Starting Another New Year!

Life has been so busy lately -- gearing up for the holidays, getting through the holidays, winding down after the holidays...  My brain feels a little overwhelmed lately and not always cooperating when I want to go online and post on my beloved blog!  But it is January, the start of another new year, and I have yet to grow tired of my resolutions -- amazing!  One of my resolutions is to show my little blog more love and attention.  I just realized 2015 is the start of my 9th (!!!) year of The Fine Art of Motherhood!  How crazy is that? 

So, back to resolutions...  Here's what I have on my plate so far this year:

- The old "New Year's Resolution to Diet" -- but I'm using the "My Fitness Pal" app on my iphone which makes it super easy to count and track calories.  I've gone 10 days straight which is pretty good for a New Year's diet!  I did not clear out the cupboards of the house, I did not proclaim snacks to be hereby banished from the house -- I'm just counting calories which means portion control!  I've also used this as an opportunity to try to get my girls thinking about portion control.  Bless their hearts, these lucky girls take after their dad so far and they are tall and thin (lucky!), but it's never too soon to be aware.  There is a fine line, as many of us women know, between making your kids (especially girls, I think) aware of what they eat and trying to make healthy choices -- and giving your child a lifelong struggle with food and their body image!  We're working with the "you can eat what you want, but in moderation" and let's try to make healthy choices mentalities.

- My husband and I have resolved to go on a date once a month!  Our 8-year-old hates that idea (she's not a fan of Mommy and Daddy not being home), but we remind her that it's nice that her Mom and Dad love each other and want to spend time together -- that's a good thing for the family!  Our dates don't have to be expensive -- even just getting out and going for a walk together, going to a movie, taking a drive, going out to breakfast (all while counting my calories...).  I always think that children benefit from seeing their parents in happy, loving relationships -- hopefully we set a good example for our children to follow in their own adult lives.  I am blessed to spend a great deal of time with my girls -- I am here with them before and after school, evenings, weekends, I help out with my youngest daughter's Girl Scout troop, I teach her Sunday School class, I go to church with my girls (and Daddy when he's not working), I sit around and chat with my teenage daughter and we frequently text each other when she's not with me (school bus, friend's house...).  It's nice to also get to spend a little time with my hubby, too!  :)

- Writing on my blog!  Even if no one else ever reads another one of my blog posts, it's a great record for me and my girls of our lives and their childhood.  2014 wasn't my worst year of posting, but it certainly wasn't my best!  Let's see if I can't do better in 2015!  ;)

I think that's a pretty good start for 2015!  2014 had it's ups and downs -- mostly ups, thankfully -- I'm hoping that 2015 is even better!