New Year, New Me

New Years has always been a contemplative time of year for me. Its a chance to re-asses one's goals and how you would like your next year to progress. While each person is different, I am not going to make the standard New Years Resolutions this year, but to make a lifestyle changes for my family. It is not widely known, but Darin and I are looking into starting a family. We have the "when it happens, it happens" kind of outlook on it and are not specifically "trying" to get pregnant. We will not be upset if it does happen, but we also want to be a little more prepared if the situation happens. With this in the back of my mind I have made a conscious effort to make a healthier me. I would like to be in good health and shape when the time comes so that I have as little complications as possible, and to also have the ability to bounce back quickly. To make this happen I have started a new work out regime and have decided to cut out fast food from my diet and start to make home made dinners. (Now that I have my new hardware, this is entirely possible!) I have also started to take a multi-vitamin and folic acid. With a couple of recipe books in hand and exercise TV on my OnDemand this goal seems to be very attainable.

Next on the lists of things is out with the old and in with the new. With a new set of priorities comes a need to clean out ones closet, literally and figuratively. Within the last 2 years Darin and I have realized what we are capable of dealing with and what we are not. I had a conversation with my cousin who recently had the same revelation about certain people that he no longer converses with and I told him that he probably just grew out of his friendship with that person. I think that is a great way of thinking about it. You should never think ill of someone that has hurt you or has left your life, for whatever reason. Just think of it as a growing process and what qualities in people that you want to have around you. We have a wonderful group of friends that are always there when we are in need and a wonderful family that will do anything for us. Our support system is very good. With the figuratively part out of the way we have decided to start cleaning out our junk. Today we started with the garage, and had a mighty large trash pile and a very large donation box too. It felt so good to get somewhat reorganized again. The next task is to tackle our closet and kitchen and get rid of things that don't get used and give them to people in need. Why should it just collect dust in my cabinets when somebody else can use it? Besides, when we finally buy a home I don't want to pack and transport things that I am never going to use again!

The final thing on my list of lifestyle changes (NY Resolutions) is to be more adventurous. Not necessarily the jumping out of airplanes adventurous, but the kind where Darin and I take something that we have never done and go do it. I know lots of people that do this, and I have decided to take note and introduce some variety into our lives. As they say, variety is the spice of life and we live in one of the most interesting states in our country so why not take advantage of it. This will get Darin some photo experience and it will be a good stress outlet for both of us.

There they are....my resolutions for the year. Out on paper (well sort of) instead of in my head. Hopefully I will be able to keep these resolutions this year. I am looking forward to 2011 and celebrating 9 years together with my husband, 4 years married, 3 baby births, 2 weddings and a partridge in a pear tree.