Welcome!

My first post...mmmm...do ya love the new Blog smell?

I've had a blog on another site I've kept for the past year and a half, but I guess I felt the need to break away from the updates on the kids and find my own place to write about whatever fancies me. Don't get me wrong - I'll still talk about my kids more than enough - but this gives me a more sophisticated place to find other bloggers and online readers (ha! sophisticated! me?).

With that note, I'll start out by cheating. Below I'm posting the uh, post, I uh, posted just this morning in afore-mentioned other blog post. (Darn it - I'm turning into John Madden!)

I read somewhere recently (probably GoodHousekeeping - yeah, I'm a dork) that January 1st is the absolute WORST time to make resolutions. After eating and partying so much over the holidays, what a better way to depress yourself and set yourself up for failure by plunging into the depths of the complete opposite of the world you had been living in? December 31st its cocktails and h'ors doeuvres and staying up too late, then January 1st comes and BAM! its "I will eat right and not drink and lose 20 pounds..." The article went on to suggest that the beginning of Febraury was the right time for such resolutions, and that they shouldn't be set so high as to set oneself up for failure. Setting "mini-goals" is more achievable, plus accomplishing those goals makes you feel good and more likely to keep going toward the next goal. I sat down today while on a conference call at work to make my own list of resolutions. Some are big, some are small, but I'm making them anyway.

1) Go out with the girls once a month.

I figure this won't be hard - I try to do this now. But sometimes I let months go by only to feel that its waaay overdue. Even if its a night out to dinner with one pal, I think I can stick with this!

2) Go out with Jay once a month.

Again, something we try to do now but for the occassional lapse. Shouldn't be a problem but its good for us! (This year is 5 years!!!)

3) Join a gym or take a class.

I've been debating the gym vs. yoga, but either way I should do *something*. Sure, there's the exercise I get chasing after the kids, but it probably doesn't add up to much of a physical workout. But first I MUST take care of the problems I've been having with my back. I'm due to see a PT on Wednesday.

4) Eat dinner at the dining room table more often.

I'm horrible. Most nights, while Jay is at work, Nick, Will & I eat dinner in front of the TV in the living room. While I certainly feel its OK to do this occassionally, "occassionally" for us has become five nights a week. The source of the problem is all the CRAP I tend to let build up on the dining room table. There's just too much mail and coupons and other crap stuff I might need and I'm TERRIBLE about handling it all. In fact, I irritate myself with that horrendous pile. Maybe this is two resolutions in one, but I will keep the dining room table clear(ish) and eat at the table more. I certainly can tell the difference in mealtimes - both in Nick's attitude and the speed at which he eats - when we sit at the table.

5) Take a family vacation.

This is something I had begun thinking about last year sometime. We didn't go anywhere last year but to the lake for a day. Then, my Dad announced on Christmas Day that he had made reservations for the entire family to go fishing in northern MN the last week in May. Should make this an easy item to check off!

6) MOVE!

OK, a big item, sure. But we are far past capacity for our home and at the point that both Jay & I are irritated with our lack of space. We'll just be patient...

7) Don't let more than (3) loads of laundry sit waiting in the basement.

Sound easy to you? I have a tendency to clean-clean-clean for days or weeks on end, then tire myself out and justify several days of doing absolutely nothing. Somehow, the dishes and laundry that pile up in those few days is 3x the amount that piles up on days I don't do nothing. Don't ask me how that works, but I figure the 3-load rule (whatever fits in our sorter down there) is fair and I won't overstress but won't over-slack, either.

8) Take a trip with my friends.

I had begun talking with some of my friends about two years ago about taking a trip the year we turned 30. Fast forward to a few months ago, and I suggested NYC. I found airfare for less than $200/person. I received replies like, "I thought we were going somewhere warm!" and "I don't really want to go to New York City." Fine. Long story short, I don't care where we go so long as we go together and have a darned good time doing it. Recently, Steph suggested going to a spa in the Dells or Door County for a girlie pamper weekend. Sounds fine to me!

9) Go to church more.

Again, something I tend to do sporadically. I should *not* let 2 months pass between Masses I attend.

10) Pay off credit card bills.

We, like many people, I assume, have this low balance on a few of our credit cards. We'll pay them off only to find a few months later a couple of hundred dollars on one or more of them. Why do we do that? I then constantly think in my head that I've paid them off, only to accrue late fees because, oh yeah, we charged that one thing we needed that one day when the next paycheck was a week away. I HATE THAT! So, no more of that. Credit cards = emergency.

So, long enough post, I know. Wish me luck and I'll keep my blog readers updated on them regularly.