Living a Brighter Life

Adventures in Brussels Sprouts!

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 15:47:00 +0000

I'm a new found Brussels Sprouts fan and over the past month or so, I've tried three different ways of preparing them!

Check out my new blog over at wordpress to see which was my favorite!

Adventures in the Kitchen - Brussels Sprouts Mania!!

Don't forget to follow me over there as well! :-)

Movin' On Up!

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

I know I mentioned this on a previous post, but here is the official announcement!

I've finally decided to "move on up" from a Blogger based blog to a Wordpress based blog!

It was relatively smooth transition, but I'm really happy with the outcome! I'm really excited about some of the features Wordpress offers that Blogger does not, including replying to comments.

I hope that every single one of you (Google followers and Google Readers) to come on over and check out the new digs! Oh and don't forget to subscribe! I don't want to lose a single one of you! Let me know if you find any bugs or anything on any of the pages, cause it is definitely somewhat of a work in progress. Can't wait for you all to see it!

Here's the new address:

http://livingabrighterlife.wordpress.com

See you on the flip side!

Kindle Reads - The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 14:00:00 +0000

Image Source: 5 Love Languages

I'm a new subscriber to the awesomeness that is Amazon Prime and one of the perks of the service (along with free 2 day shipping) is access to a large Kindle library online.Although it is in the early stages and is a bit hard to search through, I came across the book The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts by Gary D. Chapman.

The book was an extremely easy read and quite interesting. It explained the five love languages in detail and how you can tell which one is yours and your spouse's. It discussed how we need to speak in the proper language that makes our significant other feel love and fill their "love tank". You may be expressing love in a way in which you partner really doesn't understand which can cause distance and dissension in a marriage.

At first, I couldn't tell which was my primary love language as I thought that multiple love languages applied to me, so I took the test in the back of the book. It turns out that I was right. My primary love language is "Words of Affection", while I am bilingual in my secondary love languages of "Quality Time" and "Acts of Service". These second two were a close second which is why I included them.

The Hubs's love language is Acts of Service, followed by Physical Touch. I'm going to try to be more diligent in trying to show my love in his language. This could include spontaenously making a dinner I know he loves, helping him with projects outside (I'm adverse to getting dirty and bugs, so this would definitely show him love!), or giving him a back rub without being asked.

The Hubs and I have a happy marriage, but I think that armed with this information we can make it even better. I know that if we both make the effort to speak in the other's love language that we will both so appreciate it and get the little butterfly feeling of first love for years down the road!

I would definitely recommend this book to others. It's an easy read with lots of good information for couples and singles alike!

Have you read The Five Love Languages? If so, did you find it helpful?

What is your love language and that of your spouse?

Starting 2012 Off Right!

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 16:56:00 +0000


Image Source: kabun

Hope everyone had an amazing New Years! Ours was extremely low key...dinner with the family and then home to watch The Change Up (hilarious!) and New Years' Rockin' Eve. New Years Day was spent cleaning up the holiday decorations and drowning myself a bit in computer time.

But on with my goals for 2012! Last year was the first year I consciously made an effort to make goals and put them out into the Universe (i.e. this blog) and it worked! I accomplished almost everything I set out to do!

So without further ado, here are my goals for an AWESOME 2012!

1.) Practice Yoga Regularly
I started to do this more regularly during the second half of this year and it has felt wonderful! The tricks to accomplish this goal include being willing to go to different gym locations in order to attend yoga classes, starting an at home practice, and/or investing in some sort of membership to a yoga studio.

I'm going to try to keep a note on my calendar of the days that I make it so I can track my progress.
2.) Read More
You can see on my Kindle Reads page that I read 15 books last year. I would like to try to read at least 20 books in 2012. On my must read list include:


Image Source: Amazon

Image Source: Amazon

3.) Unplug
This goal is for me as much as The Hubs. I'm going to commit to not checking my phone while talking to The Hubs. This has been one of my worst habits since getting a Smartphone. I'm constantly checking Twitter or my Google Reader or Facebook and I get distracted from whatever he is saying. It really annoys him!

One of my goals is blog related (see #4), so I'm not going to be able to unplug completely. My plan is to set aside an hour a day to do anything computer related. I'll discuss with The Hubs ahead of time so that perhaps he can pursue his own hobby (running or watching a horror movie on Netflix).

This is going to be one of the most difficult goals for me to tackle!

4.) Finish Projects
There are two projects that need to be finished in 2012 (at least for now...)!

The first is to make both sets of parents wedding albums. Two years and two months later and I still haven't done it! I need to make this a priority this year.

I've heard awesome things about Blurb, so I think I'm going to use that site to create my books.

Photo take by Peters Photography

The second project also involves wedding pictures. We have ZERO up in our house, ZERO printed out.
When I saw this small hallway picture project Katie over at Bower Power did, I just knew I needed to duplicate it!

Source: bowerpowerblog.com via Jen on Pinterest

So far I have one frame that's got nada in it. At least it's a start though!

5.) Blog

I have a couple of goals for this blog this year.

First, I'm in the process of transitioning over to Wordpress . The switch has been recommended by many and after seeing the smooth transition Amy over at Dandelion Paperweight had, I figured I would give it a shot. I'm still working on making the blog look the way I want it and adding a few things and I'll make sure to let you know when the move is complete, but you can already go ahead and update your Readers now since I plan on posting in both places during the transition. I hope you all will follow me over there as I think Wordpress will allow me to connect better with each and every one of you through easy comment replies!

Second, I'd like to put myself out there with the posts I write. I have about 7 posts regarding my journey so far in trying to conceive, but I just haven't hit publish yet. Perhaps I'll put myself out there even more and apply to be a recurring blogger on popular blog. Or maybe just a guest post here or there.

This blog has been such a wonderful outlet that I want to do my best to keep up with it the whole of 2012!

6.) Travel

This goal worked out for me last year with our trip to Seattle, so I hope it works again in 2012!

We already have trips planed to Vegas for Garth Brooks and San Luis Obisipo for my sister's graduation.

Image Source: disneybrent

If we can swing it though, I'd like to take one more trip, perhaps to Chicago! I've been wanting to go to Chicago forever to visit a friend from grad school. It looks like a beautiful city and I've heard wonderful things about it!

Image Source: jarek69 & evelyn

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I'm sure these goals may change and evolve as the year progresses (I may even get ambitious and make some new ones!), but for now this is a good start!

What are your goals for 2012??

2011 Goal Recap!

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 14:00:00 +0000

With the beginning of this blog, came the start of me consciously setting goals for myself for the year and attempting to actually follow through with them. You see, I've always set New Years Resolutions...in my head anyways, but by the time February or March rolls around, I'm one of those people who loses all motivation and lets the resolutions fall by the wayside.

So I dedicated a whole blog post to the goals I would like to accomplish for an AMAZING 2011. And let me tell you, I think that laying out these specific goals for myself (as well as another set of goals for work) and putting the intention of accomplishing them out into the Universe helped me to accomplish almost all of them!

Here's a recap of how I did!

1.) Hire a Personal Trainer - ACCOMPLISHED!!

I cheated a bit with this one, as The Hubs helped me out by getting me 8 sessions last Christmas. I really loved personal training. I totally got my butt kicked and found that my trainer worked me out WAY harder than I would have done by myself. I became frienemies with the foam roller and kettle bell workouts. But at the end of my 8 sessions, I ended up opting to not spend the significant amount of money that was required to keep up with it. At the time we were just starting our TTC journey and I didn't want heavy workouts to influence anything (little did I know we'd still be on that journey a year later...). Maybe some day I'll hire a trainer again, but for now I'm going to save the money and continue workouts on my own.

2.) Take a Trip - ACCOMPLISHED!!

So proud of myself for actually following through with this one. It was my intention to take a trip and my BIG idea was to go to Seattle (obviously as I used a picture of the Space Needle to highlight this goal!). I overcame my fear of flying and actually traveled to Seattle where The Hubs and I had an amazing time and were able to take ACTUAL pictures of the Space Needle!

3.) Find 3 Mentors - A bit of a miss...

This was the one goal that I didn't accomplish as much as I would have liked to. I had good intentions of contacting a former coworker to discuss work/life balance, but didn't really make the effort even though it would have been pretty easy, what with being Facebook friends and everything. I found a few blogs online where I connected with other female engineers including Tessa at Diary of a Working Mother who've I really enjoyed following and connecting with online (she's a fellow SWEster too which makes it even better!). I think this is a goal that I need to carry into 2012 and really really try to follow through with!

4.) Take a Class - ACCOMPLISHED

Right at the beginning of the year, I took a meditation class which was TOTALLY out of my comfort zone, but SO worth it. I then began to explore the mindfulness/body connection by taking yoga classes more regularly, including a Yoga for Fertility workshop. I've really fallen in love with Yoga and think that it has been the one thing that really helped bring about somewhat more calm in my life.

5.) Buy Stuff - ACCOMPLISHED

I'm really proud of myself for this one. The one big thing I wanted to buy this year was a new TV console (again evidence of the picture in my original goal post!) and buy a new media stand we did! The Hubs and I absolutely LOVE it!

We bought a new shower head, which was a long time coming, and something The Hubs and I are enjoying immensely! (Can I say twice a day showers when there is time?? Not exactly environmentally friendly, but oh so relaxing!)

I bought a new glider for the front porch.

And we started the process of making new curtains... Key word is started... That is a project we NEED to finish in 2012!

Whew... I accomplished a lot in 2011 (which is why it was my "word" of 2011!) and I have SO much to show for it! It makes me SO proud of myself!

I can't wait to see what next year holds!

Did you set goals for 2011?

How'd you do in accomplishing them??

#Weverb11 - Day 30 - Meditate & Day 31: Foresee

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Day 30: Meditate

Were you happy with who you were in 2011? Who do you want to be in 2012 and beyond?

Contributed by Kimberly Michelle [kimberlymichelle.com]

For the first time in a long time, I can actually say that I was happy with who I was in 2011. Just the other night, I was watching TV with The Hubs and sort of spaced out and thought to myself "Life is pretty good."

It's not like I have a perfect life or have everything that I could possible want or need, but in 2011 I felt fulfilled. Both at work (which hasn't happened in a LONG time) and at home.

In 2012, I want to continue to be happy. I want to accept the things that I can't control and choose to behave in positive ways in every situation. I want to be nicer and do more good for others.

Day 31: Foresee

Where do you hope to be on January 1, 2013

Contributed by Kaileen Elise [kaileenelise.com]

On January 1, 2013, I hope to be more well traveled, calmer/less anxious, and hopefully... hopefully on the road to parenthood. I know that that last thing is not something that I can control particularly, but I hope that I am able to accept whatever situation we are in and take whatever steps The Hubs and I feel comfortable with making in 2012 in order to make that dream come true.

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**Stay tuned for tomorrow, when I hope to share what I've accomplished in 2011 and Sunday for a new set of goals for 2012!**

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#Weverb11 Participants! If you've been participating in #Weverb11 and have enjoyed it as much as I have, please consider donating to the cause so we can have a #Weverb12 and beyond!

Donate here!

#Weverb11 - Day 28 - Pay it Forward & Day 29 - Gush

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Day 28: Pay it Forward

Describe a random act of kindness you benefited from in 2011. How will you pay it forward in 2012?

Contributed by Bella [bellaonthebeach.wordpress.com]

Is it sorta sad that I can't think of a specific random act of kindness...

I mean people have done plenty of nice things for me, but nothing totally random (like Bebe having water left out for her at a random house along her running route!).

So instead here are a few things people have done that I can think of...

Having Starbucks randomly brought to me at work by my bestie.
Having someone complement me on my writing and training at work.
Whenever The Hubs cleaned something up or did something that he knew I would really appreciate without me having to ask.

Next year, I would like to perform more random acts of kindness. Perhaps pay the toll on the bridge for the car behind me or get the coffee for the person behind me.

Day 29: Gush

Begin to create a plan for "My friends day out 2012" - tell us what you envision.

Contributed by Julie Jordan Scott [fivepassions.com]

I love my friends and would love to have a Girl's Day Out in 2012! Except for the fact that most of my friends will be very pregnant or with little ones for 2012...

But if I could do anything for a girl's day out, we would start out by hitting up Starbucks and getting a nice warm delicious coffee and pastry. Next we would head to the spa -preferably the Claremont Hotel and Spa in Berkeley. I had a Girl's Day Out in 2008 with a friend from grad school where we both ditched work and headed to the Claremont.

Image Source: Critical Thinking Community

It was AHH-mazing! The Claremont is beautiful and makes you feel really rich just being there. I got an hour long massage and an hour long oxygenated facial - both which were heavenly! Then we got to hang out in the spa all day and sit in the deluge (which makes your hair smell heavenly!).

After hanging out at the spa for most of the day, we'd go to my favorite sushi restaurant, Amakara, for a delicious early dinner. Their sushi rolls, especially the one they call Klondike Express is to DIE for!

The day would end at a wine bar, perhaps Residual Sugar or any other wine bar for that matter! It would be the opportunity to sit with a glass of wine and chat about our lives in lounge-like comfort.

Just writing about this wonderful day, is making me long for it! :-)

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#Weverb11 Participants! If you've been participating in #Weverb11 and have enjoyed it as much as I have, please consider donating to the cause so we can have a #Weverb12 and beyond!

Donate here!

#Weverb11 - Day 27: Spend

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Day 27: Spend

Where did your money go this year? Where do you want it to go in 2012?

Contributed by Kimberly Michelle [kimberlymichelle.com]

Both The Hubs and I are pretty good about saving money. We don't go on extravagant vacations or buy extravagant things. I think that a lot of our money goes to eating out or groceries, since we aren't very good about meal planning.

Our biggest purchases of the 2011 included our trip to Seattle and buying tickets for our trip to Vegas in 2012. The Vegas trip was especially expensive since the Garth Brooks tickets are $250 a pop! I'm sure it will be well worth it though!

We also purchased our TV console, which wasn't expensive, but still something we considered a "major" purchase.

Next year, I hope to spend money on one other vacation (I'm thinking maybe Chicago or Hawaii...). And if a bun finally inhabits my oven, I would like to invest in a new car, one where The Pup can be kept in the way back away from all passengers. My current crush is on the Toyota Highlander...

Image Source: Toyota

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Are you participating in #WEverb11? If not, go here for more info! It's an awesome way to reflect on last year and you'll meet tons of new people in the process! :-)

#Weverb11 - Day 26: Revive

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 17:34:00 +0000

Day 26: Revive

Share a favorite photo from the past year. What was happening behind the scenes? What were you thinking or feeling? What could you smell, taste, see, hear at that moment?

Contributed by Tara [twowishes.com]

This is one of my favorite pictures of the year. I call it "Sparkling Seattle".

The Hubs and I were on a tour of the city as viewed from Elliott Bay/Puget Sound. It was an amazing way to experience this beautiful city that both The Hubs and I had been wanting to visit for over three years.

The air was crisp and smelled like vacation. (Vacation to me smells like fresh pine trees and although I don't specifically recall smelling that while on the cruise, I do recall smelling it as we drove through the outskirts of Seattle. That's something you don't get in California unless you head to Lake Tahoe or up north to Mendocino or Humboldt County, well outside the city limits!)

I was feeling exciting and energized. I had just flown the furthest from home I had ever been. I was experiencing a new city with The Hubs. There's something wonderful about experiencing something for the first time with your spouse.

I could taste freedom.

The whole trip made me realize how limiting I was making my life by allowing fear to get the best of me. Fear of flying, fear of the unknown, fear of spending too much money...

All I have to do is look at this picture and know that I want to experience more new things with The Hubs. Hopefully 2012 will bring many more new adventures!

#Weverb11 - Day 24: Control & Day 25: Celebrate

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Day 24: Control

What did you finally let go of in 2011? What will you let go of in 2012?

Contributed by Julie Jordan Scott [fivepassions.com]

This year I finally let go of the work fiasco that happened last year and really feel like I was able to establish myself in my new position. It was one of the goals I had for 2011 and I think that I pretty much accomplished it.

Next year, I'm going to try to let go of constantly worrying about what the future will hold and to focus on the present and acceptance. I can only control my actions and attitudes to situations that arise. As far as I know, I am not psychic and can't predict the future, so why continue worrying. This is going to be especially difficult for me, but it's a work in process!

Day 25: Celebrate

What did you celebrate in 2011? Are you looking forward to any celebrations in 2012?

Contributed by Kaileen Elise [kaileenelise.com]

My favorite celebrations of 2011 were mostly of birthday milestones:

My Grandpa's 90th Birthday

My Sister's 21st Birthday

The Hubs's 30th Birthday

Rowan's First Birthday

Next year, I'm looking forward to celebrating my two best friends having babies. And I'm trying to look forward to my 30th birthday, although right now it just makes me feel old!

Happy Holidays!

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Sat, 24 Dec 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Hope you all have a fabulous holiday weekend! We'll be spending Christmas Eve with my family and Christmas Day with The Hubs's family, which is each families tradition. (Works out great for splitting time!)

I'll be around next week with some catch up #Weverb11 posts and maybe a few other things. Most bloggers are taking next week off, but I'm hoping to use the week to do MORE blogging! hehe :-) Plus I know some of you will be like me and by dying with all your favorite bloggers taking a hiatus!

See you next week! :-)

#Weverb11 - Day 22: Accomplish & Day 23: Grasp

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 23:16:00 +0000

Day 22: Accomplish

What is one thing you want to do before you bid adieu to 2011? How will you make it happen?

Contributed by Bella [bellaonthebeach.wordpress.com]

In this last week of 2011 that I thankfully have off from work, the one thing I want to accomplish is to finish watching the Oprah's Life Classes that I have saved on the DVR. I watched the first couple of weeks when they first came out and actively watched the show including taking notes! I'm all about learning and the life lessons Oprah is teaching ar every important to remember. I hope to then wrote blog posts like the one I wrote on Ego so that I can come fully circle and teach what I learned. It will be a great collection of thoughts and ideas that I will easily be able to go back to.

To make this happen, I plan on using the four days I will be home by myself to take some quiet time to watch and then reflect. It is going to be GLORIOUS! :-)

Day 23: Grasp

Describe something you actively engaged in learning this year.

Contributed by Katie [latteloveblog.com]

This year, I actively engaged in learning more about yoga and meditation. Early in the year, I stepped out of my comfort zone and took a meditation class where I explored what I might want to do in my career in the future. Then I began taking yoga classes more often, including the Yoga for Fertility class. I had done a ton of research regarding yoga previously, but it wasn't until this year where I really actively began learning and practicing.

#Weverb11 - Day 21: Ripple

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Day 21: Ripple

The butterfly effect posits that a small change can ripple across whole ecosystems. Who do you credit for the small action that made all the difference in your life this year?

Contributed by Zak [andrea-zak.com]

I think that having one of my best friends start working at my company really made all of the difference in my mood and attitude this year, both at work and at home. I'm no longer miserable at work, which translates into me being less moody at home.

Having someone to vent with, bounce ideas off of, get advice from has been so helpful. I think it has made me realize that I really wasn't alone in all the things I was feeling on the job and made me more confident in the decisions I make while at work. I was this.close. to finding something else, but now I seem to find more value in what I do and even though there are bad days, the lows aren't quite as low.

It's amazing what a friend can do!

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Are you participating in #WEverb11? If not, go here for more info! It's an awesome way to reflect on last year and you'll meet tons of new people in the process! :-)

Thankful Thursday - FINALLY Finished Gratitude Photo Challenge!

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 14:00:00 +0000

I know this is a bit late in coming, but I really wanted to finish the Gratitude Photo Challenge I started in November. I got a bit sidetracked with all the Weverb11 posts, so this project took a back seat.

But without further ado...

Day 25: Artwork

Saw these at Crate and Barrel and really liked them. I'm not much into abstract art, but I really like these different patterns. Wish they were smaller so I could put them in the bathroom. Guess I could always try to DIY it!

Day 26: Transportation

I had to use The Hubs car for the last two weeks while mine was in the shop. While I was very grateful to have it, I'm happy that today I finally got to pick my car up!

Day 27: Daily Routine

My daily morning routine once consists of catching up on blogs from the day before with a bowl of dry cereal and either tea or coffee. Probably one of my favorite parts of the day.

Days 28 & 29: Nighttime and Light

I combined these two because I really wanted to share a picture of how cute our house looks at night with all of the holiday lights on it! The Hubs did an awesome job of decorating the outside! Love him

Day 30: Self Portrait

I'm cheating here.... This isn't really self portrait, but it was a spontaenous picture that The Hubs took of me at a friend's 30th birthday at Campo di Bocce. I was quite surprise with how good it came out and it has some artistic flare! :-)

#Weverb11 - Day 19: Laugh & Day 20: Plug/Unplug

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Day 19: Laugh

Tell us about your biggest belly laugh in 2011?

Contributed by Julie Jordan Scott [fivepassions.com]

Although I can't think of a specific big belly laugh of 2011, there have been plenty of times filled with laughter in our house.

Some of my favorites are times when The Hubs and I are being silly, often time just before we go to bed at night. My husband is a pretty funny guy!

Or times when The Pup insists on taking MY spot on the bed. It is hilarious when I tell him to get off, he goes in his crate, I turn off the light about ready to hop into bed and there he is again in my spot! He thinks he is so sly! Guess that's what we get for snuggling up with him when he was an 8lb puppy!

Day 20: Plug/Unplug

How has technology affected your life (positively or negatively) in 2011? Do you want this to continue for 2012?

Contributed by Nodakademic [nodakademic.com]

Technology has both positively and negatively affect my life in 2011. Late last year is when I really got into blog and decided to start blogging myself. Finding time to blog is not easy, but I love the sense of accomplishment I feel when I hit Publish on a post I'm especially proud of. Between the blog and getting more involved with Twitter, I have found a lot of online friends who I can relate to and enjoy "spending my day" with.

I got my first Smartphone in May and since then I have been more connected then ever. I love being able to have an infinite amount of information at my finger tips and have the ability to talk to almost anyone I want at any time.

The negative of all this technology is that it is definitely becoming an addiciton. I can't go too long without checking Twitter or my Google Reader and there is a certain sunshiny feeling I get when I have a new mention or comment. The problem with this is that I find myself scanning my phone while trying to have a conversation with The Hubs, which annoys him (and rightfully so!).

I think for 2012, even though I want to continue to stay connected, I have to figure out when are the best times to plug in and tweet, blog, connect AND times to unplug and leave the phone in my purse untouched!

Favorite Holiday Ornaments

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 14:00:00 +0000

I thought it would be fun to share a few of my favorite holiday ornaments that adorn our tree.

The Hubs was very methodical in the ornaments he chose to put on the tree this year. He wanted the majority of them to have some meaning to us and our nuclear family. This meant as few hand me down ornaments as possible.

Here are a few of my favorites that made the cut!

Our Wedding Favor Ornaments

The Hubs made over a hundred of these ornaments in the weeks before our wedding so that we could hand them out at as favors. They turned out soooo cute and were a real hit with our guests. It is so fun to go to friends' and families' house and see our ornament on their tree. Every Christmas, they remember us while they are decorating! It was an awesome idea! :-) And two years later, they still look great!

Favorite Childhood Ornament

I LOVED this ornament when I was a kid. Not sure why. It was just one my parents got for me, but I always remember it being one of the most special. I think it may have been because it was sparkly, but who knows.

As The Hubs was putting the ornaments on the tree, he noticed that we both had bear ornaments from 1988. He decided to put them together on the tree! Aren't they cute!

Favorite Vacation Spot Ornament

We have a tradition of buying at least one ornament while we are traveling to remember the various vacation spots we have gone on. We have quite a few from Monterey, since we go there on vacation quite a bit, but this sparkly sand dollar one is my favorite! When it catches the light, it is sooo pretty!

Favorite Nostalgic Ornament

I bought this Cal Poly Alumni ornament when I graduated from Cal Poly in 2004. It became even more special when I reconnected with The Hubs, who also graduated from Cal Poly. Now it reminds us both of our college days and the place where in the end we found each other again!

What are your favorite holiday ornaments? Do you only put ornaments on your tree that are especially meaningful?

#Weverb11 - Day 17 - Discover & Day 18 - Teach

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 22:00:00 +0000

Image Source: We Heart It

Day 17: Discover

What did you discover (big or small) in 2011?

Contributed by Kaileen Elise [kaileenelise.com]

I discovered that having a friend at work every single day makes going to work so much more enjoyable. Penelope Trunk said this was the case, but now I know for sure.

It is so nice to have someone to commiserate with, complain with, eat lunch with, work out with, gossip with. It is awesome. Previously I used to only go out with a friend once a week and I would look forward to that day every week. Now I can look forward to every day! Well at least until she goes on maternity leave in May! I'll continue to enjoy it while I can!

Day 18: Teach

What lesson or advice were you able to pass on to others this year? Why was it important to share this information? (Or… what lesson would you like to pass on to others that read this?)

Contributed by Christy [macswain.tumblr.com]

The lesson I would like to pass on to others that read this is that if you aren't fulfilled in your current line of work that is no excuse to not TRY and find what you are passionate about. It is something I've read on many a personal development blog, but never truly put into practice.

In the beginning of this year, I was not happy with my current position at work. I didn't feel a sense of accomplishment or love of what I do. I was about ready to quit. So in order to have something to look forward to, I volunteered for events at the local high schools and community college where I spoke to students about the very job that I hated. It was AMAZING how excited I could get about something that on a daily basis made me annoyed, frustrated, and angry. I was passionate about talking to these students and helping them navigate the crazy world that is deciding what they want to actually be when they grow up. Telling them about my college experiences and all the things they have to look forward to.

So I took to heart all of what I was telling these students about the cool things I was doing and the things I was accomplishing and realized that what I'm doing isn't so bad. I am actually making a difference that I notice (even if no one else does.)

I will be continuing to mentor students in 2012 and already have a bunch of Outreach events planned for the beginning of the year that I am SUPER excited about.

Finding my passion outside of work, helped my find my passion at work. Everyone should find their passion! :-)

The Randomizer!

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 14:00:00 +0000

It's no secret I loved Weddingbee when I was planning my wedding and since I wasn't blogging while I was planning, I thought it would be fun to revisit it and share our special day with my new blog friends on our second anniversary.

Instead, of traditional recap posts, I decided to participate in Weddingbee's new Photo Randomizer Series. Basically, you pick 10 random numbers and associate them with 10 wedding photos, ones I may never have thought of sharing before. Then share a bit about what's shown in the photo.

Prior to our wedding, I spent a lot of time scrapbooking "The History of Us". I was really proud of the results so I wanted to display it at our wedding, so our guests could share in the fun. I also included the first picture of the two of us, back in 1999 and another of us during our engagement shoot in 2009, almost exactly 10 years later!

I can't even remember when I bought this "Sexy Little Bride" jacket from Victoria Secret. I may have even bought it before I was engaged so my friend Sarah could use it, but all the while secretly wanted to use it whenever it was my turn to get married. It was a fun addition to the day!

This is me putting on my super cute purple shoes that I had to have. My mom really didn't understand why I wanted to wear colored shoes on my wedding day. She thought traditional champagne colored would have been much more acceptable. She was not in the know of the new trends, which luckily I learned all about from Weddingbee!

Me and my Dad, taken in my parents' backyard!

Me and My Girls! :-)

This is one of The Hubs's mom putting on his boutonniere.

Here's us during our ceremony. If you look close enough you can see the result of a prank my dear husband's family played on him. Take a look at his shoes... they have "Send Help" written on them. Apparently, my husband's father had this happen to him, so it was somewhat of a tradition.... It was the cause of some snickering in the church and I must admit I was a bit annoyed about it, but in the end it became just another fun story to tell!

This is US with my sister, Kristina (Maid of Honor),best friend Sarah (Matron of Honor) and The Hubs's bro (Best Man).

One of the more interesting poses our photographers put us in...

Us listening to the Best Man's speech. It was pretty funny. Let's just say that he said we were meant for each other not because of our history, but because we both are not so good with cars. We both have an extensive history involving car accidents! hehe :-)

This was such a fun series to participate in! I kinda want to do it again!! Maybe next year! :-)

I think that you all should participate too. Find all the instructions here. Oh and post a comment if you do participate so that I can see your Wedding Randomized! :-)

#Weverb11 Day 16: Persevere

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 04:58:00 +0000

Day 16: Persevere

Describe something that disappointed you this year and how you perservered.

I think I was most disappointed about not getting pregnant this year. I mean, I knew it might be difficult, but didn't realize it would be so stressful (on both me and The Hubs). It's been especially disappointing when I'm surrounded by the cutest little ones or pregnant friends. Some times I have a good cry about it, but other times I persevere by telling myself my time will come.

It's sorta of reminding me of how I felt when it seemed like I was one of the last ones of my friends to get engaged or married. I never thought it would be my turn, but soon enough it was. I'm hoping it is the same way with a baby.

There was something my yoga teacher said during my last Yoga for Fertility practice. She said that there is a baby out there waiting for the perfect time to come to us. To use this time in my life to make parts of it better and ready for another to become part of our lives. I've been using this to persevere through every cycle of disappointment. To enjoy the life we have now.

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Are you participating in #WEverb11? If not, go here for more info! It's an awesome way to reflect on last year and you'll meet tons of new people in the process! :-)

#Weverb11 - Day 13: Read and Day 15: Surprise

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 18:48:00 +0000

Day 13: Read

What article or book changed outlook on an issue or life in 2011?

Contributed by Melinda [palindromeathome.com]

I've read a ton of blogs this year, but I think those who talked about their struggles with infertility helped me most this year. At some point I'll compile a list I can share... Knowing that I wasn't alone in the struggle is very comforting. I also relished in every infertility blog that turned into a baby blog because it gave me hope...

Day 15: Surprise

What event in 2011 affected you in an unexpected way?

Contributed by Kimberly Michelle [kimberlymichelle.com]

I think what surprised me most this year was my resolve to spontaneously (as much as I could possible do..which about a month is as spontaneous as it gets) planning vacations for The Hubs and I, even if it requires us flying somewhere. We obviously went to Seattle in September and just yesterday I made all the final plan for us to fly to Vegas in January. And if you know me, buying flights is one of my LEAST favorite things to do. Just pushing the submit button to purchase the flights makes my anxiety soar! Crazy town, I know!

#Weverb11 - Day 12: Thrive & Day 14: Breathe

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Day 12: Thrive

What was your healthiest habit in 2011? What would you like to change or do differently in 2012?

Contributed by Tonya [life-accomplished.com]

Day 14: Breathe

How did you make space + peace for yourself in 2011?

Contributed by Megan [everlastingpresent.com]

I decided to combine these two prompts because they both have the same answer.

YOGA.

I've done Yoga off an on for a few years by taking classes at my local 24 Hour Fitness. I have to say that even though I really enjoyed doing it, I was never very regular about it. I'd do it every once and awhile, when I thought about it.

This year (well the second half of this year), I was able to find a class in a time slot that works that I can make on a regular basis. When I first started going to this class, the teacher was just ok, so I wasn't that committed to it. Starting in the late summer/fall though, a new teacher started and she is AMAZING. Knowing she is going to be the teacher makes me want to go. It is awesome.

I also stepped out of my comfort zone and attended a Yoga for Fertility class (twice). The teacher here is wonderful as well. She's planning on having a weekly practice next year for fertility that I'm willing to spend the extra money on. And when I do get pregnant, I'm definitely signing up for her prenatal classes.

Now I not a yogi, but with the extra practice I've been doing I can feel my body changing. Not in a losing weight kind of way, but in how I hold myself and straighten my body during everyday activities. I am more aware. I adjust when needed. I focus on breathing...

Practicing yoga allows me the time and space to just be and breathe, which is something I definitely need to continue working on.

I've started making the decision to incorporate yoga into my daily life so that I continue to have this time for myself in 2012. I'm hoping that I can start a home practice so I don't have to always head out to a class to actually practice. I think this will help me to do yoga more regularly in 2012.
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Are you participating in #WEverb11? If not, go here for more info! It's an awesome way to reflect on last year and you'll meet tons of new people in the process! :-)

#WEverb11 - Day 11: Try

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 19:49:00 +0000

Day 11: Try

What 12 new things do you want to do/accomplish in 2012?
Contributed by Kimba [ultratrailgoddess.com]

I love lists like this. Simple, but so great for deciding what I want to focus on for the coming year. Last year, it was eleven things. I kept up with some of the eleven throughout the year, but failed with others. I may keep both that list and this list and use them as guides for what I want to do in 2012.

1.) Read more books and possibly join a book club. - For this one I was inspired by both Bella and Caitlin. I love to read books, but this year with the internet and my blog addiction, reading has kinda fallen by the way side. It might have been that I just haven't found the right books, but I don't think I have been making it a priority. I think find a book club would be a great way to meet new people and read awesome books.

2.) Practice yoga more regularly either in formal classes or at home.

3.) Take more pictures. - I know a lot of people are trying to take less pictures since they feel like it cuts into their actual living of life, but I would like to have one or two pictures from each event we go to. Just for memories sake.

4.) Bake more often. - This isn't necessarily good for the waist line, but there is something meditative about putting together just the right amount of ingredients and make something delicious. I can also share goodies with coworkers to share in the yummy goodness so that it isn't just The Hubs and I packing on the pounds.

5.) Make parent wedding albums. Two years late, but better late than never.

6.) Take a cooking class.

7.) Participate in more STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) Outreach events.

8.) To be more loving. - I get grumpy very easily and usually my poor husband takes the brunt of it.

9.) Take The Pup on more walks.

10.) Finish hallway picture project with Wedding Pictures - ala Bower Power

11.) Clean out garage (for reals this time.) - I will need some support from The Hubs on this.

12.) To stay calm. - This is an ongoing thing I'd like to accomplish that thus far I have not been to successful at. I typically go from happy to crying in 10 seconds flat if something around me goes not as I expected. I talk to myself and work myself up into a frenzy.

#WEverb11 - Day 9: Appreciate & Day 10: Create

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 19:12:00 +0000

I've been thinking about both of these prompts for days... You wouldn't think they would be that hard, but alas they are....

Day 9: Appreciate

In which moment did you find yourself flooded with gratitude? How will you rally around gratitude in 2012?

Contributed by Megan [everlastingpresent.com]

I am most appreciative of The Hubs, my family and friends. Although I can't think of a specific moment where because of them I was flooded with gratitude, it is more of an underlying feeling that I have every day. I notice it most when I'm acting crazy or emotional and I can't see how anyone can even love me with the way I'm acting and yet they still do.

The latter part of this year, I started making a point of weekly coming up with five things that I was grateful for and posting it on "Thankful Thursday". This really helped me to focus on what I had and not on what I don't have. I hope to continue this in 2012 as my way of rallying around gratitude. I hope that this practice will become so natural that I will become more appreciative in my daily life...even for the little things.

Day 10: Create

Share a creative project you undertook this year (art, writing, DIY, cooking, home decoration, crafts, photography … whatever comes to mind). How do you use your creativity to express yourself?

Contributed by Tara [twowishe.com]

So I feel like I haven't really been that creative this year. I stopped scrapbooking because I could never find the space or time to focus on it. I didn't even take many photos to scrapbook if I did find the time (something I wish I would do more of...). I did try a few new recipes that actually worked out for once, although I didn't really create them from scratch so I don't feel like they count. I did continue with this blog and although some creativeness comes into it, mostly it is just me putting down my thoughts. I've tried to be creative in the layout of the blog and such, but not knowing much about html, I can never figure out how to get things to look they way I want!

The one thing that I think I did create this year is moments. I'm the designated family planner, so typically it's up to me to decide on places to go and invite all of my family to come with us. Although it can sometimes be stressful (the people-pleaser in me wants EVERYONE to be happy), I know that everyone appreciates it. This year, the family (both mine and The Hubs's) went to see Keith Urban again for the 3rd time. Tonight we are all heading on our 2nd annual trip to ride the Train of Lights in Sunol/Niles. And in January, we are all going to see Cal take on Stanford in the basketball.

I hope that next year I can find the time to participate in more creative outlets.

#WEverb11 - Day 8: Choose

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 17:40:00 +0000

So I know I need to finish up my Gratitude Photo Challenge from November, along with a Thankful Thursday post, and I do plan on doing that, but I don't want to get too far behind on #WEverb11 or I'll have trouble catching up! :-) (Says girl who is already way behind with the photo challenge!)

Day 8: Choose

What was the biggest choice you made in 2011? What caused you to choose what you chose?

Contributed by Melissa [53blonde.com]

So there are some really obvious big choices we made this year, including our week-long trip to Seattle and officially getting help to TTC, but since I've sorta used those for basically every #WEverb11 post thus far, I'm going to go a different route. Instead, I'm going to do something similar to Hemborgwife and write about of few smaller decisions I made throughout the year that came to the forefront of my mind when I saw this prompt, and thus MUST have made an impression on my this year.

This year I chose to...

1.) Continue Blogging. I made the decision end of last year to start blogging and this year I made the decision to CONTINUE blogging. I must say that even though I LOVE doing it, it is NOT easy (as evidence of the lack of posting during the summer months). But it is so rewarding to be able to record what I'm feeling with even the remote possibility of me connecting with others regarding what I'm writing.

2.) Set specific goals. - Funny that I've never actually explicitly done this in the past before, but participating in #Reverb10 last year and watching others blog about their goals for the year made me want to do the same. And to be honest, it was INCREDIBLY successful! Most of my major goals I was able to accomplish in one form or another. The ones I fell off the wagon with were the ones that I didn't regularly blog my progress on. So next year, I'll be making the decision to try to do monthly updates on where I am with my goals. I tried to do that this year, but again didn't make it a priority. Seeing how well it worked this year though, encourages me to do it next year!

3.) Make our house a home (after two years!). - Even though I'm not much of a decorator, I made a point of buying some pieces for the various rooms of our house in order to make them feel more complete, warm and cozy It's made such a difference.

Here are some shots from living room and the porch...

Before


After

Before


After

I'm sure I've made a million more decisions this year, but this is all for now!

#WEverb11 - Day 7: Travel

noreply@blogger.com (Jen) — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Day 7: Travel

Where did you travel this year? What was your favorite part? If you didn’t get to travel, where do you want to go next year?
Contributed by Allison [hisbirdiesnest.blogspot.com]

This year we went on a couple of weekend getaways to Monterey to see Jerry Seinfeld for The Hubs's 30th birthday and San Luis Obispo just because it is the Happiest City in the America (and our former college town and where my sister goes to school). These were great trips because they weren't too far away and in the case of the latter, totally spontaneous.

Our main trip was to Seattle, which was by far the best of the year and which I have recapped to death on the blog, so I won't bore you with those details again. We LOVED it! Enough said!

As for 2012, we don't yet have a major vacation planned, but we are in the midst of planning a quick weekend jaunt to Vegas for The Hubs to something off his bucket list.

So we are heading here...

Image Source: Vegas Bottle

To see him...

Image Source: Graphics Hunt

And because it works out, this guy too!

Image Source: Paisley On the Web

I'm pretty excited about it, although I'm not looking forward to the flight in and out of Vegas which I'm sure you all know is QUITE bumpy. Not good for this shaky flier!

I'm still looking forward to it though!