Goooaaaaaaallllllll!!!!

Yay, we made it to 2011!

This means that if the word is true about 2012 being the end of the world, we have one year to live!

So do you like the new blog design?! I needed a change for the new year, and I think this fits my personality perfectly. I liked my old layout, but I don't just post about cooking, so the background didn't completely work for me. Does anyone have problems with it taking to long to load? If you see anything weird, let me know!

I've never really set any true goals for myself when it came to the new year. Of course I would think in my head, "I'm going to write every day," or "I won't let there be any dirty dishes in the sink when I go to bed," or "I'm going to put an effort into exercising." In reality, I've never really stuck to any of them because I would forget about them.

This year I decided to take a different approach. I wanted to actually take some time to think about what I really want from the next year. I'm always thinking that time is just flying by, so now I'm going to do my best to slow it down and get everything I want from life. I think that by writing my goals down {or typing, in this case} I will be able to come back to my ideas and continue pursuing them.

So here are my goals:

#1

My number one goal for the year is to open an Etsy shop. I know that I create beautiful things, whether it be through sewing or jewelry, so I should make money off of it! I truly want to open my own business someday and this would be a great step towards my ultimate life goal. The way I plan to achieve this goal is by making a lot of items, so I have a stock pile, and then just start listing.

#2

Get my craft room set up. Our new house has 2 bedrooms and luckily I get to pretty much do what I want with the extra one. I plan on having a big table to keep my sewing machine on, but also enough to iron/cut on. I also am going to have this big bookshelf from Ikea that will hold all my fabric and supplies. I plan on having this done by the end of January,

#3

Be a better mamma to Roxanne. Vince is really great about taking her on walks all the time, but I know Rox would like me to go as well. Because we have a yard for her, it's so hard to want to go out into the cold, and I've just gotten lazy. I usually go on about 2 walks with her, but I plan on going at least 4 times a week, hopefully 5. If I go before Vince gets home from work, that just means she might get 2 in one day!

#4

Make more time for family and go on dates with my little brother Will! When I still lived with my parents he and I were really close. I definitely don't see him as much as I should and I know he misses me just as much as I miss him. He always has cute little "I luv yu sissee" letters to give me when I see him and he's always sad when I leave. I was hanging out with him the other week and he was reading SO WELL and I almost wanted to cry! I couldn't believe that little boy was turning into a big man. I think it would be good if I went over to my parents at least once a week.

#5

Don't eat dinner in front of the TV. It's so easy for Vince to get home and immediately turn on the TV or video games and then it stays on for the rest of the night. About half the time Vince helps me with dinner and then we go sit down on the couch and eat while watching TV. At our old house, we had no room for a table and had no choice but to eat on the couch. Here, however, we have a table in the kitchen and have no reason to eat on the couch. I hope that we will eat with the TV off at least 5 nights a week.

#6

Sew something at least once a week. I enjoy sewing, but I don't really push myself to do it frequently. When I was thinking about this goal, I was wanting to make something every day but realized it was SO unrealistic. I think I can manage to make something once a week, though, even if it's just a burp cloth for my niece! Once I get in the habit of getting into my craft room and doing a project, I think it will be easier to increase the frequency of how often I sew.

#7

Write more often. I know it's unrealistic for me to write everyday, but I can probably manage 5 days a week. I really enjoy writing when I make the time for it. Just like with sewing, I need to get in the habit of it!

Well, that's all for the big goals I have right now. Of course I will have more goals throughout the year, but these are the ones that I really want to work on.

Here's a pic of Vince, Rox and I at midnight!

Clearly, we weren't doing anything fancy or dancing the night away like some people.

♥