Preparing for 2014

I’m taking a break from the household duties to sit on the couch and watch Days of Our Lives. The dryer is touching up some clothes from last night, hopefully getting the wrinkles out so I don’t have more work to do. The washer and dish washer are going and there are pots drying on the counter. Eight new meals are in the deep freeze and supper is in the crock pot.

The dog is snuggled next to my leg, Quinten is snoozing away in his crib, and the other boys are downstairs building a bench. I think they are actually working on the legs of the bench, but Maximus says it’s important work. We’ve thrown naps out the window for him and he’s doing rather well for missing out on a couple of hours of sleep each day. We’ve gotten into a good routine over the holiday break. The boys have been sleeping in until 7:30ish every morning and it’s been awesome! We’re all in for a really bad wake up on Thursday morning when we have to leave the house at 7. It’s going to be hard enough for me to go to bed early and wake up to an alarm, add the trying morning routine and Thursday and Friday may be pretty rough days. {Maybe I should plan for Starbucks on those mornings! 🙂 }

I’m looking ahead to 2014 and excited about the possibilities. When I was growing up I never thought of the new year as anything more than a change to the calendar. As a grown up, I look at it as a fresh start. A mid-year chance to refocus. It’s a chance to get realigned in the monotone drone of the winter months. I’m thinking about what I can do for myself, my family, and my home. Later in the week I’ll be thinking about what I can do in the office, too.

I’d like to focus more on my health, including a better diet and more exercise. Not specific to going on a diet, but eating cleaner and getting myself back in shape. It’s pretty cliché for new years, but after a year with a new baby it’s a good goal to have. I want to make more time for myself in the evenings. More time to cook meals and more time to make freezer meals to help make our life easier on the hectic days. Maximus is signed up for another session of swimming lessons and we’re hoping he’ll spend some one-on-one time with the teacher so we can get him ready for teacher-only lessons.

I want to plan more play dates for Maximus so he can get some energy out and have fun. We tend to having boring weekends and he gets bored. When a three-year-old gets bored, they get whiny and annoying. 🙂 He needs some activities and a little more fun. I know Quinten will enjoy them as well. He loves watching Maximus and wants to play along. We’d like to get a swing set this spring so the boys can enjoy the backyard a little more. We’re also talking about a little family vacation.

I’m not setting any goals for myself, but thinking a lot about the things I’d like to do. These things may change over the year, but right now I’m having fun dreaming up all the possibilities for 2014!

What kind of goals are you setting for yourself or your family?