I really cherish this time of year, the week of relative quiet and calm between the busy holiday bookends. Well, as much quiet and calm as can be achieved with two small children in our midst. We get to have Chris home for most of the week, play with new puzzles and games, eat lots of Christmas cookies and drink from our newly-replenished tea and coffee supply, and share some lazy time with friends and family.

This time of year is also obviously filled with reflection on the past year’s highlights/failures and a renewed sense of hope that a new, blank calendar brings. 2012 already? How did THAT happen?! So I’ve been thinking about resolutions for the coming year. I do love to make a list of goals and it helps to share them; a sort of accountability that only comes when you reveal your wishes with others. Not that I really want people to say, “so Ash, how’s that weight loss coming along for ya now that it’s been a few months since you had Phoebe and you’re still lounging around in those maternity jeans?!” Yeah…

So onward to 2012 and my personal wishes:

• create my own art (again)
• consume more whole, clean foods (bye bye, Christmas cookies)
• get rid of my credit card debt (inspired by And Then She Saved)
• create a regular yoga practice (why hello there, yoga mat, it’s been a while)
• take on a few more small-business clients
• read more, surf less (like a real book with pages)
• walk more, drive less
• laugh more often
• be a better friend (like pick up the phone and actually speak to a live person)
• savor this fleeting caterpillar-time with my little birdies
• plan more date nights with Chris
• sweat (inspired by the Lululemon manifesto. I love this!)
• unclutter

How ’bout you, lovelies? What’s in store for you in the coming year? Do you like to create resolutions every year? Feel free to leave a link here to yours…

Happy New Year! XO