My Goals for 2011

So I have finally sat down and written out my New Year's resolutions. I know that I am 4 days late in getting them out there, but it is what it is...and as you notice procrastination and being on time are not on my list, so just deal.

But the more that I have thought about them, they are more goals for how to improve my life than a traditional resolution. I'm not doing the whole I will lose weight or I will stop drinking. Those types of absolutes don't work in my world. I have the type of personality that when I don't make a deadline or if I fail at something I completely beat myself up over it and I don't want to put myself in that position. The first two of my "goals" are things that I have already begun doing in the latter part of 2010. I just want to continue on the path that I am already on and improve upon how I live my life. The third goal that I have I believe will greatly improve the quality of my life, and I can't wait to see how this change in mindset will increase the joy that I feel in my life.

#1 - I Will Be More Healthful. I just wanted to try to make more healthy choices in my life. Smaller portions. More exercise. Less fat. Less calories. More sleep. Less sugar. Less fast food. If I lose weight, great. If not, I know that I have made better choices and that I am being more healthy and that is what is important. I also want to make sure that I am setting a good example for my son...if I eat better and am more active then he will be too.

#2 - I Will Be Kinder To Myself And My Family. This year I will treat myself better. I will treat myself with more respect. I will give myself and my family a break and through this I will show them more kindness. I am so lucky to have what I have and I need to respect the people in my life that helped me to get where I am. I love them and I know that they love me...I just need to tell them more and show them in all of the little ways.


#3 - I Will Live In The Moment. I really want to try to enjoy life for what it is and not what it could/should be. I will live in the moment and do my best to stop thinking and trying so hard to live the "perfect" life. I have a wonderful family, job and friends and I need to take the time to enjoy what I have.

Coconut Chocolate Blondies

On a grocery shopping trip just before Christmas, on a whim I picked up a bag of sweetened flaked coconut. It is not something that I usually keep in my pantry...my husband and son are not fans of it. Me on the other hand, I absolutely love coconut. So when I needed to make one more goodie to finish up my yearly holiday baking gifts for friends and neighbors, this was the recipe that I immediately thought of. I had come across it a few months earlier over at Brown Eyed Bakers and I knew that I had everything in my pantry for it without having to go to store for anything!

I tweaked the original recipe a little and I think that they turned out great...but you really can't go wrong with a blondie recipe! It's the great thing about blondies, you don't need any fancy kitchen equipment. Just a wooden spoon, the ingredients and a couple of bowls. Easy to make, they always turn out awesome and they are a crowd pleaser.

Coconut Chocolate Chunk Blondies 

Inspired by Brown Eyed Baker

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 4 ounces butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
• 1 cup chocolate chips or chunks
• More Coconut-for sprinkling on the top of the bars.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray.
2. Combine the flour and salt & set aside.
3. Stir together the melted butter and brown sugar until smooth and creamy; beat in egg and vanilla extract until well blended.
4. Slowly beat in the flour and salt mixture until just blended. Next, stir in the coconut and chocolate chips. Scrape the batter into the pan. Make sure the batter is spread evenly, smooth with a spatula. Sprinkle extra coconut on top of the bars.
5. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until set in the center but still soft. Do not overbake the bars. Let cool slightly before serving. Cut the bars into squares and enjoy!

 



 



Tasty Tuesdays

Reverb 10 - Day 25

December 25 – Photo:  Sift through all the photos of you from the past year. Choose one that best captures you; either who you are, or who you strive to be. Find the shot of you that is worth a thousand words. Share the image, who shot it, where, and what it best reveals about you.

This photo captures me the most for 2010. It was taken by a classmate of mine from college, Heather, right after my college graduation ceremony from Northern Arizona University up in Flagstaff, Arizona.  It reveals the me that I had worked so hard to be. It is a photo that captured a moment of completely happiness and accomplishment...the day that I finally graduated from college. And I was able to share the moment with the two most important people in my life, my son and husband. I love this photo of me...It shows how happy I am for accomplishing one of the most important goals in my life.



To read more about my college journey click here.

Reverb 10 - Day 24

December 24 Prompt – Everything’s OK: What was the best moment that could serve as proof that everything is going to be alright? And how will you incorporate that discovery into the year ahead?

This year has been a year of healing for me and there have been so many, many moments that I was able to sit back and realize that "everything's OK!" It is such an amazing feeling after being through so much. The amazing moments of going on a family vacation. Finally graduating from college. My son going to preschool.

But the moments when it happens the most are not big events. For me they are the quiet moments. They happen at night when I go in to check on my son when he is asleep and I caress his sweet little face. Or when I am laying outside holding hands with my family on a blanket looking at the stars. They happen when I am alone with nothing but a good book and a glass of wine. Sitting on the couch with my husbands arm around my shoulders watching a movie. 

They happen in the moments that are calm. The ones that are filled with the most love, contentment and the realization that I am living a life better than I ever could have hoped...because it is all OK. This is the life that I was meant to live and I am so very grateful and happy to live it!

Reverb 10 - Day 22

December 22 – Travel: How did you travel in 2010? How and/or where would you like to travel next year? 

During 2010 I only traveled to places that I could get to by car in 5 hours or less. I needed to stay close to home this year. I needed my small family this year and they needed me. A few brief trips were taken to celebrate milestones. The milestone of my 10 year anniversary, a trip to participate in my graduation ceremony & a trip to celebrate my graduation and finally a short weekend away to the mountains during the hottest part of summer with good friends. The trips were all short, but absolutely perfect. They were just the respite that I needed...short little breaks from reality to give me the strength to go back to real life with a new renewed spirit.

In 2011 I plan to begin to travel again. And the trips are BIG! We are planning our first family trip to Disneyland and my son is so very excited. He can't stop talking about getting to go to where Mickey Mouse lives. We will also be joined by my Sister in Law and her kids and should be a great trip with many memories! The big trip for me will be in August...I have agreed to join a team and participate in the Portland to Coast relay up in Oregon with some old friends from high school. I can't wait to do it...I think that it will be so much fun! I'm sure that there will be smaller trips throughout the year. Trips to the mountains and trips to Vegas, but nothing in writing.

2011 is going to be a big year and I can't wait!!

Chocolate Marshmallow Sandwich Cookies

The holiday baking for this season seemed to go on, and on, and on...Usually my husband helps me, but he worked this entire weekend so it was just me and the little one doing our best to get it all done. I also have been feeling a little bit under the weather, so I definitely didn't do quite as much as I typically do each year. But I did get the chance to try a few new recipes that I have been collecting throughout the year.

The first of my new recipes was an easy little sandwich cookie. What I like best about the cookie is that it makes a great impression on anyone that you give it too and it is very simple to make because it is made with a boxed cake mix. You can dress it up like I did with some holiday sprinkles, or roll it in crushed peppermint candies for an even more festive touch. You can use store-bought frosting or make your own...it's completely up to you!

Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

For the Cookie:

• 2 whole Large Eggs
• ½ cups Vegetable Oil
• ¼ cups All-purpose Flour
• 1 box Devil's Food Cake Mix, 18.25 Oz

1) Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2) Lightly whisk eggs and oil in a medium bowl.
3) Mix in flour and cake mix until well blended.
4) Roll into 1 inch balls (squish them down a little to flatten) and bake for 8-10 minutes on an ungreased cookie sheet.
5) Cool completely on a wire rack.

For the Filling:
You can either make your own favorite frosting or use a store bought pre-made frosting. It's your choice!

I made my own frosting...here is my recipe for my favorite marshmallow flavored one!

• 1 package Reduced Fat Or Regular Cream Cheese, Softened (8 Ounces)
• 1 jar Kraft Marshmallow Creme (7 Ounces)
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1) In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, marshmallow creme and vanilla extract until well blended.
2) Spread about 2 Tablespoons of frosting onto the bottom of one cookie and then place another cookie on top, bottom sides facing in.
3) Repeat with remaining cookies and frosting.

Enjoy!

Reverb 10 - Day 19

Reverb 10 Day 19 – Healing. What healed you this year? Was it sudden, or a drip-by-drip evolution? How would you like to be healed in 2011?

Healing is such a hard thing for me to discuss because what I need healing on is such a personal issue. It is healing from being hurt and deceived by someone very close to me. Someone that I trusted and believed in. But I have been working on the healing. It has been hard. So very, very hard. There is still a lot of anger. There is still a lot of resentment. But I know that I need to give both of these things up or I will never heal. I will never be whole again.

There are days that are good. Days that I forget all of the anger. Days that I forget the resentment and hurt. Days that I finally feel whole again. Days that I am my old self. The one that was happy, the one that had hope and believed in people. The old me that trusted and loved easily. This is how I know that I am finally healing...the good days far outnumber the bad days. It has not always been that way.

Part of my healing is finding a good balance between the "old" me and the "new" me, a balance that doesn't include anger and resentment. A healed me will be one that can move forward from my experience, and while not forgetting what happened, I will be able to learn from it.

And I will be healed one day. I know it deep down inside. I know it in my core. I will completely forgive. I will not hold resentment in my heart. I will be whole again. It is my wish for myself. It is what I want more than anything right now.

I will be healed, I just know it...I need for it to happen. For me. For my son. For my husband and my marriage. It will happen one day...I just know it. 2011 will be a great year. A year of continued healing. I see it happening. I see it and I believe it.