2013 what have you in store for me?

It feels like a lifetime since we heralded in another new year.  I try not to make resolutions mainly because I rarely stick to them, so I like to see how I am feeling a few weeks in and reflect on the year that was and what are my hopes for the year going forward.

This year I know that I want to send more real paper letters to friends!  I love getting mail that is anything other than bills but this typically only happens on my birthday but even then most of the time I might only get one or two cards in the mail.  So I think that is why I made the effort to make Christmas Cards with a little story about our family and I actually posted them out to my special family and friends.  I am not offended or even upset when I don't get them in return but I do love getting surprises in the mail.

I am also in the midst of making a stack of little gifts to send out when the mood takes me.  I love to gift give I am pretty sure that is my number one love language, of course I love to receive them who doesn't but for me the thing I love the most is to give them.  I am not even overly fussed if I don't get a thank you but I really love to know that they have been received.  To me I try to think of how special it must feel that someone has thought so much of you that they would make something and send it to you.

Another thing that I really want to try really hard to do this year is not make my kids feel guilty for being kids and my husband for just chilling.  Sometimes it is all too easy for me to get up and do things like sweep the floor or clean the bathroom (you know those jobs we hate to do but have to be done) and someone will say leave it I will do it or will offer help and I usually reply with "it's fine, I will do it!"  You know that tone that I'm using right?  Well it's not healthy to use that tone for them or for me.  If I don't want to do the task and they offer I am going to take them up on it or if I need it done there and then and I know that won't happen I am going to try to respond kindly and say thanks for the offer but I need to do this now.

I am going to make a bigger effort to enjoy my kids instead of yelling at them or sending them off somewhere else to be kids.  Kids are messy and noisy and apparently (though I don't remember this) I was just like them once, so I am going to try harder to enjoy the mess and noise, because I am sure before I know it they will be grown up and I will miss that noise (but quite possibly not the mess!)

We are also off on a family holiday with my entire extended family so 12 of us are off to the most magical place on earth!  I am going to enjoy this trip I am going to soak up all the memories and the joy on the faces of the kids as they see the magical things at Disneyland but first we have to survive the plane trip 14hrs with my brother should be interesting but to my happy place I will go!

I really want to do more to look after myself I think it is important that the kids see that I care about myself enough to take some time out for me.  I plan to get into the good habit of regular meditation and regular exercise.  Exercise for me is limited by what my knees will allow me to do but bike riding and swimming are thankfully things I love to do and can do.  I hope to start Pilates too.  Hopefully with these things will come a renewed love for healthy food!  I have a love for food but I typically like food that tastes great rather than food that is particularly healthy!

Lastly, I am going to write my blog, this is something that I have been trying to do and wanting to do for as long as I can remember but have never committed to writing.  I guess I think of it as slightly self indulgent and wonder if anyone will care about my life, but its time to move past all of that and put it out there for me!

Til next time.