2011: Year of the BLOG

I finally got around to it! But I'm a little depressed actually... I reviewed the list I made last year of stuff I want to do for 2011 and I realized, I didn't end up doing MOST of them.

What I planned to do in 2011:

1. Buy at least 3 small bags. - FAIL! I didn't buy even one small bag. If anything... I think my bags are getting bigger.

2. Get that flu vaccine. - FAIL!

3. Get Andrea a new car seat... and make sure she gets used to it and stays there during road trips. - SUCCESS! Andrea is so used to car seat that she finds it weird when we ride cabs or other cars where we can't take her car seat. She always looks for a seat belt. I think that portable DVD helped (yeah, we did get her one though the first one broke already so she's on her second DVD player already).

4. Post at least 3 blogs about crafting in one month. - SUCCESS! I almost failed in November because that's when things got crazy busy at work but I managed to squeeze in 3 projects to blog about :)

5. Lose the pregnancy weight I gained in 2009. - FAIL! Aaaarrrrrggggh!!!! Nuff said. 

6. Buy a new TV. - FAIL! I was supposed to last December but we got a little busy to go looking for one.

7. Participate in at least one volunteer activity/support a charitable activity. - SUCCESS! I really should do more this year though.

8. Go to church at least once a month. - FAIL! This admission is so full of guilt I will not even try to justify it. But a good Christian parent I should be so this year, we are going even if I have to hire a driver every Sunday to drag us there.

9. Save up for another investment account. - SUCCESS! But Andrea starts school in June so we need to work more at this goal.

10. Get rid of the bookshelf in our spare bedroom and all the books in it. - FAIL! It's still there... complete with books :-/ And worse... that spare bedroom has become like a storage room for junk that my husband doesn't want to get rid of but can't find a place for. We need to get it clean and organized again in time for my sister-in-law's visit with her family this summer. 

11. Sew at least one dress for Andrea from scratch. - SUCCESS!

I've had 5 successes out of 11 goals. NOT a good number. However, I've had other successes which I never planned for but came my way anyway. And I am calling 2011 the Year of the BLOG because a lot are related to this blog.

What I accomplished instead:

I earned 200+ followers! When I started my blog, I had less than 10 followers for about  2 years. Now I have 200+. Sometimes, I still find it hard to believe that there are that many people interested in what I have to share. Thanks ladies! You inspire me to be more creative. You really do!

I didn't just gain followers, I gained FRIENDS too: PC, Divya, Kelley, Dianne, Karen, Deepthi, Agy and the list goes on! You know who you are! Thank you ladies for your consistent support and encouraging words.

I got to work with some amazing ladies hosting a worldwide blog hop, Creating Success Around the World. Jill, Suzy, Adepeju, Yaga, and Dolly. And through the blog hop, I got to meet and get to know a lot of talented ladies from Asia.

I was given the opportunity to host my first giveaway! And I hope to have more this year.

I was featured in other blogs. Who would have thought??? Certainly not me. I admit that I get all giddy whenever someone emails me to tell me they featured me on their blog. Like I can't stop smiling in my little office cube. 

I was asked to guest post on other blogs. Again... who would have thought? A big thank you to the ladies who gave me the opportunity to share my thoughts and projects on your blogs. I am honored :)

My projects are pinned an re-pinned on Pinterest. Geeky admission... I get this big smile on my face when I check out Pinterest and see some of my projects pinned so many times on Pinterest :D

I've had a few personal successes too. I got a promotion at work early last year and was given the opportunity to work in 3 major projects within the year. I conquered my fear of falling and tried riding a zip line for the first time. And what do you know? My husband tried it too! I learned how to sew. I learned how to crochet. And I was able to try knitting for the first time! (I wasted one small ball of yarn knitting a square but I felt elated all the same!).

So overall, still not bad. And now 2012... I formally welcome you! :)