Helloooooooo 2011!

Happy New Year!

I pray we all have a wonderful and prosperous new year...... make the changes to make your life positive!

Here are my three resolutions......

1.  Clean out the whole house...... every room, closet, cabinet and drawer.  I've made some great progress on this during the past week while I was off work.  I've completed the kitchen (except for the pantry which is going to be done Sunday), dining room, living room, hall closet, laundry room and hall console.  Here's what I have left.... master bedroom (dressers, under bed and closet), master bath (3 drawers and 4 cabinets), my girls room (mainly just the closet, as we re-decorated her room last summer, but will check under the bed, too), Hubs office (he's going to have to do this himself) and the biggest project..... the attic.  The attic is going to take a while....... it will be a couple of posts all on it's own.

2.  Move more, eat less.  2010 was a stressful kinda year.... and I'm a stress eater and lack of exerciser.  I know, I did it to myself, but I'm going to correct this in 2011.  I made the first couple of steps by registering for the Mercedes Half Marathon in February and joining Syl over at Live, Smile, Run with her January work out challenge to work out for 30 solid minutes (or more) 5 days a week.  I, also, plan on running the Statue to Statue 15K again this year in April and maybe one more half.... we'll see.  Sunday, we're cleaning out the pantry and refrigerator and we're chunking all the crappy stuff and will not repurchase those items.  We're really going to focus on this aspect of our lives.... it's a family project for us.

3.  Go on two great family vacations.  Sure, these are plans, but we have to save and budget for these.  This summer we'll go on our usual family beach trip.... this year with my sister, brother-in-law and nephew in tow, hopefully.  Last year, it was just the three of us and as we had a lovely time, we kinda missed our beach buddies.  Second, I'd like to go to Walt Disney World for Thanksgiving.  We love Disney and I'd like to get back before my girl is in high school.... which will be before I know it, but we must budget for it. 

Now, for a New Year's Day memory.........

Growing up, back before the whole BCS "stuff," my dad would always spend New Year's Day watching as many college football bowl games as possible.  He'd have three tvs set up in the den...... one on each station with a game on it........ those were the days, I tell ya!  He'd pull the tv from my parent's bedroom in and grab another from somewhere in the house.... one year, it was the little yellow black and white tv I had in my room.  Now, the BCS has spread all the games out where if you want to watch them all, you sure can because they are all on different days.  I do have to say, I miss the whole frenzy of watching all the games on New Year's Day and knowing who is on top the next day when the polls come out.... but I, also, can't wait for January 10th when my Auburn Tigers play for the title and everyone will be able to watch.... War Eagle!

Do you make New Year's resolutions?  Tell me one.  And what's a New Year's memory that you have from your childhood?

What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?

"Ooh, but in case I stand one little chance, Here comes the jackpot question in advance: What are you doing New Year's, New Year's Eve?"   -lyrics from "What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?

Images of friends together, all dressed up, ringing the year in with champagne in hand float through my head......

We've never really done the same thing on New Year's and we certainly don't have any real traditions.......

Lots of years we've stayed home and just had a regular old night.

We've hung out with friends... and by that I mean, literally hanging out at ones house, kids playing in the yard, adults chatting by the fire and all the kids stayed up until midnight..... it was tons of fun!

Another year, our girl spent the night at a friends house, she missed us and cried...... while I was cleaning out just yesterday, I found the note that she wrote us with her friend's mom.  It was so sweet!  And shocking when I went to pick her up the next day because she has never missed us at a spend the night.... ever.

Last year, our girl had a friend spend the night and they played in the yard, rang in the year with sparkling grape juice and stayed up all night.

This year, we offered to let some of her friends spend the night, but they decided on another house to "party" in....... so, it will just be me and Hubs.  I'm not sure what we'll do yet.  I know I don't want to go out to eat..... I want something low key, casual.  Maybe the movies???  If so, what should we see? 

I really like the idea of family being together..... I love that.  But now, with our girl getting older and much more social, I'm going to have to get used to her being gone.......... I hate it, but it's reality.

Soooo...... with all the reminiscing of past New Year's Eves behind me, let's do something fun and review the blog headers I had over the past year.......

(I got the idea of reviewing these from Pam over at Views From My Kitchen Sink)

This is the original.....

.... until I happened upon Sarah's blog and her tutorial for making blog headers...... I have to say, after reading this post, I fell for making monthly blog headers..... especially since I get so bored with the layout sometimes.... changing the blog header fixes my "problem" with getting bored.  Thanks, Sarah!  

 

So, I'm still learning a lot about making headers...... and making sure I have filler pictures to add to it.  And I have to say, I've already made my January 2011 header and can't wait to change it.... but you're gonna have to wait!

So, Happy New Year!  If you're going out, be safe and if you're staying in, I hope your night is relaxing and peaceful.

One last note....... I'd like to thank each and everyone who spent a little time reading my little blog.  I mainly blog to keep a record of my thoughts and life and I'm grateful for anyone who reads and comments.  Again, thank you!  And see you in 2011!

Looking Back at 2010

2010...... I'm kinda glad to see you go.........

You had your low points, you weren't my favorite year, but I'm going to focus on the bright spots in my family's life............

January........ Hubs Alabama Crimson Tide won the National Championship (and for the record I offered to make the trip to Pasadena for him to witness the occasion, but he declined the offer)............

February........ Running the Mercedes Half Marathon with my girl, her first ever, on Valentine's Day.........

March........ Visiting friends in SC for part of spring break.......

April....... Meeting one of my favorite writers, Mary Kay Andrews........

May..... Field Day at school........

June........ visited paradise........

July......... Girls trip........... I was very fortunate to wake up to this view every morning for a long weekend..... and hang on the beach right beyond those trees.......... with some of my very best friends......

August..... First day of 7th grade..........

September........ With my girl, my bro-in-law and nephew (and some other great friends) in Auburn for the Clemson game..... the game where people stood up and took notice of my Auburn Tigers for the year........ we never got tickets to the game because they were few and far between to find, but watched the game at a tailgate and had a blast.........

October....... Hubs birthday.........

November......... going to the Georgia vs. Auburn game, where we clinched the SEC West, celebrated the 25th anniversary of Bo Jackson's Heisman win and had a blast........

December.... celebrating the birth of my sweet Savior.........

Here's to 2011 bringing us much happiness, joy and love!

Simplifying

Christmas is over......

All the boxes, wrapping and ribbon are long gone.......

All the gifts have been put away.......

And, now, all I want to do is clean.

The tree was so dry (and I watered it every other day) that when I took off the ornaments and the lights most of the needles came off with them...... and a few branches snapped.

I seriously thought it was a fire waiting to happen.

I used to not be this way..... I would wait for after the first of the year to take all the decor down, but now that I work every day, I just want it gone....... so I can relax for this last week of Christmas break.

So, with all the Christmas decor back in the boxes and settling nice back up in the attic, I have this overwhelming need to clean..... and deep clean.

Really it all started a couple of weeks ago when my girl was sick with strep.  We were home for a couple of days and all I wanted to do was deep clean bathrooms........ I wiped the walls down, scubbed all the tile, grout and floors, cleaned the shower liners and vacuumed every nook and cranny.

Today, I still have that need to clean and clean things out and throw things away...... yes, get rid of things.

A few years ago, a friend of mine bought this sign for me while we were at the beach.........

...... and it's been hanging in my kitchen ever since we got back from that trip.

But, now I'm going to really live it....... it's going to be my mantra for 2011.

I'm going to simplify my life. 

The month of January is dedicated cleaning out drawers, closets, and cabinets.  I'm pretty sure a lot of the things we have can be pitched....... it's just cluttering up our lives.

And I can't simplify if I'm cluttered, right?

Christmas..... and an Announcement

Oh, my gosh!  What a great Christmas we had here in Alabama!

Can you believe we actually had a white Christmas?  I believe it was a first!  Well, certainly a first for me.  Sure, growing up and going to Virginia for Christmas meant a little snow on the ground for Christmas sometimes.... but Bama?  Heck no!

We had a great day...... my girl woke up super early for a teenager...... it made me so happy that she is still so excited for Christmas.  By the time we left for my mom and dad's it was sleeting and snowing a little bit.  By the time we left my in-laws, it was full on snowing and I was ready to get home..... I would have hated to be snowed in somewhere other than my house!

Some of my favorite shots from the weekend.....

Christmas Eve Mass........

My favorite nativity.......

 Getting ready for dinner........

Super cute new pjs..........

UGGs............

Started someone a James Avery charm bracelet.........

Yep, here's my super stylish, new laptop case Hubs got me.......

We finished our chalkboard project......

My two favorite people.........

Favorite gift....... for my mom....... the one on the bottom.  I hung it for her after she opened it......

See, snow........

Now, for an announcement........

The new year will be here this weekend.  If you're making the resolution to move more and eat less in 2011 (like most of us are), well, then I've got a little help.  Since this is part running blog and I haven't been doing much running lately, I'm starting a series of posts for Mondays called "Move It Mondays"........

Yep, that is my attempt at making my very first badge..... not too bad, huh?

Any hoo, on Monday's I'll be posting about the past week...... running, eating, recipes, etc....... anything to keep me accountable.  And I'm inviting you to join me.  So, grab my button and link up with me on Mondays...... we can do this!

Happy Birthday, Jesus and Merry Christmas To All

Merry Christmas from the Wards! 

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.  And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.  And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.  And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.  And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,  Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. 

Luke 2:7-14

One Of My Favorite Holiday Smells

Today, my house smelled of this.........

..... because we made my yummy ginger snap cookies........

...... looks like miles and miles of cookies, but really it's about 5 dozen.

Oh, and I saw these and picked them up........

..... sometimes it's hard to decided which kind to choose for hot chocolate......

....... but today, I decided on the gingerbread ones, see how cute they look.......

...... delish!

Do you make your own hot chocolate or use the packaged kind?  I make my own with milk, sugar and cocoa.  I fill the cup with hot milk, add in a couple of spoonfuls of sugar and a spoonful of cocoa and stir.  I don't really measure anything, just eyeball it.  Then we add marshmallows and if you like a candy cane to stir....... that's how my girl likes it.

And today was the day that my girl decided to break open the gingerbread house and construct it.  She always waits until the 23rd, it's tradition.....

 .... we even have Rudolph.......

 ...... and I guess it's Santa's house.......

..... the finished product......

I think it turned out pretty perfect this year since she did it all on her own.

What's one of your holiday traditions?