I have no real resolutions, because I'm lazy.

2011 was an interesting year. It brought me some joy, some sadness, some irritation, some excitement, some betrayal....oh wait, that is a typical day for me!!! I'm a little run by my emotions you see:)

It also brought about some massive introspection, about why I do some things, fail at some things. And I wanted to jump on the bandwagon and pick one word to represent 2012, but I couldn't make the one word work. So I picked No Excuses.

I think my life lately has been run by excuses.

I am too tired, I hurt too much, I don't have money, I don't have time, blah blah blah blah blah. And instead of giving myself the break I think I need or deserve, I am instead being an enabler to myself. Which really holds me back more than any amount of fatigue or pain. I am enabling myself by standing in my own way.

Things like weight loss, keeping my house clean, keeping track of school work, laundry, and generally feeling on top of things has alluded me for the past couple of years. Which honestly, is completely new to me. This is not who I have been in the past, so I'm not sure who this impostor is who has been living my life.

But no more, I say! No more excuses.

Also, I am starting a little project right here on this blog. It is my own idea, not to say that it is original, but just to let you know that I am not copying anyone on purpose.

It is called 365 days of Reality.

You see, I have read about and talked to people over the last little while who are tired of blogs taking on the glow of perfection that doesn't really exist for anyone. Yet, we don't want to listen to someone whine all day either. But I think that in reality, EVERY day is both a perfection day, and a whiny day. Because elements of each usually happen all day long.

I have always tried to be honest in blogging about our life, to show the good and the weird, and the hilarious, and the messy.

But I thought it would be fun to be COMPLETELY honest, for a whole year. I think it will be fun for me, because I will have an entire complete year of the life of our family chronicled. Not just the little moments here and there that I spruce up to show you.

I am not exactly sure what this all will look like, but I think it will be fun to do something different, while still keeping a history of my family.

So tomorrow I will tell you about today, because I can't tell you about today until it's over, right?

But just to start off the year right, I will include for today the requisite New Year's Eve pictures. And just tell you the highlights from yesterday,Kay?

Highlights from yesterday:

Dog pooped in the house.

Got my hair cut, and when we returned to the car, the same dog had pooped in the car.

Then, when I tried to start the car to leave (after flinging the poop away), it wouldn't start.

Called Jeff. He came home. Luckily the car had started by then. But he bought a new starter and fixed that baby right up!

Starts like a dream now.

Hurried around like a mad woman cleaning my house to give the impression that "it always looks like this" for the missionaries to come over. (And FYI, I do this on the day that my parents come for piano lessons as well. Except, I know I'm not fooling them. But then my dad can sit and chat instead of feeling like he has to help his poor overwhelmed daughter clean her house)

Had a green smoothie that was delicious, but made me gassy. Ha ha ha! Did I just say that? Yes I did.

Played a supporting role in getting the kids to bed. Mostly I took over when I thought that Jeff had reached his boiling point. Which admirably, is pretty high. For some reason, all the staying up late and waking up late over break, hasn't worked itself out yet. Weird.

And then finally, fell asleep. Beautiful, blessed sleep. Amen.

We went to the house of some good friends for New Years. They have a tradition of making their own hats. We jumped in excitedly, of course, and had a great time, with so much food, Just Dance, Fireworks and grooving to music, and hat decorating, that it will be hard for another party to live up to this!

Oh, and Kate wasn't there. She is big now and went to a youth dance with friends. Boo. Hoo. Life goes faster than you think.