You really should have thought of that before you became peasants! *

Merry Belated Christmas everyone.  Chewy (yes, he shall now be called Chewy) and I exchanged gifts in the morning and then went to my parent's house for Christmas dinner. 

It was a mad house as usual but a lot of fun. 

The Smith Family - their last photo as a family of 3.

Target Gift Card - yeah!

I can't believe that we are already at Christmas time (and now past it).  This year has just flown by!

Is it strictly apathy, or do you really not have a goal in life?*

It's that time of the year again - to reflect on what I didn't get done....I mean…..uh

So this year wasn't the best for goal completion.  The Internet tells me that it was Woody Allen who said, “If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans.”  2013 has been a great year, it just didn’t involve accomplishing many goals.

1. Read 50 books – This may be the only goal I feel certain I can put in green.

2. Finish the two stories I am working on – Let’s just say that the writer’s block didn’t go anywhere.  I have gotten further and I am working on one of the stories with my writing group – but I have not brought either to a conclusion.

3. Don't text and drive (don't call the cops on me).  It even became a LAW! I’m a lawbreaker! I don’t do it as much as I did, but I still do it.

4. Be Healthier – I never did get an annual check-up.  I tried a few veggies this year (fresh spinach – way better than lettuce), but I really should be doing that more often.  I also bought a fitbit this year and that has helped me in my “being fit” area.  I am obsessed with getting 10,000 steps a day – I haven’t been great about it in December, but I was doing pretty good for a while.  I love the friend feature – so if you have a fitbit let’s connect and challenge each other in 2014.

5.Get back to the basics – It isn’t so much about WHEN you get there, but THAT you get there….right? (if not – this is yellow)  It has only been recently that I have been better about my scripture study and prayer.  I had been doing them each day, but not really…if that makes sense.  So around Sept/Oct I started to give myself an amount of time for scripture study instead of just reading a chapter each morning.  It has been great – and I hope to keep it up in 2014.

6. Home Improvement – NOTHING! I fixed nothing in my house this year….

7. Budgeting/Pay off Debt –I guess there is a reason I have had this as a goal EVERY YEAR.

8.Attend at least one writers conference – My goal was to attend a writers conference, which I did not.  But I have joined a new writing group….was that just THIS year I originally joined one?  The first one fell apart over summer vacation, but this new group is small and consistent.  I really like the people and I’m learning A LOT.  So I may not have gone to a writer’s conference but I have definitely made some progress.

9. Time Management – I have gotten somewhat better.  I now watch Netflix while folding laundry and working in steps....but I don’t think I am where I envisioned myself when I wrote this goal.

10. Journal Writing – Just because I wrote twice in December DOES NOT count!  This is still something I want to get better about – so it will be showing up in 2014.

That's more than a name, that's an attitude.*

I've been MIA in the blog sphere. I feel really bad about that, really, so to make up for it I'm going to post a lot of pictures that I'm not in.

As you know, I got engaged and Matt and I have set a date for March.  I've been getting things ready for that. I am very excited to start my life with my best friend (my best guy friend, clam down Amber).  Right now is just the waiting part (yes, there are things to get in order before we get hitched - but still, it's mostly just waiting).  

I also am starting a new job...any day now.  I applied internally to leave HR and go in to Regulatory Compliance.  I was offered the position back in October but am just now training replacements.  One started Monday and the other person starts next Monday.  Yup - two people for me.  Not really, but my job is split between the two, just one will do more of my job than the other.  So no more chair or light bulb counting, or moving chairs, or dealing with the blasted ping pong table or scheduling conference rooms.  Granted that wasn't all of my job, but these are just parts where I wondered what I was doing with that fancy four year degree I spent five years on...(just kidding, I was like, one semester late...)

Anyway, I am very excited to hand that off and to start something new.  I am excited to work with my new boss and coworker, they both seem like great people.

We had a baby shower for my sisters this past Saturday.  Yup "sisters", they are both pregnant and due within a month of each other.  I'm excited for two more nieces, I just don't know if I'll love them as much as I love the others - but I say that every time another one is about to come.  I will apparently be starting my career as a child photographer when they are born - I have been commissioned to do a shoot.  I have been looking at poses and such so if anyone has any favorites I will accept suggestions.

By the way - Grandma Teddy Cat gave her an empty ice cream cone.

What else...

My friends asked me to take some photos at their wedding reception (don't worry - they hired a real photographer for the actual wedding).  If they like what I took - I get a pack of Ukrop's mini cupcakes (they asked what I would charge and that's what I charge....hint hint Martha...).  Anyway - I was pretty nervous but ended up having a good time.  Here are some of them.

Book Review - November

January - 4

February - 3

March - 4

April -2

May - 3

June - 4
 July - 4

  August - 5

September - 9
October - 5

November - 4

Total =47

 

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown by Holly Black

So I read a vampire book...I swore I never would (aside from Twilight - which I think is why I swore I never would but really, there could be several reasons why).  I actually enjoyed it.  There were parts I wanted to vomit, or tried to curl my wrist (something I do when there is way too much talk of blood and gore).  It's definitely a teen vampire novel - so you know, keep that in mind if you decide to read it.

All These Things Shall Give Thee Experience by Neal A. Maxwell

I really enjoyed this book.  I've been meaning to put a Maxwell book under my belt and I did it! It took me a long time to read, but I found a lot of what it said applicable for myself or for friends who were going through a difficult time.
 

Paperboy by Vince Vawter

I started this one - not too sure if I would actually enjoy it.  But there's something about a young, stuttering, baseball playing coming of age story that really gets to you.  It really was one of those coming of age stories where a young boy is made to deal with very real issues and how that changes the way he sees the world and himself.  Overall - a feel good book.

Miss Peregrine's School For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

It took me a little while to get in to this one.  Our main character visits the place where his grandfather grew up as a war refuge.  He makes some peculiar friends while trying to solve the riddled last words of warning his grandfather gave him.  I am still processing the end of the story - I think that's because it sounds like there will/should be a sequel.  Not sure if it will happen, but this is a book where I would be interested in seeing the sequel.