2011 Inspiration

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a great holiday and is ready for an awesome 2011! I was inspired by The Fitnessista to create an inspiration board for my goals (well, some of them) for the year. So this is what I came up with:

So the main theme of the board (which was made on the cardboard box from Amazon that Reshaping It All by Candace Cameron Bure came in – it seemed fitting, lol) mainly focuses on fitness. I really want to focus on getting healthy and fit this year – we have the new gym membership and I’m signed up for my first month of Zumba class now (!) – so I’m off to a good start. I’m really thinking about taking the yoga class at our gym too.

I also want to start eating better – I know that the better I eat the better I feel. I do pretty well with fruits – it is getting in all my veggies where I have a problem. So I hope to work on that this year.

I want to do a better job of actually looking put together this year. We can wear really casual clothes at work and sometimes I fall into the jeans and fleece rut, but I’m a big follower of the saying dress for the job you want, so I am going to try to develop more of a personal style this year.

The camera lens is because I really want to get better with my new camera and move away from the auto setting.

The Mrs. Meyer’s soap represents my desire to keep moving to a more green-minded lifestyle. I got off to a good start last year so I’m hopeful I can get improving.

And of course the dog represents my Grux. Such simple things make him happy, a nap – his blanket – a squirrel, and I admire that. I want to find more pleasure in the simple things too.

So, they aren’t exactly resolutions, but these are the things I’m working toward this year. And I plan to blog about them all. Oh and the Fitnessista will be posting her inspiration board and others that are submitted to her on Monday, so check them out!

12/29/07

Three years. So much has happened in three years and I couldn’t think of a better person to have by my side for it all. I’m a lucky, lucky girl. <3

Merry Christmas!

Hope you all have had a very wonderful holiday filled with family, friends, and good food and that Santa brought you everything you wanted. This tree (same tree just night and day) is from Silver Dollar City in Branson, Missouri. We saw it last month on our vacation – it is gorgeous and at night it has a light show timed to music.

Merry Christmas!

Songs of the Week (12/20/10 – 12/24/10)

Since Friday is Christmas Eve I thought I’d post this early this week. I also decided that since this weekend will include a lot of Christmas celebrations for people that I would show what holiday tunes I’ve had on my iPod – just in case anyone is wanting some last minute ideas for songs to play. So, here is my list of songs that power me through all the wrapping and baking. Merry Christmas!

Songs of the Week – Christmas version

✓ Sleigh Ride 2:41 Spice Girls Sounds Of The Season '98 Holiday
✓ Christmas Time 4:13 Backstreet Boys Sounds Of The Season '98 Holiday
✓ Song For A Winter's Night 3:48 Sarah McLachlan Sounds Of The Season '98 Holiday
✓ Santa Baby 3:58 Everclear Sounds Of The Season '98 Holiday
✓ Christmastime In Tinseltown (Again) 4:30 Big Bad Voodoo Daddy Sounds Of The Season '98 Holiday
✓ What Christmas Means To Me 3:39 Hanson Sounds Of The Season '98 Holiday
✓ The First Noel 3:38 Brian McKnight Sounds Of The Season '98 Holiday
✓ Good King Wenceslas 3:19 Loreena McKennitt Sounds Of The Season '98 Holiday
✓ Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer 2:30 Meredith Brooks Sounds Of The Season '98 Holiday
✓ The Happiest Christmas 3:08 Michael W. Smith Sounds Of The Season '98 Holiday
✓ Carol Of The Bells 3:25 Deana Carter Sounds Of The Season '98 Holiday
✓ Winter Song 4:27 Sara Bareilles & Ingrid Michaelson The Hotel Café Presents Winter Songs Holiday
✓ Baby, It's Cold Outside (Glee Cast Version) 2:46 Glee Cast Glee: The Music - The Christmas Album Christmas
✓ O Holy Night (Glee Cast Version) 5:02 Glee Cast Glee: The Music - The Christmas Album Christmas
✓ I'll Be Home for Christmas 3:28 Kristin Chenoweth A Lovely Way to Spend Christmas Holiday
✓ O Holy Night 4:40 Jackie Evancho O Holy Night - EP Holiday
✓ Christmas Time 4:02 Christina Aguilera My Kind Of Christmas Dance & House
✓ This Year 4:14 Christina Aguilera My Kind Of Christmas Dance & House
✓ Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas 4:03 Christina Aguilera My Kind Of Christmas Dance & House
✓ Angels We Have Heard On High 4:11 Christina Aguilera My Kind Of Christmas Dance & House
✓ Merry Christmas, Baby 5:44 Christina Aguilera My Kind Of Christmas Dance & House
✓ Oh Holy Night 4:50 Christina Aguilera My Kind Of Christmas Dance & House
✓ These Are The Special Times 4:31 Christina Aguilera My Kind Of Christmas Dance & House
✓ This Christmas 4:02 Christina Aguilera My Kind Of Christmas Dance & House
✓ The Christmas Song 4:25 Christina Aguilera My Kind Of Christmas Dance & House
✓ Xtina's Xmas 1:32 Christina Aguilera My Kind Of Christmas Dance & House
✓ The Christmas Song (Holiday Remix) 4:01 Christina Aguilera My Kind Of Christmas Dance & House
✓ Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow 2:02 Jessica Simpson Rejoyce: The Christmas Album Dance & House
✓ The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire) 4:04 Jessica Simpson Rejoyce: The Christmas Album Dance & House
✓ O Holy Night 4:11 Jessica Simpson Rejoyce: The Christmas Album Dance & House
✓ I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus 3:09 Jessica Simpson Rejoyce: The Christmas Album Dance & House
✓ What Child Is This 3:57 Jessica Simpson Rejoyce: The Christmas Album Dance & House
✓ What Christmas Means To Me 3:02 Jessica Simpson Rejoyce: The Christmas Album Dance & House
✓ Breath Of Heaven (Mary's Song) 5:40 Jessica Simpson Rejoyce: The Christmas Album Dance & House
✓ It's Christmas Time Again 3:11 Jessica Simpson Rejoyce: The Christmas Album Dance & House
✓ Hark! The Herald Angels Sing 3:12 Jessica Simpson Rejoyce: The Christmas Album Dance & House
✓ The Little Drummer Boy 3:42 Jessica Simpson Feat. Ashlee Simpson Rejoyce: The Christmas Album Dance & House
✓ Baby, It's Cold Outside 2:50 Jessica Simpson Feat. Nick Lachey Rejoyce: The Christmas Album Dance & House
✓ Silent Night 3:42 Mariah Carey Merry Christmas R&B
✓ All I Want For Christmas Is You 4:01 Mariah Carey Merry Christmas R&B
✓ O Holy Night 4:27 Mariah Carey Merry Christmas R&B
✓ Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) 2:36 Mariah Carey Merry Christmas R&B
✓ Miss You Most (At Christmas Time) 4:33 Mariah Carey Merry Christmas R&B
✓ Joy To The World 4:20 Mariah Carey Merry Christmas R&B
✓ Jesus Born On This Day 3:43 Mariah Carey Merry Christmas R&B
✓ Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town 3:24 Mariah Carey Merry Christmas R&B
✓ Hark! The Herald Angels Sing/Gloria (In Excelsis Deo) 3:01 Mariah Carey Merry Christmas R&B
✓ Jesus Oh What A Wonderful Child 4:27 Mariah Carey Merry Christmas R&B
✓ Carol of the Bells 3:15 Jessica Simpson Happy Christmas Holiday 1
✓ My Only Wish 3:56 Jessica Simpson My Only Wish - Single Pop
✓ Merry Christmas Baby 3:13 Hanson Snowed In Pop
✓ What Christmas Means To Me 3:43 Hanson Snowed In Pop
✓ Little Saint Nick 3:34 Hanson Snowed In Pop
✓ At Christmas 5:18 Hanson Snowed In Pop
✓ Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) 3:20 Hanson Snowed In Pop
✓ Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree 2:39 Hanson Snowed In Pop
✓ Christmas Time 4:00 Hanson Snowed In Pop
✓ Everybody Knows The Claus 4:48 Hanson Snowed In Pop
✓ Run Rudolph Run 3:12 Hanson Snowed In Pop
✓ Silent Night Medley: O Holy Night/Silent Night/O Come All Ye Faithful 5:27 Hanson Snowed In Pop
✓ White Christmas 1:50 Hanson Snowed In Pop
✓ Donde Esta Santa Claus? 2:21 Guster Donde Esta Santa Claus? - Single Alternative

Song of the Week (12/13/10 – 12/17/10)

There was a lot going on at work this week so I didn’t have the iPod on as much as usual. When I did have “my ears” (as it is said at work – as in “do you have your ears in?”) I just had it on shuffle mostly, so some different songs popped up that hadn’t gotten a lot of play. Which is how I fell in love with this week’s song, which I randomly downloaded after listening to the clip because I liked the title (and yes, I judge books by their covers also, lol).

Song of the Week: Crazy Beautiful by Hanson (from the album Underneath). Yep, another Hanson song already. I really am liking their stuff. I’m bummed that I didn’t listen to them for a while, their stuff is very well written, the melodies are great, and I love all of there voices. This song has great melody lines throughout. I love the changes in it. And there’s actually an acoustic version too that they did in concert that is incredible (here it is on YouTube). I just think this is a groovy little song and definitely worth the 99 cents.

Album cover. Source

Christmas song of the week – Donde Esta Santa Claus? by Guster. First of all, I LOVE Guster (if you don’t know who they are – look here). Guster is such a great band (and they put on an awesome live show) and this is such a fun little song. Definitely look it up on iTunes, you’ll find yourself singing (and shouting) along with it in no time.

Source

Immigrant Stories Challenge 2011

So I’ve been toying with the idea of joining a book challenge for next year to try to get my number of books read for the year back up. I did really well last year but feel like I barely read anything this year. And now that I have a Nook (yay!) I feel like this should be easier. But I just had to find the right one.

Books in the City’s Immigrant Stories Challenge 2011 sounds like it is going to be a good one. It helps that the requirements are really low but my main reason for joining is that there are some awesome books I’ve been wanting to read on the suggestion list. So I think I’m going to go with the This Land Is My Land? option which is 4 to 6 books. I can always go up a level if I want.

So, I’m not for sure yet what I’m going to read for this but I’m hopeful that the books I pick will be really good. And I promise to tell you all about them. Now – I have 2 weeks to pick my first book.

Song of the Week (12/6/10 – 12/10/10)

Welcome to Week 2 of Song of the Week (I did something 2 weeks in a row, go me!). Anyway, a few songs found themselves on repeat this week. The two from last week were still feeling the love, but there was some new blood too.

This week’s song continues the Glee theme. It’s actually from last week’s episode where the went to sectionals. I love Santana, totally adore her – she’s so delightful and evil. And has a killer voice. But if I could have anyone’s talent I would want to dance like Brittney. I love to dance but I’m not very good – but would love to be able to dance like in Valerie. Seriously, loved the music and loved the dancing. So, with all of that, Valerie is this week’s top song.

source

Christmas song of the Week – I haven’t been listening to Christmas music as much this year as I usually do. But one song I have been listening to is Jessica Simpson’s version of Carol of the Bells. She does a good job on it and I think it’s pretty enjoyable.