A Year In Review

As I look back on this past year, I have to admit that for me it seemed to go veeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeery slow in some ways and way too fast in others. The biggest events were all of the changes that Little Man made this past year. He went from being a newborn to being a full blown toddler that is definitely on the move and eats on his own. CRAZY!

As for my husband's schooling: It just seems to drag on and on and on and on and on and on and on. Every time I think we are getting close to the end, he drops a bombshell about how he has to add another semester on to get his master's degree. The only thing that I know for sure is that at some point in time in 2011 he WILL have his master's degree. This is a HUGE benchmark for us! Why? The master's degree is a MUST degree for us. His doctorate is an ideal. In other words if something were to happen with his job, our health, etc, as long as he has his master's degree we will be okay. If he was to get a doctorate, it would be even better. All I know is that I am soooooooooooooooo ready for him to be done and so is Little Man. If I have to hear the words "I have class" or "I have to study" ever again once he is done, it will be too soon!

Another big event we having coming to us in 2011 is the child support ends! May is our last payment FOREVER! This is so exciting in so many ways. The biggest two are that it definitely frees up some money for us and hopefully, it eases up some tension without a court order being around. Only time will tell. In the meantime, we are trying to figure out what would be the best way to handle our "raise" that we will get in June. The list is sooooooooooooo long as to how it could be spent that we could easily spend it several times over.

My hope is that in the new year we will also be able to sell our home, but that is truly a long shot at this point. Our house is far from ready and is in need of some repairs/updates before it is show ready. Since we had people crap out on us for the holiday break and my husband's shoulder may be in need of surgery, I am not sure when we will be able to get to it. (Oh, to have a fairy godmother at this point.) While I am grateful that we have a roof over our heads that we can afford, I have to admit I have been completely green with envy as I listen to friends/neighbors/ward members talk about there new homes they have bought or built to the point that Jim is about ready to ban me from Facebook because I get too upset. (In case you didn't know, I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY want to move!)

As for me, I honestly have no plans or set goals for the new year other than get the long list of projects that I want to complete, completed. If I can do that, then it truly will be an accomplishment! Otherwise, there are too many "what ifs" going on to know for sure what will happen this year. I know what I want to see happen, but I have learned many times over that what I want isn't what is going to happen. So . . . . we'll see.

Results Are In!

Well, the results are in. While my hubby wasn't able to maintain his 4.0, he did get an A and a B and we are both ecstatic! He couldn't have worked or tried any harder this semester - seriously! (Little Man and I hardly ever saw him and we got to do NOTHING that was really big fun this whooooooooooooole semester! Instead we always heard, "I have to study.") In fact, my hubby has been dancing around the house all night saying, "I got a B! I got a B!"

This means that he doesn't have to take another math class for his master's degree! (Thank goodness!) He can now take the classes he has been looking forward to and wants to take this next semester. Which in turn means, he may actually be a happy student next semester - yeah for Little Man and I!

Almost As Good

Today is the day that for me is almost as good as Christmas - almost! It's the day after the shortest day of the year! This means that more sunlight is coming our way and trust me I take notice!

It's not that I am a sun worshipper by any means. (Are you kidding? I'm a redhead and thanks to the sun can quickly become the butt of a bad joke like what is red all over?) I am just a big scardy-chicken and am afraid of the dark. Yep, me. Miss I've dealt with murderers, rapists, big time gangsters, etc. am terrified of the Boogy Man and the dark. So a big hip hooray to the sun coming back and chasing my fears and the Boogy Man away!

Hey, Don't I Know You?!

Today I reconnected with an old friend that I haven't seen in a loooooooooong time. He actually had a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye. (Oh, how I've missed that!) There was a skip in his step and he even whistled! His words were kind and his voice cheerful. He's back! My husband and the man I love.

I am so glad to have the grouchy, overburdened, and not fun to be around student that has been in our home for the last 4 months gone. May he NEVER return!

Femara Is Made By the Devil!

I've forgotten how sick this medication makes me. UGH! If it works, it is worth it, right?

Right?!

Light Is a Little Longer

Just found out we are back to 5 more payments before we "own the car." Oh well, at least only one more month was added back on. I'll be sooooooooooooo glad when this will all be over!

Card Club Night

Tonight the theme is Christmas tags. I have to admit that I struggled with this one, but I found something online that I liked and made something similar:

Each person will get one of each tag. The words "Naughty" and "Nice" I did with glitter. (Sorry, the photographs aren't the best.) It was fun to see how the words popped once the glitter was added. I also loved the "Naughty but NICE" ribbon that I found. It fit perfectly!

Light At the End of a VERY Loooooooong Tunnel

4 more payments and we "own the car"!

What A Difference A Year Makes

2009

2010

Oh, how I love my "Little Man"!