Happy New Year 2012

I realize that it is Jan. 2 and so I am late in posting my annual resolutions post.  I have the perfect excuse though.  I was busy enjoying the new year.  I got to spend time with friends.  I had a lovely day alone with my amazing husband.  I got to hang out at home with my kids just lounging around and singing karaoke.  I even got a few hours alone just sitting in a book store.  Truly all those happy moments have shaped the resolutions I have decided on for this year, but first I need to recap this year.

First my resolutions from last year...
1. Nurture my family relationships
2. Nurture my soul
3. Nurture my relationship with the world
4. Nurture my body

I made some good progress on each of these goals.  I an especially proud of the first 2/3 of the year.  I am in better health than I was a year ago.  I wrote on the blog consistently, We took more field trips, I worked to reduce clutter in my home, and I most definitely remembered to be thankful for all my many blessings.  I never got around to learning meditation, and I still have trouble delegating, but otherwise I feel pretty successful in terms of my resolutions.



All in all 2011 was a good year.  We went to Florida in Jan., and although that trip involved some drama with my brother's family, a little Florida sunshine is always welcome in the middle of winter.  After that the winter passed quickly.  Bear's very busy and successful gymnastics season added excitement to the dreary winter, and we made some new friends through it too.  Because we ended up going tp Florida again in June our summer seemed far too short, but we tried to make the most of it.  We swam and went to parks.  The girls did a couple of drama camps, and it seemed like we visited 100 local carnivals.  Curly also got to spend time with a new friend who is the sister of one of Bear's teammates.  They have become great friends.  She also tried out for and made an elite dance team which brought even more new friends.


So that brings us through August.  This is when things seemed to go wrong.  We were over scheduled to be sure.  A necessary change in Bear's gymnastics schedule left us with activities on both Sat. and Sun.  Around the same time Bear started having her health issues which was very upsetting for me.  Then Curly had some issues with some friends, which ended well, but also stressed me out.  Before I knew it the holidays were in full swing, and I felt totally unprepared.  We ended up having a nice Christmas, but I never got fully in the spirit. 


So now it is 2012, and I have only one resolution.  I will be happy in 2012.  That's it.  I know it seems oversimplistic, and maybe it is.  John started me on the path.  He is reminding me to take my vitamin D every day.  Lack of sunshine makes me moody in winter, and so the vitamin D is worth a shot.  Research shows that exercise is also a great mood elevator.  As usual I will try to start and maintain a workout program.  My kids constant bickering is a definite downer for me.  I have a couple of ways to combat that this year too.  However, there is one simple path to happiness for me.  I must make time for the specific things that make me happy.  Which leads me back to the past couple days, and how great they were. 

1. I need time with friends.  I am in a strange predicament because I have several distinct groups of friends.  This means that I need to make time to get together with at least 3 different groups.  Still I should be able to do that at least once a month.  There are people I have been missing simply because I haven't made seeing them a priority, and that needs to stop.
2. I need more dates with my husband.  At least once a month we need grownup time. A nice meal without kids can be just the opportunity we need to remember how much we enjoy each others company.
3. As a family we need to do more fun things.  Because our lives are so hectic we tend to veg out whenever we have down time, and that is ok.  But wasting all our free time on our computers doesn't help us bond.  The girls are growing up so fast. I can't help but worry that it won't be long before they don't want to do things with us.  For now we need to spend more time engaged with them.  They can help cook dinner, or we can play a game together.  Just quality time together (without them fighting or John and I getting easily aggravated) needs to be valued.
4. I have struggled with this resolution for several years now.  I have wanted to put it on the list, but I feel guilty admitting how much I need it.  However, with the idea that my happiness will impact the happiness of those around me I am ready to put it down on paper.  I need some time to myself.  I think 4 or 5 hours once a month would be enough.  This time needs to be all at once, and it has to be separate from the time I devote to spending with others.  The time needs to be spent doing something I couldn't (or wouldn't) do with others.  I might shop for clothes, sit in a bookstore, or hang out in  coffee shop.

So there you have it.  I promise to make time for fun this year.