No Hall Pass!

My new salad bowl in my in-progress kitchen (which is slowly coming together)

Last year I gave myself a hall pass when it came to New Year's resolutions, and it still ended up being a pretty productive year.  I figured that I had just bought a house at the end of 2010, so 2011 should sail along smoothly without any real goals that needed to be accomplished.  As you probably know, I was WAY off on that as I got pregnant, gave birth, and remodeled my home throughout 2011 instead of taking things down a notch.

So this year I am not giving myself a hall pass option, and I've been trying to establish what my exact goals should be.  I didn't want to have your typical goals, but some of them are necessary.  I also wanted them to be tangible, so here goes:

• Finish the house remodel - This simply means that we need have the city sign off that our house construction is complete.  I do not think my house will ever be "finished" since I am the type of woman who likes to decorate and re-decorate.
• Significantly pay off credit card debt - Usually I stay clear of credit debt except when it is for my house and a certain house remodel.  I currently have two cards just about maxed.  If I can pay one off by the end of the year, I will consider that a successful resolution.
• Be more outgoing - It's only been about 3 weeks since I became a mother of two and I'm seeing that doing simple things like going to the supermarket by myself with the little ones is damn near impossible.  This is an issue when coupled with my "home-body" personality.  I'll NEVER get out of the house!  I want to make sure that my children are well-socialized and that we have fun family outings, and that I don't use them as my scapegoat for staying in.  If I can, at least occasionally, personally take them to the park and plan a special family outing for every other week (while being a working mom) I will consider this a success!
• Get fit - I know.  This is everybody's resolution.  But I have pregnancy blubber that I need to get rid of.  Also, see the next resolution.
• Fashion Forward - I'd like to get back into fashion as my body gets back to normal.  I will start posting more fashion-related posts.
• Make Memories - Take more videos and pictures now that I plan on being more out-going.  It's Mateo's first year and things will need to be documented as always. 
• Be more affectionate to my husband - With all the daily stuff that goes on, I sometimes forget to just stop and hug my husband.  I'm naturally not that affectionate - unless you have fur or can't change your own diaper.  Hubby isn't going to sprout an undercoat anytime soon, but he needs and deserves that type of affection.
• Gourmet Chef - OK, so maybe not gourmet, but now that my new kitchen is slowly taking shape, I'd like to spend more time creating wonders in it.  Especially since I'm about to inherit double-ovens and basically all appliances from one of my husband's rich customers that simply no longer want them! Part of this goal is to eat more greens, hence the picture of my new salad bowl compliments of Target.  I plan to cook at least one out-of-my-comfort-zone meal a week and maybe get into baking on the weekends.  Gotta use those ovens!
• Job, job, job - Not sure what yet, but something needs to be done.   

Whoa - those are a lot of goals!  I may have broken the cardinal rule to not stretch myself too thin. 

But then again, being thin is one of my goals!  - Shirley