I’ve been reading everyone else’s lists of mini-resolutions. I especially like the one blog that used the term “bite sized goals.” I’ve made a list of my bite sized goals for January.

1. Make a pot of soup once a week.
2. Eat dinners that I actually cook from scratch at least three times a week. (I’ve been being lazy.)
3. Continue my month’s worth of cardio routines I got out of a magazine.
4. Start riding again regularly.

I need all of these goals because I’ve become lazy in aspects of my life. I’ve been relying on canned soups and convenience meals because I haven’t put out the energy to cook. I’ve been lazy with my horse and I can see her getting lazier too.

I made a pot of Mexican Vegetable Stew yesterday.

1/4 cup olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 onions, sliced
1 t ground cumin
28 oz canned tomatoes with juice (I used half tomatoes with jalepenos)
8 cups veg. broth
2 carrots thinly sliced
3 zucchini sliced
1 can kidney beans
2 cups corn

Satue garlic, onion, and cumin until soft. Add tomatoes, broth, and salt and pepper to taste. Boil. Add carrots and cook 15 minutes. Add zucchini and cook 5 minutes. Add beans and corn and cook 2 minutes. Remove most of the zucchini and some broth and puree to thicken stew. When serving sprinkle with grated cheddar and a little bit of sour cream.

Tonight I cooked eggplant mozzerella (like eggplant parmesan but with mozzerella obviously).

I was happy with my little monthly list until I read Diane Sylvan’s blog today. She was discussing simple daily goals. That seemed like an incredibly good idea to me too.

So here are my daily goals.

1. Do some form of exercise for at least 10 minutes.
2. Touch and/or talk to everyone who lives here with affection.
3. Notice something in nature and give thanks for it.

I’m adding the “or talk to” to the affection statement because of the orange cat in the barn that will not let me touch him but who will sit beside me and listen to me with great interest. Also depending on the location of the cats it is not always practical to open the cage to touch the bird. The cats would also like to touch the bird but not with affection.