New Year - new start - new resolutions!

As 2013 begins we are ever grateful for 2012 and the things we've learned and experienced this past year.  Most of all that we're all still here!  We've had another year filled with challenges and are ready to start anew.  I love the feeling of fresh starts and clean slates that we can fill.

"And in the end it's not the years in your life that count.
It's the life in your years."
-Abraham Lincoln  

We've spent the past year busy with many things but most of all trying to learn to keep our priorities straight.  Sometimes we become so consumed with work that we forget to care for ourselves.  I always tell the kids -don't loose focus on the mission - they laugh at me but I hope it is sinking in.  I really just want them to hurry up with whatever they're helping me with.  I try to teach them that if we get the chores done then we have time to play.  I think they're starting to get it.  I have to on the hand remember to schedule in the play time and let them still be kids even though we expect so much from them.

 

Last Year I had lots of resolutions - most of which I kept up with strangely enough - exercise - diet- ran my first 10K - brought home our team of driving horses - attended 2 horse clinics - for 2013 I have  one major goal - organize this family!  I feel like we live a life of barely managed chaos and we have to harness it and harness it now.  Fortunately I think now the kids are old enough to help and had I tried this earlier it would not have worked as they simply weren't ready for the responsibilities that they are now.   We're starting off January with a huge schedule filled with ski races, Karate, band concerts, Confirmation classes, scheduling riding weekends, looking into riding clinics, trying to figure out a garden plan for the B&B, and an upcoming wedding in the fall but with any luck we'll  manage to get to it all. 

Most of all I think right now we need to each pick one thing in each major area of life to focus on.  Our life is so full that to try and do it all sets us up for disappointment.  I have tried to do it all but there are just not enough days in the week.  So for example for my garden I think I will only pick one vegetable this year - if successful I can add a second next year.  I've tried planting big gardens and keep failing miserably - a couple of little tomatoes - a little lettuce but no great harvest.  When I lived in Jersey I had huge tomato plants and more tomatoes than I could ever eat - gave them away - froze sauce - you name it - had a "green" thumb.  Here I haven't quite figured out the growing season yet which is quite different from Jersey except for my perennials which seem to have overfilled my flower beds.  So in addition to my one vegetable garden (haven't chose the vegetable yet) I will pick one new kayak adventure, one new snowshoe, one new hike, one new run (maybe 1/2 marathon?  am I too ambitious?) one new riding weekend, one horse show for Emily and conquer at least one of my overgrown perennial beds.  Whew!   

So we wish you all good health, prosperity, happiness and time to enjoy life with your friends and loved ones. 

 

 

"Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle."
-Abraham Lincoln  

So we'll continue to work hard and that means scheduling the fun stuff too!  Hope to see you all in Stillwater and that you all keep your resolutions for the new year!