Once again, I'm at work and have time to post on my blog. So I borrowed my mother in laws acoustic guitar and had it restrung yesterday. I took it home and learned some cords! I really enjoyed it and had to tear myself away from it to come to work. I think my mom was getting a little tired of my going over the same notes again and again in her kitchen. At least you could start to hear a tune out of what I was playing! Hey, it's my first "lesson"! The girls were with me when I took the guitar in to be restrung. The store had keyboards and drums as well as walls of electric/acoustic guitars. Shannon fell in love with the drums! She was sure that was her calling in life! "Mom I love this (glittery gold) drum. Can we get one?" Lauren about jumped out of her pants (which isn't hard to do since they are barely hanging on as it is) when she pushed a couple of keys on a keyboard and a loud noise issued forth! It made the girls laugh. Morgan liked a blue electric guitar with green lightning bolts on it (typical Morgan-style) and Erin just had a headache from "all the noise the girls were making". But Erin did ask if she could get a disco ball for her room! Over all it was a good field trip for them and they got to do some people watching as well. I must say, there are quite an array of people that come in and out of that store. The girls got an eye full! I was just waiting for that one comment that was going to get me the black eye, but they kept their comments to themselves. What a lucky mom!

I'm so excited for a new year and have many things I want to accomplish for myself and my family:

1. go part time at work: Derek, being the most generous husband anyone could ask for, contributed to my "get Katie out of work" fund. We want to have so much saved in my accounts before I can go part time and he just put me over that edge this Christmas! So now I just want to have all of our dept payed off, and then I'll go part time at work! Yay! Hopefully this March or June.

2. Re tile the kitchen and entry way in the apartment and put in new carpet. Can't wait for that!

3. Recommitte to going to the temple at least once a month. This is going to be one of my challenging ones because of our schedules, but I really feel the need to be in the temple more often. And with the Ogden Temple closing in April that will make it even more fun to plan.

4. Study the lessons in our gospel doctrine classes before the actual class. I'm really hoping to get more out of my classes this year. I just need to stay awake in class after working the night shift before!

5. The old stand by.... get into shape, AGAIN! I do want to run some races this year, so if anyone has one in mind, bug me to go with so I have something to train for.

6. Not cutting my hair, no matter how much I'm hating it at the moment! I really want to grow it out so I can do something with it!

7.Spending more time with Derek and the girls doing things we love. Not enough of this going around due to our hectic schedules and we can feel the strain in the girls. Lauren is always telling me not to go to work and always asking where Derek is during the day. You have to be pretty hard hearted for that not to get to you!

8. I really want to learn how to play the guitar...something I've always secretly wanted to do! I'd like to start self teaching with the girls this year.

9. Finally learn how to hold very simple conversations in Spanish. We have the Rosetta stone at home and I have lots of opportunity at work to use it so.....it only makes sense.

10. Get back into photography. I've really missed using my camera and seeing what images I can catch through my view finder. I also got photoshop for Christmas! Need to use it now!

11. Learn how to set my priorities in the right order. I just noticed that I had putting in carpet and tile before temple attendance and gospel study! Please don't judge me for that one! Hehe!

I hope everyone's new year is the best one yet, and you're able to accomplish most of your goals. I'm going to be realistic and probably only plan on accomplishing 30-50% of mine! I know how I've been in the past. Love you all!