In With the New

Welcome, 2014!!

I'm excited to see what this year will bring.  I'm sure there will be surprises, and some of them will not be pleasant, but I'm not going to borrow trouble before it arrives.  Instead, here are some happy or exciting or novel things that I expect to come my way this year:

• A 16k trail run that includes the dreaded Goldmine trail.  Eeek!!!  I should feel seriously accomplished when I finish this one.
• Moving S into a big girl bed and saying so long to our much-abused crib.
• K starting kindergarten.
• Terence turning the big 4-0.  (Yikes, when did we get middle-aged?  OK, we aren't teenagers anymore but . . . .)
• A trip to California, yippee!
• M will turn 13.  I will have a teenager.  Gulp.
• A new temple for us!  The Gilbert temple will open in March.  Can't wait!
• Maybe a trip to Mississippi??  (Fingers crossed that the van will be able to stand a cross-country trip.)
• If I'm really, really lucky-- potty-training S and cancelling my Amazon Mom diaper order.

I've made two resolutions this year.  Yep, only two.  But since both will be very difficult and are very important, I figure that's good enough.  One of them is personal so I won't share but the other is a goal to not shout at my kids.

No, really.  I want to quit yelling at my kids.

I realize that there are calm-natured people out there who think that mothers who yell are abusive and horrible people who should have their kids yanked away faster than you can say "CPS," but most of us live in the real world where mothers are fallible and they do get upset and yell at their kids.  But of all my faults (and I have many) this is the one I want to change the most.  So I am officially making it a resolution.  To not yell at my kids.  We've already made an agreement that when I get angry I'm supposed to say "Barking Spiders!"  (I am allowed to yell that phrase if needed.)  Inevitably that makes people laugh and diffuses the tension somewhat.  I just need to remember to do it.  (K is good about reminding me after the fact-- "Mom, you forgot to say 'Barking Spiders' again!")  I'll keep you posted about how it goes.

Well, out with the old and in with the new!  Hopefully, I can cherish each day and love it, come what may!!