The Foorce

In 2013, I firmly resolve to:

10. Take the kids outside 5 days per week. It doesn’t have to be hours at the playground, but walking to the corner mailbox doesn’t count (anymore), even if it is cold and windy.

9. Respond to emails within 48 hours. Confession time: I have 11,194 unread emails in my inbox right now (and I gave up exaggerating numbers last year). So if you haven’t heard back from me within a couple of days you should probably try again

8. Post on thefoorce.com more. Watch How I Met Your Mother in the wee hours less. More specifically, post at least 2 times per week with quality original work.

7. Do 1 activity per week with James that is not reading, school-related, or electronic. Brushing his teeth doesn’t count, but bathing him might depending on how much wrestling is involved.

6. Taking the “broken no button” resolution from last year a step further, I truly want to stop worrying so much about what others think. Not in a “what should I wear today” way, or in a rude, telling you “I don’t care what you think” way – more in a “I’m doing my best and have enough people in this house pouting, whining, complaining or crying at any given time to care” kind of way.

5. Write those thank you notes. And you thought my email was bad…. If you’re one of the people I missed in 2012 please accept my sincere apologies that you may never see your much-deserved thank you card. It’s probably sitting in the second drawer of my nightstand, half written, or if I’m being brutally honest, marred with some unidentifiable stain that rendered it useless. So really, I’m doing you a favor by leaving it there, right?

4. Stop cursing, especially the word “dammit,” but also including “crap,” “stupid,” and “Oh my God.” After spending some time with a friend and their uncomfortably dirty mouth, I am recommitted to making this work before the kids pick up my bad habit (I’ve been lucky so far).

3. Enforce internet free hours during the day: 11-1pm and 4-6pm are officially going to be internet free. For me too. Embarrass me if I post during these hours!

2. Follow through with “If you don’t do ___________, you are going to time out.” Enforce time outs calmly, consistently and quickly, even if the kids are screaming and everyone thinks I’m beating them senseless. 

1. Lose 15 pounds. Yeah, I know it was only 7 last year, but 2011 wasn’t a “baby year.” Luckily, there’s NO chance (ok, very little) of me having another one in 2013.

—————————————————–

I’d love to hear about any resolutions you’re working on – just don’t email them to me.

Happy New Year!