Happy New Year!

Hello all!  I hope that everyone had a great Christmas and New Year's!  I was very lucky to spend Christmas with my sister and parents.  I received so many presents!  More than I ever expected.  I got a sewing maching (yippee! now to learn how to use it), a Wii Fit, Zumba Fitness for Wii, a Kindle, and a bunch of other little knick knacks and stuff.  I keep reminding myself that I was blessed to receive so much but there were a few non-material items that I wish I had received this year.  Maybe 2012 I will get these non-material items!

Isn't this cute?  One of those Russian dolls that has the doll within the doll...etc.  But these are measuring cups!  Too adorable!

My new sewing machine!  Still in the box.  I will learn how to use this machine this year!

Even Duke racked up this year!  He has toys everywhere! 



 I had a quiet New Year's Eve at home.  I was tired and sick from having too much fun with my sister the two days before.  One night out at a smokey bar, then a full day outside in New Orleans, yep, I now have a nasty sinus infection!  Coupled with not sleeping well the last few days, I am feeling awesome!!!

But it is that time of year, the start of a brand new year.  Clean slate.  Time to get things in order.  Let's review last year:

Life Goals:

1. Become more fiscally responsible! That means continue to pay off my debts and put money away in savings. - Umm yeah, not so good.  I did bring down a few percentages on debt but nothing was eliminated.
2. Get a passport. This is a carry over from last year BUT I hope that as long as I keep it on my list I will eventually get it done! Still haven't gotten it done.  No plans on leaving the country.
3. Find a new place to live. Depending upon the job situation, this may occur in April. The job situation did get better but still in my sweet little apartment.
4. Be open to new things. Be it love, a career change, a move to a new city/state. Whatever it is, I want to be more open to the change! Definitely a carry over from 2010! But one that should always be worked on. I'm hoping this year to make progress in determining "what I want to be when I grow up" and I think change is key to that! I tried the career change.  Didn't go over so well.  It was just the wrong path.  And the rest, didn't happen. 
5. Spend more time with family and friends. Which definitely means a trip to Nebraska! Didn't make it to Nebraska but I definitely did spend more time with family and friends.

Stitching goals:
1. Finish Cassady's baby quilt. Nope
2. Finish Brendan's baby quilt. Gave up.  Gave it to Goodwill.
3. Finish HAED's Dragon Knot Can't even recall if I touched it.
4. Finish 2 pages of HAED's Mad Tea Party Yes!
5. Finish 2 pages of HAED's Queen of Hearts Yes!
6. Finish Lisa's Christmas stocking - Dimensions Kit Nope
7. Complete Nora Corbett's 'M'  - Didn't even kit it up!

2012 Goals:

Life Goals:
1. Always good to keep the fiscal responsibility one. I want to eliminate more debt, increase my savings!!!

2. Continue to work on myself.  I have some bad habits.  Like being very reactionary to people.  I need to learn to be calmer, less on the crazy train. 

3. Be open to new things.  That is always hard for me.  I tend to like my routines.  But it is good to shake things up every once in a while.

4. Make it to Nebraska. There are a few life events happening this year, weddings, graduations, etc.  I hope to make it home for one of those events!

5. Use my Wii Fit and Zumba Fitness.  See how that helps me out in the fitness department!

6. Learn to control my stress!  Work is so hectic right now.  I could see how I will burn out soon if I don't get control over it!

There are others but that's for me to know!  :)

Stitching Goals, this is the year to complete projects!

1. Finish Dragon Knot

2. Finish 2 more pages of Mad Tea Party

3. Finish 2 more pages of Queen of Hearts

4. Finish Lisa's Christmas Stocking

5. Finish The Kiss

6. Finish Lisa's Tinker Bell

7. Finish as many as I can if they aren't listed here!  (Isn't that sad?  I don't know how many other unfinished projects I have going on!  I get bored easily.)

First Finish of the Year

Ta da!!!  I do have the first finish of the year already though!  I just need to pick up a little frame for it. It ws pretty quick to stitch up and it appealed to me for some reason.  It was a freebie from one of the many magazines I recently picked up!

I do hope that everyone's year is starting off on the right foot.  I've unfortunately already had a few unpleasant blips but I am going to keep it positive.  I've kept myself productive!  Today I installed wireless internet for my apartment!  Yay!  That gets my Kindle up and running and once I get the right attachment I can have my Wii on it too! Finished up the laundry.  Baking a blueberry cake casserole right now.  Not sure how that is going to come out but hopefully it will taste better than it looks. And of course there is football on the tv!  The rest of the day will be used to work on some of those unfinished projects!