2011: Resolutions!

I've never been a fan of New Year's Eve out-on-the-town, but I do love celebrating with close friends and family.  This year we went to my sister's house with my brother and his family.  Since all 7 children would not be awake to ring in 2011, it was a casual fun night.  We then had a Wii Bowling tournament - the 100-pin game.  Very fun!  I'd never played Wii before.  Unfortunate for Mr. Olive, I only made it until 11:45pm.  I intended to 'rest my eyes' for a few minutes and then, it was New Year's Day.

I love New Year's Day because I get to 'start fresh' each year.  Did I stick to my 2010 Resolutions?  Some more than others....but the best part of 1-1-11 is that I get to try again. :-)

1) Pare Down. A recycled resolution, but still applies.  While I did a 'fair' job of clearing out, I'm committed to keeping this up.  My new twist - If I buy something new (like a sweater), I have to donate or toss another.  With this is mind, I should at least not be adding to the problem.  And my question to self from last year, "Do I really need 8 white shirts?" the answer is YES - a white shirt goes with everything and a definite work-staple.   We did shop-in-our-own-pantry and medicine-chest so happy to report that this was successful.  Also successful to find mustard with an expiration date of 2003....

2) Monthly Mad Money. So while I'm not the best at keeping up with a budget, we started off 2010 allotting Mr. Olive and I $100 cash a month to be spent however we choose. How it works:  We put the cash into an envelope and at the end of the month, before we get our new $100, we see where we spent the former month's money. This worked through May, but then the summer came and I didn't keep up.  So we're trying again in 2011.  Last year I felt the money like a vice-grip in that envelope since I was used to buying what I wanted, when I wanted.  This year, I feel no such pressure.....I think it just took time to get used to waiting and really knowing if something was worth pulling out the cash. 

3) Promote the Sewing Business. 2010 was a great year for us - we had the most sales that we've ever had without doing more craft shows.  It was also the year we finally fulfilled the goal of hiring a graphics designer and had our website professionally done (she also did the blog design - Thanks Sunee!).  Here is the link to the new personal website if you'd like to check it out:  www.olivestreetstudio.com.  2011 will be about promoting the site, new goodies, and I'm hoping I can get us into a few little shops.

4) Read more books! Continuing with my resolution of three past years, and since I hit my goal of reading 7 books in 2010, I'm going to make a real jump and go to 10 for 2011.  Or maybe I should just go to 11 in honor of the year?  11 it is....

5) Exercise.  So I didn't reach the "Run a 5K" goal I set in 2010, but will try again this year.  I have a co-worker that runs, so I've asked him for the race schedule for the 2011 season.  As my parents have noted as they try to start regularly walking, 'sign up for a race and the deadline will be there'. So that's what I'm going to do.  I also have a gym membership at work so I'm hoping to use the treadmill and start Yoga classes.  My longer-term goal is still to run a 1/2 marathon by the time I'm 45...we'll see.

6) Enjoy life more!!  I'm someone who is always 'doing something' and trying to get items crossed off the list so I can 'relax', but the relaxing-part rarely seems to come.  This year I'm going to read the newspaper, do the Sodoku, read more to Little Olive...heck, life only comes around once.  :-)

What is in store for you this fine first day of a new decade??

This is Mr. Olive with the youngest niece, 6.5 month old Barbara.....



New Years Day - Full of Optimism

It's a new year - and a new decade - I'm full of optimism that this year will be a good one. Not that past years haven't been good, but I have alot of resolutions and goals as we leave the 2000s behind and enter the 2010s. While swimming in my head, I decided to get some down on 'paper'. So here we go...

1) Pare Down. Why do I have 4 drawers and shelves of sweathers? Do I really need 8 white shirts? And 70+ pairs of shoes? 6 bottles of bubble bath? We live in a smallish house - I should be able to weed-out just like I do in the garden. I can donate or toss. I can shop in my own closet. I can declutter the piles of magazines. I know I can do it!

2) BUDGET. No excuse on this one. I have the template set up, but it doesn't work if it's half-assed filled out. I'm resolving to get the situation clarified and on paper. Along with that, I will organize my investment statements and see where I can combine old 401ks to cut down on the paper. Hubby and I have decided to alot each other $100 cash a month to be spent however we choose. We have each put the cash into an envelope and at the end of the month, before we get our new $100, we'll see where we spent the former month's money. My pink envelope still has the crisp bill intact - he has already started chiseling away at his (but he has a nicotine habit and I do not - this habit is supposed to come from this mad money). Can't wait to see how we do!

3) Promote the Sewing Business. I have so many ideas for new items from stuffed toys, to dresses, to skirts, to quilt designs. The more immediate goal is to get a graphic designer to do our website. Anyone out there know someone who could help us?? PLEASE let me know! I'd like to scratch this off the list early on.

4) Read more books! Continuing with my resolution of two past years, but upping the ante just a teeny bit...I resolve to read 7 books this year. I hit my mark of 5 the first resolution year, and didn't count yet to see if I read 6 in 2009, but I want to read more.

5) Drink Water. I'm resolving to drink down the H20. I think there is some ungodly '8, 8oz. glasses a day' out there, which to me means a whole lot of bathroom time, but I'm sure I can make at least 2 glasses a day.

6) Run a 5K. I'm not a big exerciser, but I will run in the warm months. I'm not talking entering a race, but running the 3.1 miles. If it comes in race form? Great, but I'm not going to seek it out. Longer term, I'm hoping to do a 1/2 marathon by the time I'm 45. I know this has less chance of completion, but why not throw it out there?

What is in store for you this fine first day of a new decade??

(( The adorable dog pick with the fun 2010 Hat is courtesy of "I Lick You" Etsy shop ))

One of my New Year's Resolutions: Blog

Sooooo here it is January 16th, and I've 'started' my blog. It is a step in the right direction, but the hard part will be keeping it up. And I know that. Finding the time for my small side sewing business that my mom and I started 5 years ago is difficult enough when I'm spread thin between my full-time job, 2.5 YO daughter, small house by the beach, husband, and dog.

But - I am an accomplished woman! I know there is more time to squeeze out of the 24 daily hours! I can do this! I will just have to give up more sleep.....or take shorter showers....or make the most of the time I walk to and from the train. I mean, just walking seems like such a 'waste' of time, surely I can be multi-tasking then too. ;-)

I'm committed to seeing how it goes. I know I will be proud of myself come December when I've got a whole year written on which to reflect.

A bit more about me - I'm 2 months into my 40s (scary thought because some days I still feel 27), still love 80s alternative music, but classic rock is what I listen to most of the time, we live 3 blocks from the Ocean and I head into NYC everyday for my daily grind. I love to garden and grow vegetables, but I give the tomatoes away (I have a weird aversion to the raw tomato). I thoroughly enjoy the side baby quilt sewing business my mom and I started, but doing craft fairs is getting to be a drag. Another resolution for 2009 is how to get the business going outside of the fair-world, but maybe that will be my topic for tomorrow.....

I'm already thinking about other stuff to write about - and excited at the possibilities of this venture. I'd love to hear from you if you've read this - just so that I'll know someone has seen it. If not - that's OK too.

Cheers!