That Old Familiar Feeling

During the past 4 days I have discussed with both of my sisters how even though I know it's just a calendar date, New Year's has me thinking about what I'd like to accomplish. New things I'd like to do - improvements I'd like to make to my life. I just can't help it. I have this feeling on a smaller scale at the beginning of each month, and on an even smaller scale every Monday throughout the year. I love new beginnings, and New Year's is the biggest one we get each year, right?

I used to actually sit down and write out New Year's resolutions, but stopped years ago when I realized that writing them down like that was like writing out a list of my failures and then having it there to remind me all year long.

But again this year I want to improve things. I want to cook more and eat better (those go hand in hand for me, as my cooking tends to be pretty healthy most of the time - the more veggies involved, the better! Brown rice? YEAH!). I want to exercise (I won't bother saying "more," because doing anything would help). I want to be a more graceful parent. Which would probably start with me getting to bed earlier every night.

So, I'll call them New Year's Hopes.

I hope that the girls being one year older this year will allow me to get more done. I'm going to start making soap again this year, but that requires the kids to either sleep better at night, making it so that I don't have to run up to settle anyone (almost always The Bug) before I myself am ready to go to bed, OR be able to leave me alone for a couple hours while being babysat by daddy or the grandparents.

I hope that the girls will continue their interest in "helping" me cook, thereby allowing me to have the prep time I need to cook healthier meals more often.

I hope that Slipshod and I will make a new habit of going through our mail more often AND opening and unpacking a box now and then so that our garage doesn't actually burst from being too full of cardboard boxes.

I think I'll stop there. The nice thing about having this feeling at New Year's every year is that it sort of cleans the slate and gets rid of that "oh forget it, I'll never accomplish my goals" feeling that is pervasive for me by December. It's nice to have the mental landscape covered with snow and clean and ready for new footprints, as it were. (I realize that's a pretty bad metaphor, but it's all I've got today, people. Humor me.)