Happy MLK Day!

I have a dream.

A dream to finally make my New Year's resolutions.

Can they still be called New Year's resolutions on January 19? Maybe I'll call them MLK Day Resolutions. And maybe one of my resolutions should be to do things in a timely manner. You know, like blog posts and thank you notes.

*Reminder: Get on those thank you notes*

Let's revisit last year shall we?

Okay, five out of fourteen is.....okay.

Our grocery bill continues to decline, I no longer go to Target for fun, I think I can honestly say I have a couple of real-life, come over and have a play date friends, we MOVED (halle-fricking-lujah!), and I do say a little prayer before I crawl out of bed each morning giving thanks for these sweet little creatures I call my own. You know, before they can do something to tick me off.

I honestly wasn't going to make any resolutions this year. I laughed in the face of all those people interviewed by the third string CNN reporters on New Years Eve. Who really keeps resolutions? Why do we do these things just to feel badly about them later? Why can't we better our lives every day instead of January 1? Huh? Who invented the resolution?

But old habits die hard. Can't teach an old dog new tricks. The urge to purge and organize and take control of my life hit hard before the tree ever made it back to the attic (which was yesterday, btw. See, not timely).

So, without further ado, my 2009 New Year's MLK Day Resolutions:

I will no longer yell I know. I say this every year. I always wanted to be one of those moms who could get her kid's attention and compliance with a soft pat on the shoulder, but I didn't receive those children. Or that husband. I am surrounded by yellers and I have fallen into that trap. I vow to end this once and for all and teach them all that we can accomplish things at lower decibels. I trained a class of loud third graders to pipe down by whispering to them for a week. I'm going to try it at home. Heaven help me.

I will no longer swear Yeah, yeah. I say this every year, too. I have gotten better. I no longer call the school drop-off line cutters dumb asses under my breath. They now go by ding-dongs, but it hasn't helped their rude road rage. But last week when I dropped a can of Dora soup on bare toe, my daughter said sh*t for the rest of the day. Very well. At the Christian school. So, I've got to get better. Wish me luck.

I will take more pictures I have TWO cameras and I really don't have many pictures from 2008 compared to other years. Maybe that's because we spent so much time packing, moving, unpacking, and evacuating for hurricanes, but really now, I need more pictures. I'll need them to remember my life when I'm senile in a nursing home. I also need to take more video. I can't remember the last time we dug the camcorder out. Was it Elizabeth's birthday? And by birthday I mean her actual birth day. I must get Adam saying lego-lo and Elizabeth saying Doe-wah before they stop.

I will feed my kids a healthy diet I try to limit artificial colors and preservatives and go all natural as much as possible, but it's hard to do that and stay within our budget. It's easy to see why there is so much obesity and poor health in high poverty areas. Healthy foods are usually pretty expensive. There's no way I can go completely organic or totally Feingold or we'd be broke. I can, however, serve more fruits and vegetables and offer healthier snacks. It's a start. Less sugar will help too.

I will comment on everyone's blogs at least once a week I love Google Reader, but it's made me lazy. It's so easy to read, chuckle, make a mental note to go back and comment, and then move on to the next in line. And then I'll get busy with my day and never go back. And I do remember all the awards I need to post. I am grateful for them, really, I just need to post them. Someday. Last year was a bad commenting/posting year for me. I got wwaayy behind when we moved and never quite dug myself out of it. I know I need to show the love more and I'll try to do better, but at the same time....

I will limit my computer time Really. I need to. I will log on with the intentions of checking my mail and my Facebook notifications and then look over and realize I've left my kids vegging in front of the tube for an hour. I heart my blogs. And Facebook. And I really love to play Word Twist and Scavenger Hunt and Webkinz. They are my fix, my nicotine, but I didn't become a stay home mom to play on the computer all day. So my plan is to log on for that half hour the kids are enjoying Dora in the morning and after they're in bed for the night. I might need prayers for this one. And this brings me to the one that's most important to me....

I will spend more quality time with ALL my kids Oh, I spend TONS of time with these kids. I'm never away from them. Shoot, sometimes I have two of them curled up in bed with me at night. We run errands together. We eat meals together. They play toys right beside me while I scrub bathrooms and cook meals. We just don't always spend time together. Last week while the rest of the country was just trying to stay warm, the kids and I walked to the creek. We threw rocks and picked weeds flowers and ate a picnic lunch outside. And then we did it again the next day. I did not bring my computer with me. I left dishes in the sink and toys on the floor. Leaving a dirty house did not ultimately kill the perfectionist me. We had fun. I got lots of kisses those days. I want to do more with the littles while they're still at home with me all day. And I want to find time to do more with Jacob, too. I can have a spotless house when they've left home.

Which reminds me that Dora has become Wonder Pets and I need to get off now. Jacob is home today so we can all walk to the creek together. Shoot, I might even get ambitious and leash up the dog.

2009 will be a good year.

Because look at all I already have: