Hi everyone.
As some of you may know, I also have a food blog, South Bay Rants n Raves. My restaurant reviews have been few & far between lately, so I’m trying something where I combine both this blog and my foodie blog, since it’s just sitting there anyway (and it’s a hosted site). So please join me at South Bay Rants n Raves for now as I work on combining the two blogs.
This will probably be my last post on 2013. I’m eager to be done with it, but I couldn’t turn down another old school blog!
1. What did you do in 2013 that you’d never done before?
I flew across the country with a baby! It wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be thankfully. Whew!
2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I didn’t make any resolutions or goals last year. I really don’t unless it’s something I know I’ll actually do. This year, I strive to be more positive & not repeat 2013.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
It’s more like who DIDN’T get birth! I know 5 people that gave birth last year.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
Thankfully, no.
5. What countries did you visit?
Ummm…. I made some Japanese food, does that count? ;)
6. What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013?
Like Elaine, more “BRAVE“.
7. What dates from 2013 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
June 15th- Andrew’s first birthday
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Nursing for 16 months
9. What was your biggest failure?
Don’t get me started
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nope thankfully.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
I love my Petunia Pickle Bottom Touring Tote :) I love how these bags are so pretty I will use them as handbags when the diapering stage is over.
12. Where did most of your money go?
baby things & concerts
13. What did you get really excited about?
Going back to the east coast to visit friends & family
14. What song will always remind you of 2013?
Blurred Lines
15. Compared to this time last year, are you:
– happier or sadder? Happier, for sure.
– thinner or fatter? about the same
– richer or poorer? Richer.
16. What do you wish you’d done more of?
going to the beach. I keep forgetting it was there, even though I’m so close.
17. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Worrying
18. How did you spend Christmas?
With my family
19. What was your favorite TV program?
probably The Big Bang Theory
20. What were your favorite books of the year?
Jonathan Kellerman-Private Eyes
21. What was your favorite music from this year?
Check out my Twisted Mixed Tape post
22. What was your favorite film of the year?
Um…. I only saw three, so I don’t have much to go on.
23. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I had a day to myself to get a mani pedi, a massage & some lunch :)
24. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Hiring someone to wash, dry, & fold my clothes
25. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2013?
HA! I’m not really a fashion person, never have been.
26. What kept you sane?
Ice skating :)
27. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013.
Sometimes things are not what you perceive.
Yes I’ve said it a million times. 2013 was craptastic. However, music always gets me through tough times, heck almost anything. So here’s a list of songs that were new or new to me in 2013.
Treasure by Bruno Mars- This song always makes me happy. It’s got a feel good melody & always puts me in a good mood.
Get Lucky by Daft Punk- Yeah I know this song was overplayed along with another song featuring Pharrell last summer, but I never got sick of this one. I always found myself singing along & still do. Like “Treasure” I like the old school feel of this one.
Take Back the Night- Justin Timberlake Man, I really like throwback vibes, huh?
My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark- Fall Out Boy It was so nice to hear some new Fall Out Boy after a hiatus. I love the driving beat of this one.
Try- Pink Last & most definitely not least. I love this song. I have no words really.
What are some of your favorite songs from the last year?
The first full week of the new year is in the books. Overall, not too bad. We started off the week with a long date day. We went to the BCS Championship where we saw our alma mater, Florida State win the championship in a nail biter of a game. I know I can never be an undergrad at FSU again, but it was nice to be in that college environment for the most part of the day. It really felt like home.
With that, I’ll list my 10 things of thankful
1) Being at the BCS Championship. Our longest time away from our son. It definitely helped recharge my batteries.
2) Andrew took a long nap today. He’s been very clingy all week so I’m glad he got some extra rest today…and mama too.
3) Speaking of rest, while little man took a long nap, mama got to unwind while watching some figure skating.
4) And speaking of figure skating, I learned a new move during my lesson yesterday, the backwards 3 turn.
5) My husband has been under the weather lately. While I’m not thankful for that, I am glad that Andrew was in a good mood because it was essentially me watching him all day.
6) Caught up with a lot of my mommy friends this week. Some I hadn’t seen in over a month.
7) Got news that our sitter is able to watch Andrew three times next week which is great because I’m still playing catch up from vacation.
8) I’m happy to report that I’ve been staying on top of my chores & to do list. Having a planner to write things out definitely helps.
9) Today’s gym class was a piece of cake. It was my first one in 3 weeks and I surprisingly had a lot of energy afterwards.
10) Back to clean eating…and it feels great.
What are you thankful for this week?
A million dollars to be exact. If I had a million dollars, what would I do? It’s actually difficult for me to answer. When you go from just getting by to living comfortably, it makes you appreciate what you have. I’ve never been one to buy designer anything just to fit in. Heck, carrying a designer handbag would only make me paranoid at every moment that someone would steal it.
With that being said, some of the money would go towards a new house. Hate to disappoint, but no, it won’t be oceanfront property. Just a larger house than the one I have now which is bursting at the seams.
It would also go to help pay for Andrew’s preschool and while we’re at it, a wash, dry, & fold service for our laundry since that’s the one chore my husband and I can’t stand.
Yes, I’m quite surprised at how I would spend a million dollars. If you asked me the same question 20 (!) years ago, I would’ve told you the cliche mansion on a hill with a large swimming pool and a limo. I just feel like I don’t need all that. It’s a little over the top for me. I’d rather have that money over a long period of time instead of blowing it all on crazy things that we don’t need. I would just like to live a little more comfortably with some perks.
I just wonder if I would react the same way if I was actually given a million dollars in cash right now.
How about you? Let us know at Finish the Sentence Friday
Well, I’ve never been one to make a resolution, let alone ten! When I do make resolutions, I only make one, and that only happens when I think of something I can actually stick to.
However, as I mentioned before, 2014 is all about positivity. I don’t want a repeat of 2013. So, I made a list of goals &I’d like to share those with you.
1) Stay on top of chores. Write down daily to-dos and stick to them.
2) Stay positive. Do not repeat 2013. Look for something to be thankful for every day.
3) Keep up your personal & skating journals. They will help you with your growth.
4) Minimize Facebook time. If you start scrolling aimlessly, it’s time to do something else.
5) Keep up skating and gym time. You lost all that weight after pregnancy back in 2012. You also spent some good money on new pants. You kept it up last year, now let’s repeat that.
6) Don’t be afraid to ask for help. You are not alone raising Andrew. It’s not easy.
7) Manage your time wisely. Make a schedule daily to keep you on task
8) Find time for yourself too. Being a mom is a demanding job. You need time to unwind too.
9) Come out of your shell when you meet people. It’s scary but you won’t meet new people if you don’t leave the house!
10) Remember the dog is part of the family. Make sure she gets her daily walks. She gets exercise, you get exercise, and the baby gets out & gets to see the world. Everyone wins.
So those are my goals! What are yours? Join us at the Tuesday Ten Linkup Party!
Happy New Year! I’m glad to be getting back into the swing of things. I mentioned before that I am so ready for the holidays to be over. Yes, I realize it’s been two weeks since Christmas, but we are just getting around to taking our tree down today. It’s a new year, I’m glad I have a chance to start over, and I have so much to be thankful for this week.
1) Did I mention I am glad 2014 is here? 2013 was a very trying year for me & I refuse to say that two years in a row, so this year is all about focusing on the positive.
2) I am glad my dad came to visit. It sucks not having family around & I wish he lived locally so he could see Andrew grow. However,we’re averaging seeing him twice a year, so it’s better than nothing.
3) Speaking of my dad, I’m glad we got extra help these last two weeks. He was the one that picked up Andrew every morning after he woke up, fed him breakfast, and played with him. Mat & I were happy to get some extra sleep, my dad was happy that he got to bond w/ his grandson. Everyone wins.
4) My dad has always been supportive & encouraging, but just hearing him say he was proud of me made me feel great.
5) I got back into journaling. I got a freebie journal in a swag bag a few years ago & I decided to put into use last month. It’s so therapeutic getting my thoughts out there.
6) I’m proud of how far I’ve come in ice skating. Fear held me back for a while when I first started. Sure, I’m still terrified of barreling down the ice at full speed & THEN jumping, but I’ve come a long way. On New Year’s Eve, I did jump combos for the first time. I’m very proud & so was my coach!
7) I’m looking forward to the longest date ever. We’re going to the BCS Championship tomorrow! We haven’t seen an FSU game since we were in college & I’m so glad they’re coming out here to play. Go Noles!
8) I’m glad to have our regular sitter come back & watch Andrew 3x/week this month after not having her a whole month. It’s been very trying being a stay at home mom all day & I look forward to having some of my me time back.
9) Andrew just makes me laugh a lot these days. He’s grown to be a funny little boy always trying to make new sounds. It’s just cute to here.
10) Finally, thank you for Skype! My dad may have gone back home, but I’m glad that Andrew will still be able to see grandpa online until the next time we see each other again. Maybe he’ll read him a story too.
WHat are you thankful for?
It’s January 1st which signals the end of the holiday season for me & the start of putting the decorations away. This holiday season was alright for me. Not the best.Nothing can hold a candle to Christmas in the northeast. Period. Sure,it’s easier for me to get into the holiday spirit with a little one, but he was oblivious this year. He preferred to play with his old toys instead of playing with the wrapping paper & boxes which held his gifts.
Like my son, I started feeling nonchalant about the holidays as the new year approached. I wanted the hustle to die down. I was tired of all the commercials on tv, of all the traffic to the malls. Yes, I was even tired of all the sweets that go along with the holidays. My pants were starting to get tight, which is a sign to stop eating. I loved being able to spend Christmas with my family, but by December 31st, I was done.
Christmas “clutter”
I was proud of how I decorated the dining room table, but found it to be just clutter once Christmas came since it got in the way at meal times since we have family in town.
Today, I was eager to put all the decor away. What I was left with was a clean slate that was pleasant to see. The new year is my clean slate; it’s my chance to de-clutter my life. New Year’s Day is one of my favorite holidays because it gives us all another chance to start fresh. To learn from our mistakes and grow stronger. 2013 was a very difficult year for me but without a doubt, it made my skin a lot thicker.
Later on today, I took a walk on the beach. Even after living here for 7 and a half years, it doesn’t get old. Looking out into the ocean gave me a calm and peaceful feeling like it always does. The ocean seems endless. Just like the ocean, I felt like my options on how to spend these 365 days were limitless. I held on to that feeling extra close today and I hope I can keep this warm feeling in mind through the year.
Welcome 2014. I am ready.
Is it really the week before Christmas? Man, that was fast!
This week, I love that I am finally done writing all my Christmas cards. Sure having return address stickers help, but man, my wrist was super sore after writing 50 or so cards. It’s a good thing that I have so many people to write to, but man!
Speaking of cards, it always feels like Christmas each time I open the mailbox & get a card. I wish this would happen more often during the year. That’s why I like to send my friends random letters from time to time so they could get that Christmas feeling off season.
A couple of you asked about the salt dough handprints I made last year. There are many recipes all over Pinterest, but here’s one from Imagination Tree.
My Petunia Pickle Bottom Sashay Satchel in Innsbruck. It’s a diaper bag but it looks like a handbag & ever so snazzy!
Speaking of handbags, I love my new Kate Spade. Such classy bags! Gotta be dainty with them though.
While we’re on the girly theme that I somehow made over here, I was invited to a Stella & Dot party over the weekend. I hadn’t seen the host in so long, it was great to catch up. I also ordered some cute pieces. I rarely get things for myself, so it’s nice to have a treat every now & then.
What are you loving this week?
Yup, you read that right. Tis the season for all things sugary sweet including music. I know some of you have love for boy & girl bands so sit back & enjoy my favorite teenybopper songs. Don’t worry, no one’s watching!
1) Ok first of all, I have to give it up to the boy band that lead to my love of pop music. That would be NKOTB. I was a youngin when they first came on the scene at a mere 8 years old. Joey McIntyre was my favorite & he’s aged pretty well too. With that being said, my favorite NKOTB song is Please Don’t Go Girl where Mr McIntyre sings lead.
2) Along came the Backstreet Boys 10 years after NKOTB took their final bows. I wasn’t as hardcore a fan, but I did like their songs with I Want it That Way being my favorite.
3) Of course I need to include pop princess Britney Spears… this was after she shed her good girl image with Toxic.
4) However, I always preferred Christina Aguilera to Britney. My favorite song and my anthem to this day is Fighter.
5) Finally, here’s NSync with someone you may know by the name of Justin Timberlake. I was more of a BSB fan than NSync but I totally dug their later albums like No Strings Attached & Celebrity. It was tough but my favorite song is It’s Gonna Be Me
I hope this mixed tape wasn’t too syrupy sweet for you. I like to listen to these songs when I’m in a carefree mood or need some cheering up. Join us at Twisted Mixed Tape & share some of your favorites.
Track Pants and a Tot 