Happy New Year 2012!

Calder, Max, Genevene, Leah, David, Matt, Kathy, Bess,
 Julie and Atticus

Here's a picture of David and I with Matt's family in Natchitoches the day before Christmas. Matt shaved off his beard, and left a mustache only. So he and Julie got mustaches for everyone and took a family picture.

I wrote about our Christmas visit in the Carrier Pigeon Blog here  http://carrierpigeon11.blogspot.com/2011/12/christmas-eve-at-matt-and-julies-house.html
in case anyone is interested.

I am thinking about 2011 and evaluating my goals for last year, and making new goals for 2012.

2011:
For my first year in my dental practice, 2010, I used loan money for working capital. And in 2011, I got by on money we collected. Finances were very tight, putting it mildly. It was a stressful year financially for us at work and at home, but I'm anticipating that 2012 will be better. My business is growing steadily, and I feel like it will continue to grow and keep us busy and able to pay the bills.

• I achieved my goal to read the New Testament, and I also read the Book of Mormon.
• I didn't achieve my goal to do Yoga twice a week and a cardio workout twice a week. Instead I did cardio twice or three times a week, at they gym or walking out at the lake. The Yoga thing kind of fizzled out. 
• I achieved and exceeded my goal to knit ten hats and ten pairs of mittens. I was a knitting maniac in 2011, and knit way more than 10 pairs of mittens, and a few more than 10 hats. I also knit a few scarves and some headbands for people at work after they found a cute winter headband on Pinterest and asked me if I could make them each one, which I did. Knitting was my Yoga, to relieve stress. Very therapeutic.
• I achieved my goal of having three one-to-one BNI meetings a month. I even got a BNI award for having the most one-to-one meetings with chapter members.
• I didn't achieve my goal of submitting one referral a week to BNI members. 
• I didn't achieve my temple goals either. I'll try again in 2012. 

Some things I particularly enjoyed in 2011 were knitting, the trip with my sisters to visit our brother and his wife in Washington, Thanksgiving and Christmas with the kids, helping my friend Muriel move into senior housing, and others.

Here are my goals for 2012:

• Read the Book of Mormon 
• Work out three times a week
• Learn to knit socks
• Continue to schedule three BNI one-to-one visits a month
• Submit at least two BNI referrals a month
• Organize a family reunion in Salt Lake City for this summer
• Pay off two personal lines of credit, even if it means moving the money to the lower interest equity line
• Pay off a small business loan to Patterson Dental
• Refinance my business
• Equip my third treatment room

This month's first presidency message in our church magazine advises all of us to implement the ABC's for the coming year: A = have a good attitude  B = Believe in ourselves, and C= Have courage 

I like this advice, and I'm going to try to remember it.

2012 is the end of the Mayan calendar, and according to some, the end of the world. And 2012 is predicted to be a year of dramatic solar events, according to a "Universe" documentary I watched on TV. It could also be the year that Adam becomes a business owner (big secret, at this point . . . don't tell anyone!), Willie could be made partner in the law firm, Sarah could have a second book published,  Willie and Sally could have another baby, Simon could get his driver's license, we could have a really fun family reunion in Salt Lake City, and countless other wonderful things. 

I will have a good attitude, believe in myself and have courage.