New Year...Resolutions vs. Bucket List

To put things simply I've learned more this year than ever before...five years of college have had nothing on 2010.

A few choice brain fillers: in an age when we are fighting obesity left and right my child needs to eat butter, olive oil, bacon and ice cream to keep an acceptable weight. Mackinley has fought to stay on the growth charts for both height and weight and we have tried so many different things to keep him gaining pounds, even ounces sometimes, that I can't even begin to tell you what works.

Friends are not always who they seem...it's worth it to lose a few in order to not lose yourself. If a friend says "you are second best" to their dog, toss them. If a friend asks you to stand up for them in their wedding and then says they chose a "friend" who left them in the street injured, toss them. Bottom line, keep the friends who deserve to be in your life not those who think you feel lucky to be in theirs.

Facebook eats your brain. Period.

Never lose touch with someone who is important to you, they could teach you life lessons that inspire the most random things. For example, pearl onions are amazing and just enough bling is hott.

A good friend is not someone who has been in your life the longest...it's about what they contribute. I have met a wonderful woman, mother and friend this year and we have only spoken through our keyboards. Allie, you drag me out of holes, help me realize even a grain of food is a milestone and that it can only get better from here...right? I never thought I would feel so alone in motherhood but when God chose us to be Mackinley's parents he gave us an extra special child. No matter how many times someone tells you that you were "chosen" to be the parent of your child sometimes it's still impossible to understand why. I think that Allie and I have worked through a lot of hidden "whys" this year and I know I would probably have given up had I not had her as my partner in pahypopit. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

And most importantly, never take anything for granted it could be gone in an instant. We never took Mackinley for granted but seeing him hospitalized for something as simple as a stomach bug makes you see how fragile life can be. Seeing your child hooked up to machines with IVs in him and waking every hour to make sure he is okay and comfortable is no way to spend year one. It is a reality though and one we will be a part of for the rest of his life. You may not be able to see it in the picture but this little boy has been through more in 15 months than most kids go through in their entire life.




I haven't decided if I should come up with a resolution or actually write down the things I keep saying I want to do before I bite the bullet. I guess I should do both and see how far I get with either option.

I think my resolution for 2011 will be to take care of myself...not better care but care...because I have really let myself go. I have not been ideal in my eating and have even lost touch with many of my passions. Why haven't I come to terms with not dancing anymore and taken a Zumba class to fill the void???

Bucket List:
1. Update my blog, someday it will seem much more important than today.
2. Learn to ballroom dance.
3. Travel to Italy.
4. Learn to knit a hat.
5. Bake bran muffins from scratch (simple right? I think I can get to this one).
6. Get rid of my obsession with hanging up clothes to avoid POSSIBLE shrinkage.
7. Enjoy jogging.
8. Create and give birth to baby #2.
9. Train in boxing.
10. Paint my house (inside).
11. Keep at least 1 plant alive for an expected plant lifetime.

I think 11 is good to start with since it is 2011. I sure hope a few of them are checked off before I go to add more in 2012.