2013 * Just keep swimming*

Last night I did the math and I realized that the last time I stayed up until midnight was 1997. What can I say, I know how to party!!!

However, last night my kids insisted that they could stay up until midnight. I had planned to celebrate at 9:00 instead of midnight but they all promised that they could stay up.

By 8:30, the two youngest were out.

By 9:00 Ethan was out.

My husband and I plus Harmony and Connor were the only ones who made it. The only way I made it was that I sat and organized coupons. Otherwise I would have been out by 7:00!

Before everyone fell asleep, we filled out a "Year in Review" sheet and decided on a new family motto.  It was cute because everyone tried to guess one anothers answers on their review sheet. I was pretty impressed with how well my kids know each other!

After thinking of many different mottos, we came up with, "Just Keep Swimming".  So no matter what happens, our family is just going to keep on swimming. Doing the best that we can and just leaving the rest. Works for me!

Just for kicks, I thought I would share my answers:

Name: Marie
Age: 34
Favorite color: pink and blue
Favorite food: pizza
Favorite activity: couponing, reading, blogging, crafting
Favorite book: Harry Potter series. I can't pick just one of them :)

Highlights of 2012:
Greatest lesson learned---> That while people may do things I don't approve of, it is THEIR problem and not MINE. Just support them and move on. Let them find out for themselves.

Hardest thing of the year---> deployment...'nough said!

Saying goodbye

Favorite memory: meeting my husband at the airport after his return from deployment...on our 14th wedding anniversary

What I loved most about 2012: Spending time with family and friends, trying to enjoy the little things...learning, growing and moving on!

Looking forward to 2013

Want to learn---> not to be so hard on myself. I am my own worse critic
Want to get better at---> keeping my home clean and organized
Biggest goal---> to SAVE MORE MONEY and to track it so I know how much I saved!

So what are you looking forward to this new year? What were your highlights of the last year? Lessons learned? Feel free to answer the same questions on your blog or in the comments. I would love to hear!

I will be sharing the rest of my goals in a later post.

Are you ready?

For 2011?

Christmas has only been over for a few hours now, but I am feeling the urge to put my decorations away, clean house, and be all prepared for the New Year.

I always like to change my blog background with the seasons/holidays....but the only New Years one I found had 2010 on it, and it is hard to have a winter one when it is 70 degrees and sunny outside! I know you all feel bad for me!

So instead I went with a nice CLEAN look. (:

Do you make resolutions every year? I do. And can I tell you something? I have rarely kept them! That is why I am not the perfect weight, my checkbook balance does not resemble Bill Gates, my home is not clean and organized, my scrapbooks are not up to date...I could go on, but I will spare you! LOL

I always start out the new year with HUGE goals and plans. We have all heard the phrase "GO BIG OR GO HOME" right? Well there may be times when that works but when you are trying to achieve a goal, that doesn't always work.

Tonight I will be posting my 2011 Resolution challenge. I hope you will join me and we can work together on being the best that WE can be. Not someone elses standard. So check back  tonight because  you will find:

**a Sweet Sunday dessert & inspirational message
** my Menu plan for the week (can't remember the last time I made one!)

** 2011 Resolution Challenge! With all the info to participate! Did I mention I will be having a GIVEAWAY every month of the year for those who participate?!