new.year.resolution

There were many firsts this year for Wes and me. I graduated college, we celebrated our first anniversary, I started my first full time job, we bought our first house, and I made my first Christmas dinner. It's been an exciting and wonderful year, and I'm looking forward to what the future brings in 2012.

With every new year, many people resolve to do something new or better. New year resolutions are often unrealistic, and there tend to be so many things that you want to change or do better, that within a week or two, with a guilty conscience, you're burned out and ready to quit. Last year I decided it wasn't worth it, so I went with a simple resolution that Wes came up with for me to spend time being creative and doing the things I love. And really, it was easier said than done. Life gets in the way, and suddenly there isn't much time to paint, sew, and write a blog. But I was consistent and succeeded. I've enjoyed journaling with this blog, sewing, crocheting, photographing, and painting. It's been a good year for my 2011 resolution.

So here's my 2012 resolution. I stepped it up a notch, so it's going to be harder to keep. But it's important for our future. My new year resolution is to make a chart of our current financial status with one section dedicated to maintaining a working budget and the other a set of goals to pay off things like student loans, our car loan, and our recent mortgage. It's going to be difficult, but it's a step in the right direction.