2012... the Mayans can suck it

I'm not all about the resolutions but a new year does seem like a good time to take stock of what's important to you. (At this point, I'm hoping to get it done prior to the end of January and that's looking ify.) What do I want for myself, for my family and for the future in general? So I'm starting my list and see how it goes.

1. Deliver a healthy and happy baby girl. Work out a routine that's good for all 3 of us (and the fur babies)to keep everyone fed, clean, sheltered, etc.

2. Do a better job of keeping connected with friends and family. These are all people I love and care about so I should let them know and do my part in continuing to maintain the relationships.

3. Spend more time in the kitchen and housekeeping in general. I'm not wanting to become a domestic goddess but I'd like to be more aware of what we're eating, keeping the house clean (especially with the new baby) and what we use to keep it clean for everyone's improved health.

4. A little more spinach reading to go along with all of my fiction. I've collected a fair amount of non-fiction that I'm always meaning to get to but I want to make an effort to actually work some in. I recognize this is a little crazy with a new baby but I live in hope.

5. De-clutter, de-clutter and then de-clutter some more. I want to clear out all of the old and make room for new in the house. Also, it keeps everyone a little more settled when the house is clean and relatively clutter free.

6. Making a priority of healthy eating and exercising. Post-baby I want to work hard to get back to the progress I was making in terms of maintaining my weight with steady loss and improved exercise. I never thought it would happen but I miss jogging on the treadmill. I'm pretty happy that I have not overly enjoyed my pregnancy (as Dr.Garner puts it when folks over indulge) and have gained a healthy and realistic amount of weight. I've added in a little more chocolate to my everyday meal plan but also more awareness of snacks and healthier eating which sort of offsets the additional dessert.

7. Optimistic and sunny are not words that are generally used to describe me but I'd like to be a little more positive in my approach to the world. I don't want to raise a cynical and jaded baby right from the start so it's kind of exciting to start looking at things from a new perspective.

8. Figure out what makes me happy and do more of that. Fairly straight forward once I decide what I really like vs what's just become a decent routine. Much to my husband's dismay reality TV may stay.

9. Better control on our finances including a real budget. We've already made some pretty good strides here but I see a few more cuts in our future. I watched one of Suze Orman's shows (limited options at 2am) where she told a couple they should pay for their child's college but don't let the child know this is an option. They have to work and show they're serious and at the end just pay off her student loans. I kind of love this approach and want to be in a position to do that.

10. Make more art. Any kind of art. I think this will be a great time to bond with the kiddo once she's old enough to hold a crayon. There were always craft projects in our house and makes you a little handy when you grow up and would love to have that with our daughter. I would also love to work in some art classes/retreat but will need to figure out how that works with the baby and the budget.

11. Budget in some serious travel plans for the family. We both love it and don't do enough but we definitely want to make it a priority and would love to do some RV trips to some national parks. These may be pre-planning for beyond 2012 but it makes me bizarrely happy to read travel books, maps and plan itineraries.

12. Remember to be grateful. No matter how bad the day gets, there is a lot for me to be thankful for everyday. Fantastic husband, baby on the way, great family and we both have good jobs with benefits, etc. It's easy to take it all for granted but I don't want to and I want to do more to give back since we've been seriously blessed.

I'm going to call it a day at a list of 12 since this post has dragged on for nearly a month and already feels crazy ambitious but this year is already pretty awesome as we're now seriously approaching delivery day.

I hope you guys are still working on your resolutions or just have amazing weekend plans!