2012... its a New Year

Happy New Year Everybody!
A New Year.  How exciting is that? I think I am more excited for a FRESH BEGINNING this year than I have ever been in the past.  I'm happy to look back on the past, and happy to look forward to the future.  Just plain happy.




 I just read through last year's first four posts.  I felt like I was eating some kind of yummy treat.  Maybe that is what happens when I blog fully awake?  I don't know.  But I wasn't looking for those posts, I was looking for my two lists from last year's "New Year's Paradox."  Here they are:





I love that I wrote, "Little changes that last are bigger than big changes that don't."  I was thinking about that *philosophy* as I was "pre-thinking" through todays blog.  Apparently, it was what I was thinking about last year around the New Year, too.  Maybe it is a timeless truth, or maybe I am already becoming an old dog, who doesn't know any new tricks?  Hopefully the first.

So how did I do on my goals?  Not too bad.  I didn't get pregnant! I hit my healthy BMI by May, and have fluctuated around it ever since.  (I'm a little higher now that I should be. This always happens to me... maybe due to Thanksgiving, My birthday and Christmas and two other family celebrations all being within 6 weeks of each other!)   I have become much better at keeping the house clean in the last year! This not only keeps me more sane, but also saves me tons of time spent in cleaning, and keeps me from doing as much tearing the house apart to find that desperately needed _________. (Key/ license/ birth certificate/ tax return/ binki.)  You probably know that I started officially homeschooling!  And I did a lot more freelance writing than I have ever done.... granted it was NOT 1-2 articles a week.  

There where things that I did that weren't on my list, but were huge milestones!  We bought a beautiful house, visited my beloved Granpa Don and the gang, and finally had my first ever garden.  These three things brought so much color my world.  

Sewing was the one thing I absolutely dropped the ball in.  I might have sewed three times in the whole year, with NO finished products at all.  Oh well.  It's a new year.  Maybe it's time for some new goals. 

I'll start with my "Christmas vacation pictures" inspired goals:


Play outside more!

 (Addi with "Memmi")
Read more books!


Enjoy my family!




I have other goals too.  I'm just not sure what they are.
So instead of telling you all my *somewhat subject to change* goals,  I think I'll just hit you with my goals for January.
1.  Eat 99% Vegan.  (I will still have milk or cream in my coffee)
2. Become more consistent with School.
3.  Save Energy & Money by not having every light in the house turned on every minute of  everyday. 
4. Make and buy business cards for my blog site. 
5.  Blog twice a week.  

Each week I plan to blog on Monday or Tuesday, regarding coming into motherhood.  This is especially for all my first time pregnant friends who live far away.  If I can't go, sit down, and have coffee with you, at least I'd like to give you some (hopefully) helpful thoughts and some questions to ponder. On Thursday or Friday of each week I plan to blog concerning eating healthfully, living healthfully, and not killing your budget while you do so.  This will be a mixture of my thoughts, the things I have been reading about and studying, and a peak into my month as an almost vegan.  I will also share one "healthful recipe" each week: I love to read other people's recipes and try new things, so I'm hoping you do too.