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New Years Resolutions

January 1, 2011 by Jenn

01.01.11.

Pretty cool day to have a birthday!  MINE!!  1.1.11 has to count as my champagne birthday . . . I don’t think my parents let me indulge back in 1980, so I’m bringing out the champagne this year!  We’re talking mimosa’s, champagne cupcakes, the works!

New Years Day is always the time when people sit around and decide to make a resolution for the upcoming year.  I have never done one . . . I might have as a teenager but it was probably “This year I will get skinny.” Ya, so much for attainable resolution setting!

I hate resolutions. For the last number of years, I have stood firmly on the belief that why wait for the New Year to do something that you can today?

Well, I have fallen off my high horse and  I think I finally get it.  It’s the formality.  Set a goal.  Reach for it.  Attain it.  Success!

Yesterday I posted 11 Goals for 2011, but my resolutions are different than my goals.

1.  Learn how to budget . . . stick to in . . . and stop spending money on unnecessary things.

2. I’m giving up magazines.  I find that they used to be an enjoyable event, to what is now a stressful occurrence.  When I look at the pile that just seems to grow and grow and grow, I get stressed out.  I guess I’m spending my time doing different activities these days . . . like blogging!!

I think that two resolutions is enough for me to start with in 2011, especially since I haven’t set a one since the 80’s.  Happy 2011 everyone 🙂  I’m off for my birthday brunch.  Cheers to champagne before lunch!

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New Years Eve- Fortunate Friday

December 31, 2010 by Jenn

Happy New Year’s Eve!

Fortunate Friday

  • I am fortunate that my grandma was able to spend Christmas Day with her two sons, and four grandchildren, even at 96!
  • I am fortunate that I was able to give presents to those close to me, and had amazing gifts given to me.  Thank you everyone, I was spoiled and am super lucky. xo
  • I am fortunate that I have two sweet cousins that are willing to sleep on my couches in order to spend Christmas with me.

Since tonight is New Years Eve, I thought I would take the time to brainstorm things to look forward to in 2011.  I found this idea floating around on various blogs that I stalk/read and I traced it back to reverb10.com, a website that offers prompts for bloggers!  So neat.

Here is the prompt from December 11, 2010: What are 11 things your life doesn’t need in 2011? How will you go about eliminating them? How will getting rid of these 11 things change your life? (Author: Sam Davidson)

Here is my spin on things:

11 Goals for 2011

1. I am not going to gossip.

2. I am going to read (at least) one book a month

3. I need to learn to let go of things that I have no control over. Water off a duck’s back . . .

4. I am going to train to run a distance > 10k.

5. I am going to learn to be more forgiving and patient with others.  They are not me, I am not them.

6. I am going to learn how to work on Cookies, Cupcakes and Cardio while balancing my full time teaching job.

7. I am going to stick with a gym routine that works for me. M/W/F 6:00am+ spinning = gym routine!

8. I am going to learn to be less selfish.  This one is going to be difficult as I’ve been working this way for 32 years!

9.  I am going to learn to work my Sony Alpha 200 DSLR camera and take (amazing) food pictures.

10. I am going to learn how to decorate beautiful cakes.

11. I am going to learn to accept criticism.  Without hating the other person.

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What I’m Reading

December 31, 2010 by Jenn

Yes, this book counts!

And so does this one!

Thanks for the great Christmas presents K and G!  I can’t wait to use them.

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Christmas Gallery

December 27, 2010 by Jenn


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Fortunate Friday

December 17, 2010 by Jenn

Here is a Fortunate Friday post ON TIME . . . some might say it’s early even!  Sure is early in the morning.  Why I am not still sleeping?

Today, I am very fortunate to be enjoying the first hours of Christmas Holidays.  Hours of baking and blogging await me over the next two weeks.

I am thankful to have the job that I do in order to enjoy aforementioned holidays.

I am fortunate to have a healthy family, and healthy friends.  Always said, but always important.  Thinking of you g and j at this difficult time. xo

I am fortunate that I didn’t have a gallbladder attack last night after eating an entire bag of movie theatre popcorn with butter, and white cheddar seasoning.  Phewf . . . got away with one there.  The smell was too tempting and as soon I got there I had to have it!

I am fortunate that there is a Winners <3 in Cranbrook so I can satisfy a bit of my shopping obsession weekly.  This weeks fab grab . . . the Wilton Cake Turn Table I’ve been coveting!  I literally let out a gasp in the aisle when I saw it . . . the lady next to me was like “Freak-o.”  It was exciting ok?  Don’t judge.

Have a great day everyone!

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Fortunate Friday

December 11, 2010 by Jenn

Today, I’m very fortunate that I work in a profession where I can call in sick.  Damn flu.

That’s all I got  . . . too sick 🙁

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Homemade Italian Eating

December 10, 2010 by Jenn

As I’ve told you before in Fortunate Friday’s Paul’s family is Italian and his mom is an amazing cook.  All the Italian dishes she makes taste better than any Italian food I have ever had.  Goodbye Olive Garden . . . hello Pina’s kitchen.

Earlier this week, she whipped up an old favourite, Gnocchi with Meat Sauce.  OMGG.  It was delish.  Paul, the great BF that he is, took pictures of the process, as I was at work and missing the action.

Her recipe (in her words) is the following; “potatoes, the good ones, 4 eggs and some flour”.  Sounds simple enough, hey? Good luck with that.

Cool Pic Paulie

Paul's Plate

My Plate

Me Ready To Enjoy!

Buon appetito!  Thank you Pina and Paul! xo

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What I’m Reading

December 4, 2010 by Jenn

I finished Nick Hornby’s Slam (really funny by the way), and now I’m on to Wicked by Gregory Maguire.  Wicked is a story about how the Wicked Witch of the West ended up so wicked . . . and hopefully they explain how she became green.   We’ll see how it is . . . I’ve heard mixed reviews.  Some people say they love it, some people have said it is hard to get into.

The travelling Broadway production of Wicked is coming to Spokane in the spring, and I’m thinking that will be a great Christmas present for my mom (uhhhh . . . and I).  A fun mother/daughter getaway in May!

The thing I like about reading the book the most right now is that the edges of the pages are vibrant emerald green . . . I think I like it so much just because it’s different than the same old newsprint.

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