Goodbye 2011. Hello 2012.

As 2011 comes to an end, I am contemplating realistic goals for 2012.  My list is by no means complete but it contains the following so far:

1.  Blog more.  I know I said this last year too but that didn't seem to work.  This year, I have found some cool blogging tools to help me plan out my posts better. 

2.  Complete one book and send it to a publisher.

3.  Be more organized.

4.  Stay on top of couponing so I can save where I can.

5. Knit more gifts so I do not have to buy as much just before Christmas.  I have a pretty good list of ideas started already. 

6. Shop for Christmas gifts throughout the year.  This should be easier to accomplish as we are only buying gifts for the kids.  All gifts for the adults must be homemade. 

7. Garden.  Mom and I want to have a nice vegetable and herb garden this year so I am committing to helping her with that.

                            

2011 was an okay year.  Nothing major or drastic happened.  However, I have been in a particularly blue mood since well before Christmas and wishing that would pass before the ball drops. 

I am hopeful that laying out my list of goals for the coming year will, in some small way, assist to elevate me from the blues.  

There are some things to look forward to in 2012.  Princess Ivi's 16th birthday.  My 35th birthday.  My sister and family's trip to Florida which should include my nephew's first trip to Disney World.  Lots of changes for my brother's family.

I am cheerfully optimistic that 2012 will be a good year for my family. But I think the past has taught us all that we can begin the year cheerfully optimistic, however, life often gives us the unexpected.  Too often this year, we were caught off guard or unawares by life's unexpected occurrences.  Therefore, my main goal this year is to be more prepared for the unexpected.  So we will try to save more money, can and freeze more food, and whatever other little things we can do to be more prepared when life throws... well, when life throws life our way. 

Wishing you and yours a joyful and safe New Year!!

10 Things You Have to Do Before Christmas/Hannukah/The Weekend

Here is my top ten list of things to do before the holiday.

1. Make fudge and other goodies.
2. Ship gifts to my sister
3. Shop for my brother, sister-in-law and nephews
4. Wrap all gifts
5. Knit a pair of leg warmers
6. Drive daughter’s boyfriend home.
7. Plan menu for Christmas Eve.
8. Shop for food.
9. Go to work everyday and accomplish to-do list.
10. Sleep so I am not a grump on Christmas morning.

Of course, as I think, there are a lot more things I need to do in addition to this.  Bummer.  I need to find a way to clone myself.  I would like a knitting self, a working self, a cooking and cleaning self, a hang out with daughter self (the real me)...and I am sure there are more.  

Happy Birthday Jane Austen!!

Today is my favorite author's birthday.  Jane Austen was born 236 years ago today.  I always wonder what Jane would think of the world today.  How would she feel about love in today's society?

In honor of Jane's birthday, here is a quote she said...

"But when a young lady is to be a heroine, the perverseness of forty surrounding families cannot prevent her. Something must and will happen to throw a hero in her way."  Northanger Abbey

 

Happy Birthday, Jane!!

 

Christmas Party Friday's

My favorite part of December is knitting Christmas gifts for the people I know who will love them and use them all the while appreciating the time and effort put into a handmade gift.

The Christmas song I can listen to over and over is Please Come Home for Christmas by the Eagles.  I love them and when they sing that song, it makes me want to go home.  I also love Marshmallow World sung by anyone and That’s What Christmas Means to Me by Stevie Wonder.   

My favorite Christmas gift when I was a child was...

If traveling anywhere in the world were an option I would spend Christmas with the one I love.

Christmas movies are cute but sometimes irritating.  I am not a huge fan of Rudolph, Frosty or the Baby New Year but I will watch White Christmas a hundred times if I could..

My must have Christmas treats include fudge (peanut butter and penuche), cookies (no set kind but some type each year), ribbon candy, and sea foam (although this just started this year).

Decorating for the season looks like tasteful decorations which are mostly mementos that my daughter gave me/made for me.

When it comes to Christmas gifts I prefer to make some by hand to those I know will appreciate them, go overboard for my daughter, and buy one or two gifts that are perfect for each person without spending too much money.

The Christmas season makes me feel stressed because I always want to do more than I can, thankful for my family and friends, sad because my daughter has so few people in her life, and lonely for the one I love.

To me Christmas means family.

My thoughts on Christmas....Christmas when my daughter was small was wonderful but I have to say that I am loving it as she is getting older because I never know how she will use her creativity to make Christmas special in her way.  It is a treat to see what she does each year.

10 Things On Your Nightstand/Bedside Table

Well, first off, let me say that my nightstand is two Rubbermaid bins stacked on top of each other.  One bin is filled with yarn and the other is filled with fabric.  Some day, when I work through my stash, I will have the room to get a real piece of furniture. 

But what is on it?

1. Alarm clock
2. Lamp 
3. Carmex Lip Therapy
4. Carmex Lotion 
5. Basket of knitting needles
6. Hair clip that looks like a giant bug
7. Hair clip
8. Black Ball of yarn 
9. Red Ball of yarn
10. Pair of scissors.

Strange combination right?

Where have I been?

I haven't posted in over two weeks.  Guess I am not doing so well on that Post a Week Challenge.  We were sick last week and the week before that was so swamped with work that I missed it.  Oh well, I will try to do better but in the meantime, lets play catch up.  

First off, Princess Ivi has been diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis.  Considering I have been battling this since I was a teenager, I guess I am not surprised.  I am very bummed out though because it is so challenging.  Anyway, we are working on getting her into a rheumatologist and physical therapist.  Also, her doctor has suggested she do yoga as a way of keeping her range of motion.  Luckily for us, there is a free yoga class at the library on Thursday evenings.  I am hoping to get her all lined up for that within the next week or so.  

I have been reading a lot.  I just finished Shannon Butcher's Living Nightmare from The Sentinel Wars series.  I love this series and can't wait for the next installment.  

I also just got an email from Read It Forward that I was chosen to receive Madam Tussaud.  I love to read books and of course, when they are free, it is even better. 

I have been knitting too.  I had made one of the attorneys I work with a pair of Susie's Reading Mitts just after Christmas.  Well, she liked them so much that she made a deal with me for another pair.  In exchange for these, she will provide me with an "unlimited" number of homemade earrings.  This pair is made in black and made a bit shorter to accommodate smaller hands.  They are coming along well and I should be done with them this weekend which is good considering she has already given me 4 pairs of earrings.  

Our tax return should be here tomorrow.  Just in time for new glasses for both me and Princess Ivi, vet visits for the two dogs and cat, car repair, Princess Ivi's dress for the military ball, etc.  Needless to say, it feels like the money has already been spent.  

Plans for the weekend include eye appointments (hopefully) and a trip to either Orlando or Jacksonville for Princess Ivi's military ball dress.  And of course, knitting, laundry, grocery shopping, sorting coupons, and cleaning the house, too.  Busy, busy, busy as usual.  

I am disappointed because my health and beauty coupons took a real wallop last week.  What happened?  The dog destroyed my organizer and shredded the coupons she didn't eat.  I was very irritated.  I am working on rebuilding it but I know there were coupons in there that I will not be able to replace.  

We are busy planning the high school's Spring Fest.  The ROTC puts it on.  This includes organizing it, set up, selling booths, etc.  I managed to get myself drafted to be in charge of booths.  I have helpers but I have never spoken to them about it.  After the last meeting, I realized that my job is probably one of the most labor intensive jobs for the festival which stinks because it was not my idea to be in charge of anything.  But I feel pretty good about how it is coming together.  I have some work to do but I think I am on the ball.  

Well, I am not sure I will be able to post more before the weekend so I hope everyone enjoys. 

Booking It in 2011

I have decided to join LifeAsMom and Book It in 2011.  The books I plan to read are most of the 11 assigned books and whatever else strikes my fancy.  I don’t do all that well with assigned readings if it not something I find interesting so on those months I am not interested in the assigned reading, I will find another book to read. 

February’s book is The Happiness Project and I am psyched because I own this book and I started it but never finished it.  I have also been thinking about reading it so this is perfect to get this project started.

Post a Week in 2011

For so long I have been making the resolution to blog more... or blog more consistently.  In an effort to do so, I have accepted the Post a Week in 2011 Challenge. 

Today's topic:  Share something that makes you smile. 

What makes me smile?  The first finished object of 2011.  

Details:  Susie's Reading Mitts for my co-worker with the frozen fingers.  Started 12/27/2010.  Finished 1/2/2011