Simple Life

Remember a few months back when I was saying that I was planning to downsize and simply my life? It is alot more difficult than you might imagine. I am on a business trip right now in Gulf Shores, AL and the days are long and crazy. I have gotten a pretty good start, but have had to put it on hold because of work.

I hope to accomplish alot when I get back home this time. It is really pretty here, about 5 miles from the beach. Most days it is warm and windy, but we have had some cold temps here since I have been here. One of girls told me that if it got below 40 degrees, they don't know what to do because it is freezing to them!

I made Kate a pair of "hospital socks" to wear when she has Anna, so I decided that Brian Sr and Brian Jr need some "hospital socks" too. I knitted them both out of the same yarn, charcoal gray, and used the same pattern, just reduced it for Little B. I am calling his "Big Brother Socks". Now they will all have socks to wear to the hospital when Anna is born.

Love ya'll~

Things I Would Like to Accomplish in 2009

• I would really like to do more volunteer work at 12Stone. I do as much as I can now, but I feel that I could and should do more.

• Ok, I admit it. I have gained a few pounds that I need to get rid of. It seems that exercise takes a back seat to all the other things I have going on, so I am going to try and get back to the gym more often. I have already started eating healthier and less. I am doing alot of Weight Watchers recipes and also the High Blood Pressure recipes.

• To improve my knitting - I want to be able to be as good at knitting as I am at crocheting, and to also maybe teach a crochet class. I think I would really enjoy that.

• To Make More Time for Quilting - I have not completed a quilt in several months due to the fact that I really have had no place to sew. You would think that with this big house, I could find a place to set up my studio, but there is no place. So, I thought it was time to take matters into my own hands and make this happen. I ordered a sewing center from JoAnn online, and it arrived just before Christmas. It will keep my machine and all my tools and projects in one very well organized place.
• Organize More - I still have some areas of my home, office and life that need additional organizing, and I would like to get that done in 2009. It would be great to start the new year in 2010 organized and happy.

• More Time with Family and Friends - It seems that since our children are divided between 4 states, my family being in South Carolina and California, Randy's in Mississippi and us in Atlanta, it gets more and more difficult to spend time with our children and our extended families. In a perfect world, we would all live in the same state, same town even, but we all know that the world is not perfect. I do have a family blog called "Everyday is a Winding Road". But, even with that, I can't always keep everyone in touch with Randy and me, and the other family members. So, one of my TO DO's is to find a way to spend more time with my family and friends. I am open to suggestions from any of you who are in the same position as me.

• Really work in my herb and flower gardens. They need to have plants added, plants moved, plants divided and some other things. I need to make compost and compost tea, add some fresh top soil, and do cuttings.

• Family Pictures and Scrapbooking - This year I will get all the photos and mementos organized and into scrap books. It is a BIG task, but Randy has agreed to help me, so I think I can get it done by the holidays 2009.

• And, last but not least, to work more on my Family History. I have so much work to do on this........research, talking to relatives...... it seems like the more I do, the more I find, and it just goes on and on.
  

Happy 2009!

I can't believe that it is 2009! WOW, it seems like only a few months ago, everyone was worried about Y2K or whatever they called that. I have lots of new plans for 2009. I am planning to work less, craft more, and spend more time with my family. I do some work at my church, but I am planning to do more. This is going to be my year, I feel it! Hope all of you had your peas and collards for New Year's dinner. Mine were delicious! I am counting down the days until little Anna Kathryn makes her debut. February 17 is the magic day! I have pics to post and blogs to visit, so take care all!

love ya'll~