so a New Year begins...

I realize I failed to post through the holidays. You see, the holidays are very hard for me, in a normal year. Especially these years since 2006, when my dad passed away, it just seems like there is such a large hole in our gatherings! Of course, I love my family, and we need to hold together what is left, but it is always a struggle for me. Winter period is hard for me - I have diagnosed myself with SAD, and I am not a winterperson, so it's like I'm just waiting for summer to roll around again! Then the disruption of our schedules, the added stress of financial outlay and business of the holidays just does me in every year.

This year was complicated by the fact that hubby had shoulder surgery a few days before Christmas, and I didn't get a day off work for Christmas (other than mynormal weekend off), and it was the first Christmas I've spent without one of my kids here or the expectation that I'd be seeing them shortly. Combine all of that with my loathing of the commercialization of the holiday and other family issues, and it was just HARD!

But enough of my pity party! The new year is off to a pretty good start. Hubby is healing up nicely, Caleb's ball team is playing well, Morgan is about to kick off golf, and we are all beginning a new healthy regimen. My friend, Pam, told me about this cool website, SPARKPEOPLE.com, and I'm going to try it out. I'd been praying for a simple way to get some good, healthy meal plans, and this site gives me that, helps me track towards my goal, and gives me a weekly shopping list as well. Maybe I can manage this!!!!

Our 7th grade A-team MS Tournament Champions!!!!

I'm also in Wk 9 of my latest round of college classes, so once these finals are done I start the next round, and one more and I have earned that Associates Degree at last!!!!! In June I will begin the Bachelors, and hopefully will have it completed in about 2 1/2 years. Marketing Degree, here I come, FINALLY!!!! Hopefully, there will actually be some jobs left in this country when I get it...

Hopefully the kids will be coming over to visit in the next couple of months. My Em is getting so big! I know she will be the most wonderful big sister!!!!

That's it for now. Life is busy, busy, busy, but I wouldn't change a thing (okay, maybe have my babies closer to me!) I am determined to make 2011 the best year yet!!!