Color Snap: Kayaking with Orcas

(Photo Credit: Live Naturally Tumblr)

This is going to be Matt and I next Saturday!!!

We are headed to Alaska for a 5 day adventure in the wilderness with Matt's Dad & his girlfriend! And yes, this will actually be us, as we will be on a sea-kayaking tour in the glacier fjords next Saturday.

The Ultimate Search for Balance

Ah, the quest for balance... for me, it's a battle between work and life. Although they are intertwined in my daily life, the root of my imbalance is the emotional and mental processing of work that seems to consume me. We've all been there, and I'd venture to say that a majority of my Gen Y peers are experiencing the same game of tug-o-war... (This article and this article prove we are.) We're working our way up the ladder of succes, worrying about covering our school loan debt and putting food on the table, fighting for promotions, raises and respect that comes with making it to that next step in our careers - all in the same breath as trying to learn who we are, have a decent social life, and venture into the domestic life a bit. It's a lot to handle, but Gen Y'ers are fighting this battle on a daily basis and seemingly have a never-ending supply of hope. Hope to make it, be successful, and have some balance in the process.

I found this great blog post, "9 Tips for Work-Life Balance" by Lindsay Olson, on U.S. News Careers Blog. I think these are all great ideas, worth noting and discussing:

1. Be 100 percent who you are. Deserving of the #1 spot, staying true to yourself is the most important step in maintaining or accomplishing balance. If you are finding yourself feeling disappointed in your decisions or actions in a day, than you're not being who you are and need to change things. Going hand in hand with this is that you need to do what you love. Coming home, day after day, feeling negative about your work is a message you need to hear - you're not loving what you're doing, and eventually, it's going to suck the life out of you. Do what you love. It makes work so much easier.

2. Be more organized at work. To-do lists, calendars and sticky notes are the epitomy of my organization at work. My to-do list and my calendar are truly my life-blood; if it's not on there, it's probably not going to get done, much less remembered. Keeping these updated and synched has proved very beneficial towards my organization. Unfortunately, I'm the ultimate procrastinator - partly because I simply work better and produce better results when I'm under pressure (I think). One of the ways I tackle my procrastination is I complete whatever project/task I'm least looking forward to first thing in the morning.

3. Find hobbies. I love this one - it's the "unknown" in the initial battle for balance and proves to make a big impact. For example, during my first 6 months in the "real world" I came to the realization that I had ZERO friends who lived the same rhythym as me - read: 9-to-5 and weekend warrior. I realized very quickly I needed to leverage the few hours I had after work during the week to participate in some hobbies that would help me meet some friends. You know my long-term love affair with volleyball, so I took a risk and attended a Free Agent Night for the local Parks & Rec teams. What a difference this made! Not only have a met a dozen amazing friends, but this is where I met Matt. Everytime I'm discussing "getting out there" and "finding balance" with my family & friends, I suggest a hobby because it truly does make a huge impact on your life.

4. Plan your week. This one is for those of us venturing into the unknown world of domestic life. How are we supposed to work full-time, keep a clean house, do laundry, cook dinner and maintain some sort of social life?! The chances of accomplishing everything on your list in a week ebs and flows, but you can increase your chance for success, and even better spread it over the whole week with just a little planning. I'll be the first to admit that I'm constantly struggling to "do it all", but this basic step has made a huge difference for me: Plan your food on the weekends. This means planning, shopping and cooking if you can. This will make a huge difference in your week, and give your daily schedule a little breathing room for some of the "fun stuff" you want to be doing.

5. Enjoy your family. Lindsay has it right on this one: with the hustle & bustle in a work week it's easy to forget (or forego) quality time with your family. Eating dinner together every night, spending an hour before bed reading together or taking the dog for a walk together have been the ways I've ensured I'm slowing down, and spending time with Matt without any other distractions.

6. Learn to say no. What? I don't understand what you're saying.... It's a cronic disease I've unfortunately caught, and man oh man is it a hard habit to break. Learning to say "no" is crucial for maintaining balance, whether it be at work or to the variety of social opportunities that come up. It's a hard one at first to say much less master, but being honest with people, and allowing them to do the same, releases a huge stress on yourself and your life.

7. Institute a digital-free zone. What did we do in the time before iPads, iPhones and the DVR? We actually talked to each other, played outside, and had hobbies. Work these days somewhat demands your attention (and dependence) on technology; but setting perameters around these objects is crucial. For me, as much I want to institute a digital-free zone, it's incredibly hard to do. While we don't have a TV in our bedroom, our waking up and going to bed rituals include spending 5-15 minutes perusing emails, the news and maybe a game or two. The one place I am VERY good about eliminating technology from is vacation. Vacation is sacred, and is to be enjoyed in the present without having to tend to every ding, buzz and beep.

8. Exercise. Exercise is essential to balance in your mind, body and soul. This isn't a yoga commercial, but I can say that scheduling in exercise on a regular basis has made a huge impact on how I feel at the end of the day and end of the week. For me, the "scheduling" of exercise becomes a struggle if I don't accomplish #4: Planning my week. It's incredibly difficult to get home from work at 6, exercise, hit the grocery store and cook dinner all so we're not eating dinner at 9:00. Planning my week allows me the opportunity to hit the gym or take Star for a walk along with making dinner and eating at a reasonable time.

9. Be selective with your errands. Lindsay has this right as well - sometimes our free time is consumed by errands and chores. While this is unavoidable at times (like leading up to vacation), it isn't sustainable. In my opinion, this is another one that goes hand-in-hand with planning your week. If you know you're going to be near a store you have to stop in, plan it into your schedule so you're not driving all over town. Another option is what Lindsay suggested, while being DIY'er is rewarding and usually budget-friendly, it's time consuming and it's worth asking yourself if the effort you're putting in is more valuable than just calling and paying a professional.

Color Snap: Darling Dahlias

Packin' a Punch.

(Photo Credit: Wendy Bevan)

Handling Stress, Conquering Stress, and Minimizing Stress has been my mantra over the past few weeks (okay, months.) It's why I haven't posted as much as I'd like, worked out like I would've liked, socialized as much as I would have liked..... but part of me is screaming saying that those things haven't happened because I'm making excuses. Procastinating even. Stress isn't something that out of the blue happened to me and no one else. It's something we all live with day in, and day out. There are women out there that seem to have it all in spite of the stress: the booming career, incredible family, home, garden, social life, skinny ass and probably a great sex life too. But that's all an assumption. All I need to worry about is my own level of stress, how to manage it, and how to feel WHOLE at the end of the day. I'm going to dedicate this week (it's a super stressful one) to working on my stress and posting about the progress. It's Monday, so I figured you could relate. Plus I can't be the only stressed out woman in the world - right?! Please, share with me how you deal with it!

Monday Medley: Spring Fever!

“It's spring fever.... You don't quite know what it is you DO want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!” - Mark Twain

With the weather a perfect 70 degrees it's easy to for Spring Fever to be at it's peak! Here are a few of my favorite Spring items - check out my whole collection on Pintrest!

1.  Springtime Color Palette - This beautiful painting encompasses all my favorite Spring colors!

2. Floral tops are a MUST! Check out the Coquette Blog to explore other great floral tops.

3. Peach Nails. Done and Done. Love the yellow, mint or nude look too!

4. Must have: Steven "France" Leather Tote  in bright yellow. Hello Spring!

5. I always get a fresh, cute (and cheap) pair of sunglasses for our Spring/Summer travels!

6. Pair them with skinny jeans or a cute dress, these wedges are perfect for Spring!

7. With all the world blooming it's so nice to have fresh cut flowers to bring Spring inside!

8. The warmer weather begs for me to enjoy a coctail on the deck after work - This recipe for Rubarbaritas sounds delicious!

9. Don't procrastinate! Get your Spring Cleaning done so you can enjoy the open windows and doors without choking on all the dust. Need some pointers? Martha Stewart knows how to get it done.

The Cold Case Served Hot

Life has been a bit crazy lately which is why my blogging has been on hold. In the meantime, my boyfriend Matt has agreed to be a guest blogger every once in a while! Matt can make me laugh like no other can - he is a great storyteller and is constantly bringing home snippets of his day working with the public. For those that don't know his "voice", here's a Cliff Notes on Matt:

 - Matt is an Astronomer and works for the University of Colorado's Fiske Planetarium. To say he loves the sun, moon, stars and everything in between is an understatement.
 - He was born in Los Angeles but he also has a deep love for Idaho where he spent many a vactions as a kid
 - Aside from astronomy, Matt is a big sports fan (Dodgers, Lakers & Broncos), an incredibly skilled skier, a pet lover, and any activity outdoors.

So without further adieu, Matt, take it away!

At work yesterday, I got a call from a gentlemen saying that he thought he had found a meteorite.  My first thought was, “alright, lets see how legitimate this is”.  I asked him his name (Jeff) and phone number in case we got disconnected.  He then began telling me how he came to find this specimen.  Jeff proceeded to launch into his story:

Jeff:  So I have been metal detecting for close to 30 years and I mostly look for jewelry and other lost trinkets.  I used to work for Burlington railroad and would travel all over Colorado, taking my metal detector with me everywhere I go.  I have found some interesting things over the years from watches, rings, etc…

I politely interrupted, as this story had the makings of a long one.  I asked Jeff, “where did you find this specimen?”

Jeff:  Between Sterling and Fort Morgan, you know off I-76. 

Me: I know where you are talking about.  (At least roughly.  I then asked where he specifically found it.)

Jeff:  On the north side of I-76 near a country road I can’t quite remember.  But I do recall that it was pretty much half way between Sterling and Fort Morgan.  It was in a park that had a pond, some swings and slides for kids and a track for jogging or walking dogs.

At this moment I opened Google maps and began looking for such a place between Sterling and Fort Morgan.

Jeff continued:  It was early in the morning and I began sweeping the park with my metal detector.  About 90 minutes in, my detector showed that there was something under the ground, so I began digging.  About 4-6 inches down was this massive hunk of metal about the size of a softball.  At first glance it appeared to be some old smelting slag.

Me: I am impressed you know what slag looks like because unfortunately most metallic meteor-wrongs are indeed slag.

Jeff continued: Recently, I have watched a bunch of episodes of the Discovery show “Meteorite Men” and I am convinced this is definitely a meteorite. 

 “What makes you think it’s a meteorite?” I asked, looking for more specific details.

Jeff said:  “Well I have seen almost all of these “Meteorite Men” episodes.  It was pretty clear to me.  It was super heavy, and black and a magnet would stick to it easily.

Not trying to judge or dismiss his claims, I said “Okay, Where is this specimen now?”

Jeff said:  I left it at the park.  It weighed close 20 pounds and it was too heavy for me to carry, so I discarded it on the shore of the pond near the kid’s swings.

Now I am finally thinking we are getting somewhere. I know the description and location of this specimen.  All that is left is to figure out when Jeff was exploring this park.  If it was a few week ago, there is a chance it is still there.

“So Jeff, when did you discover this specimen?”

Jeff calmly responded with, “I found it in July of 1985”.

My internal monolog said, “Are you *%^#ing kidding me? I had just had a 20-30 minute conversation that led to this?!”

Here I am listening to his story about a meteorite specimen and scouring satellite imagery on Google earth to try and find this park with a pond along I-76.  Perhaps I should have asked the “when” as one of my first questions. 

Without chuckling and/or patronizing the man, I said that there was little chance if any of finding this thing.   This specimen has likely been covered by a new park or a housing subdivision.  I would like to think there is a lesson to be had here, but like the specimen I am sure I am not going to find it.

 - Matt

Color Snap: Apple of My Eye

Valentine's Day is around the corner!

(Photo Credit: photographbykarina)

Untether Your Dreams

Photo Credit: The Awesome Photography Blog

12 Food Trends for Twenty12

To all my Foodie Friends.... this one is for you! I came across this article "From fancy salt to gourmet trucks, an appetizing look at 2012" and immediately started analyzing each trend taking over the culinary world. As an avid Top Chef fan, explorer de cuisine and possible future culinary school graduate (maybe!) I am intrigued by the trends listed below and how I'm going to explore each of them in 2012.

1. Salt - Living in Boulder, I knew this trend was on the up-and-up when SALT: the Bistro came to town in 2009. Delicious fare complimented by the intricacies of different salts make this the perfect date night locale. You also know salt is going big when cookbooks are made exclusively on the ingredient - check out "Salted: A Manifesto on the World's Most Essential Mineral, With Recipes" discussed on Salt News.

2. Artisian Chocolate - My love affair with artisian chocolates began while working at The Kitchen with Nate Miller. Nate would bring me a dark slice of chocolate on a regular basis to test his newest creation, but I knew it would taste nothing like what I was expecting. Chili powder, salt, cumin, ginger - his exploration with complimenting ingredients in his chocolates was incredible, and I was forever hooked as his test subject. Nate is doing well these days running MASSIVE and The Tasterie Truck but my chocolate fever is now fed by Chocolove Chocolate Bars - my favorites are the Almonds & Sea Salt 55% Dark, Peppermint in 55% Dark, Chilis and Cherries in 55% Dark, Hazelnuts in 33% Milk Chocolate and of course, the Pur Dark 55% Cocoa. YUM!!

3. Korean is the new Thai - I have to admit I don't have much experience with Korean food much less Thai food. Of course, we have a favorite take-out Thai place but I can't say we venture much farther into nuevo - Asian Cuisine... but we should!

4. QR's on packaging - Having a marketer's soul I've been on the QR train since inception... but really only for the marketer's side of things. As a consumer, I really have only used QRs at our events to collect quick data/feedback and to offer a "deeper dive" into some of our featured content. I just haven't seen a point to participate in the Coors Light contests via their QR code. What would be interesting, is applying the "Whole Foods Theory" to QR codes and food: if the QR's allow the consumer to read the story of where their food came from, how long ago it was harvested, etc.

5. Seaweed for lunch - I have mixed feelings on "seaweed for lunch"... Con: Seriously?! Are we really eating flattened algea because it's trendy? I witnessed this absurdity recently in a NY airport, and let me tell you, I don't care how many hippies you poll, no kid enjoys eating seaweed normally.  Pro: I can understand the marketing edge that developed the trend: kids don't like healthy, and sushi is a bit "adult" for little kids to get into (hell I was 21+ before having sushi and liking it for the first time!) so I can see how witnessing a group of kids having fun with nori and enjoying it turned it into the healthy snack of the moment. Will I try it as a snack? Probably not until the world is out of better snacks.

6. Gluten-free gets respect - I can say that my culinary aptitude has truly "grown up" at the same time as Gluten-free has exploded onto the scene so I have an open-minded opinion of it all. As a fully-addicted-carb-lover, I see the pain some people have to go through when they learn that the breads, grains and snacks they are enjoying are actually destroying their body and causing them loads of pain. I have even started to explore gluten-free options in my own cooking because of the negative effects high amounts of gluten can have - and for the adventurer in me wanting to try quinoa recipes. I am pumped to read in this article about Cup4Cup, a gluten free flour - I can literally hear the bakers of the world rejoicing! Now, what should I make first? 

7. DIY comes to food - I am SO on this trend right now... aside from the fact that Matt & I have become obsessed with our veggie garden, for Christmas, Matt gave me a Mozzarella making kit! I am so excited to have homemade caprese with EVERY ingredient made on my own! Matt and I have also taken on making a salad dressing each Sunday with enough for leftover for a few salads during the week. It's healthier and fun to taste Matt's experiments each week. Other DIY foods I'm interested in: bread (easy one but I've never done it), minced garlic (saving jars for our 112 cloves we planted!) and jam (coming Summer 2012 with homegrown berries!). Check out this list of "45 Homemade Foods You Can Make Yourself".

8. The butcher is back - You better believe it! You may or may not know this, but my absolute first "real job" was as a butcher at Carmine Lonardo's Meat Market & Deli. Hells Yeah. Partly enabling, partly creating my carnivore side, Carmine's taught me a lot about good meat, how to cut it and when it's no bueno. I'm no snob when it comes to my meat though - I'm totally okay with the regular 'ol grocery store meat (commence bitching) but the reality is it's mostly because my budget doesn't allow for me to eat organic, local meat on a regular basis and still have pennies left for necesseties. While I'm okay with buying meat this way, if I'm cooking a special dinner I absolutely go to Whole Foods to make my purchases. A dream of Matt and mine: buy me a cow clown.

9. Food trucks - Food Trucks have been all the craze for awhile now... and I have to admit I'm just not as obsessed as many are. The biggest reason I think is location, location, location. In Boulder, food trucks are currently limited to outer city limits so they typically park it near the business parks in NOBO. Still, I'd like to chase a few down someday soon to taste the craze - here are some of the local celebrities: Comida (comfort mexican), Heirloom (Farm to Truck), and of course The Tasterie Truck(desserts in all their glory).

10. Drug stores as food stores - Say Whaaatttt? I'm just not a fan... hopefully that doesn't make me snobby - I just don't really have an interest in going to Walgreens or CVS to grab some lunch. My one and only exception: road trip baby! I'm a big fan of the road trip and the gluttoness that comes with as you venture into each gas station (yes same category as drug stores) searching for the perfect snacks to compliment the road games, music and company.

11. Mindful snacks - This is a big one for me and 2012. Sitting at a desk all day makes needing to be mindful about snacking a must. My faves: Squeeze Packs by Justin's Nut Butter (shh! I tasted the Vanilla Almond Butter coming soon!!) Rosemary & Olive Oil Triscuits, and always a handful of almonds.

12. In a pickle - Ohhhhhhh how I LOVE my pickles! We started making homemade pickles a couple summers ago with all our cucumbers but we need to better master the harvesting stage so they aren't too far done. The crunchier and dillier the better! Here's a great resource for making your own: She Knows: Homemade Pickles.

What would YOU add to your Food Trends List?

Color Snap: Happy Snow!

Color Snap: Buffalo Valley

Photo Credit: Cannon Kangaroo

Domestic Goddess: Kitchen Gadgets & Accessories

1. A Dutch-Oven is super helpful in making delicious stews and roasts during the colder months. Be sure to get one that is stove-top and oven proof so you never have to switch pans.

2. Put this on your "future registry" or "when I'm super rich" list: Fingerprint Recognizing Espresso Maker - that's right! You're half asleep as you tumble to the kitchen, scan your finger and whammy: instant espresso however you like it best!

3. I desperately want a Silicone Bakeware Set like this one - super easy to pop  your goodies out and even easier to clean.

4. I love our SmartStick Hand Blender! Super easy to use to make yummy soups or sauces and the food processor accessory is the best for making a quick marinade or dipping sauce.

5. The most used gadget in our kitchen during the fall & winter: our programmable Crock-Pot! With the ability to make almost anything, a hot meal waiting for you post-skiing is a must!

6. We love to host big parties so a Beverage Server is a must! Keep drinks cool and add some decor to your table with this gorgeous hammered metal look.

7. Jumbo Silicone Ice Cube Trays - perfect for a summer drink or a cocktail!

8. The Pankcake Pen makes creating fun-shaped pancakes or waffles super easy and a whole lot let messy!

9. My good friend Jen used her Creme Brulee Torch Set to make us a delicious pumpkin creme brulee a few weeks back and I fell in love! On my wish list for sure.

10. Having a Mandoline Slicer makes a world of a difference in the kitchen prep department - perfect for even slices of eggplant or zucchini for crisping up into fritters Just don't slice a finger!

Vacation Time: Luxury or Essential?

I don't know about you, but the post-fall rush and post-holiday let down make me want only one thing: a damn vacation. We've worked ourselves to the bone since August, crammed as much family, food and holiday music as possible into the past four weeks and we topped it off with a crazy party to ring in the new year that has left an infinite amount of glitter and confetti around my house reminding me of just how often I forget to vaccuum. The (only) perfect environment right now for my sanity includes laying in the sun on a sandy beach, enjoying the view and sipping a delicious Mexican Flag (best beach drink ever! and discovered at the same resort as explained here)

Le Sigh. I digress...

... my whole point of getting your (and my) mouth watering for a vacation is This Article I read on Inc.com this week: "Give Your Employees Unlimited Vacation Days". Sounds too good to be true right? Actually, I am one of the rare and spoiled who are lucky enough to work for an employer who believes in this. Our vaction policy is no policy. Technically. We work hard and play hard - the only requirement is that you get your work done, and don't take advantage of the "no-policy" by skipping off the grid at a critical time. To add the sugar on top: my employer gives us fourteen paid days off a year for federal (and otherwise celebrated) holidays. I know, you hate me and my three-day-weekends. I may be biased, but I LOVE this no-policy. It gives me the flexibility I desire to be able to recharge my batteries and yet makes me respect the time I am at work even more.

So as the workforce continues to transition from Baby Boomers to Millenials, is vacation time a luxury or essential to success? I am arguing Essential - more than for the love of my current "no-policy" - but for the main "requirement" Millenials are expressing in a job: we want balance, we want flexibility, we want our cake and will eat it too. And from experience, when working in this type of environment, we are naturally driven to work harder, work longer, and achieve success because I know that at some point I'll have a few days strung together where I can disconnect and forget about the emails, voicemails and "oh I didn't read that can you re-send it" excitement that is accumulating at work. At. Some. Point. From the looks of this year, all travel will be work related and vacation time will be spent on family time, which while I love seeing all of you, we all know it's no vacation.

Le sigh.

Monday Medley

Happy Monday! After the first week of "back to business" after the holidays, this past weekend was truly needed and Matt and I took full advantage of two full days of R&R. Here's a snapshot into our weekend and what's on deck today:

1 & 2: January Date Night: Dinner at the newly re-opened OAK at Fourteenth (delicious!!) and saw the movie Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (having read the series and seen the Swedish movies it was surprisingly great!)

3: Finishing off our holiday returns & exchanges included snagging this super cozy Baked Saffron Half Zip Fleece.

4: I made my first Pizza Dough! Was super simple and made a delicious dough for a basic margherita pizza. The recipe made two pizzas, but they were pretty small so I'll need adjust for next time.
(Photo Credit: Baking like Betty)

5: It's Playoffs Baby! We cheered on our Broncos on Sunday during the AFC Wild Card game vs. the Steelers. Broncos Won 29-23 with a 80-yard touchdown in the first play of OT! Click here to listen to the play call by Dave Logan. Go Broncos!! (Photo Credit: Gabriel Christus)

6: With the new year comes the need to refresh our marketing strategies for my 2012 corporate events. Going to start with a bit of exploring for ideas on the 2012 trends: Biz Bash, Exhibitor Online, any other suggestions?

7: Looking forward to dinner with our friends Mary & Brian tonight at The Kitchen [Next Door]!

Calendar Collection

Somehow it's always a week or two into a new year that I start thinking about a new calendar. Even in this digital age where everything synchs I love having a physical calendar to use as well (I seem to have this same digital vs. physical struggle in other aspects of life, but that's another story.) In an effort accomplish one of my 2012 goals, and to have a calendar that's a bit different than the a-typical "Paradise" one I always get, here are a few of my favorites I'm going to use as inspiration to build my own this weekend:

Clean and Earthy "Growth Spurt" Calendar from Brown Parcel Press

Bright and Abstract by Michelle Armas

Spirograph Inspired - Letterpress Printed by paperboatstudios

Exquisite Watercolors by Flora Douville

Eye Poetry Photography

Winter Dreams

Believe it or not, it's 65 degrees and the most beautiful Colorado weather this week! I have to admit, as much as I'm loving the cool mornings, lunchtime sunshine, and breaking out all my cute fall clothes again... I MISS WINTER! If we could just order up a nice 3ft. snow dump in Boulder that would be perfection. You know what I'm talking about: the adult snow-day of snuggling up by the fire, making a hearty soup (like the above Barley Stew with Leeks, Carrots and Kale from Bake Break!) and playing several all-too-competitive games of Monopoly Deal (Matt & my new addiction). Just being able to have a couple quiet days snuggled up at home would be lovely. And certainly a nice change from all this warm weather! I know, spoiled Colorado kid... :)

Photo Credit: Top Right - Beauty & Style; Bottom Left - Bake Break!; Bottom Right - The Alpha Geek 

Color Snap: Flowers

Photo Credit: SarahBelle Studio

New Year. New Look.

Happy 2012 World!

There's something about hitting the new year that always makes me yearn to review, revise and refresh my life. Seems silly that it takes January 1 to jumpstart me into action but it's a cleanse that I look forward to each winter.

To start things off, I'm redesigning this little beaut. I want it to be classy, smart and creative - all with a little spice of personality. Hopefully you'll like the end result - and to be totally honest, I'm hoping it becomes part of my daily routine and eventually part of the 1517 Events website. Making it awesome will be a bonus.

2011 was a HUGE year for me. Travels and adventures; Long Hours and Promotions; Laughter and Love. Needless to say, hindsight is always 20/20 - and while I enjoyed 2011 with all the challenges and rollercoasters it brought, I'm exhausted and felt like I was in a constant scramble.. especially the last 6 months.

So. 2012.... how am I going to handle you? how am I going to do more than survive? how am I going to be the best me this year? Here's the quick and dirty on my first crack on goals for 2012:

1. Choices, Choices Choices. Make one "better" choice each day. Going for the english muffin? Grab a banana instead. Office snacks? Start with water and a piece of gum. Another episode of Family Guy? Take Star for a walk. Little things add up to big things.
2. Digging Out. Organize/Clean one big "item" at home each month. Office, Closets, Kitchen Pantry... it's like the lochness monster has made a home and before we know our families will be having a hoarder intervention. One item a month is a piece of cake.
3. Date Night. It's amazing how living with your partner changes the concept of romance and dating in a relationship. You wake up next to the person you love every day. You rock-paper-scissor for making coffee in the morning. You go through mood swings and food poisoning together. Believe me, I understand how easily the "romance" that was once well-thought out becomes "hey should we just order a pizza"... it's just that I miss it. And more so, this is the time in our lives where we actually have the time, energy and money (read: no kids) to be able to go out and enjoy a Saturday night on the town. Long-winded explanation, but the short story is we've decided to have one date night a month: dinner + activity. Matt has January so I better think of something creative for February!
4. Glitter and Glue. Well... probably more paint, saw, and shoot... but the point is I need to keep my creative juices flowing! I'm hoping that writing more and continuing my incredible obsession with Pintrest is going to enable my creativity, but it also requires me to slow the heck down long enough to feel the room to breathe (read: paint). One of the saddest moments for me in 2011 was when (in the midst of the scurry of fighting for a promotion) Matt turned to me and said "Babe, I know you've been busy.. but you don't paint anymore. I love watching you paint, and I know it relaxes you... so you should try to paint again." He called me on my game and shot me cold in the dark. I had let work take over my life and hadn't allowed ME time. 2012... this is our year.
5. Financial Freedom. It feels like a slow, annoying drum beat for me to keep saying I need to spend less and save more, but if the shoe fits! Honestly, I made huge strides in 2011 towards getting myself (and our family) in a better financial situation. 2012 is going to be all about kicking it up a notch: sticking to my budgets, paying extra towards my debt and fingers crossed getting rid of most of it! I'm already thinking of all the ways I can spend the extra $$ I'll have once I'm done with my debt.. which I'm not sure is a bad thing quite yet. :)

All seem pretty reasonable right? The point is to keep it simple. Little changes make a big difference and the BIG Goal: more balance.

Enjoy your Tuesday and Happy January!