Hellllloooo 2011....

Well, just like that the holidays have come and gone and a new year is upon us. This christmas was really nice as it was my first one that I have spent with my whole family in many years. Santa treated the girls very well.....he didn't go so easy on the finances but it was worth it ;). Every year though, I have these wonderful intentions and these visions of the holidays that go something like the pilsbury crescent roll commercials on TV......you know the whole family is laughing and loving together, the house is immaculate, table is beautifully set, everyone is floating on cloud 9. In reality, this never happens, so you would think I would give up on this vision by now....LOL.

As I say goodbye to 2010, I look back in astonishment at how much happened in one year....some good, some bad. In just one year, Chip got offered a great job, we uprooted the whole family and moved all the way to Maryland. The job is one of the good things of course, the move...well, let's just say I see that it will be good when we get truly settled where we belong. Another good thing is I finally finsished my Master's degree!! Okay, that is actually a great thing!! Though, I will admit, there is this pessimist living within me at times now that didn't used to be there that has been known to roll her eyes at that $15,000 piece of paper that is serving no purpose as I am getting passed up for job after job. But, as Chip says, it is something that can never be taken from me and I earned it.

2011 has started out with some ups and downs all ready. The up is that we traded in the Terrain AND the PT Cruiser for two brand new cars that worked out to be a better deal then we had before which is wonderful! The down is that we found out my dad had some blockage in his heart and had to undergo heart surgery. BUT, he is recovering well and the hope is that he will feel better, be healthier and live longer because of this, so that is an up.

My hope for 2011 is that it holds the perfect job for me whatever that may be and it allows us to move into a place that suits our whole family. Those of you that really know us also know that we have a reputation of moving a lot. I will admit, we have moved around a good amount which some of that comes from having two different families in two different states and some comes from being unsettled where we start. I was very settled on "the farm" as we like to refer to it down in North Carolina and though it was and is still hard to give that up, I know that there is a place for us up here that we can all call "home" :)

So here is to 2011 and all the opportunity that awaits!! Cheers!!