Happy New Year

So here it is the very last day of 2008. Finally.

Overall it's been a good year for me. The start was rough - but it got easier. Did I mention that today was the day I got married 8 years ago? We have been apart for over a year now, so today was a lot easier than last year. And I am with a wonderful man now that I am truly happy with, but there is still the lingering sadness that the marriage failed. I know I won't make the same mistakes I made last time, but there are still plenty to make.

Some of the things I do differently - that I resolve to try to do all year:

Set up his coffee - believe me when I tell you this is an act of love
Text him silly messages that let him know I am thinking of him
Try to NEVER bad mouth him to friends or family
Try to be patient and loving when either of us is cranky or grumpy
Don't question his decisions
Not nag (thankfully this not an issue - he does more than I could even ask for)
Give him time to do what he needs to do without me
Take care of myself - and not lean on him too heavily
Spend time WITH him - not just in the same room at the same time
Talk and share my feelings even when it makes me vulnerable

I know there is more - but these are the things that I KNOW I did wrong before - that I do right now. Most of the time. It's easy when the other person does all the same for you.

The mistake I still make? I am selfish as hell. But I am learning. Never let it be said that the power of example can't make a BIG difference :)

I hope that you all can be blessed with a partner that does all this for you - that helps you become the best person you can be.

I also hope that we all see a new year of blessings - joy, peace, good health.

I am ready 2009!

Craft Time

I am sooo in craft mode. I LOVE crafts. And my good friend Julie has gotten me hooked on Etsy - what a treasure trove of inspiration! Thanks J - just what I needed - another internet addiction.

So here are the things I wanna try ASAP:

I wanna make some things - lap desks, step stools, clip boards - fun stuff that I can personalize and play with.

I wanna try mosaic, painting, paper crafts, all kinds of things. My brain is SPINNING, the creative juices are bursting - I wanna PLAY. And of course I have no time and no supplies at the ready.... So I guess I will just have to wait. But - it's coming.
Soon.

A Whole New World

Big shock that I start out with a quote from a Disney movie huh? Must be the whole 3 kids thing.

Over the last decade I have had a few blogs, about family, photography, business, reading - you name it. I went thru some of them today - and it was really interesting to see how some things have changed, and some really haven't. Most of them only lasted 6 months or a year - so I guess this will be my 2009 blog. :) Since I plan to put all of it here - the pictures, the book reviews, the kids, maybe it will be easier to keep up with. Or last longer. Or be more interesting. Or it will just be another online journal to look back on in a few years and ponder.

Last year I had a few resolutions - I didn't do too badly with them in fact, so I am gonna try again this year.

The one that I failed at most miserably was exercising and losing weight. I will be going to the gym before the end of 2008 and joining - and the resolution is to go 3 times a week. I would LOVE to lose 20 or even 30 pounds by the end of the year - but I would settle for being healthier and in better shape.

I did a lot of work on the house this year - and for the most part about half my house is "finished." As in,I wouldn't DIE of embarrassment if you walked into it. The other half? Nope. Not so. That is the goal - to make my ENTIRE house 'company ready.'

And the usual:

Spend more time with my kids. More having fun time, less cleaning their rooms time.

Become financially independent. Or get closer to that anyway.

Develop my photography, perhaps with crafting, to increase my income.

I am sure there is more. But that's a good start. Oh - and keep up with the blog. I really did learn a lot looking back at those old blogs.