My new years resolutions

Gosh, i did really badly at my advent blogging. Days just ran away with me towards the middle of December and we ended up being really busy on top of all the usual colds/sore throats that come with this time of year.

HAPPY NEW YEAR! I hope 2013 is a good one for you. I have made new years resolutions. Someone told me that you're not supposed to share your resolutions with people??? What the heck, it doesn't bother me and i want them recorded to keep myself motivated. They're mostly super boring and housewifey anyway but its things that would make life that little bit easier if i can stick to them!

1. Keep on top of the ironing! I am going to attempt to do some everyday

2. Run. As much as i can. I have a treadmill now so i have no excuses regarding the bad weather or the dark nights. (I originally wanted to aim to run 5K every day, but that's going to be unrealistic)

3. We are going to throw away/give to charity/give to someone 1 item every day from our garage. Our garage is stuffed full of junk, by the end of the year we should be 365 items down! 

4. Meal plan and shop accordingly. We've had some frightful credit card bills over the past few months and the depressing thing about them....its all to supermarkets. I am now self-employed and working only one day a week, money will be tight this year and we have to cut back. I have to be more organised with meals.

5. Keep the house tidier. Should i consider my chore rota again? The thought does not appeal to me. However, we need to be tidier. My boys are wildly messy. They scatter their stuff in every room of the house, its so annoying. I am trying to keep the living room relatively toy-free. Matthew and i arent exactly tidy either so we need to get sorted!

Have you made any resolutions? Id be interested to hear/read your posts! It feels good to have goals, right? Even if they are about ironing, tidying and de-cluttering.......

New Years Resolutions and reflections on last year

Happy New Year folks! Wow, 2011. We spent New years eve with lovely friends and had a good time whilst my parents stayed home and babysat :-)

Some big things ahead in 2011.....im turning 30 in 2 months (aaahhh) and planning a big party, my mum will be 60 in September, we're hoping to put our flat up for sale, we're hoping to go to Canada, my sister is due a baby in 14 days time!!!!! Exciting!!!

My new years resolutions:

-To be more motivated (especially around the home)

- To make and put up a meal planner inside one of the kitchen cupboards

- Cook more recipes

-Maybe go back to my chore planner thingy

-Keep organised to-do lists

- Spend money in shops other than Tesco (i was nearly sick one month when i seen how much we earn goes to Tesco..ergh, i hate that they have the monopoly over everything) In particular buy from our local butchers which has amazing stuff.

Wow, that all sounds so 1950s woman. Other non-housey things will be

- Go running more (regardless of the weather)

- Finish my essay for my Leadership and Management qualification

It was funny reading back on my answers to these questions last year (they mostly revolved around sleep deprivation), here's this years

1. What did you do in 2010 that you’d never done before? Entered and ran in two 10K races!

2. Did you keep your New Years’ resolutions and will you make more for next year? My new years resolutions last year can be seen here and i think the only one i kept was to take vitamins daily. I have made more for this year.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? My friend Amanda had Eilidh and Sheryl had Kayla and right at the end of the year, one of my best friends had her still-nameless little girl on new years eve!

4. Did anyone close to you die? No

5. What countries did you visit? Florida in June, England trips: Stratford in May, Appleby Magna in July, Hayes in August and Clitheroe in November.

6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010? A house

7. What date from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory? Calebs 1st birthday on 18 January, Sarahs wedding on 10 July, the birth of Sallys daughter on 31 December.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Running two 10ks in September! Yeah!

9. What was your biggest failure? Crying down the aisle at Sarahs wedding....i so didnt want to cry

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? A few minor illnesses nothing major

11. What was the best thing you bought? My blackberry

12. Whose behaviour merited celebration? My kind, patient, slow to anger and rich in love husband. My boss at work who has had to deal with some amount of crap in the last year and has ended up being screwed over for it. She has stayed strong and true to her morals and values even though it has cost her.

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed? the scoundrels at the local authority where i work where the "boys club" ruled over big decisions and made sure their friends were appointed to posts and made terrible decisions to the detriment of the voluntary sector

14. Where did most of your money go? To Tesco

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Being a bridesmaid for one of my best friends in July!

16. What song/album will always remind you of 2010? "Feels like home to me..." Dont know who its by but it will always remind me of 2010 and Sarahs wedding...the song we all walked and cried our way down the aisle to.

Somethin' in your eyes, makes me wanna lose myself
Makes me wanna lose myself, in your arms
There's somethin' in your voice, makes my heart beat fast
Hope this feeling lasts, the rest of my life

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

happier or sadder? The same really

Thinner of fatter? Thinner

Richer or poorer? Poorer

18. What do you wish you’d done more of? Hanging out with friends

19. What do you wish you’d done less of? Moaning

20. How did you spend Christmas? Christmas morning opening pressies just the 3 of us. Down to my mum and dads at 11am to open more pressies with my sister and her husband and then a yummy dinner. Was loaded with the cold though unfortunately.

21. Who did you spend the most time on the phone with? DH, during the days when he's at work

22. Did you fall in love in 2010? Not with anyone new but love grew

23. How many one night stands in this last year? None

24. What was your favourite TV programme(s)? The Good wife, One tree hill, Glee

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? Hate might be too strong but those scoundrels at the local authority where i work

26. What was the best book(s) you read? I read a lot but there isnt one that immediately stands out

27. What was your greatest musical discovery? Erm....dunno

28. What did you want and get? A new phone (blackberry), which i now cannot be separated from lol

29. What did you want and not get? A new house

30. What were your favourite films of this year? Dont have a favourite that comes to mind but i'll remember Eat, Pray, Love as being the worst

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I was 29 and i went out for dinner with friends (and Sarah was up from London)

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? A new house

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010? Samey....Skinny jeans, Ugg boots and long tshirts.

34. What kept you sane? Going to work!

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? David Beckham, as always

36. What political issue stirred you the most? How can the general election last year and its shocking result ending in the crazy conservative/lib-dem coalition (shame on your Lib-Dems!!) not stir anyone

37. Who did you miss? My bezzas (best friends) who are scattered over the UK now

38. Who was the best new person (people) you met? My boss probably. She gave me a great job, has given me fab opportunities throughout the year and has inspired.

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010. Treasure your true friends, be wary of the others

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year?

"Friends may come and go and storms may sweep our skies but i'll be there for you"