Hi and Happy New Year, y’all!  After taking a break from the blog, we are ready to hit the New Year with positivity, warmth, love, compassion, joy, laughter, creative ideas, and of course pretty things for your home that you absolutely do not need.  

First, Christmas at our house was wonderful.  There were so many changes that took place last year, each which require embracing, and I think we, as a family, are doing OK!  I love us.

When it comes to New Year's resolutions, I get overwhelmed....but I do like that the year ahead looks like a blank canvas in my mind's eye.  I imagine a collage of pictures filling it up as the year moves on...  Like I’ve said before, I like to make lists.  Instead of making a resolution that is hard to keep all year long, I like to set small to big goals that I hope to accomplish throughout the year.  It feels more thoughtful and it’s something that I can come back to throughout the year when I need a reset when I'm feeling frustrated with life.  This year, I hope to come back to my list often and journal about it. 

In no particular order, here’s my list for 2018.  

1. Read more.  Reading is one of my favorite things.  It inspires me, teaches me, and brings out my creative side.

2. Write more.  As long as I keep up with Flynn’s Blog, that should be easy to achieve, but I’d also like to start a fiction story, a personal journal, or a children’s book. 

3. Pray and talk to God more.  I’ve struggled recently with my church --but not my faith.  But the struggle with my church has disrupted my prayer.  I want to reconnect with more purposeful prayer and conversations with God.

4. Make a photo book with my iPhone photos. The last photo book I made was in 2014.  There are many more photos that need to be pulled together in a thoughtful, organized way.  These books always make great coffee table books.

5. Visit Nashville.  I’ve always wanted to go.  I have some country deep in my bones and I know a visit to Nashville will unleash that country-at-heart me, honkey tonk boots and all.  Finding the right companion(s) will definitely require careful consideration.  I can’t afford anyone snuffing out my country wanna-be roots.

6. Spend more time with Mom.  Even though Dad died in June, it feels like last week most days.  I haven’t done a great job looking after my mom.  Most people close to me would probably tell me I’m being hard on myself, but I know I can do better.  She and I have actually gotten closer after Pop’s passing.  She needs me and I need her.

7. Get back to yoga.  I was so strong and healthy thanks to years and years of a yoga practice.  I needed surgery back in 2016 and couldn’t do yoga for 6-8 weeks.  I've tried to get back to my normal routine but it has yet to happen.  This year, instead of trying to get back to my old yoga routine, I will create a new yoga routine.  I miss feeling strong and flexible.

8. Plan a family trip.  The last presidential election inspired Derek and I to get passports for our kids.  Now it’s time to actually use them.

9. Start planning a US road tour.  We love our country and have yet to see most of it.  Our youngest, Lela, is in 9th grade.  After she graduates high school, I’d like for Derek and I to tour the US via an RV (or Airstream) for a few months.  A trip like this is once in a lifetime and will require careful planning.  

10. Redo our kitchen.  As I’ve said, our house is not me, but I’ve tried to bring my style into our home as much as possible.  We’ve been here for over 10 years and we still have the original kitchen.  It’s time to make it our kitchen.

11. Take meditation more serious.  I’ve tried it.  It works.  I need to find a way to make it part of my day - every day.

12. Finish our bathroom.  We started our ensuite on July 14th.  It’s still not finished (sigh).

13. Organize my SmugMug gallery.  It’s a mess.  You can’t see many of the galleries here because I’ve made them private because they are so embarrassingly unorganized.

14. Find the perfect work tote.  I’ve been using the same two handbags for the past 3-4 years because I just can’t find the right work tote.  It needs to hold normal purse stuff, a laptop, few work papers, and small flat notebooks.  I just bought this one at the Kate Spade outlet.  I do love it, but I don’t think it will pass my test.  I will give it a month or so before I make my final decision.

15. Continue with my enneagram study.  When I quit my job in March I interviewed for a few jobs that required personality assessments.  I became fascinated and obsessed with these assessments and self-awareness.  This led me to the Enneagram.  I’m hooked and feel mindfully more in tune with me and more compassionate towards others (especially the ones that really pluck my nerves).  I think I'm a four.

16. Plan more family outings.  We have these great neighbors who also have three kids like Derek and me.  They do a great job planning 1-day family outings.  I doubt we can do it as great as the Fullers, but we can do it Woodward Style.

17. See a Broadway show with Lela.  This girl has talent.  Now that she attends a school for the arts and is surrounded by other great aspiring actors, I see her confidence fading.  She needs inspiration.  

18. Draw more.  I used to be pretty good.  I’d love to take a class or just find time to start a project.

19. Learn some French.  I bought Living Language years ago for myself on my birthday.  I’ve yet to open the box.  It's been so long that I don’t know if we have a computer in the house that will play the DVDs.  Either way, I want to learn French.

20. Paint my nails more.  One of my best features is my hands.  I hate painting my nails and I hate having them done.  I should try harder.  

21. Slow down.  Finding time to draw, read, paint my nails, learn French, and pray, requires me to slow my roll.  Finding time for myself may actually require me planning it into my day or week.  This feels overwhelming and makes me take deep breaths.  I will try harder.

22. Grow flynnstable.com.  I have visions of where this can go.  I see a more community driven coffee house that connects young and old and encourages everyone to be the best version of themselves.    

23. Grow T1D Arsenal.  We launched this non-profit in 2015.  We need to have a greater impact on our local at-risk T1D youth.  

24. Help Aidan find a college and college money and help Emily find a full-time job with benefits.

25. Create more meaningful time spent with my husband.  Maybe it’s a weekly walk, volunteering, or bowling, hon.  Life is so busy.  We are stronger together and our relationship deserves purposefully planned time together.

I know that's a long list but I think it's a great way to imagine 2018!  Let's see where it goes!  

What are your goals or resolutions for 2018?