Some Goals for the New Year

Very general goals here, folks, with very few "hard and fast" rules, and not in any particular priority order...

• More sleep, but also more discipline in getting to bed without the hours of "wind-down" time.
• More scripture study and prayer, earlier in the day.
• Less raising my voice, more remaining calm and not clenching my teeth and frowning out my frustration (mainly in regards to mothering, of course.)
• More good music -- on the piano, on Pandora, on the CD players, in our home, in our car.
• More hugs and smiles and I-love-yous and thanks-yous and good-jobs!
• More organized drawers, cupboards and closets (this excludes kids' closets, which only stay organized until they open them again tomorrow, so I am going to count that as one thing I can't fully control and should just let go of right now.)
• More blogging, journaling, writing, and photographing the things that mean a lot to me.
• Better attempts to keep in touch and stay close to friends and family.
• Less facebook time.
• More exercise, more fruits and vegetables, more crock-pot meals.
• Lots of meaningful family time, some fun trips, board games, home time together. 
• More routines, schedules, organized calendars for the fam.
• More reading, more good books and literature.
• More one-on-one time with my kids and Brian... and me.
• More living in the moment and being content with the blessings of each day.

It's been a crazy year for me, 2013. I'm glad to see it over, though it has had its ups and downs. I'm hopeful that 2014 will be a bright one, and that I'll choose to see its best side. Maybe these little reminders will be helpful to me. :)