Do Travel Plans Count as New Years Resolutions?

Was New Year's Eve just last week? Seriously. It already feels like it was a lifetime ago.  I went back to work on Thursday and it flew by for some odd reason.  I think that we were still in shock that we were there.  After 12 days of being off we didn't quite know what was going on.  Friday went slower.  And now it's back to Monday.

The tree came down Friday.  You can't imagine how excited I was to come home from work on  Friday to an  X Box playing husband who had already taken down the tree, put every thing away, cleaned up all the pine needles AND put together our new wine bar.  I love the tree but I really hate the mess of it and taking it down is not nearly as exciting as putting it up.  I was really thankful to him for taking care of that.  It's so nice to have a husband that takes care of business. 

I used to make resolutions every year but I've definitely lost my resolution making mojo.  I didn't make any New Year's resolutions this year, I didn't make any last year either and two years ago I only had three.  Finishing my novel is a given.  It's something I plan to do and I'm actively working on it.  No need to list that. There are some non tangible things I want to work on within myself and as much as I like lists I'm just not compelled to list it.  Not right now anyways.  It kind of makes me feel like a slacker not to march into the New Year armed with a list of intentions but I just don't have it in me to do it.

Do travel plans count?  I resolve to travel next year.  Apparently we can't function without having a vacation booked so 6 days into the new year we've already locked that down.  In June we will be heading down to the Cancun area to stay at an all inclusive resort for 8 days.  I have done the all inclusive cruise thing but never at a resort so I'm really excited.  Did I say that drinks including alcoholic beverages are also included?  In September we are going to New York City.  Neither one of us has been there in a really long time.  so I'm super excited about that too.  There will probably be a long weekend getaway or two thrown in there somewhere also.  Las Vegas and/or Sedona most likely.

MJ made these yummy cinnamon rolls from scratch.  See the un frosted one in the corner specially for me?  He had cream cheese that would have expired if he didn't use it up so it was the only logical solution.  As if anyone needs more sweets right now.  Hopefully our co workers will gobble them up so we don't have to bring home any left overs.

This post really has no point just like this picture really has nothing to do with this post and I'm totally aware of that.  I've been blogging for a while now and written about a plethora of topics primarily myself.  Do you ever feel like you've said everything that there is to say?  Well, sometimes I feel like that.  My life is not the exciting crazy train that it was in 2010 when there were major life changes happening.  Wedding, new house, new job, honeymoon.  Now that was an exciting year.  Life lately is more settled and I'm very content.  Sometimes my mind just feels like a blank slate.  I may not have a picture or a profound particularly interesting or funny thought but I might still want to pop in and say hello.  The writer in me finds it very difficult to hit publish without structure, rhyme and reason.  I would never post randomly just to post five days a week but I love to write and this is my space to do so after all.  I'm trying to allow myself the freedom to just write and be okay with hitting publish even if it doesn't feel "important" enough to warrant a blog post rather then not writing at all.  If this were my journal that's what I'd do. And this kind of is; except that I have readers and I don't share all of my deepest darkest secrets here.  I hope that's okay.

So here goes.  Publish. And that makes 2 sort of non resolutions.
 

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Going out for NYE is not Overrated

I had no intention of going out for New Year's Eve.  I'm content to spend it on the couch watching countdowns and struggling to stay awake until midnight.  Braving the crowds, drunk drivers and the cold was never the plan and I probably wouldn't have unless I was tricked.  What had happened was that we were supposed to go to an ugly sweater party but it got cancelled.  MJ tells me the couple that was hosting it wanted to know if we want to go to San Diego Beer Co instead.  It's a restaurant so I assumed that meant dinner.  Sure.  I like hanging out with this couple.  Dinner out will be nice and low key.  Then the next day MJ tells me he bought tickets.  Tickets to what?  You don't buy tickets to dinner.  So that's how I found out we were going out for New Years eve.  Another communication fail.

We went to dinner downtown at Nicky Rotten's at 7pm.  I opted for the Mac and Cheese instead of my usual salad.  I'll order salads for the next month and be happy about it but I wanted to indulge for NYE so I did.  We walked over to San Diego Beer Company at 9 and we didn't leave there until about 2 am. 

MJ and I have been together for five years and the most we've ever done is go to a friends house.  I can't remember the last time I was out partying on New Years Eve...if ever.  Turns out going out for New Years Eve is a lot of fun.  I mean, I figured it would be once I got past the whole figuring out what to wear, putting on make up and dragging myself out of the house part.  Everyone is in such a festive mood.  There is a lot of sequins and cardboard tiaras.  People going out for NYE are ready to par-tay and they mean business.  The bar was was packed with people trying to get the bartenders attention.  The place was crowded but not too crowded and we had a table to sit at for the night.  At midnight we did a group tequila shot toast.  Yes, tequila not champagne...and shared a  big old sloppy kiss.  Major PDA overload.  We gave up our table after that so we could hit the dance floor.  More PDA.  I had so much fun that I might not even need to be tricked into it next time.  Well, maybe I will.  The thought of going out is just soooo exhausting.  I'd almost rather that I don't have a choice because 9/10 I'll pick the couch even though once I'm "forced" out I have a good time.

We spent $60 in cab fare but for four that's not too bad.  And it's cheaper then a DUI.  The restaurant for dinner was reasonably priced but the cost of drinks do add up.  MJ spent $30 on our tickets that we now realize we didn't need to.  It was free before 10pm.  Lesson learned there.  I don't think we spent more because it was NYE then we might have on any other night.  It was basically a double date; dinner and out to a bar that turned into a club after 10pm. Nothing too extravagant.  And I'm excited that we'll be hanging out with this couple again in a few weeks for MJ's company holiday party.  I'm just a regular party animal over here!!

I'm a homebody by nature.  I like the couch and I love my pajamas but along the way I'm realizing that going out is just one more way to keep you feeling young and keep your relationship young.  You know, keep it fresh.  And you are never too old to do it; even if your sore hips and inability to stay up past 10pm on most nights tell you otherwise.  My parents who are in their 60's and have been married for 40 years went out.  I enjoy going out and acting like I'm in my 20's minus the whole I'll never drink again hangover from hell routine.  That part is NEVER fun and if it happens on a regular basis when you are in your 30's you probably have some serious  issues.  I like flirting and dirty dancing with my husband.  I like for him to see me all dolled up and I think I have more fun going out as a married couple then I did as a single girl.  It happens a handful of times a year which is plenty and when it does we have a lot of fun with it.

We have a good time whether were are watching TV on the couch or dancing at a club.  I don't really care so much where we celebrate or how we celebrate as long as we're doing it together.  

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An 80 Degree Christmas

It's been about 80 degrees all week.  I keep expecting it to be cold outside.  Or at least cooler, but it's not and the only thing I don't like is that it's too warm for Uggs.  I have two pairs and I don't get to wear them nearly enough but I'm not complaining.

My Fossil Cross Body

We had a great Christmas.  Presents first thing in the morning.  MJ knocked it out of the park as usual.  He picked out this great Fossil Cross body bag for me all by himself.  It seemed just a little bit too small so we ended up exchanging it on base for the "big sister" version.  It's large enough to hold the DSLR and a sweater and anything else I'll need to carry with me.  It will be perfect for travel.  It has tons of pockets and I LOVE it.  I also love it that he picked it for me.  I'm not sure how he ended up being the purse guy but he's bought every new purse I've owned since we met.  He also got me a Victoria's Secret Pink sweat suit and brassiere  a remote and a flash for the DSLR.  He knows me so well and he's so sweet and I'm so lucky to have him.  I always feel like such a turd after he spoils me.  My mom got me a few really nice and thoughtful things too.  I got MJ the basketball shoes he wanted and surprised him with a new pair of dress shoes to replace his old beat up ones.  I also got him a lunch box; nothing big, just something he needed. 

We ate a quick breakfast before we rushed to meet my parents for the movies.  I'm so glad everyone was in agreement on seeing Catching Fire.  In preparation I watched Hunger Games again the night before in bed alone on my iPad.  I cried when Rue died just like I did the first time around and then I cried again when I saw her family on Catching Fire.  So, so sad and the movie was so good.  I really  can't wait for Mocking Jay.

Me and my beautiful mama

Dinner was at mom's house but in a different house then it's always been before.  They sold my childhood home a few months ago and this was my first time at the new place.  It's weird not going to the house that they've lived in since I was 5.  My house.  The one that held so many memories.  My Dad is already retired and my mom plans to retire next year so this was a good move for them.  They are only a few miles from the old house and they still have a ton of space in the townhouse they are renting.   They are happy there and I'm happy for them as they move into this new life stage.  My mom made a delicious meal and I finally got the Mac and Cheese that I was missing on Thanksgiving.  I took some home too.

I'm feeling really bad for my older sister.  She spent Christmas dealing with an eye disorder flare up that's been plaguing her for the last 4 months.  Her family spent Christmas Day at a hotel near Duke University hospital.  She's been in and out of the ER all week long.  She had to travel 3 hours from home a few days before Christmas, have eye surgery the day after Christmas and came home on Friday.  They did presents on Saturday.  DJ doesn't know the difference. He's 3. Christmas is whenever his parents tell him it is. Poor thing. I hope the doctor's can finally figure out what's causing it and make it stop.

There have been times when I've had so many shows piling up in the DVR that I couldn't keep up but now that I have plenty of time there is nothing there to watch.  This time a year is a dead zone for TV.  House Hunters isn't even coming on right now so I've been watching a lot of Netflix.  The day after Christmas I ran to the mall early to exchange something and then spent a few hours at my favorite coffee shop writing.   On Friday MJ was off too so we ran errands together.  Saturday I stayed home all day long.  I got some writing done in the morning and then pretty much relaxed the day away.  More of the same today.  I did yoga first thing in the morning.  I'm making dinner for the 2nd time in 2 weeks which is kind of a big deal for me...and my husband. 

Friday felt like a Saturday.  I never want this staycation to end!  We finally made it through all of the baked goods but there is plenty of wine.  This is what $170 worth of wine looks like.  Yesterday I turned Pandora to the Christmas channel and the lights on the tree come on every day.  I'm holding onto the holidays and my staycation for as long as I can.

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'Twas the Night Before Christmas

We've been together for five years and have never ordered Holiday cards together.  He never wanted them.  Ordering cards seemed too much like work so I didn't care either way.  He doesn't remember this but I suggested it jokingly a few months before Christmas.  He didn't even answer he just gave me a look.  Which meant no.  So imagine my surprise when he says out of the blue around Thanksgiving he says, "We should order Christmas cards this year."  What?  I about fell out of my chair.  I was shocked but I went with it.

We decided to use a picture from Maui and ordered them from Tiny Prints.  I love the way they turned out.   They have a slight gloss to it.  The envelopes are really thick.  I didn't want a traditional holiday card.  If you want green, red and Christmas trees they have it, but they also have a huge selection of non traditional cards.  It was so hard to decide that I about lost my mind.  As usual.  I made about six samples by the time I finally picked one.  I didn't order them until Tuesday of last week and we got them yesterday.  They are kind of New Years cards too so it's fine that they won't go out until after Christmas right? 

Happy Holidays from Maui

We do all of our Christmas stuff late.  We didn't get our tree until the 14th and we'll probably take it down late too.  I didn't start any of my holiday shopping until the Monday of the week before Christmas and he waited a few days longer then I did.  I picked up one last present today.  We keep it pretty simple in my family so I know I can get away with it.  This year we did a couples gift exchange between us, my younger sister and her boyfriend and my older sister and her husband.  My little sis set it up on Secret Santa.com so that we can post our wish list and then receive an anonymous e mail saying who to shop for.   I don't want to spend the holidays running around stressing out about what to buy everyone and spending a ton of money.  We've been doing this for about the last five years or so.  At first I felt weird not buying something for my mom for Christmas especially since she can't help but get something for us even with the exchange but there is still Mother's day and her Birthday.  We gave my parents a Hickory Farms gift set to enjoy. We are adults.  We don't need a million presents anymore and the older we get the harder it is to find unique gifts for people that they don't already have.  I have a 3 year old Nephew so I send him presents and I also shop for MJ but the family gift exchange cuts down on a lot of the crazy.  I was able to do almost all of my shopping online to bypass the malls and the post office. 

I'm the worst gift giver EVER! MJ is so much better at it then I am.  I can hardly ever think of what to get anyone and then when I finally do decide I agonize endlessly over exactly which kind and usually resort to gift cards. Which are nice and all but sometimes it's nice to give something more personal.  He usually tells me a few things to choose from and if it's a good year I can usually come up with one or two things extra that might be a surprise.

I love our tree! It's nice and wide on the bottom.  I think it's the best one we've had yet.  We have a routine.  We walk across the street to the Boy Scout tree farm set up in the Elk's lodge parking lot.  MJ suggests a few trees and I protest a little that they are either too big or too expensive.  He gets the one he wants anyways and then carries it across the street to our house.  We put on Christmas carols.  He puts up the lights and the pretty star.  I pour myself some wine and then add all the rest of the ornaments and despite my fussing love the tree anyways.

I am really going to enjoy these two 12 days off from work; even though it already seems to be going by way too fast.  MJ's been baking again.  The house smells like freshly baked Apple Sauce cake and Chocolate chip cookies.  I'm trying to be a good wife so there is a hot pot of Chili simmering on the stove for dinner.    The holiday music is playing.  I need to address our holiday cards and I have one more present to wrap.  The only thing missing is a glass of wine but that's okay because I added some Bailey's Irish creme to my coffee earlier. It was a gift from my parents.

Happy Holidays to everyone!!!

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Falling off the Wagon

The vacation recaps are over so now I can finally talk about something else.  Thanks to all who read or commented.  It was really nice to hear from some of you that you actually enjoyed them. 

I seriously had the most awesome work out today. My last day of work was Friday and I'm off until the day after New Years.  One of the big reasons why I can't work anywhere else.  I woke up in a great mood because I was laying down in bed instead of sitting up at my desk at work.  I was happy to be going to the gym and it showed in my work out.  Attitude is everything. 

Confession.  I've totally fallen off the exercise wagon.  The work outs were becoming less and less per week until they just stopped.  On Tuesday the week before my vacation I forced myself the gym and then realized I didn't pack a shirt when I got there so I left.  I was secretly really glad and I could have come home and worked out but I didn't.  I just said forget it and took it as a sign that I wasn't supposed to work out that week at all.  I kinda feel like it was bound to happen at some point.  It got cold,  I was tired, and the holidays were coming.  That's no excuse but I've been exercising consistently for the last 3 years and I just think I needed a break.  I did not work out the week before my vacation nor the two weeks after and I've been really unmotivated since the beginning of last month.  I'm planning on getting back into the swing of it this week while I'm off work and then continuing those good habits into the new year.  So far so good.  I worked out on Saturday and Sunday at home.  Saturday I did 30 day shred and was happy to find that I can still do level 3 from start to finish even though I think it's been a good month since I've done it.  Today and tomorrow is cardio at the gym.

Work out song recommendation for your play list

So back to that awesome work out.  Once I got started I really felt like I could go on forever.  I know a big part of it is the music.  I downloaded about 4 new songs right before I left and they are really doing it for me right now!!  I was jamming out the whole time.  I was silently lip syncing the songs and bopping my head to the beat.  I WISH I had my own elliptical at home because it would have felt great to sing it out loud.  I kept upping the resistance higher then I usually do.  I was smiling and having a really good time.  It was just the music and me pushing myself to go longer and harder.  The endorphins were flying and even though my legs were so sore from my previous work outs I was feeling really good.  When my 60 minutes were up I didn't want to stop.  Which is really weird.

I wish every work out could be that way.   Why can't I bottle up this feeling and whip it out whenever I'm severely lacking in motivation?  Specifically at 5:45 pm on a Tuesday evening after a long day of working and barely keeping my eyes open.  Some days working out just sucks.  I'm so glad there are days like this to remind me that yes, I actually do enjoy working out and that dripping sweat for an hour on the elliptical can actually be fun.  When the daily grind starts saps the life out of me is when I have the problem.  So basically, the problem is work!  If I could just do away with that pesky little activity I'm pretty sure I'd be a lot better off work out wise.  I'm always so much more motivated and energetic when I'm on break.  I can only wish that were an option.

So now the trick will be as always, sticking with it.  I'm hoping that I can.

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Our Last Days in Maui

The last three days in Maui were really bitter sweet.  Mostly sweet.  We were having so much fun.  I didn't want it to end.

Friday we hit the beach and spent most of the day there.  Later on it was time for the spa day strategically planned after Road to Hana.  We did a couples massage and facial and it felt really good.  Then we went out to dinner at Hula Grill Kaanapali.  It was the only night we went "out" out to dinner and the only night I actually got "dressed."  Still no make up though!!

My cutie!!!

For a change of scenery we decided to check out a new beach on Saturday.  We went to Kapalua Bay which was just a few miles away.   It's the beach for the Ritz Carlton.  I'm not sure I've ever been that close to a Ritz Carlton.   We liked this one better then Ka'anapali.  The sand was a lot finer and softer and there were less rocks.  The waves were so powerful that they knocked my bikini bottoms off.  Really.  I kept having to pull them up.  Mj had fun swimming the waves but the water was too turbulent for snorkeling.

After we spent a few hours at Kapalua we went to the beach again at Ka'anapali.  I know.  Such a hard life traveling from beach to beach.  We got a bottle of Dom Perignon as a wedding gift 3 years ago.  Like everything else, I hoard champagne too.  Especially really expensive champagne.  There never seemed to be a moment perfect enough to drink it.  Until Now.  Mj went to our room to get it while I scoped out a lawn chair.  He brought back the bottle of champagne and a platter of the cheese, meat and grapes that we'd picked up at the grocery store.   We sat there on the beach and drank a whole bottle of Dom together while we gazed out at that perfect view.  Seriously.  It just doesn't get much better then that.  We stayed out there until the sun set. That night we gave the pizza downstairs another chance.  We ordered a cheese Pizza for dinner and it was delicious.  I think the Pizza we had on the first day just wasn't fresh.  We sat down in the outdoor bar area and listened to the live singer who was really, really good.  Then we went upstairs to finish off the movie that we'd fallen asleep on for two nights in a row.  It was a nice way to spend our last night.

Last sunset

Sunday was our last day.  We checked out, took our luggage to the car, walked to Slappy Cakes for breakfast and then spent the rest of the day at the beach.  MJ rented us the mini cabana again and we stayed until the last moment possible.  Talk about milking every last second we could.  We were able to see one last sunset before we had to go.  I was really glad they had showers and changing rooms available so we could spend our last day at the beach.  We got our stuff and showered.  Then we hit the road for the airport for our overnight flight.  Which sucked as most overnight flights do!!  I didn't even realize I had picked an overnight flight but I'm glad I did.  I liked it that we didn't have to leave Maui in the middle of a perfect beach day.  We got to enjoy every last second of it and then leave.

We drank wine on the beach every single day and the one day that we didn't was spent chasing waterfalls.   We went zip-lining for the first time and had some awesome spa time.  I love it that we got to basically spend every single minute together for an entire week.   The only time I didn't see him was when he was using the toilet!!  We had such a good time.  I couldn't have asked for anything more from this vacation and I'm already looking forward to the next.

Day 1-3 in Maui