Getting It Together

I've never been one for New Year's resolutions. I think that they are just a way for the weight loss industry to capitalize on our insecurities and inability to follow through with the over-zealous goals that we set for ourselves year after year. Not to mention the fact that it seems silly to me that we use one time of the year to set goals and try to achieve them. What about the other 354 days?

That being said, I do try and use the beginning of the year as a means to a fresh start. We put away the Christmas decorations and do a sort of "deep cleaning" of the house. Financially speaking, I like to make sure that everything is in order so that we aren't going crazy by tax time come April. And of course, when The Husband goes back to work and school starts again, we inevitably wind up with a sort of "restart button" reflex.

There are a few things I want to be especially conscientious of this year. For starters, I'm hoping to go back to school. While this may seem like a lofty goal with three kids aged three and under around, I think it's an important step forward for our family. I'm currently exploring nursing school options and have completed three applications so far.

Secondly, I want to get my children into some sort of routine. This means getting myself into a routine first... not something that comes easily to me. But I'm a strong believer that children need structure. My philosophy about structure comes with a caveat in that I believe strongly in child led parenting; as a result, our structure is flexible and based on their unique needs. It makes my life a little more chaotic, but it helps them get the most out of each day.

Lastly, I really, really want to get us into a routine of cooking at home and following a menu and budget. With our middle child being on a restrictive diet until we determine if he has Celiacs, we need to be extra conscientious of what food products we have in our house and what we cook on a daily basis. I've never been a nutrition freak. I'm the kind of girl who will use fruit snacks to count towards the minimum five fruits and veggies we are supposed to consume each day. I don't like broccoli, carrots, or squash. I hate to cook and I'd prefer to grab something and throw it in the microwave versus take the time to read a recipe. Unfortunately, that type of lifestyle is not so gentle on the wallet OR the arteries. So, I'm offering it up, so to speak, and trying to cook healthy, gluten-free meals for my crew.

Of course, there are always other things that I want to accomplish: completing a daily work-out, reading a book a week, learning to knit, and building up my web store. But these are all nice-to-complete's, not need-to-complete's. So, for the time being, I'll hold myself to my previously mentioned un-resolutions and hope for the best.

Love, hugs, and blessings,
The Mama