Gearing up for the new year.....

So just like everyone else...I make New Year's Resolutions. And just like everyone else....by Jan. 2 I've usually broken them! ;) But I'm really hoping by writing it down on my blog that I will hold myself more accountable. Of course nobody reads the damn thing since I'm TERRIBLE at updating...but that's one of my resolutions! ;)

I've been thinking about what I really want to do differently and what I want to accomplish in the next year. The list is obnoxiously HUGE! So I'm going to narrow the list down to 10...that way I won't feel quite as bad when I break 10...vs. 50 or so =P So on with the list....in no particular order...

1. Lose weight! I'm slowly starting to creep back up the scale since having Joey. This has been particularly frustrating for me since I don't eat a ton and I do work out on a regular basis. I've nursed Joey the entire year...and I'm unfortunately one of those freaks that gains weight while nursing instead of losing. Lucky me! Since he's on whole milk now and eating tons of food...nursing is no longer his primary source of nutrition...only nursing 2 maybe 3x per day...and hopefully weaning completely before long..have you seen how many teeth that kid has now...ouch! I'm still shocked at the fact that I made it this long...NEVER did I think I would nurse when I had the girls...let alone for a whole year. But I'm really cheap now so I kept at it. Focus Jenny...this is about losing weight. Yes...I need to lose weight! I'd be thrilled with 40 but that's soo NOT going to happen so my goal is 30. I'm old now and there's just no need to look good in the juniors dept. The old hag lady clothing is fuller cut so 30 pounds will do!

2. Eat healthier. Some may lump that with #1...but this is HUGE for me! When I did WW before and lost 60 pounds I would eat a Hoho over an apple...both are 3 points so why eat the apple right? I lost the weight so obviously that warped way of thinking worked...but I know it's not the healthy approach....damn! I seriously LOATHE most healthy food! So this is going to be tough but I have to try! I'm not going to start eating free range organic or anything like that....but maybe grabbing that apple over the Hoho will turn out to be a good thing. This is going to take a TON of work!

3. Soda....my beloved weakness! This habit is costing me a ton of money now due to ever increasing prices. Let alone the fact that all the caffeine, sugar, splenda, aspertame, etc. just isn't good for you! It used to be Reg. Mt. Dew for me...but waay too many calories! Then Diet Mt. Dew but all the aspertame is horrible for you! Then Pepsi One..which is better than the others but 4-5 cans per day is alot of caffeine, splenda and dark cola. And we all know how OCD I am on keeping my teeth white! This is going to have to be a sloooow process! I seriously look forward to each cold can that I open. How in the hell am I going to give this up? Ugh! But I know I HAVE to! I just can't do it overnight...well I could try but the effects might/would be harmful to those around me! So I'm going to limit myself to 3 cans at first per day and cut out a can each week. I'll have to drink...gasp water!...the rest of the time. Gah...I hate anything but soda! I would take bets that THIS will be the first resolution I break!

4. Lower my standards with the house. 6 months from now are the kids going to remember that we had a really clean house...or are they going to remember that trip to the park? I KNOW the answer...yet I still find it hard to do! I have no problem staying on top of laundry for 6 people ( no easy feat I might add..but I've got quite the schedule so it's never an issue) dishes are always done. But the rest of the cleaning...it takes a TON of time in this big ol house and I need to relax a bit and realize that it's okay if things get messy/dirty. Since Joey has been born I just haven't had the time to devote to all 3 floors and I have let things go some. But I think I need to loosen up a bit more. I don't like the time it takes away from the kids on a daily basis. And I don't like going to bed 2 hours after everyone else because I just HAD to scrub the tub! Let's face it..with 6 people in here...and usually a slew of other kids...it's NEVER going to be spotless so why kill myself trying?

5. Matt... make it a priority to spend atleast 1 evening every other month with just Matt. I would love once every month...but I know making arrangements 6 times a year is pushing it! =P We're fortunate that he's around plenty for family time...but I miss that one on one time with him. Nightly dinner is spent talking with the kids...as it should be. But I really would love to go out to dinner with him and not have to sit in the party room since we need a table for 6! =P

6. Hannah....Hannah is almost 16 now! Daily I think of the fact that in just a few short years she's going to go to college...sigh :( I love that I can now have adult conversations with her. I really don't think you could get a kid much more perfect than her...who the hell are her parents? lol She's one VERY busy girl with her plethora of activities...which we go to just about everything for! But when she's home and doesn't have friends over..she loves to talk. For the most part I do a pretty good job of always making the time to sit and chat with her. But I want to make even more of an effort to do so...because I know before long I won't have her here on a daily basis! Okay...going to go to my happy little place in denial and just pretend that she's gonna live at home forever :)

7. Brooke....she's growing up fast too damnit! Almost 12 now! But she's still very much a kid at heart. She loves to be working with me on pretty much anything crafty I'm doing. I have a tendency to not want to deal with the extra mess she creates so I don't always let her join me. But this kid is mega artistic and I need to just let her have at it! She's always amazing me with the ideas she comes up with and she's always good for a chuckle...seriously this kid is funny!

8. Drew.....5 1/2...and going 60 miles per hour....ALL.DAY.LONG! I love this little guy and he's so energetic and soo cute...but DAMN...he wears me out! He's up by 6:30am and I'm lucky if he goes to bed by 11pm. What 5 year old goes on that little sleep?! I admit I find myself occasionally ( okay quite a bit =P ) longing for next year when he'll be in school all day...but at the same time I don't want the time I have at home with him to end. I just need to come up with more things to help occupy him and help him burn off all that energy...or otherwise the little stinker starts driving me batshit crazy! He loves to do just about anything with anyone...he's very easy going....he just loves having that one on one attention. Since Joey's been born...that's been hard for him to have to share me even MORE! So I'm going to make more of an effort to do more individual things with him..whether it be games, playing ball, crafty stuff,etc.

9. Joey...almost 1..DAMN.DAMN.DAMN! I've finally given birth to the perfect baby and he's not going to be a baby much longer. Sniff sniff :( This kid gets plenty of individual time. Where I'm really lacking with him is recording stuff. He doesn't even have a baby book! I can only guesstimate when his first smile was, when he first rolled over, first food,etc. I've taken a gazillion pictures in the last year but I've got to get more organized on jotting all these little milestones down! And my resolution with him is 2 parts. Second being that I know as soon as he becomes really mobile that he's going to be into everything and testing my patience. I see that naughty little twinkle in those beautiful blue eyes of his and I just know he's got all kind of mischief up his sleeve! I want to enjoy his toddler phase and not spending everyday just surviving til the next nap ;)

10. Shopping....I would like to only shop because of needs...not wants. But this will be my very first resolution that I WILL break...so basically this one is completely pointless! I like/love to shop...so why deny myself right? ;) So I'll make an 11th resolution instead!

11. Blogging...my poor severely neglected blog! Maybe if I blog more then I'll post more about the kids daily happenings...then I can keep up better with documenting all those milestones! Kind of a trickle effect! I love to look back and see what I've written about and it really does jog my memory...especially the trips! We've taken 4 more Disney trips and I haven't even posted about them! We just got back from one a few days ago and I vow to actually get that trip written out! Of course I will be hallucinating from lack of caffeine and sugar so the writing will probably be incoherent..but it WILL be blogged about!!

So here's my resolutions for the year. My goal is to check back atleast weekly and update the progress on how I'm sticking to them...or how quickly I'm breaking them! Any bets on which I'll break first and which I'll stay with the longest?