New Years Resolutions

Since the year is almost over, I figured I better write some resolutions that I have for 2012. I'm hoping they're realistic enough for me to follow through with them and not give up January 3rd lol. This will be my last post until probably Wednesday or so since we'll be moving/settling in tomorrow.  I have 2 or 3 guest posts scheduled for my absence so you all shouldn't miss me too much!

Resolutions:

• Spend more time with Mac & Sir, less time on-line or in a different room.
• Cook more, eat out less (I would like to drop it down to eating out 2x a week at most)
• Eat healthier.
• Go to the gym at least 3x a week if not more.
• Lose 10 pounds (i have more to lose but baby steps...)
• Spend less, save more.
• Blog more.  I'm finally getting into a groove of writing/linking up here that I don't know what I would do without it...
• Pay off the money we owe my dad.

I'm sure there's more, but this works for right now.

What is everyone doing for New Years Eve?

I'm working til 3pm and I have no clue about Mac, but we'll be having a couple of friends coming over to the new place to just hang out.  I'll throw some frozen appetizers into our (really) small oven and it'll be fine I'm sure.  We just need places to sit lol

Regardless of what you do, enjoy time with family & friends! Happy 2012 & I'll see you next year!

Sorry

Sorry my posts seem few & far between lately, but working 50 hours, trying to pack and clean 2 apartments, having a puppy and a fiance something had to give.  I'll be back regularly come the new year!

What I'm loving Wednesday

This week I'm loving:

• That I only work 3 more days this week and then I'm off until the 5th.
• That Friday we're going to a local restaurant to see our friend Kim & Adam on TLC's 4 Weddings

(Kim is the 3rd bride with pink flowers)

• That we have cable & internet set up in the new place already
• That despite having to move Sunday, we're still having friends over on Saturday night for New Years Eve...at the new place (no cable in the old place)
• That we're moving Sunday!
• That we won't have to hide Sir anymore
• And as always Mac & Sir

What are you loving? Go link up!

Merry Christmas!

Just wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas from our family to yours!

Christmas Survey

Who do you want to be under the mistletoe with? 
Mac obviously 
 
What are your favourite Christmas memories? 
Christmas morning at home with my parents.  They'd set up the camcorder and record us opening presents from my grandparents in Florida with Christmas music playing in the background. Then we'd pack up & go to mom's family for presents/food

Where would you rather spend Christmas this year? 

I like spending time in our own home. I'd like to host Christmas one day. I don't have a big enough family around here to do that. Hosting my family would be Mac, Dad, Sir & myself LOL

What is your favourite Christmas song? 

I'm big on the classics and the re-mixes of the classics. If that makes sense. Currently I'm listening to A Holly Jolly Christmas by Burl Ives

What do you usually do Christmas morning? 

Open presents if we didn't the night before.  Otherwise we just hang out. Christmas isn't fun for us right now. We have no kids, Mac's family is too far away and mine is just my dad. It's almost like another day for us.

Have you bought all your presents yet? 

Being that it's Christmas Eve I'd hope so. We're not doing much this year. Money is tight. We rather pay rent than buy expensive gifts. We'll make up for it.

What do you do on Christmas Eve?
Go to my dad with Chinese food, open gifts, watch TV and I might go to church with my step-mom while Mac & dad do something at home

Do you spend Christmas with a lot of family?.
No & I'm a little sad by this.
 
Do you go anywhere special on Christmas (vacation) ?
Nope. Never have. I went to Florida one year, but that was after Pop-Pop died

How many items are on your wish list? 
I never give out a wish list. I take what people give me. Though I would like a microwave this year since our new place does not have one.

What do you usually eat on Christmas?  
I usually make a turkey and the usual side dishes. It's almost like Thanksgiving all over again

When did you find out that Santa wasn't real?
3rd grade I think. 

Do you still make snowmen and snow angels? 
Yes! And we still go sleigh riding

Do you still have snow ball fights with your siblings/parents? 
No but I might throw a few at Mac lol


What's your favourite Christmas movie? 
Elf, Rudolph, Charlie Brown's Christmas, The Holiday, The Grinch (cartoon)

What do you plan to do for New Year's Eve? 
Well since we're moving the very next day, it won't be much. A few friends are still coming over. We'll see how this goes...

What are your usual traditions on New Year's? 
Usually we go to my friend Cheryl's to drink and play video games. It's fun and I'm sad this year we won't be able to do so

Got any resolutions? 
Lose 25 pounds, cook more, eat out less, spend more time with Mac & Sir. 

What do you usually get in your stocking?  
Mac absolutely SUCKS at putting anything in my stocking. Usually I throw stuff for myself in there, just to have something. We will be doing stockings next year lol


Well I'm stuck at work until 3pm, but I hope everyone else is enjoying their Christmas Eve festivities

Christmas Time Blues

I cannot believe that Christmas Eve is tomorrow.  This year flew by. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't happy about that.  This year has been such a roller coaster for us...3 deaths in 3 months, a lay off, a long distance relationship for 6 months, a new puppy, another new job and now an apartment. I'm glad life is starting to look up for us..for now at least.  Every year around this time things seem to go great and then in January we're hit with something.  I'm hoping that new year, new home, new puppy, new(ish) job for Mac that it's what we need for things to keep going in the right direction.  I'd also be lying if I didn't say that I keep waiting for something to happen. I'm a pessimistic person by nature I can't help it.  

As hard as I'm trying, I'm just not in the Christmas spirit at all. I want to be.  I listen to Christmas music for hours on end, I bought some presents for family and even dressed festive in a red sweater for our Christmas luncheon yesterday. It's not working. I didn't even decorate this year. I bought stockings and they're laying on the counter in the kitchen. I think next year I need to save at least one weeks vacation for the last week in December. Even if I don't get Christmas Eve off, I need time to relax and be able to enjoy time with my family. Not worry about getting home too late because I have work the next day. I want to sit home, drink hot chocolate and watch endless movies with Mac & Sir.  I think after we leave my dads tomorrow, we're going to look at Christmas lights and then come home and watch Christmas movies.  Sunday we won't be doing much. We're actually going to try and get the new apartment ready to paint and start moving stuff in.

Call me a scrooge, but I'm ready for December 26.

Let's go back a few years when I wasn't a scrooge and who doesn't love NYC in the Winter?. Enjoy the old pics :)

Creamy Grilled Strawberry Sandwich

I found this recipe the other day and I feel like I need to share. It sounds too good not too!  I cannot wait to try this sometime

Creamy Grilled Strawberry Sandwich

 
This is a great dessert that's delicious when strawberries are in season.

Minutes to Prepare: 2

Minutes to Cook: 5

Number of Servings: 2

Ingredients

3 T cream cheese, low fat, softened
1 c strawberries, sliced
1 whole wheat pita bread
1 sprig fresh mint

Directions

Cut pita bread in half. Gently open pocket. Combine cream cheese with 1/4 cup of the strawberries, mashing the berries as you mix. Spread half of mixture inside each half of the pita. Fill with remaining strawberries. Heat a cast iron pan or skillet to warm. Spray sandwich with nonstick spray and grill both sides until golden. Enjoy warm. Garnish with mint.

What I'm loving Wednesday

I'm linking up again for What I'm Loving Wednesday. It's one of my favorite link ups.

I'm loving:

• That we can officially start moving stuff in next Wednesday if we want.
• That this year is almost over.  2011 wasn't the best year and I'm hopeful 2012 is going to be better. Unless the world comes to an end...then 2011 wasn't sooo bad
• That Christmas is 4 days away, even though I'm still not in the spirit.
• Mac and Sir
• That we should be going to see my mom in the next few weeks. I haven't seen her in almost 5 months. I miss her

Target Tuesday

I'm linking up as usual for Target Tuesday. 

This week I'm featuring scrapbooking items. I'm not crafty or creative, but sometimes I like to think I am. This is also going to be a wish list as if money was unlimited  I feel like I should be something Christmassy, but I'm still not in the spirit so this is what you get :)

Cricut Cake Machine

Pearl Ex 32-Color Powder Pigment Set

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Pearl Ex 32-Color Powder Pigment Set

Paper Shapers 12-pc. Decorative Scissors Set - Second

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Paper Shapers 12-pc. Decorative Scissors Set 

And now Target's website is giving me a hard time & I have no patience lately so this is all you get ;)

Do you scrapbook?

Christmas time blues

I'm having a hard time getting in the mood for Christmas this year.  When Mac & I found out we got the apartment we said that we weren't doing Christmas & that our present is the apartment. I accept that.  I don't need presents from him, but I feel bad that I'm not really planning on cooking for Christmas as everything is (or should be) mostly boxed up ready to move. I'm not sure if we're going to spend the day with either family as we both work the next day. Usually we just stay home or go to the movies.  We didn't do expensive gifts for our families. I know everyone understands, but it still stinks. I haven't baked, watched enough Christmas movies and we barely decorated. I'm just sad that the Christmas season is almost over and I haven't done much.

We did get to go see our town lighting two weeks ago. It was short but it was nice.

and one unrelated pic..

how cute is he??

Are you in the Christmas spirit this year?

Once we move and settle into the new place, I plan on cooking more than I do now (which isn't often as I like!).  I also want to start the New Years off right with some healthy eating (after the pizza I'm sure we'll consume while moving in).  I was ordering food the other day and I ordered Pasta E Fagioli and realized how expensive it was for it ($4.50)...still ordered it anyway, but while doing so I googled a recipe for it and this is what I found

Pasta E Fagioli - Healthy Olive Garden Knock-Off 

(Olive Garden is where I fell in love with this soup, so it's perfect!)

Minutes to Prepare: 10

Minutes to Cook: 60

Number of Servings: 10

Ingredients

1/2 lb ground beef
1 tsp olive oil
3/4 cup chopped onion
1 3/4 cup matchstick carrots
3/4 cup chopped celery
2 cans diced tomatoes (no salt added)
1 cup canned Red Kidney Beans
1 cup canned White Kidney Beans
60 ounces Beef Broth (Lower Sodium version)
2 tsp Oregano
1 tsp Black Pepper
1/4 cup chopped Fresh Parsley
1 tsp Tabasco sauce
1 jar of Classico Spicy Pesto Sauce
4 ounces dry Shell Macaroni or Rotini pasta

Directions

Brown the beef in a skillet, drain thoroughly, and empty onto a plate covered with paper towels to soak up the excess grease.

In a large sauce pot, heat 1 tsp olive oil and add onion, carrots, celery, and tomatoes. Simmer for 10 minutes.

Drain and rinse kidney beans and add to the pot.

Return the ground beef to the pot and add beef broth, oregano, pepper, parsley, Tabasco, spaghetti sauce, and noodles.

Simmer until celery and carrots are tender, about 45 minutes. Makes about 10 servings (about 2 cups per serving)

***Tip: If you have the time, this soup tastes even better if cooked for 2 to 3 hours at a very low simmer.***

Number of Servings: 10

	Nutrition Facts   Servings Per Recipe: 10   Serving Size: 1 serving Amount Per Serving   Calories 214.2   Total Fat 8.1 g       Saturated Fat 2.0 g       Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5 g       Monounsaturated Fat 2.4 g   Cholesterol 20.8 mg   Sodium 833.3 mg   Potassium 420.0 mg   Total Carbohydrate 24.3 g       Dietary Fiber 6.4 g       Sugars 4.1 g   Protein 12.3 g

Recipe found here

What's your favorite & inexpensive recipe?

So many things to do..

So little time..

In the next 16 days we need to:

• Finish packing
• Paint the new apartment
• Clean the old apartment
• Enjoy Christmas Eve/Day
• Finish getting everything we need for the apartment
• Have cable, electric and gas turned on
• Work an obscene amount of hours
• Rent a U-haul
• Have friends over for New Years Eve (should be interesting!)
• Find time to sleep.

The only thing that is keeping me a little sane is that come 12/31 I'm off until 1/5. Maybe I'll have the house settled by the 2nd and can relax the 3rd?

Do you work well under pressure?

Have you ever moved w/less than a month's notice?