Happy 2011!!!

I can NOT believe how fast last year flew by. I think I might say that every January.
Last year I resolved not to make any resolutions. Initially I was planning to keep that resolution for 2011 too. But....I am a goal oriented girl and I missed not reaching my goals I guess. So...here goes....

1. Make a cookbook. I don't want to publish anything but I want to organize the recipes that I do have into a 3 ring binder. I even have the binder. That is a good start.
2. Blog more often. I always say I want to blog more....but don't get to it. I am setting the mark at once a week. So far so good....for this week anyway.
3. Lose 11 pounds by 3-21-2011. The Biggest Loser Team competition at church. It starts on Wednesday so that is going to be my motivation and accountability.
4. Keep house better. Ok. I was a total FlyLady groupie by this time last year and LOVED it - then I must have gotten too cocky and stopped doing the program. I need to get back on the wagon and stick with the program. www.flylady.com if you are interested.
5. Be more purposeful with friendships. The first step will be to get a family picture and send out late Christmas...well....late New Years cards. I have not done that for several years....the biggest hurdle is getting the fellas to comply with store bought haircuts. Cole is done....John is dragging his feet. The next task will be to set up a lunch date once a week with someone. I have let my relationships become pretty shallow. This is going to be a tough one for me. I am not very good at being a good friend. But it is surely something that I can improve on.
6. Finish the trim work in the kitchen and Living room. Ugh. Isn't trim work just a drag? I have to wait for warm weather to get this one done....my "workshop" is the back deck....good summer project.
7. Finish tiling hall and laundry and bath areas. I just about burnt myself and my family out on tiling last summer but hopefully I can persevere and get it finished up this summer. I can say that at this moment....I am very tempted to remove this resolution.
8. Get a good garden in and maintain it. I did not even plant a garden last year! I missed it. Yes, it would have been hailed out...twice....but nothing ventured...nothing gained. I want to start the seeds in the windows. I did that two or three years ago and there is something really rebellious about having little plants growing when there is snow outside.
9. Sort through my "stuff" and simplify as much as possible. Now I am not the pack rat type but I do have "stuff" that is certainly baggage. I know this will help me keep my house better too. If I don't use it or love it.....it is going out of this house. I am resolved about that.
10. Rehouse the chickens. Ok. This one will probably be the most challenging. Mostly because I don't really know what the best thing to do will be....but I do know that I don't want the current living arrangements to continue. Currently the chickens are just out of control and roosting wherever they feel like roosting. Unfortunately the Rooster feels like being on the deck so he can see the sun at very first light and start crowing. He is a mess. I have had enough. It is too pathetically redneck to have to scoop chicken poop off your deck in case someone might go out there. Sad but true and it needs to stop.
11. And last but not least....the longest perpetual resolution in my repertoire.....read through the Bible. I got bogged down in Leviticus last year but am going to be VERY disappointed in myself if I do not accomplish this in 2011. Sad that I still have this in my "to do" bag. Shameful. This is the year.

So there you have it. Eleven resolutions for 2011. I will hope to fulfill all of them - we will revisit the list in 2012 and see how it went.