I resolve to...

I've never actually sat down and wrote out my New Year's Resolutions. I guess I always thought that made them too concrete, that I'd actually have to stick to them, that they'd come back to haunt me. If they were only in my head, no one could prove what I actually resolved to do.

So maybe this year I should try something new, since obviously in the past I haven't stuck to any of them. Here goes...

A-#1 Resolution: Manage money more wisely. MANAGE MONEY MORE WISELY. I need to keep saying this over and over, maybe it'll sink in. Mabe I should start off small with this one, since it's such a stretch for me. Maybe I should start with "avoid bank overdraft fees." I mean, what the hell, I have an extra $25 bucks to throw out the window everytime I find myself overdrawn in my checking account. To think of what I could've done if I had that extra fee money in my pocket.

#2: Lose weight: This one actually moved off the #1 spot on my list (or in my mind). I tackled this last year, and I guess now this year I just have to maintain. Well, I have about another 30 to lose, so we'll see how it goes.

#3: Exercise: Maybe I need to start small with this one too and just say "get my big butt off the couch." Marc and I said we were going to run in a 5K this summer for the Humane Society, so we planned on buying each other a treadmill for Christmas. We still haven't gotten it. Our last treadmill is a clothes rack (and it doesn't run right either). The dogs would be happy if we just started taking them for walks again, but it's sooooo cold outside!

#4: Go to church: We used to be really good about this, but not so much lately. The kids really need it, but not as much as we do.

#5: Volunteer wisely: The best quote I've seen says, "Stop me before I volunteer again!" It's so easy to volunteer for every activity/committee/group that comes around and then 2 days later, wonder why in the world we opened our big mouth. I've resolved to carefully choose what activities I'd like to participate in, and then go full force with those.

#6: Be nice: This one has been at the top of my resolution list every year for about the past 5. The girls at work laugh at me, because usually I make it until about 9:45 a.m. on the first day back after the new year. But if there weren't so many inconsiderate, irresponsible, lazy.... Well, I guess I just blew that one again!

It's 7:45 pm on Christmas night. Marc and I are sitting by ourselves in the living room with the dogs at our feet... staring at the big mess pile of toys in the middle of the floor. The kids left with Gramma and Grampa 3 hours ago...for the rest of the week. They loaded up the top priority christmas presents to take with them, and left the rest for us to un-package and put away.
I started christmas shopping in oh... July. And every year I vow to have my shopping done by Halloween. This year I did it. Now ask why I figured out that wasn't such a good idea. Because I bought 150 times the amount of presents I should have. When you finish in October and still have 2 more months of sales and about 60 more shopping days (which is my favorite pasttime- which also shouldn't be!!) that only spells trouble. I love to give gifts though. I love to see someone open something I know they will love.
It's always such a whirlwind, traveling around to hit all the family get-togethers, but we love it and wouldn't want it any other way. Now it's all over and we're whooped. Maybe tomorrow I'll start shopping for next year :) I bet there's some great sales.