The New Year: 2015

12 days into 2015 and I am excited about a new year! For me, today actually feels like the first Monday of the new year.  I kept Emma out of school last week because of all the sickness going around (yes, I am one of those parents :/) and I am just now taking my Christmas decorations down today.  I very seriously thought about leaving them up this month...but I just can't stand it any longer :) So today...i wanted to share a few of my resolutions. 
BE HEALTHIER.
This is the big one....you know...the one we have every year.  My goal here is not really to lose weight, all though that would be great! My goal is to eat more fruits and veggies.   Cut out so many of my carbs and fill up on protein instead.  I want to eat so healthy during the day that I can still have a cup of hot chocolate at the end of every day :).  I want to eat things that are great for my body and to cook better for my family.  I want to cook alot less fish sticks and pizza from the freezer and instead I would like to make healthier foods and make them more appetizing for my family. We are supposed to take care of our bodies and that includes not eating junk all the time! Also...gym membership is coming back.  Rickie is adjusting well and I am missing my workouts with childcare! 
BE MORE PATIENT.
Mom's probably have more patience than most people out there.  Our kids are more repetitive than Dora the Explorer and sometimes more annoying.   I really need more patience though.  Sometimes at the end of the day I have to apologize to my kids because I have made our day miserable.  I have yelled and fussed and that doesn't help anyone.  I get frustrated and I know everyone does...but I want to do better.  The Bible says In everything give thanks for this is the will of God.  This is how I am going to hopefully achieve this resolution.  If I am constantly giving thanks for what I have and seeing the good in every situation...my guess is that I will be a happier person and I will have more patience with my kids. My children are a gift from God and so often I lose sight of that and forget to be thankful!

BLOG MORE.
So I am off to a great start right?! This is my second blog of the year.  I am all ready improving from last year :) I love to blog.  I like to write things down (or type them on the computer) and I like to go back and read them every once in a while.  Blogging clears and organizes my mind. Organizing your mind sounds silly, right? Does anyone feel like their mind gets muddled up? Sometimes my mind feels like a cluttered room with a bunch of useless stuff I don't need. Blogging helps me clean it up.  I like for things to be clean and organized so hopefully I will blog more in 2015.
MAKE MONEY WITH MY PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS.
Yeah...you may have thought this should have all ready happened, but making money in photography is not easy.  Your equipment is expensive and your time is valuable.  My goal is to turn this hobby into a business, book more weddings and come out making a profit at the end of the year!
BE A STRONG ENCOURAGEMENT TO MY HUSBAND.
Meet negative Nancy,  Debbie downer, or as I like to call myself, a realist.  I am very critical of people, and I need to work on that.  Everyone isn't like me, including my husband and I need to accept that. People deal with things differently. I pray that God gives me the wisdom to know  this year when I need to be a listening ear or when I need to just get in there and help.  When I need to be that encouraging word and when I need to be that loving support.  I want to be the wife that a husband loves to come home to and that wife that a husband just can't live without.  I don't want to be dreaded or be a headache.  So this year,  I am going to be a supporter, an encourager,  and a confidante to my husband.
BUILD A STRONGER RELATIONSHIP WITH MY LORD AND SAVIOR.
Of course this is the most important and if I do this everything else will fall in line.  I want to pray more and read more.  I want to meditate on the truth.  I want to be motivated by conviction.  I want to have a passion for the lost and compassion for everyone...saints and sinners.  I want to be that salt and light in the world...and to my family.  Last week, I was practicing the piano and the kids were playing behind me.  I sang the song through 3x and it has a strong salvation message...it is about the woman with the issue of blood.  I turned around and Emma was crying.  I asked her what was wrong and she said she was sad because Jesus Loves us so much.  You could feel the sweet spirit in the room and I know that God is preparing Emma's heart.  I pray that in 2015 I would be a witness to my family and not a stumbling block.   I want to be a helpful resource to my children and be able to direct them down the right road.  Their salvation is my number one prayer and I want to do everything I can to encourage them in the right way. 
So there are a few of my resolutions! if you have made a resolution or many resolutions I encourage you to stick with it! Don't let life get you down or an addiction to hot chocolate while watching TV at night :)  Face life like my 4 year old does on her 4-wheeler.  You better watch out for her once she gets on because she goes full speed ahead!