I resolve, too.

Oh, come on. Who doesn't make some sort of goal for themselves come the New Year? And if you don't, you're probably just afraid of setting yourself up for failure. (Don't be.)

I keep a journal. You may not have known that. I've always kept one, but never quite successfully until I started dating Todd, I believe. It had nothing to do with that, per se, it was just the timing of when I got a journal to document my thoughts, filled it up in a few short months, and bought another. Filled it up, bought another, repeat. In all my life, I don't think I'd ever actually filled up a journal. Just... eventually gotten bored of it and found a prettier one. All of this was the segue into the fact that for the past 2 years, I have managed to time it so I am starting a new journal at the start of the new year. I write my goals/resolutions/glorified To-Do list in the front of it, and continually check it throughout the year. Some get marked off, some don't. I celebrate the ones that get marked off, and put the ones that didn't on the next list.

(This year my list of goals made it into the back of my new planner, but it will be with me on a regular basis so it's the same general idea. Don't make your goals and forget about them. Keep them with you and continually remind yourself of what you expect of yourself. You have the whole year to get it done.)

I guess I don't make resolutions as much as I just have "things I'd really like to get done and out of the way this year".

I always want to lose weight, so I don't know if that counts...

This is year that I want to STOP living paycheck to paycheck, once and for all.
This is the year that I want MONEY TO BE LEFT OVER after Pay Day and all the bills are paid.

This is the year I want to start a photography business. We've already had one client/job and it was a big success. I want this to lead to others.

This is the year that I want Todd to be able to work from home. By the end of the year, I want us to have enough income from photography jobs that Todd can quit his job.

This is the year that I want to learn how to manage a full time job with keeping a house properly cleaned and maintained.         I've always said I simply don't know how a woman, or anyone for that matter, can work all day long, come home exhausted, manage to pull together a decent meal while still keeping the house clean. It's just beyond me. I work 6 hours a day (12pm-6pm), and when I get home I still have some energy, but normally since I go in later, I throw dinner in the crockpot in the morning before I leave and the food is ready when I get home. Cheating?

This is the year that I want to rebuild my friend-family. This may sound weird, but it's very important to me. We've lived in New Bern about a year and half now, and only now am I starting to feel like the beginnings of a friend-family may be starting to form. I guess I expected it to happen overnight, and it doesn't, no matter how badly I wanted it to. I guess it just took people a long time to fall in love with me. ;) hehe. I need close friends to feel whole. I moved away from everyone who was most important to me, and no matter how much you try to keep in touch, it's a two way street and the distance takes its toll.



2011: I am tired of just existing. I want to start living. I want money to stop dictating my happiness, because money doesn't matter. I am not my credit score. I am not the money in the bank. I am not my pay rate.


I am Sunday drives and stopping at a random flea market or thrift store and finding a pair of cute used shoes or a great book. I am making a bigger mess when I try to clean or organizing my closet when I meant to just get a hanger out. I am weekends in bed with my husband, showers at night, and having no idea what it is to spend way too much money on makeup or clothes. I am my favorite painting that I give away to a friend because they really wanted it. I am the girl behind the camera, just trying to capture a beautiful moment.

I am a lot of things, and none of them have anything to do with numbers.