1/23/11

Our New House!

So here are some pics of our new house.
What, did you just say they are blank?
Crap, how did that happen?
I mean we qualifed for the loan and did all the paperwork.
We signed a contract and put down earnest money.
We packed up boxes and made plans to move.
I know I remodeled the whole thing in my mind at least twice.
Oh, now I remember the bank forgot to approve the short sale second mortgage. 

Wait how does that happen you say?
I asked the same thing, and after much garbage from our agent the short answer is...
because they can.

So now we wait.

1/10/11

Year in Review

So I did this last year, and I really liked it. I think it is good for self reflection, and an interesting way to document part of my life, which is the point of a Blog after all.

What did you do in 2010 that you'd never done before?
Looked for a house, Started Grad School, Sold things that I have made, Participated in a Farmers Market (Ogden), Participated in a boutique show, Read 100 books, said yes to way way too much.

Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I think I am a nicer person which was a goal from last year.  I decided that I’m always going to be too busy, too stressed, too crazy, but I don’t have to act like it.  Making people feel good is important.  I’m not perfect but I have improved significantly.

Did anyone close to you give birth?
Nope, weird

Did anyone close to you die?
Nope, it was a blessed year.

What countries did you visit?
Nope, it was a downsizing year.  Big plans for 2012 I hope!

What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?
A house, were so close but I hate to jinx it.  An administrative position!


What dates from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory?
Nothing stands out here.  Maybe the feeling of selling my work, that was a pretty cool high.


What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Being busy!  I work two jobs, attend grad school, started selling stuff that I make, and did a lot of little extras. 


What was your biggest failure?
Probably taking on too much, I need to learn how to say NO! Or, probably “No thanks.”

Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nope, lucky again.

What was the best thing you bought?
The snuggy Todd gave me that came with a book light.  New boots maybe.  Or didn’t buy would be a ton of books because I rediscovered the library WHOOOOO! 

Whose behavior merited celebration?
Emily puts up with a lot living with me.  Her husband Aaron, who I respect more every day I live with them.  Todd, always, makes be better being married to him.

Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
I get frustrated when Todd struggles in school be he rallied this last semester and impressed me.  There is always work drama.  Teaching me to leave work drama at work.

Where did most of your money go?
Todd’s school, My school, More Craft Supplies, Gas, Eating out.  We saved up for a house though!

What did you get really, really, really excited about?
We are so close to getting a house!  We have been this close before though so I’m trying not to get too excited.

Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? The same
b) thinner or fatter? The same, perhaps just a little thinner.
c) richer or poorer? Richer, Todd took a new job that has be looking up and worried about school
What do you wish you'd done more of?
Nothing, I wish I had done less, I was crazy busy this year.  Once again Im looking for balance and trying to simplify!

What do you wish you'd done less of?
TV probably, doing too much.

What was your favorite TV program?
Still Project Runway, but contenders include Dexter, Modern Family, Cougar Town, Weeds, The Big C.  I have cut down a bit.

What was the best book you read?
Where to start, see previous post I guess.

What did you want and get?
To sell my stuff at a craft fair, a few actually. 

What did you want and not get?
Last years list : A house, A masters degree, a baby.
Were close on the house, I’m half way through the master’s Degree, and the baby won’t happen this year unless we are taken by surprise.  I would like to add a job as a principal.

What was your favorite film of this year?
Didn’t see a ton.  Maybe Zombieland.

What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
Turned 30 OUCH!  Went out with Todd, low key kind of thing.


What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Todd getting through school, still, always.  Finishing my masters, buying a house, getting a promotion.

How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010? I bought a knit dress or two and some legginings.  Still wishing I were more put together here.


What kept you sane?
Creating things, sewing, sleeping late, reading

New nick names?
Todd as a library of thousands, I get a new nick name about every week.  Nugget of Love however made the banned list.

Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010.
That I need to learn to say no.  That balance is an ongoing process not a destination.

1/9/11

Yes, I Finished

So a few people have asked and yes I finished the 100 books.
So that I can clear out the side bar for 2011 here is the complete list, though I swear I'm miss a few.

Luthor, Man of Steel * Ignition City * Pinocchio, vampire slayer * Eating the Dinosaur * Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking * What I Know Now: Letters to My Younger Self * Elmer * It's Kind Of A Funny Story * PostSecret: Confessions on Life, Death, and God * The Help * Pirates! * Why We Suck: A Feel Good Guide to Staying Fat, Loud, Lazy and Stupid * The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists: A Novel * Black Dagger Brotherhood Book 2 * A Lifetime of Secrets: A PostSecret Book * The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants * Niccolo Machiavelli's The Prince * 501 Easy Look and Fell Good Tips * Neruda, The Book of Questions * Supermarket * I Feel Bad About My Neck: And Other Thoughts On Being a Woman * The Boy in the Striped Pajamas * The Nest Home Design Handbook: Simple ways to decorate, organize, and personalize your place * Firegirl * Nonviolence: The History of a Dangerous Idea * Under the Tuscan Sun * My Secret: A PostSecret Book * Filthy Rich * Farewell to Manzanar: A True Story of Japanese American Experience During and After the World War II Internment * Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar: Understanding Philosophy Through Jokes * The Secret Lives of Men and Women, Complied by Frank Warren * Paint Me Like I Am: Teen Poems from WritersCorps * What Every BODY is Saying: An Ex-FBI Agent's Guide to Speed-Reading People * I'm a Stranger Here Myself, Notes on Returning to America After 20 Years Away * Mockingjay * Step by Step Begining Gardening * Post Secret * The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod 8th grade * A long Way Gone * Nutureshock * 700 Sundays * A Girl Named Zippy * Vanishing America * Hucks Raft: a History of the Amrican Childhood * Freedom Writers Diary *Black Dagger Brotherhood book 1 * Born on a Blue Day * Kitchen Gardens: how to create a beautiful and functional culinary garden * 50 High Impact, low care garden plant * Fast Plants: choosing and growing plants in a hurry * Catching Fire * The Hunger Games * Twilight at Monticello * Talking Back to Presidents * Escape * 13 Reasons Why * Burning Bright * The Minds of Boys * A Great and Terrible Beauty * I Can't Keep My Own Secrets; Six-word Memoirs by Teens Famous and Obscure * The Book of Questions * The Trouble with Poetry * Eat that Frog! * Deep South * The Memory Keepers Daughter * Snitch * Indigo * The Circus in Winter * Alice I have Been * Metro Girl * You the Owners Manual * In Cold Blood * Twisted * The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo * Crank * Why do Men Have Nipples? * The Absolutely True Diary of a Part Time Indian * Bad Mother * Balance is a Crock, Sleep is for the Weak * The Gunniepig Diaries * The Mole People * Stuff * Julia Child's My Life in France * The Joy Luck Club * Street Pharm * Touching Spirit Bear * Things I have Learned From Women Who Have Dumped Me * American Horticultural Society Practical Guides: Hanging Baskets * Isaac Mizrahi's how to have style * A single Shard * Spark * Nobody's fool * Al Capone Does My Shirts * The Lost Continent; Travels in Small Town America * All the Pretty Horses * Motor Mouth * Story of a Girl * Green Angel * Dead Until Dark *The Man Who Ate Everything


Wow!

Update: I went back through and color coded the best, it case you are looking for a recommendation