Resolving

I know this about a week later than everyone else's resolutions post, but my number one resolution is not to sabotage my goals with perfectionism. So here I am, sharing a few of my goals for this year. Like I said, I usually don't make New Year's resolutions, but this year I'm feeling especially inspired to make a fresh start.

1. Make a family budget and keep track of expenses.
I did this for the first three months of last year, so I think there is a fairly good chance of accomplishing this one.

2. Turn negative thoughts about others and myself into positive thoughts.

3. Run a half marathon in late summer/early fall.
I haven't chosen which one I will do, but I have checked into a few. I want to commit now so I will keep up with a training program and hopefully feel a whole lot better physically as I go through the process.

There are a few more, including some we have made as a family, but I think these three are definitely my top priority and now that I've written them down and you all know about them too, hopefully I'll be more likely to achieve them. Feel free to ask me how I'm doing with them from time to time and best of everything to all of you with your New Year's resolutions!

Back in the Saddle

The monkeys I made for the boys - they sat right next to the stockings on Christmas morning. From this pattern.

I'm back - trying to resurface from the haze and craze of the holidays! I hope you all had a great Christmas and New Year and are getting back into the swing of things. Things got a little crazy for me right around the time of my last post. My shop did a whole lot better than I thought it would during the holiday season and it definitely kept me BUSY! And by the time things slowed down in the shop, I had to turn all my focus to the handmade gifts that I'd been putting off. And in between all that sewing and making, somehow I managed to fit in viewing Charlie Brown's Christmas and the old school How the Grinch Stole Christmas with the kids, a little bit of baking, a couple of parties, practicing the piano so I could accompany a church choir number, and a bit of deep cleaning in the kitchen (the oven, underneath the oven, behind all the appliances, that sort of thing). Am I making you dizzy just reading about it? It was a bit dizzying, but fun.

On Christmas Day afternoon, we took the drive down to see our family and spend a relaxing week doing practically nothing but hanging around, taking naps (I had two in one day last Saturday), playing with the kids, and enjoying visits from family. Ryan and I even managed our first night away from the kids (to this fun resort)! Thanks Mom! The kids did great and this is definitely something we will have to do more often.

I'm still finalizing my resolutions for 2008. Usually, I don't make New Year's resolutions. My general philosophy is that if a goal is worth accomplishing, it's worth doing anytime of the year. But, this year my desire for some change and the New Year are coinciding, so I'm making some New Year's resolutions. It's been fun reading about some of yours and I hope I'll be brave enough to share some of mine in the next day or two.

I've got some new sewing projects in mind too - a new purse design or two for the shop and some banners for Valentine's Day. Remember all of this - it's time to use it now. It's also my birthday month and I'm trying to figure out how to celebrate - I sort of missed a nice celebration of the big 3-0 last year (we had just moved here after three months of unemployment, we didn't have friends yet, and I was not feeling much like celebrating), so this year I'm going to pretend it's the big 3-0 even though I'll really be 31 (did I really just admit that?) and celebrate accordingly. Suggestions, anyone?

I hope you're all enjoying the New Year and that you'll all start reading my blog again! I really am back;)!