New Years Resolutions

I love the New Year for resolutions.  I am not sure who has determined that the New Year is a time to reflect and refocus but it is great.  It really is something I should be doing daily, weekly, monthly.  Maybe that should be a resolution...LOL!

Writing is therapeutic for me and way to process so thoughts so I decided to just write as many things as I can think of that I want to work on and then make more concrete goals after pondering on these for a bit.  Here are some things that have been on my mind.

1. Journaling: I need to journal.  My blog is really my only form of journaling.  Lindsey showed us videos she did from her phone of the year and it was so cool.  I want to take more photos and be more consistent with my blog.
2. Simplify: Danny and I are pretty minimalistic.  The less we have, the better we feel.  I have gotten better and better at getting rid of stuff that we don't use and organizing our home but I want to do more.  I feel like the less I have, the less I have to clean, and the more I can focus on present life.  I have all these church books that are great, however, I feel like there is so much with come follow me and family history on the internet that I need to get rid of things I don't use or will one day use.  If I need it, I can always buy it. Clothes, toys, books, junk be gone and peace come in.  
3. Activities: Speaking of simplifying.  I have really simplified our activities by deciding to stay close to home for everything.  Scott wasn't to thrilled with swim out here.  It is so different. That used to stress me but now I just pray that it will all work out and I know somehow it will.  Whether it be getting more into running or something else, building a program or finding a program that will make him happy.  I am not worrying about it.  I really want to protect family time.  I think about that with gymnastics.  Kira is gone so many hours.  Too many in some ways.  I hope this year we will find a happy balance of what works for each kid and our family to make sure we have quality family time.
4. Spirit: Filling our home with the spirit.  Utilizing come follow me.  Talking about it.  Growing in our testimonies and service.  Scripture study.  We read the book of mormon during the prophets challenge in November and December as a family.  We don't have that much time together as a family so a lot of the time we had was spent doing that.  I am not sure how we will be blessed but the prophet promised miracles and I know our family will be blessed.  
5. Family History:  Always on the list.  Still haven't figured out how to get it into my daily routine.  I do want to involve my kids in it.  A lot of my moms jersey family is 
6. Exercise:  Haven't excercised in about 2 years.  Need to work on that. Maybe joining the gym.  Danny goes but I don't know if I want to run or go there.  I think I will definitely join in the summer so we can go play in the pool and I can exercise.
7. Education: Using our time to learn and grow.  There is so many things we can waste our time doing.  Between the kids, homeschooling, our home, etc I have to be so careful with my time. I really try to get the kids to use their time wisely filling their life with enriching activities.  
8. Piano: We finally started Scott and Tyler with piano.  I have asked Danny to take that over because I feel like I am at my max but I realize Danny isn't going to be able to do that so I need to figure out a plan to get the kids and me going with piano.  If they are going to learn, I might as well learn with them.  I can teach them in the very beginning than I want to figure out a way to get the older kids teaching the little kids. 
9. Business: Get websites for Danny's businesses and more an online presence.  Starting a business for me.  Buying property.  Diversifying.  
10. Thoughtful.  I feel like it is easy for me to make a meal or watch others kids because that goes with my life.  That is great if you live near me but not so great if you are far.  My life is so busy that I don't carve out time for people or things outside my day to day life.  I can do better with writing notes, sending gifts, sending a text. 
11. Marriage: Carving out time for Danny.  
12. Vacations: Making time for vacations.  I am a really bad planner so that usually means I spontaneously go on vacation with the kids either a day trip here or there or a couple of days somewhere.  It is usually that week or day I decide and hence Danny is working.  I want to do better at planning.