My 2011

12/31/2010 09:50:00 AM Ashley 3 Comments

Well hello last day of 2010. I can't say that I have been waiting for you, but I am definitely ready for you to be here. Since I already looked back at what this year has held for me, I wanted to do something different for this post.

I'm not a resolution keeper. At all. In fact making a resolution is the quickest way to make sure I never do said thing...ever. Plus saying that I want to lose weight is cliché and something I am already working on.

Instead I am going to share the things that I know I am going to do in 2011, because if I don't I will have failed myself and I am over playing that game. To make this even more cheesy fun I am going to make this list 11 things I will do, because it is 2011 after all.


1. Swimming

{Image from Google image}

Maybe not so much in that pool, not that I would be complaining if that's where I had to swim every day. But to keep swimming. It's something I started when I moved here. I like doing it. I feel better, and much more hungry, after I get out. Plus I have an awesome swimming buddy and we help push each other to get out of our "warm" houses to swim.

2. Throw a successful wine tasting party.

{Image from Wine Expert}

This one is already in the works! A great friend, Sarah, and I have taken it upon ourselves to make a joint party dream come true. For quite some time I have wanted to have a group of people come over and have a drinking party that didn't involve a keg, keg stands, beer pong or a beer bong. Now don't get me wrong, there is a time and place for everything, but when you want said drinking party to be about wine...I tend to think classy thoughts. I love that I found someone else who has wanted to do something like this. And man are the decorating ideas already bouncing back and forth between us!

3. Continue exploring where we live.
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{Okra plant and flower}

We really like it here. Which is a total 180 from how we felt about the last place we lived. We find ourselves wandering around town aimlessly trying to find new things. Just this past week I found a yummy deli, Charlies, that carries lots of German food goods (score!). Oh and their sandwiches ROCK! I love that we've found countless "pick your own" farms. They are fun and beautiful all at once. I want to keep finding things and enjoying what is quickly becoming the short amount of time we have left here.

4. Find a Martha Stewart craft that doesn't suck to make.
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So far my friend Sarah and I have tried our hands at a few of Martha Stewart crafts and...how to put this nicely...been left with things that look...um...special. We tried our hands at her Tissue Paper Pom-poms. Which left Sarah and I laughing hysterically at the limp, lifeless things we made as we tried to play them off as pom-poms. After many Google searches on how to do it right...Sarah came out with something that looked far better than we were expecting. But we were left wondering how Martha was able to make something so simple...so hard. After that "issue" I dumbly decided that we should try another of her ideas, but this time they were going to be Christmas gifts. The Oak-Leaf Bowl looked simple enough for two lack luster sewers. Yeah...not so much. The bowl is made, but the template was far too detailed and the two pieces of fabric never fully stuck to one another. Lets just say that 1/2 bowl we did make is sitting in the craft room waiting for something to happen. But dang it Martha...I am DETERMINED to find something that we can make and actually have it turn out right!

5. Keep Crafting
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Because no matter how many crafting blunders I have, there is always something that turns out so well that it keeps me going! It's a rush for me when something comes together. I love being able to see the things I have done. It's even more rewarding to have other people like what you are doing as well.

6. Keep in touch with my blogging BFF and hopefully make more along the way!
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Blogging was a fun, creative outlet for me. I never really thought anything more about it, except for that. Then I started "meeting" these other great blogger in the community and I was hooked even more. It's wonderful knowing that you have friends out there, all across the country and sometimes world. I was super excited when I "met" Cassie over at Understated. It's a friendship that, I would like to think, would blossom into an awesome real life friendship if we should ever meet. I look forward to keep up contact and sending fun gifts to her. I also look forward to making new friends!

7. Cook more at home.
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It's something we didn't do enough in Albuquerque, but have gotten better at here. Which is funny, because we have a much smaller kitchen now. Even though we've gotten better about eating at home, we could be doing better. A lot better. This is totally the time to get into it with all of the farm fresh stuff we can get here, plus Nate is very interested in learning how to cook. It's time to pull out the old favorites and find some new favorites as well. Good thing my blogging BFF is such an awesome cook and posts her recipes!

8. Have the house completely put together.
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No matter how hard I try, there is always one room in the house that is never quite there. Currently there are two rooms. I'm not proud of it, but it happens. I went gang busters trying to get the downstairs, guest bath and guest bedroom put together after we moved in. Then I went after the office...which got clean, but is being turned back into a dumping ground. Nothing a 2 hour clean won't fix. Then there is our bedroom. The poor thing has gotten ignored, because we're the only ones that use it. Still that's no excuse and I plan on getting our bedroom put together properly. I will have a house that is full functional and clean, even if it bores me to no end.

9. Keep up on Emmett's walks.
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Emm gets just as bored and antsy as we do. While we try to keep has activity level a little lower than he'd like, because of his hip, he still enjoys walks. We've been learning that he will let us know how far he can and cannot go. He ends up being far less ornery and we get our butts out of the house as well. Win win! We also found a dog park that he loves, so when it warms up, I can see us spending a lot more time there!

10. Finally master the bath bomb (fizzy)

{Via}

Ours looked nowhere that good...plus we're currently sticking to one color per bomb. Now...while ours work, and work pretty dang well, they aren't pretty. We haven't fully found the perfect mix to keep our bombs from cracking. We did figure out what is too wet...after a few oops-es. This year though...is the year of the bath bomb. We will get it right!

11. Keep being ME!


It's been a trying 5 years. With a lot of ups and way too many downs. I slowly lost myself in the process and I don't like that one bit. Now that I am happy with who I married and where I live...it's time to be happy with me again. Being happy takes many forms. One of them being weight...losing it that is. I'm happy when I am skinny. Or should I say I feel better when I am skinnier. Either way...I want to be back to a healthy weight, because the superficial side of me ready to be prancing around in sky high heels and super awesome outfits again. The other part is getting back to being me. The random girl who breaks out into dance in the middle of anywhere. Laughing...because I find something funny and it makes others wonder. Surrounding myself with people who "get" me, even if they don't get all of me. Not worrying about what others think...cause man has that been an issue I never thought I would have. Letting myself fall flat on my face and know that it isn't the end of the world...or even the day. I'm slowly getting there and I have a feeling that 2011 just might be the year that everything falls back into place. Just as long as I push myself and let others help me along the way!


I truly look forward to everything that 2011 has in store for me. It's another year for me to grow into the person I want to be!

I hope that everyone has a wonderful last day of 2010 and is looking forward to all of the chances and opportunities that 2011 holds!

Happy New Year's Eve!

3 comments :

  1. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  2. Hurrah for crafting!!! I can't wait for the wine-tasting party :D Also, I can plan to barge into your bedroom randomly, if that will help inspire you to clean it ;)

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  3. I am so glad to see you linked up. What a great list. Invite me to the wine tasting party when you have one, or at least teach me to have a successful tasting party too. :-)

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