Happy 2011!
My goodness, the year 2010 just flew right by! It was not a great year for me, so I’m glad it flew by and will soon be history. 
I am not one to party on New Years Eve, and usually am in bed while the new year sneaks in. Tonight I’m cooking for my folks – it will be an early dinner – because they’re cooking tomorrow to celebrate the New Year.
I have enjoyed this holiday more than most. My two grown nieces came to town to visit, and we had a ball together – they are beautiful and talented young women, one is an artist, the other, a writer.
It’s been so nice to have this week off, too. The university I work for closes during the final week of December, and the employees are so grateful!
I wish I could say that I accomplished a lot over this past week, but I really didn’t do too much. Well, I did do a lot of writing on the blog, which I enjoy so much, and wish I could do more of. And, I did watch quite a few movies (thanks to Netflix streaming movies through my Wii player!). And, I did clean house. And I did shop. And I did visit with friends and family…. and, well, I guess I did accomplish a lot after all!
As far as resolutions… well, I am not very good at keeping New Year resolutions, are you? However, the older I get, the more my waist grows, and grows and grows… So, a diet is part of my game plan for the new year. I also want to do more photography, perhaps try to do a little free-lance photography work, too. I want to keep writing, of course, and want to start a new blog dedicated to Training and Development, which is the work I do for a living.
But, my main goals for 2011 are to write as much as possible, loose about 50 pounds, and loose myself in photography. If I can accomplish this, I will be happy!
Oh, and for fun, I’d like to go to London for the vacation my friend Kathy and I have planned to do for a couple of years now. It will be nice to take a real vacation! Also, for fun, I need to be kinder and gentler to myself…. in the mad rush of life, I oftentimes forget me. Do you do that too?
So, I propose that 2011 will be our year for great happiness and prosperity! Yeah, I think that’s a good plan!
I have enjoyed chatting with everyone who posts and reads on my blog. What a great bunch of folks you are! I wish you so much happiness, prosperity, and joy in 2011 and beyond.
Big hugs to you all!
only dreamin' 
Happy New Year and Best Wishes to you too Andrea! You are beautiful inside, and it reflects in your blogs!
Oh, thanks so much, Venice. I feel the same about you…. I love that you post here because you have great insight with a great sense of humor, too! 🙂
I hope Roy Kronk has a really, really happy new year and enjoys his time out of the spotlight (for now). I forgot to mention that in my post, darn it!
Happy New Year!
This has been a rough year but the new one promises to be great!!!
I agree with that, Kim! We will have a great year and that’s a promise!
And justice for Caylee!!
Absolutely, positively! Knowing justice for Caylee will come in 2011 will make the year particularly GRAND! Yay! 🙂
Justice for Caylee would make 2011 great, that’s for sure!
Happy New Year, Andrea and everyone who comments here! I wish for all of you to have a healthy and prosperous 2011!
Thank you so much, Sherry! I hope you have a most splendid and prosperous 2011, too! I think we’ll all have a great year once all is said and done and justice for Caylee has come to fruition! Until then, we’ll be here to make sure she’s not forgotten. 🙂
Hope your took your nieces to Butterfly World. From your pictures, I would say you must have an annual pass.
I hope we ALL have a better year in 2011.
Susan
Hi Susan! LOL, Yes, I do have an annual pass that I use often! But, I couldn’t take my nieces because of the weather. When it’s really cold, they move all the butterflies into an enclosed shelter. It’s really something to see them gather them all up, and it saves their lives. It was unfortunate we missed the chance…. maybe next year…..
All the best to you in 2011 and beyond!
Have never commented here before, but read every posting. Had to chime in on resolutions. I read somewhere that if you hula hoop during very commercial break during a one hour TV show, you will quickly lose inches. I bought a hula hoop today. $3.00 and a lot of hope. What more can you ask for? A small price to pay for hopefully great results.
Well Hi EDRN!
Thank you for posting! You know, that is a FANTASTIC idea! I never thought of that, but I am going to do it. I recently tried to hula hoop and was a failure at it, but as a kid I could sure do it, and hopefully I’ll get the ole swing back, and loose a couple of inches in the process.
I can’t thank you enough for this idea! I will post my results…. !!!
Hope you have the happiest of new years, and a wonderful 2011 and beyond.
What is Butterfly World? Sounds very interesting! What State is it in??
Oh, it’s a wonderful place where all species of butterflies are given a home. They have lovely and exotic birds, too. Hummers and lovely little warblers and finches. It’s a glorious place. It’s located in Coconut Creek, Florida.
Here’s the link to their website: http://www.butterflyworld.com/start.html
Yes, it is truly a wonderful and relaxing place to visit. My husband and I visited it when we were in S Florida a few years ago. I went back for a WHOLE afternoon by myself later in the week. There are benches in the different enclosures and sometimes low key piped in music. Watching the different birds is almost as much fun as marveling at the butterflies.
I guess I forgot that S Florida was hit as bad C Florida early this week. I will be replace a bunch of my landscaping this spring.
Susan
HAPPY NEW YEAR to Every One here 😉
I hope for all of our Sakes it will be a good and prosperous Year, full of happy Moments, good Health and Peace of Mind.
Thanks!!!!
~Andrea~ You have so much going for You, I believe sometimes You might sell Yourself a little short.
You seem to have a lot of interesting Plans for the New Year, if You get just some of them worked out into Reality than You will have it made.
You are such an interesting Person and involved in many things which You seem to enjoy. I do know there is always room for Improvement for Any One, however You seem to have a fulfilling Life already.
A Trip to London really sounds great, I hope that is one thing You will be able to do this coming Year.
As for writing a new Blog, I hope You let us know when You will start it, I for one would be interested in Your new Blog.
As for being kinder to Yourself, You are not alone, I catch myself doing the same Thing, here again,there is always Room for Improvement on a daily Basis.
Andrea, we like You just the Way You are!
(((Hugs)))
I hope this coming Year will be good for You in Every Way which counts! 🙂
Oh Hilde, that is so sweet of you to say! Yes, I do struggle with low self esteem, though it’s something I work on constantly and will continue to improve on. LOL! I do have a full life, I suppose! Sometimes though, it’s not easy to see clearly in my own mirror and that’s one reason why I blog, to help to put into perspective what is really important in my world….
I will surely let you know when I start the new blog…. I have it created, I just don’t have any posts there yet….. It’s going to be a lot of work, so maybe I’ll start it after the trial….LOL, there are priorities!
I am hoping to be able to go to London, too. Kathy (my college roommate) and I have been talking about it for a while, and I just think this is the year to do it…!
Anyway, Hilde, thank you for always being there on this journey and for being so positive, kind, and genuine.
I hope you have a wonderful 2011, too! I am sure we all will see happy days this coming year!
Andrea, I read all your posts and articles, although I do not comment that much. You are unbiased and that is an asset and why I admire you. I also admire your outlook on life as you seem to live each day to the fullest and appreciate, even the little things that come your way. You deserve to have a Wonderful New Year and, if I am a good judge of one’s character, you will accomplish just that. God bless, honey, and don’t ever change because people like your are rare. Hugs, Snoop
Hey Snoop, It honors me to have your feedback, as I have such admiration for the work you do….it means a whole lot to me that you read my blog – we have a mutual admiration society! You truly deserve a lot of credit for the terrible things that you have had to put up with – you and Dave. I can’t tell you how much I admire how you both have handled it, like Hilde mentioned, how you turn the other cheek and are the better person. I am so grateful that you are not letting them get to you anymore. they will eventually go away into their sorrowful holes in the earth and will find other ways to release their anger into their sad and sick worlds.
Oh, enough of them!
Cheers to you, my dear! Sending you lots of good tidings for the new year and beyond! Big hugs to you! 🙂
snoopy, I hope You will also have a better Year than this Year was.
No One should be treated the Way You were by some People. I guess some People will never change.
You on the other Hand can choose to turn the other Cheek and show that You are the better Person. JMO
I wish You and Yours only the Best for the coming Year snoopy 🙂
Happy New Year *Andrea
Thanks for writing your blog for us to comment on. 2011 will be a good year! I can just feel it.
I am off to buy that hoola hoop now!! 🙂 ~Diana
Oh thank you, Diana. I sure wish you the same. I agree, 2011 has to be a better year!!! I’m so glad you’re going to do the hula hoop too! I hope to be able to really do it…. last time I tried, I couldn’t even do one rotation – it just fell flat to my ankles! Will have to practice, for sure.
I think I’m going to post my “hula hope” results, too. I think it will help if I make a promise on the blog because then I’ll be forced to see it thru! LOL…. OMG though, I think I won’t tell how many inches I am now… that would be too awful!
You’ll have to keep me posted on your results, too!
We should set up a hoola hoop results blog – lol
j/k
LOL Kim! We should! At least, we should share with each other what successes we’ve had!
I am so glad that EDRN mentioned this! It will be a fun and easy way to exercise. Yay!
Are you going to do it, too, Kim?
Andrea – I may well put out my back trying something like that! I think with my quitting smoking I will stick to simply walking.
Besides – the hoola hoop may well get stuck around me and how embarrassing would that be
LOL! That’s how I feel, my dear! So glad you are taking the giant step to quit smoking!!!! I smoked about ten years ago, and it was hell to quit – I feel your pain, but I can tell you that you’ll feel so much better! Yay for you!
I have to stop, doctor’s orders. It will help in the healing from my surgery
sorry for the downer
oh yuck, surgery? I am sorry to hear that… Well, it’s good to get it over with early in the year!
I am hoping for stellar results!!
lol
oh absolutely! You have a great attitude, that’s what it takes, Kim! 🙂
Never thought I would start a hula hoop movement! But…….if we all do it, we can support one another. How fun is this going to be? I measured my middle (and no I won’t be posting THAT number…lol), but I will certainly keep you posted. Happy (SLIM) New Year to ya’ll.
Good luck!! You can just post the loss!
Yup…we’ll post our losses! Great idea Kim!
Yes, Edrn! You sure did a good thing! It’s a fabulous idea…. And, yes, I’ll put up a post and we can all share our great Hula Hopes! Thank you so much for sharing your great idea with us here! We will have fun, fun, fun loosing inches and lbs., too!
Happy New Year again to all!