It's not a party until the Kazoos come out...Alex and cousin David celebrating at Grandma and Grandpas.
Okay, okay, stop with the emails about the New Year's Resolutions...Cease, Halt...mistake to suggest that, definitely. You all are very funny...very, very funny.
Here are the ones I am going to try to keep from all the suggestions:
1. Challenge of a scrapbook page a day (total at end of year to equal 365 and can include gift albums, etc.).
2. Two retreats a year: One in January and one in August. Chicks only. (And, no silly comments when I am the only one NOT drinking or eating chocolates and Doritos at the August one.)
3. One non-complaining, non-only-visiting-the-bookstores, non-rolling-of-the-eyes-and-sighing-and-asking-how-much-longer trip to the mall with girlfriends a month, to last at least one hour.
4. Lunch A-Z with Margaret...to equal the 26 letters of the alphabet and eating at a restaurant with a name starting with the letter next in line and ordering something OTHER than just soup or salad. (And when we get to the "X," I don't have to go into any place that begins with X or XX or XXX, if you get my drift.)
5. Make every attempt to go to Canada for the Shakespeare trip with Shelley, Katie, Michelle, Jeri, etc. etc. and to go bowling with Katie while in Canada.
6. Attend every Book-It this year.
7. Attend every Mom's Night Out this year.
8. Attend as many IMA events with the ICHSA as possible (can't promise all as I have to pick up Matt at school during that time until he gets that license in August).
9. Get together with my sister, KJH, more often in non-life-threatening weather, Iowa being what it is and all during snow, tornado, and flooding times.
10. Be less compulsive about neatness and things lining up just so, especially when working with Paul at swim meets at the greeters table because this drives him (and probably everyone else) nuts.
11. Read at least one book a month that people actually can identify, is somewhat fun, acceptable conversation for cocktail parties, and has no redeeming value whatsoever other than just reading it for fun and because everyone else is reading it.
12. Have more patience with Alex's requests. (Okay, this came from Alex, so I am not sure how much this one really counts, but I will say that I am not the most patient of souls when it comes to some of his requests, which I find hard to believe are not in Ripley's Believe It Or Not selection of outlandish requests from 15 year old boys.)
13. Take a photography class with Cindy (and anyone else who wants to go with us).
14. Figure out how to use that cell phone answering message thing.
The ones I am NOT keeping:
1. Buy more junk food. (This is form Mark and Alex, and they had no real hope of this anyway.)
2. Don't put out fresh linens each day. (From my friend Sue who is always trying to get me to be more green...and I just can't see me doing this one...really, some things I just can't see me even trying to do and this is one of those things.)
3. Learn to like chocolate. (Numerous requests...what is the deal with this anyway?)
4. Learn to drink coffee. (Ditto: number 3.)
5. Spend less time in museums and more time shopping and lunching with us. (Numerous requests, and my standard reply is always..."Be careful what you wish..." as I am not a cheerful shopper.)
6. See movies, even if they are really sappy or you might cry. (Numerous requests, why, I ask, is this a good thing?)
7. Stop being so organized and just show up sometimes without a plan of action. (Way too many requests from my go-with-the-flow fun-loving girlfriends!)
8. Don't answer email so fast as I can't keep up. (Numerous requests...I might try this one, it just drives me nuts to have things hanging about just waiting to be finished...maybe, maybe...)
9. Learn to like Mexican food. (Three requests...I honestly never knew this was a problem, but apparently it might be something to consider.)
10. Read less. (Yeah, right...not happening, but good try.)
11. Answer phone during IU basketball games. (Again, good try, not happening.)
12. Answer your phone. Give that little message device a vacation once in awhile. (Almost everyone had a form of this one...I can't see this one happening anytime soon...the problem is that once you pick up the phone, sometimes it can be a very long time before you can get going again and I just don't have the much time always, so it just seems simpler and kinder this way. On the other hand, I don't mind leaving a message for you on your answering machine...so that's good.)
13. Let someone else drive as we always feel guilty that you are the one who always drives. (Five requests...you know, this is probably one of those things that would take years of therapy to overcome...it seems much simpler to just drive myself.)
14. Just give up sometimes...not everything can be fixed. (It's hard to just give up.)
15. Be less of a "tight-ass" about things. (Okay, now this one I do agree with, but I can't see this happening...I would need to be someone completely different...someone carefree who doesn't worry and can ride in a convertible with the top down and not worry about her hair or bugs in her teeth and just enjoy the sun and the wind without sunblock and ponytail holders and a scarf, and big sunglasses, and toothbrush and toothpaste in tow, and a clean blouse in case a bird flies over and deposits little mysterious things, and maybe an extra pair of slacks or jeans for the same reason...you get my drift: I am not all that spontaneous and carefree...but there is a part of me that WISHES it were so...and I love that you all are and enjoy that about you immensely!)
16. Write about sports less in your blog. (Two requests...I will try, but I can't promise.)
NEXT TIME I WILL JUST MAKE MY OWN LIST...THANKYOUVERYMUCH. Actually, none of these things, with the exception of the Mexican food thing, surprises me at all...nor anyone who knows me, I am sure. It will be sorta fun to see if I come anywhere near any of these things. I guess that is the fun of it, right? It is fun, right? Just checking.