Catching up with 2012

I meant to post a few of these photos and thoughts before the end of 2012.  Here's a few little missing bits from our December.

1. I finally mastered the perfect caramel.  I purchased a candy thermometer, and boy did it help.  These puppies were not too soft nor too hard.  I made 5 batches of caramels this winter.

2. Santa... Nicholas saw Santa three times.  Here he is at Chris' work.

3. Christmas day. YEAH.We took no photos. How can that be? Here are basically the only two.

Grandma's address book

I decided to organize and help Grandma LaRue with her address book. She has been frustrated with it and it's become increasingly hard to use. We are going digital! And then she'll have a fresh, current and organized paper version to use when we are finished.

I enjoy data entry. This has been a fun project. 249 contacts later and I'm ready to print and have Grandma go through to validate. A little insight into Grandma...

1. She saves most address labels from letters she gets. Some folks had over 15 address labels (exactly the same).

2. She documents births of great grand children, all the details on post it notes and keeps them with the address.

3. On index cards, she keeps driving directions to random places. Vintage stores, etc.

4. She has almost all of the Utah LDS Temples phone numbers in her address book. She has also done the same with Utah hospitals.

5. She has a section for Julie's friends. Julie has a lot of friends.

6. She has various speed dial lists, written from different periods in her life. It is interesting to see who her VIPs are from over the years.

7. She lists birthdays, by family.

8. She keeps track of her close friends children.

9. Almost all of these contacts are dear family and friends. She has 2-3 phone numbers for each person, address and random notes but no email. I only entered 5 email addresses in the lot.

Grandma is awesome! I hope to have 249 close contacts when I'm 82.

DO! ... HNY

Happy New Year!

Yes, I'm a little late at posting New Years wishes but I wish you a fabulous New Year all the same.

Many folks have chosen just one word to represent 2013.  I really like this idea. It's simple, easy to comply to and remember.  I've decided my word this year is DO!  Kind of Nike® themed yet not endorsed by Nike at all.  Also, do is an action word. I like action words.

TEN things I (Charlet) plan to DO in 2013:

1. DO service for Grandma LaRue.  I am working on random ways to help Grandma out through out the 2013 year, more on this in future posts. #service

2. DO more family stuff.  I have the great pleasure of being with my kids everyday and I need to make this time count.  We need to incorporate more fun and less routine activities. #family

3. DO a new and improved website and blog. My blog is tired. And, I would love to create a website to house my portfolio, business stuff, etsy stuff, projects, blog, etc.  I have purchased a URL but now need to learn some stuff in order to design this puppy. #web

4. DO! Personal health improvements (diet, physical and mental).  I turn 39 at the end of this month.  This year will be the last year in my 30's and I have some health goals to reach before I am 40. #health

5. DO, brain improvements:  I have some new things I need to learn. While I don't have a formal plan yet, I do intend to learn new things more often.  Web tutorials, build to think, etc. #feedthebrain

6. DO more freelance. I have a number in mind. #workit

7. DO creative things.  Perhaps a painting class? Nothing is in stone but simply I know I want to DO more creative things. #create

8. DO travel.  I traveled so much with work in years past and over the last 7 months of being home St. George and Bear lake have been the only destination points.  This year we will travel.  Can you say ROAD trip? #travel

9. DO happy things.  Happy begets happy.  Be happy, think happy and do things that make ME happy. Figure out things that make me happy. #happyxhappy

10. DO document life. #lovinglife

P366.361-366 finished! Woohoo!

P366 Project/goal complete. Amazing that I was able to finish a photo a day for 2012. December was tough but I was able to finish it out, barely- whew. Hope you enjoyed.

I will be taking photos in 2013, often and many. Some might even make it to the blog or instagram. As for a daily photo, I think I'll take a year off. :)

Happy New Year!!!