New Year Thoughts

Christmas Break was lovely. Paul and I spent some time in South Carolina with my parents. Our dream is that someday (probably sooner rather than later) Paul and I will live down there, and we want more than anything to have our families live near us. If my parents move down there, then maybe both of my brothers will move down there, and I can be a more active part of my nephews'/nieces' lives. :) We went hiking, saw waterfalls/lakes/mountains/cousins, etc. We fell in love. We hope to live down there by the year 2012. For now, we continue to fix up the house, pray, and research.

Anyway, I usually do a review of the year thing. This year, I don't feel like looking at the past. I was unhappy at Marquette. I left. I trusted God. I got jobs. Paul and I went fishing alot. Um...that's about it! Instead of going into review of the past year, I eagerly look forward to a future that does not include Milwaukee. I also look eagerly to the future when it comes to good habits and goals.

Thus, in an unusual manner (for me), I have some New Year resolutions. They are mainly simple things that I want to do this year. I am NOT going to obsess over them and force things to happen. But I think I can survive one more year in this terrible, terrible city if I have some fun goals to keep myself occupied:

1. I want to take more pictures this year.

I realized the other day that I have hardly any pictures of my baby/dog Athena! Yet she is an important part of my life! I need to fix this. I also have never taken pictures of the rooms in our house that we have worked so hard on. I want to fix this too. Finally, I am surrounded by a few very cool friends, and I only take pictures with them when on vacations. I love my Paul, but most of our pictures are of us with fish. I love my family, and I want more pictures of them in my house. So I am hoping to take my camera with me to places and to use it.

2. I want to finish my quilt.

I like sewing, but I hate the process of getting the sewing machine out, setting it up, getting the thread ready, etc. I recently put up an old table in our extra room, though, so I will permanently set up my sewing machine. That way, when I have the urge to work on my quilt project, it will be much easier to start.

3. I want to finish my half-knitted afghan.

Years ago, I started this beautiful afghan. Everyone compliments the parts that I have finished. However, it was a pain in the butt. After EVERY row, the yarn gets terribly tangled and I have to spend the next hour untangling it. No exaggeration. I quit my project. However, the half finished parts just keep staring at me. I now want to get it done and out of my closets! I just need to find the guidebook (possibly in our attic space?) and I will finish this and be proud.

4. I am restarting AND finishing the 30-day-shred!

There is this "amazing" exercise program that is supposed to have dramatic results in 30 days. Paul and I started it in the fall, but after two weeks of one of us being sick and then the other, we just stopped trying. We only go through 6 days of the stupid program. I hate exercising. I hate sweating, I hate routines, I hate forcing myself to do stupid exercise movements. I would rather live in South Carolina and go hiking every weekend. However, I live in this Crappy City in the cold and dark (dark at 4:30 every day), there is nothing else to do to get in shape. If you go for walks at night, you WILL get mugged. Thus, I shall do this stupid program and I better get results. Lucky for us, we have a whole bunch of friends doing it too and we are all keeping each other accountable. Blegh. 4 days done, 26 more to go...


I had other resolutions too, but I can't remember them right now. And now dinner is ready. I will write more another day. :)