post-holiday jeer & hopes for the new year.

christmas has come & gone and it's amazing to think that in a few short days we're going to kiss 2009 good-bye and ring in a new year.

2010.

a new beginning. the start of a new decade. eek. i don't know about you, but when i start talking about time in terms of decades i feel really old {when i'm really not...at least i like to think i'm not}.

anyways.

this is my 'the funk that always comes after the holidays' post. this is also my 600th blog post.

i'll admit it...i'm a bit down in the dumps, y'all. not really sad. not really super happy. just blah. don't get me wrong, i had a very lovely, very enjoyable christmas with my family. i couldn't be happier with the gifts i received & my heart swooned with joy as i watched my children giggle, gasp & get giddy with excitement as they opened their presents.

i wish i had pictures to share with you all, but i killed my not even one month old camera on christmas effin' eve. as i hastily cleaned my kitchen on christmas eve, i accidentally knocked my camera off the counter and the lcd screen shattered. the good news is, the camera is repairable. the bad news is, it's going to cost me nearly half of the camera's original purchase price to fix.

additionally, being unemployed has me stressed, but i know things will be okay. something will come along {i have an interview on wednesday & i aced my census exam}. the hubs' salary will sustain us. it's just the uncertainty of not knowing how long the hubs' job can or will sustain him that worries me...and that's all i am going to say about that.

and, we received some disappointing news the day after christmas. very disappointing. all i want to know is - when will people learn?!

but that's all besides the point.

i know in my heart of hearts that things will be okay. i know that He will provide for us & show us the way. adam & i have love & support from most of our families {i only say most because there is one individual who seems to be pushing family away rather than keeping them close...adam said things were quite weird when he & the kids were over at this person's house on christmas day...i didn't go so i'm sure you all can figure out who i'm referring to}. i know that my parents & my sister are rooting for me...to follow my dreams & listen to my heart. i've got good friends standing next to me. i am healthy. i have a cozy, albeit small home. my needs are fulfilled.
you know, it's funny how once before i used to thrive off of the negativity, but now it pains me to even get all "debbie downer" on y'all. i guess there really IS a big part of me that isn't so pessimistic anymore. hip, hop hooray.

so.

let's end this post by talking about some of my hopes, dreams & goals for 2010, shall we?

1. to find a job. not just any job, but my dream job. a career. the opportunity i've been waiting so long for.
2. to open an etsy shop & become successful at doing what i love...which isn't much, but why should i deny the world of my crafting abilities {yea, just needed to pump up my ego a bit...it's okay}.
3. to return to school. i'm not sure if i want to finish my graduate degree in elementary education or go for something completely different. i'm also not 100% certain if this is something that will happen in 2010 or 2011. we'll see.
4. to end any & all toxic relationships in my life. i've pretty much accomplished this goal already.
5. to let any & all negativity roll off my back. for the most part, people talk smack only to make themselves feel better about some short-coming...yep, that's right.
6. to excercise more often. so cliche for a new year's resolution, but what the hell.
7. to move. i haven't talked about this ever before, but we've been talking about possibly moving. where? we don't know for sure just yet. all i know is that we want a bigger home {because we really need a 4th bedroom} and i want more bang for our buck.
8. to say adios to our credit card debt. it's going to take a bit of time to zero out those student loan bills, but it's my wish to be 100% credit card debt free by the end of 2010.
9. to celebrate the 2010 holidays somewhere warm & tropical...perferrably playa del carmen, mexico
10. to love, honor & cherish the man that i love, the family we've created & the family we both come from 1000 times more than i do now.

what are your hopes, dreams & goals for the new year?

psst...stay tuned. in celebration of my 600th post, i have a small giveaway for you all to enter. it's nothing big. trust me. but it's still fun & cute & perfect for anyone who wants to be a bit more organized in the new year. i'll post the deets later this week.

lofty goals.

Christmas is in a week.

one week.

i can't believe it. well, yes, i can. the years go by faster & faster as we get older...and they seem to pick up even more speed once children are involved. trust me, i know this.

anyways.

i've got a very busy weekend ahead of me. perhaps it IS a blessing in disguise that adam is going hunting tomorrow with his brother from another mother, matt.

forget santa's workshop. it's going to be craft & cookie central in this house!

last night i started these {excuse the fabulous crackberry photo quality...and my sloppy counters}:

they are still drying as there is still a bit of paint coming out of them. once they are dry, i will put the ornament tops back on them, put a hanger on them & adorn them with a pretty piece of ribbon and they will be ready for gifting.

in addition to those glass ornaments, i have to make four more of these {well, using different colored shirts & different designs}:

{another fine crackberry photo}
oh, and i also need to make more topiary ornaments & regular topiaries, cookies, cake balls and...for the first time ever...homemade marshmallow.

lofty goals. yep. i know it.

and, somewhere in all of that, i have to do a wee bit of grocery shopping, finish up some Christmas shopping, wrap presents, do laundry, clean the house, keep the kids happy & fed, watch the pup like a hawk, appease my three cats and steam clean our carpet.

i'm not sure if i need peppermint mocha creamer in my coffee or peppermint schnapps.