Just Do It.

I am not a New Year's Resolution type gal. My usual resolution, with tongue in cheek, is "I resolve to not make any resolutions." Haha. This year I've decided to use the New Year as an excuse to kick myself in the behind and maybe change a few things in my life (and subsequently the lives of those I care for).

Really, if you think about it the title of this blog sums up most, if not all, resolutions. The basic principle behind any attempt at "getting better" is merely to put the wise above the selfish. So, my resolution this year is to "Just do it." Just bend over and pick up the toys, just make the call, just do the errand, just send the card, just fold the laundry, just put the laundry away, just DO IT. You get the picture...

I am always convicted by the example my predecessors have left me. In my (and Marc's) childhood pictures you never see a mess as a backdrop (except at Christmas, wrapping paper and all) and yet (I am embarrassed to admit) my children's captured smiles are often flanked by unkempt spaces. So I will remember the women before me and be inspired that if they could do it with dirt floors and woodstoves (not you Mom and Marge) then I certainly can with modern conviences such as crock pots and Norwex (wink to Sharon and Tressa).

Some of the specific "its" that I will be particularly focusing on are:

• To blog/update pictures once a week.
  
• Getting the literal dozen books on my nightstand read. I read a lot but these books, specifically, I want to get 'downloaded' to my brain before the next 6 months. I wish I had a Matrix type brain port to literally download all my literature! =)
  
• Doing Yoga 3-5 times a week. I started this last semester but it seemed to fade in December when we got busy. I really, really like Yoga - you should try it if you haven't!
• Doing preschool activities with the boys 2 times a week. We do lots of activities but I would like to have a focused effort on a regular basis.
• Purging my house, again. =) It feels so good to get rid of THINGS and make room for function.
  
• Getting birthday cards out on time.
• Calling my friends more often to stay in touch.
• To keep current with my 3 (yes, 3) journals that I keep.
• To take a picture of my kids everyday. (Excessive? Perhaps but I feel convicted to make sure I am still documenting their lives instead of forgetting to and regretting it later.)
  

I have a few more but by now you're probably wondering "Where are the pictures?" =P

How are your resolutions coming? Any creativity in any of your best intentions this year?

Ok, here is our life in pictures lately:

The boys sporting their Pittsburgh Panther shirts from U.Jared.

I have no idea why he was doing the splits, but you gotta admit his flexibility is fairly impressive. =)

Desmond's new trick: winking. Pretty cute, huh?

Disregard the background of laundry - this is the boys newest favorite activity. Boat. They drag out this big Tupperware and get in it and have all sorts of adventures in their boat. This day we coaxed Monte to come along. =) He didn't stay long.

I have a lot of Christmas photos that I'll post another day. We have a lovely Christmas with family, although our time was limited this year due to Marc's very short school break.

Happy New Year!