2012 Recap

Well blogger buddies, it's the end of 2012

I don't know about you guys but this has been one rollercoaster of a year!

I'm looking forward to the new year and some tweaks to my life, but nothing major.

Rather than going through every single event I figure it would be easier to just mention big things from each month (if I can actually remember what went on)...don't want you all falling asleep and missing the countdown right? Right.

January:

I decided to really revamp my fitness and nutrition. I spent a lot of time making nutritional food and going to the gym.

February:

I had a lot of anxiety about my eating habits and being judged at the gym. I spent Valentine's Day with my (now ex) best friend and started dating my ex-boyfriend.

March:
I came to the realization that I had an eating disorder called orthorexia.

April:
I started coaching for my old high school cheerleading team.

May:
I adopted my adorable little furbaby Link! Best day of my life :) I went to Roaring Camp with my family and got to watch my darling niece and nephew enjoy the train ride.

June:
I got to spend my 21st birthday relaxing on the beach and enjoying a delicious dinner. I got to see my favorite Disney princess movie ever, Brave.

July:
I spent 4th of July at home making some yummy healthy food and calming my cat who hates fireworks. I went hiking for the first time. Went hiking again and got lost for 2.5 hours.

August:
My ex and I broke up and I fell into a deep depression, but thankfully was able to keep my head up and start getting help.

September:
I started my first semester back at college after a year off. I struggled at the gym after losing 15 pounds from not eating.

October:
I stopped going to the gym so I could focus on bringing my weight back up. I started dating my best friend of 6 years who is absolutely amazing. We took my niece to a zoo/park and had a blast. Michael and I went to Arizona to help my best friend move back.

November:
I started a running program with Michael because we decided to run a bunch of races next year. I got to vote for the first time!! Spent Thanksgiving with Michael and my family eating some delicious (and nutritious food). And decorated my house for Christmas.

December:
Finished my first semester with straight A's. Went to Disneyland with Michael's family and had a wonderful time (even though it was raining). Obviously enjoyed Christmas with Michael and his big family (and felt absolutely exhausted by the end).

This year had some ups and major downs, but I've made it through it all that much stronger. I'm looking forward to 2013 and all the new experiences that will come with it! Be safe on this last day of 2012 and enjoy bringing in the new year!

 Happy New Year!

The Happiest Place on Earth

A couple weeks ago Michael's family was generous enough to take me to Disneyland with them and I had a blast. We left super early Friday morning during which most of us were passed out in the backseat. The whole weekend it was cloudy and rainy, except for one day it was nice and sunny.

Obviously it was decorated with Christmas decorations...

We rode lots of rides and I even got to meet my favorite princess

Michael and I made sure to pack food with us so we weren't paying a buttload of money for food

Of course we bought food (mostly sweet stuff and popcorn)

We got to see World of Color and the fireworks display, both very gorgeous and I highly recommend you go see. We even got snowed on!

It was a wonderful trip to relax after finals and before the hectic Christmas shopping. Thanks so much to Michael's parents!

I Am Alive!

I promise I'm actually alive!

It's been crazy busy around here between finals and then finishing Christmas shopping and then of course there was Christmas.

I'll try to summarize everything without causing your brain to overload.

I finished the semester at college with some pretty kickass grades

It was definitely exhausting, but at least it's over.

The week before Christmas included lots of baking:

Michael, his family, and I went to see this drive-through Christmas lights display

We went to Disneyland, but that'll be a whole other post

 

My sister, niece, and nephew came up to visit us

My nephew Gavin bonded with Michael over Toy Story action figures

And then he became absolutely enthralled with Michael's hat

Lexi was practically attached to my dad the whole time

Christmas Eve consisted of watching Christmas movies all day with my parents and Michael.

Michael and I made a delicious tomato soup by Jenn at Peas and Crayons

And our delicious dinner made by my awesome mom

Ham with roasted sweet potatoes

And of course even though I'm 21 I still leave out a cookie, carrots, and cheese for Santa

 

Christmas morning I woke up at 4 AM and I waited for about an hour and a half for my dad to finally wake up. Once my mom woke up we opened presents and then had cinnamon rolls. I went over to Michael's for Christmas with his family and spent practically the whole day making a huge dinner

Michael got an iPad and was having fun taking pictures

Obviously I take wonderful pictures

I had a great Christmas with some great people though extremely exhausting.

I'll be back with a post on my Disneyland trip.

M.I.A. Blogger

This will be short and sweet since time is precious around here.

I haven't forgotten my blog and everyone else out there, but finals week is next week and my teachers are piling me with essays like crazy.

So I'm going to go hermit myself and won't have time for writing any posts.

And in one week and one day, this will be me

WIAW: Turkey All Around

It's Wednesday!!

It's always my favorite time to blog because I get to join in on the What I Ate Wednesday parties with Jenn and brag about the delicious food I've eaten.

These are a little chaotic and piecemealed from a few days. I had some yummy food one day that I wanted to share and some from another. But it's all yummy food so you don't mind, yes?

Breakfast on Sunday:

 1/2 plain and 1/2 full fat vanilla honey Greek yogurt with pumpkin flax granola

Dinner on Sunday:

 Mom's homemade turkey noodle soup, biscuits made by moi, and sparkling cider

Michael and I went to the gym for the first time together and I thought I'd treat him with an actual breakfast rather than Greek yogurt which seems to be my staple for breakfast (probably cause I'm laaaaazy)

Breakfast on Monday:

 1 egg and 1 egg white scrambled, sweet potato hash w/ shallots and garlic

Lunch on Monday:

Unpictured  1/2 plain and 1/2 full fat vanilla honey Greek yogurt with pumpkin flax granola

Use your imagination or just look at the picture at the beginning

 After class Michael picked me up from school and took me back to his house for some delicious food.

2nd Lunch/Snack/Let's Not Starve Brittany on Monday:

  Leftover bowtie pasta with garlic cream sauce, bacon, sun dried tomatoes, and artichoke hearts.

While Michael made dinner, Michael's mom built up a nice warm fire

It's been cold around here and it's gettin' colder so it's definitely a plus to have a warm fire

Dinner on Monday:

 Herb roasted turkey, stuffing, roasted veggies, and cranberry sauce. With a glass of Pinot Grigio.

All made by my rockstar boyfriend.

And what 2nd Thanksgiving isn't complete without dessert?

 

Dessert on Monday:

Pumpkin pie with whipped cream

Tuesday I had a doctor's appointment and wasn't feeling so great and mostly cuddled with my kitty and Michael and watching Christmas movies...well he did, I napped.

Cuddle buddies for life!

Michael went out and got me lunch and brought back these delicious cookies I've been dying to try.

Best boyfriend award? Yes.

Poor Link has had this cut under his chin and it looked pretty bad so I took him to the vets to get it checked out. Poor guy is stuck in the Cone of Shame

Poor bebe.

Has anyone else has Thanksgiving Round 2 yet?

Tis the Season

Happy Monday everyone!

For once I'm actually not Miss Grumpy Pants about Monday...maybe it's the Christmas stuff I've been doing all weekend. Or maybe it's because I'm almost done with this semester.

Either way this post is about something marvelous

It's Christmas time!!

After stuffing myself with some good (but healthy!) Thanksgiving food I was really looking forward to officially putting up Christmas decorations and listening to Christmas music...not that I haven't been doing that for over a week anyway....

Friday Michael and I actually braved the mall so I could get a curtain rod to hang my Christmas lights and then decided to get a few Christmas gifts. Thankfully our mall isn't like other malls where people are smashing into each other trying to get stuff on sale. It was relatively quiet thankfully, I'm not a big people person.

I did this a few times when walking around the mall...poor poor Michael.

After getting a little shopping in my parents, Michael, and I went and got our Christmas tree

We got everything home and decorated the tree and then promptly took a nap while watching How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

 

Think we have enough lights strung around the house?

 

 Our Christmas tree that I picked because I always pick the best trees

Left to right: Hand knitted stockings by my grandma, nutcrackers, my mom's nativity scene, and a Christmas Breyer horse.

Can you tell our family is very into Western stuff?

On Saturday Michael's family took me to cut down a Christmas tree for the first time.

 Lots of trees

The tree's name is Milky Way

Obligatory couple shot.

 Me, Michael, Michael's stepdad's mother Barbara, Michael's sister Sarah, Michael's stepdad Bill, and Michael's mom Robin.

After cutting down the tree we got some hot chocolate and cider and relaxed until we packed up the tree to head back to Santa Cruz for lunch.

I had such a marvelously fun time and I'm very thankful his family included me.

After we got back home and Michael and I took yet another nap (I swear I get enough sleep at night) we got packed up again for my first hockey game!

Michael's family are HUUUUUGE San Jose Sharks fans, but since the NHL season isn't going on we went up to San Fransisco to see the Bulls play.

I even got to see a couple fights, albeit small ones because the refs kept breaking them up. Lamesauce.

Silly hat, but hey, it kept my head warm. I was freezin

Yummy fake cheese and oversalted pretzels. Gotta indulge

Michael, me, Sarah's boyfriend Ryan, and Sarah.

The game was so much fun!

On our drive home we stopped by Krispy Kreme for some donuts and boy are they delicious right off the line. Yum!

Michael's family was very generous to take me along to all these things and it definitely made my weekend marvelous!

As a side note, I finally started tweeting!

I know, I'm lame, waaay behind in the times.

But over there 

I put up links to my Twitter and Pinterest accounts.

You'll follow me yes?

I even have a nifty little slideshow of my Instagram pictures.

I'm starting to become hip with all this technology stuff...

and let's pretend I didn't just sound like my 61 year old stepdad...

Questions for you:

Have you started decorating for Christmas?

Any fun Christmas traditions?