Last Year's Resolution Failures and New Aspirations...

So I wanted to look back on last year's resolutions (since I put them out there), review how horrifically I failed them, and make new ones. My main problem with most of these is that I was working and psychotically miserable for the first two-thirds of the year, so I really feel like I didn't even make an effort. I don't understand what it is about the new year that makes you feel like it is a new chance to make major changes. I also feel this way when school starts... fun fact: buying school supplies is one of my favorite things in this world to do. C'mon, who isn't obsessed with a super fabulous pen that just writes smoothly and just enhances your handwriting??? Just me?? Moving on then... :o) After re-reading these, I pretty much want to do a repeat of them all (with a few minor adjustments). So here are last year's (and now this year's)... along with my excuses: 

1. Have special individual time with each daughter once a month (Layla gets way too excited to go to the doctor because that is essentially the only time she gets to be alone with me. I can't let her have these middle child issues).
---I did only so-so with this one. I would try to bring along one girl if I was running errands and whatnot, but I definitely want to make more of effort to do better this year, especially since Livi is getting older and gets it. Layla is my toughest to accomplish this with. 

2. Keep up monthly dates with the hubby.
---We most definitely were BUSY, but we didn't do phenomenal on the dates. We had them sporadically which were amazeballs but nothing as consistent as I would have liked. Whenever we try to go out by ourselves, we tend to always run into people we know and end up hanging out with them... or we sit next to the lonely, drunk old lady at the bar who talks our ears off (and sings us her elementary school song. Twice).

3. Wear a bikini this summer (I finally lost the baby weight but there needs to be some serious tightening before this becomes a reality). 
---Mission accomplished!!! Well, not the tightening. I decided to just screw it and go for it. It's all about acting confident. My add-on to this is to buy more suits :o)

4. Plan meals consistently.
---Bahahahhaha. This one is hilarious. I completely failed on this one. I am hopeful for this year though... we just got a bulk food delivery service and freezer so I am STOCKED. 

Everything also defrosts in like 15 minutes so I have been totes successful with the last-minute throw something together for dinner. Amazeballs. 

5. Start using coupons (I started this one last week. Between the weekly specials and coupons, I saved $73 at Harris Teeter!!! Amazeballs!!). 
---So I just started using them again this week. I got totally behind when I was working and cutting them was not even on my radar. Then I canceled the Washington Post because it was just annoying and I don't even watch the news, much less sit down to read the paper. I just resubscribed to the Sunday Post (I got a groupon for 79 cent Sundays which is phenom... much better than the living social deal I bought that I didn't realize was for the Washington Times...)

6. Not have dishes left in the sink at night (I know some of you may gasp at the mere thought of going to bed without a spotless kitchen. I, my friends, am not one of them. If I'm exhausted, I have been known to sneak off to sleep... but then I'm so completely irritated at myself the next morning. I need to remind myself... it is ALWAYS worth it to do it right away).
---Mehhh this was 50/50. I definitely did better, but not as well as I aspire to.

7. Start a blog (Woohoo! I completed a resolution already!).
---And I kept it going for a whole year! Woohoo! My adjustment to this one is I would like to consistently post once a week. I plan on posting on Thursdays... trying to get up early enough on Wednesdays to proofread, post, get dressed, make breakfast, pack lunches, get everyone dressed, take Summer to the bus stop (when Matt can't), then pick up two other kids for preschool carpool just isn't working for me. No need to make life more difficult. 

8. Write a note of appreciation to someone every month (I also need to resolve to buy more stamps, because whenever I think about doing this, I'm always like, "Well I can't mail it anyways..."). 
---100% failed. Not even a single one was written. I might nix this one until I can solidly say I accomplish responding to all texts and emails. 

9. Buy less clothes but nicer ones (My husband questioned this one. Since I'm my normal size now, I don't have to worry about the whole "I don't want to buy expensive stuff in a size I don't plan on being for long." Let's be serious... Expensive jeans just make your butt look SO much better. Hmm... I should use the money I save by couponing... ). 
---Mission accomplished, much to Matt's dismay. I just got much better at getting sale and clearance stuff ($23 for a $108 shirt? Yes please! $32 for designer denim normally $178? Hallelujah! I mean, I am basically losing money by not buying them.) I found a bunch of fantastic sites which has made this resolution even easier. Love you honey...

10. Put laundry away IMMEDIATELY after folding (There are few things that I get more irritated at than when a basket full of clean laundry gets confused with the dirty...aka peed-through pants get tossed in... and I have to re-wash everything). 
---Considering the fact that I am in the same room as a laundry basket full of clean clothes that have been sitting in the same spot for four days, I would say this one is a failure. I will keep working. 

11. Keep a plant alive (this may be the hardest resolution I am going for). 
---Another mission accomplished! I don't care that aloe is nearly impossible to kill, it is alive. Still. My add-on to this would be to get herbs for my empty baskets out on my deck and actually keep them alive this summer. We shall see... 

12. So this one sort of goes along with #1 but in a daily way. I was about to post this earlier this morning (without this resolution), but I woke up late (I worked for 17 hours yesterday, I'm sort of half-asleep as I type this), got Summer ready for school (thankfully Matt was able to drop her off) and discovered I have a flat tire (I will be walking to my sisters later to borrow her car to pick Summer up from school). I have laundry to do, bathrooms to clean, rugs to vacuum, etc. I usually try to get things done around the house in the morning while Olivia is taking her nap, so I try to set Layla up with toys, books, a show, something to keep her occupied. This morning, in my half-zombie state, I decided... screw it. The laundry will get done later. Who cares about a little toothpaste on the bathroom sink. I need my La time. So, we made brownies (she couldn't believe she was the one to put ALL of the ingredients in herself... and also, this will not help #3), read books, did a puzzle, and even now she is sitting in my lap while I type, looking at all of the pictures in my phone. A lot of times when I am this exhausted and try to get things done, my patience wears thin in about 0.237 seconds. Instead, we have had a fabulous morning. So, for 2013, I would like to have less of a task-oriented mindset (within reason... laundry won't do itself). My girlies and the hubs are the most important. 
---This is always going to be a struggle, because I constantly feel like I should be accomplishing something. Something I am very much excited about is this fall... we officially will have all three girls in school. Layla is going to do five-day Pre-K (I know, I don't believe it), and Livi will be starting two days a week in a turning 3's class. So from 9:15-1:45 on Tuesdays and Thursdays, I am a free woman. Errands. By myself. Whaaaaaaaaaat. My goal for those times is to get all of the crap done with so I can enjoy the girls more when they are home! We shall see... 

The other things I wanted to add for this year are the following: 

13. Say no more. 
---We do too much. I realize this. It is awesome in some ways, but then I want to stab my eyes out in other ways. I think I would enjoy things more if we weren't so so so SO busy. At this point, the next available Saturday that we have is the end of March. I mean... I will almost be 30 then. That is ridiculous. I don't enjoy things as much when I am just sick of doing things. 

14. Do me more. 
---This may sound incredibly selfish to those of you in different situations/stages of life, but I have found since being a full-time "homemaker/stay-at-home mom/glorified slave," I really need ME time to stay sane. The problem is that I always feel guilty about taking said me time. The reality is, I am so much of a better mom if I have a minute. I don't care if it is drinking wine with my sister and watching trash TV one night a week after the kids go to bed, or going out for a quick happy hour... I know I need something. Matt works a lot, and playdates revolving around the kids only go so far. Adult time is essential. I need to remember the positive benefits on everyone and just get over the ever-present mommy guilt. I will 100% admit it: my girls are my heart, my soul, my world... but they make me want to stab my eyes out on a daily basis. The crying, fighting, whining, hitting, disobeying, mess-making, yelling, neediness, actually never going to the bathroom by myself EVER... all.day.long. I know the laughing, kissing, loving, learning, smiling, hugging, cuddling, sweet memories are my perfection. But I know that I need a minute away to be able to see it for the amazeballsness that it is. And it is amazeballsness. 

Happy Thursday!!!

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