New Years Eve!

I really liked this post by my good friend Addie at Kings Studios - I think this hits the nail on the head when it comes to the new year and a fresh start.

Bring in health, wealth, success and happiness with these 9 tips:

1. Now is the perfect time to define your objectives and goals for the New Year. A great way to do that is by using a vision board. On it, you can list the things you want to attract to your life with images, photos and words, plus reset your goals and involve the universe.

2. De- clutter and reorganize your home and office. You will feel better and that will help your focus. By emptying your closets and cabinets you will enable fresh new energy and opportunities to flow to you.Donate and give away to thrift shops, charities and neighborhood organizations. Or sell your old things on Ebay or Craigslist and donate the money.

3. Get your health checked. It is a great time to go visit your family doctor to start the year healthy and full of energy. Toss out old medicines and renew prescriptions.

4. Shop with abandon. Ensure your refrigerator, pantry, canisters, shakers are all full for this New Year. This represents abundance for the year ahead.

5. Review your contact list and ensure it is updated for professional and personal matters, with current phone numbers and addresses. Reach out to people you love to wish them a good New Year.

6. Respect the money in your wallet… and your wallet. Make sure it is not worn out or tattered. By keeping it full, It symbolizes having enough money all year long.

7. Get a new green plant or blooming flowers. They represent rebirth and growth for the New Year. They also symbolize health for you and your family.

8. Make time to dream big. Prepare where you want to go this year, your travels, your vacations, your career changes, even new classes you want to take.

Live Well, Be Well, Work Well.

Happy New Year, Blog-world!

INFO COURTESY OF Manoblue Design Blog

Wordless Wednesday

Photo courtesy of minnesotastuff.com - Minnehaha Creek in the Winter.

I'm Tracking Santa, Are you?

As of right now, Santa is in...... Lhasa, China - Next stop: Wulumuqi, China

Really, I can not wait until I am able to share this with Lucy Lu! To view Santa's progress all day today/tonight - go here.

Ho! Ho! Ho! Merrrrry Christmas everyone!!

Enjoy your family and friends or whoever you plan to spend the holidays with. Take time to remember why we celebrate this day we call Christmas.

T'was The Night Before Christmas

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the houseNot a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.The children were nestled all snug in their beds,While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.Away to the window I flew like a flash,Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snowGave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,But a miniature sleigh, and eight tinny reindeer.With a little old driver, so lively and quick,I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!"Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roofThe prancing and pawing of each little hoof.As I drew in my head, and was turning around,Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.He had a broad face and a little round belly,That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.And laying his finger aside of his nose,And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,

"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"

From My Family to Yours

I Am So Giddy!

To open presents - or have miss Lucy open her presents

eeeeeeeeek! Only 4 more days!

This Weekend

I had an eye-opening weekend, this weekend. I realized that I do have a child who is a toddler, a boyfriend with whom I have been with for 7 years that I am very dearly fond of, my health that I need to keep a better tab on, amazing yet crazy "in-laws" that I can't control nor can I change - and that I am OK with that.

1) This weekend my daughter, Lucy, made me realize that she is growing up at an alarming rate. Before this weekend, I was pretty sure I had the "perfect daughter"...but I now realize, she isn't perfect and she is growing up very fast into a toddler. You know, the toddlers you here about that cry and scream for no reason at all? Ya, that was my Lucy this weekend. I felt so helpless! It was probably the worst feeling I've ever been consumed with. In this new year I will vow to let her throw her tantrums when it (if it happens) happens and take a breath. Stand up. And think and pray to myself that this too shall be over as fast as it happened.

2) Wade and I have been together for 7 years....8 years in May of next year. We've had our fair share of ups and downs, just like any relationship - but NOTHING, absolutely NOTHING can compare to what a child does to your relationship. The whole experience puts a big "swoosh" to your relationship. That swoosh I'm talking about is kind of like a wind gust that wipes everything you two once had to "nothing matters anymore except your child". That's not right and that's not fair. I've learned in the past week or so that I need to spent as much time on Wade as I do with Lucy and give him the same affection as I do Lucy (only in an adult way, of course...wink wink). I think that when (see above) a child has an episode as we did above on Saturday - it puts an extreme strain on your relationship and you end up being even more miserable than you were when your daughter or son is throwing a fit on the ground - crying and won't stop. In this next year, I vow to make a day/night every month that just consists of us - being together - just the two of us, the way it used to be...if only for a couple hours, I'm OK with that. Its important.

3) Oh boy have I slacked on my body image!!! I can recall the days where I was a size 2-4 and so in shape!! (Actually I can't recall them, I think I just blocked that part of my life out of my head b/c frankly it's just too depressing to think about)
The window is about to go down on what I call the - post baby slackness. Its been over a year since I had Lucy and it's officially time to get my body back to at least a respectable image where I don't feel so insecure to show my body to my best friend and lover, Wade. (HA!)
With recent light of (sigh) Britney Murphy's death at Age 32. I've decided I do not want to end up dead at 32. I have a daughter to think about!! I want to be the best mommy I can be until I grow old!! This is ridiculous that I've let my body go THIS far. It's absolutely disgusting!!
So in the new year, I vow to get back to at least a size 6. I can do that!! Piece of cake (minus the cake, of course)!

4) I have an amazing bunch of in laws. They are chaotic, messy, absurdly vulgar - yet - so unbelievably loving, caring - would do anything for anyone, selflessness and would put anything above and beyond their needs for you. I can not explain you to them unless you meet them. They are one of a kind and I love each and everyone of them for excepting me into their family every day. I vow to become more patient with each and everyone of them this year. To keep an open mind about their problems, their flaws, their uniqueness. I'm truly blessed to have all of them as my "Arizona family".

It was a tough weekend but I'm glad it happened. I needed it to happen. I'm a better person today because of this weekend. It was hell, but it was all worth it.

Happy Christmas and Merry New Year to you and your crazy families! Always remember just how truly blessed we all are!!

Wordless Wednesday, Snowmen.

Happy Wednesday!

YUM!!!

Its 7:43 a.m. and these still look DELICIOUS! I must make these this year. I'm sick of making all the basic - every year - cookies...this will spice it up alittle! I have to have one of these NOW.

Recipe:

Festive Candy Cane Kiss Centered Brownie Bites

1 brownie mix 9×13 inch size

18 Candy Cane Hershey Kisses

1/2 Cup chocolate chips

2 Tablespoons heavy cream

3 original candy canes, crushed

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare brownie mix according to package directions and scoop into a mini cheesecake pan or mini muffin tin pan that has been generously sprayed with cooking spray, about 3/4 way full. Press kisses into center of brownie batter, do not push all the way to bottom, some of the tip should stick out the top. Bake for 20-23 minutes or until brownies are cooked through. Let cool completely.
2. Melt chocolate chips in microwave, 30 second intervals until smooth and melted. Stir in cream until silky smooth. You can place back in microwave for 10 seconds to smooth more if needed. Dip tops of brownies into melted chocolate, then sprinkle with crushed candy canes. Serve with a tall glass of milk.

Enjoy!!

Original Post can be found here

Brrr It's COLD in Phoenix Today!

Bundle up!

Sugared Pecans!

I have a man at home that LOVES Pecans, so when I saw this post with a family recipe for Sugary Pecans, I had to post this - in case you have one of those men at home who would do anything for Pecans.

I'm not a big pie fan, so this would be a great alternative to Pecan Pie - YUM!

The original post is here.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter
2 egg whites
1 lb. of pecans
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

Melt butter and spread in a jelly roll pan (or cookie sheet). Mix all other ingredients together and spread in the pan making sure that the pecans are spread out flat. Bake at 25o degrees for one hour or until dry. Stir the pecans every 10 minutes during cooking so that the sugar mixture coats the pecans well. Be sure not to overcook them or they will taste burned. As soon as they look dry, remove from oven. Cool and store in an air tight container.

YUM!