A New Year

It is officially 2010. I look forward to what January brings each new year. It is a time for us to take stock of our lives and see what we have done, successfully or otherwise and to make the course corrections each of us needs to make. I have been reading a lot of your blogs of late and there are lots of inspiration out there but we all have to do it in a manner consistent with who we are...am I right? If you are only interested in quilty things you may want to just skip this post because it is about me as a person.

I usually write a Christmas letter where I recap all the things the family has done and my part in this letter is usually confined to my quilting because that is such a big part of my life. I need to look at how big that is and if I am shortchanging the family. Well, here goes for what has happened this year and what I hope to have happen in the upcoming one.

I set out last year to learn EQ and to use my embroidery module, neither of which I accomplished, so they go on the list again for this year.

I managed to make quilts for some of my friends and for their babies, the latest one just recently arriving in France for our French daughter's new son.

That being said, I am now a "Nana" to said French daughter's new son, Andrew. What a blessing!

I have slowly been coming to terms with my middle DD getting ready to graduate from college and take that next BIG leap into becoming the amazing person she was born to be. Not easy!

I have cemented the friendship with my oldest DD. We work together now and that has made us closer. We are also venturing along the weight loss journey together (although she is kicking my butt so far) Good for her!

I have watched my DS continue to mature, slowly, oh so slowly but it is happening. It is difficult and painful to watch how slowly this is happening, but I am taking joy in that it is happening at all!

I celebrated 50 years of living which is a great thing.

I also celebrated 26 years of being married to my best friend, not too shabby.

I learned I can't do it all nor do I want/need to do that anymore.

I succeeded and failed at many things this year, now to sweep that away, wash the slate clean and move on to the new year. Here goes nothing.

What do I want to accomplish in this upcoming year?

1-Continue the weight loss journey with DD1 and exercise more.

2-Work on a more sustainable life style, including more natural foods, growing more of my own food and canning. We have begun this in 2009.

3-Use credit cards less (I have been pretty successful with this now I must help my family to do the same). Work on paying off some of that debt too. Kind of painful to talk about but I need this list.

4-Slow down and appreciate family time more.

5-Begin to clean out the "stuff" that is cluttering up my house and my life. I need to learn to get rid of things I don't use and don't need. Help my DH to do the same. Our basement and garage are in dire need of some rigorous clearing out!

6-I set up and ETSY shop, oh yes I did, and I would like to take some of the "vintage" items I have collected and sell them there along with some of the extra scrap quilts that I don't have homes for. So keep a look out for these. I just listed my first 3 vintage items!

7-I have loads of pattern ideas and some very supportive friends that offered to be pattern testers, so I would like to publish some of my patterns this year.

8-As I said earlier, I *need* to learn how to use my EQ program and also my embroidery module.

9-I have a pretty big stash, I have made an effort to use from it this year and will continue to do so in 2010.

10-I need to work on my UFO's (as do most people) so I will continue to have a list on my sidebar for this. Having the list helps me to focus and work my way through to get them finished.

Mostly, I want to make this year a year of growth as a person and to become a better wife, mother and friend. Organize more and spend less. Laugh more and relax more. To that end I would like to do a little more traveling with my DH and my friends too.

I wish for you all that you have what you need to lead a happy and productive life. To be able to do the things you love to do and to be true to yourselves.

I appreciate each and every one of you. I am overwhelmed by your kindness and your support. I hope each of you knows how very much I think of you and that I want only good things for you all in this new year. God bless and keep you all safe in 2010!
XOXOXO
Pam