List of changes for 2011

Listed below are eleven life changes for 2011 in no particular order:

1. Read my Bible more-of course, this is a given, but I am making it a point to read a little bit every day with no skipping. Kindle on my Android is going to make this much easier!
2. Pray more while keeping a journal-I have tried to do this before, and it wasn't successful. I am going to list down the extremely important things in my life and watch how God works the situation out.
3. Exercise-Yes, it is always everyone's New Year's Resolution it seems; however, my husband promises me to move our treadmill downstairs so I can walk or run whenever Allie is asleep for the evening.
4. Spend more time with Allie-After I get off of work, I go to get Allie from day care. When we get home, there is normally a million things to do. For example, cooking dinner, getting the garbage out, cleaning the kitchen, grading papers, and getting things ready for the next day. I have made it an effort to come home, change clothes, and spend some time with Allie before cooking dinner. When I do begin dinner, I make sure to involve her in it-give her a pot and a spoon and let her pretend to cook along with me.
   
5. Keep my nails polished, clean, and tidy-I am terrible about painting my finger and toe nails. I have already begun this change and so far, so good.
6. Do my make-up at home not in the car-nothing needs to be said about this....self explanatory.
   
7. Drink more water-I do like water, but I was just telling my sister-in-law, Kellie, about how much I love diet coke/Pepsi (it doesn't matter which one, both do the job). I really only get it in restaurants when I know there is a lot to do for the rest of the day and I need that extra "kick". I have heard caffeine is terrible for trying to lose weight. I do like coffee; however, I do not always drink the entire cup. Maybe I need to start ordering a coffee and I will get some caffeine, but won't drink the entire cup, whereas if I get a soft drink, I will drink at least two diet cokes/Pepsi's when I order them (plus a "to go" cup).
8. Clean my house once a week while straightening the house every day-I have good intentions about keeping the house clean. The hard part is straightening the house before cleaning. I am going to do my best to keep the house straightened so I don't have to work so hard when cleaning the house.
9. Make time to read more-I have always loved to read. In fact, when I was younger, I would not go to bed until the book I was reading was finished. I would sometimes go to bed at 2 in the morning! My goal is to read at least one book per month...(this does not include my Bible reading, of course)
10. Write my husband more encouraging notes-When Michael and I were first married, I would write him little notes and leave them in random places for him to find. He never really told me that they meant a lot to him, but I know the thought counts....we'll see how it goes.
11. Practice the piano more-I told a friend of mine the other day that the best they would ever be is when they are in college. It seems that once you graduate from a music program, you do not have the stress to be so amazing any longer and begin to let your skills slack a little through lack of practice. I have got to start doing my scales again and getting better classically. I know that when I do this, worship music will be directly affected!

I do have to say it was very difficult to come up with eleven things to change in my life, but I did it. I apologize for being so descriptive at times, but I felt the need! I will be sure to make it a point to look back at this blog and make these LIFE changes to improve the me that God created.