We begin a new year at my house with our kitchen calendar so full that my white board marker cries its ink out by the 20th.  There are no less than twenty birthdays in our network in January.  So far we have four celebrations scheduled (one being split among three in my immediate family, one surprise party for a parental - shhh, one dipped in chocolate, and one that smells like girl power...and I suspect a couple of cocktails too).  I can hardly catch my breath and it's only the 11th.

The year ahead is an exciting one and I'm happy to start it already.  I can finally start fare-tracking for our much-needed summer vacation.  Hubby and I are attending our first concert together (Alicia Keys! Woohoo!) since Janet Jackson's Velvet Rope tour over ten years ago.  With my dear friend's wedding officially five months away tomorrow, I'm approaching the real part of my invitation-making timeline, where I'm actually printing and cutting things.  And then there is, of course, the arrival of Lil' Sister's littler one, bringing the generation's count to 14 - a Filipino Baker's Dozen (because you need that extra one to offer the guest who walks in the door and then you say Don't be shy, just eat and eat).  And that's just the first half of the year.

1. To make a mean Sour Cream Pound Cake like my sister did using that ripped out magazine recipe
2. To bake ensaymada
3. To run 10k without stopping (Note to self: must start by actually running again)
4. To introduce more meatless meals into our home
5. Tagalog!  I'm the only loser in the family who doesn't understand anything except foods
6. How to fix my blog - I still haven't put the darn title up there
7. Knit
8. To be a more patient, effective parent to each of my very different children
9. About world religions
10. To be more fricking organized