Twenty Eleven

I'm not a big resolution person.  I always think I want to eat better, exercise more, etc., but nothing more and nothing very specific.  Last year, on top of my usuals, I also wanted to save more moolah, go to church more and recycle.

I can confidently check two of the three off my list.  I joined a church here in Wichita and have been attending much more regularly and giving, as well.  Andrew and I attend together, but he is a stickler about getting up and going to the first service on Sunday morning.  It just about kills me to give up my day to sleep in, but I'm glad we do it.  And then I usually take a super long nap in the afternoon.  With Franklin.  Today we slept in the man chair for probably an hour and a half.  Heaven.

We also switched our trash provider to Waste Connections since you can sign up to get an extra bin strictly for recyclables.  We've gotten to the point where our recycle bin is completely full and our trash bin is not even half way full.  Hooray!  Go green!

While 2010 was a very fun year, I didn't save as much as I would have liked.  So, 2011 is going to have to be more practical.  Blah, but good.  Andrew decided we are having a no spend month in January.  (I'm not sure where I was when this vote was taken.)  This means no shopping, no eating out and strictly only buying the necessities, a.k.a. groceries, toothpaste, etc.  So far, on day 2, I'm surviving.  Ha.  Only 29 more to go.

The other interesting part of this money-saver is Andrew has been challenged to quit saying inappropriate things.  Like f-bombs.  And other four-letter words.  So every time one of those gems slips from his mouth, he has to put a quarter in a jar.  I'm participating too.  I accidentally slipped once yesterday and we were tied up.  However, now Andrew is $1 in, and I'm still at my 25¢.  Whoever wins the challenge gets to use the money however they'd like.  It won't be a ton.  I mean it could be depending on how K-State plays in the next few weeks.  That's typically when Franklin and I have to cover our ears.  So I'm thinking it could add up to a new throw pillow.  Or dinner.  Or a book.  I like this challenge.

My other goal (because resolution just sounds like you're setting up to fail) is to take more pictures.  I am already taking a ton (hence getting an external hard drive for Christmas from the hubs), but I want to be amazing at this, make a million dollars and be a stay-at-home-non-mom.  Or a stay-at-home-dog-mom.  However you look at it.  Haha.

So, to start off the year right on the blog, I'm sharing pics from Christmas Eve afternoon when Andrew and I stole a few moments away from family to snap some farm pics.  It had barely snowed that morning, was freezing cold, but so worth it.

The cows greeted with me with a pretty dirty "surprise".  We had an understanding not to get too close together after that.

Except for this guy.  He was super interested in me and my camera.  I think he thought I was going to have food for him.  I should have brought him a Kleenex instead.

Quit picking your nose.

These cows were pretty brave.  I don't know if I'd stand back there after what I saw when we first pulled up to the cattle lot.  They just wanted to see what was going on too.  Risky business, though.

Hard to believe, but Franklin was super excited to do some exploring.  Yeah right.  He loves pretending to be a real dog.

Embarrassed because I took a picture of his rear.  So modest.

The grass just looked so lush.  If it hadn't been negative three hundred degrees I could have stayed longer to enjoy the scenery.

Pretty boy.  

Here's to a great 2011!  Big things ahead.