2008 New Year's Resolutions

This is liable to be a long list. LOL

1. Get in shape and lose some weight.

• Use the exercise bike at least 4 times a week for 30 minutes.
• Use the toning DVD I just bought at least 3 times a week.
• Follow the points system stuff Mom gave me to eat better.

At this point, based on yesterday's weight, I would like to lose 31 pounds total (goal weight: 145). Again, based on my weight yesterday, my current BMI is 26.0. At my goal weight, my BMI would be 21.4 - smack dab in the middle of normal (and healthy!). Hopefully, my blood pressure will go down as well. I certainly hope so. I think my Effexor is causing it to be a little higher than I would like. Since it's working very well for me, I'm hoping a little diet and exercise will fix the blood pressure problem. As much as I hate to say it, I'm going to have to start cooking my own food and starting from scratch (well, maybe not scratch, but closer to it). Sadly, many of the boxed food that I tend to eat are high in sodium (probably contributing to that blood pressure problem as well), so to avoid that, I'm planning on looking for low sodium recipes. Since we will no longer be getting free food at work for lunch, I will have to take my lunch, and therefore, I can make food on the weekends to take during the week (or at least plan if I'm going to have a sandwich or something). I see a lot of salads and soups and vegetables in my future. Maybe I'll learn how to use my crock pot as well. I need to go shopping very badly (and alone - kids just make me want to rush through my shopping).

2. Make all those appointments I don't want to. Well, okay, there's just one that I'm avoiding - the dentist. I haven't been to the dentist since June 2002, so it's been a while. I know I need to go, and my in-laws have even recommended their dentist (whose name I can't remember now). I need to bite the bullet and go. I just know that it's going to get expensive to fill all the cavities that I'm sure I have. But they're not going to go away on their own, so I should go now before they start getting worse (or maybe I'll luck out and there won't be any of them). Either way, I need to set a good example for my girls and take care of myself. And therefore, I should probably make appointments for them as well (or at least for Miss Priss). What age do children start going to the dentist? I know Miss Priss is old enough, but does Boo need to go? I can just see the dentist looking at her teeth and telling me to start saving my money for orthodontics. I do need to make an appointment with my optometrist (I think in February so that I can catch tax return and get extra contacts and maybe even glasses), and I'm due for my yearly check with my PCP in March. Other than that, it's just the dentist.

3. Get all bills caught up. Almost all of them are, and none are really far behind (just one month), and I think once our tax return comes in, we will be able to catch up the others - there are only 2 totalling around $400. I think it's a good thing to spend the money on. Other than that, my money plans include putting money into savings every month (I'm thinking at least $50 in savings each month). I think making my own meals will help here - I will be paying more for groceries, but I will be paying less by eating out.

4. Last year I read 146 books. This year, I think I can make 156. That is 13 books per month, and I think I can do that. I would also like to read at least 2 non-fiction books a month. I know that can easily be accomplished, and then I would feel like I'm still somewhat intelligent.

5. The kids. Since I don't see them for very long on weekdays, I want to make sure that I spend that time with them (which means late dinners - hmmmm). On the weekends, I want to start planning activities and going places and seeing things. When did museums get to be so expensive? Not sure what I'm going to do - as the weather gets nicer, at least we can go to the park and stuff like that. But I don't think the weather will get nice for a couple months, so I will have to do some research into some things we can do around here that are inside activities.

6. The apartment. Oh, it needs some cleaning. I don't want to have a "Closet of Doom." I want to have a clean, organized place to live. I don't think that's too much to ask. I think it's time to get rid of some baby stuff that I've been saving too long. Not sure how I'm going to manage to do that, but it has to be done. It's just taking up room, and I don't see a baby anywhere in my near future if it's in the future at all.

I think that's about it. I might think of more in the next few days to add, but those are the main ones. Have a safe, happy, and prosperous 2008!