Ready for Another Year

I can't believe it's already been a year! I feel as if I just answered these questions!

2010 ---> 2011

1. What did you do in 2010 that you’d never done before?

Earned a new job with benefits (March), bought a house (April), got a puppy (July), went to Washington DC (June), celebrated a 1 year wedding anniversary (July).

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I'm not sure if I made one - so there wasn't one to keep. I'm not really planning to make a huge deal about a "resolution," but I do plan to be more of a tight-wad this year. A penny pincher! I love seeing my savings grow. However, these are a few things I will glady spend money on, if they happen: vacations, 2nd full bath renovation. Picture is our main level full bath renovation that we completed this year:

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

My friend Alanna brought Zayden into this world! My other friend Ashley is due any day now, so we'll see if she gets a '10 baby or an '11 baby.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.

5. What countries and states did you visit?
Sad ... no new countries this year. I did visit two new "states:" DC (does that count?) & Virginia ... Virginia was only for about two hours or so, when I went to Arlington.

6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?

Relaxation....haha, I said this last year too! BUT, I booked a certain number of weddings this year, which is 10 less than last year ... SO, I definitely will have a less-chaotic year - I hope!

7. What dates from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Hmm...is it sad that none stick out?

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Getting through all 24 weddings! Pic is of me working at a wedding:

9. What was your biggest failure?
Having a negative attitude a lot of the time.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
No.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
My house!

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Nobody I can think of.

14. Where did most of your money go?

Home improvements.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Gosh 2010 sure was lacking in the excitement department! I can't think of anything! I think I worked too much and didn't have enough "me" time to have fun! Lesson learned!

16. What song will always remind you of 2010?

Miranda Lambert - "House That Built Me"

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? happier
b) thinner or fatter? fatter...the scale says I'm the same, but I feel fatter.
c) richer or poorer? the same


18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Vacationed

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
Spending money, working

20. How did you spend Christmas?

Christmas Eve: my mom's in the morning, and my dad came over in the afternoon. On Christmas Day: to Chris' parents during the day, and to my dad's side of the family in the evening. The week before Christmas is when we went to my mom's side:

21. Did you fall in love in 2010?
I'm still in love.

22. What was your favorite TV program?

Two and a Half Men, Everyday with Rachael Ray, Paula Deen, Get It Sold with Sabrina Soto, & Sarah Palin's Alaska

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
No.

24. What was the best book you read?
I'm not sure I read many this year. This is definitely on the to-do list for 2011. I love reading. I have a few checked out from the library, and I can't wait to dig in!

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
These weren't live changing or anything, but some new peeps on my playlist include: Katy Perry, David Gray, One Republic, Bruno Mars

26. What did you want and get?
A house.

27. What did you want and not get?
A house.

28. What was your favorite film of this year?
Valentine's Day, The Ugly Truth (saw it in 2010) ... and ANYTHING with Gerard Butler ...!!!

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I went to the Iron Ridge Inn (I think??? Why can't I remember anything about this year?) with my family.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
This is minor, because I really have had a really good, satisfying, and happy year ... but I'd say getting the house remodel projects done ... some are half finished and they're driving me nuts. I need to learn how to use power tools.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?
I pretty much wear a cardigan every day.

32. What kept you sane?
Coffee and those tiny bits of blissful free time (exact same thing I said last year).

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
None!

34. What political issue stirred you the most?
None! I'm smart and stay out of that stuff now ;-)

35. Who did you miss?
Alanna who lives in Washington state. I missed seeing her at Christmastime this year, which has always been a tradition.

36. Who was the best new person you met?
Maggie (who has worked some weddings with me)

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010.
Life is too short & valuable to be a work-a-holic.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

"The years go by and time just seems to fly, but the memories remain."

39. Will you be looking for a new job?

Nope! :-)

40. Will you be looking for a new relationship?
No way!

41. New house?
No! New stuff in this house though!

42. What will you do different in 2011?
I think you already know - enjoy life more!

43. Any trips planned?
Darn it, no! :-(

44. Wedding plans?
I will attend (at least) 15 weddings this year - 14 clients, 1 family!

45. What's on your calendar?
Spending time with hubby, weddings, work, weddings, work! :-)

46. What can't you wait for?

Some type of vacay - even if it's just somewhere close. Any get-a-way will do!

47. Do you plan on having a child?
Maybe.... ;-)

48. Wish for 2011?

Continued happiness.

49. Where did you go on New Years?

Out to dinner, and then home. I feel asleep before 11.

50. Did you change at all this year?

Not really.

51. Did you dye your hair?
I dyed my own hair to save money ... it doesn't look terrible, just a little more reddish than usual. I don't plan on doing it often - there are people I'll gladly pay to make me look good!


52. Were you in school?
Of course, school is my life! I was never a student, but I was a sub at the beginning of the year, and then in March, I got a new job, which is the Site Manager of 21st Century Community Learning Centers. I am the site manager for all of Jefferson Junction's program, and the AM Site Manager for Lincoln Station's program. That means two schools in one day (1.5 hours at one, and then 6 hours at another).


53. Did you have a job?

See above, and all of the answers that involved being a wedding photographer. :-)

54. Did you move at all?
We moved from our Knaup Drive apartment to our HOUSE on 615 Declark!

55. Did you go on any vacations?
No...boo!! I did go to Washington DC though for work. It was a neat experience. Also, we did go camping in White Lake, WI. Not exactly a vacation, but it was some good away time.

56. Did you break up with anyone?
No.


57. Did you drink Starbucks?

Yes! A few grande Pike's roasts, tall Java Chips, and 1 peppermint mocha could be found in my hand throughout the year.


58. What are your plans for new years eve this year?
We WERE going to the Dells to stay overnight and see a band at a casino, but I decided I wanted to save some money and stay in town (remember that penny pinching thing??). So, we are going to go out to dinner with Katelyn and Josh, and then probably come back to our house for some serious "festivity" time! Bring on the wine! Pic is from last year!

*2010* Christmas Baking

Strawberry Pecan Thumbprints, Classic Cut Outs, and Chocolate Toffee Shortbread ... recipes below for two of them! These are recipes from Taste of Home's Simple & Delicious dating back various years, and give them my own twist!

Strawberry Pecan Thumbprints

• 1 cup butter
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/8 cup milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups flour
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 cup ground pecans
• strawberry jam
• powdered sugar

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Put everything in my mixer - besides the pecans, jam, & powdered sugar. Mix. Add pecans. Mix again. Grease a baking sheet. Form 1 inch balls of dough in your hands. Press down on each with your thumb to make a hole to place the jam. Using a small spoon, fill hole halfway with jam. Bake for 6 minutes, take out of oven, use butter knife to flatten jam so it's not all just one clump. Bake again for 2 minutes - they will seem uncooked, but that's what you want! Cool for 5 mins and then sprinkle on powdered sugar. They taste best when fully cooled!

Classic Cut Outs

I wasn't a huge fan of the recipe I tried this year, so I don't feel the need to type it out if I don't ever use it again! (Sorry)

Chocolate Toffee Shortbread

1.25 cups butter

1.5 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

3 cups flour

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups brown sugar

2 eggs

1 reg size bag chocolate chips

1/2 bag Heath toffee bits

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix everything together in a mixer - besides chocolate chips and Heath. Spread batter onto a cookie sheet and smooth until even. Bake 12-15 mins or until lightly browned. Immediately after removing from oven, sprinkle all chocolate chips on top. Let melt for 5 mins, then spread over shortbread with a butter knife. Then sprinkle with Heath bits. Let cool before cutting.

Mmm Enchiladas

Tried a new recipe and put my own twist on it, too ... it was WONDERFUL and easy, so I have to "write this down" somewhere so I don't forget about it! My first time making enchiladas!

Recipe on this can + my own twist:

Ingredients:

0.75 lb top ground beef

8 oz cream cheese, cubed

1/4 packet taco seasoning

1 pack 6 (or 8) inch tortillas

1 can green chile enchilada sauce

3/4 cup shredded mild cheddar

1. Preheat oven to 400. Spray 9x13 pan with Pam.

2. Cook beef, add cream cheese until melted, add in 1/4 packet taco seasoning.

3. Spoon beef mixture into tortillas, roll, place in pan with seam side down.

4. Pour can of enchilada sauce over the top, sprinkle with cheese.

5. Bake 20 mins.

6. EAT! (I served mine with Spanish rice and sides of sour cream)

It's Almost Christmahanukwanzaakah!

Happy Sunday, everyone!

A few more photos of the decor to remember our 1st Christmas in our new house:

Up first, our puppy-proof tree - notice I didn't say "Chew-Free" because I'm sure that will still happen sometime between now and the 25th!

I had to get all new (mostly) ornaments this year because, well, I wasn't about to put glass/breakables on a tree with a puppy! (Or with a cat who was a kitten last year, who thinks he still fits IN the tree...LOL...when clearly, he is just too big now).

I wanted some more sparkle to my tree anyway, and I wanted to keep up the red/silver theme I have in my house for the rest of the Xmas decor. $15 of Kohls Cash got me 8 new sparkly ornaments, and $3.50 at Walgreens got me 24 other sparklers! The 'F' was my $1 WalMart score (just let me tell you ... how HARD it is to find anything monogrammed in the letter F! Seriously! Look next time, and there will be almost every other letter ... besides F ... so needless to say, WalMart made me happy!)

Also, I wanted a tree skirt this year...but I'm also super cheap. All the pretty ones were $30-$60, and I wasn't going to waste money on an ugly one. So, my friends, this is a round table cloth from Target ... yep, a table cloth AND I got it on SALE for $7.99, originally $12.99 --- SCORE! Yes, it's a little gathered-looking, but I LOVE it! (I also have the matching pillow, but darn, that was full price ;-)

Here's the tree:

Some of my favorite new ornaments...

And the last "festive" feature in our house (so far anyway) is my 'X-Mas Cookie 2010' to do list! Just some ideas jotted down on my DIY interior cabinet chalkboard - listing what I all want to get baked up this year. I usually use the chalkboard to jot down what I'm out of, so I don't forget to pick something up at the store!