Happy Brrrrr Year!

Let me first say that I don't mind the cold, and I actually prefer it to being hot. BUT, it's really cold!!!! The temperature isn't bad, but the wind is obnoxious!!!! We had 50mph winds several days straight last week, and even though that's died down, it's still blowing pretty hard out there. Our poor house is OLD, and drafty, so when it's windy like this, it's really hard to stay warm! Hello gas bill, goodbye bank account!

Everyone seems to be talking about their resolution soloutions, so I'll add me two cents' worth.

Last year:

1. Focus on our marriage.
It's not that we've had a bad marriage - far from it - but the past few years have been so much about the kids and the moves and whatnot that I feel like we had lost our way in paying real attention to each other, or at least I had. That's been going pretty well, I think; I definitely feel more connected and happier.

2. Walk the dog every day, weather permitting.
This one fell by the wayside somewhat, but there was good reason. When I wrote that, Baci didn't get enough exercise because his brother, Tyler, was too old to play and wrestle with him. After poor Tyler was put down, we got Delilah the Tasmanian Devil, and that problem went away. If anything, she wants to play even more than he does! So, the walking thing wasn't really important anymore. I still take them on walks together, just not every day, or even often at this time of year.

3. Focus on charity.
Done, and done. Aside from the recent project, I got involved in a lot of things through church, and did a lot with Heifer International. By the end of the year, we had donated what amounted to a small farm - bees, rabbits, chicks, ducks, geese, a sheep, and a goat, in varying numbers. I'm really proud of that, and hope to do even better this year.

My list is sometimes ongoing for the first weeks of January, but so far, I have:

1. Continue to give
By this I mean not only giving money to charity, but giving of myself. Sometimes the best thing is a warm body and an available ear. The Elf project, and starting the recycling program at chuch (which has recently expanded to include another building where the teenagers hang out) have really made me feel what I can only describe as joy inside.

2. Be more Ohm!
I'm stealing an idea here from MO Mommy. Last year, she picked a Focus Word for the year; hers had to do with quiet. I think this is a great idea, because it allows a person to aim for a state of being rather than at a Thing. Mine, I think, is going to be Serenity. I want to relax, take things as they come, and not get stressed out over things I can't control, which would be everything but me, anyway.

3. Fiscal responsibility.
We're working so hard to get out of debt. This year I want us to get there. I don't know if it will happen, with my not working very much (more on that another time) and school stuff, but I'm going to try really hard. It will depend on tax time this year; we may take a big hit in taxes this year because of a few various things, so if we end up with a big bill, there's no way we'll reach that goal in a year. Otherwise, it might just be doable. Cross your fingers for us! I'm trying not to think about tax time, a la #2, until it's here.

Like I said, I'll probably keep adding to the list for another few days, but I think this is a good start, and will probably be my core list. I'll put the final list up in my sidebar (when I redesign the page, which should be soon) when it's done.