It's a New Year!

That last post was written kindly by my husband unbeknownst to be. Thank you, honey. I am not that good at poetry, so it was definitely not something that I could come up with!

But it is a new year, isn't it? And with a new year, comes new beginnings. Most people turn to resolutions or goals, and for the first time, maybe ever, I have a few for myself. Not really goals, but more challenges. If I don't make them, that's okay. I do want to try really hard though.

Are you ready for them, do you wanna hear?

Okay.

1. My first is to read one literary classic a month. I like to read, alot. But mostly it's current stuff, or let's face it, Harry Potter. So to mix it up, I want to read a tried and true story each month. I got this idea because when we were in Colorado for break I got some time to go to downtown Estes to do some shopping. I went into this awesome little bookstore (think You've Got Mail-esque) and picked up Little Women, probably my favorite book of all time. I finally bought it, so I don't have to rent it from the library any more. I started reading it and again, fell in love. Which got me thinking, how many more are out there that I have forgotten about, or not read at all? I thinking the kind of books that your high school English teacher would give on a "Summer Reading List" that no one actually read. Like "To Kill a Mockingbird" or "Jane Eyre." Or any Jane Austen books. And given that I only have to so this once a month, hopefully, it's an achievable goal. Come next December, hopefully, I'll be 12 more books full of knowledge too!

2. To make a new recipe each week. That's right, 52 recipes. To make this easier on myself, it is not limited to dinners, but deserts, breakfasts, cookies, smoothies, sandwhiches, etc. Just new. I got this cookbook from my Aunt for Christmas "Double Delicious" by Jessica Seinfeld. She's the one who puts pureed vegetables in her meals to pack them with more nutrients and flavor.

Reading her cookbook really encouraged me. I have been wanting to step up the nutrition level in my household lately, and this was the perfect starting point for me. The whole front section of the book talks about the foods we eat and what food has the most "bang for our buck." She talks about what she shops for, like whole grains, low fat foods, and lots of fruits and veggies. Common stuff, but good to hear again, right? So with this in mind, I am trying to step it up for myself, my kids, and family. More importantly, the recipes are really user friendly, kid friendly, and most importantly, the ingredients are things I've heard of or have currently in my cupboard. I got a Rachel Ray cookbook last year, but ended up getting a little disappointed because almost all recipes included something that I did not have or couldn't easily substitute. "Double Delicious" seems nice, easy, and straightforward. i've already made teriyaki chicken with brown rice and vegetables, and it seemed to go over really well.

So that's my two goals. I hope they are achievable! Every now and again I'll post how I'm coming along, or if I come across an amazing recipe.

If you all out there have any book or recipe suggestions, send them my way!

What are your resolutions? Or goals? Challenges?