“Let it snow so I can throw!”
Posted by Alli on January 1, 2008
Making 2008 great
Posted by Alli on
Resolutions fall into different categories: aspirations (I want to lose 50 pounds), to do (finish organizing my pictures), and the unquantifiable (I want to be a nicer person). There might be more categories but I think you get the gist.
I’m not one to make aspiration and unquantifiable resolutions because I tend to forget them in about a week. I prefer the tasks with defined parameters, something I can look at and say, “Yes, I did that!” I also want this list to be about me, I can put family goals on our family blog.
So I put before you, the regular readers and the internet rubberneckers, my list of 2008 resolutions:
1. Buy a new digital camera. This translates to earn enough money to buy a new digital camera. I also would LOVE to have the new camera before we go to the SEC tournament in March, but not sure if I can do that.
2. Keep a weight loss journal. This might turn into actually attending WW meetings, but for now I need to start being consistent and recording the fun journey (sarcasm implied) is usually highly recommended by so-called experts.
3. Read a book a month. I have a library card, I should use it. I’m going to start with The Thirteenth Tale: A Novel
That’s it. All I plan on crossing off in 2008. Sure, it is short, but it is a list I can look back on on December 31, 2008 and say “Yes, I did that.” I might have other dreams to hope for in 2008, but it is difficult for me to form them into paragraphs at this time. Besides, it is only the first day of the year. I can still share tomorrow.
[tags]2008, resolutions[/tags]
Retrospective
Posted by Alli on
Since it is the last day of the year, I think I am supposed to do some sort of retrospective blog post. Something about the awesomeness of 2007, stuff I accomplished, and if I have any regrets. In years past I hated this kind of post, mainly because I was depressed and irritated at the previous twelve months. Not today.
Well, I have to admit, 2007 was pretty awesome. I think it has to do with the whole quitting my job and staying home with Fuller. No, I don’t think. I KNOW it is because I quit my job and stayed home with Fuller. My mental health was seriously dependent on ditching the cubicle farm. I still can’t think of my old job with good thoughts or happy memories, so I choose not to dwell on how awful it was but how awesome it has been since.
Staying home with Fuller, taking care of the house, and getting a better grasp on who I am have made me happier over all. I can get out of bed in the morning without crying. I prepare lists of household chores and enjoy completing them. I make freezer meals and don’t dread the dinner dance.
As for what I have accomplished in 2007 I know the catalyst of quitting the job helped me. The Man was keeping me down, and without The Man I did a lot. I traveled a bunch. I got to visit my sister in Ohio, made several trips to Lake Martin, visited my sister in Georgia, flew to Florida to meet my new niece, traveled to Las Vegas for my birthday, and currently I am blogging from my parent’s basement in Ohio. I have never traveled this much in a year and you know what, I really like it.
I also think 2007 brought our family closer, since we weren’t sidestepping or ignoring the depths of my misery. I started being more open and honest, sticking up for myself, and thinking more about who I am. And I think our family is better because of all these changes in my life. It’s like the saying goes, “If Momma ain’t happy, nobody happy.” In our case, Momma was happy.
I have one big regret for 2007, mainly that we didn’t get to add to our family. It is something I will be struggling with in 2008, but hope it becomes a New Year’s Resolution success (Fuller was).
I hope you think your 2007 was a good one and I wish your family a great 2008.
[tags]2007 review[/tags]
Self Portrait Sunday
Posted by Alli on
I took another self portrait at church today. I actually have several photos of me from the past week, since I want to make sure I am actually in a few pictures. But this one I liked.
Tomorrow (or today, I guess) on New Year’s Eve, we have an exciting day of helping my mom clean the house. I guess we need to get it all in order to face the New Year with a clean slate. Or a clean carpet.
I plan on cleaning up the room Fuller and I are sleeping in. I need to make the air mattress and actually put away our laundry. Then I can help with the rest of the house- taking down the little tree in the basement, vacuuming, and whatever else I need to help Moma and Daddy with.
We do plan on partying a little bit, with a delayed family tradition. Usually on Christmas Eve our traditional dinner is a cheese fondue. Since we decided to have the big holiday meal on Christmas Eve, we put off the fondue with plans to have it on New Year’s Eve. I am looking forward to that bit of fun.
What kind of New Year’s Eve plans do you have?
[tags]Self Portrait Sunday, New Year’s Eve[/tags]
December Photo Project: Day 25
Posted by Alli on
In 2004 we spent Christmas here in Ohio. It was Fuller’s first Christmas and my maternity leave let us have a relaxing few weeks in Ohio. While we were here a blizzard came in and covered everything in a blanket of white. It was a bit magical and on Christmas morning I opened my parent’s door and took this photo of the Moravian Star and the seminary across the street.
It has become a family favorite, printed as gifts for some neighbors and framed in my parents’ foyer.
This year my mom insisted I take another picture of the seminary, on Christmas morning as the sun was hitting the seminary clock. It took my a cup of coffee but I went out an did it. This time I am enamored with how you can see both the sunlight on the clock and the moon in the sky. I plan on playing with it some more in Picnik, but I think this is going to be another family favorite.
[tags]December Photo Project 2007, Christmas morning[/tags]
December Photo Project: Day 24
Posted by Alli on
I stopped posting these because I got tired or something. On Christmas Eve most of my family took off to visit the Air Force Museum. I stayed at my parents’ house to help set up for the big Christmas Eve Dinner.
Out of the list of chores my mom created, I took the task of setting the table. It demanded more attention than just slapping flatware and plates on the table. I had to iron linens, arrange the tables (we had three), and make festive napkin rings. It was a job rewarded with praise and excitement from the family, and I had a lot of fun doing it.
[tags]December Photo Project 2007, Christmas Eve[/tags]
Christmas wish granted
Posted by Alli on
I have longed for quite some time to see a certain Christmas TV special. I blogged about it a little while ago, along with other certain Christmas TV memories, and it sent me on an internet hunt. It took me about an hour to find what I wanted but I am happy to report I am now the proud owner of A Christmas Memory starring Geraldine Page (not Patty Duke!). It is on VHS and works very well.
And right now my mom and I are watching it and reveling in the silliness of Buddy and his friend as they feed whiskey to the dog.
It is a fun movie and childhood memory for me. How fun to finally have it available for part of my Christmas traditions again.
Finding this movie was better than getting personalized pens as a present.
[tags]Truman Capote, A Christmas Memory, Christmas TV specials[/tags]
