The Best

Happy Monday lovelies – hopefully it’s a good Monday, and not a Monday where you have a case of the Mondays… make sense? Hope so. Today was the first day it actually sunk in that Christmas is NEXT WEEK. I mean – I realize if I would have thought that last week I would have been wrong, but you know what I mean. It’s crazy how fast this year has gone. And in THREE weeks, I will hopefully be soaking up some rays in Hawaii!! I can’t wait to have a week to relax – not that I won’t miss you all TERRIBLY, but for realz – beach. Sunshine. RELAXATION. It’s going to be AWESOME.

Wanna know something else awesome? And probably a little unbelievable for those of you who know me pretty well? I am almost DONE with my Christmas shopping. Usually by this time of year – I haven’t even STARTED. I spent yesterday running around town doing some Christmas shopping and getting decorations for my tree (it’s so cute) and wrapped them all last night while watching Season 2 of The Office. I’ve even got the wrapping paper coordinated to who it’s going to and where I need to bring the gift. As I re-read that last sentence I’m confused at who wrote it – because it totes doesn’t sound like something I would do. But I’ve got my tree up and decorated (AWESOME deals on everything), presents purchased and wrapped, and I still had some time to finish up some laundry and clean my DISASTER of a kitchen. I guess that’s what happens when lots of cooking happened the past few weeks.

As I told you all last week, the week BEFORE I had baked 4 dozen sugar cookies and frosted them for the Woodward Academy boys. After that I decided I didn’t want to bake anything for the rest of the year. Yes I realize that only gave me a few weeks – but come on now. 4 dozen cookies is a lot. And it’s exhausting. And a lot of clean up. Mostly that part. So last week, we had book club and I volunteered to help bring some snacks. I got to use my new mixer and food processor to make my snacks – pickle dip and Oreo balls. The Oreo balls were AMAZE-BALLS (I hate that saying – but it fit so I had to, my apologies) and I had get rid of them the following day so I didn’t have them in my possession any longer than necessary. I mean – Holiday Oreos, cream cheese frosting and almond bark – why WOULDN’T you devour them in one sitting?? And then after I stuck those in the fridge I started on my pickle dip. Now my mom makes THE BEST pickle wraps – for realz, I could eat those in one sitting too – and mine never turn out quite as pretty as hers. So I decided I would just make those wraps into a dip. I chopped up my baby pickles, tossed them in the food processor to make even smaller, and then threw those, some cream cheese and ham into the mixer. And boom shaka laka – pickle dip! I still have some of that leftover – no way I’m sharing that. Except I need some more crackers… I’ll put that on my list to get tomorrow. Noms. Oh and in case you weren’t already jealous enough of that awesome food – I got to watch Despicable Me 2 AND Fast 6 while all that was happening. Because sometimes it’s fun to be 5 years old and sometimes you need to cry over Paul Walker.

I went in for my 6 month follow up on my brain – still no aliens – and they drew some blood while I was there. (Vampires.) Then I got a call from the office that said I have high cholesterol and triglycerides. Come on now. Thanks for sharing, Dad. Wah wah, so now I’m on medication for that. I’ll definitely do what I can do to help lower that number, but still – meds. Dumb. So I’ve got thick blood and the health of a 60 year old man. Turning 27 blows. Instead of my metabolism stopping (which I sure hope that didn’t happen either) I aged 30 years instead. Lame. Ah well – looks like working out and eating healthy WILL NOT be a choice for me. Sometimes I wish I still had the health I had when I was 17 – or at least that metabolism. I mean – I could eat half a large pizza, nachos, and a 48 oz Mountain Dew and still never fluctuate weight. Working out for two hours a day sure helped that out. Stupid college and drinking. And getting older and wanting to sleep instead of workout. Growing up is stupid.

Saturday night was my office holiday party – I was pretty excited to go considering I’m still fairly “new” to the office, and it would fun to see everyone NOT in work attire. The dress was “cocktail” so clearly I thought it was appropriate to dress like a 1950s housewife – pearls and all. The party was the Embassy Club West and we had one of our co-workers husband’s bands play while we were there. Lots of yummy appetizers and stuff to snack on too. After everyone had had their share of pricey drinks, the party slowed down but a lot of us met up at Blue Moon to close out the night. And people were RIDICULOUS. We had one of our sales girls act as a human pole while a few of the managers danced on her, and then later she fell off the stage. I’ve got a video on my phone as proof. Sometimes it’s fun working in HR. But look how cute we look! And we got to home with some party favors – logo’d stemless wine glasses. Yay swag!

Closing out 2013 and getting ready to head into 2014, I’ve got some ideas. Things I want to do, experience, conquer. I didn’t do nearly as many things on my list for 2013 as I’d planned, but I can always carry them over into next year – and that’s my plan. I want to do something that scares me, improves me and makes me happy. I don’t want to play it safe in 2014. I’ll be coming into something new beginning in January – and that scares me. It also excites me – and I can’t talk about it. Not yet anyway. Stay tuned till late January for more details…

I know January is a time of resolutions and goals – most that people will forget about or quit doing by February. But this year – I’d like to REALLY follow through with them. I’ll be coming up with a new to-do list for 2014, some will carry over from this year, but there will also be some new challenges for me. And I’m ready. Some physical challenges, mental challenges, and personal challenges. I can’t wait to share these with you and to have you follow my journey.

And one more challenge – I challenge YOU to challenge yourself. That’s one of the best ways to make you the best YOU, that you can be.

Love and best wishes,

S