Aspirations for 2011

Holy wowzers!! Christmas came and went so quickly & before you knew it, we were ringing in the New Year! I realize I didn't even write about Halloween, Thanksgiving or Christmas. I guess the month's all blurred together. Ken was involved in an accident in his semi the beginning of the year which pretty much kept us busy, and still is. He is fine and so is the other guy. But what a headache and a real happiness mojo damper. We've had some positively fantastic happenings and I'm going to do my very best to share them here. But, this post is about the New Year. New dreams, goals and aspirations. A time to reflect and a time to grow. Each year I make a list of aspirations, dreams, goals I have the coming year. I don't always achieve it all but oftentimes I fulfill those dreams without even noticing it until I begin my new list for the New Year. This year is scattered with a myriad of such goals. Some serious and some wacky. I'd like to share some of them with you.

~Read a book a month. I don't read as often as I'd like or as I used to. I tend to get dizzy if I read too much at one time and the letters dance on the page causing me to get headaches. Thank you meniere's for that. But 12 books is realistic and actually I am hoping to read a lot more than that. The year before last I was lucky to read 3.

~Limit Face book time. I get notifications to my cell phone and I feel it is my duty to respond right away, which interrupts my day. Before you know it, an hour has passed. I won't be ignoring my fab friends or family, instead I will manage my time more wisely.

~Anonymously pay for dinner for a stranger. It's just something I want to do and to see somebody smile would make my whole day, week and month!!

~Get down to a size 6. I know, one of those health type goals. We joined a gym on November 12th which was the 25th anniversary of my Mom's passing. We are both enjoying healthier us's and plan to continue this way of life for the rest of our lives.

~Work out at least 3 days a week. The gym we belong to is open 24/7 365 days a year so there are no excuses other than if I am sick. Knock on wood, the flu bug that is raging through town has not hit either of us yet and I am working very hard on doing everything I can to keep my meniere's under control. The gym has helped that so much. I not only see an improvement in my overall health and size but my balance has gotten a bit better which pretty much rocks all sorts of fanciness!!

~Ride my bike more. Last spring and summer I was such a slacker. The year before I rode 10-15 miles almost daily. It's something I thoroughly enjoy and it also helps my balance and keeps me healthy. Plus, if you've ever been to the Upper peninsula of MI, you know I live in a gorgeous area and it's a shame not to get out and enjoy it.

~Run a marathon. They have a memorial run on the 4th of July and another run in Green Bay in the summertime that I'd love to partake in. They are both for an amazing cause.

~To make birthday gifts. Sure some things will be bought but something has to be handmade for the gift. Be prepared friends and family. Gone are the days of $ or lotto tickets or the like. You might be getting something crocheted, cross stitched, baked or sewed. Who knows what it will be. But I have a deep belief that handmade gifts really show a special kind of love.

~Grow corn successfully in our community garden. Last summer/fall our corn was already thigh high by the 4th of July. Around here the saying is "knee high by the 4th of July" So, we thought we would have a bumper corp...nope. We have several organic gardening books so I will be spending some time this winter and spring learning everything I can about corn. 2011 is going to provide us with enough corn for our consumption and to share with friends, family and whomever I can pawn some off on. Hopefully.

~Make our own bread. The store bought stuff doesn't even come close to a home made bread. First I need to scour my dozens of cookbooks for a recipe. My hope is that all, if not all, then the majority of our bread will be home made.

~Make butter. No, I don't have a butter churn. I would love one though but that's really not going to happen. Instead it is my hope to acquire cream from a farmer or even buy some at the market and make it into butter. Just something I think would be pretty neatotastic!!

~Brush the dogs weekly. Ok, we have 5 dogs and for the most part they are self groomers and don't get all snarly haired. But, brushing on a regular basis would definitely cut down on the loose hair that floats around the house. Say buh bye to giant "extra pets" that are found when the furniture is moved. Plus, it's cute when I'm all done brushing them, they think they are royalty the way they walk around all fancified.

~Open and ETSY store online. I love to craft and I want to do something to bring a bit of income into the household. I believe it would help my esteem or whatever you'd like to call it if I knew I had a "purpose" other than my at home domesticated chores. I love being a housewife but I do miss working. Even if it only brings in a small amount. I'd be doing what I love to do, sharing that with others and contributing to my home.

~Simplify. There are so many areas of my life that need to be simplified. It is something I work on all of the time. We are getting closer but still HAVE way too much and desire too much at times. This is a subject very dear to my heart. I could go on and on for paragraph after paragraph on the different areas that need work.

~Try one to two new recipes per month. I love to cook and Ken loves to cook. Eating the same old things gets rather drab. Even we get stuck in a rut eating the same things from time to time. Time to put those dozens of fabulous cookbooks to better use. If you have a recipe that makes your taste buds have a foodgasm, I'd be happy if you'd share it.

~Write more on my good ole blog. I write often but rarely share my thoughts on here anymore. The last 6 months we have been dealing with so much. It hasn't been all bad but much of it is pretty deep stuff and my heart needs to heal. Those closest to me knows what we have been dealing with. I just hate to clutter my funtastical wacky blog with stuff that does not represent me entirely.

~Become more fluent in ASL. In October Ken & I joined our local deaf club and let me tell you, it's been amazing!! Most people know I have meniere's disease which affects your hearing, eventually making you deaf. At 1st I didn't do as well digesting all of it, then I accepted it. Or so I thought. Since joining this group I am now at total peace with it. It's an amazing group of fab friends. many of which I have known for years. Ken can see more confidence in me and I can totally feel it!!

~Write more on my story. My story, meaning my book. I tend to get frustrated when writing about certain times of my life. It was anything but normal. What is normal anyways? right? It was scattered with love, abuse, death, hardships, infertility, hope. I often times tell people my life began when I met Ken. If I could just get passed the sadness and hurt of the early years and get onto the past 17 years I'd be all set. I'm going to work on that.

~Go on a self searching journey. For lack of better words I call it that. I know my true self and I love myself. But, I want to take a couple days and just "be." I am always connected to many fabulous people and at times I just want to be with myself. Challenge myself, try something new, do something I never thought possible. for myself, by myself.

~Laugh daily. This is a no brainer and is the key to a happy life.

~Hug more. You'd think with me being all sentimental I'd be the extreme "huggy type." Nope. I like my invisible bubble and like it when people respect that bubble. I'm going to work on it.

~Preserve food. Whether it be from our garden, the Farmer's market, berries we foraged for in the woods. The pressure caner and dehydrator will be in full force and the pantry will be well stocked.

~Try a new food. This differs from a new recipe in that I want to try a new ingredient. Like fish. Neither of us eat it. But I want to.

~Ice Skate. It has been years since I skated. I was never really very good but I did enjoy doing it. This past year was getting back on cross country skis and getting my balance where it needed to be to do so. e live in a wunnaful area that offers a few rinks. It's time to utilize them. or at least try my very best.

~Forgive someone. For the past couple years I have done this and it's THE most fantastic feeling to have the anger and hate in my heart gone. I never set out each year with a person in mind. It's just happened. I have a couple people in mind this year. It's gonna be tough, but it can be done and I will do my best. If complete forgiveness does not occur I hope my heart brings me to a content place with that person.

~Sing in front of Ken freely. Ok, we have been together for almost 17yrs and we don't sing in front of one another unless we are goofing around. I love to sing.

~Follow our monthly budgets and put $ in savings. I'm pretty good with this but I do fall short at times. There's always something tempting me to stray and at times I do. I will be accountable and stay focused.

~Go to more play performances. We used to go to several performances a year. Truth be told, we stopped going after my ears took a poo and the whole meniere's thing. It affected so many areas of our lives. But this past year we went to "Wit" and it was the best and totally enjoyable. Plus, in the back of both of our heads is the fact that who knows how long I will be able to enjoy them. So, yup, date night supporting our community theatre is a must.

~Learn how to weave a basket. They offer classes at the Art Center now and then. I've always wanted to enroll. I want to make a basket to gather goodies from the garden.

~Learn something new. I have no clue what. Maybe it'll be yoga, or kickboxing. Maybe it'll be a form of dance. Heck, you never know, it could be yodeling. Doubt the yodeling. But you never know.

~Make a meal for a neighbor.

~Go to our babies memorial at least twice.

~Do at least 6 sunrise bike rides. This past summer I did a few and holy smokies!! amazing. I even had two deer run toward me and then continue down Main Street right in front of my eyes at a little before 6am.

~Watch the sunset and moon rise.

~Pet a horse or ride one. Those that know me know that I am terrified of horses. I find them gorgeous...at a distance.

~Do a somersault. Strange right? I haven't done one since I was in the 9th grade when I broke my collarbone while doing a shoulder roll doing gymnastics. Basically a shoulder somersault. Time to get over the fear I think. lol Hope my bones hold up!

~Grow watermelons and honeydew in the garden.

~Make Christmas gifts.

~Take each of the pups for a walk/run once a week.

~Go fishing and eat the fish we catch. I won't touch the worm but will touch the fish. Ken is the opposite so we make a good team. Now we just need to acquire the taste for it.

~Start a fire with two sticks. Meaning, no lighter fluid, matches or even flint and magnesium. I swear I should have been a boyscout at times. But, I like being a girl. =)

~Do four jig saw puzzles. I never make time to do them and it's something I like to do.

~Visit friends and family monthly. Too often we only get together for special occasions. Holidays, bdays, etc. Gone are the days of "just because" Those are coming back. =)

~Make a skirt using Nana's sewing machine. I have the fabric, the pattern and I've had the machine since Nana passed away. I was always too scared to use it, that I'd break something. Time to use it and make something beautiful for myself.

~Milk a cow. Yup, horrified of cows too. But, I like milk and want to just try it. Any farmers out there willing to let me play with some udders?

~Make household cleaners/soaps/candles. This just goes with wanting to be more green and frugal.

~Use our solar clothes dryer religiously. meaning hang laundry on the line, which I love to do. But sometimes it's so much easier to pop it in the dryer.

~ Visit a new Campground. Camping is an adventure we both love. It's great fun to visit a new place and meet new people.

~Visit Joy. Joy is my sweet baby niece that we were given custody of this past June. We made the difficult but right decision to let her go. She has a new forever family. Yet, it sometimes hurts. I'll get into that some other time.

~Knit. I still want to learn how to knit well. I can do the basic knit and purl with some difficulty. I have Nana's gorgeous needles and want to do something great with them. I will do it. Yup.

~Decorate for holidays. No, not just for Christmas. I used to make little things for different holidays and put out different decorations. I stopped after ken thought it was a waste of time. I do miss having a few decorations out throughout the year. I admit, when ken said it was a waste of time I was a bit over the top. I want to decorate but do it simply. Remember? Simplify.

~Last but not least, I want to tell the people I love them as often as possible. If you are in my life I truly do love ya.