New Year, New Me

Here they are: my New Year's Resolutions. Posted for your convenience, should you ever wish to shame me into working towards my own goals.

1. Make budget 
2. Stick to budget 
[These are separate because they are each really hard on their own. We have had some success with budgeting before, but every time there is a change in income or expenses, we seem to take the temporary confusion as an opportunity to take the month off from caring where our money goes. Currently, we're on month three of having no earthly idea where our money has gone.]

3. Exercise of some form six days per week. Look! I already started!

4. Clean out laundry room. If you are frightened by humongous messes, please avert your eyes now.

Everyone please ooh and ahh over my new ironing board in the corner. Yes, it was a Christmas present. In Lee's defense, though, I had said that I really needed one. And yes, I also got a new iron.

5. Clean out linen closet. Again, you may wish to shield small children from this hideous display.

I spied something down there in the corner and went in for a closer look.

Isn't that sad? One of my favorite pictures of my sister and me is stuffed in the closet. Must find it new home. Make that resolution 5a.

6. Read a little every day. [The internet does not count.]

I have a big problem with getting half way through a book, then getting distracted by a new book. Then I end up with 10 books at various stages of consumption.  Must fix.

7. Pray for patience. I already do this, but clearly not enough. Every morning before I get out of bed, I pray that God will give me patience for the day, that He will make me a good mother to Mary Bullock, and a good wife to Lee. [Of course, I'm usually praying this prayer while I'm putting my cold toes on Lee and telling him it's his turn to change Mary Bullock's diaper.] Anyway, the thing is, when you have no naturally occurring patience of your own, one little prayer just doesn't cut it. So I'm going to have to make an effort to ask more often. And, as I understand it, if I ask it, I will receive it.

8. Make weekly menus. I know that this will be one of the hardest for me to keep up with. BUT! I have new tools at the ready.

I've got modern technology, two moleskins, and a witty goal-writing pad. How can I go astray? Seriously, I think the iphone is going to change my life. The Grocery IQ app is genius. No more grocery lists written on scraps of paper! It's a close second to the AllRecipes Dinner Spinner.

9. Try one new recipe per week.

10. Wash/Dry/Fold/Put away one load of laundry per day.  I have a terrible habit of waiting until Lee is down to his last work shirt to actually do laundry. By then, it's a mountainous task. So, I'm hoping if I do a little laundry every day I can keep it manageable. I'm hoping really hard that this will be true. Really really hard.

But that's tomorrow.

Today? Chocolate. Covered. Popcorn.