Look in that mirror. I see a strong, confident, beautiful young lady. Oh look, you're here too.*

Happy New Year!!

I have been thinking for the last week or so about what my goals should be for the year.  I felt kind of a little like an epic failure after reviewing my 2013 goals, so that made it a little harder too.  But what are goals if not to find yourself disappointed twelve months later?

There are a lot of changes in my life in the next year, new job, getting married, starting a new ward (that's Mormon-speak for switching where I "meet" for church), I will have two new nieces (one already came, I will post pictures), scratch that, two new born nieces and a hoard of new nieces and nephews (I forgot that comes with the whole marriage thing).  So why add more? Cause all that stuff is already in the works and I need something to challenge me.

As usual - I have ten goals (surprise surprise).

I have a theme for myself, but I haven't really thought through the wording.  I want my theme to be more action based, I am reading Elder Bednar's book Act in Doctrine and I am hoping to use that to grow closer to Heavenly Father and to who I want to become.  So far it's an excellent book that, along with my personal scripture study, is helping me to see how I can improve.  Something that kept coming up in 2013 was emulating the Savior, so I think my theme is going to be something like (or exactly like) Reaching Outward: Emulating the Savior.  The Savior, who reached outward when every other person would have naturally reached inward.  I don't want to take things so personally, I don't want to turn in to myself when someone hurts/offends me but rather what can I do for that person? It sounds crazy, I know, but I find I am happier that way (in the few times I've done it).

Anyway - enough of that, you want to know what goals I will be putting in red (or hopefully green) at the end of 2014.

1. Read 50 books - yes, it's back.  Yes, it's crazy.  But I read over 50 this year and I think I can do it.  Especially with my new job that won't be so stressful 24/7.
2. Writing - I will continue to go to my writing group and to learn and grow from them and from various interweb resources but this year, in October, I want to go to a writer's conference and pitch one of my stories.
3. Photography - in 2013 I bought a nice, fancy camera.  This year I want to learn how to use it and start taking some good photos!
4. Don't Text and Drive - seriously, this is serious.  I don't know what my problem is.  It's like I get bored or something, or maybe obsessed with people texting me.  What has happened to me? I was the girl who never even carried around her cell phone, much less checked it while driving.
5. Money Management - Chewy's accounting background should make this a little easier, but I still need to learn it on my own as well.  I even pulled out a 4 year old transaction register I have never used and started to use it.  I want to reduce my debt and build up a nice savings (it used to be nice but 2013 was rough financially).
6. Be Grateful! I want to list one thing every day that I am grateful for.  Overall, I don't think I'm an ingrate but I think looking for something each day would be beneficial.
7. Temple Attendance - I want to go at least once a month in 2014.  
8. Increase in learning and faith - this goes with my goal.  I want to study better, learn more, retain more, and apply what I learn.  I am starting at the bottom and fortifying my faith first and moving up from there.
9. Home Improvement - Chewy is excited to do some home improvement projects and I'm excited to have someone who wants to help (and is better about remembering what my dad says when he starts spouting off what needs to be done for the project....cause I just always assume he'll be the one with me when I buy the materials and he never is.  Chewy writes things down - so we will see what happens).  I want to put in at least one more segment of fence, replace the siding where my fire place is, and whatever else the budget may allow for.
10. Food storage - we should have a year supply and I am sad to say that I have a lot of food but I mostly have it so that I don't have to go to the store as much.  I'd like to have a year's supply in case of emergency. 

Happy Resolutions everyone!