NYE

It is the last day of 2011.  Last year we rang in the new year with somewhat heavy hearts, knowing we had a lot of stresses ahead of us, and that was before we knew that illness was going to strike our family in just a few days. 

I am seeing a lot of headlines referring to the overall suckage of 2011 and indicating that 2012 isn't looking much better, but in our little family it seems that it will be at least a minor improvement over 2011.  Mike is without a job contract, again, but by now we are getting used to it.  I hope we won't have to move, but if we do, I accept it if it means our family gets to stay together.  And if we get more than 3 days notice. 

We are now a happy healthy family of 4.  Last year I did not make any new years resolutions, thinking that just resolving to get through the challenges ahead was enough (and it was).  This year I have resolutions a-plenty.  I'm afraid my list is a bit too ambitious, and I'm destined to crash and burn, but I'm going to give it a go anyway.  I have a lot more energy now and with Mike at home it doubles our productivity around the house.  How's that for a silver lining.

In no particular order:

1. Going to work on my cookbook, testing and photographing recipes.  I'm going for 2 a month.  At that rate it will take me 2 years to finish my cookbook.  I didn't realize it was going to take that long, but I don't want to commit to testing more than 2 recipes a month. 
2. I'm joining the My365 photography project, which is basically just taking a photo every day.  Or in my case, I plan to take 365+1 photos in 2012.  I don't want to freak out if I miss a day proper.  The project leader sends an inspirational word or prompt for each day, just in case you can't think of anything to shoot.  I will probably post the photos on a separate blog, though I'm not sure yet.
3. Menu planning. My nemesis. But I have some motivation and will give it another shot. With Mike home at dinnertime I might even be successful.
4. I have a genealogy research project I am working on. I do not know how long it will take me to finish. I decided a good goal would simply be to try to work on it for at least a few minutes every week.
5. Cull extraneous clutter from our home. This is a project Mike and I are doing together and have resolved to have it finished by the end of January. We already did the living room. It looks really nice.
   
   In 15 minutes it will no longer be NYE, so I better publish this now.