In 2010

I have big plans for 2010. I want to make a lot of life changes so I have set goals for the coming year.

1. Blogging
Want to blog at least once a week. I've really been lazy about posting. It's always the last thing I make time for so I think I can commit to posting a few words at least once a week.

2. Total Money Makeover
I bought Dave Ramsey's book Total Money Makeover for Jeremy for Christmas. Silly me forgot that Jeremy reads nothing but the daily newspaper and Men's Health magazine. So I've read it and I've made (& in the process of making) major financial changes. His plan is very staight forward and easy to follow. One thing I'm already doing is making a monthly budget. This has already helped quite a bit. I know it's not going to be an easy process but I really have to stay committed.

3. Weight & exercise
I realized lately that I weigh more now that I did when I was pregnant with Jeffrey. What??? I really need to make some changes with the way I eat. I also need to exercise on a regular basis. I plan on starting off exercising at least 2 to 3 times a week. The funny part is that our money makeover is effecting the weight issue. We eat out a lot and I know that it is contributing to my weight problem. So we are only going to eat out once each week. So that means I'm cooking more at home. I have cooked a lot this week and I've enjoyed it. I've bought things that were on sale at the store and then finding recipes on the internet to make.

4. Water
I am drinking more water. I guess I should say is that I am drinking water now. In early December, I stopped drinking diet soda. In October & November, I slowly starting weaning myself. I went from drinking 5 diet sodas a day to just 1. I stopped buying it for the house, so I didn't have any at home which helped immensely. Then I got sick the first week of December and I didn't want any soda. Before I knew it, a week had passed. It was a lot easier for me to quit this way. This past week I've started drinking more water. Honestly, I feel a whole better. Just getting rid of the soda made a huge difference but since I started drinking water, I've been sleeping better and not waking up feeling so tired in the morning.

My word for the year is Patience.
I really need to focus on being more patient with my kids. Jeremy worked a lot over Christmas break (several long days in a row) and I found myself at my breaking point several times. It made me realize that I need to reevaluate how I am interacting with them. I have this image in my heart of what I think an ideal parent is I don't feel I'm living up to it. Every day parenting is so challenging. I think the hardest part is that the job is that it's always changing. The kids are growing and changing and so are their needs from us as their parents. I find myself reflecting on situations a lot & thinking that I was either too hard on them or not firm enough. I just think being more patience would help me a lot in these situations. I hope to be finding myself stepping back more and counting to 10 before reacting. :)