closing out 2011, hello 2012

Wow, I can't believe it's been just over a month since I last posted anything.  I guess December was busy!  It's been a good season from Thanksgiving to Christmas - lots of homemade food - lasagna, salad, cheeseball, peppermint bark (very addictive stuff, I add pretzels to mine, so it's salty/sweet), chocolate oatmeal bars, caramels, peanut brittle, buckeyes, and more...
The company was good too.  My sister, Louisa, flew in for a week from Washington.  It had been ages since we'd seen each other and it was great to catch up, hang out, go for a long walk in the rain with the dogs, decorate the tree, bake gingerbread men, etc.
For Christmas day, we had Paul's parents, his sister, Dana, and nephew, Chris, over for lasagna and all kinds of yummies.  Danny's brother, Dale, and sister, Evey (?), stopped by also to show us Dale's new bulldog named Chan.  I'm not sure of the name really - it doesn't have much punch, but for some reason Dale is stuck on it.

And now we come to the end of 2011.  And the beginning of 2012.  I've been pondering goals for next year, so here's the lowdown of what I've been thinking:

1. Read 12 books (one a month maybe) - first one up is Horses Never Lie About Love.  Paul bought this for me for Christmas and it sounds like a great 'girl and her horse' story.
2. 12 exercise or physical goals - this includes losing the next 20 pounds (!), running 2 5k races, increasing my push-ups to be able to do 50 push-ups (Army-style), and some kind of hiking/walking goal (maybe # of miles in a year).  Any good ideas for another 7 to add to this?
3. 12 character traits - not sure about this one totally, but I think it may be focusing on something like Joy for January, Patience for February, Contentment for March, etc...  What other character traits should I include?  Generosity?  Gratitude?  Financial Security/Frugality (not sure if this is actually a character trait, but think I should have some financial focus for the year)?  Also, do I just practice one for each month, or do I look at all of them and incorporate bits of each every month?
4. And, 12 new recipes or food to try!  Swiss Chard is one of the top and first picks.  I've heard lots about it, but have never actually tried it.
5. And, some homesteading goals too - I'm not sure about 12, but something.  This probably includes homesteading, do-it-yourself, gardening, and all sorts of household projects.  Some ideas I have for this - growing my own garlic (it's already in the ground), expanding my raised bed gardens from this past year, developing my eclectic garden in the far back, and rock paving the area between the back patio and the hot tub slab.  

So, that is kind of the layout and it feels really good to have something, some skeleton of a plan for the next year, not just hanging out, letting the current take me wherever, not purposefully pursuing things...
Last year was big and busy.  Work was busy.  I baked for the Farmer's Market in Germantown over the summer and although that is my hobby, it was A LOT of work!  I will have to think carefully about that for this year.  I am lounging around the house, off work for 6 whole days this last week of 2011.  It's 9:31am and I am still in bed in my PJ's.  That does not happen very often at all.  :)

Peace, Joy, Light, Love, Blessings to you.