a new year

For the past few years Jimmy and I have spent some time over the Christmas break talking about the past year - all the memories, blessings, struggles, achievments, etc. As well as discuss our goals, not resolutions, for the next year. I like to focus on the year ahead and some things that I can work on to better myself by achieving in that coming year. I think I started our conversation this year with, "what annoys you about me?" Pretty risky huh?! But I think it's a good starting place when reflecting on yourself and things you can do to improve and make life more enjoyable for those around me. Because really when it comes down to it that's what I want people to say/think when they hear my name "joy" "happy" "kind" "loving" - don't we all?!

So, here are the areas in which I'm going to focus some effort in 2012:

1. Simplify our home. I feel like we have so much stuff. Too many clothes, shoes, coats, decorations, picture frames, cords, just everything! With some help from friends (thank you) I have already started on simplifying my wardrobe. I had tubs full of clothes I hadn't worn in years that just needed to go. So I invited some friends to come shopping in my basement. One girl bought 40 items, another got 25, another 20, a few got 10 and I still have stuff left....that should tell you something! But what a great feeling, after a little anxiety, to get rid of unneeded stuff!
2. Focus on health. The overused "lose weight" resolution, right? Well notice how I didn't say lose weight but rather to focus on our health. I feel like we do a pretty good job at eating healthy. I fix mostly healthy meals and eat a salad for lunch probably 5 out of 7 days however, I drink too much diet coke and Jimmy drinks too much pop and we both love sugar. So a little (or alot) less pop and less sugar this year and a little more moving out booty's. Which leads me to my next one....
3. Drink more water and less Diet Coke. Darnit. Anyone who knows me knows I love diet coke. I always have some in our fridge and typically limit my intake to 1 can a day but sometimes that's more and it's never less. So, my plan is to stop buying it and having it in our home. I am going to allow myself it at restaurants, to grab a fountain pop (I especially love diet coke fountain pop) while out and about but I want to make it a little harder to get and a little more of a treat. BTW - I drank the last one we had in our fridge yesterday so today was my first day of no diet coke and I survived :)
4. Spend more time 1 on 1 with Jimmy. Whether this means more date nights, more alone time at night, more weekend overnights, or all of the above I want my relationship with my husband to always be important enough to spend time together. While I love our child so so much I want her, and any future children, to know that Daddy is #1 (after God of course) and that we will always invest in our relationship and one another.
5. Pray Intentionally. I need more focused prayers. I tend to just babble when talking to God, which I think is great because it allows me to just be me and to be casual with God but at the same time I need to think about those that I told I'd pray for them, think about the things I want to pray for for Lily and Jimmy, and other family members daily; I want to bring all the desires, concerns, hardships to Him and allow Him to show me His will. So I want to be more intentional in my daily prayers.
6. Watch less TV. I am a reality TV show junky. I love them all - the Bachelor/Bachelorette, Biggest Loser, the Kardashians, Real Housewives, House Hunters - you get the picture. So I want to have the TV on less this year and give up some of these shows. I have already begun by deleting my Biggest Loser DVR for the season. This will also help with goals 4 and 5 :)

And that's it. Not too many, not too few, enough to be a challenge but not too much to be unachieveable. I really pray that these things will improve in 2012 and that when we look back at our year a year from now we can say we focused on them. Hope you're 2012 is off to a great start!