FHE, etc.
This one was better than years past, but still not up to where I'd like it.  We do have nightly prayers, and weekly FHE, but I don't get as much individual scripture study as I'd like.

A - Never say no to Miles when he asks me to read to him  
We read to Miles every night before bed and he and I read quite often during the day.  Cute little guy loves to have mommy read to him.

A -Make healthy choices: eating, exercising, etc.
I hit this one out of the park.  I went on a healthy eating/lifestyle change/diet and LOST 40 LBS!  Go me!!!  I feel the best I have in ages, I sleep better, and I finally don't wince when I see myself in the mirror.  I hope to continue with it this year, lose more weight, and get in even better shape. 
 

B - Remember birthdays
I did those on FB...almost all of them.  Better, but not as good as I'd like.

C - Once a month send a letter (as in paper and pen) to someone 
I did this almost every month.  Although by "I" I mean I mailed, Miles colored, etc.  We sent cards to grandparents for Valentines, Easter, Halloween...and such.  A couple times I just had Miles color on paper and we mailed that to grandma.  I also sent postcards from our travels.  So I give myself a C because I did it, but only a C because they weren't letters. 

What were your resolutions...how'd you do? 

Resolved: 2012

I feel like this year is a great year for me to make some hefty resolutions.  We are in the middle of a massive life change so I figure it's a good time to shake things up even more.  Also - it's our 10 year anniversary...and the first time I've had my job as a mother to consider.  

I've given these resolutions a LOT of thought.  I have really focused these goals on helping me become the type of mother, wife, sister, daughter, friend I want to be...and how I can be the best version of her that I can.

By the end of 2012 I want to:

- Be well on my way to becoming fluent in Italian.  
This one should be easy...since we'll be living in an Italian town and will need to know the language just to get around.  In southern Italy not as many people speak English as in Northern Italy...they are VERY proud to be Italians. 

- Get my photography business up and going
I got some sweet new photography toys for Christmas - new bag, new lens as well as reflector/diffuser panels.  Plus I've already found a photog buddy there and we're going to take some classes together.

- Have our home more Christ centered: family prayers, scripture study, FHE, etc.
I've found when we focus on what's really important, life just goes a little smoother. 

- Never say no to Miles when he asks me to read to him 
I realize he won't be talking a whole lot this year...but he's starting to pick up signing...and if he asks to read, no matter how busy I am I will read to him.


-Make healthy choices: eating, exercising, etc.
This will just be a continuaton of what we've tried to do this year.  It will be fun to try out all the new fruits and veggies in Italy...and eating healthier should be easier because the town we're looking at living in doesn't have McDonalds, Taco Bell, Wendy's, etc...but they have TONS of fresh markets.
 

- Remember birthdays
I keep resolving to do this...and one of these years I'm actually going to do it.  

- Once a month send a letter (as in paper and pen) to someone 
I love getting things in the mail.  It doesn't have to be anything fancy...but a card, postcard, thank you note, etc is just such a great surprise and I figure if I like it then someone else will to! 


So what about you?  Any resolutions?  Goals?  Tips for me as I undertake this list? 

Looking back: 2011

I did this last year...it helps hold me accountable for the goals I've set for myself.  A lot changed for us in 2011.  Some of our highest highs and definitely our lowest lows.  So although I didn't do everything I resolved to do I am happy with the path my life is on...and the things we accomplished that were not on my list. 

Let's remind us what I wanted to change: 

Be better with birthdays
Lose weight
Read in the scriptures everyday
Find a new job
Do one random act of kindness for a stranger, once a month

And now for the Report Card: 

C: Be better with birthdays - Still not as good as I want to do...I am hoping that this new organization/planning idea I found in Pinterest will help me.  I love it when other people remember my birthday and I would love to be better at doing that for others.  

D: Lose weight  - Fail.  100%.  The truth is, losing weight is hard for me (damn PCOS).  We made some pretty big changes this year to our lifestyle  - we got (and used!) a gym membership (until we got Miles) cut out Diet Coke (seriously...and I'm still alive.  Amazing, yes?)...even after we got Miles I exercised (walking everyday with him) but still no weight loss.  It's frustrating to put in the effort in diet and exercise and see NO results.  I am going to have to learn to just be happy with the number on the tags in my clothes...and focus instead on staying healthy.  

C: Read in the scriptures everyday - I go through streaks where I will do awesome...and then not so awesome.  Once Miles came along we started reading to him from the children's versions of the scriptures every night...so that's a start. 

A+: Find a new job - I did.  I quit my horrible job in February and then in May I got hired by the best. boss. ever.  I don't even mind it when he throws up on me...that's how awesome he is.

B: Do one random act of kindness for a stranger, once a month - I missed a couple months...but then other months I did more than one.  I liked searching for opportunities for random kindness, especially when I was having a bad day.  Nothing like anonymous service to lift the spirits.  

Resolved: 2011

Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm. 

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Be better with birthdays - I've tried this one before...but I'm determined to make this year happen.  You want me to remember YOUR birthday (or your spouse or offspring...) leave a comment with the dates. :)

Lose weight - For real.  No more messing around.  I have too many fabulous skirts hanging in my closet that I cannot fit my fergalicious booty in...such a shame. 

Read in the scriptures everyday - Pretty self-explanitory.

Find a new job - Mine sucks.  Bad.  Wanna hear a horrible story?  On the 23rd by boss came back into the bat cave (the name I have given to the closet that I work in) and told us that they were hiring someone new for our department and that one of the four of us would be let go the first week of January...but he didn't know who yet.  Merry Christmas.  Seriously. 

Do one random act of kindness for a stranger, once a month - Cause it makes me feel good :)


What about you?  Have you set any resolutions?

Looking back on 2010

Last year I did something like this, and I liked it so here it is again. Here are the resolutions I set last year followed by how I did accomplishing them. 

1: Finally (may I repeat...FINALLY) get all of our stuff done to get our adoption homestudy approved - Done and done.  It took a while, and there were many, many roadbumps and problems along the way...but it finally got done and boy did it feel good to get that checked off the list.  The bad thing is now we have to re-do it, because of our move.  Oi.  Pray for us...our caseworker doesn't seem to be all that motivated to do anything at a quicker pace than cold molasses dripping down a tree. 

2: Lose some weight - Fail...I weigh more today than I did Jan 1, 2010.  I did really well until summer.  I am an emotional eater and the wicked stress/drama of the adoption of the twins did me in.  Then after it fell apart I ate my feelings.  Then the holidays came and all that darn Halloween candy, followed by Thanksgiving and then Christmas.  I have absolutely NO will power when it comes to yummy food.

3: Do something nice for someone everyday - Eh.  I was more consious of others, and how my decisions and choices affect them, but I did not make a concentrated effort everyday.  Although Nathan and I made an effort to do several nice random acts of kindness.

4: Be better at remembering birthdays - I tried.  I did better than last year, but still not good enough for me.  This one makes it to this year's list...third time's the charm, right?

5: Get and stay organized - Did some...then everything got scrapped when we decided to move.  My goal for this year is to de-junk/de-clutter/downsize and organize our new place.

6: Be able to comfortably play all 340 hymns in the hymnbook - I know more than I did this time last year...there are still a few that trip me up. 

7: Try one new recipe a month - I did ok here.  The first half of the year I did 100%...then I went back to work at the end of May and my crazy work schedule does not lend itself to time to cook.  I'm hoping after the dust settles from the move I'll get back into the cooking groove.

GRADES: 
A+ - Finally (may I repeat...FINALLY) get all of our stuff done to get our adoption homestudy approved
F -  Lose some weight
B - Do something nice for someone everyday
C - Be better at remembering birthdays
C - Get and stay organized
B - Be able to comfortably play all 340 hymns in the hymnbook
C - Try one new recipe a month

How did you do on your resolutions last year?

Making Adjustments

I know I already posted about my resolutions, but I have had quite a bit of time to think the last few days (unemployment will do that to ya) and I want to add a couple things.

I am the piano player at church. This shouldn't cause me any stress because I have been playing the piano since fourth grade - but I haven't kept up on playing hymns and I've lost my proficiency with them. It feel a great amount of anxiety sitting there waiting for the meeting to start, knowing I will need to step up to the plate, er...keyboard...soon and plunk out a tune. I feel very embarrassed when I can't play it through without lots of noticeable errors...which is an all too frequent occurrence (especially since they seem to pick all of the lesser known hymns). So one of my additional goals for 2010 is to be able to comfortably play all 340 hymns in the hymnbook.

I also want to branch out in the kitchen...I find myself making the same 10-12 things. I make them well, and we like them, but I want to expand my repertoire. My goal here is to try one new recipe a month. Got one you love and want to share?

So now my resolutions are:

- Finally (may I repeat...FINALLY) get all of our stuff done to get our adoption homestudy approved
- Lose some weight
- Do something nice for someone everyday
- Be better at remembering birthdays
- Get and stay organized
- Be able to comfortably play all 340 hymns in the hymnbook
- Try one new recipe a month

Looking Ahead

Nathan and I had quite the discussion driving home from New Years Eve. I was asking him about resolutions and wondered what his were going to be. He told me he doesn't think we need one day to make us want to be better. I agree about not needing a specific day, but hey...why not, right?? Jan 1st is a good a time as any to choose to improve yourself.

Last year I said this:

"I still feel like if you don't set the goals, you might just be complacent with the current version of you...never wanting to get better."

I still agree. There are many things about myself that I am happy with and yet others that I would like to change. In that spirit, here are my resolutions, a.k.a. Holly Improvement Plan 2010. :)

- Finally (may I repeat...FINALLY) get all of our stuff done to get our adoption homestudy approved
- Lose some weight
- Do something nice for someone everyday
- Be better at remembering birthdays
- Get and stay organized

So what about you? Any of you have resolutions?

Looking Back

I made some resolutions and I want to stand publicly "accountable" for how I did. So here's the rundown:

Do something nice for someone everyday - If I was going for 365 days out of 365 I failed...but the overall effect of this goal was good for me. I didn't try to do big, grandeose things every day, sometimes I would just make the extra effort to smile at strangers or give more sincere compliments...or let Nathan watch his show, etc. I didn't remember to do it every day, but I did remember more days than I forgot.

Read a new book each month - I love to read, so this one was simple.

Take a photography class - I took a couple basic classes in Logan before we moved. I wanted to take something way more in depth, but I did take at least those so I guess that counts. I can hopefully find a class to take this year.

Do everything we need to do to get our end of adoption all set up - We hit a few road blocks on the way to this one. We didn't get our end all done, but we're well on our way.

Go back to church - It took us until October to get there...better late than never.

Read the BOM & DnC again by year end - Not even close.

Learn at least one solo/concerto on piano - I didn't learn a complete one, but I think I played the piano more in 2009 than 2008 so that's good.

Learn at least one solo/concerto on flute - I didn't even get a piece of music bought...but I pulled my flute out a couple times and played through some old music I have laying around.

Do 100 scrapbook pages - I don't know if I got 100, but I probably got 50.

Be better at remembering everyone's birthdays - Total fail, unless you're on Facebook.

Do one thing a month that scares me - To be honest I totally forgot about this one. Looking back I did do some things this year that made me reach outside my comfort zone: moving to a new city, taking the train downtown by myself for the first time, working a job in a totally new line of work.

Be more grateful - I tried to look at the things/people I felt like I took for granted and imagined how my life would be without them.

Grades:

B - Do something nice for someone everyday

A+ - Read a new book each month

B - Take a photography class

C - Do everything we need to do to get our end of adoption all set up

A - Go back to church

F - Read the BOM & DnC again by year end

C - Learn at least one solo/concerto on piano

D - Learn at least one solo/concerto on flute

C - Do 100 scrapbook pages

D- - Be better at remembering everyone's birthdays

C - Do one thing a month that scares me

B - Be more grateful

New Year's Resolutions

So back at the first of the year I reviewed 2008 and looked ahead at some goals I had for 2009. In case you don't feel like clicking on the link, here they are. I thought this would be a good place for me to stand accountable for what I've done so far...and hopefully re-ignite my want to be better.

In 2009 I want to:

-Do something nice for someone everyday
So I was really good about this first, but I have yet to do something EVERY day. I do think about it and then I try to do good that day, so I guess that's something.

-Read a new book each month (you can join me here)
I have more than done well with this one. So far this year I have read: The Secret, Skeletons at the Feast, Atonement, The Count of Monte Cristo, My Sister's Keeper, Time Traveler's Wife, The DaVinci Code, Angels and Demons, Tuesdays with Morrie, The Appeal

-Take a photography class
I took a class on lighting...I still want to do more. Hopefully once I get a job I can afford a class or two.

-Do everything we need to do to get our end of adoption all set up
Nothing here...we are in a holding pattern until the house sells and we dig ourselves out of this financial hole.

-Go back to church
Um, I've been twice. Does that count?

-Read the BOM & DnC again by year end
I moved my scriptures back by the bed, and I look at them guiltily as I fall asleep.

-Learn at least one solo/concerto on piano
Started learning Claire DeLune...now I am a bit freaked out about my neighbor situation.

-Learn at least one solo/concerto on flute
Nothing yet.

-Do 100 scrapbook pages
I did an album, that had 20 pages. So 20/100

-Be better at remembering everyone's birthdays
I have done HORRIBLY at this one. Unless you're on facebook you probably don't get birthday wishes from me. I am sorry. I really do want to be better.

-Do one thing a month that scares me
Hmmm...January: ? February: Sleep with a gun under my pillow March: Moved across the country to an unknown city. April: Start the job search again amidst fear of rejection. May: Killed spiders...lots of them. June: ?

-Be more grateful
This I have really gotten good at (well, at least better than I used to be). I am grateful for all the little things people have done and continue to do for us.


Well, I know what I still need to work on.

Resolutions

I found an envelope this week that had 'Holly: Open Dec 31, 2008' on it.  Once I saw it I remembered writing the letter contained in it.  It was a letter to myself that I had writted in January of 2008.  I hadn't set official 'resolutions' but I had a couple things I wanted to have accomplished by the year's end.  Most I didn't do...in fact, I mended the rocky relationship with my SIL and that was it.  At first when I read the letter I felt bummed...like I had failed myself.  But then I thought of all the things I DID do this year:

I worked two jobs for nine months to put Nathan through school.  

I played the piano and flute again at Nathan's recital. 

I read a new book every month.  

I went to a city I had never been to (Seattle).  

I dealt with the grief of accepting infertility.

I got more excited about adoption. 

I started honing my photog skills. 

So I may not have run a marathon or lost the weight or gotten pregnant...but I did do some things.  I thought a lot about whether or not I should set some resolutions for 2009.  On the one hand, if you set them and your goals are not accomplished you experience failure...BUT if you don't set the goals, you might just be complacent with the current version of you...never wanting to get better.  So I decided to do it.  I have really thought about them the last few days.  I thought long and hard about the type of person I want to be and the type of life I want to lead and I based my resolutions on that.   So here it goes.  

In 2009 I want to:

-Do something nice for someone everyday

-Read a new book each month (you can join me here)

-Take a photography class

-Do everything we need to do to get our end of adoption all set up

-Go back to church

-Read the BOM & DnC again by year end

-Learn at least one solo/concerto on piano 

-Learn at least one solo/concerto on flute

-Do 100 scrapbook pages

-Be better at remembering everyone's birthdays

-Do one thing a month that scares me

-Be more grateful

I am going to do a check-in post once a month as a way to hold myself accountable and hopefully help me realize my goals.  Wish me luck!