New Years Resolution (And More!)

After a couple of weeks of the new year, I have decided what my New Year's resolution will be. I I don't usually make these resolutions because I am trying to do better at just about everything on nearly a daily basis and as I inevitably fail, I go ahead and try again the next day... If I think about it, I pretty much live in a constant state of Groundhog Day.

Anyway, back to this year. I resolve to sleep more. Everything I want to do better at can only be helped by me getting enough sleep. Increased patience. Increased feelings of love. Being healthy - I swear I have had a cold since November that won't go away! Losing the last of the baby weight. Being tired sure saps my desire to exercise. But exercise helps you have more energy! Being worn out also makes it harder to eat well. I am a classic emotional eater - treats see me through many a hard day. Sticking to my grocery budget and eating-out budget (more on these another day). If I'm worn out, planning and making good dinners becomes a big chore and the temptation to eat out increases. Being a better wife and friend. Not getting overwhelmed by daily to-dos. Getting projects started and finished. Feeling positive. Handling toddler tantrums better. And on and on.

All of those things can be easier if I have a full night's sleep! I just love to stay up late. But the kids aren't going to agree to sleep in (or sleep all night for that matter) just because I don't go to bed at a reasonable time!

What's your resolution?

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Randy has been working like crazy on a huge proposal for work. Yesterday, at a meeting to go over the most recent review of the different parts of the proposal, Randy was called out and applauded for the great work he has done on his part of the proposal. I'm so proud! And so glad all of those extra hours of him working on this are being recognized!

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Randy and I went on a fun date for his birthday. We went to see The Sound of Music at a theater in a nearby town. It was a great show with lovely singing and we just loved it! I'm so glad we did that instead of just going to a movie, which is what I had originally planned. It was such a great night out!

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I somehow lost the stuff on the sidebar. Last year I never got around to writing down what books I read and now I wish I had because I have an inability to remember book titles. Here is what I can remember from last year. I know there are more I am forgetting, sigh.

• Little Women - an old standby. Very sweet. Sometimes too sweet, but I do love it.
• The Lost Summer of Louisa Mae Alcott - Pretty good as these types of books go.
• Tina Fey's book Bossy Pants - Funny. I wish she was my friend, only I would bore her.
• Variant - Great juvenile fiction! Good suspense! I hope there's a sequal to this one)
• State of Wonder - Interesting. I think I liked it.
• The Water and the Blood - by the lady who wrote the These is My Words series. I love her writing.
• The Host - Entertaining. It's better than her vampire books, but it bugs me that she uses the exact same formula for this book as the others. Kind of an outsider girl deeply in love with someone she shouldn't have, a rather strange love triangle, some strange amount of violence against the female lead character. Why does the love triangle have to involve violence against the girl?
• Firegirl - great juvenile fiction. Sad but funny at the same time. I love the main character and his day-dream super powers.
• The Tiger mom book. This one got me thinking. I want my kids to be successful and confident. I don't think you need to be such a screamer to make that happen. I can only imagine the tension in their family!