New Year!

So here it is another year, another 365 days that whizzed by me so quickly I can barely catch my breath. It was a good year, with it's struggles.  But onto bigger and better things now.  So the big topic of the day... NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS! What are some of your resolutions this year?  I don't particularly like New Years resolutions, I think that for people who don't have the right kind of motivation or consequences, a large change in their behavior sets them up to be unsuccessful.  But that's just the behaviorist in me :)  So my type of new years resolution is a step by step process.  I also start them prior to the new year, so that it isn't a huge change on that day when I might not be feeling so well.

Rules for New Years Resolutions:
1) Choose a behavior you want/can change.  (i.e. be more organized) 
2) Break that behavior up into small steps and make a list of those steps. (i.e. pull out all items you want to organize, sort them into piles, label piles, etc.)  
3) post that list somewhere you see it everyday, whether that be on your phone as a reminder,  an email that gets sent everyday to you, whatever it takes. 
4) Make yourself accountable.  Let's others know about what behavior you are trying to change so that they can help keep you motivated.  
5) Choose something you can treat yourself to when you have done good.  Preferably it would be a treat to just see the product of your resolution being followed through with, but let's be honest; we are creatures who like tangible rewards.  If you keep your living room tidy for 2 whole weeks, go buy a new piece of decor to look good in that nice tidy room. 
6) Make changes!  If you are having trouble with your NYR, make the steps simpler, or change one of the steps.  This is your resolution, you can change it!


So now that I have unloaded on my rules I should probably fill you in on my resolution.  My new years resolution is to take more pictures.  When I look back on my year, I feel like I have nothing to show for it.  Yes I have the memories and yada yada... but I love that feeling when you are cleaning something out and find old pictures.  You sit down to look through them and you are all of a sudden reminiscing about those memories. I want to be able to come across pictures that will be taken of 2012 and remember all the wonderful memories I will make.  So, super easy you might think, but it is what it is. 

 Take more photos steps:

1. Take my camera more places
2. Upload my photos weekly to my computer
3. Once a month print out photos 
4. Get picture frames for printed photos
5. Create a gallery wall in living room! 
1. Spray paint photo frames
2. Cut out newspaper to match frame size
3. Play around with setting the "frames" onto the wall
4. Pick photos to be in frames
5. Enlist help of my husband in hanging the frames. He does plaster work which is what is on our walls, so he likes to be the one to hang stuff on the walls.  It's weird I know but I still love him! :)

I am already taking my camera with me more places and have uploaded for this last holiday season (not counting last night).  

Our mantle 2011

Christmas Eve at our house with Michael's mom's family.  This was my
very first event that I hosted with his family as our guests!  

This is my house Christmas morning.  Michael lounging in his chair playing new iPhone games, Jewls chewing on her new toys, notice all the extra toys lying around?  She had too many to choose from.  Then there's Dixie my wiener dog lying 3ft away from a new bag of treats guarding them from her sister.  

I'm interested in hearing what everyone's resolutions are.....