Each Day is a New Chance To Shine! ...my aspirations & dreams

Dreams keep us going. Could you imagine facing each day with no goal? No purpose? I know the end of the year is fast approaching, but really each new day is another chance to dream and reach for our goals! As a young girl, I kept my goals hidden safely away in my beloved diary. As a teenager, fueled by ambition and college applications, I kept a notebook with my short and long term goals. It kept me on track and helped me to do the traveling and participate in programs I had always wanted to.

Now I rarely have time to jot down goals. I am far too busy as a SAHM chasing my children, cooking, cleaning and crashing into my chair at the end of the day. But, I do remember that great sense of accomplishment when I crossed an item off my list, so perhaps it is time to jot a few down for the coming year. Thankfully, TwitterMoms & OprahWinfrey's OWN Network motivated me to think about and write down my aspirations. Okay, they are not terribly glamorous... but, they are a few of my short-term and long-term goals.

My Home: We moved in last spring, and still have a long list of repairs and upgrades to make. It seems like when we got the boxes in the front door, all our progress stopped. But, here are my top 5.

1. Landscape our front yard - We need to pull out the old and dying bushes and replant. I also want to add some bulbs and more color to the front.
2. Paint our bedroom - We only did the downstairs and the kids room, but my bedroom needs a facelift and color.
3. Add knobs & Handles to our kitchen cabinets and drawers
4. Fence off my Garden - It is getting beat up from our new puppy and my chickens!
5. Build a new Chicken Coop - We need an upgrade for our girls! I love my eggs, but hate trying to reach in and clean their coop. I hope my DH can fashion something a bit more convenient.

Myself: This is an ongoing theme on this blog, I want to "build a better me". Don't worry! No plastic surgery. Just a bit of a diet and lifestyle changes.

1. I want to achieve my goal weight of 135 lbs - This will require many changes and steps to do. I need to get moving!
2. Find a new Haircut - Any other Moms out there sporting a 24/7 ponytail? I am in need of an update.
3. Run a 5 K - This is pretty ambitious but it has been on my list for many years. It would be awesome to finally cross off!
4. Try a new recipe a Week - I love to cook, but get into a rut sometimes. I want to try and force myself to mix things up.

So, how is that for a start? I don't usually write down New Year's resolutions, but I think I might have my start already this year. I know that 2011 is going to be a great year for my family. It would be even better if I could achieve some of these goals. I guess you will have to check back in the coming year to see how I am doing.

What are your goals or dreams for this coming year?

*Disclaimer - “I wrote this blog post while participating in the TwitterMoms and OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network blogging program, for a $50 gift card. For more information on how you can participate, click here.