2012: A Fresh Start!!

I don't know about you, but I LOVE the New Year. I always make a bunch of goals for myself. I don't like to call them resolutions, because resolutions are code word for "will break in a week." The goals I make for myself are lifestyle changes and things that will improve my life. One of my biggest goals this year is to have a more structured schedule. I figure the only way to truly make small changes in my life is to implant them in a "Master" daily schedule. I've heard it said that it takes 21 days of doing something to create a habit. Well, I'm trying out my schedule for 21 days and hopefully whatever makes it that long, will stick! Some new additions to my daily schedule are: more frequent workouts, counting calories, drinking lots of water, grading more consistently, devotional times, cooking more, punctuality, set bed times, cleaning times, and times to actually do my laundry. All good things, just hard to plug in to my busy schedule.
Two weeks into the new year, and I'd say I'm still doing pretty good. It's been interesting to see what has stuck so far...and what hasn't. Making my bed every morning sounded like a great idea, but I've only succeeded once, so I'll let that one go. No biggy! I'm approaching this whole schedule with grace towards myself. I am not a slave to it, by any means. Another one that's been a challenge is the bed time. I love sleep, I just have a hard time actually getting into the bed.
Some great things that have actually worked so far: devotional times, counting calories, working out, drinking water, grading more, planning a menu, and cleaning each weekend. I know I'm only two weeks in, but I'm excited for these more structured changes in my life. When I live with a schedule, I feel more freedom. Almost ironic, isn't it?

Christmas Vacation Highlights: Part 5

Continuing on with the "non-Traditions", my family didn't gather for our normal New Year's Eve party. So I got to go to my dear friend Kate's New Year's Eve Fancy Pants Party. See more pictures and stories here.

***NOTE: That's a fake cigarette...just adds to the character! :)

 
Fancy gathering at Macaroni Grill

 All the single ladies...

 Homeade party hats

 Coloring stations

 LOVE the happy faces in this picture!

Christmas Vacation Highlights: Part 4

Those of you who know me, know that I love traditions! My family has always had the most fun holiday traditions. Well, this year will go down in history as the year of no traditions! We decided last year that our day long traditions were going to have to change due to the many nieces and nephews in the family now. It just got too hard trying to watch movie after movie with babies needing naps and more activity. This year also felt different because it was my first Christmas with my brother not here. He was in Colorado with his wife and her family. So everything was different...not bad, just different.
Something of course that didn't change was all the sweets!

Cinnamon Chip Scones

 Drop Sugar Cookies

Cinnamon Chip Oatmeal Cookies

Almond Bark dipped pretzels, Oreos, and Ritz peanut butter crackers

 and the famous Oreo Truffles! Yum!

Christmas Vacation Highlights: Part 3

One of the more daring adventures of break, I decided to take my nieces Isabella and Madelyn to Silver Dollar City to look at the lights...all by myself! and withOUT a stroller, a decision I would soon regret. Never, never, never take a two year old to SDC and not have a stroller. I accidentally knocked her down probably 3 or 4 times and I was afraid she was going to get trampled by the oppressive crowds! Let's just say we spent a lot of time by the big tree, which thankfully Bella and Madelyn both loved!

 The girls were troops in the freezing cold!

 Went to go "look" at Santa...(lines were too long to actually "see" Santa) So we played with some Christmassy props instead.

 Madelyn LOVED her reindeer...

It was a tough, cold, journey...but so worth it in the end! Love being an aunt!!

Christmas Vacation Highlights: Part 2

After I got back from Texas, I had the honor to go to over to my friend Melissa's house to decorate cookies. I taught her oldest son, Jackson two years and this year I teach her daughter Emmy. They let me bring my niece, Isabella, and we had an absolute ball!

 While the kids were painting all the cut out cookies, Melissa and I experimented with decorating mitten cookies. Some turned out..some didn't!

 Here's Emmy getting started on her little man.

 Lot's of beautiful cookies!

  Hopefully, this can be a new Christmas tradion with the Pierson's!

Christmas Vacation Highlights: Part 1

Now that I'm fully back in the swing of things, I thought I'd take some time to share some of my favorite Christmas break highlights.

Right after school finished, I drove eight hours to visit one of my dearest friends, Emily, who lives in Fort Worth, TX. We had a blast!

My first night in Texas, we went to Inn- N- Out and then went to look at some Christmas lights. Check out these lights!! This is just one house!

We went to the zoo in Fort Worth which is one of the top five zoos in the nation. We went on Sunday and the weather was cool. Something must have been in the air, because the animals were so active!! I got some great videos of elephants, hippos, rhinos, monkeys, and a gorilla picking his nose and eating it!

Then we went to Zeke's Fish and Chips, where Emily had a lovely Groupon to share. I love fish and chips, though I've never found any I like after I was spoiled in England and Ireland. Well, good news to me! This was excellent!!

 Have you ever heard of the Movie Tavern? Such a brilliant idea! You go see a movie and eat a full dinner, complete with waiters WHILE the movie goes on!

 We watched the new Sherlock Holmes movie. See the red button? You hit that button if you need anything from your waiter, like a drink refill, more food, etc. So fun!!

 Then we went to the Fort Worth Water Gardens. These are a series of fountains that you can actually go in! The scariest part was that it was raining and it was SLICK! Only after our trek down the fountains did
Emily tell me that some people have DIED walking down them. Good grief!

 Gotta strike some scary poses!

I sure do love great friends and I treasure all the time I can get with with Emily.

Oh Siblings!

Ever wonder what it was like growing up with 4 siblings?? This is pretty much what every Christmas looked like...

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

 Enjoy!!