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Cordy's resolution for 2008: Learn to fly and be a superhero

I'm a little stunned that 2007 is already drawing to a close. Where did the year go? So much changed in my life in the past year: we had a new baby, I quit my job as an academic advisor, it was determined that Cordy has an autism spectrum disorder, and Cordy started preschool.

Looking at all that has changed, I'm hoping that 2008 brings fewer big changes and more family time together. Here are five resolutions I'd like to see my family accomplish in the new year.

1. Less nuggets and fries, more fruit and veggies. We eat out way, way too much. When it's been a long day, it's so easy to ask my husband to stop at a fast food drive-thru on the way home. But a quick, healthy (or at least healthier) dinner really isn't that hard to put together - it just requires a little motivation to get started. Eating at home will be cheaper, and so much better for all of us. One way I plan to implement this is to keep a list of various meals we can put together quickly, and then refer to that list when I can't think of what to make for dinner.

2. Visit more parks and free outdoor activities. Our city has a lot of parks, and there are several state parks that are only a short drive away. So many of these parks are filled with fun things for kids to do - nature walks, playgrounds, and a few even have water parks. It's a great excuse to get a little sunshine and exercise, and best of all, this entertainment is available for free! Why pay for a pool membership (when neither of the girls can swim yet) when there are fountains and water parks located around the city just waiting for us to jump in?

3. Downsize our collection of "stuff". In the corporate world, downsizing is a nice term for losing your job. In our house, downsizing is a nice term for getting rid of a lot of toys and junk. Our girls are blessed with generous relatives and friends who enjoy buying them enough toys to outfit a daycare center. Our house, though, isn't that big, which results in toys everywhere. The living room always looks cluttered, even after we clean it. Cordy is three, so this is a good year to start teaching her about giving to those less fortunate and appreciating what we have. I'd like to see our toy inventory reduced by half by the end of 2008. And I'd like to see other household junk reduced as well - the kids aren't the only ones with too much stuff.

4. Take a real family vacation. We go out of town a lot, but rarely is it only for pleasure. We've gone to conventions, traveled to workshops, or visited friends, sometimes with both girls, sometimes with only one of them. We've never taken a real vacation as a family. I think this is the year to remedy that. Cordy is at an age where she might make some memories from the trip, and Mira will also be a good age for traveling without being too much to deal with. I have no idea where we should go yet (ideas anyone?), but we need to take the time to have fun as a family.

5. Do more routine daily tasks with the girls. It's so easy to fall into a pattern where I run errands while my husband watches the girls. Most of the time we plan our errands so that one of us can take care of the task in peace, without the additional hassle of two kids weighing us down. But as a result we're not doing the girls any favors - they need to know what it's like to shop at the grocery, wait in line at the post office, etc. So while it's inconvenient, I need to take at least one of the girls with me when running errands, showing them that we often have responsibilities we must take care of, and that sometimes it isn't fun but you need to do them. Who knows, maybe I'll be able to turn Cordy into a great shopping helper at the grocery? And if that's a success, then I might enlist her to help with folding laundry.

Making resolutions is always the easy part. Putting them into practice will be more difficult. What resolutions are you making for 2008?

Read about other moms' New Year's resolutions and share your own at the Yule Blog.