Hello 2012

Can I just start out by saying: I LOVE BEING OUT OF SCHOOL! When I come home from work, David will ask, "what are you going to do tonight?" My response: "Anything I WANT!" :) So many people have asked if I am going to continue on with school, my answer at this point is the following: I am embracing this year, 12 months, of no school. I am waiting to see where that leads me. At the end of this year, I am confident I will have a better understanding. So until then, I have every intention to enjoy this year to the fullest, doing... anything I want.

Obviously with the new year, there are always new year resolutions, but we really don't do those.... Instead, last year we started each month writing down different goals and things we wanted to complete for just that month specifically. It really helped us stay on track with what we were trying to do and make sure those things got done. It was also really incredible to look back over the year and see how many things we had accomplished that we had already forgotten about. We are still doing Dave Ramsey, so a lot of those goals were listed. We have made so many strides since starting that program and seeking to live debt free. One thing we had on our "bucket list" was to go see Dave Ramsey live and we did that this year!! How cool is that?!?! There were also a ton of goals to begin/finish school semester/quarters, etc. We really liked looking over all the things we did each month and so, that is what we will continue to do this year.

However, I have made a blanket commitment to three things. First, read one book a week. People think I am nuts, but I drive 2 hours a day, and there is this thing called audiotapes - it is totally doable. At the end of the year, I plan to list every book I read this year. The goal is 52 books, I have a feeling I will read more, but my goal is 52 books.

I also have been cleaning out/organizing, and have found so many 'artsy fartsy' projects that I have started or had hopes to start, and didn't. Well, this year, I am also committing myself to knit all of the balls of yarn I currently have (there are 9).... so if you get a scarf for Christmas this year, don't judge me, because I am having fun making them!

For Christmas, David got a juicer. We have been on a continual "get healthy" thing... well, this year it is being stepped up a notch. It is no secret that living in Arcadia, you are limited on health food stores, but instead dwelling on that, we are taking the approach of using what we have. All stores in and around Arcadia have a produce section. Therefore, we can eat healthy fruits and veggies by juicing. We have been doing it for 2 weeks and I am down 6.2 pounds. We are replacing 2 meals a day eating food, with juicing. Right now we are still experimenting with different fruits and veggie combinations. Each month my goal is continue eating healthy the next month. This year is the year of me, and taking care of myself, and being healthy. Period.

Those three things will be on each month's goals. I understand it is day 18 of 365, but with less on our plate, we are choosing to live a more simplified life this year. We each only have one job, and David is the only person that is in school. It is going to be a fun filled, and crazy year. David will have his first of two degrees by the end of this year. I will turn 26, and he will be 34. At the end of this year, he will have only 2 quarters left of school before he is done. Like I said, it is going to be a great year. I have already claimed that. :)