Well after a brief yet long Christmas break (brief because it was shorter than the winter breaks we were used to, and long because the kids still got bored), I just now saw my first child head back to school at 6:45 a.m., and everyone else at the moment is still sleeping, so I thought I'd take a few of these silent minutes to put some of my New Year's thoughts down. There are two things I've been wanting to articulate: 1) my favorite highlights of 2011, and 2) my goals for the new year. ...Yes, I do like to set New Year's resolutions, and yes, I do like to try to keep them. At least for 6 months or so, which I feel makes my goals share-worthy.
2011 Highlights:
*I ran my first races ever. None of them were races for which I officially registered, 'cause I'm kind of lame that way, but I ran them nonetheless and this year began to think of myself as a real runner. Pretty cool, in my book. I ran (jogged? who cares about that distinction, anyway?) 4.5 miles in the Butte to Butte, and I completed my own personal 10K, along with my sister, who ran it the same month on the other side of the country.
*We moved across the country, from Oregon to PA, in August, because my husband is awesome and got an awesome JOB even before he officially finished his doctorate. He is awesome. And we love our new home.
*Our younger daughter turned 8 and was baptized by her father. That was a special day.
*My brother and his wife were able to adopt their second child, a beautiful little girl! That made me happier than words can express.
*Our oldest child turned 12, and that's an important age in our church! The kids graduate from being in the "Primary children's" group, and get to now be considered one of the "youth". He received the priesthood last Sunday. His grandparents were here to support him in this important milestone, and it was really funny when Grandma kissed him on the cheek after the ordination and left lipstick lips on his cheek, simply in order to embarrass him in front of his peers : ). It was another special day for our family.
*Some fun musical changes: I became the kids' piano teacher, and our oldest two kids started on new instruments: the trumpet and the saxophone. Oh, and Tootie discovered he likes the drums (who's surprised?). Good stuff!
Goals for 2012:
*Read 12 books. That's up from the 6-8 that I believe I read in 2011. I love to read, I really do. I just have a hard time sitting down to do it (I guess unless it's on the computer). Probably because I can't really multi-task when I'm reading, and because I fall asleep too easily when I read at the end of the day. Anyway, the books I finish this year may include: The Book of Mormon (goal is to be done by the end of June), the New Testament or Doctrine & Covenants, the book I just started called "The Case Against Spanking", The Diary of Anne Frank, Peter Pan or Alice in Wonderland, The Hiding Place, The Kingdom and the Crown, something by Jane Austen, Charlie's Monument (which I want to read to my kids), Matilda (which I'm currently reading to my girls), The Diary of Anne Frank, and I don't know what else. Books are so much fun.
*Fitness goal: to maintain my weight. I'm working on a goal with my family, and my personal plan within that goal is for me to exercise 5-6 days a week, doing 45 minutes per day of my aerobic and weight routines. Running outside when I feel up to it, which is usually only when the weather is nice.
*Music goal: like last year, I want to continue to practice the piano. I would like to learn to play 4 more hymns in the hymn book. Someday I would love to be good enough to have "piano player" as a calling in the church. Maybe in the Primary for starters?
*Homemaking goal: start planning dinners in advance, in line with The Nanny Plan, on The Food Nanny show.
*Limit my computer time a bit. I would like to try for doing just 1 hour per day on most days, and have one day per week when I do no more than check my email in the morning. Thursdays--no computer after 9 a.m. That should help me have more time to read, right?
Maybe I'll think of some more goals later. These are goals that I'm feeling quite motivated about though for now, so there you go. Do you have any new goals for this year that you can share with me?
(Oops...I think I already used up my hour for today's computer time. Can I start over?)
9 comments:
Sounds like a fun 2011 with lots of changes, and a good goal list for 2012. I posted some of my goals over at my new blog:
http://controllingcraziness.blogspot.com/2011/12/start-of-new-year-2012.html
Good luck to you!
I love that you posted about the 10K and that you and I did that together. It has motivated me to put on my 2012 goals to run an official 10K. I'm going to start warming up for it now at the gym (inside) so that when it's warm outside I will be ready to go.
You do know that Kingdom and the Crown is a series, right? And, you will definitely want to read all three. I've just finished the second one and have to finish another book in order to read the third. I read them several years ago and I am really enjoying them again. Another series that I need to read again is Children of the Promise. I love reading too.
Some of my other 2012 goals - 1,040 miles along with the family and my 10K, 12 trips to the temple, Mark's graduation, finish my 40 pounds lost and then maintain it gone for at least 1 month (just a couple pounds away), and Ephraim & Damon's photo books from their actual birth day.
ALL obtainable goals, now I just need to get off the computer and get to work on them.
Great post, Jenna! You've had so many exciting things going on this year! Your goals are almost identical to mine, isn't that funny? I don't have the reading goal because I tend to get carried away and read all night. I have to make goals to pace myself. Ha ha. But I too am hoping to limit my computer time and be better at planning our dinners. I'm also starting to practice the piano, although I'm pretty sure you are way ahead of me in that area. I need something besides hymns to practice, though (I get really bored of them, is that sad?) so if you know of any pretty beginner music you'll have to let me know. I'm also wanting to read more to Russell and Leila--five times a week to be exact. I love doing it, but remembering and making the time is hard. Thanks for helping me think about all my goals! Good luck with yours! We'll have to check in with each other from time to time.
Angela, yes, I knew Kingdom and the Crown is a series, but I only have Book I, so maybe I'll want to borrow yours somehow later? I could pay you postage to mail them to me...
Beth, I love your goal to read to your kids an exact number of times per week. I will set a goal to do that too. At least 3 times per week to the girls, 5 times per week to Tootie, and I don't know if Shark wants/needs me reading to him these days, but I'll have to ask him what he thinks. Maybe I could start by reading "Charlie's Monument" to him, and that could be just our special book for now.
Thanks for your replies! And Beth, yes, I definitely hope to check in with you, and you with me, on our goals later. Hugs : )!
Jenna, they are actually Mom's books. I just borrowed them while she was on her mission :-). I should be done with them by the time she is home, if not sooner.
Keep up the good work. Good times, good plans :)
Jenna...I've seen that food nanny show...pretty good. If you limit your computer time you'll have more time to make dinner :) Good luck!!
Excellent post!!! Love your goals!!! I'm impressed!!
I'm reading a very good book right now & Julie has just finished it & Julie sent it to Grandma Benson and she couldn't put it down--"Unbroken" It's a true story and very interesting. Have you seen "The Help"? I saw it first and then read it after Christmas. I Loved it! Julie & Lindsay read it first and Loved it! (It didn't spoil it for me by watching the Movie (DVD) first. Good Luck & have a Great 2012!!!
I love that picture of you with your siblings! So fun!
I loved reading about your adventures, especially Goldie's baptism. Is she really 8 already?
Your new niece is beautiful!
And you have set some really great goals. I feel exactly the same way as you do about reading. I read lots of blogs, though not many books b/c you can't multi-task. I do have some favorites on audio that I listen to often.
xo -E
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