Reflections on the past year

Happy New Year!

I don't usually spend a lot of time at the new year making resolutions. I feel that it's a set up to fail. Instead I try to think in smaller increments of what I want to accomplish, work on or improve.

This past year I committed to learn how to knit socks. I didn't do it. I really didn't even knit that much. Maybe next Christmas everyone will get hand knitted wool socks from me.

I went through a long and difficult depression. As lonely and painful as the experience was, I learned from it and respect it's place in my life. I feel at times emotionally fragile and easily swayed back in that direction. I'm trying to balance my life in a way that will not hide my true feelings, but that they won't take control of me either.

I'm proud of the fact that in 2008 I read 22 books. Reading has always been a favorite pastime, but after years of school, study and parenting, I got burned out and put it aside. I really wanted to get back into in with a vengeance. One thing that made it fun was setting up an account with Goodreads. I can keep track of what books I've read, or what I want to read, and see what books my friends are reading. I highly recommend it. Another site I love is Bookmooch. Here you log on any books you are willing to give away, and you get points for each book. With your points you mooch books from others. It's basically free, aside from the cost to ship your books to those who have mooched them. I know that I will continue the reading frenzy in 2009, as the stack of books on the side of my bed continues to grow.

2008 was also a time to be more committed to the planet earth. I have always recycled and tried to do my part. I'm no where near where I want to be, but I have made small changes that feel important to me. I use my own bags at the grocery store and limit our use of disposable paper products (though there are times when I just can't give the conveinence up!). I have replaced the majority of lightbulbs in our home with compact flouresent. Just a few more to go! When the cost of gas went up I limited my driving as much as possible. My family loves thrift store shopping, and this is the ultimate in recycling to me! Shopping on the cheap! Craigslist is a big part of this, too. I have had such success getting rid of things I don't need, and buying the things I do. I save money, time and the environment! I finally have a worm composting bin and it's a smart way to use our food waste. I've always limited my use of cleaning products, and try to use environmentaly safe ones when I do. I don't buy tampons or pads anymore because of this. Of course the girls aren't ready for this kind of change so I still buy for them!

We are fortunate to get farm fresh organic eggs from a woman at Mario's school, and this year we are planning to buy a quarter of a beef, sharing with 2 other families in order to save money. I'm really looking forward to this change in eating. Savannah has been a vegatarian for almost 2 years, but I can't give up the meat. I don't feel good about the meat we are eating, so this is exciting to me. I have a friend who raised chickens and turkeys this last year, but I found out about it too late. This year she said she'll raise some for me, so next fall we will be eating the best chicken and turkey ever!

We discussed having laying hens this last spring, but it didn't happen. It is still on the agenda for next year, but we'll see. I'm not going to stress about it. I want it to be a fun family project, not a burden.

All of these changes have been sometimes intentional, sometimes not, but small ways that I have tried to improve the life of me and my family. I look forward to a new year, learning new things, trying new ways, and growing along the way.

I am grateful for all that I have been blessed with and pray for a healthy and joyful new year for my family, my friends and myself.