The whole reflection on 2010 and looking forward blahblahblah post

I must join the rest of the bloggy world and post some thoughts for a new year.

I don't really have a one word or anything for 2011.

Well, okay, I just thought of one: BETTER

Yes, that will be my word for 2011.

If I had to go back and think of my word in hindsight for 2010, it would be TRANSITION.

It was definitely a transitional year for me:

• it was my year of being 40.
• It was my year for many disappointments in several aspects of my life from family to friends to work.
• It was also my year to grow in Faith.
• It was a year for me to get to know me and like me for ME.
• It was a year to complete a project.
• It was a year that we became an empty nest.
• It was a year that I grew in confidence.
• It was a year that I started running.
• Mostly, I think it was a year that I quit totally focusing on everyone else and began putting myself first at times and realized that it not such a bad thing!

This year I hope to be BETTER:

• Better in balancing my life.
• Better in my Christian life.
• Better at photography.
• Better at friendship.
• Better at being a wife, daughter, stepmom, sister, cousin, niece, DIL, and any other family place that I hold.
• Better at not procrastinating.
• Better at time management (oh wait that is basically the same thing, right?)
• Better at keeping things orderly, neat and clean.
• Better at saving.

I know there are others, but I'll let 2011 take care of those as they come.

I also want to point out that my devotional last night focused on Psalm 51:10: Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.   

Basically, the writer pointed out that we can make resolutions to change at any time of the year. We don't have to wait - nor does God want us to wait - until one day of the 365 we recognize in a year to wipe the slate clean and begin a fresh start.  

So with that being said, I may fail at some of my goals and resolutions throughout the year, but I resolve to pick myself up, dust myself off, and jump back i the proverbial saddle and have a "do over", so Happy New Year to you and a Better New Year to me! ;)

Week 52!!!

I did it, I did it!!!! 

I made it through the year!  

It feels so good to accomplish a goal....a resolution.

I didn't make them all. I had planned to read my Bible through in a year, which I didn't complete, but I am not discouraged. I will continue pressing on. The point is I have been reading my Bible and I have gained so much from doing it.  I will finish this one - I'm not going to let a calendar stop me.

Stay tuned....the site for next year's 52 week project is in the works and I hope it is ready to roll by the week's end!

I do hope you will play along with me. :)

Two Weeks??

I'm not sure I've ever gone that long without blogging!

I don't know what's wrong with me lately, but I have not been motivated to create, blog or even take pictures! *GASP*  {{{Crazy, I know!}}}}

Anyway, I thought I needed to at least acknowledge ye olde blog on this last day of 2009.  I cannot believe how fast this year has flown by, seriously!

Christmas was great - pretty low-key.
I'm enjoying my vacation and dread it coming to an end on Monday.  Booooooo.

Today is Alex's 18th birthday- which is completely unbelievable.

Resolutions & goals for 2010?  not really.

I simply want to be a better ME.  that's all.

I'm still working on my December Daily.
I was almost to the giving up point, but I trudged on and will complete it.

I also completed Memaw's little book for her birthday using the December mini from Crazy Daisy Kit. Co. I will be back with pictures of that.

Speaking of Crazy Daisy...there are still December kits available and these would be great to scrap your Christmas pictures! 

They girls are taking January off so there will be no January kits...I know, I'm sad too, but I'm sure February kits will not disappoint!

If you have a subscription, it won't effect that at all.   Also if you fan Crazy Daisy on Facebook or follow on Twitter, you can take $5 off your order!  How cool is that????  Check out the details on this  blogpost.

ReCap of 2009

Not much to recap I suppose since it's only been 4 days, but anyway, here goes...

NYE a/k/a Alex's Birthday was fun - a small gathering of friends in our shop.
The guys shot pool and us girls just sat around and laughed and conversed.
Alex and company just had fun hanging out.

They had bought the cute New Year headband/crown thingies and the girls made a quick trip to Wally World for some for the guys...they were good sports wearing their yellow-New-Year-too-small-top hats!Prior to the hats everyone seemed to be sporting this red bow from one of Alex's gifts...Here is Matt being a REALLY good sport about it....bless his heart!

Tracy wanted them to Walk Like Egyptians...yes, just like the 80's Bangles song.
Colby looking adorable!
The infamous chocolate chip cookie pizza that Alex requested instead of a cake...don't ask about what my oven looked like after. I'll just say there is a pan under that cookie somewhere.
Hello lovelies!
I just had to include this picture of Tracy and Charlie because this face the Tracy is making cracks me up! I've seen her make this face more than once.

I include these pics because this soiree lasted until after midnight...those kids were wound up and I didn't think they would ever wind down!

okay, onto to the first official day of January - I pretty much was worthless!
nuff said.

The second day of January I spend getting all organized for the new year.
Planner in order,
Bill & receipt files cleaned out,
some crafting,
and I did laundry and such.

The third day was a little shopping trip to Melbourne...hit the scrapbook store that is closing.
40% off everything...including Thickers...who can resist???
I also began the Team Diptych project with this lovely chick, Mandie
Our word for the day was "change"
Here is what we came up with...
I'm on the left...I took this because of the wacky change of temperature we've been experiencing the last few days. Mandie did this cool ATC card.

Check out other diptychs on the Art Slam Flickr Pool.
I do love me some Flickr!
Thinking of doing the Pro account.

Brings me to today...the fourth day of January.
Church and a little scrapping and art journaling.
I did this page from Jann's Stash Diet challenge.
The idea is to use what you have in your scrapstash.
The theme was "this time next year" and extra points for a handmade title.
I cut mine out of woodgrain contact paper...man I luff that stuff!

Okay, so there is my recap of the year so far....

I still need to post some Christmas pics...I'm just so lazy and there are just so many!

Back to work tomorrow. ugh
I'm a little excited to see all my friends and colleagues but not looking forward to being all structured again.
It will be difficult to get my buns #1 in bed at a decent hour and #2 even harder to get them up at 6AM!

over and out.

2009 is here

So many things to think about when one thinks about a new year.
Things like: fresh starts
resolutions
goals
doing things different or better
being a better person
It all makes my head spin a little honestly!

Usually I have some goals in mind when looking at a new year.

Last year I had several things, but didn't follow through (typical!)

This year - or actually in 2008 before my birthday - I stated a goal I had.
To get myself in shape by my 40th birthday.

so far....I am sucking at it! (to put it bluntly)

Now that it is time to set goals, I reallytrulyhonestlydefinitely want to make this a priority!
There I said it!

I also want to continue to grow in my faith and prayer life.
I had the goal last year of reading my Bible through...again I failed. However, I did read my bible more than the year previous...so in trying to look at things more positively I will say I didn't fail, I made an improvement!!!! I hope to continue to grow in my bible studies.

As for professionally... I hope to continue to grow in my job. I want to continue to set goals, keep my planner and be more organized and proactive !

I also want to continue to improve my photography skills & take more interesting pictures with new perspectives and lighting. I had thought about trying to do a daily photo or a 365 project of self portraits, but I just don't think I am up to it!
Maybe I could do something different each month. hmmm that just might work!

I'm a little interested in doing something I saw over on Art Slam.
This Team Diptych project is so intriguing. It is a combination of things I like and it involves someone other than myself which I think is so cool. Lucrecer always has some interesting prompts to push your creative energies!

If anyone else would be interested in doing this please let me know. No pressure, because I know "life" can happen and trying to keep up with our other priorities can get hard at times, but I would love to see what kind of creative things could come out of this. I think I would do photos, but would be open to mixed media.

One last goal of mine is to have more patience. I seem to have a short fuse...mostly with those closest to me, so I want to make a real effort to be nicer and sweeter in my relationships.

So far on this first day of 2009, I have not accomplished any of these! (maybe a little prayer but that is it!)

Boy, I've started off with a bang!

Tomorrow will be better, I'm certain!

I wish each of you commenters/stalkers/readers/friends/family a most blessed 2009!
Hope you can have some attainable goals for yourself.

I also wanted to say that I have some great pics to share from our little birthday-slash-new year gathering and will try to post those tomorrow, along with pics of my Daily December book that I finished - YAY! Just need to photograph. And maybe I will through in some pictures from Christmas!

2008

I cannot believe it is a new year already...
I cannot believe I already have to return to work tomorrow....
I cannot believe I have once again neglected to blog....

I'm not a resolution-ey making person, but I do have good intentions to be a better person in 2008.

I intend to be a better Christian, a better wife, a better stepmom, a better daughter, a better daughter-in-law, a better mother-in-law, a better niece, a better cousin, a better sister, a better grandaughter, a better friend, a better employee, a better photographer, a better scrapbooker, a better manager of money, a better eater, a better exerciser, a better housekeeper, a better organizer, a better blogger, a better cooker, a better shopper, a better {fill-in-the-blank}.
This list could definitely go on. I would love to hear your intentions in 2008.

daily.blessing.12.31.07

ace of spades: Happy New Year and Happy Sweet 16 to Alex! I am blessed to have such a fun/beautiful/smart/talented stepdaughter. Actually, I am blessed to have great stepchildren altogether.