Reflecting on the past year

Wow has it really been 3 months since my last post? Geez! Here is a little of what I was up to...

2012 is over and strangely enough I am happy to see it done.

The year had a very tragic film over it...
It seemed someone that I knew or used to know died every minute of 2012.
And that doesn't include all the famous people of my age that are no more.
There were huge family outbursts and possibly irreparable damage done there.
The reality of our family dynamic is scary to think of... hmmm.
There were too many trips to the hospital and the inevitable ugly side of the aging process reared it's head too many times this year. To put it bluntly I have been sitting anxious all year wondering if that out of the ordinary phone call is bringing bad news of sickness or death.
Money just seemed tight all year.
Oh and that terrible Sandy hurricane that wasn't so bad for us personally but damage New York and other places like Cuba, Haiti and in Jamaica as well

BUT....

If I really look at the year and put aside what I mentioned before I have to say it was a good year
I made three trips back to my home land Trinidad... three trips is just unprecedented for me. (Thank God my sister works with an airline:D ) I get so much family love when I go home.
2 of my little cousins got married in the 2012 and I was so happy to able to be there and witness their happiness.
Talking about family my house was full of family ... and friends visiting. My little nephews stayed with us for 3 weeks wow!  My Dad visited for 3 weeks as well. At one point I had 14 persons sleeping under my roof.
My mother-in-law gifted us with a new kitchen  a new stove and kitchen cabinet refaced. It is so pretty who says things can make you happy. My kitchen makes me smile every morning :D
After 4 years we finally have a new car... that fits us all and a guest yay!! Well it is a new to us car but who cares if it is used it makes us happy. LOL
The hubbie and I are closer than we have been in a long while so the family unit is tight
and after all the anxiety I am happy to report that my father, his father, my mother and his mother are alive and well and also so is my Grandmother who celebrated her 94th birthday in 2012.
And all my kiddies are happy and healthy growing so fast and joy of joys I started back painting. wish me luck in keeping it up in 2013
I guess if you stop focusing on the negative long enough you would be able to see that the positives no matter how small will always outweigh the negatives.
So I have to say Thank you and good bye 2012 and with God by my side ( okay carrying me along)

I embrace 2013 and look forward to whatever may come.

Happy New Year to you all!

I don't make New Year's resolutions but I do have certain goals and challenges that I have set for this year. No pressure though. I do hope to be writing/blogging more this year so I do plan to visit here more in 2013. I am challenging myself to paint something everyday... missed today though but not fretting tomorrow I'll just do 2 small ones LOL.
hope all is well with you all :D
What goals have you set? 
Do you have a plan laid out for the year? is it one that you share with your significant other?