It's a Brand New Year

There is something about having a fresh, new year ahead of you.  I realize that nothing restarts or resets, besides the list of months, but it's a great time to look back on the past year, at all the of the changes and the victories, and also to give yourself new goals to look forward to.  I have a five-year-plan, and now, a one-year-plan as well.  Setting myself goals, writing them down, and watching myself achieve them...these things really make me feel proud and accomplished.  Other times, I'd prefer to not pay much attention to a clock or calendar because I feel the sweet moments of the here-and-now might pass me by if I pay more attention to what's supposed to be happening rather than the current happenings.

One of my goals is to be in line with my five-year-plan.  The details I'll keep personal.  I like surprises and I don't want my whole life planned out, but I also feel more stable and organized if I have a plan in place. 
A goal that I really want to be held accountable for is to save money!  I have plans to have a big savings at the end of this year, big for me at least, and plans on what that will be spent on.  This may be a hard challenge, but at the same time, I've experienced months that I've had to live very, very frugal to get by.  If I keep this mindset all the time, I'll do fine...right?

In my five-year-plan, I plan to make an income from a source other than a 9-5 job (or in my case, 8-5:30).  In my perfect timing, I'd like to have my personal job up and running by 2015, so in 2013, I want to have a game plan in place and begin the necessary planning steps to get to where I want to be.  I primarily want to make money with RusticCo.  I also want to write a book.  And hopefully by the end of this year, I'll have a more clear vision of where I want to be in 2015.

I want to discipline myself to clean the large dishes after use.  I have a tendancy to put the skillets and pots and pans to the side, and I sure dislike the way they look sitting on the kitchen counter.  A friend of mine cleans hers immediately after use.  When the rest of her family is done eating and settling in the living room to let their food settle and relax, she gladly uses that time to clean the dishes so that they will be done and the cleaning over with.  She even dries them and puts them away during this time.  All I want to do it clean the big ones.

I also want a constant reminder to laugh more, take life less seriously, and take more pictures.  I love to laugh, and I love those who make me laugh.  I know I worry too much.  I have a print in my home that reminds me to "pray more, worry less" and that is what I really would like to do this year.  I have a close prayer life with God and I would like to strengthen it and learn that I can't and shouldn't worry and stress about the things in life that I have no control over and the things that I shouldn't waste my time thinking about.  And I want to capture the moments that will so quickly pass us by, and may linger on our hearts for awhile but then fall into unremembered minds.

I wish for a happy New Year to you and yours.  Take with you all the great memories from last year, and only make more in 2013!

Keane and I brought in the new year with my mom, dad, and brother.  We ate delicious steaks with shrimp and salad, we drank some fun drinks, and played cards until 4:00 in the morning.  And thanks to Kollin, we did not miss the ball drop and we were reminded to turn it on TV about 3 minutes before midnight!