Happy *Early* New Year 10 in 2010

HAPPY NEW YEAR

A little early?

I will be taking a one week blogging hiatus to go on vacation to the Dominican!!
Our bags are packed, and the hubby's mom will be house sitting. We are all set to go!! Our flight leaves at 9:45 tomorrow (Tuesday) morning.

I won't be able to blog or read blogs while I am away, but I promise I will do a photo-jammed recap and catch up on all your blogs when I return.

Breakfast this morning was some oats with almond butter, coconut, and a sprinkle of chocolate covered cranberries.



I went shopping with my dad this morning and he took me for lunch to Applebees. I had a small French onion soup and a side spinach and prawn salad. I didn't have my camera, but it was actually delicious - unexpected for a lame chain restaurant.

We were meeting a bunch of friends for a late dinner, so to hold me over I had a berry smoothie (with 2 berry amazing grass packs, almond breeze, almond butter and frozen mixed berries).



And the hubby and I shared this plate of mini quiche.



Dinner was at a local pub. I ordered the spaghetti and meatballs, and it was GINORMOUS!!


I clearly only ate half.

Because I will be away on New Years Eve, I have 2 matters of business to attend to.

First, is my LOVELY sister's 23rd Birthday!! She turns 23 on New Years Eve, and I won't be around to celebrate with her.

Happy Early Birthday Leah!!!!!

This is her with her beautiful boy:


(Yes sister face, this just happened). Welcome to my blog.

The second matter of business are my goals for 2010.
I am not big on New Years Resolutions, as who ever sticks to them anyway ... but I am big on making small/ attainable goals for the year.

Before I tell you my 10 goals for 2010, I want to do a mini recap of the past 10 years.

Let me take you back:

2000 - Graduated from High school!! (10 Year Reunion this year!!!)
- Started University (Bachelor of Education)

2001 - Bought my first car (a 1989 Cavalier)

2002 - Still in school ... working at DQ to pay tuition :-)

2003 - Internship in a grade 7/8 room.
- Got engaged on December 7th

2004 - Convocated from University with a BEd Degree
- Got Married
- Moved out of my parent's home for the first time
- Bought a new car
- Took a grad class
- Started my BA in Psychology

2005 - Went to Hawaii!!

2006 - Went to school, worked as a substitute teacher

2007 - Went to Mexico
- Went to Cuba
- Nephew was born!!!!
- Bought our first house, gutted and renovated it!!

2008 - Busy with school

2009 - Became a certified wedding planner/ coordinator
- Finished our basement
- Bought another car (the hubby and I lived with 1 car for 5 years)
- 5 Year Wedding Anniversary in Las Vegas
- Completed my BA Honours in Psychology
- Got a permanent teaching position
- New Years in the Dominican!!

As you can see, I haven't had a break from school in 10 years. Actually, I haven't had a break since I was 4 and starting kindergarten. This winter semester will be my FIRST semester off of school! I cannot wait!

No school and nothing to do with the house ... This year is going to be about doing things for me. I am going to try and take the time to do the things that I enjoy doing as often as possible!

10 in 2010

1) Learn to Run. I will start with the C25K training plan (from the couch to 5k in 9 weeks) this spring and I hope that I can learn to enjoy running.

2) Run a half marathon in September (I don't know if this is possible, but I am going to go for it anyway).

3) Read books for fun. I LOVE reading non-fiction books about a variety of topics (nutrition and food, philosophy, mathematics, religion etc.). I would like to make time to read about 10 - 15 really good books this year as a bare minimum.

4) Find some type of system to organize my recipes and all the pages I have ripped out of magazines over the past few years.

5) Travel to at least 2 new places (by plane).

6) Get accepted into Grad School (Masters in Educational Psychology). I wouldn't be starting until the fall.

7) Have dinner parties on a regular basis!! I absolutely LOVE entertaining and dinner parties are just so much fun!! I love to try new recipes, and have themed nights with friends. Makes for fun blogging too!

8) Learn to swim well. I am going to get the husband to help me with this one. Surprise husband!!

9) Take some sort of class just for me - not for "school." I am thinking of something along the lines of a cooking class, or hip-hop dancing, or yoga. Something for the spirit, not the mind.

10) Post operation beautiful notes in as many places as I can.

~~What are your goals for 2010?~~

See you in the New Year everyone!!

I will return with a BIG recap on January 6th.

Turkey Dinner #2

I had full intentions of taking pictures of turkey dinner #2 at my Dad's place ...
I left the house and drove 1/4 of the way there, when I realized I forgot my camera card at home. The hubby turned around and drove home so we could grab it.

We went to my Dad's and enjoyed a wonderful turkey dinner ... and after I inhaled it, I realized - oops ... I forgot to take a pic. I guess it just wasn't meant to be this evening.

I ate:

- 3 Slices of white meat
- about 1/2 cup of potatoes
- 1/4 cup turnips
- 1/4 cup broccoli
- 1/4 cup stuffing
- 3 T corn
- An obscene amount of gravy :-)

I passed on dessert again, but ended up being a little hungry later on this evening. While watching America's Next Top Model I ate this:



(1 piece of old cheddar cheese, 5 Mary's crackers with a bit of light herb and garlic cream cheese, and an unsweetened apple sauce).

Also, I just want to let everyone know that Jocelyn from the blog JocelynEatsFresh is having a wonderful giveaway! Checkout her blog for the details!

I have no idea why, because I didn't work that hard today - but I am wiped. I can barely see straight. So with that ... g'nite peeps.

Homemade Cranberry Sauce

If you can open a can of cranberry sauce, then you can make your own homemade cranberry sauce - it is that easy. I promise!

I made some today to take to my dad's place for Thanksgiving dinner tonight.

Cranberry Sauce

• Dump 1 cup of sugar into a pot

• Dump in 1 cup of water in and stir on med. heat until the sugar is dissolved.
• Bring to a boil.
• Dump in a bag of cranberries.

• Return to a boil and stir occasionally for 10 minutes.

• Let cool completely (makes 2 1/2 cups).

Simple as that! In 10 minutes, and with 3 ingredients you can have homemade cranberry sauce. People always seem impressed by it - they must not know how easy it is!

Lunch today was some mac and cheese, and a few tomatoes:

Now I am off to grocery shop, and do some work ... blah.