Before composing this year’s list, I decided to take a stroll down memory bloggy lane and read my previous attempts. I’m seeing some themes:

1. I never take pictures, no matter how much I resolve to. 
2. I suck at following through, because that seems to make the lists repeatedly. 
3. I keep trying to be a better wife. I’m choosing to think that I can’t reach perfection and that’s why it’s making the list, but I suppose I’ll have to ask the primary judge in the situation. 
4. In 2009 I wanted to live more “joyfully and generously.” Those 2 words have dominated my last 6-12 months of life and I can’t believe the were growing roots waaaay back when. Note: when something sprouts in your mind, deal with it then. 
5. Dental hygiene seems to keep popping up. **Bashful eyes**
I’m just going to go ahead and ban those 5 things from this and future lists and move on. I can have a separate life list of Things I Suck At But I’m Trying To Improve. Fair? 
How I hope to make 2014 better than 2013:
  1. Proofread. I posted a blog with the wrong freaking year. (Fortunately I’m over the hope that some high up editorial staffer is perusing blogger for up-and-coming talent. So, other than the person who pointed it out on facebook, no one probably cared, noticed or a combo of both). It’s time I do a little bit more re-reading. 
  2. Live generously. I know, I just said I’m not re-adding anything from the above list, but this has been very close to my heart and I really want to make that happen. I need to open my tight fists if I ever hope to receive goodness. 
  3. Sing more, yell less. I really do try to control THE VOLUME OF MY VOICE (Sorry. I had to.) in conjunction with my children, but I think I could do better at choosing to move past my frustration and think creatively on how to engage them and move forward in challenging situations. My default is anger and frustration. I don’t want to ignore behavior. But there must be a third way. I shared with my group of GIRLfriends (plug!) about how I started singing to the kids to get them to do what I needed – and it worked! Now, not only practically but philosophically, I want to sing more. No more noise. No more unnecessary anger. 
  4. Live honestly. Not in a your-pants-are-too-tight kind of way, but in a you-add-to-my-life kind of way. I tend to hold on to a lot of thoughts and emotion, especially gratitude, but also honesty in my own shortcomings, fears and failures. I might be able to share them freely to the faceless abyss of the interwebs, but to people I know and love? Not so much. So, here’s to it. 
  5. Take a class or tutorial on the Adobe suite. I’ve been ignoring this professional deficiency for far too long. 
So, that’s it. But I think doing these things will bring me to a much different place on December 31, 2014.