Another First

So...I recently bought one of these:

And...of course we had our first snow. So, last weekend I used my brand-new snow blower for the very first time. Needless to say, it was pretty comical.

Yes...perhaps my lines were more of a zig zag...

So what if I forgot where the start button was for a hot second?...

Sure, it did take me a bit to adjust the proper height of the spray so I didn't smash out my neighbor's window...

But...that's not why I'm writing this...

...the reason I am writing this post is that I want to know -- Who makes the chick snow blower?

Seriously, I am under 5'2" with child-like hands. Holding those damn levers down for 30 minutes while I blow the snow around is quite ridiculous. I swear I had finger cramps for 2 days! I was NOT informed you have to be a lumberjack to appropriately control a snow blower...

Another first for me...and another lesson learned...

...and crap...it has snowed again...

Resolutions

2011 has come and gone and it's time to create goals for 2012. Here are the top 10 things I plan to accomplish in 2012:

10. BLOG MORE. I've done such a crappy job blogging in 2011

9. Be that person that always has a clean house -- one can dream, right?

8. Convince more of my girlfriends to come spend a night/weekend in the exciting city of Fremont

7. Lose some lbs

6. Reorganize the house - and buy new storage items -- ahhh pretty white storage

5. Get my lawn under control -- it is seriously a jungle...and learn not to hate it so much

4. Paint that nasty trim in my kitchen and bath

3. Paint my kitchen cabinets...yikes

2. Get my files in order -- they are out of control

...and the number 1 thing I plan to accomplish this year is...

1. Give back to my parents. The amount of good deeds they did for me in 2011 is quite ridiculous and I am indebted to them forever -- helping me move, driving in a crazy snow storm and helping me clean my old apartment, fixing tons of odds and ends in the house, adding ALL those shelves (in cupboards, cabinets, closets and cubbies), installing washer, dryer and dishwasher, cutting my bed in 2 and re-attaching to get up the stairs, hanging 20 sets of mini-blinds, fixing the hanging situation in my closets, helping with the tree situation - and the pipe situation, helping me mow the lawn for the first time EVER and teaching me how to handle/take care of the lawn mower, giving me/hooking up the AC window unit, watching my dog a MILLION times, hanging out at my house while cable and AC installation guys were there, driving my butt around a LOT, letting me hang out at their house and eat all their food, giving Niko a second home, KILLING THE BAT, driving 7 hours for my ikea bookcase and then putting it together and leveling it, installing the medicine cabinet, going chainsaw crazy in my back yard....and that's just the tip of the iceberg. I have the best parents EVER and I'll never be able to come close to repaying them for what they do for me -- but in 2012 I will give back as much as I can.

Here's to a successful 2012!