I Hereby Resolve

I never make New Year's resolutions because like every other person on the planet, I don't keep them. So what I'm about to list shouldn't be considered resolutions but merely things I should be doing anyway and I resolve to really try to do them.

My 2009 "To Do" List

1. Get my paper work under control.

This is my current filing system for paperwork. Really? Really, really. (Sorry, watching Shrek with the kids) I know, I know, this is bad. I'm really going to be up a creek when I start my taxes in a few weeks.

See this beautiful filing cabinet? I haven't found the keys to it since I've moved and I put all my paperwork in this laundry basket until I found them. However, after 6 months I think I can kiss any hope of finding them goodbye.

I hereby resolve to get my paperwork under control and filed in actual files, alphabetized even.

{See I TOLD you that these were things I should be doing!}

2. Keep my house picked up and looking beautiful.

All right! You all can stop laughing now! Look at this:

And look at this:

Yeah, who's laughing now??? So I pick up all the live long day to keep it looking like this, so what? My house should be in a magazine. Or I should win some kind of award or something!

Oh, and by the way, these pictures were taken TONIGHT, not back on Christmas when all my company was here. So there!

3. Fold my laundry and put it away the same day it emerges from the dryer.

What? You think that goes with #2? One would think but this photo was also taken tonight:

See why I need #3? This laundry has been here 2 days. I think the key to keeping this resolution is to never take my laundry out of the dryer. (This is in the upstairs landing. Does that fact that my laundry is laying around the upstairs landing mean that I've already broken #2?)

4. Lose about 50 pounds and get in better shape.

Not that 50 pounds! And not even 50 pounds, more like 30. I suppose if I'm going to do that I better stop eating these Ruffle potato chips and French Onion Dip. Seriously, I'm literally eating them as I type, which isn't easy, I might add. I'm that talented.

What I really want to get is one of these:

Good luck with that! They were sold out everywhere before Christmas, believe me, I looked. But maybe after the Christmas excitement dies down I'll find one.

Does that mean that I don't have to work on this resolution until then?

5. Write and finish my book and actually get it published.

I'm working on this one! I'm currently taking a creative writing class online and the instructor read what I have posted here on my book blog and loved it. She told me it has real potential and encouraged me to take a Memoir Writing class online that works with you and your actual manuscript and helps you prepared it for submission.

6. Watch Lost.

That's really hard for me but I'll try really hard to do it. It shouldn't be too hard when I can see this:

Sorry, I've joined Team Sawyer. Sawyer had me at his line to Locke "You hurt one curly hair on his hair and I'll kill you." in regards to Locke forcing Hurley to stay with him at gun point. I already knew Sawyer had changed and was no longer the self centered guy he was 102 days earlier when he crashed on the island but this proved it. Plus, Jack's just gone wacko. Who needs that? I got bushel baskets full of wacko in this house. Not to mention that while Sawyer's beard looks sexy (sorry kids, I know you'll gag when you read this) Jack's looks plain nasty.

Even I have standards. I'm desperate but not that desperate.

7. Be a better Mommy.

Perhaps a good place to start is to actually feed my children real food instead of forcing them to scavenge for plastic grapes at Hobby Lobby. Or maybe even wash their face before I take a picture of them. (Example photo of Ryan #4 above) Perhaps actually read the books that I allow them to check out of the library. Or stop embarrassing them in front of their friends by singing High School Musical songs in the car.

Or not.

8. Redevelop a closer relationship with God.

I used to have a closer relationship with God, especially while Darrell was in the hospital. I was sure that God was telling me that Darrell would be healed. I now realize He was telling me that Darrell would be healed in Heaven. But the days and months after Darrell's death I felt betrayed and I didn't trust what I read in my bible. So I put it away. I've taken some Beth Moore bible study's since but with the babies and avoiding church nurseries, I haven't regularly attended church in almost a year and half. And I miss it. I need it. So I plan to find a church home and regularly attend and start daily devotions again. Because the first seven resolutions don't mean anything without this one.

I wish you all a very happy and healthy new year! I appreciate every single one of you. You make my life so much better!

Now, what are you all resolving to do?