new year's resolutions

I have never really been big into making New Year's resolutions but this year is different. I decided to make a few resolutions to better myself in a few ways. My first resolution is pretty obvious...

#1 Be healthier: I don't have a set goal to loose so much weight in a year or nothing but I figure making healthier food choices and jumping on the elliptical a little more than I have been is something that I should be doing. So I decided to start a journal documenting what I eat and when I workout. It has helped in the past but for some reason I end up not keeping up with it. So my goal is to keep it going for the entire year.

#2 Be braver: I look back on my life and there are things that I really wish I had done but the lack of courage was holding me back. I've decided to start taking those chances and don't let the fear of the unknown get in my way. A few months ago I got a fortune cookie and the message really stuck with me.

#3 Finally kick my Diet Coke habit: I usually give Diet Coke up for Lent every year but I usually can't stick with it. If I do I just go back to it after Easter. I decided that this would be a good resolution. Diet Coke isn't the healthiest thing to drink and I know I drink WAY too much of it. So I decided that starting tomorrow I would break that habit. Wish me luck!

I can't wait for the new year to start. It really feels like a fresh beginning where anything is possible.

Happy New Year everyone!!!

secrets

an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident

The first night in Vegas we went to the mall across the street from our hotel. We ended up eating at California Pizza Kitchen (one of my favorite restaurants) for my birthday dinner and afterwards Whitney and I started walking around the mall a bit.

We decided to go into Bloomingdale's just to say that we have been inside Bloomingdale's. There is no way either of us could afford anything in that entire store. Now Serendipity is one of my favorite Christmas movies. Well it's not so much a Christmas movie as just the first and last few scenes take place at Christmas time. Anyway, in the first scene Jonathan and Sarah meet at Bloomingdale's. While Whitney and I were at Bloomingdale's, the same song that played in the background during that first scene was playing on the store's sound system in Vegas. How great is that? I love how those little coincidental moments happen in life.

Wait! I'm not finished. We walked around the mall a little more and wandered into a store called Tommy Bahamas. It totally smells like a Pina Colada in there. While we were checking out all the beach clothing and wondering to myself how much do they actually sell in Vegas in December, another Serendipity song came on that store's sound system. That made me laugh out loud. Seriously, too great.

Then the next day we went wandering down the strip trying to find H&M and what do you know? We stumbled across Serendipity 3! We just had to take a small break from our shopping to enjoy a little frozen hot chocolate. So worth the 10 bucks! It was delicious. All in all I would say that it was a very serendipitous weekend!

the bucket list

• see the northern lights
• swim with dolphins
• finish a crossword puzzle by myself
• go to a Rocky Horror screening
• glass blowing
• visit New York and D.C.
• ride on a helicopter
• see a Broadway show
• get a passport
• go parasailing
• live in a foreign country
• learn a different language
• see the Atlantic ocean
• see the pacific ocean
• Christmas eve mass at the cathedral
• learn to play guitar
• own a digital SLR camera
• go ice skating
• visit all the continents
• shopping on Black Friday
• go skiing
• see Macy's Thanksgiving day parade
• go to an Ellen show taping
• ride in a hot air balloon
• see BSB in concert
• get good seats at a Jazz game
• learn how to wakeboard
• go on a spontaneous vacation
• find a four leaf clover
• go one day without wearing makeup
• go Christmas caroling
• run a 5K
• kiss someone under mistletoe
• see Bravo Broadway

I think that's it for now but I am constantly adding more

bet your bottom dollar...

It's been days since I've been able to see the sun and blue sky. It's definitely a reason to celebrate!

joyeux decembre

It's officially December! I LOVE December. It seems like everyone is in a better mood and are extra charitable even with their chaotic schedules that come this time of year. And with Thanksgiving right before, New Years right after, Christmas and all the birthdays in December if feels like the entire month is a celebration. Here are some of the things that I love about December:

• Christmas--of course!
• Dad's birthday
• My birthday
• Cousin Tyler's birthday
• Cousin Baylee's birthday
• All my friend's birthdays (I love birthdays)
• Christmas music
• SNOW!!!
• Sleeping with multiple blankets on my bed
• Christmas decorations
• ABC Family Countdown to Christmas and Falalala Lifetime
• The Salvation Army
• Dressing up and going to church on Christmas Eve
• Watching A Christmas Story after church every year
• Hot chocolate
• Spending time with my family
• Having multiple celebrations with my friends and my family
• Snowball fights and snow angels
• Advent wreaths and calendars
• Getting family Christmas letters
• The anticipation of starting a new year
• Looking back at all the exciting moments of the past year