Hello 2014, and Random Thoughts From My Brain

We returned last Friday evening from a 2 week extrava-bonanza in Southern Alberta. Since then, it has been a steady stream of cleaning house, unpacking, laundry, work, and family time. I usually am so ready to be home by the end of our trips, but this time I kinda wanted to stay forever! (Probably because I knew I was coming home to a messy house and work... oops.)

My mind has been a little swamped with what I truly want to be my resolution for 2014. Truthfully, my eyes are always bigger than my stomach and I load things on my proverbial plate and get discouraged when I discover I am NOT super human and I just can't do it all. So I am starting small:

1. Re-vamp the look and feel of my blog.
 I first started blogging in 2008 when I was going to school in Hawaii. I didn't have much to say, but it felt good to put my thoughts somewhere, to have an outlet. I didn't give a rat's booty what people thought and I intend to bring that spirit back to life. (I know I know, you've heard it all before. But this time my goal is specific and measurable, and by goll, things will be different this time!) Here's how:
- blog frequently, at LEAST once a week
- learn to use the manual setting on my camera (and once I master that, learn the basics of Photoshop.)
- do projects and activities to blog about, all while living my life, and not just living it to put it on the blog.
- initiate Project 52 (a photo of Ruby, Blake or I each week) and post photos here, to help with camera learning
- either learn simple blog design, or have someone redesign ye olde blog

2. Sew and sell handmade items
- organize our family room to be a multipurpose/sewing room.
- explore different patterns and textiles and find my niche.
- discover my 'brand'
- practice, practice, practice

3. Be a better friend
- send a card or gift on birthdays; if they are going to be late, call
- mail packages and letters, write notes for the sole purpose of brightening a day
- host get-togethers and start a bunco group for the ladies

Those are the big ones, but I also want to update photo books, minimize our 'stuff', organize photos and music on all computers, less pinning-more doing, read before bed, get out of debt, less phone, and read 14 books (a specific list I will share later). It's going to be a wonderful year, I can tell.