2012 New Year's Resolutions

I kind of like posting New Year's resolutions to my blog. It keeps me accountable. I guess first, I'll look at last year's resolutions to review.

Kept: Reading a book a month and all my magazines. I started a book club on Facebook and I read 43 books in 2011. Granted a few were via audiobook(hi there, the entire harry potter series), but I more than kept this resolution. Yay!

Kept: Improved my photographer and writing skills. I took several seminars and online classes, and I really feel like I'm making big steps here.

Sort of kept: Keeping to a fitness schedule. I did great till February when I had to travel a lot, didn't do well  till about June, then I worked out 4-5 days a week every week till December. I did a boot camp and I ran a half marathon. I didn't, however, get to my goal weight.

Failed: Well, here's where 2012 resolutions come into play.

1) Balance my time better. This year has been unexpectedly and completely different. My mom passed away in March and I took on all of the family responsibilities that fell on her, in addition to being the administrator of her estate. Zach now manages my mom's bread-making supply store, and we're back and forth from San Antonio to DFW at least once a week. Staying at home on a weekend is a rare luxury. Mainly because of all that entailed, in July I quit my full-time magazine job to freelance. Needless to say, our lives are radically different than January 2011. My work/life balance desperately needs to improve.

2) Be more organized. This is how the work/life balance will change. :-) Zach and I are working together to get us both organized so we cross all our t's and dot our i's, now that we have a lot more on our plates.

3) Travel. It sounds ironic, since we travel every week, but we want to get in some travel for fun this year while our jobs are in a state of flux. We've already booked a short trip to Florida to visit my aunt and get some beach anniversary time, and we're going to New Zealand and Australia for a friend's wedding in March. Other trips are on the horizon, so we'll see where God takes us in 2012.

4) Get settled. Hopefully by the second half of this year, we can return to putting down roots somewhere in DFW.

5) Get fit. I want to get to my goal weight and size. I've slacked off the last few weeks. Makes me sad.  I want to take a consistent stance again and get in the gym/out running. I can do it, it just needs to take priority.

6) Improve my craft. I have a long way to go in photography, and since sharp skills are even more important as a freelancer I look forward to learning more and more through seminars and tutorials. I also got an amazing new camera that gets out of my way so I can take the photos I see in my head!

7) Get another horse. My last horse died in November 2010, and I haven't been able to get another one. I really want to get another horse and stay involved, because this is the first time in 18 years I haven't owned a horse and it's really strange. So, I hope to get a horse this year.

8) Be happy while being a vagabond. Along with this, I want to get this packing thing down pat. We pack every weekend, twice, and it's getting old... it's about to get older, so I might as well embrace it.

I guess those are my New Year's resolutions. Nothing big, right? ;-) Tell me about your resolutions!