Saying Goodbye

Hand knitted socks (from my Memere) & LLbean boots---a sign of a real New England winter! 

Sledding at Landry Park in my hometown.

The last days of 2012 are upon us. . .I have to say, this year has had its challenges but by & large, it's been pretty good.   We've enjoyed our week in Vermont & it's as though the fates don't want us to leave----an additional 8" of snow has fallen over the past 24 hours & the roads aren't that great.  Our normal 13 hour drive (fully packed car with 2 dogs & one child) was looking like it could be 15+ hours.  Not our idea of fun, so since we're not on any sort of real schedule, why not stay an extra day.    Sunshine is thrilled to have one more day with Memere.  My Mom is awesome & goes outside to play in the snow with Sunshine.  It's time that I know Sunshine will look back on & smile one day.  More sledding is on the agenda for this afternoon, as well as the Patriots game.  

As I look toward the New Year, I can't help but think about my resolutions.  Both for 2012 & 2013. Looking back on my 2012 resolutions, I found the following from my 1st post of 2012:

.  My official New Year's Resolution is to give up guilt---feeling guilty about saying no to things.  While I was with Kristine today, I decided that my knitting goals would be to have no UFO's (hear that Cascade Fixation footies???  And that box stitch baby blanket??? Circa 2008.  I'm looking at you!) this year.  I'm going to finish the socks & have accepted that one of two things will happen to the blanket.  Obviously.  Well, 3 things could happen--1) leave it be.  2)  Finish it or. . .3) frog it.  I've decided that if I finish it, great.  If I frog it (it's maybe 4".  Maybe), that's fine too.  The baby in question is now 3 years old.  I don't know anyone else having a baby & unless I donate it (see how I play upon my own guilt?  Donate it---that's the right thing to do!) there's really no need to finish it.  We'll see what it's final fate will be.


Looking back, eh.  I didn't finish my UFOs.  I'm thisclose to finishing my baby blanket, which I've decided will be donated to the hospital on post.  My socks?  I'll get them done.  I don't feel guilty about not finishing my UFOs so I guess one resolution stuck!   

I also gave up fast food for New Year's this year.  Aside from the monthly fundraiser for Sunshine's school & the occasional road trip food, I've stuck to it.  And I really don't miss it.   I also gave up Diet Coke which was major.  

I've been trying to come up with resolutions/goals for this year & after much thought came up with the following:  

1) Finish all FOs. I'm so close, it would be ridiculous to let them sit yet another year!

2) Continue with healthy choices.   I'm never going to be one of those super strict, uber clean eating people.  And that's okay.  As my nutritionist says, "you have to live"  I will eat birthday cake at Sunshine's friends birthday parties.  I will have the occasional lime tootsie roll dipped in salt.  And wine & cocktails.  But I need to continue to balance them with healthy foods.  I don't need seconds of things.  I don't need to overload my plate like it's my last meal.

3) This one's long:    a year & a half ago, I severed a relationship with someone whom I considered to be a close friend.  Her girls were friends with Sunshine.  It was a difficult thing to do, but I look back & know that in my heart, it was the right thing to do.  This was a person who used people.  If you could watch her children, you were her friend.  If you told her things she waned to hear, you were her friend.   Those people who had told her the truth about her children were kicked to the side & talked about.  And I'm not going to lie---I talked about former friends with her.   I'm sure she talks about me to those people she used to talk about but who are now her closest friends.   Until the next "friend" comes along.  

This past year I deleted these two women as FB friends.  If I wouldn't associate with you in public, why are we FB friends?

Which leads me to this year.   I've reached a point in my life where the only people I want around my family are those people who lift us up.  Who are there for us in good times & bad.  People who we can support in good times & bad.  Wow, sounds like we're looking for sister wives!  

But seriously, this week with my family has been wonderful---no drama, no fighting, no nonsense.  When I was growing up, one of my Mom's sisters was always creating drama.  New Year's Day is big in my Mom's family---the 5 siblings who lived locally would meet at either my Memere's house or my uncle's with all their kids.  I'm the youngest of 22 grandchildren & only 3 didn't live within an hours drive.  We're talking big gathering.

Anyway, everyone walked on eggshells on New Year's Day because Aunt J was always mad at someone.  Would she show up?  Would she talk to her newest target? 

When my Aunt J died in 2009, my Mom admitted that she regretted keeping the peace in trying to appease Aunt J.  That she & her siblings should have told J that if she wanted to keep starting "stuff" she could leave them out of it.  

Hindsight & my Mom are wise.

So, 2013:  no UFOs, healthy choices & no nonsense!