2014 Goals

Honestly, 2013 was pretty good to me, I did a re-cap of 2013 here- but there is so much more that I want to accomplish in the coming year. I am always excited for a New Year and I know that so many people think that making resolutions is cliche- but for me, it's the usual & just another reason to make a goals list!
Starting a new year feels like a new clean slate to start fresh!

I Declare that God is going to bless me and my husband in 2014 and that we are going to succeed in everything we put our hand to- we will be the head and not the tail. God will continue to bless & increase our finances and we will lend and not borrow. I Declare that God is going before us making the crooked paths straight and that we will have the favor of man and God. I Declare that God is going to overflow our lives with blessings abundantly and in every way possible and that all of the visions that God has given to me will come to fruition. I Declare that God will open the doors that need to be opened & he will close the doors that need to be closed and that no man can stand in the way of our blessings that God has prepared for us! I Declare that God is going before us and showing us the way in which to walk, whether it is straight or to the left or to the right, we will continue to follow & trust in him. In Jesus name, Amen.

2014 Goals

//Spiritual- find a church. Continue to read Bible daily & stay in prayer constantly.

//Home Life- Build new home! Have organic garden, fruit trees & chickens. Have photos transferred from old hard drives- have prints made for new house. Host parties.

//Health- Lose last 10 lbs- workout at gym 5x week, drink 8 glasses water daily, eat more raw foods, take vitamins, spa treatments weekly, have a couples massage, go on more hikes, biking. Drink less coffee & more hot teas. Try acupuncture.

//Blog- Blog Re-design, more blog posts on style, products, restaurant & travel reviews

//Relationships- Celebrate our 15 year wedding anniversary! Plan a night to watch old videos & drink wine

//New things- have professional photo shoot of the husband & I, run a fun marathon with my husband, go to an art + wine class, go on a wine tasting, go on a hot air balloon ride. Go Zip-lining, go to a concert, Ride in a Helicopter, Learn ballet from my SIL (she was taught by Robert Ivy)

//Enjoy our local community- go to more events in the community, use downtown dollars- go to some new places.

//Education/Continued Learning - Work towards Journalism degree & learning Graphic Design

//Finances- Learn to budget!! Spend less $$, save more! Trade in Suburban for Prius to save on gas.

//Future- plan for low-maintenance/light workload investment ideas.

//Life- have will and power of attorney re-done

//Others- continue to help others succeed, volunteer my time, donate to those less fortunate.

//Self- continue to love myself more, learn to let things go-not hold onto negative things that have been done towards me and my husband, take more time for myself- read a book, take a long bath w/candles,  take a weekend vacation/do something new. Read more books.

//Creativity- work on inventions/ideas. Work on a new task weekly to gain knowledge- i.e. graphic design, journalism, photography, etc. Crochet.

//Travel- go somewhere new this year- we haven't been anywhere in the past couple of years & I'm starting to go stir-crazy!! Go on a weekend getaway-beach, camping.

I have such an amazing feeling about 2014, it's going to be a great year for us and I am so excited to see what all happens!!

What are your Goals for 2014?

Christmas Morning via Instagram

Merry Christmas Everyone!!! I apologize in advance because most of the photos are of me- the hubby was feeling sick again & didn't really want his picture taken (I did get one of him though!). Also, these are all taken on my iPhone so they're not the greatest quality. That was another one of my early Christmas gifts was the iPhone 5- I had one but I kept having issues with my old one running out of memory space, apps not working- so my husband got me one that actually works better now and I love it!!

We kept our Christmas small this year because our main focus is really our new house, which we will be starting in the next few weeks! My biggest gift this year was the fact that Roscoe is healed and walking & running around- I still can't believe it and I am ever so thankful to GOD because it was nothing short of a miracle!! If you are a new reader and you don't know the story of what Roscoe went through & how God brought him out on the other side- you can read all about it here.

{Sleepyheads}

Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and everything that your heart wishes for! I am off to play with my Christmas gifts, hopefully sneak a nap in and then I will be in the kitchen later, making Christmas Dinner - I have a fabulous dinner planned!

{Bananas Foster Pancakes with molasses- hubby's plate had bacon}

Life Lately via Instagram...

Christmas Office Party!

Last Friday was our Christmas Office Party- things have been so crazy that I haven't had time to blog at all! The party was fun, but short & sweet-we had some small chit chat, ate good food, had a couple of mimosas, then the boss & I actually went back to work for a little while. Afterwards, I went by the mall really quick to use my coupon & then we went home.

I go to work today, then we are off for Tuesday and Wednesday- I can't believe Christmas is in just two days! Merry Christmas to all of you!!!

Taking a Break...

Hi Lovelies, I am taking a break from blogging for a couple of days- I recently nursed my husband back to health after he was sick with a cold & now I think I may have caught what he had. My head and nose are all stopped up and I can't think clearly and I'm just tired- being sick is not fun! Hopefully this is a quick virus and I will be over it and back to normal soon!

Hope you are all having a fabulous week, where-ever you are!

Ending of 2013

I can't believe that 2013 is coming to an end in a couple if weeks! I thought it would be fun to talk about everything that happened in 2013- both good & bad.

//We finally sold our house!!

//We moved to a much better place- an apartment close to our jobs & away from our negative neighbors.

// We had our land cleared, well installed & electricity going. My husband designed our house-plans down to the detail- including enlarging my walk-in closet- does my husband know me or what?!

//Our new house construction will be starting January 2014. We have decided on the framing & foundation contractor- he is also going to do our Harding-board siding. 

//I have made several new friends & I have been getting out more & doing fun things like art, going for coffee & lunch with the girls. 

// I tried alligator & fried Oreos for the first time! The alligator tasted similar to chicken!

//My husband & I both have great jobs downtown- I love my boss & co-workers.

//I feel like my social anxiety has gotten better this year, after praying & forcing myself out of my comfort zone by going to events & being around people more. I am learning that not everyone is out to get me & I don't have to constantly defend myself. Sometimes people don't realize how constant attacking/bullying can really cause problems like social anxiety or withdrawal from others - I am just now trying to work through some of it, but I feel like I am making progress..

//Roscoe (our dog) was paralyzed for 8 months & couldn't eat, drink or go to the bathroom on his own- after lots of praying & crying to God-he is now healed!! God is so good!!!

//Wish list items- I finally have an iPhone 5 that works right- it just makes life so much easier now! 

//I feel like I am ending 2013 at a pretty good weight- I do have a goal of losing 10 lbs in 2014.

//Most importantly, I have such a close relationship with God, my faith is so much stronger- I give all of my problems to him now! I have finally learned to trust him- it took me years to do, but I finally

decided to let go of the wheel & let him drive- he is a much better driver than me any day!

//God answered my prayers from 6 years ago & we just got a Trader Joes & Whole Foods!! 

// My MIL has a new friend that I really like- John, it's nice having a positive male figure in my life (I prayed for this too). He is really nice & we have fun playing scrabble together.

// I have been keeping a journal more this year. It's neat to look back & see how things change.

All in all, I feel like it has been a really great year for me- I am excited to see what 2014 holds- so many great things are in our future!!

How did 2013 treat you?

25 More Things You didn't Know About Me Continued..

//My Dad was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease when I was about 12 years old- I helped take care of him when I was a teenager.. putting on his socks & shoes, combing his hair, bringing him coffee..to be honest, it was my favorite memories of my Dad because I took care of him & loved him so much... I could do no wrong in his eyes. I was a huge Daddy's girl (he passed over 10 years ago) and everyday he would sit me on his knee and ask me if I was still Daddy's little girl & I would always tell him yes.. when he took his last breath, I was right there beside him holding his hand, begging him not to leave me. The moment he stopped breathing- I let out the loudest scream- it was like I was out of body & it wasn't really happening.. it was one of the hardest times of my life..I literally didn't eat for 2 weeks..I don't deal well with death & hate funerals- every time I go to one- I cry because I miss my Dad..

//I don't like overly pretentious people or constant boasting/bragging on oneself..I feel like you should just be yourself and if you're awesome, people will know it, No need to talk about it.

//I have an extremely low tolerance for pain- if I stub my toe, I start crying.

//I also have an extreme aversion to the cold- when I was training for a job in New Hampshire, New York- my fingers and lips started turning purple in the cold- I have to live in warm weather!

//When I was a teenager, I wanted to go to New York to become a model- everyone told me that I could be a model, but my Mom wouldn't' let me go, she said it was too dangerous & that I would get murdered.

//Which leads me to this one- my Aunt, my Mother's sister was murdered- she was stabbed, then shot..My Mother never talks about it..

//I grew up very sheltered from everything, I didn't learn until I was about 25 that people could be manipulative and mean for no reason. It was a hard lesson that I learned firsthand and still continue to learn..I will never figure out those types..

//I am obsessed with poetry- I used to write poetry when I was a teenager.

//I grew up singing in choir and playing piano- I used to sing a solo almost every night at my church- people used to tell me I had the voice of an angel..I kind of want to start back singing again, but I definitely need some voice lessons!!

//I have been everything from a raw vegan, vegan, vegetarian to a meat eater.

//I had a really bad experience from eating seaweed one time- let's just say that now every-time that I see it at Whole Foods, I get really nauseous..

//I used to have an eating disorder & my family constantly worried about me. I have been tiny all of my life, my smallest weight was 102 lbs. The last 4 years I have really struggled with my weight gain.

// I am obsessed with coffee, especially Starbucks- I could drink it all day!!

// I hate being the center of attention, I would prefer to be in the background. But I love being appreciated.

//I have always disliked when people video me, I don't like the way that I look or sound on video.

//I love fashion and I've always wanted to have my own little boutique & style the mannequins- that would be my dream!

//I am a quiet & shy person, especially around new people. Recently, I was invited to go to Women's Health Event with celebrities and to do interviews and I turned it down because it's just not me.

// I could eat just have a cheese plate & wine every night and be happy. //Red wine makes me melancholy and white wine makes me silly.

//I have this Goals & Accomplishments Obsession- I write down Goal Lists from Short-term to Long-term that I want to accomplish and work towards every week!

//I am a Pinterest-a-holic. I have over 13,000 pins & almost 800 followers

//I can crochet- mostly scarves- it's very therapeutic for me.

//I have always dreamed of being a Travel writer- it combines two of my favorite things- travel & writing.

// I have visited Seattle, Canada by train, New York, Wisconsin, Washington DC, Chicago, SC, NC, Virginia, all over the State of Texas, Ohio, Louisiana, New Hampshire, Kansas, Niagara Falls, Puerto Rico, Bahamas, Cayman Islands, St. Croix, St. Thomas, Mexico, Turks & Caicos.. and tons more..I have always loved adventure & traveling- I want to see the entire world!!

//I have been told that I am a mystery & impossible to figure out...but I like it that way..who wants to be an open book when you can be mysterious?

//I don't like when people stare at me, but I love to wear flashy things..oxymoron?

Hope you enjoyed and have a fabulous weekend!!

My Christmas Wish List!!

First, I want to say that I don't think Christmas is ALL about the gifts, because it's not at all. I just thought it would be fun to do a little Wish List-that's always fun right?!

I have always loved Hunter Boots- if they are good enough for the Queen of England, Princess Dianna, etc.- then I should definitely own a pair (or two, or three..)

J. Crew Herringbone Vest- Love!!

iPhone 5 that actually works (not like the one I have now)

Leather pants- actually the shoes are pretty fabulous too! {via Amber @ barefootblonde.com}

What is on your little Wish List ?

A tiny tree for a tiny apartment...

Since we are living in such a tiny apartment- we decided to go with small Christmas decorations, hence the miniature tree. The upside is that it only took about 10 minutes or less to decorate!! But honestly, I love it!

{This ornament reminds me of Bella, our pet mouse that we used to have- I miss her}

{These are self-explanatory- I have an obsession with Starbucks & Hunter Boots}

{This ornament is a reminder of our new home that will be built by next year!}