I belong by the beach...

It's days like today that I am reminded how much I belong by the beach.  Negative temperatures are just not for me.  Maybe one day I'll have a cute house on the beach...

Happy February

Hooray!  My favorite month is here!  Yay February!  I know you are curious about why February is my favorite month.  And I'll tell you.  Because it's my birthday! Yay!!  Happy birthday to me!!  (and my fabulous friend Melissa!! Happy Birthday, girly!!)

This month also marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter in my life:  Snowboarding!  Snowboarding lessons start Thursday and I am beyond excited!  I don't care if I'm good at it, I just want to have fun.  Well, that's partially true.  I do want to have fun.  But a little bit of me is hoping that I'm a natural.  A girl's gotta dream, right?!

This month also rocks because I am traveling to Arizona over President's Day weekend to go wedding dress shopping with my mom.  My mom is marrying an amazing man and I could not be more excited for her!  I am so looking forward to a weekend of dress shopping and wedding planning!  Not to mention some warm weather... Peace out cold Minneapolis!

Happy February, everyone!!

P.S. I will be posting pics from our Disney World trip soon.  I just need to get them loaded on my computer...

Just a blip...

 Here's some perspective for the day...

2011 Goals

New Year, New Goals.  Why not?  It's important to have goals in life...

1 - Take the steps to grow spiritually: read the Bible, pray daily, attend church weekly
2 - Yoga 3 times per week
3 - Join a CSA or buy regularly from a Farmer's Market
4 - Send out Christmas cards
5 - Get 8 hours of sleep per night (when possible)

Continuing goals from 2010...

1 - Learn how to snowboard - my wonderful hubby bought me snowboarding lessons for Christmas, so this goal will have a check marked at the end of next year!
2 - Develop a budget and stick to it - since attending Financial Peace University, the hubs and I have talked about putting those learned skills into action beginning with the 1st of the new year.
3 - Clean and organize my office. Maybe I'll get to this goal before my office needs to turn into a nursery...

I'm feeling very optimistic about the New Year!  Here's to 2011!

A Facebook Christmas Story

This is super cool!  I wonder if this is how the news would've been shared in today's social networking world.  It's very interesting to think about this holiday season!

Yeah Toast!!

This is hilarious!!  I bet you'll hear this song anytime you make toast or see someone make toast.  Love it!!

Year in Review

Well, ladies and gents, 2010 is coming to a close.  Where did this year go?  I feel like it flew by!  With the last week of 2010 approaching, I thought I'd take a look back at the goals I set at the beginning of the year and see how I did!

1 - Make a real budget and stick to it. Well, I'm slacking there.  My hubby and I took a class called Financial Peace University in the fall and learned a lot!  As of January 1, we have a budget and a plan. If we stick to the plan, all of our debt (excluding our mortgage...) will be paid off in 3 years!  Yiippeee!!  Although, I didn't meet the specific goal stated, I feel I did meet a goal of being more financially aware.

2 - Read the Bible in it's entirety. Another one I slacked on... I did find some amazing resources for reading the Bible and I even started!  But did not read the entire Bible.  Guess I'll add that to my 2011 Goal list!

3 - Make at least one new recipe per month. I started off doing this well!!  And then it tapered off... however, all is not lost!  I have taken huge steps in my diet/nutrition!  Mid year I decided to become a weekday vegetarian.  What does that mean?  It means that I allow myself to eat meat on the weekends only.  I started the life-change as a way to reduce my carbon footprint and as a way to take a stand against how animals are treated in farms.  I ended up cutting meat out (except for fish) almost entirely.  Letmetellya, I don't miss it.  Not. one. bite.  I still eat meat occasionally, but only a couple times per month.  I feel amazing!  I recommend everyone become a weekday vegetarian.

4 - Try snowboarding. Nope.  But the year isn't over yet!  I have tentative plans to go on 12/26.  Let's see if I chicken out!

5 - Be more patient by remembering that people are doing the best they can with what they have. I don't really know how to measure this one... I feel that, as a whole, I've really tried my best.  I've had moments of doing really really well, and then moments of failing miserably.  But, alas, I am a sinner and it's bound to happen that I'll fall short.  I'll keep trying and remember that it's a process.  I can't reverse the years of cynicism and negativity in a year's time.

6 - Eat more fruits and veggies. See #3.

7 - Take dance classes twice a week. Fail.  But not entirely!!  I found a new passion: yoga!!!  Up until the last 3 weeks, I had been taking yoga 4-5 times per week.  My body has never felt in better shape and I have never felt so much clarity.  Go yoga!

8 - Audition for the dance scholarship in August. Nope, see above.

9 - Finish my office/creative space. Um, well, no... it's a work in progress...

10 - Stop complaining about things beyond my control. Instead of complaining about things within my control; change them/make those things better. Another one I don't know how to measure... we'll call this one an ongoing transformation.

Guess I'll start working on my 2011 goals!  Happy Holidays everyone!  Hope this holiday season brings you plenty of cheer and thanksgiving!