I resolve to...

I must start by making it clear that I am not big on New Year's Resolutions. I find it humorous that people think they can change their lifestyle simply by making it a resolution. I don't know anyone who has ever said, "I quit (insert vice here) on New Year's and I hasn't been a problem since". I do think it is important to stay in tune with yourself, to note your areas for improvement and work continually towards those things. What can it hurt right? Even if it is all for not, at least we'll know the areas we should be focusing on to make our lives and those who love us lives better.

1. Stop Cyber Stalking: I am guilty of it and I am not ashamed to admit it! I cyber stalk. I look up people on the Internet, I search for people on Facebook, I even Google people unnecessarily. I have a need to know how people's lives are going, I compare their accomplishments to mine and I silently weigh who is "winning". I am a shameless coveter. I covet other people's lives and undoubtedly romanticize their reality. I sometimes have to remind myself that nothing I see online, no pictures, no relationship status is a true barometer of happiness. I can't tell how happy someone's life is by their profile on Facebook. What is more important is living my life and finding happiness in my reality.

2. Walk Away From the Sugar and No one Gets Hurt: I have a long standing love affair with sugar, and though it has dramatically decreased over the years it still exists. When I was younger I would eat ice cream for breakfast and a Snickers for lunch. I once became a vegetarian because I thought the only other food group was candy and nothing seemed greater than eating sugar for 3 "square" meals a day. I would eat bags of candy I would visit Cold Stone twice a day. I was a sugar binger and I did it with reckless abandon and no fear of judgement. The biggest tole that candy has on me is not weight gain but terrible fatigue. I have to imagine that my fatigue is attributed at least somewhat to my mass consumption of sugar as a child and my bouts with sugar that I still have today. I am a huge believer in balance and I think that with a healthy balance of sugar in my life I will reap a lot of rewards. I am however worried about how Candy Corn will fare with their huge loss in their profit margin.

3. Patience is a Virtue I Hear: I have no patience. When I make my mind up that I want something and if it is within my power I will get it...if it isn't within my power I will pout. I don't know where I missed out on learning patience but I did. I am pretty sure there are lots of pearls of wisdom in this task. I think learning patience will mean not making purchases of items that I end up re-selling on Ebay a few months later, not eating as much candy, not wasting today just to get to tomorrow and not feeling so rushed to get through every task and feeling so restless all the time.

4. Take A Hike: I need to walk Jack and Charlie more. I have bouts where I walk them every day and feel so good about it and then it seems to fall away. It doesn't make much sense either because it makes me so happy to see them happy and walks make them both so very happy. Jack and Charlie deserve to take walks, to sniff all there is to sniff around the neighborhood and to show their cute fuzzy faces to the neighbors.

5. Get My Groove Back: Moving, a new job any sort of big change breaks up your groove and I have had many big changes this year. My workouts have gone from 5 days a week to 1... if I am lucky. I use to read about 30 books a year and now I am down to 0 in the past3 months. I need to get back into my groove and begin working out like I use to and pick up a good book to read.

6. Grow: I want to always be learning and growing in some way. Whether it be by taking an art class, volunteering or reading I want to be sure that I am always challenging myself and becoming better.

7. Show More Love: I am lucky to have great friends, a wonderful family and someone I love very much in my life. Somedays I think I am great at showing love and other days I know I could do better. I want everyone in my life to never doubt how much I love them, how proud I am of them and how much I value their place in my life.

I think I could list a couple more (not sure if that is a good thing) but I will stop at 7. 7 is a lucky number and 10 is too many to remember and be able to focus on. Happy New Year everyone hope it is a great year for us all!

My Late Santa List

This Christmas I couldn't think of anything I wanted. I felt like I had everything I needed and was at a loss for coming up with anything my heart desired for the holiday. As luck would have it, it wasn't until AFTEr Christmas that I began to think of all the things I should have asked for...here is my late list to Santa:

1. A bike: I really want a bike to ride around the neighborhood and use to go run quick errands. I can't decide if I want a beach cruiser or a mountain bike but I have narrowed it down to some sort of bicycle with 2 tires...is that redundant?

2. An Ipod docking station: I have been using a laptop or the lame music channels on cable TV but I want something that I can play all my wonderful music on. I have big plans to sit on the couch, listen to music and drink wine.

3. A New Black Pea coat: I have a very pretty white one and an old black one that is so tattered and old it isn't so pretty anymore. I did get a new black jacket for Christmas last year but I hate it. Hate is a strong word I know, but it isn't at all flattering, looks like an old lady housecoat and it has bad juju all over it.

4. A membership to a Krav Maga Studio: I have wanted to do Krav Maga for a long time now. I have a unrelenting desire to be able to be unassuming and dangerous.

5. Art Classes: I love to draw but I haven't ever taken an art class. I think I have the makings of a decent artist but I need someone to help me channel my inner Picasso.

If nothing else I guess I have a very early jump start on my Christmas list for 2009. Thanks Santa! See you next time.

Cute Confused Puppies

Three Confused Pugs @ Yahoo! Video

Christmas Time Is Here

The Christmas Tree in All Its Glory

Jack's eyes don't like the flash either

Charlie guards his new bone

mmm...french toast breakfast, it's even yummier on Christmas

Santa Jack

Paul and his mommy

Charlie guards all his loot

Charlie loves his stocking treats

Christmas Cheer!

Coming home with the new tree!

Charlie investigates the new tree. I am hoping it is not a pre-pee investigation.

Freeing our tree from captivity.

Putting Charlie into captivity.

Paul puts his first Christmas ornament onto the tree which is what else... a golf ball with lipstick on it...the lipstick was an after sale addition.

A preview to what Charlie will look like on Christmas morning.

Jack admires the sparkly.

The presents that I wish could go under the tree but alas' are safer on the couch.

Twas the week before Christmas and Paul and me hadn't yet gotten our first Christmas tree.

So we went hunting for our perfect tree...one that would be love by all 4 of us equally.

We saw lighted reindeer and flocked Christmas trees...It was a cold wintry night we worried we may freeze.

Paul found a tree but it wasn't just right...we continued to search even if it took all the night.

Paul searched and searched but his quest wouldn't end...money was no object for the right tree, we would spend!

We looked for signs to lead us to a tree...we needed to sniff one out, too bad we didn't bring Jack and Charlie.

I found a tree I thought was the perfect choice...but then I heard a small little voice.

It told me to keep searching the perfect tree was yet to be found...we hadn't yet covered quite enough ground.

There were so many it was like a needle in a haystack...once we made our choice there was no turning back.

I could feel it in my bones our search was coming to a close...and luckily it happened before we both froze!

It was our Christmas Tree in all it's glory...so this is the end of our Christmas tree story...

Our search was worth it to Paul and me...because we finally found our perfect tree.

Our hearts are so filled I'm sure that they've grown because we are taking our tree to it's new home!

Christmas Wrapping Jack