resolution recap 2009, what did I accomplish?

Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of my life.

I am sure that this is the common thought around New Years Eve and sadly I am no different than the rest.

I want to try and better myself in the new year.

Which made me think of what I promised myself in January 2009...

1. Save more money. I need to be dilligent about this. It is always ruined by car trouble, bills or a great pair of pants I saw that I needed to get. (I really didn't do this at all...if anything I am spending more now since after I wrote this post last January 2 I crashed my car and had to buy a new one!)

2. Take a couple of Florida trips. This seems to be the year of Florida for us. I won a free trip to Naples Bay Resort and it has come to our attention that we are desperate to get out of Ohio, if even for a long weekend. We also may visit my moms new Florida house for the Christmas holiday this year. Which would be a fantastic change of pace for us, plus we would get to see the Florida side of the family, always a bonus. (This is one thing that did work out for us. We took two trips to Florida and at a minimal expense to us!)

3. Try out new recipes each month. My rotation of dinners got a tad stale near the end of the year as to be expected, since I didnt put much thought into it. I have too many recipes saved up to try to even begin to count so I am going to breeze through them this year, adding to my culinary expertise. (So I didnt stick with trying something new every single month...I really think I only missed 1 month now that I think of it. I am calling this one a victory.)

4. In keeping with the traditional 'I want to watch my weight and eat better' resolution I am goign to list a few ways in which I am going to do this. One of them is #3, another is limiting quick meals (frozen pizza, and other frozen meals to heat and eat) to only once per week - and less if we can do it, we both have hectic schedules so this will be a good one to work for. Another is to limit fast food to once per month. This one will be a bit harder and it will force me to plan ahead with my meals. (This was a total success for us! In 2008 we would have at least 1 frozen pizza a week, sometimes 2! We cut this down to *maybe* 1 per month and we didn't rely on fast food or other unhealthy options! Of course there is always room for improvement.)

beating holiday weight gain is SO much easier when you have the flu to help you along the way

To celebrate getting over the flu last week and puking out most of my non-essential organs for 11 hours I had McDonald's twice in three days.

Besides getting over the kind of hangover where you want to punch baby river otters in the face because it may help you feel better, McDonald's is great when you need to load up on calories.

And for dinner when you don't feel like cooking.

And for late night french fry runs.

And for Shamrock Shakes.

We felt that after surviving my family in Florida for 5 days in extreme proximity to each other we deserved a treat. The kind of treat that causes heart attacks.

Spending Christmas in Florida with the family I never see during the winter was great. We had great food, quality time and I gave everyone a weak version of my flu!

Nothing like spreading the holiday cheer to remind us all why the Ohio relatives (me) should stay there.

While the snow was blowing and gusting in Ohio we were on the boat, frolicking on a sandbar in the Gulf, wearing shorts at Busch Gardens and seeing Avatar.

Totally worth it.

I mean Avatar was totally worth it.

Seriously, its a bad ass movie.

Go see it.

There is nothing like a blue alien species with hair that can communicate with their planet to make you realize how much you love your family.

So now I spend the week at work...bored and mostly without essential work to complete all so I can save up my vacation time in order to go to my only favorite girl cousins wedding in August in Telluride.

I think she promised we would see celebrities and be chauffeured by limos the whole week.

With lots of mimosas.

I never doubed him for a minute...59 seconds maybe but not a whole minute.

Tangible proof that Jeff does indeed read my blog and even take my expert advice.

My Christmas gifts.

Exhibit A

My awesome new Puma's

Exhibit B

This beautiful new Tiffany ring (that is even more gorgeous on than in the picture)

Jeff is the best ever.

Merry Christmas!

To regift or throw it in the trash because it was ugly as sin to begin with?

Just over two weeks until the fat man in red squeezes down your chimney.

Or in a house like mine he walks through the back door.

Sure, this is what we told the kids since we do not have a chimney.
Santa has keys that open every door in the world and he comes silently through the back door and locks it when he leaves.

Very thoughtful.

Has Santa or your Aunt Gert ever given you a gift that would actually improve if you ran it over with your car?

We have all gotten the gifts that never should have been.

Do you throw it away?

Regift it?

Let it fester and rot in your house until 30 years from now you forgot who gave it to you and for what?

Throwing it away may make normal people feel bad about wasting something that was a gift.

The fester and rot method is rough because who wants to stare at a clock that plays accordion music at the top of every hour? Not me.

No fucking thank you.

So the regifting method seems to work for most.

We all have that crazy Uncle James who would just DIE for a clock that plays accordion music.

So you give it to him.

Simple.

Done.

But there seem to be some common guidelines, rules if you must, to regifting.

Only regift when:

You are certain that Uncle James will like it, he does collect obscure clocks after all.

It is unused and still in the original packaging.

You rewrapped it.

Never regift:

If it is something that he 'may' like but you aren't certain

It has been used. At all.

If you want to give it to a friend in the same circle or another family member. Tacky.

WFMW: Inexpensive gift ideas-take 2

There are so many great gift ideas that are right under our noses that people seem to overlook because it isn't the biggest or best gift that could ever be given.

Think of the most heartfelt gifts from your friends and family...were they grandiose?

Okay...well sometimes.

Typically they are something made by hand or assembled out of love and the knowledge of what you love.

Here are some additional inexpensive holiday gifts; most under $10.

• note cards and a book of stamps-perfect for that out of town friend or family member
• specialty cookbook
• copy your favorite recipes and family recipes onto recipe cards and put them in a recipe box. This is truly the gift that will give forever!
• a new holiday ornament or decoration
• make a bag/basket with an ice cream scoop and loads of toppings
• make a bag/basket with cookie dough (or a recipe) and loads of decorations
• buy a pretty frame and enclose a picture of the family, kids, grandkids or a favorite memory
• remember that Aunt Cindy loves chocolate? Buy a box of Godiva or Lindt - still under $20 for a lot of them and its something that most people don't splurge on
• Silly friends and family? Get them the gift that they will ALWAYS use. Toilet paper. Seriously. Great gag gift.
• make a photo collage on snapfish
• new CD or DVD
• a poinsettia or other potted plant

Thats what works for me...find out what works for others here.