resolution magnetism

Oh this time of year - it's so easy for me to be influenced by all the Resolutions! Goals! 13 for 13! going on. I mean I do have goals people, but I don't know.

It's really cold tonight. Mostly my goal is to wrap up in the cape my dad knitted for me and watch some more Downton Abbey before the new season starts. Did you know that before I got all into it last year I thought it was Downtown Abbey and the main reason I didn't feel like watching it was because I wasn't up for another of those gritty British victorian-sherlock-why does it always rain in London and why is there so much soot?- shows? Since then I have found it's worth it to actually read both the title of the show and the description correctly. And maybe the era. Anyways.

My mind keeps circling back to the 'what do I want to do this year?'  There's all this talk on the internets about choosing your word for the year. The word that will define what the year is about to you. I think it's kind of a cool idea and I admire the people that are really getting into it, but I swear my word, or whatever, always seems to sidle up to me midsummer and by fall it's hitting me over the head to get me to pay attention. So, I think I'll wait and see what comes.

The stuff of past resolutions - cooking more at home, clothing my children in more 2nd hand and homemade, being more DIY about household stuff, well, I did it. There's a constant battle about meals in our house right now that is just so unpleasant I don't even want to talk about it. I cook much of the time and one time while I was doing my meal planning I realized that I was cooking around 80 meals a month and man, I will never think in those terms again. I had a coworker that one time sat down and figured out how many loads of laundry she'd done for her spouse and children over the past 20 years and then had to get a divorce because it was just that awful. So, I don't want my resolutions to be about something that my children will pretend to gag over (charming isn't it?) because there is zero fun in that.

Hmm.

I would like to hone some of my skills a bit more. This Christmas season I reused a pattern that I had sewn a couple years ago and was struck by how far my sewing skills had come. What took me like 3 hours last time took about 45 minutes this time. It was such a nice surprise! There's still a lot I'm not comfortable doing, so I'd like to keep at it. And my knitting has come a long ways in the past year or so, but I still have so much to learn.

Maybe that's it. Maybe this past year held so many changes and new things for our family that this year can just be about keeping on. More of the good stuff, less of the bad. I'm sure we're in for some surprises and all the stuff of life, but for me, I'd just like to ride the wave that is having a 6 year old and an almost 3 year old. Married life, homeschooling, being present and full of awe at it all. And maybe, maybe, try to keep up with the dishes a bit more.

But that might be overstepping things a bit.


Happy January!