New Year's Eve

Ah, it's that time again.  It's that magical day in which everyone believes that tonight at midnight, the slate is wiped clean and you can start all over.  People miraculously decide that they're going to lose 20 pounds, start following a budget and undo all of the damage they've done in the last eleven months by breaking the resolutions they set last New Year's.  It makes you wonder why the change of the year is the trigger...why can't it be midnight every night? Sunday? On the first of the month? Or, the beginning of the decade or century?  For your New Year's resolution this year, I challenge you to resolve to treat every day as a clean slate.  Make your resolutions for how you're going to be a better person tomorrow.  Just because you blew the diet/budget, etc. today, START OVER TOMORROW. 

So, just to be hypocritical, here are my New Year's Resolutions:

• Become Dave Ramsey.  I resolve to follow my budget, only buy clothes/things that are necessary and squirrel away a small fortune under my mattress, all the while paying off all of my credit card debt so that I can be completely debt-free by January 2.
• Become super, super mom.  I will not yell at my children, even when I've asked them for the 100th time to pick up their "blankety-blank" dirty socks and toys.  Oh, I guess I should add that I will not use swear words when telling them to pick up their "blankety-blank" items.  I will always be in a good mood around them, no matter how long my day at work was, how dirty the house is, or how lazy my husband is.   I will clean, do laundry, and cook, all the while whistling.  I will not fuss at a said fourteen year old when she tells me that she "forgot" she needs something for a project due today at 7:30am in the morning on her way out the door.  I will not bite anyone's head off when I get home from the store to be told, "Oh, I forgot to tell you, the dog needs food."
• Become super maid.  My house will always be spotless, so feel free to stop by anytime.  There will never be a rogue Zhu-Zhu pet or lego or matchbox car or shoe or newspaper or school book or plate, or glass, or set of keys, or pile of mail, or pile of laundry, or rogue dog hair in my home.  Ever.  Feel free to check me out.

So, here's to new beginnings.  Whether it's the new year or a new day, I resolve to make it EXCEPTIONAL.