new year's resolutions

Better late than never right? I did hear on the radio that you are more likely to keep resolutions if you don't share them, but what's better than having a whole host of blog readers for accountability (or the few of you sweet friends who check this little site on a regular basis)? So in no particular order, here they are:

1. Resume strength training. I had a wonderful trainer before my wedding who taught me whole to use the gym machines I was always afraid of. I only worked out with him for thirty minutes twice a week, but I noticed a huge difference in my overall tone. So I am hoping to do weights at least twice a week. With a gym membership near our house and at work too, I don't have an excuse not to!

2. Do at least one DC-specific activity a month (and blog about it). Our time in the Nation's Capitol is probably limited to another year and a half, and I want to make the most of it. There are SO many fun, often free activities here that I'll need to do at least one a month to take full advantage of them all.

3. Unplug- especially when in the car. I sometimes check email while driving. And I am terrible about checking Facebook, twitter, etc if I am in the car while Richard is driving. It's just not safe to have one eye on the Blackberry screen and one eye on the road, and my time with my husband is so limited that I should be giving him my undivided attention in spending one-on-one time with him.

4. Bring lunch more often to work. It's so much cheaper. And healthier. And the selection in the Longworth cafeteria is getting old.

5. Expand friendships in the DC area. Richard and I have "couple" friends here, and at least one half of the couple is generally a resident at Walter Reed. Those friends are SO dear to me, but I don't have many girlfriends of my own. For the first year I was here, I was kind of reluctant to make new girlfriends because I was missing all of my great friends in South Carolina. That reasoning is kind of skewed, but I guess I thought those relationships and my new relationship with my husband were enough. Now I realize how much I need good girlfriend relationships here with ladies who have similar interests as me. I hope to deepen the few I do I have and expand my circle a bit.

6. For every item of clothing I buy, get rid of one I don't wear in my closet. I have a ton of unworn items that I need to donate or sell, and it only seems right that for every new piece I add, I get rid of a piece I don't wear.

In addition to those, I have the standard ones- grow deeper in my faith, be a better wife, daughter, and sister, and get our budget and eating habits under control. Those are a little more amorphous but are important nonetheless. Here's hoping for a great year of personal growth in 2012!