we're still here!

Oh, my.

It has been quite a while!

Partly because my laptop charger broke, and it took me forever to order the replacement (well, truth be told I never got around to ordering the replacement, my husband did). And, in part, because my needy baby has become quite the little needy monkey toddler.

But here we are, in a new year. And with a way to type on something that isn't mobile or with a touch screen keyboard.

And I miss it here.

I don't know why I make resolutions. Its sort of laughable, since anyone who knows me at all knows I am just awful with them. Heck, I can rarely keep a goal from the morning to the evening.

But I make them every year anyway. I rather like the feeling of so many people, all at once, making better choices in their lives. Being healthier, more kind, more generous. I do like the feeling of so many people, all in it together, if only for a little while.

So I've made them yet again for this year.

1. Less time plugged in. This seems to be an ongoing struggle for me. And now with so many mobile devices, it has becoming so tempting and easy to just "hop on for 5 minutes" several (dozen) times a day. I don't watch much television aside from a fair amount of prime time, but I certainly spend enough time online. I'd like to scale that way, way back.
                     
2. Mail things! I am simply terrible at mailing things. I've written thank you cards and never sent them. Our family out of state regularly gets their Christmas presents in February. I recently had an issue with a bill I swore I sent out months ago, nope. Sitting in a pile of mail in the mudroom. I have a mailbox at the end of my driveway for goodness sake. I'm gonna use it!

3. Get Healthy. I have been pretty overweight since having my 2nd son 9 years ago. Having my 3rd son has only made it worse. While the weight is the outward issue, clearly over time there will be internal issues too. I'm carrying a good extra 60 lbs. It's time to change that. Small changes. Less snacking. Less wine. More walking.

4. Notice the small things. I thought things would be so much easier once I wasn't working 10 hour days, but the truth is they are harder. Whether I am working or home, if I am not actively taking the time to notice and enjoy the little things, it's very easy for the sameness of everyday to roll together. I'm hoping that blogging semi regularly, perhaps restarting the 365 project and being conscious of these things will help. Life is too short, and this time with my children is simply too fleeting to gloss over the little, everyday joys.

There are more, of course. More garden expansion, more food preservation and security, more crafting. But I think that if I can stay on top of the above four things, all the other things will find their way out as well.

I'm hoping to create new habits, one being spending my internet time more wisely. So while I enjoy some computer with my morning coffee, instead of playing level 106 in Candy Crush or refreshing facebook once again, I plan on spending it blogging and reading blogs that I miss. Of course, I'll still have to be careful to keep the time spent on that under control!

What about you? Do you make resolutions at the New Year, or treat each day as an opportunity? Are you specific or general? Are you good at keeping them?