It's actually been close to seven weeks since my birthday, but for one reason or another...or one excuse or another, I never sat down to write this post. Now, I am..it's time to recap, recover and roll out the goals for the coming year.

I'm happy to say that this past year brought no physical deaths to my doorstep. Sadly, it did bring the deaths of some friendships. As life changes, it seems that sometimes people do too. People move on and I'm learning to deal with the aftermath of that. I won't say it's been easy, but it's not knocked me down as hard as it may have in the past.

There have been good things, as well. Both of my boys are happy and healthy. Ben is up in high school now and though he's struggling with the amount of work and how not to become overwhelmed, he's doing well. He was even the girls' swim team manager, which I know that he loved. Roger is busy being Roger. He's a straight A student, was on the football team and is now doing basketball. Did I mention he's in band and jazz band, as well? As a mom, I do a lot of running around these days. While it can be exhausting, I wouldn't trade it for anything.

One of the not so great things that has happened has happened with me. I've really struggled with the bipolar side of things over the past year or so. I'm on new medication now so I'm really hoping that it helps. While I've come to terms that this is something I will always have to deal with, I haven't done so well in setting up routines and such to help keep the house functional. If I'm honest, the house is in pretty rotten shape right now. It's not as bad as it has been, but it needs to be a lot better.

Which brings us to the list...This year's goals:

Outside of the House:
1. Clear out all of the flower beds - They're overgrown and some even have trees in them!
2. Finish spray painting the tires and get new roses planted in them.
3. Clear the front porch and make it look inviting.
4. Paint the front door - It's time to give this house some character.
5. Finish clearing the back deck.
6. Get the front porch roof repaired/replaced. - This is a job for the owners and may include the entire roof.
7. Create a third composter for all of the after garden soil.
8. Complete barn re-organization.
9. Clear out any trash that has blown/been dragged under the front porch.
10. Get cable re-hooked up to the barn.
11. Clear out pile of rubble from in front of barn.

Inside of the House:
1. Replace living room flooring.
2. Complete wall redecorating (clean, new shelving, organizing, purging)
3. Complete living room redecorating (clean, paint, organizing, purging)
4. Get everything hung up in boys' room.
5. Complete master bedroom redecorating (clean, paint, organizing, purging, light repaired)
6. Purge until we're only surrounded by the things we need and the things we love.
7. Get dryer repaired - owner job
8. Get water repaired - owner job
9. Get heating repaired - owner job
10. Get living room ceiling repaired - owner job
11. Maintain what I've already accomplished.

In Life:
1. Continue to build up the websites, this one and Geek-o-Rama
2. Focus on true friendships ...quality over quantity
3. Travel
4. Spend as much time with the boys, doing things we love.
5. Learn Irish (again) on my own.
6. Take time for me.
7. Take care of me - mental health and physical health
8. Work on finding more writing and editing jobs.
9. Remember what's really important in life.
10. Build routines to help manage life.
11. Be someone that I can be proud of, no matter what others may think.

Whew..that's some list but instead of being overwhelmed or intimidated, I'm excited to see it down in writing. Now, to pick an area and get to work!



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Yesterday, was my birthday. It's hard to believe that not only another year has gone by, but that so much can change in just that short amount of time. In the past year, I've lost friends and my grandma passed away.  I've gone through some really dark times. My world started caving in around me.

On the other side, I've gotten to know some really amazing people and I'm lucky enough to call some of them friends. I've been blessed to do some travelling to spend time with those friends. I've had friends who have stuck by me for years remind me that they're still there and willing to kick me in the ass when necessary. There's a certain bonus that comes with knowing people who won't feed you a line no matter how down you're feeling.

It is thanks to the amazing people in my life that I'm coming out of the dark period and into a new and far more fun period. They've pulled me, sometimes kicking and screaming along until I've remembered the good things about life. I'm a much stronger person than I was a year ago and perhaps it's because of the bad times but it's also because of the support that I had through those times.

The year ahead may hold some more tough times, but I'm more prepared for them. I have goals and that's a great first start for me. I already showed you the start of the barn project. I've actually done a bit more out there and it's coming along nicely. It's just the start in a long line of goals that I want to share with all of you...this isn't a new years resolution kind of thing, but more a list of what I know I can do and what I want to do before my birthday rolls around next year.

Outside of the house:
1. Clear out all of the flower beds - They're all overrun and it's time to give them a fresh start.
2. Build up the flower beds again. - The rails on them have fallen down and it just looks a mess.
3. Put in a small vegetable garden. - A couple of the flower beds would be great for that.
4. Clip the bushes into shape. - I dislike these things but unless we buy the house, they have to stay. There's no reason they can't look semi-decent though.
5. Clear the front porch. - It still has things on it that need to be put away.
6. Get the front porch roof repaired/replaced. - This will be a job for the owners.
7. Clear out the trash from under the front porch. - Not mine but it looks a mess.
8. Put in a new compost bin & area.
9. Complete barn re-organization
10. Clean out the van.
11. Get cable rehooked up to barn.

Inside the house:
1. Replace bathroom flooring.
2. Complete kitchen redecorating (clean, paint, flooring, cupboard organizing)
3. Complete wall redecorating (clean, new shelving, organizing)
4. Complete living room redecorating (clean, paint, new shelving, area rug?)
5. Get desks & hope chest into house.
6. Repaint boys bedroom.
7. Repaint master bedroom & get light repaired.
8. Empty out laundry room and put new flooring in.
9. Purge until we're only surrounded by the things we need and the things we love.
10. Get dryer repaired. - Owner job.
11. Get plumbing repaired. - Owner job.

In life:
1. Continue to build up my websites, including the new baby of the family, Geek-o-Rama
2. Continue to build up my friendships.
3. Travel.
4. Spend as much time with the boys, doing things we love.
5. Learn Spanish (again) with Ben.
6. Learn Irish (again) on my own.
7. Continue to do what makes me happy even if it doesn't make everyone else happy.

I think that's a pretty good list for the upcoming year. Maybe from time to time, I'll revisit this and cross things off as I get them accomplished. I'm eager to see what the next year has in store.



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It's Friday! We all made it! Sadly, Ben made it by catching a yucky cold. The poor kid has been curled up on the couch all day with a headache. He did eat dinner though, so that's a good sign that it's just a nasty cold. Hopefully a good night's sleep will help with that.

Today was a good day, though. We were home for the first day in a week which made me happy. I did my radio show, which also made me happy. I also got the shopping list mailed to Rob, the lawn mowed and the coolers brought into this house after I hosed down the outsides of them. I even got one of them packed up with some of the food I bought yesterday! I finally feel as if things are starting to come together for this trip. Of course, I do still have the big things to do, like laundry and cleaning out the van. I still have a week to get them done, though. I'm not giving up. I will get as much done as possible before I go.

So, I wrapped up a lot of stuff today and that makes me feel good. Oh, I didn't mention it before, but I also got the bills paid so that's one less worry and one more thing to cross off of my list. Yay!

Ahhh, life at the Roets homestead. It feels as if there's is never a dull moment. Last night, oh the Oh Team, they were giving away passes to an adults only camping retreat (valued at $275) and I won! I was so excited, I could barely sleep last night. Of course, it means I have even more to get accomplished in the next couple of weeks. The neverending list grew by about 30 components that now *have* to get accomplished. Did I mention I'm gone allll next week? Sheesh!

Take out garbage - kitchen & bathroom