Welcome 2015

We celebrated the New Year with an assortment of frozen appetizers in front of a movie, homemade party hats, and Shirley Temples in wine glasses.

Hoping to get in a few more nights like this in 2015, because it was a fun way to spend a chilly evening at home.

It's hard to believe we'll have a 4 year old and a 6 year old in 2015.  We're excited to see what this year brings.  It's going to be a good one.

Resolutions, on record

This list goes against my desire to abandon lists and learning to "just be."  But with so much change I have a hankering for the security that comes from my trusty ole list writing. Just the writing part makes me feel better.  We'll see how I feel about this list come January 2012.

Disclaimer:  Most of this is only valid through June.  After Part Deux arrives, life changes, and the list goes out the window!

Health:

• Eat more veggies, and start by having a fresh salad with supper every single day even if another veggie will be served.  I am pretty good about preparing veggies with supper but since I try to delay grocery trips for as long as possible, the selection of fresh veggies in the refrigerator can often be very bleak.  This means I scoop heaping helpings of carbs on the plate in the place of those fresh veggies.  Not good.
• Maintain a healthy weight throughout pregnancy, gaining fewer than 30 lbs.
• Lose baby weight before the end of the year.  I'd actually like to be under 130lbs, but won't push it if it interferes with my milk production.  I found it necessary to eat and drink to keep up with Freddie's needs last go round.
• Log 25-30 miles a week.  It'd be nice to throw running into the mix, but I'm going to be realistic about this.  It ain't going to happen.  Not in 2011 anyway.   And as I think about it, can it really happen ever with 2 kids in the stroller?

Personal:

• Get dressed (knit work out pants do not count), comb my hair, and put on a touch of makeup, most days.  This is going to be a toughie, but I think it will impact my Positive Mental Attitude.
• Discover our "spots" in the city.  I need to find a good bakery, a diner, a people watching bench....to make this feel more like home.  I'm not going to accomplish that in this apartment or even at the playground across the street.  So I'm planning to take Freddie (and Part Deux!) into the city more often...let's say at least once a week.
• Put myself out there more often.  I've got to forge relationships with people other than Freddie and Charlie.  I am pretty reclusive and generally don't like people, but having a network here outside of my pod will also be good for my Positive Mental Attitude.  Not sure how I'm going to go about this yet.  Maybe I'll take a class or join a group....any suggestions?  Along those same lines of putting myself out there, I think another way I can do this is to host Mom's group a few times a year.  Yep, moi, host Mom's group.  I'll keep it simple...something on the lawn by our building or in the party room, but I'll organize some event to get some Mama conversation and toddler squealing going.
• Read more...or finish more books, really.  I like reading, but I am a slow reader.  Reading usually happens at the end of the day while lying in bed, already half asleep.  I can manage to get through a few pages at a time but finishing a book takes forever.  So long in fact I had to give up checking books out of the library because I could never renew them enough times to finish the book.  Maybe I need to work harder on getting books organized on my ipod to listen to on the treadmill.  I have a long list of reads I'd like to get through in 2011.
• Take more pictures.  And take better pictures.  
• Put together blog books for each of the years I've been blogging.  Purchasing can wait until a good coupon code comes along.  
• Learn more about my computer.  Back it up regularly.  Organize my files.
• Spend some time alone.  While Charlie's doing his thing with Freddie I think I might start trying to run errands or going for a walk.  It'd probably do more for me than cleaning up during that time.  I'd actually like to take a weekend trip with friends sans child and husband, but with Part Deux on the way we may have to table that until 2012.

Motherhood:

• Visit more libraries, just to explore with Freddie.  And compile a list of story time locations and times to help plan trips.  This is a good one because it gets me into the city and it is free. He loves sitting and looking at books by himself and with me.  Perfect way to spend time together.
• Plan 2-3 very focused activities to do with Freddie each week.  I'm thinking maybe some sort of craft or painting, baking, exercising with him.  We spend lots of time together but it is a whole lot of free play.  There's nothing wrong with that but I think a little structure might do us both some good.
• Finish (and start...who am I kidding?)  Freddie's baby book before Part Deux's June arrival.

Marriage:

• Revive Pancakes, Sausage, and 24 (or some variation of it).  I don't watch TV, with the exception of flipping through the channels when I'm on the treadmill or football on the weekends.  And I *miss* TV.  Yes, I miss it.  I have been wanting a "show" to follow for a while, and sometimes having "your show" that you always watch is nicer when it is "our show."  Charlie and I used to have breakfast for supper and plant ourselves in front of the tube on Mondays.  This time around I think it will be Tuesdays.  We're going to start following The Biggest Loser.  Anyone have any other Tuesday night shows to recommend?  Or is there a better line up some other night of the week?  Of course this resolution can fall to the wayside depending on Charlie's work schedule, and if it appears we're unable to stick with it, Plan B is to get a TV series on DVD...Lost, perhaps...so we can be more flexible about the night of the week we watch our show.  Too bad the DVR was cut in household budgeting.
• Try to remember to ask Charlie about his day and tell him I love him before unloading all of my whiny daily trials on him. 

Home:

• Try more new recipes.  One per week sounds good.  Any suggestions to get me started? 
• Spend 15 minutes each night after Freddie has gone to sleep putting things (toys, newspaper, blankets, shoes, etc.) in their place.  I know it will be back to chaos within an hour of us getting out of bed, but I think just those 15 minutes of organizing things will make me feel better.  Just 15 minutes.
• Create wills.  I need to talk to folks about what we'd like to happen and what's even possible in case something should ever happen to Charlie and me.  I know Freddie and Part Deux will be cared for, but I'd like to talk to friends and family, map everything out on paper, and make it legal. 
• Getting some life insurance would be smart too.  We've talked about this.  It's certainly an expense, but I think it is something we need to do.  We're responsible parents now.

2011

 

I don't think I saw the last light of 2010 and I didn't see the first light of 2011, but we've said goodbye to last year and are welcoming the new. 

I woke to a warm apartment and listened to the sound of my baby breathing in his room through the monitor and my husband snoring next to me in bed.  2010 brought lots of changes for us and as difficult as they may be I am thankful for the opportunities.  I am also thankful for the constants that are carrying into this next year. 

2010

First self portrait of 2010

I didn't do so well with my resolutions list from last year...I didn't run a single road race, we never seem to even make it to the Farmers' Market anymore, my camera is getting a lot of use but I really am not better than I was a year ago with photography, and I had completely forgotten we had a ferry in New Orleans. But you know what, I don't feel badly about any of it.

Personally I feel I have grown considerably. I am far more patient with myself than I have ever been. I'm getting better about moving the focus away from my "lists" and working to find satisfaction in what is. As overwhelming as motherhood has been, Freddie has certainly been a catalyst in this change.

2009 has been the best year on record. Really. We live a good life. I can only expect that 2010 holds more of the same.

A New Year

First light of 2009, courtesy of Charlie as I slept until 10am!

Resolutions. I can't remember making any last year. They are usually the same each year...exercise more, eat less, read more, and so on. Quite the predictable list.

With all this time on my hands napping and lying around I've been perusing the internet looking at "formulas" for happiness. There's lots that's been written by professionals and everyday folk about what makes for a happy person. And since I really think of myself as happy, I thought it may be a good idea to figure out where that comes from so I am able to continue to be happy.

I was pleased to see that most things on many, many lists are things which I already practice or are parts of our life. Most people tend to agree that regular exercise, routine, and adequate sleep are high on the list for living a happy life, and I've got these down for the most part.

Other things that I picked up that reoccurred in some form or another on many lists was the development of trust in the goodness of man, living within your means, love of work, and practicing moderation and gratitude. And I've got this down was well.

Of course I did find a few things I could work on, things I was aware brought stress into my life. They were no surprise:

• Live in the present. I don't know if I dwell on the past as much as I try to anticipate the future. I'm a planner and I like control.
• Know your limits. Know how to say "No." I don't even know what to say for this one, but I know it's a problem. Learning to say "no" would probably remove the majority of stress in my life. My saying "no" would probably also remove a lot of the stress in Charlie's life as well...poor man has to deal with my breakdowns.

There were a few others, but I think for 2009 I will focus on those. Seems like a good place to start, especially with some major life changes in our near future.

A few other resolutions for 2009 that have probably been on lists from year's past...

1. Get back to reading
   
2. Wear sunscreen
3. Learn more about my camera and my new lens
4. Run 4 road races this year
5. Drink more wine
6. Ride the ferry at sunset
7. Cook seasonal veggies from the Farmers' market
8. Eat brunch at Commander's Palace
9. More love notes, fewer "honey do" reminders (maybe)
   

Year's End

Charlie took the day off of skiing today and spent
some time in town with me.

2008 is winding down. And we had to mark the last day of the year with a self portrait!

Busting out of my coat!

Looking back at this day last year, I feel very much the same, even though life right now feels so very different as we anticipate the arrival of Um Babay in 51 short days.

Actually, I feel exactly the same.

Goodbye 2007

It was a great year, no if, ands, or buts about it. We lead a charmed life. And if there's any doubt about that, go back and read each and every post in the last year. I've read, not all, but quite a few, of the 2007 posts over the last few weeks, and I'll be the first to tell you that we've got something good here, just off Magazine.

And thankfully, I know it doesn't stop here. Bring on 2008.