April 2010 Weddings
Dear Community,
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
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Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
New Years Resolutions?
Does anyone have any this year?
Mine is to make more of an effort to spend quality time with my hubby. We spend lots of time together as a family, but I've put our relationship on the backburner with being so preoccupied with Gracie. So we are going to start going out on date nights now that she's a little older and I am *starting* to feel a little more comfortable in leaving her (for short periods of time). It's going to be hard for me to leave her but it's time to reconnect as a couple.
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Re: New Years Resolutions?
DH and I have talked about making this the year that we lose some weight and get healthy. That would go along with getting pregnant.
We also want to pay off some debt this year so we can get me a new car. It would also be nice to build our savings account so we can get a house soon.
One is to sit and relax more often. On the weekends, and even on my holidays and vacation days from work I always seem to be running around like a crazy lady, helping my friends with things such as wrapping an insane amount of Santa gifts, running back and forth to my mom's, lunch or shopping with friends or cousins, cleaning, reorganizing, running crazy amounts of errands, etc. and I never allow myself time to just sit and chill or catch up on DVR shows or pop in a DVD or play my PS3 video game. I'm going to make sure I stop putting myself in so many places in one day.
I'm also going to try and chill out on gossiping, complaining and talking about people. DH and I have a habit of grumbling about things our friends or relatives do, how they spoil their kids in order for them to "like" them more than the other parent, the way they foolishly blow money then walk around with their hands out to everyone else, or feel sorry for themselves without doing anything to change their situations, how they sometimes take a mile when we give an inch, etc. I'm trying to be better about keeping my opinions to myself, and to vent less when someone pi$$es me off, and rather try to let it go and shrug it off instead of blowing off the steam to ears that probably couldn't care less.
These are all good ones! @Cindy, I totally agree with you on the sitting still and relaxing. I find that I do the same thing, I literally can't sit still and just relax. I feel like I always have to be "doing" something! I like that one, I'm going to try that too.
Starting in January, my friends and I are starting up a book club. We are going to meet 4x a year, so it's not too much stress.
Also, I want to tackle some recipes and be more adventurous in the kitchen. I love to cook, and I love trying new things. I'm thinking about making myself a "12 in 2012" list of semi-complicated recipes. Off the top of my head, I want to master: marshmallows, pie crust, danish, gnocchi, osso bucco and pulled pork (I'm so embarrassed to admit that I ruined the only pulled pork I tried making!).
Also, last year, I met my goal of reading 30 books in a year (goodreads challenge), so I'd like to do that again!
And...oh...get pregnant!!!!
I use the Joy of Cooking recipe- it's with Crisco but it always turns out lovely! 1 1/2 c. flour, 1/2 tsp salt, (sift/mix together first) add 1/2 c. Crisco and use a pastry blender til it's a crumbly pea-sized consistency, add 3+ Tbs ice water til the dough is together but not sticky, wrap in saran and let rest in fridge for a little while (15 min at least) If you bake before filling, 12-15 min at 450 til golden.
April 2010 Siggy Challenge: Next Vacation Destination
I would like to keep improving my crocheting skills, and get SD to learn- she's interested in knitting and crocheting but hasn't had the discipline to sit and practice. Maybe classes will be her birthday present!
I would also like to complain/groan about stupid people less like Cindy said.
I would like to utilize my Food Planner app I downloaded to keep track of my meal planning and shopping for groceries! I am trying to get away from buying my Franklin Covery day planner refills b/c they're so expensive and I only use them for writing down my meals :-p I use Google calendar for everything else and have it on my phone that way too
April 2010 Siggy Challenge: Next Vacation Destination
I think that my big one is that I am going to try and do more for myself sometimes. I always have thought of doing things for myself that are not necessary as frivolous and I need to get away from that mind set and treat myself sometimes. I already got the great laser hair removal package at a great deal, and even after just one session I keep asking myself why I waited so long to do it (of course by waiting though I got an amazing deal, so I cant say too much). I have only had pedicures 5 times in my life, 4 for weddings, and once for me. I hate spending so much on something like that, but it really is nice, so I am going to try and do that at least a few times. Also on the list - get more massages, and start looking into Lasik to get my vision corrected.
Stop procrastination so much on my to do list, it stressed me out to much and I can never relax.
Go to the doctor when something is bothering me, don't just hope that it goes away. I learned the hard way this year how expensive, and drawn out it can make the healing process. And I have to realize that I am not a kid who heals quick on my own.
Be more assertive, and let people know when they hurt me. I need to stop holding everything in, it is really starting to build up, and that can not continue.
Most of these things I have been working on for a few months already, but the new year is a great time to reinforce reevaluate.
Get physically active again on a regular basis. Now that I am officially in 2nd Trimester, I want to become more of a religious exerciser!
Watch my spending and get credit cards completely paid off before baby comes. Only like $2,000 total on everything, so I can do it in a few months if I stop buying things! : )
If you have a charcoal grill, I have the most fool proof amazing recipe for this! It is Jeff's grandpa's from Texas, and it is AMAZEBALLS!
Now that I'm doing crossfit and training for the Boston Marathon, I really want to watch what I eat and get in really great shape for the marathon and also for my black belt test in June.
I also want to save money, which is hard when you aren't getting paid very much. DH and I are going to try and save up for a car to buy in July and we want to put down as much as possible.
Tales From a Kitchen Misfit
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Have you tried pulled pork in the slow cooker? A-MAZING. I definitely would love to tackle some hard stuff in the kitchen. Do you have Baking Illustrated? It's an amazing book for all things baking!
Tales From a Kitchen Misfit
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Have you tried pulled pork in the slow cooker? A-MAZING. I definitely would love to tackle some hard stuff in the kitchen. Do you have Baking Illustrated? It's an amazing book for all things baking!
Tales From a Kitchen Misfit
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have you heard of the stitch and *** books? I used the stitch and *** crochet book to learn how to crochet and I also have the knitting book. It has some really funky patterns and I think it would appeal more to SD. Here's the site with all the books: http://www.knithappens.com/
Tales From a Kitchen Misfit
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THANKS!!!!
@ Danie - no we don't have a charcoal grill, but I'm sure that's amazing!!!!
@ Mandah, yes I have a small crock pot, so I'll try it in there. It's not very big though, so last time, I put a pork shoulder in the oven, and it took forever and smelled weird, and I wasn't sure if it was done, so I threw the whole thing out (6 lbs of pork) - what a waste! I'm going to get a smaller cut and try it again the crock pot. It's SUCH an easy recipe and somehow I'm intimidated by it. Certainly, I've tried and succeeded with much harder reciipes!! LOL
When I make pulled pork, I use about a 3lb roast (can't always find shoulder at my store) then season and put in crockpot with Dr. Pepper or root beer (or any dark soda). When I get home, I drain the liquid, shred the meat and add BBQ sauce. Super easy.
I haven't really made any because with baby coming I know our lives will be chaotic.
My major goal is to start working out regularly after baby comes and lose all the baby weight!
Shmel's Blog
Cool, thank you