Happy New Year, my friends

I keep meaning to blog and it doesn’t happen, and now here it is the last day of the year and I feel overwhelmed at the prospect of catching up. End of month, end of year …

We’ve had a good year this year. I wasn’t sure, the beginning was crap. But somehow we’ve pulled it together and had just a great year (although I know so many people who want to kick 2013 in the seat of its pants on the way out).

I don’t have time for the usual survey but here’s what I can remember of the questions: I’m fatter, slightly richer, and happier. My uncle Gene died, my cousin Grant’s wife had a baby.

I can’t remember if I gave myself goals last year, I’m sure I didn’t meet them. But I think overall it’s just the way things are.

This coming year I’d like to work on my health – I’ve gained about half the weight back that I lost in 2011 and I’m not happy with how I look or feel. I know I can do it; I just need to lay off the sugar and concentrate on the exercise. I have a goal weight but it’s not important. The baby steps are important. Just like before, I’m not cutting anything out. I thoroughly believe that moderation is the key (although I’m going to try for 30 days of no added sugar, because I have a pretty serious sugar addiction and sugar makes my tummy hurt – it’s a vicious and tasty cycle) and I also should cut down on my cheese intake.

 My other goals are related to my family – I’d like to commit to 12 dates with my husband because we don’t get that many, and six of them including movies because he loves the movies. I’d like to have three kid dates with each kid – some time alone mano-y-mano. I want to stop taking work home in my head (and on my phone). I want to go to bed at 10pm at the latest through the week so I feel more rested, and turn off the tv earlier so I wind down easier. I’d like to work on my temper and my yelling and my patience. I think every parent feels they are not 100% for their kids, and there’s no way we can hold ourselves up to the standards in our head. I’d like to just be a little more present. Play with them more. Not yell so much. Explain myself when things get annoying and I want to snap.

So this is for the look ahead, and for the glance behind. Let’s make 2014 brilliant, yes?