New Year's Resolutions for 2009

My goals/plans for a happy, healthy and productive new year...in no particular order:

1. To pop out baby #3 while Jason is in town and not away at a conference (to graduate his residency program he needs to have published some sort of research and/or given a presentation of his research at a national conference. An opportunity to present his research has come up unexpectedly in Hawaii...a week before my due date!  I'm due February 23rd and he leaves February 15th early in the morning and won't be back until February 20th in the late afternoon. Did I mention that I've had both of our girls early?  Kristin came 12 days early and Katie came 3 days early!  Rrrrr...I really don't need this added stress)!!!  

2. To set aside at least 30 minutes a day for Bible Study and prayer (prayer for our family and friends, our country, our troops and our President etc).

3. To be a good example for our kids and others.

4. To continue to try and eat a healthy diet and exercise on a consistent basis.  

5. To better plan our weeknights and weekends, so we can spend more quality time together as a family (with board game nights, family walks/picnics, bowling nights, camping and traveling etc) and not waste that time by being lazy or unproductive.

6. To be more consistent with getting a babysitter, so Jason and I can go out on regular dates (at least twice a month).

7. To learn a new language as a family (and keep a more consistent schedule - instead of the lame on again, off again routine we've been doing with Chinese).

8. To be more consistent with my cooking activities and field trips with the kids during the week (after our home school lessons).

9. To follow a more strict schedule of keeping up with the house, so it doesn't pile up and make me crazy!

10. To start the girls bedtime routine earlier in the evening, so they get to bed sooner and wake up earlier than they've grown accustomed to!  

11. To worry less about things I have no control over and to trust God to meet all of my needs (as well as my family's).

12. To stop being greedy and learn to be content!

13. To start a savings and to say, "NO!" to credit card debt - even if it offers 0% interest (which is the one I tend to fall for)!  No debt - even if it's free - is fun to deal with!  Start saving for purchases/vacations instead of getting/doing them now and paying for them later - like smart people did in the good ol' days!!  ;)

14. To finally teach myself how to play the flippin' piano like I've been wanting to (without stopping my lessons for chunks at a time like I've been known to do)!  

15. To set aside a day or two each week for old hobbies and new ones too - like quilting, crocheting and my newest additions - sewing and canning!

16. To strive to be on time for everything - like appointments, Kristin's gymnastics classes and meeting with friends (just to name a few)!

17. To keep up with current events.

18. To keep in better touch with family and friends - through phone calls, letters, emails and blog entries.

19. To get the girls and me up earlier on Wednesday mornings, so I can actually make it to the women's bible study at our church!

20. To be a better wife, mother, daughter and friend (I'm sure there's not too much I can improve on there)!  Haha!!  Yeah right!!  ;)

I'm sure I could go on and on, but 20 things already seem like a daunting enough challenge, so I'll stop there!  Ask me next year if I was able to accomplish any of my goals/plans for this new year!!  We'll see if I'm actually capable of making better use of my time...or if I'm just all talk!  :)