I love writing down my New Year’s resolutions, mostly because I really enjoy documenting things. Hello, I am a blogger. But even before blogging I’ve always been this way. I like to be able to look back. I sometimes wish I were born in the future, because then I feel like the first quarter of my life would have been preserved better via social media and digital photography. Sometimes just seeing a photograph from the past can trigger a memory that might have otherwise been forgotten. Even if it’s not directly in the photo. At least for me that’s how it works. J and I became engaged 14 years ago and would you believe there is not one single photo taken from that night. If it had happened 5 years ago we’d probably have 100 photos or at the very least a phone selfie and a snapshot of the ring. Which reminds me, I actually lost my original wedding ring and I have no photos of it! It’s a long story. So documentation is one big reason I love writing down goals for the year.

Another reason is because I am a list person. It’s funny how there are so many ways I am just a laid back, fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants, hippie. But there’s a tiny little structured personality deep down inside me that causes me to get downright anal about some things. Planning and lists are some of those things. I make a list almost every single day and when it comes to planning trips, parties, births,  Christmas cards etc.  I am the queen of detail!

So you take my love for documenting, lists, and planning and that adds up to New Year’s day being one of my favorite days of the entire year. It’s right up there with Christmas and Chick-fil-A cow day for me. I know that is strange, but aren’t new things always exciting?! That’s why some people just cut to the chase and ask “what’s new?” Because whether it’s new shoes, new car, or a new baby, sometimes we just crave something NEW! We’ll be bringing in the New Year at my in laws undoubtedly playing cards. They LOVE games, especially Hand and Foot. We have played it hundreds of times through the years. And probably a dozen times so far over Christmas break. There are three rounds for each game so even if you tank the first round you can still catch up in the second or third. Then let’s say you still loose the game. There is a good chance with this family that you’ll get a second chance because they’ll play the game again. There is that feeling comes when you start a new game that is the best part because it’s a clean slate. You’ve been given another chance to start all over. That’s the feeling I get at the beginning of year. It’s like a fresh start after loosing a game, or better yet getting another chance when you were already on top of your game!

I didn’t do that awesome with this year’s resolutions, but out of the three things I wanted to focus on (blogging, cleaning, and reading) I definitely achieved my reading goal. The cool thing about looking back is that this time last year I was reviewing my goals for 2013 and I had failed to visit Michigan or have an updated family photo. At the time that was discouraging, but I did manage to make it to Michigan in 2014

and we had our family portrait made too.

So it might have been a year late, but we did accomplish those goals and that makes me so happy!

I know that was a lot of rambling, but when I started reviewing some of my old New Year’s posts and began thinking about this one it just made me realize how much I love this underrated holiday. Next I will share what my goals are for this year. Let the countdown begin.