My New Years resolutions

The end of December is always a time for reflection and setting new goals for the year ahead. I've been thinking about the new year quite a bit and have decided on three resolutions:-

1 - Teach myself to take better photographs

I am already a much better photographer than I was a year or so ago but I still have a LONG way to go. Most of my photographs are taken on an automatic setting - I would love to learn more about these settings, about lighting and to start and get to grips with using my camera in manual mode. With this is mind I have ordered a copy of Nikon D3200 for Dummies and a lovely new camera bag so I can take my camera out and about more often than I do now. I'll try and document my progress on my blog so look out for future photography posts.

2 - Lead a healthier lifestyle

I don't need anyone to tell me I drink too much and eat too much of the wrong sort of foods. I am also about 4 stone heavier than what I was before I fell pregnant with Jack in 2009 and would love to lose some of this. Weight loss won't be my main focus though, we will be focusing on being healthier and weight loss will hopefully follow.

2015 WILL be the year we get healthier. We have done it before so know we can do it. No gimmicks or quick-fixes. The only thing that has ever worked for us and lasts is eating more of the right sorts of food and being more active. I probably won't write too much about my progress on my blog but you can watch my progress over on twitter and facebook.

This pic is when I was probably at my healthiest in my adult life - it's Heidi's 1st birthday and I was in the early stages of pregnancy with Jack (April 2010)

3. Work on 3pm-6pm being less stressful

Both myself and hubby struggle with 3pm-6pm and I'm not sure why. This is the point in the day our tiredness probably peaks and there is just so much to squeeze in - pick up kids from school, read with them all individually, practice spellings, complete homework, make tea, baths, bedtime routine......

It is definitely the most stressful part of our day and we are both guilty of being snappier than we should which then leads me to feel terrible as it is the only 3 hours we get with our children together! 

The plan is to turn off all social media and tv between 3-6pm. Set up and follow a proper homework, spellings and reading schedule, get the kids involved with cooking tea more often than we do (and maybe allow them to start helping with the dishes!), let them play on their computer's only after 5pm and continue with our Friday night fun nights where all homework is barred. We usually watch movies or go out for dinner on a Friday but the kids received lots of craft and science kits for Christmas that we will use this time to use some of them.

So, they are our resolutions for 2015. What do you think? I'd love to hear yours.

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