2011 Resolutions

Our home is finally finding its way back into order after another great holiday season full of warm hearted doings and makings.  The holidays are fun, but so is our normal routine so we welcome 2011 with all that is to come of it.  

Looking forward Paul and I selected a scripture that would set a tone for growth in the new year and presented it to the children at last week's family night.

We encouraged them to think of ways they could improve themselves according to this scripture and perhaps incorporate them into their New Year's resolutions.  Each year we set 5 personal goals and record them on our traced hand (that was my sister Emily's brilliant idea).  I still had our 2010 hands up on the fridge until last week and it was with great pleasure we took them down and celebrated both the accomplishments and the obvious physical growth in the cut hands.  Some of them were torn though so I laminated the bunch for 2011, here they are:

George:

-Walk

-Sleep through the night

-Talk

-Not chew on things

-Eat more foods

Henry:

-Sleep in a big boy bed

-Play Thomas toys

-No screaming

-Pick up magnetic letters on the floor

-Draw pictures

Clara:

-Go to the zoo

-Do ballet

-Learn how to swim in big pools

-Color so good and pretty

-Find more beautiful dresses my size

Maryanna:

-Send lots of cards

-Do lots of cooking with mommy

-Make birthday presents for people

-Ride a horse

-Read

Peter:

-Play football everyday

-Learn cursive

-Read Book of Mormon

-Do my jobs without being asked

-Travel to at least 5 different States

William:

-Finish airplane models

-Get better at drawing

-Go to at least one air show

-Remember to say my prayers

-Run on the slide everyday to keep fit

James:

-Make new friends

-Do a blogpost once a week (http://allthethinkshethinks.blogspot.com/)

-Don't forget to brush teeth

-Say prayers morning and night

-Run a 5K

Mommy:

-Sew through half my fabric stash

-30 minutes of quiet time all by myself

-Walk a mile a day

-Plant a garden

-Let food not be wasted

So now we are already a week into 2011 and I can report that my resolutions are simply about intention and not so much about strict discipline.  You see last week I was so busy with number one (sewing through my stash) that I only found it in me to get out and walk 3x.  I did get some quiet reflective time to myself though, but I fell asleep just 2 minutes into it and what was supposed to be just a 30 minute mental break turned into a 2 hour nap, I suppose I just needed it. As for wasting food.......way back in the fridge I found a little pyrex full of the once delicious leftover baked mash potatoes that Nanny had given us on Christmas eve, I justified that the fuzzy mass was no longer food did not feel bad about the disposal.  

And that is what I really resolve to do this year..... not feel guilty about the things I should or should not have done - the greatest gain this year will be to simply enjoy 2011.   

Happy New Year!