New Year's Resolutions!

It's that time again!

Time to make up resolutions for the new year. So how, you ask, did I do with last year's resolutions?

Here goes:

1. Pray more. This is such an important part of a Christians life and I pray now. I am going to take more time to pray like I should. I'm going to say check on this one! I pray quite a bit more nowadays. I do think there is always room to improve with things like this, though!

2. Finish the Pray Without Ceasing cross-stitch. This is at least the 3rd year for this resolution. This year I'm determined to finish it! Total uncheck. I think I touched it to pack and unpack it when we moved. It is no longer on my Resolutions list. I am tired of not finishing it.

3. Keep reading off of the Top 100 Books list. I've read 30 so far. I don't want to put a number on here because I would like to get a few of the longer books (Anna Karenina, Ulysses and Lolita) marked off. Check! I read An American Tragedy by Theodore Dreiser, Things Fall Apart by Chinue Achebe, A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway, Candide by Voltaire, Native Son by Richard Wright, The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger and Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell.

4. Finish 2007 and 2008 in my scrapbook. I would love to put 2009 on there, but 2009 is when I started taking a gazillion pictures (hello Chloe Jo!) so I think that would be stretching it a bit! Argh. Uncheck. I don't think I scrapbooked at all last year.

5. Last, but not least, I need to start taking care of my skin better. I've been noticing that I am getting crows feet and other age lines on my face. I need to start using a facial lotion. Anyone have an inexpensive recommendation for this? I also am trying to use more body lotion and foot lotion. Check. I use lotions regularly and try to keep my skin feeling better. I tried several facial creams but they all made me break out really bad so I'm just going to live with the new wrinkles that are popping up. No matter. Wrinkles mean wisdom, yes?

Okaaaaaaay...so I did okay on my resolutions last year. Erm. 3 out of 5. Now it's a new year and that means a clean slate!

Here are my resolutions for this year:

1. Continue working on my anger issues. I have to continuously keep myself in check or my anger will get the better of me. I have mellowed out a lot over the last few years and I want to keep working on that aspect of my personality.

2. Appreciate my husband more. Russ does a lot for our family that I don't appreciate enough (as was evident when he was in Mexico). I need to show my appreciation more.

3. Do the iGrow devotionals. For several years I have read the Bible through as my daily Bible reading, but this year I am changing it up and am going to do a daily devotional book. I'm really looking forward to this type of study and am hoping to grow even more as a Christian.

4. Grow my little shop. I am really looking forward to, hopefully, making my crafts a real side business. I am looking into getting an embroidery machine so I can personalize the shirts I applique. I am also looking into different ways to advertise.

5. Lastly, I would like to enjoy spending the days with Chloe Jo. She is starting preschool in September and I am already dreading this huge step. I think going to school will be really good for her and I am excited for this next chapter in her life, but it still makes me sad when I think about it. Russ and I have all but gotten out of the notion of having any more children unless God decides to bless us with a surprise so this is a very bittersweet event.

Here's to hoping I do better this year than I did last year!