Early tomorrow morning our lazy holiday schedule will cease to exist. That blasted alarm clock will pull me oh-so-begrudgingly from what promises to be a restful slumber. After taking fifteen minutes to compose myself and throw together lunches I’ll trudge over to the east wing to awaken the children who will, understandably, doze through breakfast. Then they’ll get dressed, most likely putting one or two clothing items on backwards. It’s hard, after all, to get it all right in spite of the sleepy sand plaguing their eyelids.
We’ll head off to school, all the while blaming our grogginess on the tardy rising sun. Once the girls are gone I’ll resume my mundane Monday tasks – namely laundry.
I’m not ready for back to school. Back to real life.
I’ve so enjoyed these last two weeks of rolling out of bed only when I’m good and ready. The exercise fell by the wayside as did most of my other necessary but relatively unpleasant daily chores.
I’ve been so busy enjoying laziness that I’ve neglected to consider the ways in which I’d like to improve this year.
What better time than now, I suppose, to get to it?
And so, without much contemplation, I present these five things. Five things I resolve to work on over the course of the next twelve months.
1. Giving. I’m ashamed to admit that we were relatively greedy in 2008. We saved for retirement and tried desperately to catch up with severely lacking college funds. We even contributed to a rainy day savings account but all that saving left little to give. We’ve not been suddenly struck by a money tree, but we certainly have been richly blessed. Enough so as to spread the wealth a little bit more. I’d like to take this new beginning as an opportunity to teach the kids a little something about charity. Generosity. Christian love. I’m thinking along the lines of St. Judes, The Make a Wish Foundation, Heifer International. That sort of thing.
2. Taking. Taking my time back that is. The computer on which I type has crept quietly into my life like a thief in the night, stealing precious moments from the ones I love. I resolve to take at least a portion of that time back this year.
3. Sweating. (see aforementioned exercise).
4. Drinking. Not that kind of drinking. I once was a milk lover. Now? Not so much. I’d rather not end up as a decrepit old lady with brittle bones though so I resolve to work on the drinking. Of milk. Nonfat Tazo chai tea lattes count right?
5. Loving. As in loving what I do. Whether it be grocery shopping, checkbook balancing, cooking, heck, even scrubbing toilets. I resolve to whistle while I work, to do it all with a happy heart knowing that my efforts help my family flourish.
I’m not making any guarantees. These five things, though, now that they’ve been officially noted, are on my conscience this year. There’s no motivation like accountability. At least that’s what I’m banking on. Wish me luck. Oh, and happy back to real life to you too.
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I’m right there with you Darcie. It’s been a blissful two weeks, but my resolutions are strikingly similar to yours. I spend too much time on the computer at times too. And I’m already exercising more. I’m going to be happy where I am. But I have no East Wing. :)
I am also reading your list and nodding my head in agreement.
I also completely echo the computer thing. I need to work on that as well. But as addicted as I am to the internet, I have not yet succumbed to Facebook or Twitter. They completely scare me…especially Twitter. And the people with the hourly updates! Yikes – I am not touching that with a 10 ft pole!!!
Sounds like a great list!
I am not looking forward to tomorrow either. I hate going back to real life. :(
It’s always a little overwhelming when I think of all the places that our money needs to go. I know saving is so, so important, but giving is as well. I can be hard to stirke that balance, but I love how you are putting more focus on that this year. Make a Wish is one of our favorite foundations, too.
Happy New Year, my friend. It’s been fun getting to know you this year!
I love this list because it is short, direct, and absolutely do-able!
Happy New Year friend!
Great list! Have a great “groggy” new year!
I’m with you on all of the above. Great list! :-)
Great list! My resolution is to also spend more one on one time EACH AND EVERY DAY with my kids, so often, some days go by that I obviously spend time with them, but not the “good, quality, one on one” kind of time! So, happy new year to you and your family.
Thanks also for the very kind words and prayers for me during this difficult time of grieving! I am BLESSED to have such wonderful and amazing friends there to lend a shoulder to cry on or a ear to listen (even if it is the virtual kind)! I truly appreciate your thoughtfulness! God Bless You!
I like your list. I hope things went well this morning. Our boys went back to school today,too. I was sad to see them go.
I’m on board with a couple of those, too. The computer, the giving, the loving what I do. All things I’ve thought a lot about lately.
It’s a great list. And I loved how you spelled it out. Clever, you are! You’ll have to keep us updated with how you’re coming along with all of these things.
Great list. I like the idea of taking back – I love blogging (reading them and writing on mine) but it sure does take up time and I’m sure I’ve gained some lbs in the process! Could you throw in some chocolate or vanilla mix to your milk to jazz it up? I’m not a big milk drinker either. You should look into ADORA – all natural chocolate calcium supplements. They satisfy my chocolate cravings and I’m making my bones stronger too!
google recommended your blog to me. I seldom follow their suggested links but today I did. I’m not sorry. I’ve been reading the same blogs for a blogging lifetime. Just the thrill that I felt, reading someone new- was wonderful. Enough to brighten my own “vacation is over” slump just a tad. Thanks! I’ll be back, because honestly, your writing style triggers me.
Fun list!
Nicole {Apron Strings Aflutter} and I were just talking about you today. The three of us need to get together for coffee or drinks. You’ll be drinking milk, right? ;)
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