Lists

Sunday.

I've been trying to think of a funny, entertaining topic to write about for several days now....but I'm coming up dry. Perhaps it's the time of year, perhaps it's the weather, perhaps it's the time I've spent away from my kids; I am melancholy.

Which is totally lame, considering what a nice break I've had. I haven't gone to work all week (seriously, how awesome would it be if I could stay at home with my kids??!!) and we skiied for 3 days straight. The three big kids are so dang amazing -- even clumsy little Rachel. She's completely in her element on skis. Weird. Of course, I have no pictures to prove the awesomeness of my little ski patrol troop. Sara took some so perhaps she'll share.

Anyway, I was sitting in church today thinking about 2007 and 2008. Really, things just never go as planned, do they? I'm a listmaker. In fact, my listmaking might be borderline compulsive. I love love LOVE to make lists and cross things off -- I feel ridiculously organized. I would be lying if I didn't admit to sometimes "padding" my list. For example:

Monday
Get up
Post office
Get dressed
Books to library
Eat
Mop kitchen
Fold laundry
Eat some more
Exercise
Vacuum downstairs
Vacuum stairs
Vacuum upstairs

See what I did there? I sprinkled some fake jobs in with the real jobs so that I can for sure cross off at least part of the list. Eat? Eat more? Hello...that's totally going to happen. Also, you should know that they are not in chronological order. I would absolutely eat some more after I exercise. I've earned it. Also, probably I'd get dressed before the post office, although I make no promises.

Then there at the end, with the vacuuming, I know that once I get going, once the vacuum is out and plugged in and all that, I'm going to do the whole house. That's just how it works. But if I break it down into several entries on my list....how satisfying it is to cross off one, two, THREE things!! I'm so productive! I'm so busy! I'm such a good housekeeper! And mother! Wow, look at me go! Then I'm so energized by the good feeling brought on by all the crossing off that the real jobs end up getting done as well. Really, it's pure genius.

So. 2007 and 2008. Tomorrow we're going to Rexburg to go to the LDS Temple Open House and on the drive, the kids and I are going to brainstorm our goals for 2008. I have our lists from previous years and they're pretty funny. No more "Potty train Spencer" or "Help Abby learn to read" for us! However, some goals will stay the same, like "Mom exercise at least 3 times a week" and "Keep rooms clean by only getting one toy out at a time." And so we'll evolve, continuing to work on the things we haven't made habits yet and celebrating the things we can cross off for good.