May all your troubles last as long as your New Year's resolutions!

So I'm usually not really into the whole resolution thing. As I think about the past year and look forward to another, there are a few goals that I have for myself. In no particular order...more just as I think of them, here are my goals for the upcoming year.

Keep up running. Ever since I decided to train for the Buffalo Creek Half Marathon, I have been running a lot. The benefits have been amazing. Not only did I lose all the baby weight I gained when pregnant with Miles, I lost an additional 15 pounds. In addition to that, I feel good about myself and am a happier person. There are two passages that sum up my love for running from a book I am currently reading (Run Like a Mother: How to Get Moving--and Not Lose Your Family, Job, or Sanity)...

• We’re running to process a bad day and, in doing so, make it better. We’re running to set a good example for our children. We’re running to feel lean, strong, empowered, and graceful. Although we’re not running the country (yet), we’re definitely getting in shape to do so.

• For an overstressed, overtired, overextended mother, there are few other sensations that rival a delicious run. Once the sweat starts running down my temples, I daydream, analyze, smile, wonder, channel something cosmic. I feel alive and, perhaps most importantly, like myself again.

Make sure to spend some alone time with my husband. This marriage won't really work if Kevin and I don't work. An important part of that is just spending time together...going out to dinner with just us, playing a game, talking, anything. It doesn't have to be special, it just needs to be us. We are planning a second honeymoon to celebrate our 6th Anniversary in the fall so that should be great relaxing along time for us!

More family time. Of course this means more time with the four of us. It's amazing that even in the past two weeks how much both Maddie and Miles have grown and changed. In addition, we definitely want to be sure to spend time with our extended families as well.

Read more books. I have such a huge list of books I want to read, but just haven't made the time yet. Usually it seems that I only read books at the beach. I would really like to read a book each month. I really would like to read a few before the movies come out (The Help and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo)...of course not that I'll see the movies when they are released, but I need a goal date. 

Clean House. It became very evident as we were cleaning for our appraisal that we have too much stuff. I'm sure there are people out there who need a lot of it way more than we do. I want to go through each room, sort out what we need, and give away the rest. Very Lean/5S so I guess it works for me. 

Enjoy Life. I think this is pretty self explanatory.

2010 was a wonderful year. I am looking forward to all the the new year has to offer. I hope that 2011 brings everyone what they are looking for.

Enjoy~