Day 5: Places I Hope I Go This Year

Oopsie about Day #4. The topic was Best Leftover Recipe, and I really don't eat leftovers too often so I kind of had a mental block about it.

Today's topic is the places that I hope to travel to this year.


Numero uno on that list for both Brian and I would be Seattle, Washington. He's absolutely in love with the city and I am too. He's been dying to go back there since I've known him, so it would be awesome if we got to go back together.


Ahh, St. Maarten. This would be a dream honeymoon location. Brian could watch planes and I could lay on the beach. No, we're not engaged. Just some wishful thinking. :) haha

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Random, but my Pandora station today is pretty much kicking a$$. If you like Glee, Broadway music, Disney soundtracks, and pop songs, you'll dig it. Want to listen to it? Go here.

Day 3: Work it if you got it

Today's Topic: Favorite Workout Tip

I wish I could say that I had a great workout tip, but I'm not much of an exerciser. However, I do love the Couch to 5K program if you are interested in starting to run. I've never been one to love running, but the day that I could run three minutes straight was a proud day.

Also, have a friend that you can workout with so you'll be accountable. If you are both committed to going to the gym together or running together, you're more likely to accomplish your goals and get into good habits.

Day 2: Favorite Holiday Memory

It's so hard for me to pick a favorite holiday memory. Every year has a great memory.

There was the year that I got tickets to a certain boy-band concert.

There was the year that I got my first car.

Last year, we had our very first White Christmas.

This past Christmas was pretty great. I went to candlelight service with my parents and then had taco soup with them after church. Then I met up with Brian to have Christmas Eve with his dad's side of the family. Christmas morning, we had present-opening/breakfast with my parents, lunch with his mom's side of the family, and then a FABULOUS dinner at my parents' house.

Every year that I'm blessed to spend with my family for Christmas makes for a good memory.

Being around this little guy wasn't so bad either. :)

Happy 2011!

First off, it's super weird to type 2011.

Sorry, had to get that off my chest. :) I hope everyone had a great New Year's Eve and is having a great start to 2011. I have big hopes for this year.

Here are my Resolutions for 2011:

Run another 5K and run the whole entire thing.

Run a half-marathon

Clean more often and keep the house organized. I'm sort of a stacker, so I want to get in the habit of cleaning and picking up on a daily basis.

And the cop-out, lose weight. :)

Actually keep up with my My 365 Blog

And to leave you with a picture from last night...our nephew, James, passed out from too much partying.



(Don't worry, he did not consume any alcohol!)

Day 14: Oprah's Wishlist

I'm so sad this blog challenge is over!

If I would have ever have been lucky enough to sit through an Oprah's Favorite Things show, I would have loved to walk away with:

Christian Louboutin pumps


A French Door Refrigerator

via here

A private plane plus enough money to fund the rest of Brian's pilot training. (He's already a private pilot, just has to finish the rest so he can be rated for the airlines.) Plus, Oprah's in cahoots with John Travolta, who I'm sure has an extra plane laying around somewhere. :)

Day 13: Chocolate Chip Cookies

It may seem like I took the easy road for my Favorite Christmas Cookie and chose Chocolate Chip Cookies, but these are absolutely the best chocolate chip cookies you will ever make. For real. My mom makes TONS of cookies every Christmas and last year was the first time she made these. I ate these for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

They have a special ingredient of instant vanilla pudding and it adds something amazing to the cookie dough. They're super easy and the original recipe makes 72 cookies, so they're perfect if you want to send some to family and still get to keep some for yourself. :)

Chocolate Chip Cookies
Source: My cousin, Suzy. (Not sure of the original source)

4 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups softened butter (4 sticks)
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 (3.4 oz) packages instant vanilla pudding - You can use whatever flavor you like
4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 cups chopped walnuts (optional - I leave them out)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix flour and baking soda. Set aside. In large bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Beat in the pudding mix until blended. Stir in eggs and vanilla. Blend in the flour mixture. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips and nuts (if using). Drop cookies by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until edges are golden brown.

Yields: 72 cookies, but can easily be halved

Day 12: Christmas Decorations

I LOVE Christmas decorations. I would totally be the person to leave it up all year. My mom is a PRO at decorating for Christmas so I got it honest. Brian is big on outside lighting, but I won't post any of those for safety reasons. (Plus we're not finished. :)) Although we were told by some kids up the street that our lights look "Tight, yo!" So I guess they look great. haha

My Mantle:




Our stockings that I cross-stitched years ago:


I didn't make Jack's but that's ok. :)


Representing my college days on the tree:



There's tons more decorations around my house I could show you, and I still might, but I'm not totally done with decorations. I had to show the mantle because I'm in love with it.

Day 11: New Year Resolutions

I always end up making Resolutions for the New Year, and just like everyone else, they don't last long. I mean well, I really do.

So here's what I will strive to do in 2011:
1. Lose weight. Such a cop out answer, but it's so needed. I'm not healthy right now and will like to get down to what I was a couple of years ago.
2. Run a 5K. Yes, I did one two months ago but I walked a lot of it. So my goal is to get back into running and actually run a full 3.1 miles.
3. Spend more time with my friends.
4. Have date nights with Brian more often.
5. Clean my house more often. :)
and last, but not least:
6. Blog more!

Day 10: Favorite Christmas Songs

I've noticed that I've become pretty picky with what Christmas music I want to listen to. The Peaceful Christmas station on Pandora is my absolute favorite. I've thrown in the variety of Amy Grant Holiday music, so it plays a nice variety of Christian/Christmas Hymns in as well. Let me know if you want me to email you the station - it's a gem. :)

My favorite Christmas Cd's to listen to are:








All time favorites are the Amy Grant Christmas albums



Out of all of the Trans-Siberian Orchestra albums, this one is the best. If you ever get the chance to see them live, do it.


Wouldn't be Christmas without it. Ok, so my inner-16 year-old made me post that one. :)

Day 9: Favorite Holiday Recipe

I actually feel kind of pressured on this topic since I have a food blog. I really wanted to actually cook a new recipe for this one but after I was sick and now Brian is sick, it didn't happen.

Fear not, for I will deliver on some recipes. Since those reading this from the blog challenge have probably not ventured into the depths of my little blog, I'll just review past recipes that I enjoy around the holiday season.


A favorite for a main dish is the Cajun Glazed Ham. Just thinking about this ham makes me crave it (and happily my parents are making it for their annual Christmas party - hooray!). It's so, so, SO good and worth the hunt for Louisiana Cane Syrup. It cannot be made with anything else. Trust me, you want this ham.


Bacon Wraps - how, I love thee so. I bring these to holiday parties and they disappear faster than you can blink. With a simple ingredient list, you can't go wrong. They are like crack.
Only with bacon and legal.


Coming from someone who hates tomatoes, I love this bruschetta. Plus it's Christmas colors, so it's festive!


Ahh, Manicotti. I've actually never had this around Christmas; however, if you had a potluck party to go to or need a gift for someone, this is a winner. I've given this to a dear friend who just had a baby before. Just assemble it and stop before baking it. Freeze it and then post a label with baking instructions on top of the dish.

Ok, that's all I got for now. Can't wait to see what everyone else posts!

Day 8: Least Favorite Part of the Holidays

Here's my quick list of least favorite parts of Christmas:

1: Traffic - The main street in this city turns into a NIGHTMARE in December. It's generally awful all year, but Christmas makes it ten million times worse. I avoid it at all costs and will take the back way. Thank God for my mother using back ways all the time, so now I know all of the good ones. :)

2: People that forget the real meaning of Christmas.

3: This song:



It makes me cringe to even post that. But for those who have never heard of it (which I hadn't until a couple of years ago), I feel the need to spread the misery.

Day 7: Holiday DIY/Crafty Goodness

For Halloween, I made these Mason Jar Lanterns that I saw on Our Best Bites

I had every intention of copying their Christmas version for my mantle this year, but my overall decorating theme went a bit different than originally planned. (Translation: I still have no clue how I want it to look...)

I also wish I was crafty enough to make anything and everything from Not So Idle Hands. I LOVE that blog and drool over everything she makes.

Day 6: Christmas Wish List

This is a hard topic for me. When I was little, I could rattle off what I wanted for Christmas within two minutes. Now, it's a struggle. But now that I have to make some decisions, here goes nothing. :)

1. Garmin Forerunner 205


2. iHome iP39 Kitchen Timer and Alarm Clock


3. Kitchenaid Pasta Roller Attachments


4. Various cookbooks






*All images from Amazon.com

I can't wait to get more ideas from everyone else!

Day 5: Favorite Holiday Movie

This one could get lengthy. Christmas movies are probably one of my favorite genres of movies and I have several to get me into the spirit.

My all-time favorite Christmas movie has to be


My mom and I would watch this together every year. If it's on TV, I watch it. I had a DVD in college and lost it, so last year I had to seek it out to replenish my stock.

Other favorite Christmas movies are (in no specific order)


A Muppet Christmas Carol - this is probably my #2 favorite Christmas Movie.


Love Actually


Little Women - the 1994 version with Winona Ryder


Christmas Vacation


A Christmas Story - which, I had never seen the full movie until a few years ago. I always watch the 24 hours of A Christmas Story on TBS, but I always came in at different spots and never saw the full movie. Brian had to remedy that since it's his favorite Christmas movie.