Here's to the New Year

For the last few years I have purposefully tried not to make resolutions. I know myself too well in that I know that I'll never follow through. But this year, considering my advancing age, that a change in lifestyle is needed. Therefore I am putting forward a number of goals I'd like to achieve.

1. Know what I eat

I have recently started counting calories. In the past I never looked at the caloric content, believing that if I never saw the amount of calories...they didn't count. And that if I ate something naughty when no one else was around...it didn't count. Knowing what I eat is allowing me to choosing healthier options, from what I put in my cart at the grocery store to what I put in my mouth.

2. Try to avoid processed foods and foods with preservatives.

This leads to mostly avoiding the filler aisles in the grocery shop and basically just shopping in the perimeter. I am trying to bake all the bikkies and sweets that I'd like to eat and buying bread fresh from the bakery.

3. Finally complete the Couch to 5k

I've known about the couch to 5k program since I was in uni for my first degree. I have never completed the program. Running has never really been my thing. I am not the graceful antelope type girl running on the treadmill. I'm the struggling lump of a person, propelling my body forward in a most awkward fashion. I'd like to enjoy jogging as I cannot swim (both my arms dislocate!) and don't have a road bike for biking.

4. Be kind to my skin

So I am one of those people blessed with clear, non sensitive skin. My brother went through those horrible years of prescription acne medication with my mom yelling at him to remember to use it. I don't get heat rashes or suffer from pimples. But, I don't really moisturize and treat my skin right. My lack of sunscreen has led to sun freckles (much to my mother's horror...she sends me whitening cream) and so I am determined to be kinder to my skin. Daily moisturizer here I come. (My skin may also be kind to me because I don't wear make up).

I hope I reach these goals!

Recap

This year has been tough. I graduated from nursing school (with distinction) only to find I couldn't get a job (and counting...5 months later), we moved 600km north and don't know anyone here, and I haven't been back to the US for about 3 years now.

I also have a lot to be thankful for. I have amazing friends although they may be far away. TAD has been offered a permanent job at his school, we live in a nice house with awesome landlords, and we have families that support us.

This Christmas was fun. We went down to TAD's parent's place and relaxed. We got to spend time with TAD's nephew who is hands down so adorable.

This Christmas, because I don't have a job, I went with simple and cheap. I picked up a photo frame from Big W and had my favourite photo of us enlarged.

I love this photo. I know it isn't terribly flattering of me or TAD, but I still love it. It was taken by our lovely friend, Connie, in Korea before TAD and I were even together. I miss Korea!

Holiday Happenings

It seems the holiday spirit is making everyone generous! There are so many giveaways and freebies happening. I love it!

Studio of Mae, which is this amazing decal company, is having free shipping this week! I personally don't own any of the decals, but they are just gorgeous, and they're fabric! So sweet. I believe there is free shipping to the US and Australia. They'd be pretty fabulous especially if you rent, because supposedly they don't mark up the walls.

Brooklyn Limestone also has these really clever gift tags for freebie! They are adorable. I wish I had a colour printer because I know it would look more awesome with the red.

Great Giveaway

I absolutely adore etsy. It feels good to buy things that are handmade, gorgeous, and know that I am supporting independent artists and designers.

Amy from junghwa by amy stewart is hosting a giveaway! WildPeace Organics is providing one of their beautiful clutches in the giveaway!

How awesome is it that Ying, of WildPeace Organics, is a teacher by day and an artist by night? I can appreciate how hard she works since Troy is a teacher too!

Anyhow, here is the link to more information about the giveaway!

Photos come from WildPeace Organics' etsy site. =)

Ideas

Pinterest is a great site to source ideas. Ok, so I may not be able to do 99% of the DIY things, but that 1% I can handle, it's worth it to see the results.

I loved this idea. But instead of the three hearts I just went for the one. I wasn't feeling very ambitious that day.

So Troy and I met in Korea in 2007. I went to 3-4 op shops in search of an old atlas. I felt quite bad because I knew I would be tearing out a page. Unfortunately for me, many old atlases fail to focus on Korea. They prefer the bigger China or the archipeligo-ed Japan. Or, if I did find Korea in the atlas, it was near the binding which was not a good thing. I found an absolutely beautiful atlas for $6, but feeling rather stingy I held out. I found one for $3.

At the same time I was on the lookout for a square photo frame. I found one for $1.50. It had a watercolour of Jesus distributing fish and bread, but obviously I took the watercolour out. Luckily, the frame was already double matted. I took a pink folder, stenciled a heart, exacto-knifed the heart out of the pink folder and arranged it inside the frame.

I didn't cut the map into the shape of a heart, I cut the heart out of the folder.

Then, I wrote "We met" "February 2007" Done!

Happy Birthday Oppa!

Although we're far apart, I'm always thinking of you and thanking you for all that you do. Hands down, you've got to be the best son, friend, brother, grandson, person that we all know. You make us proud and we love your huge heart.

I love you.

Feel Good Books

Why is it that my favourite feel good books come from when I was a child? You may think that it was because it was a time where things were "simpler", but even now they have a quality that can make me laugh until my cheeks hurt and cry with all the feeling in my heart. I think a large piece of me wanted to jump into the story and live in each period. I wanted to be friends with the characters, enjoy their company, console and be consoled by them.

Which books are they you ask? Here they are in a list of no particular order. I wonder what other books from your childhood make you feel the same.


1. The Good Master (Kate Seredy)

2. Little Lord Fauntleroy (Frances Hodgson Burnett)

3. Where the Red Fern Grows (Wilson Rawls)

4. The Wolfling (Sterling North)

5. Number the Stars (Lois Lowry)