Baked turkey roast with fresh garlic

I don't want to forget how I made this amazing delish turkey roast for supper this evening, so this is more of a note to self than anything. :)

I bought a 3-lb butterball turkey roast, with light and dark meat.

After it was thawed, I seasoned the turkey, top and bottom, with seasoning salt and onion powder and laid it on a bed of fresh garlic (5-6 cloves, cut up) and olive oil in a 8x8 glass baking dish. I drizzled some more olive oil on top, covered it with tinfoil, and put it in the oven at 325*. After an hour and a half at 325, the internal temp of the turkey was just about 170*, which I've read is standard for making sure it was done. After that, I took the tinfoil off, turned the oven up to 350, and left it in there another half hour.

The skin of the turkey got just a bit crispy, but the inside was still very moist and tender... perfect!

It honestly tasted like delicious fried chicken. Mmm.

The good thing was, we both chowed down (I believe we ate nearly half the 3-pound roast between the two of us!), so we both had stinky garlic breath. :)

Yum. Plenty of leftovers, too. I'll definitely be making that again! And then I'll take some pics too. hah.

Happy holidays!

Nothing says happy holidays like a couple snapshots, right?? :)

Call it busy, lazy, or just plain un-motivated, we didn't get around to having a professional session. For the shot of us, photo credit belongs to my lovely mother-in-law, and the card was designed by yours truly.

I sent these out yesterday, so this post might be a bit premature. Oh well.

Enjoy!

Oh man.

I need to make this.

http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/breakfastbrunch/pumpkin-breakfast-cake/

Chuckle.

I got a few laughs out of this today:

****** 20 ADULT TRUTHS ******

1. Sometimes I’ll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.
2. Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you’re wrong.
3. I totally take back all those times I didn’t want to nap when I was younger.
4. There is great need for a sarcasm font.
5. How the heck are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?
6. Was learning cursive really necessary?
7. Map Quest really needs to start their directions on #5. I’m pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.
8. I can’t remember the last time I wasn’t at least kind-of tired.
9. Bad decisions make good stories.
10. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren’t going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.
11. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blue Ray? I don’t want to have to restart my collection…again.
12. I’m always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten-page technical report that I swear I did not make any changes to.
13. I keep some people’s phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.
14. I think the freezer deserves a light as well.
15. I disagree with Kay Jewelers; I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Light than Kay.
16. I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.
17. How many times is it appropriate to say “What?” before you just nod and smile because you still didn’t hear or understand a word they said?
18. I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars team up to prevent a jerk from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers and sisters!
19. Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty, and you can wear them forever.
20. Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, finding their cell phone, and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey – but I’d bet everyone can find and push the snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time, every time.
    

Taken from this great new blog I found: Iowa Girl Eats (http://iowagirleats.com/2011/11/08/10-ways-to-deal-with-stress/)

If you decide to head over there, you are hereby warned: it IS possible to spend 2+ hours on her blog. :)

Interesting video...

 We're all on a nutritional journey, I understand that. We find thoughts and ideas that make sense to us, until we stumble upon something different that opens up new ideas and thoughts.

 Now some of you may have heard about the Paleo Diet, or the hunter-gatherer lifestyle, or primal-eating-something-or-other. I've been curiously delving into different websites, blogs, and Facebook pages of doctors, Cross Fit enthusiasts, and people who have turned to this lifestyle who have tried everything before landing on this.

I'm not sure yet where my stance is on everything, but it's exciting to research and learn about new things. I do seem to agree with many of the points, but think I'll just keep researching and reading for now.

With that being said, I might post some different links to articles or videos I find interesting, such as this one.

http://chriskresser.com/the-saturated-fat-myth-debunked-in-two-minutes-and-thirty-five-seconds

The concept that fat does NOT make you fat is still one I'm working my brain around. All the science makes sense, but we've been so ingrained to believe that the way to get healthy is to cut fat! We've also been so trained to believe that if you have high cholesterol, the last thing you want to do is eat fat.

This is another article about that very thing: http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/why-skim-milk-will-make-you-fat-and/

Anyway, this is all still very new to me, but hopefully you'll bear with me as I share some of the things that I come across! :)

Almond flour recipes

Okay, so this is more of a post for me. These are a few almond flour recipes from Mom, and I didn't want to lose them. :)

Almond Pancakes
Serves 2

Ingredients:
1 cup almond flour
2 eggs
1/4 cup sparkling water
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon honey

Directions:
Combine all the ingredients and cook as you would other pancakes. Since there's no wheat flour, and thus no baking powder to leaven the wheat, they won't bubble on top the way regular pancakes do. Watch them closely and flip when the underside is lightly golden.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Almond Quick Bread
Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients:
3 1/2 cups almond flour
3 eggs
1/4 cup melted butter
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup yogurt
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a loaf pan by spraying it with cooking spray. Combine all ingredients, mixing well. Pour into the prepared loaf pan. Bake 45 to 50 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Let cool completely in the pan before slicing and serving.

Hel. lo.

Wowza.

Hormones and Cravings.

How do hormone changes affect food cravings? For women, these cravings can be more intense than for men. Hormonal changes tied to the menstrual cycle are often a cause of cravings. Immediately prior to the menstrual period, the body's estrogen level drops, as does the serotonin level in the brain.

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter , or brain chemical, that plays a role in maintaining a relaxed feeling. When the level decreases, irritability and mood swings increase as does the craving for carbohydrate- and fat-rich foods such as chocolate, cookies, cake, potato chips, and roasted nuts. There is nothing wrong with eating a piece of chocolate, of course, but when chocolate and other craved foods become the mainstay of the diet and healthier choices get overlooked, then the cravings have gotten out of control and health may be compromised.

(http://www.faqs.org/nutrition/Ca-De/Cravings.html)

Yeah. I'm feeling it. For the past few days... why else would a sane person eat straight up salsa with a spoon?? Argh!

Today.

Today has been an interesting day...

Yesterday left me feeling discouraged in myself from a variety of different things. My negative conversation, my eating for the day (Red Lobster and Olive Garden in the same day plus a Starbucks and maybe even a teaspoon of ice cream with chocolate sauce.. insanity!), my emotions. Ugh. I was already thinking about being alone for the remainder of the week, with just my dog for company.

I woke up this morning, excited to see the sun shining. It quickly disappeared, though, and negative thoughts filled my brain. About yesterday, mostly.

But, we've heard a lot recently about our "daily task," and that thought crossed my mind as I got ready for the gym. I felt really strongly that my daily task for today was to feel thankful. Thankful.

So in the car, I began to make a mental list of all the things that I am thankful for. Yes. This sounds trite and overused. Especially in this month that's supposed to revolve around thankfulness.. or is it revolving around holiday preparation, retail sales, and crazy mall drivers?! Heh. Goodness.

After just 10 minutes of thinking about all that I was thankful for, my mood had changed. My complete mental status had changed. I became thankful for the fact that I was even privileged enough to get to spend time with my family/friends and being able to dine out at restaurants. I was grateful that my incredibly loving husband has a job that supports our little family well, and allows me to work from home. I was thankful for fellowship with such a wonderful group of people.

The list went on... the love and support from my family and my second family (otherwise known as in-laws :D), my health and strength, my business, my clients that have been soo supportive, and even things like the house we own and the cars we drive. Random little things that make me feel like I live a luxurious life (like my iPhone, my training sessions, the coffee I drink in the mornings).

I even was thankful for my dog, even though I found another intentional "accident" on the floor this morning. I suppose that's what I get for being home for a total of 10 minutes in 12 hours. :)

I'll be the first to admit that I'm not a positive person. Determined, yes. Optimistic, no. However, I still can't get over how my entire day changed after adopting this attitude! My stop at Verizon (which by the way, the best time to visit is right after they open on a Monday morning), workout at the gym, short grocery stop, and everything after that has been... improved, I guess is a good word.

So, I've had a very productive day... mostly mentally. :)

--------------------------------------------------------------------

On a side note, I made up my lunches for the next... 2 weeks? I don't know if I've ever shared this on here, but this trick has been instrumental in keeping my food log decent.

I make my own "taco salad" every day. I make up turkey burger and brown rice ahead of time, and then warm up a bit of each every day. I add spinach, cottage cheese, and salsa, mix, and devour. ;)

Well, today I took some pics for ya'll.. I know. I'm sweet like that.

I like to make my own seasoning rather than use taco seasoning.. have you seen the salt and msg in those?! These are the ingredients I use... I like it super spicy, and I'm actually going to be phasing the salsa mix out, but using up a few packets that I have left. Ahh, cumin. I could live on it. You might remember my little love affair with "Mexican" style foods from this post about my amazing enchiladas.

I always start the brown rice first since it takes so long to cook. I use a mixture of long grain and short grain because I like the different textures. Honestly, I like the short grain better, but figure the long grain might have some better health benefits..? I don't really know.

A little trick I learned online... somewhat saute the spices, rice, and oil before adding water. Apparently this seals in some of the flavor. I typically use safflower or grapeseed oil. Just have your water ready to pour in, as it doesn't take long for the spices to burn.

When you pour in the water, you'll think that you've wrecked your pan forever. I haven't yet.

I always stir it after it gets to a boil again.. and then cover and simmer for 45-55 minutes. Apparently you're not supposed to stir it at all in between that time. I guess I over-anal, though, so I always give it a good stir at least once towards the middle of the time.

Meanwhile, I start the turkey burger (I buy the ground turkey breast vs. the regular ground turkey. I don't know why.) and get that cooked. Then I pretty much add the same spices to the turkey.

I usually add a little water to help the spices get evenly spread out, and then just cook the water off. That doesn't take long.

Then I separate that into a few dishes (one to freeze, one to refrigerate), wash dishes, drink my coffee, check my facebook, and then my rice is done!

A non-flash image of the rice.

Mm. I'm getting hungry again just looking at this. Then I separate that into freeze and refrigerate dishes, wash my pan (and my stove top... I don't profess to have tidy cooking skills!), and I'm good to go for about 2 weeks!

This has really helped me keep my lunches the same (which by the way, you have to really enjoy what you eat when you're not eating as much) and regulate my intake throughout the day.

These are a few random things that get me through the day, too... I just find I have to count out my serving before I start eating. ;)

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Anyway, this has been a long post. But one more random photo:

I'm starting to get some "guns" and muscle tone in my shoulders.. But I got a nasty bruise this morning from these hanging straps when I do a "toes-to-bar." You're supposed to hold onto the pullup bar and swing your legs up, while keeping them straight, to get your toes to the bar.

I've been doing these with straps, though, because my grip lasts about 8.7 seconds. So your elbows go in the straps, and you do it that way.

Guess I'll have to do them the real way from now on!! :P

This is what a toes-to-bar is supposed to look like:

Last post... July 28. Hm. Wonder if anyone still checks this thing? :)

I've been busy. The summer flew by amid a flurry of photography, and well, photography. :) This last week was the week for consultations and booking weddings, and I'm happy to say next year is booking up!

The latest and most recent thing/milestone in my life has been weight loss...

These are some awful pictures from last Thanksgiving (2010). Shield your eyes. Leave them small.

Now, less than a year later (well, only since February), 40-lbs lighter, and 14% less body fat, this is me:

Everyone always wants to know what I'm doing... like losing weight is a big secret. It's not. It's the opposite of gaining weight: eating less, working out more, and hard work. I saw this on a bumper sticker last week: Winners find a way. Losers find excuses.

I attribute a lot of the credit to my trainer... lots of hours logged at the gym, 6 days a week. Plus a detailed food log.

Still struggling a little with where to go from here. I'd like to keep losing, but more than anything, I'd like to keep toning and trimming fat. I'd rather gain weight with muscle, so I can keep lifting. Hah, who'd ever think that would come out of my mouth! So my next short-term goal is another -5lbs, which I think is very do-able. Plus I have several lifting goals... one of which is to get some tougher calluses. :)

I firmly believe in rewards.. that don't include ice cream and chocolate! hah! For my -40, I got myself a pair of new boots (withOUT heels, since I'm still not wearing shoes with heels), a new purse, and some new workout clothes. Must have fit me better than my saggy baggy ones, because I had a comment from this sweet gal in the locker room about how great I looked. She's super nice, and I've talked to her a few different times since I've started going to the gym.

In other news, not too ecstatic about the coming of winter... It's getting colder, and the gray, rainy days get pretty long, even though they're short. I used to look forward to winter for a few reasons, but most of those were about eating... turkey, stuffing, pumpkin pie, apple cider. I guess leather boots don't really have anything to do with eating, thankfully.

However, I am looking forward to the "slow" season of photography... finally going to get caught up on all my album design! Plus, start preparing promo pieces and marketing efforts for next year, reviewing my workflow, and other little projects I've been saving on my master list.

Not a whole lot else going on, really... :)

------------------------

And a little note to self, just because I don't ever want to lose this recipe. These are delicious Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Cookies:

2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 5-ounce package Ocean Spray® Craisins® Original Dried Cranberries
2/3 cup white chocolate chunks or chips

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Using an electric mixer, beat butter or margarine and sugar together in a medium mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, mixing well. Combine oats, flour, baking soda and salt in a separate mixing bowl. Add to butter mixture in several additions, mixing well after each addition. Stir in dried cranberries and white chocolate chunks.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack.

Makes approximately 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

Whew.

This is why you haven't seen me around here in a while.

Heh.

Yesterday, I told my trainer "You must hate my shoulders.... that's okay. The feeling is mutual."

:P

Hello?

Don't know if anyone reads this blog anymore... I certainly don't give a person any reason to, that's for sure!

Anyway, just a quick story for today.

I usually train with my trainer on Thursdays, but it won't work out tomorrow. So we set up a time on Friday, and he told me to take tomorrow off. (I know, what?!)

I calculated this in my head. Thursday off, Friday on, Saturday off, Sunday off, Monday (hopefully) on. That's a lot of days off when I'm used to having only Sunday for a rest day.

So I told him the only way I would take BOTH Thursday and Saturday off would be if he promised me a workout on Friday so intense that it requires a day of rest before and after to prep and recover.

Heh. We'll see how Friday goes. And see if I'm still sore by Monday!

Since I always notice the little things, here's a few things that brightened my days this week:
-I can see daylight under my ring again... yay for skinny fingers!
-I caught a glimpse of my collarbone this morning... I thought for sure that was gone forever!
-After nearly a month off for my legs to heal, I completed my second day of running intervals today. Score!

And in news NOT related to me working out:
-I think we're settled on a car and will be picking it up this weekend. Lots of driving, but fortunately J and I have our best conversations while driving/riding. :) Road trip with the hubby... bring it on!
-Turbs has been especially cute lately. (What else is new?!)
-Business is picking up with the summer season FINALLY arriving. Hello, sun! Hello, 85*! Missed you!


Ps. There's a guy at the gym who I seriously double-take every time I see him. Why? He looks exactly like one of the main characters off of the show Prison Break, maybe a smidge less chiseled. If I was sure I could take a picture of him without being noticed, I would..

New York trip | June 2011

Yes. No.

Yes. I'm still here.

No. I don't ever really feel like I have much to say.

Yes. Business is going well. Enough, anyway. :)

No. Sometimes, I don't feel like doing anything. Still. Even though I have mounds of stuff to do.

Yes. I'm still working out.

No. This isn't supposed to make sense.

Yes. I'm excited for my first wedding of the season this coming weekend.

No. I don't have my calendar filled for the summer.

Yes. I'm thinking of offering a summer/fall wedding promotion for my open weekends. Should I? Isn't it better to shoot and get paid to cover only your expenses, rather than doing house/yard-work that Saturday? I suppose.

We'll see.


No. Hubby didn't end up going to New York for 2 weeks their emergency job this round. Maybe the next round.

Yes. I am beyond happy and overjoyed he's home, even though the $$ would be nice.


No. It's not warm outside.

But.

Yes. It is sunny!

I know.

I've turned into one of "those" people.

But isn't she adorable? :)

Hmm.

I'm addicted to listening to the hamster dance while working out. It's nearly perfect tempo for one of my elliptical machines I use.

Needless to say, I usually hide my phone screen so no one happens to see what I'm listening to. Heh.


Apparently I can't embed this one, so here's the link.

http://youtu.be/p3G5IXn0K7A

Sorry.

Guess I haven't been too present on here lately.

Things have been.. okay, I guess. Seems like my mind is a dark and dreary place most days. Crazy how we can have days and days of feasting, and a person can still feel an emptiness inside.

I've had a few highlights though, like booking a few weddings for next year (happy dance) and meeting one of my short term weight goals. Now, if I can just leave the chocolate alone. Actually, I wish that was my only problem food. :)

Got my first of three senior photo mailings ready to go out in the mail tomorrow. Have a family-ish session Friday, which I'm super looking forward to. Will be nice to test out my new camera. 5D Mark II, anyone? :) Then I have another session on Saturday morning in a client's unique home that has a 14-foot textured, plaster willow tree on a wall. After the in-home consultation I had today with her, I'm convinced it really will be awesome. The tree is beautiful. We'll have the family up on scaffolding to get more of the tree in the images, and I'll, of course, be breaking out my lights again and having some fun. Posing a group of 10 on scaffolding? I'm terrified. Look for pics because you sure won't want to miss it.

Hubby got a bike recently... nothing fancy. I'm sure he's disappointed about how slow it is. However, it was cheap, and we'll be saving mega $$ in gas if the weather ever warms up for him to drive it to work.

And a random. I was in the sauna after my workout today... there was a lady in there dabbing herself with a towel and spritzing herself with perfume. Dab, spritz, dab, spritz. Hello. You're in a sauna. You're going to sweat. Get over it.

See you in.. a month? ;) Who knows. Goodness, I don't have motivation for anything.

I love vacation.

But I love coming home.

Here's what was waiting for me:
1. My husband
2. My pupper
3. My amazing coffee and creamer


Sigh. And I've been enjoying all three. :)

Oh, also Baseman Studios, of course! The bridal show yesterday in Appleton was great! Met loads of wonderful brides, have 7 consultations scheduled this week, and can't wait to continue my marketing efforts.


Pics coming... uhm. soon. I guess. :)

Oh, and my trainer took a 'promotion' at a different branch of Gold's. Looks like I'll be switching gyms... and having my training sessions at 7 in the morning. Eep!

Yesterday.

I got up from the couch where I was reading yesterday morning, to go talk to Joel quick. When I got back, my coffee had been drained a little! Crazy dog! Climbed up onto the end table from the couch and was helping herself.

Today's top stories.

I, uhm, completely forgot where I put my stuff at the gym this morning... spent about 10 minutes looking through all the lockers for it.

About 10 minutes before that, I pulled a muscle. In my butt. Ouch! Must be the squatting during painting the last couple of days combined with the split squats I was doing at the time. It kills to go up stairs now.

I bought curtains last night for our bedroom in the clearance aisle at Walmart. Why now? Because I'd like my blankets/throws back now. ;)

Yesterday, I spent almost 2 hours trying to copy music onto my phone for working out. Worked with the sync, etc. Today, I got the great idea to simply take my media card out, plug it into the computer, and copy the songs on. Took 5 minutes. Heh.

Very excited for our new renter to move in next week. I've been cleaning and painting next door to get ready. Dubbed "rabbit girl" by us throughout the whole process, she's a 25-year old who's never called in sick to her job... that she's had since she graduated college. She came to the showing with her completed application and a folder of information. She's already signed the lease, paid the deposit, and first month's rent. LOVE it! I love it when people are more organized than I am! Which some days, doesn't take much. Still.

Excited for company Friday night. :) Glad for the panic motivation that helps me to get the house clean.

Also excited for a photo session Saturday... can't wait to give K some squeezes! Excited to get my camera out again too. It's been too long!

Now, off to do some more cleaning. And hip stretches... ow.

The Hidden Blessing

I sat down to play some hymns before our Bible study tonight. As I was flipping through the pages, this title jumped out at me. 'The Hidden Blessing.'

Hadn't ever played that one before. I started to sight read through it, and it wasn't long before I was in tears, unable to play. What a beautiful message there is about the hidden blessing.



"When deep distress and sorrow weigh upon me,
My Savior gives me courage for to see;
In every thorn that's scattered o'er my pathway,
Some hidden blessing for eternity.

And when I wait upon the God of Heaven,
On eagle's wings I rise above it all;
Then I shall run and not be weak or weary,
I'll walk His way and neither faint nor fall.

--

The hour of pain and suffering oft produces,
What we would miss if all were calm and fair;
As spices left unbroken have no savour,
But crushed and bruised, their fragrance fills the air.

And in the mountain where the tempest rages,
Roots of the oak strike deeper to endure;
So shall the storms that beat across life's pathway,
Just help to set my purpose more secure.

--

Oh, Master, give me grace to bear the burden,
And not to shrink from suffering meant for me;
But grant the faith and patience for accepting,
Whate're it takes to bring me nearer Thee.

Could I but see that in the darkest hour,
There is a precious opportunity;
For that's the hour by graciously enduring,
My spirit can bring glory unto Thee."

This is a start.

At least I've read through my followed blogs for the last, oh, month.

We'll see about posting later. Maybe if the dishes fairy stopped by.

This one's for Mary. :)

Well, this is the most news-worthy thing I can think of that's happened recently.

Due to Joel smashing the front end on our old truck, we had to get a different one.

I'm just glad it wasn't a 4-wheeler accident, there weren't any helicopters, or $50,000 hospital stays. ;)

Good hair days.

Hello, random!

I remember one day in Iowa having a super terrible migraine, but going to work anyway. Why? Because I was having a good hair day! They're not that common.... Don't like to waste 'em laying around in bed! My mistake was mentioning that to my supervisor, who then announced it at our sales meeting that morning. :P

So. Does anyone else do this? Take pics of your hair?

This is just a very slight few from the past 2-3 years. My entire collection is rather enormous.

Waterloo apartment.. yay!

Hellooo, weird face.

This was a fun one.

Normal one.

If it would stay like that, I'd wear it down more.

Another fun one... don't wear my glasses often, either.

My fatal flaw.

Heh, as if I only have one. :)

I'm usually different around people than when it's just me or the hubby and I at home. There. I said it. It's like I have multiple personalities or something.

I've been thinking about this for awhile now, ever since an older worker came up to me at Marion last year and asked me if I was a happy person. I'm sure my puzzled look forced him to clarify. He said he took notice the first few days of convention that I was always smiling, laughing, and having a great time chatting between meetings. I think my exact words were, I guess! Plus, I love convention, so it's easy to be super happy there. :)

I grew up in a household where personalities were discussed quite a bit (thanks, Mom and Dad! :D), so I've been aware of different personalities for quite awhile... which drives Hubby nuts! Anyway, I guess I strive to come across to people as relaxed, laid-back, chatty, amiable, and super-friendly. Whatever goes..

Someone mentioned they were studying personality types a while back, so I asked them to analyze me. They had a name for it which I don't remember... but essentially, they thought I was the laid-back, have fun, social type. I believe I laughed in their face. Sorry, if you're reading this... and you recognize yourself. ;)

However, I see myself as detail-driven, slightly withdrawn, and not super-social. A perfectionist in some areas, and a realist in most things. I do enjoy being around people, but I definitely need my alone times. Thankfully, Hubby is more than welcome in my alone time. haha. In my own element, I'm fairly set in my ways, hate change or last-minute decisions, and am quite stubborn.

They say opposites attract, which turned out exactly true in my case. I intensely admire Hubby because he is the exact same around every single person.

I don't know how to do that.

On one hand, people might see this as "putting on a show" or being deceptive.

However, I guess that's how I am... and I look at it as a benefit in some ways. Admit it, no one likes being around those personality types like I actually am. That's why people like Hubby are the center of the party.

It's a huge plus for talking and chatting with clients.. and honestly, being with people draws me out of my little funk for awhile. I do love people, really. But when I hang up the phone or leave a consultation, I revert "back to myself."

It's great for this showing the duplex/rental process. I can be genuinely sweet, honest, and nice when they come to look at the plexer. Then when they leave, I can sit down, analyze things, and come to a realistic conclusion (obviously with Hubby).

It's also pretty nice for having company over... especially for workers. :) Honestly, it's such a joy to have people over, and I'm pretty relaxed about people in our home.

But get me out of my routine too long, and relaxed, care-free Mariah disappears pretty quickly.



Do I have a conclusion? Not really.

Just know that I'm not being fake, honestly. When I'm happy to see you, it's the real deal.


And, aren't I lucky to have Hubby?! :) Last-minute decisions? Spontaneous? Happy? Carefree (mostly)? Of course. He really is the ying to my yang. :)

2010 Wrap-up

1. What did you do in 2010 that you'd never done before?
Started an official business. Left my "office" job.

2. Did you keep your New Years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I usually don't make New Years resolutions.. it's a crutch people lean on. Rather, I do goal-setting throughout the year. heh.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Well, no sisters or sisters-in-law. Some ladies in the extended family did. :)

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Grandpa Baseman

5. What countries did you visit?
USA. Hah.

6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?
More self confidence in standing up for myself and my business.
Clients, in general. ;)

7. What date from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
1.4.10. The day of Joel's accident. Ironically, 1 year from today exactly. That's the first time in my life I've ever truly lost my appetite.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Getting my business up and running... including an official business plan. And my weddings. Looove my weddings. :)

9. What was your biggest failure?
Hard to say. I'm pretty tough on myself. This year has taught me a lot of lessons about planning ahead, planning for the unexpected, valuing myself, my talent, and the hard work it's taken to get where I am now.

On a lighter note, my addiction to coffee. :)

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Not me personally. Wait. I had that thing with the heart operation... WPW syndrome. I'm all good now.

11. What was the best thing you bought?
Whooeee. My lens. 24-70mm 2.8L. Love it. Also my recent purchase of CS5, as well as all my computer upgrades this year. Totally worth it... I love Win7!

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
My cousin, Karlene. The relationship we've created over the last 10 months has by far exceeded what I've ever expected in a relative, friend, and client. Thank you from the bottom of my heart; you have no idea how much I appreciate you and our time together! You've been incredible to get to know! :)

Also, my husband. He lives with me every day and still loves me to death. :D

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Oh, you mean the situation that caused my heart to pound, sleep to fail me, and ruined my appetite for Annie's Organic mac'n'cheese? ;) We won't go there.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Sheesh. Everywhere. Bills, mostly. Loans. This year was big for medical bills.. Food, supplements, computer equipment/software/etc... My business. ;)

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
The surprise Joel planned for my birthday.
Business marketing and planning. Sad, but true.
Also, being able to tackle things head on, money-wise.
I get really excited about date nights with my hubby. :)

16. What song will always remind you of 2010?
Probably that Celtic Woman one, "Fields of Gold." Makes me think of Georgia, the lake house, being in the boat, and hanging out with Suz. :) Brings back happy memories.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Happier, yet more realistic. Maybe stoic.
ii. thinner or fatter? Heh. I think about the same for once.
iii. richer or poorer? Feel richer, but as numbers go, I'm not sure. Maybe secure is a good word.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Reaching out to others.
Laughing.
Singing.
Breathing.
Preparing.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Whining.
Complaining.
Nagging.
Worrying.

20. How did you spend Christmas?
My family! Eating, playing games, and laughing, of course.

22. Did you fall in love in 2010?
It's funny. Seem to be deeper in love with every day passing... how does that work?! If it keeps getting better, being old must rock... love wise. :)

23. How many one-night stands?
365. With the same man. ;)

24. What was your favorite TV program?
The Office, How I Met Your Mother, Modern Family, Grey's, Private Practice

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Who actually "hates" people?

26. What was the best book you read?
I don't think I read a single book this year. How sad... I used to read 2-3 books a week!

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Celtic Woman. Hands down. Plus I love that I found The Dimes and Wiretree through Animoto.

28. What did you want and get?
My business.
I'm a pretty determined person, though.. usually find a way to get things I want.

29. What did you want and not get?
Determined.. but satisfied. I can't really think of anything at the moment. Probably for dear hubby to not work out of town so much.

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
That comedy guy, Gabriel Iglesias... that cracked me up.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
21, Joel planned a surprise weekend in LaCrosse with my mom and dad. It was gloriously fun!

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
2 less accidents, a bazillion less medical bills, and working 14-hour days due to clients banging down my door.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?
Hah. Clearance racks. Random, bright color. Hair flowers. T-shirts. Hoodies. Double layer socks.

34. What kept you sane?
That certain someone and our pudder. Preferably together.
Music.
Retail therapy.


35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Me? Pay attention to celebrities or public figures? Pay attention to any current events at all? Hardly.

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
The elections this year. The health insurance thing rubs me the wrong way.

37. Who did you miss?
My Hawkeye buddies. :(

38. Who was the best new person you met?
Probably my best friend's boyfriend... because he makes her happy, and she deserves that. :)

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010:
Don't allow others to take advantage of you or perceive your expertise for less than it is.

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
"Does it get any better than this?
We're into something beautiful.
Bein' with you's as good as it gets.
It doesn't get any better than this!"

Better Than This ~ Kimberley Locke