Happy New Year!

Today as I was picking up the kiddos from the slumber party at their fabulous Aunt Jamie's house, my sister and I got to talking about New Year's Resolutions. I always make them, but like 99% of the rest of you out there, I seldom keep them. However, despite my poor track record of resolution keeping, each year I sit down with a notebook and make a new list, just as determined to make changes in each new year as in the last. Jamie was telling me that lately she has taken a slightly different approach, striving to make resolutions that are attainable so that she has a better chance of keeping them.

So when I got home and sat down with Jason and the kids to make our 2010 New Years Resolutions, I got to thinking... Wouldn't it be fun if your New Year's Resolutions were something that you could look forward to keeping? Something that had a chance of actually making your year better instead of just being a constant listed-in-detail reminder of all of the things you don't like about yourself?

So this year I decided to make a different kind of list... They're still "resolutions," in that I do resolve to do them all, but they're also a little more like a "To-Do" list of fun things that will make my life better, happier and more interesting in 2010! So here they are...

My 2010 New Year's Resolutions!
1. Learn a yummy new recipe and make it for dinner guests
2. Write a poem and submit it to a literary magazine
3. Paint a lovely picture to hang in the house
4. Photography my Mom & Dad
5. Learn to knit
6. Take a random road trip to somewhere I've never been before
7. Let Autumn teach me to do a scorpion
8. Send a cheerful letter to someone who isn't expecting it
9. Stand up for myself on one occasion when I might have otherwise let someone make me feel bad
10. Organize a girls' shoot day with my fabulous female photog friends
11. Read a good book that makes my heart happy and share it with someone
12. Find an item at a junk store and fix it up to put somewhere in the house
13. Submit a photograph to Time Magazine
14. Plant some flowers outside and try not to kill them
15. Learn a new song on the piano
16. Redecorate our bedroom for less than $500
17. Write a letter to the editor
18. Get the ghetto van painted
19. Take the kids hiking in a new place
20. Buy an outfit I wouldn't normally wear and wear it out on a date
21. Learn a few phrases of conversational Spanish that don't involve cucumbers
22. Do at least one thing a month that makes me happy! : )

I am so excited about my list! It is the first time I've had a set of New Year's resolutions that I can't wait to keep! I took the list (which I wrote out on a special piece of notebook paper that Bear had drawn an eagle on for me) and posted it squarely in the middle of the fridge so that I will be always reminded of all of the fun things that await me in the new year. Yay!





The kids' lists also cracked me up. Bear's took Jamie's attainability theory to a whole new level!




His list reads:
1. Play with Audie every day
2. Play Wii
3. Check my [Star Wars] calendar every day
4. Play on the swing set
5. Play Lego Batman at Audie's house every day

That kid cracks me up! Autumn's list went in exactly the opposite direction. It had 31 items on it and filled an entire notebook paper page, plus a last-minute Post-It addendum.




I'll spare you the entire list, but here are a few of my favorites!
3. Be responsible for my backpack and keep track of it so it won't get lost (Sounds good!)
16. Learn how to crochet and knit (me too!)
9. Stretch after school and do pushups and jumping jacks, then go outside to practice flips, scorp, scale, stretch, bow then practice back handsprings, front handsprings, back walkovers, front walkovers then cheer and stunts, then play on the playground. (Wow!)
27. Be nice!
17. Have a good life. (Always a good idea, Autumn!)

And, my personal favorite...
15. Learn to speak French, Spanish, Indian and every other language.

Autumn has a busy year ahead of her! : )

Now I'm off to straighten up the house a little and get ready for our big New Year's Eve date! This will be the first New Year's Eve in as long as I can remember that we won't be photographing a wedding. It's actually really fun to shoot New Year's weddings, but usually when it strikes midnight, we're trying to steal a kiss in between snapping pictures of a bride and groom ringing in the New Year. This year will be a welcome change of pace!

Jason has planned us an honest-to-goodness night on the town complete with a babysitter (thanks Jamie!), entertainment, dining, champagne toasts and a hotel room at Aloft in Rogers! He surprised me with the whole thing, and I still don't know all the details, but I can't wait!

I hope you all have a great time this evening... Be safe and have fun! (Wow I sound like a mom...) See you next year! : )