Happy New Year!

Well, 2011 is here! We spent the end of Christmas break rather uneventfully. Monday and Tuesday we hung around the house, spent Christmas gift cards, put away gifts, and were just general slugs. On Wednesday and Thursday, I kept my nephew (I love to say that!) while Erin worked. Tony's mom and I took all the kids to breakfast at IHOP one day and to the zoo another. (By the way: a relatively warm winter day is the best time to go the zoo - we had the run of the place!)

I started getting some kind of respiratory crud on Wednesday and it hit full force by Friday. I spent New Year's Eve day in bed. However, we had already arranged to go out, so mom came by and picked up the kiddos around three and I went back to bed until about five. Here's their countdown (at about 8:00 pm):

Tony and I rang in the new year with all my cousins. Even though I was feeling yucky, we had a really good time. My three cousins and I, along with our spouses (and one fiancee), went to eat at a Japanese steakhouse and then went home to play board games. We were having so much fun that we didn't turn on the tv until about five til midnight, and Tony and Jason were scrambling to get champagne poured in time. It was much tamer than many New Year's past, but we had a fabulous time and were home in bed by 1:00.

This weekend we put away our decorations, cleaned house, and got ready to start back to school. I had two new students yesterday - one of them being my nephew! It's going to be a busy semester. I'm taking my second to last class at UofL, as well as teaching a class at IUS. By next week, we'll be in full swing again and before we know it spring will be here. (We can only hope - we've got spring break plans I'm looking forward to!).

Inspired by my fellow bloggers and the accountability it entails, I've decided to post my most basic New Year's resolutions for 2011.

Health: 1) Lose those last eight pregnancy pounds.
2) Wash my face every night (I know, gross, but I'm always too tired. I'm 4 for 4 so far!)
3) Do some form of exercise every day and watch the carbs (The doctor has ordered this for my hypoglycemia anyway, but I'm really going to do it this year!)

Personal: 1) Spend more time actually doing things with the kids, not just in their presence.
2) Have more patience and eat regularly so I'm not so grumpy.
3) Not feel guilty about sitting on the couch when the dishes and laundry are dirty.

Professional: 1) Publish something. Anything.
2) Pass my comprehensive exams!
3) Make a good impression at IUS so I'm asked to teach again.

So, bring it on, 2011!