Resolutions

So resolutions. I don't know that I can really refer to them as that. I'm considering these things I'm going to strive for to be small lifestyle changes.

I'm about 1/3 of the way into my marathon training and it's going well but I need to incorporate more stretching and strength training into my routine. Sundays have been earmarked as cross-training days but I've slacked on that a bit (football!). With just under 3 months to go it's time to really focus.

Food-wise I have made some good strides this year in improving the quality of things we eat. I buy more veggies and whole grains. I, personally, have cut back on dairy and have vowed to add a calcium supplement to my daily multi-vitamin to make up for it. For the new year I plan on continuing to do a better job of planning out our meals ahead of time and experimenting with more healthy choices for both Jake and I.

My big resolution involves our budget. I need to do a much better job of evaluating need versus want and also not get sucked in by sales. It looks like we're going to be getting a new vehicle in the new year, in place of the two we currently own (yes, a change in plan). With selling both of our current cars and choosing a nice but affordable model of small SUV, we hope to not have to actually finance the difference, saving us on interest. We're also planning on increasing our monthly savings deposit so that when we move again in 4 to 5 years we'll be prepared. In order to help keep me motivated on this goal I plan to unsubscribe from a lot of the emails I get from retailers. I definitely think this will help.

2010 really has been quite a year. I ran more races this year than I think the rest of my running career combined (I began in 2006). Each one was enjoyable and memorable in its own way but nothing beat the feeling of finishing my first half marathon, my longest distance yet. My running agenda for next year isn't nearly as aggressive. I'm currently focusing on my marathon and we'll see what happens from there. We had some great adventures this year including St. Patty's Day in Dublin, July 4th in Maine with friends and Thanksgiving in Venice. I also hope to continue with my photography pursuits. I really enjoy it so much!

I've reconnected with old friends this year and grown closer to existing ones which has felt great. I realize that in the coming years with kids in the agenda, it will become more challenging to keep up with the other people in our lives so I'm taking time to enjoy them now with a promise to myself to not let them go by the wayside. Sometimes it's easy to put off answering that email but I know for me I feel much better making the effort to write back sooner than realizing a month later that email is still sitting there unanswered.

We've accomplished a lot this year. One year of wedded bliss. One year as pet owners. Two years as homeowners with many projects slated for the winter around the house. I can only hope that we continue to be fortunate into the new year. We have a lot to be thankful for and especially to all the wonderful people in our lives, we couldn't do it without you. Thanks for making life interesting. Happy new year to everyone!