Welcome to 2013

Its hard to believe that another new year is upon us. I am not quite sure still exactly where 2012 went. I remember ringing in 2011 quite clearly but I am not sure that I can remember many details from just a simple year ago. Last night is still pretty fresh in my mind though, but come 2014, will it have become "just another new year" or will it be something fresh in my mind still?

2012 was a pretty decent year, for the most part. It had its ups and downs like any other year but overall, I wouldn't lay claim to it having been a "bad" year. It definitely ended on a more stressful note.... us having emergency care of our newborn niece, five of the six children living under this roof all being sick, one of the adults unable to shake it too but we started our year happy. So that should count for something, right?

Our wild and crazy (and often cranky) gang

I have spent all day trying to decide upon a good, clear set of resolutions to make. I am not sure why.... I never make it to the end of the year with them still intact. And its not even that I don't want to. I just never seem to find the time in each and every day to carry out my goals. Which isn't 100% truthful. I wanted to learn how to crochet last year and I did it. I am not by any means even a "good" crochet-er but I did turn out two crocheted Christmas gifts so I would say that I accomplished that goal. This blog failed last year, as did my official 365 though. Not that I ever missed a day of photographing my children.... SweetPea and PorkChop have at least one picture in existence for each and every day of their lives. I just never seem to be able to keep finding the time to publish those pictures.

Which brings me to my first resolution again for this year... I want to make a more concentrated effort to set aside the time each day for me. I want to blog again. I want to share my photos again. I want to do this for ME. Maybe doing it strictly for me will help.

Resolution 2.... I want to read more this year. And not just "fluff". I want to read books that not only appeal to me but will help me build character. I want to find a bucket list of must read books and I want to tear into it. Not for a contest, not to impress anyone but for my enjoyment, my growth, my passion.

Resolution 3... I want to craft more. Not just for my family but to share. I want to attempt one item each month to send out to someone. Doesn't even have to be anything big or fancy but something to let my loved ones know that I am thinking of them. I am a much calmer person when I have a project or two to keep my mind going. I know this. So setting small monthly goals should help me focus on the short term and should help me be able to calm my mind more.

Resolution 4... I want to practice reaching out to each family member here. I want to strengthen those bonds this year and repair more fragile ones. I want to be able to take the time to start helping this family become a family again instead of the co-existing familial group that we are. Sure, we all love each other but I feel that we could be so much better. Maybe this is the silliest one  but the image that I carry in my head is the one that I want to make a reality. I want to find a way to change their Thanksgiving tree this year to more about family instead of video games and money.

Reading this, in some ways, I feel that this is a tall order. In others, I think that its just not enough. I guess we will see. Or, to be more precise, I will see.