“At the moment that we persuade a child, any child, to cross that threshold, that magic threshold into a library, we change their lives forever, for the better.”
-Barack Obama (as a Senator)

When BigBrother was itsy-bitsy, I started taking him to the library for story time. He couldn’t even sit up on his own at that very first class. I sat on the floor with him on my lap. I clapped his hands. I sang him songs. I forced myself out of the house while muddling through postpartum depression. I endured the stupid of other parents and children for one reason and one reason only: I wanted my child to love the library.

It worked, and he fell in love with the library at a very young age. As did his brother. I have my parents to thank for my love of the library.

I remember getting my first library card. I was around the age of six and it was a hot summer day. My mom drove me across the border into Ohio to the Carnegie Public Library. I remember the dome and the sound of our feet on the floor. I remember the echo of my voice; I’ve never whispered quite well. I remember signing my name and my mom reminding me about the weight of responsibility. I remember my first fine.

Since BigBrother has been five-and-a-half for over a month now, I thought I should pay my library fine and take him to get his library card. (I’m okay with having library fines; I see it as “supporting the local library.”) I asked sometime after his fifth birthday what the Magic Age of Library Card Getting was and my favorite librarian shocked and awed me when she said, “Birth.” We got into a discussion how people will get cards for their newborns just so they can borrow more DVDs. Sigh.

FireDad and I decided to go with five-and-a-half and spent a few months talking about responsibility and taking care of books and designating a specific library bag for his picks and so on. It was a Very Big Deal. We made plans today and it was all he talked about until after lunch.

After he picked out his five books and the two of them picked out a movie together, we made our way to the counter. Our favorite librarian waited on us and understood that it was a Very Big Deal. BigBrother grinned from ear to ear. He was polite if not a little fidgety/excited. LittleBrother got kind of miffed that I told him he couldn’t have one for two years, but was distracted with pushing the button to open the doors on the way out. (Ooh! Shiny!)

I took a photo outside the library this morning so I could document the whole affair. I mean, after all, a picture is worth a thousand words… so a picture of a library card is probably worth 50 million. Right? Unless your memory card eats it, that is. But I drove us back this evening and retook the picture, because I wanted a visual representation of this momentous occasion. His very first library card.

Picture drama aside, the kid is super proud of his library card… for which he signed his own name. He showed his Daddy at the fire station when we stopped by and has been talking about library this and library that all day. My heart has swelled with 84 kinds of book worm parent pride.

Here’s hoping this is the start of a lifelong personal relationship with the library.

A Photo of a Library Card Is Worth 50 Million Words is a post from Stop, Drop and Blog. Want more of Stop, Drop and Blog? Like our page on Facebook! If you have questions, contact me or hit me up via twitter.

Probably not, but let’s go!

– __ — __ –

Project 365 Favorites — So, I’ve failed the Project 365 in which you take one photo every day for a year for the past four years. I made it through a few tough days in 2010, but lost it at some point. I’ve also found that due to my job, sometimes I simply don’t want to pick up the camera on any given day. I do need time off. And that’s okay. So, Project 365 Favorites simply requires you to end up with 365 photos that you like/love at the end of the year. That I can do. I’ll be starting a special set on my flickr, though I’ll post favorites either here or the photography blog as time/space allows. Also: I reserve the right to trade photos in and out over the year. Hat tip to Burgh Baby and moosh in indy for this particular idea.

Reading Challenges — I already wrote about the challenges I’m participating in and other goals. But basically, my main goal is to outread myself in 2011. I read 64 in 2010, so even 64.5 would be welcome. Quite honestly, I feel like that number is somewhere around my personal threshold with the boys being so young. I know others with young children can read more, but I seem to get around the same number every year. I’m really okay with that, so if I only read one more book, I’ll be pleased. (Plus, you know, completing challenges which are just fun.)

Healthy Me Project — In 2010, I had lofty weight loss goals. And I met them because I did great things for my health, not my weight. I made great food choices. I picked up yoga — which I fell in love with! I started running again — and ran a 5K! And then we went on vacation at the end of August… and I fell off the wagon. Well, I didn’t fall off. I willingly jumped off. And I never willingly climbed back on. I did stupid things like consume way too much fast food (and not the healthy fast food options either). I drank pop (soda, if you will). I stopped running (though, to be fair to me, I had an ankle injury). I even stopped doing yoga for which I have no good reason. As you might imagine, I gained all of the weight back. Plus a small bit more. Swell. And so my Healthy Me Project is mostly about getting back on track with food choices, water consumption, exercise and positive body recognition. (See also: Own Your Beauty.) If I don’t lose the 20 pounds that would put me back in healthy range, well, I’ll be okay with it — as long as I’m still making healthy choices at the end of the year. (Minus holiday food allowances, of course.) Tune in tomorrow when I tell you about something cool I’m participating in to help me with this project.

– __ — __ –

So, I’m basically doing the same things that I always do, but just calling them projects. I also have some house projects (base boards, new doors, possibly a painting project) but those involve participation from FireDad so I won’t commit until we discuss what we can/cannot do together. I’m sure I’ll come up with other things over the year.

And, of course, there’s that whole possibility thing. 2011 is going to be great!

Do you have any goals, resolutions or projects for 2011?

My Projects for 2011 is a post from Stop, Drop and Blog. Want more of Stop, Drop and Blog? Like our page on Facebook! If you have questions, contact me or hit me up via twitter.

1) I’d like to read more than this year, which topped out at 64. Not my best reading year but not my worst either (both worst years coming in at the year after each boy was born).

2) Keep my Goodreads account updated. No. Really. I say it every year. Maybe I’ll do it this year! Basically I get to mid-year/mid-summer, find myself without Internet access while camping and forget that Goodreads exists until about October. I’m awesome. But, feel free to add me and help me stay accountable.

3) Participate in a few actual challenges. Those being:

• The 2011 Young Adult Reading Challenge. I read more YA last year than the year before and decided that I really liked where YA authors nowadays are going with things. So this challenge is a natural extension of my reading. I’m only going for the 20 book challenge as I’m participating in other challenges as well. I think 20 YA books would make me happy. If you have any must-read suggestions in this category, let me know!
• The Memorable Memoirs Challenge. Mmm, I love memoirs, so it’s likely a cheat to join this challenge, but the number of memoirs I read in 2010 dropped. I want the number to go up this year, hence the challenge. What’s your favorite memoir?
• And, of course, the Adoption Reading Challenge. I’m hosting that over at Chronicles. I’m going for the 20 level, which means I’m reading 10 non-fiction and 10 fiction books that revolve around adoption. I’m most excited to read Jessica Lost: A Story of Birth, Adoption & The Meaning of Motherhood by Bunny Crumpacker and Jil Picariello, but it doesn’t come out until May 3. I’m pre-ordering though!

4) Be smarter about requesting books from the library. Like sassymonkey said, it’s not that I want to avoid requesting books, but sometimes I get request happy and everything comes in at once and I PANIC! Sometimes it’s not my fault: It can takes weeks or months for books to come in if they’re overly popular. But sometimes it’s just my happy-request-finger.

5) Read the books that I bought in 2010 and didn’t read. Whoops.

6) I have other interests that I want to make sure make their way into my reading (adoption, firefighting, photography, writing, bloggers’ books — especially bloggers’ books and why isn’t there a bloggers’ book challenge?, and so on). This is not a specific “challenge” but more of a mental note to keep my own personal interests above the interests of, say, best seller lists and, you know, Oprah.

7) I’ll also be participating in the BlogHer book club which will give me a book a month to read and think about and generally enjoy with other book-loving people. Hooray!

8 ) As per usual, I want to add to the boys’ ever-growing library. BigBrother has made a decisive trend toward science related books this year, so I hope to get him some great children’s non-fiction as well as some fiction that talks about science. Have you learned about the Dr. Seuss Learning Library yet? I’m in love, as is BigBrother. LittleBrother is still in a big fire truck phase, so we’ll be adding more of those as well. Of course.

9) Try to read some more books written by… uh… men. It’s never been a conscious thing. I’ve never purposefully engaged in penis embargo readership. But as I gravitate toward books about women, pregnancy, adoption, fertility and the like, I don’t always catch male writers. I’ll make a better effort this year.

10) And lastly, enjoy reading. Sometimes I get bogged down with reading because of the pressure I place on myself to read, read, read. That’s ridiculous. I’m tossing that aside this year.

What are your reading goals for 2011? Are you joining any reading challenges? If you’d like to join my Adoption Reading Challenge, that would be swell!

Reading Goals, 2011 is a post from Stop, Drop and Blog. Want more of Stop, Drop and Blog? Like our page on Facebook! If you have questions, contact me or hit me up via twitter.

I had a wide and varied library with me, but chose to dabble a bit in romance since I read romance novels so infrequently.

Now I remember why!

To boot, pun intended, these two romance novels were… wait for it… FIREFIGHTER ROMANCE NOVELS. Win.

The first was The Firefighter’s Secret Baby which started as a joke and then made its way through Denise, Sassymonkey and Elizabeth before being delivered to me. I love friends with humor. The book was somewhat different than I had expected. It was full of (cheesy) suspense, with things being blown up and people chasing the main characters. A baby is obviously involved. So is the FBI. And the mob. And the previously mentioned firefighter. And some kind of triggering adoption-speak, but it was too cheesy to be too triggering.

Kind of lacking in the realism factor. But that’s okay. What’s not okay, however, is the crazy sex the main female was having less than a week after a traumatic birth experience. I laughed. A lot. Not at the cheesiness of the writing (which, yes, it was still cheesy), but at the thought that any woman could read that section and possibly think that sex so shortly after birth would feel that good. Also? No mention of the breastmilk that was likely pouring at that point since she wasn’t nursing the baby. I had a good laugh.

This book was part of the Atlanta Heroes series… and, sadly, I want more to be available already.

As an aside, thank you to Denise, sassymonkey and Elizabeth for signing the book before sending it to me. That sentence is brought to you with a side of cheese. (Ha!)

The second was an accidental find at the library right before we left for camp. Island Sojourn by Katrina Thomas is another firefighter romance, with a small twist. This time the main female character is the firefighter, which is the fire time I’ve seen that in any firefighter romances I have read. (And I’ve read a few.) Of course, the man that she meets and falls for while on her beach vacation to the Outer Banks is, you might have guessed it, a firefighter as well. She’s a professional and he’s a volunteer.

This particular book was somewhat more believable than the previous one. It involves a lot of sisters, a beach house and shenanigans pulled by said sisters to get the younger sister someone to date. And marry. I kind of resented the fact that they were pushing her to date and marry just like them. Maybe she wanted to be single! Maybe she wasn’t interested in men! Maybe she was seeing someone on the sly back home! Get off her back, nosy sisters! But, as it always does, it worked out in the end.

This book had a great fire scene… until they sent the man in to make sure that she was okay. Granted, she ran in without a mask or any gear, which was silly. And she probably did need some rescuing. But I kind of resent the “let’s rescue women” theme in romance novels.

In the end, I kind of enjoyed both reads more than I wanted to. FireDad had a great time making fun of me any time he saw me reading either book. I would have made fun of me as well.

If you know of a firefighter book, romance or not, that I need to be reading, please let me know!

Bad Romance is a post from Stop, Drop and Blog. Want more of Stop, Drop and Blog? Like our page on Facebook! If you have questions, contact me or hit me up via twitter.

And now I’m offering you, my readers, a chance to win five books on Mother’s Day! FIVE!

That’s right. Five books. For you. They include: Just Let Me Lie Down by Kristin van Ogtrop (which was reviewed by the SV Moms Group recently), God Never Blinks by Regina Brett, Heart of My Heart by Kristin Armstrong, The Cradle by Patrick Somerville and Roses by Leila Meacham.

I agreed to run this giveaway, partnering up with Hachette Book Group USA, because I love books. I think books can change things for people. I know that certain books, like the one we’re currently reading for the Open Adoption Book Tour, have changed how I view myself and my situation(s). As I said above, Mother’s Day is hard for me. I don’t know if that will ever change for me, though I assume some years might be easier than others. What I do know, however, is that I can make some other mom’s day by letting her know that she won five books! I’m a giver. When other people are happy, I’m happy. I could probably use some happiness on Sunday! So, here we go!

Mandatory Entry:

Comment on this post with a thought about mothering. It doesn’t have to be about Mother’s Day, just about mothering in general. The ups, the downs, the omgz!, the challenges, the triumphs. Hit me. Make me cry. Make me laugh. You may leave one comment of this nature.

After you complete the above mandatory entry, you can complete any of these additional entries. Please remember to leave a comment for each additional entry so that I may count them properly. Example: if you tweet, leave a comment elsewhere and write a blog post about it, you would leave me three separate comments (in addition to your one above) telling me about each step. Questions? Email me.

1. Follow me on twitter, @FireMom, and tweet: RT @FireMom Win 5 books for yourself this Mother’s Day! http://bit.ly/cdgq1x . If you’re already following me on twitter, keep on doing so and tweet the above message! It still counts!

2. Follow @HachetteBooks on twitter.

3. Blog about this giveaway on your public blog. Link to this blog post in your post.

4. Visit this BlogHer post and comment about which book was your favorite, thus donating a book to a child in need.

5. Share a link to this giveaway on any social networking site. Just let me know which ones in an individual comment for each separate site!

This giveaway is live through 7:30pm on Mother’s Day, May 9, 2010. At that point, I will hit random.org, pull a winner and contact that winner via email. The winner has 24 hours to reply with their shipping information or I will pull an alternate winner. Books will be shipped directly from Hachette Book Group USA (though it would help me greatly if you let me know when you receive your books!). If the winner is a blogger (she doesn’t have to be), I’ll make sure to link to her blog on the announcement post on Monday, May 10, 2010. Free books. Free links. Free awesomesauce.

Now get to commenting. And, really, please try to have a decent Mother’s Day. I’ll try if you do, okay?

_
[Disclosure: I received a copy of the books in exchange for this giveaway. I received no other compensation, other than the joy of reading your mothering comments and knowing that someone else got to be happy on Mother's Day. That's all the compensation I needed!]

Making the Most of Mother’s Day (A Giveaway!) is a post from Stop, Drop and Blog. Want more of Stop, Drop and Blog? Like our page on Facebook! If you have questions, contact me or hit me up via twitter.

I can get behind that. Without further adieu, my post about books that influenced me.

–

I was always a reader. I was reading by the time I was four, one of those annoying precocious children who would correct the person reading a story if they dared to make a mistake. I’m not sure how my parents dealt with me other than by continuing to hand me books, books and more books. I devoured anything I came across. I actually blame my love of reading for missing most movies in the 80′s and 90′s. My parents tell me that I was present for any number of movies I claim never to have seen; it is likely I was sitting on the couch with a book in hand, unaware of the movie of the night.

Certain books just hit me in that amazing way that books do if you let them. The Secret Garden is a book that sits in the nearest and dearest places in my book loving heart. I believe the copy I received, a gorgeous keepsake hardback, was given to me by a book-loving aunt for one of my birthdays. It transported me to somewhere I still escape to on occasion. I can still conjure up the smell of that particular book. I can still feel the pages, the binding such that the pages weren’t all neatly lined up. I loved that book.

Similarly, the entire Anne of Green Gables series transported me to another time and place. And Little Women. And my grandmothers’ copies of the Nancy Drew books. And also my grandma’s horse books, older than my parents, My Friend Flicka and Black Beauty. Also, in second grade I read an abridged version of Romeo and Juliet and promptly developed a rather embarrassing crush on my reading teacher, referring to him as Romeo. I might not have understood that they both died at the end. Ever the romantic that I am.

These are just a few, mind you. The ones that stick out immediately when I think of books that I loved, so dearly, as a child.

I look at my boys now and wonder if they will be readers. And not just because-they-have-to readers but book worms, lovers and other descriptive words for people who choose books over other forms of entertainment. I read to them, with them, and always have. I am always sure to take advantage of the Scholastic book order when it comes home. (In fact, I totally snagged myself a book from one recently. Ann M. Martin wrote a prequel to The Babysitter’s Club which is yet another series that ruled my early reading life.) I wonder what book will stick out in their memories, what will be their favorite, what will change their views. Their lives.

And they’re lucky, these boys. They have books. So many books. I buy books for no occasion. Any gift giving holiday certainly nets them new books in larger quantities. Books are just what we do around here. We take regular trips to the library. Recently, when we didn’t stop as was passed our local library, LittleBrother exclaimed, “Bye li-berry! See you tomorrow!” And he was right. It breaks my heart to know that there are children who don’t have access to books like we do. I remember watching a documentary in which a high school senior had never owned a book of his own. I can’t even fathom.

That’s why I took the time to write this post. So that BookRenter will donate a book to a child in need. So that maybe that child will become a book lover. So that they will know the power of a book. So that maybe someday, when they’re raising children of their own, they might pass on the importance of books and that love might get passed on for generations upon generations.

Will you go comment about your favorite book? Or write your own post and link up? That’s all it takes to help donate books to children who desperately need them. Take a moment today. And then go read with your kids.

_
(As a side note, if you live in Ohio, you need to get your doopa to the polls today and vote. Some of you have very important levies that will decide how your library may or may not function. Go vote. Now.)

Books I Loved + Help Kids Get Books is a post from Stop, Drop and Blog. Want more of Stop, Drop and Blog? Like our page on Facebook! If you have questions, contact me or hit me up via twitter.

“The first of April is the we remember what we are the other 364 days of the year.” – Mark Twain

I planned no April Fools’ jokes. I fear, however, the gorgeous 80 degree weather with a lovely Spring breeze that we are experiencing today will be Mother Nature’s cruel joke against us. April is, of course, the cruelest month though, despite what T.S. Eliot wrote, January and February seem much more difficult for me. Today the sun is shining and I feel like a new person. A person soon to become one year older but a new person all the same. Ah, birthday month is upon us.

Despite my reservations about my upcoming birthday, I am delighted that it is April. The birds are chirping. The sky is blue. My apple tree is finally forming buds. My lilies sprouts continue to grow daily. The breeze is whipping the curtains. And later today, we’ll take another walk. We’ll eat dinner with the windows open, the screen door pulling the air through the house. We’ll breathe in the fresh air that evaded us all winter. Eventually, of course, it will rain again. But we have boots. And rain jackets.

My April desktop features our loves, old and new: taking walks with our new wagon.

(This month’s desktop came from Designer Digitals.)

I am also pleased to announce that I am on track with my Project 365. My March mosaic is finished.

But I am also worried. There were a few pictures in March that were done as we entered that haunting eleventh hour and I realized that I had taken no green pictures. My theme for the month was green and despite having taken good, quality, artistic pictures on certain days, I found myself at 11:35 with no green pictures to show for all of my work. I am uncertain if I will do a theme this month though, again, it kept me on my toes. I’m hoping to avoid default pictures (using the only picture I took on a day) or eleventh hour “what can I find in my dark house that is okay to photograph” shots. We will see.

Book wise? I have read 15 books thus far. If I continue at this rate, I’ll be well over my goal of 50 books this year. My worry, of course, is that with the lovely weather we’re having, I’ll be outside chasing small children more than I will be cuddled up on the corner of the couch reading. April, however, is known for rain and the like so I imagine I should be able to stay on track. I have some interesting books lined up. I’m pleased with my progress thus far. The boys have added 25 books to their physical  library (though their list only shows 22; some aren’t available on Goodreads). And I just ordered eight more from Scholastic. What can I say? I can’t say no to a book purchase.

Weight wise, I have hit my first goal (10 pounds)! I am hoping to continue with the weight loss as I have something big planned for later this month. The goal I have in mind for April 24th is healthy and do-able but not at the current rate in which I have been losing weight. It also took me three months to make it this far so I won’t be absolutely devastated if I don’t hit my twenty-four day goal but, still, I’ll be kicking the workouts up a notch!

April will be a busy month for us. I’m learning to re-balance my time. My #momspotting gig has come to an end but I’m now a Contributing Editor for Mom Central on the Tech Blog. (My first two posts are up! Go see!) I have some interesting photography prospects going on as there are many newborns in my life right now. Add in Easter (and these cupcakes), the start of t-ball season, four other family birthdays, my birthday, rehearsals, the big thing at the end of the month (oh-so-secretive, no?) and the daily ins and outs of life and April seems to be overwhelmingly busy.

Overwhelmingly wonderful as well. Happy April!

April is Here is a post from Stop, Drop and Blog. Want more of Stop, Drop and Blog? Like our page on Facebook! If you have questions, contact me or hit me up via twitter.

“It is the memory that enables a person to gather roses in January.” – Unknown

January is over. I can’t say that I’m sad to see it go. What started off as a wonderful month has become an increasingly difficult year. The death of my beloved Grandfather has thrown me for a loop, leaving me unable to find the words to properly blog over the past few weeks. With some other severe health concerns in my husband’s family, FireDad and I are somewhat dreading the continuation of this year. That sounds so negative and unlike me, unlike us as a whole.

And yet, while I’ve been immensely sad, the quote above applies. Something about the passing of someone so dear allows us to reach into the back caverns of our mind and remember things we simply hadn’t taken the time to pull to the front of our brains. I know that I was lucky. Or, rather, I am lucky to have been so loved by such a wonderful man. I am the luckiest of all of the grandchildren in the fact that my children not only got to meet their great-grandfather, their Big Papau, but they got to love and interact and play and laugh with him as well. I feel sad that my brother and his wife won’t know that same joy. I feel even more sad that the other grandchildren won’t get to introduce their future spouses to Grandpa. Maybe I am the luckiest. I do try to remember that.

Despite the grief of this month, it’s been a rather successful one. I’ve read eight books and, no, I don’t know where I found the time. I hit my deadlines though it was very difficult for me to do last week and contributed to a lack of blogging here (and there). I drove around Ohio. We just finished the floor in our kitchen and dining room (more about that project here). (By we I mean my amazing husband with a smidgen of help from his dad, his grandpa and a phone call to one of my uncles.) I started yoga in a class setting and really kicked up my own personal workout time, successfully losing two pounds this month (though I may have gained that back this weekend during a lovely day out with my friends). I started hosting two separate (awesome) giveaways. I had a post syndicated on BlogHer (go leave a comment on my parenting in public post if you would). And I took (at least) one picture, every single day.

In 2008 when my maternal (step)Grandfather died, I failed that very week at Project 365. I really thought that the passing of my paternal Grandfather would do the same. Instead, in the confusing hour after that phone call, I picked up my camera and expressed my grief visually. I may fancy myself a writer but the photographer in me comes out when I can’t find the words to say what I’m feeling in the deep recesses of my heart. January, of course, proves difficult in this region when it comes to creativity and lighting. I do hope that during the month of February I can work on being a bit more creative and not just flubbing through the project. Either way, I’ll keep at it.

January was difficult but it seems that I not only survived but managed to be rather successful despite the fog of grief. I will admit that even though they often bring tears, remembering and sharing stories and memories about my Papau has been a welcome distraction from the sadness. It’s been my way of gathering roses in this bleak midwinter month of January. Though, I’ll be honest, I’m ready for Spring as I have an idea to honor my Grandfather.

Plus, I’m cold. Brr.

Gathering Roses in January is a post from Stop, Drop and Blog. Want more of Stop, Drop and Blog? Like our page on Facebook! If you have questions, contact me or hit me up via twitter.

New Year’s Eve was great. The kids played together, danced and raced their Mario Karts. The adults played card and board games. Everyone, including every last child, stayed up until midnight. I got to kiss FireDad as the ball finally dropped. And, minus packing up to leave, not one child cried. All evening. There wasn’t even much whining or arguing. It was a New Year’s Eve Miracle!

Which means it’s now 2010. Time to make some new goals for the year.

1. Reading Goal: 50 books. I set a goal of 60 last year and made it to 57. I find this acceptable. I’m dropping back down to 50 because I know it’s attainable with everything else that I do. I have my 2010 read list on Goodreads set up and will really be striving to keep it updated this year. More over, I have another goal to add 100 books to the boys’ library this year and I’ll be keeping track of their new books on Goodreads as well.

I thought about discussing my five favorite books that I read this year but, I’ll be honest, I can’t pick five. I will say, however, that The Time Traveler’s Wife was not only my favorite this year but likely ranks as my favorite ever. I need to re-read previous favorites and make that final decision.

2. Photography Goal(s): Participate in (and finish!) Project 365, get better at sports photography, purchase my new personal dSLR and push myself creatively. As you know, I’m working part-time for the local newspaper. Minus the getting better at sports photography, which will come in time, my goals are all personal. I failed at Project 365 last year but have faith that 2010 will be my year of completion. Similarly, my plan in 2009 was to purchase my new dSLR but then my laptop died mid-year and that took over the purchase money. Then I got the newspaper job and my plans for sticking with Canon flew out the window (we shoot with Nikon) so I’ve been busy researching Nikon purchases. As far as pushing myself creatively, it’s harder in the winter but I know that the reason I fail with Project 365 is because I get stuck in a rut. I hope to start following some more blogs, join some great challenge flickr groups and generally surround myself with other awesome photographers (likely virtually) to keep me on task. Also, I’m going to make a Vision Board (not just about photography but largely).

3. Fitness Goal: Tone up and/or lose 10 pounds. I don’t want to discuss the failure of last year considering, at one point, I exceeded my goal and then lost it. I do, however, want to get back on the fitness train this year. I’m fine with certain aspects of how my body has changed but I desperately need to tone up. I am not needing to lose a ton of weight so I’m not applying to be a #mamavation mom but I have considered the sistahood. I’m also back to tracking things on SparkPeople. I think I’m going ahead with the purchase of Wii Fit Plus. When warmer weather comes around, I might do something more outside. Not sure yet.

As per usual, I hope to stay organized, be a great mom and continue with some of my professional writing goals. (Which I’m apparently doing in ways that are bigger than I could have imagined at this time last year.) I’m hoping that at the end of 2010, whether or not these three(+) specific goals are fully “finished,” that I am a happy and healthy version of myself and that my husband and children are the same. Really, in the end, that’s the ultimate goal but, for me, that happiness is tied to some of these things as is my health.

Here’s hoping your 2010 is happy and healthy, too!

Happy New Year! And My 2010 Goals is a post from Stop, Drop and Blog. Want more of Stop, Drop and Blog? Like our page on Facebook! If you have questions, contact me or hit me up via twitter.

_
[For more Wordless Wednesday, visit 5 Minutes for Mom.]

Wordless Wednesday: A Rare Moment Alone Together is a post from Stop, Drop and Blog. Want more of Stop, Drop and Blog? Like our page on Facebook! If you have questions, contact me or hit me up via twitter.