Turning 30 Resolutions

I NEVER fall victim to the new year's resolutions. I think that it is silly. That ANY TIME of year is good for a resolution or a change.  So as I turned 30 (less than a month ago) I decided now was as good a time as any to make some resolutions for myself.  Heading out of the 20's means that I am now not some young party animal, post college kid, making stupid money decisions, go to bed in the morning/wake up and start my day at nighttime, kind of girl anymore.  I am a responsible Mother, a dedicated Wife and although I am still "Crazy Amy" I am a real live GROWNUP!!

Resolution 1:  Have Tea
I see people asking for tea. I watch them on tv.  I hear that people LIKE to sit down with a hot cup of tea.  There are tea shops, and tea gear and it seems to be as in depth as wine making/tasting, so I resolve to sit down and try to enjoy a cup of tea occasionally.

Resolution 2: Time for Girlfriends
As most of you Mothers and parents in general know, when you have little ones and a family to run and take care of, you tend to forget about taking care of yourself.  I am going to make time for my girlfriends. I should really say "Once a month I am meeting up with the chicks" however, I am not ready for the time commitment, just that I am making this change is big enough.  So I am making time with the girlfriends and who knows maybe we'll have tea!! (right like I'm grabbing for tea when I get a night away from the house!!)

Resolution 3: Make a pot of soup a week
I recently heard someone else say they do this on weeks when they know they will be busy so they have a go to lunch/dinner/snack.  I LOVE soup! I am resolving to make a pot of soup a week that will be in the fridge for leftover use so I can have a quick, easy, healthy lunch ready for myself and the family when in a crunch.  Oh with the time thing again, maybe once a week is a little too ambitious.  Twice a month?

Resolution 4: Read to learn, not just for pleasure
I love reading, I love the library.  I normally get murder mysteries or some chic lit (no romance don't get me wrong here) but I am going to get actual non-fiction books that interest me.  I want to learn about house plans.  I want to read more about investing (since I have finally taken steps to live debt free). I want to know about parenting strategies.  I want to flip through pictures of house decorating books and learn tips about renovating my space.  Maybe I will end up with a new career after all this reading as a Chef or an Interior Decorator, or a Mechanic!  One of the rules we live by in this house is "If they wrote a book about it, I can do it" I am finally going to dive into this head first.

Resolution 5: Go for walks with my kids
I should have been doing this more and more and I just haven't. In this neighborhood we don't have sidewalks and I don't feel it is super safe to have them with me on the road BUT there are plenty of places we can travel to take walks together and we have a high school track right up the street that they would think is kick a**!  I am going to make more time for the family evening walk.

Resolution 6: Start running again
This one is actually not as easy for me as you might think. I ran cross country and track in high school.  I liked it and excelled in it, but trying to get started again is near impossible. Here is why, the time commitment!  Sounds like a theme huh?  I have to find time to go without the kids. I have no running stroller, not going to be buying one and am a solo runner anyhow.  I can do it in the morning before Jon leaves for work (which would be approx 6am) I work nights and don't get home until 130a-2a, see the problem on the nights I work??  I am not running in the dark-the husband wouldn't be comfy with that and really neither would I.  But I WILL find a way to get running back into my life, even a few days a week. I was never healthier, I was never stronger and I was never SKINNIER!!!  What 30 year old, mother of two, doesn't want to be skinny??

Resolution 7: Try Brussels Sprouts (EWWWW)
I have NEVER liked these and they even made me yack all over the kitchen when I was little. However, I used to dislike asparagus until one day I said I WILL try this until I like it.  I ate it each time it was offered me for at least a year. I didn't like it every time but I kept with it and now I like asparagus!!  So I know alot of folks who think these disgusting miniature cabbages are delightful and I resolve to try them when I am able and keep an open mind.  This goes for some other foods too, but there is not much I don't like so I will keep you posted when these other foods arrive on the palate.

Resolution 8: Camp outs in the backyard
I remember how awesome it was when my Dad would set up the tent and let my little brother and I spend the night in the yard. I remember how great it was when we did Daddy Movie Night and he folded out the couch bed, made a giant bowl of popcorn and spent the night with us after a kiddie movie.  It may have been boring for him but these were great nights for us!!  Breaking up the routine and making something seem special to us was the most important thing. I will set up camp outs for the kids in the backyard, or the living room for that matter.  I don't care how much work it is for me it will make great memories for them and they are only young once!  I can't wait for the first backyard family camp out!

Resolution 9: Name the cars
According to my husband all cars are female.  He is the motor head genius so even though I long disagreed, I must accept that he is right and get to naming our two cars.  Every car I've had has had a name.  There was Ebony the black Nissan Sentra, Vic the purple Honda Civic (he was gay), there was She-Ra the red Honda Accord and then there was Lou the Vue my gray Saturn Vue.  However, these two current cars we have are loyal and deserve names but none have ever come to me the way they did with the others.  We have a 94 white Plymouth Neon that just let's us put miles and miles on her with no major problems other than wear and tear age related things and a white 07 Dodge Grand Caravan that lets us use and abuse her, rarely keep her clean inside cause the kids always have to have a snack! and doesn't mind that occasionally I bump her into things :) and neither of these beauties have a name!  It reminds me of the time that our daughter didn't have a name and for the first three days of her life was just Girl Durham.  It made me feel like a terrible unloving mother for 3 days until we named her and I feel like a terrible mother to these vehicles who are so good to us yet have no name.  I need to work on this resolution ASAP!!

For now these are my resolutions but as you already  know I don't resolve to do anything in the new year cause I resolve to work on things and change things about me for the better whenever I feel there needs to be a change so there will always be resolutions and I will always welcome your opinions on them.  Time to go get the little one out of bed and make a cup of tea!