Laurie and Corey Kunz

I am sitting here on the couch with my feet up loathing myself for not having the house clean by now. I have been home ALL day long, and I have no excuses. I seem to be incapable of reaching that point of motivation that I usually have to reach when I clean my house. It just isn't coming. And don't think I haven't had an adequate amount of caffeine and sweets to push me along.

I am somewhat in shock that 2010 is coming to a close this week. The truth is, 2010 has been a less than favorable year for Corey and me and we have been excited for 2011 in hopes that it brings more contentment. As always in rough times we have learned some very valuable lessons this year. Luckily we grew together as a family. Me, Corey and Conner. "The Kunz Team" as Corey's little note said to me this morning... he often leaves me little notes to find on our white board as he is off to work early in the mornings.
I love that he calls us that, because it is so true.

I don't really do New Year's resolutions, but Corey and I traditionally go over our goals as a couple for the new year: financial goals, health goals, fun goals etc.
That is one of the many things I really love about Corey. He is very goal oriented. What an admirable quality! I make goals all the time, but I lack a crucial personality trait called FOLLOW THRU! I have great ideas and endless fabulous intentions but I get stuck in the follow through, which is kinda...well let's be honest, and essential ingredient.

That being said, I thought I would write down a few things from this year that I did follow thru with; some accomplishments that I am proud of.

1. We successfully kept family prayer and reading of a The Book of Mormon a night time ritual, the three of us together, almost no exceptions.

2. I think this year I solidified the TIME OUT consequence with Conner. I have not been perfect but I have definitely been pretty consistent, as has Corey. I feel very good about our discipline and reward system with Conner. I feel like we have done an excellent job. I feel blessed that Corey and I expect the same things from our kids and we agree on our discipline techniques and what rules we want to enforce. Conner had a couple of "boot camps" as we call them when we crack down hard on him and put him in time out for every single thing. That sometimes lasts a few days and he then remembers who is in charge. But the truth is the past couple of months he has gotten way too many rewards as I think he figured some of this out :) but do you know what? I COULDN'T CARE LESS! If my kid wants to be wonderful and delightful and obedient, I will reward him every day! But we are also very strict with him when he does not meet the expectations we have set for him. I feel good about the balance we have reached. It is not easy but I don't regret one second of the hard work I have put into it.

3. I successfully learned two difficult songs on the piano and performed them this year. I have for a long time wanted to learn a particular song on the piano for my dad. I bit the bullet and did it. I practiced and practiced and I learned it and memorized it. It took months, I not only learned it perfectly but I performed it perfectly, without a single mistake. I played it at my Dad's ward as a surprise for him on Fathers Day. The other song was a challenging piano accompaniment for the end of the year primary program in our sacrament meeting. That one also went beautifully. I personally felt that I was being blessed in those performances. I do not perform well naturally, it causes me a great deal of discomfort and causes me to be very hard on myself. As I said, I was surely blessed.

Sadly those are the only things I can think of that I truly accomplished this year. If you only knew how many things I wanted and intended to do, well, it would take weeks to get down that list. If only good intentions were enough :)

Here we go 2011, please do no disappoint!