2013: A Look Forward

Ahh, a new year. New resolutions, new goals, new dreams.

2013 promises to be a wonderful year.

Alyssa will turn ten in a couple of weeks. Double digits, dudes! She's planning a gymnastics party. Should be great fun. She has some pretty terrific friends and we're excited about her party. This will be her last year to be able to show her age on two hands. Luckily, she actually speaks these days and so holding up fingers isn't quite as necessary as it was a few years ago.

My brother is getting married in July. I'm finding that helping plan a wedding is way more fun when it isn't my own. Angel, my future sister-in-law is so sweet and easy-going. I did tell her that if she feels like I'm being pushy or channeling our lovely Aunt Lorry, who is wonderful and generous and bossy as hell, she (Angel) should tell me. I promised not to be offended.

2013 Resolutions:

-Game night with Alyssa each week. We're going to shoot for Saturday afternoons/evenings but if it happens on Sunday or even during the week once in awhile, that's fine too. As she gets older and more independent, I realize how much I want to keep her close, to keep her talking to me and knowing I'm here. Having these evenings playing games will keep us connected and we both need that.

-Date night with Tom once a month. Wouldn't that be lovely? Even if it's just asking my mom to keep the girls on a Friday evening and we get Subway and sit at home watching Rambo, I want to stay connected with him. I know that my marriage is important and I'm trying to make it a priority. Motherhood has been pretty intense these past ten years and I think there have been more than a few times when my husband has felt as if he comes third in my world. I'd like to change that for all of us.

I hope to continue the routines we formed last year, the reading to Olivia and the donations to Reece's Rainbow. Those are important things and I know I can make them happen. I already did for a year and it was wonderful.

As far as weight loss, I've already said I don't want to resolve to make that happen. I plan to start phase one of South Beach tomorrow. Today is our last calorice free-for-all. Tom's bringing me home a Dr. Pepper because he's just that kind of awesome husband.

Tomorrow I'll be packing the Excedrin and the salad fixings. To be honest, I'm actually looking forward to the new eating plan. I'm already picturing myself thin. And isn't that half the battle?

I'm so excited for this new year. We've always liked the number 13 around here.