New Year, New Me?

Since tonight is New Years Eve I thought I'd talk about resolutions and why I don't care for them...now don't get me wrong I make goals for myself all the time and I think it's important to do so, but resolutions are a whole different thing. For one thing, the resolutions people make for themselves tend to be way too big, they end up feeling daunting and overwhelming and then people find excuses of why not to do it. Like when people say they are going to workout 6 times a week this year...if you don't workout at all right now it usually works better (at least for me) to start with a goal to workout say twice a week and then when I have managed that goal for a few weeks move it up, until eventually you are working out 6 times a week! That's the difference, goals can be assessed and reevaluated, unlike resolutions. If you say you're going to read 10 books this year and then you hit your mark 6 months in do you stop reading? I hope not! But for me a resolution seems like an end point so I'd rather make a goal to read 10 books by the end of the year, then if I make my mark I can reevaluate my goal and make it 20...

...I guess my point is that people put way too much emphasis on the resolutions and expect themselves to change into this person they're not and then they get upset when they don't. Change happens over time! If you slowly make goals for yourself throughout the year you will see little changes along the way within yourself that will inspire you to keep moving forward until you see the big changes :)

So what are my current goals? Well for one, and probably whoever is reading this will appreciate this one, I am making a goal for myself to blog at least once every week...if I do it more than once, great! If I only do it once a week, great (at least for now). Another goal of mine is to keep up with my yoga/workout practice. I started a steady routine mid November and I have been working out an average of 3 times a week, but I have already been seeing a difference in my body, my stress levels, my strength, and flexibility. I plan on continuing and eventually making a goal to do more than what I have been. I am also working on cooking and reading more...no specific goals for those though, just a conscious effort to do them more often. And since I made hummus and read a few chapters of my new book yesterday I'd say I'm doing well! :P

How do you all feel about resolutions? And if you make them what are yours for 2011? If not, what are some goals you are working on?

"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream."
~C. S. Lewis

Christmas fun...

Ok so since our move back to Wichita I've reverted back to my bad habit of not blogging...until now :) Since my last post Dave completed his Kickstarter campaign and raised the funds he needed to record his album (YAY!!!) I am so excited for him to finally be able to get in the studio and record the songs the way he wants them done...he will be recording the album at Brick House Studios here in Wichita. We have the studio booked for 2 straight weeks in January! But for now we are just enjoying the Christmas season...watching Christmas movies, making Christmas candy, decorating our new place...last year we didn't get to put up a Christmas tree since we were in the process of moving so this was our first year picking out/cutting down/decorating our own Christmas tree! It was actually my first time ever to go chop down a tree...we had so much fun :)

Every year for Christmas my Mom has gotten my brother and I a Christmas ornament for our own little trees we had in our rooms...now since I'm married (and my ornaments dominate the tree) I thought I'd start the tradition for Dave and get him an ornament. I found some musical note ornaments that I thought were perfect and I surprised him with them on the 3 year anniversary of the day we first met :)

Every year my Mom and I make Christmas candy, this year we spiced things up from our typical candies by adding some sprinkles and also making cake balls this year, they turned out delicious, if I do say so myself...

We had to celebrate Christmas a little differently this year since my step-sis is a nurse who works on the weekends and Christmas Eve/day fell on Friday and Saturday, we celebrated with her and her husband on Wed. night, instead of on Christmas Eve...it was also different this year because instead of going out to eat my parents decided to do a Christmas lights tour in a limo (my Mom has wanted to do this for a long time.) So we ordered some pizza and brought some wine and had a great time going around Wichita as a family...

Christmas Eve we had brunch at Good Egg with my parents (all 3 of them) and my brother, went to church, and opened gifts at my Grandparents house. Christmas morning we spent opening presents with my Dad, brother, cousin Jenny, and Grandma Gerry. We spent the rest of the day at my Dad's relaxing and later went to a movie and on the way home picked up some sushi for dinner...it was a wonderful Christmas spent with family and remembering the reason for it all...

Hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas! Love you all ~Mal