I have never been a "New Year's Resolution" sort of girl. However, like many other people, I find the new year a good time to take stock of my life, and to set goals for what I would like to accomplish in the upcoming year. I try to keep my goals realistic and achievable. And also, by posting it here, my accountability partner (a.k.a. "Jason") will remind me of any goal that I may be slacking off on--whether I want that reminder or not! ;-)

So, here are my goals for 2009:

1. Take a photo a day. While I am no slouch in the photo-taking department, over 2008 I have gone through "bursts" where I will photograph lots of things, and then lose up to a month in the interim with hardly any record of our lives at all. While this has made it easier to get almost our entire year scrapbooked already, I thought it might be fun to try the "photo-a-day" approach in 2009. And, with Creating Keepsake's January 2009 Kit-Of-The-Month (which I intend to order soon), scrapbooking 365 photos will be a snap, and a neat theme album of our year. (This ought to be especially interesting, considering the year of major transitions we are looking at right now!)

2. Take a hike. Or, at least take a walk three days or more a week--the kind of walk that actually raises your heart rate and makes breathing difficult. I have hidden behind the excuse of my children slowing me down for long enough. Time to tighten the thighs! (Ooh, quintuple alliteration! SCORE!)

3. Work on my musical. Yes, the famous—or should I say "infamous"—musical, begun in my college years and co-written with the amazing Candace, which until recently has languished on a shelf--untouched--for five years running. I am not requiring myself to finish the musical this year. Just work on it. Steady progress must be made. I have already started on this one, so if I can keep it up, next year I will be able to say Mission accomplished!

Well, that's pretty much it as far as "big" things. We currently face too much uncertainty for me to have anything more specific. Now, a quick recap of 2008:

My one and only goal for 2008 was to try and average one scrapbook layout a day. I did not even vocalize it as an official goal to anyone until several months into the year, even though I kept it in my own mind.

I fell short. I do not know the exact number, but I would have to guess that I probably completed somewhere in the range of 200-250 pages. And you know what? I'm good with that.

Here's to an amazing 2009! Happy New Year, everyone!