New Year's Resolutions

Happy 2014!!!

Do you make New Years resolutions?  Every year for the last....at least ten years mine has been to stop biting my nails.  For those of you who know me at all, you know thats like asking a miracle to happen. For those of you who don't know me - see the photo below.

I have bit my nails, and worse my cuticles, since at least the 5th grade.  Apparently it is a habit that runs in my family - my uncle, and sister from another mister do the same thing.  I regularly make at least a finger or two a day bleed.  For our engagement pictures - I got a "pre-manicure" a week before the shoot, so that my fingers had a little time to recover, and then got a real manicure the day of so that my nails would look acceptable for the pictures.  Thats the level of serious we're at.  It is not a nervous habit, but more of a "anytime my hands aren't busy" habit.  Driving, sitting in a meeting, watching tv, etc.  The worst is that I rarely realize I'm doing it - it tends to make people a little crazy....oops!  Anyway, this wonderful habit of mine is one that I've never really been able to get rid of.  Keeping my hands moisturized helps, getting manicures helps, staring at my beautiful ring and realizing how gross my fingers around it look helps.....but nothing makes it really go away! ESPECIALLY not making it a New Year's resolution.  It became more of an ongoing joke with my BFFL, to see how long I could last in January before I got bad again.  It's usually about a day.

Last January I was the well-being captain for my district at work, and I came up with all of these great ideas for how to promote people following through on their resolutions.  Ant and I had been talking about trying to get a serious gym routine down, I was trying to get more organized both professionally and personally (I am NOT one to use a planner), and so on.  I figured most people are usually in the same boat this time of year.  I downloaded all these fancy new apps that are supposed to help you with these things, and told myself I was going to use them, no. matter. what.

Shockingly, none of them lasted.  I recently went through and cleaned up a lot of my unused apps on my phone.  Did I feel defeated?  Nope!  Ant and I have gotten ourselves into the closest thing to a real gym routine I've ever had, and I've never felt better or stronger physically.  While I am still far from organized, I have established strong routines in my new job that make me confident every day that I am accomplishing the things I need to do.  These things are happening, not because I am resolving to do them....but became I am getting my butt out there and doing them!

Don't get me wrong - if resolutions in the New Year work for you, more power to ya!  But I am choosing to start the New Year with more of a "to-do" list, of priorities for things we just need to do!  My nails may or may not make the list.  A bride can still look beautiful with a few rough cuticles, right?

In 2014:
Ant and I will finalize plans for our wedding - keeping FUN as the biggest theme throughout. (I've added simple and pretty...but fun keeps it's #1 spot)
Once our closet project is finished in the house - storage & clutter control will be our next focus.
Ant & I make a killer team in the kitchen - but are often too lazy.  We are going to try to plan meals better - at least 3-4 a week at home.
Our honeymoon is booked! But we still have to pay for half of it...and a million other things!  I want as many things wedding related paid off going into the summer as possible.

...and those are just our joint household priorities!  My own list is a whole different story :)

What are your New Year's resolutions, or priorities?  What are you most excited about in 2014?  Here's to a happy and healthy New Year!