The New Year

Hello 2017! I welcome you with open arms. I had a wonderful evening saying good bye to 2016 last night with the neighbors. I was lucky when I bought my house that it came with some amazing neighbors (we have that one that we all want gone you know "the Klopecks").  

 

I did a pretty good job of sticking on course with the food and drinks. I only had a small bit of Champagne at midnight and one of the guests brought these amazing tasting gluten free multi-seed crisps.  They were tasty with spinach dip. I also snacked on the pulled pork. Stuck to water and coffee. First New Years in I can't remember how long I didn't drink. I stopped drinking alcohol a month ago. First let me say I only stopped drinking because I didn't need the excess calories, or sugars. I've decided I won't add alcohol back in to my diet until I hit my first main goal weight. More on the weight loss goals later. 

I think most can say 2016 was a tumultuous year full of surprises. I know for me it definitely was a year I would like to forget. I have hope that 2017 is a better year. I hope to find a better way to handle the stress I've been under and achieve the health goals I started to work towards at the end of 2016.

When I reflect back on 2016 I am grateful for what is really the only important part of life (God and Family) but I am most grateful for the time I had with my children. The road trip 'Operation Battleship Roadtrip" through the western part of the states (the route resembled a battleship); the weekend in Vegas with my sons, sister and her husband; the day in Sacramento with my son that wants to be a chef and taking him to a very fancy schmancy restaurant to introduce him to the finer foods in life. I am blessed with the friends in my life. I am blessed that I now work for who I work for (although when told I was transferring last year I was fighting it every step of the way). They showed me this past week what taking care of individuals actually means. I am grateful I have a roof over my head even though it can be a struggle at times to make ends meet.

I don't want to dwell on the bad of 2016 and unfortunately some of it will follow me into 2017, but I have faith the bad will become good.  I always look at the glass half-full. I am forever the optimistic pessimist. I hope for the best and expect the worst. 

As I look forward to 2017 I want to accomplish the following:

My list in no particular order:
Completing my required job related education;
Meeting my weight loss goals;
Becoming debt free (minus the mortgage);
Improving my health (lower blood sugar and lower bad cholesterol);
Finding new ways to deal with stress;
Read more books (I love to read, but seldom have the free time to do so);
Remove the negative people from my life;
And maybe finally finish unpacking my house from my move almost 4 years ago;
Which leads to the last goal:
Unclutter the house and remove the stuff I don't need, use, or that no longer brings me joy.