Been too long?

I know it's been weeks. Work has been so insanely busy that I haven't had a second to think, let alone blog. Could I blog at home instead? Yes. Do I ever? No. Once I get home I barely ever get on my computer. I've been looking at my work computer all day and the last thing I generally want to is look at another one.

Things are crazy at work, but good otherwise. We've booked the tent and the caterer, so we're feel pretty good about things wedding-wise.

I really need to start taking more pictures and sprucing up my blog a bit.

Although it's been a while, there still isn't too much to say. Work has taken over my life and that's about it. Maybe I'll have something more thoughtful to say tomorrow...

Welcome to the New Century

I don't care that some people think 2010 is the last year in the decade, I think it's the first. Out with the old, in with the new. 2009 wasn't a terrible year at all, but I'm ready for the new one. 2010 has some good things in store.

THE TOP TEN IN 2010

(these are the things I"m looking forward too the most at this point)

1. Visitors in January! The brother-in-law-to-be is coming this week and will be here for a week, and at the end of the month my dear Welshy friend (who isn't Welsh at all, but I met her in Wales) who I haven't seen in FOREVER is coming up for the weekend!

2. Another trip to the Gulf Coast in March. This will be my fifth year. I don't know too many details on this as of yet, but I'm hoping it all works out perfectly and I'll be down hanging drywall again.

3. The Boy Ball! The real name is the Fenway Community Health Men's Event, and it's so much fun. I went last year and I am so glad to be a supporter of the community. Plus, I get to buy a new dress and the hubs-to-be will wear a tux...and he looks so sexy in a tux.

4. Turning 25. Although most people don't want to get older, I would really like to be 25. I feel like it's a really good age. Not too old, but old enough for people to take you seriously.

5. The Run for the Zoo. Although I'm not 100% sure I'm going to make it out to Albuquerque for it, right now I"m planning on it. I've spent a year working really hard and I'm going to keep working hard and my goal is to run the 5K. I've done it before, but I had to walk some of it and this time I don't want to. Hopefully I'll be all trained and ready to go by then, and the altitude won't be too much of a problem...

6. Planning my wedding! I've definitely already started the planning, but there is SO much left to do, and I'm excited about it. Our invitations are homemade, and so are the center pieces, and even my dress! It's a lot to take on, but I do have a creative side, so I'm pretty jazzed up about it. Plus, registering goes in the planning category and I can't wait to run around the stores with the beepy thing.

7. Getting Married! And being married for that matter. It's something I've never done before (and don't intend on doing ever again) so I'm really excited for the day itself and the new life it will bring. I already live with the hubs-to-be, so clearly that's not going to change, but I know it will be different and wonderful. I mean "husband" isn't really in my daily vocab at this point...

8. Upgrading our apartment. We discussed moving this year, but we like our little place, and since our lease is up the same time as our wedding, we really had no desire to move as a honeymoon, so we're staying put, but we're going to be doing some upgrades throughout the year to make the space we have a little better. We just bought a brand new flat screen TV to replace the one that takes up more than it's fair share of our living room, and that's just the beginning. I'm reading up on the DIY blogs and hopefully we'll make our place amazing (without spending too much, seeing as we don't own it or anything).

9. Traveling. We don't have anything big planned yet, but I feel as though 2010 will hold some really good trips for us. We're big fans of car trips and we love getting out of the city, so hopefully in 2010 we'll venture to some new and wonderful places.

10. Setting and reaching new goals. I don't like resolutions, but I like goals. I've set a few for 2010, which I think are reasonable and feel as though I can accomplish them (setting the bar too high can mean failure and that's no good...I'm all about under promising and over delivering). I want to take more pictures and blog more, drink more water and run the 5k. There are a few others I won't share, but they'll help make me better too. 2010 looks promising and I'm ready for it.

Goodbye to 2009

HAPPY NEW YEAR! 2009 was great, but it's time to ring in the new year. I hope everyone has a fun and safe night. Welcome to the new decade!

We made it.

It was a long trip with lots of hours sitting on the runway, but we're here. The snow couldn't keep us on the East Coast, but it did keep my bag in Washington DC until last night. It was a long 48 hours with no clean clothes. But we're here. And the bag is now here. And this morning 4 inches of snow arrived as well. I was very surprised by it, but since I'm not trying to travel any more, I enjoyed it.

It's just been decorating and wrapping and Christmas is almost here! I'm excited :)

Monday Madness

I have already checked out and am completely in vacation mode. The only problem is, I'm not on vacation yet. Not really even that close. I have all this week, plus two days of "working from home" next week. That means I need to be focused a little more. Hopefully I can make that happen...

Anyway! The madness this week is insurance and flex spending and all the crazy benefit stuff! I have to figure out what I want to do with my 401K and if I want to change my dental insurance. It's all too much! I've never had to figure these things out before, so I have no idea what I should be doing. I wish it were like elementary school where I could just take my papers home to my mom who would fill them out. I just had to make sure they made it to her hands.

Now I have to try to figure it out for myself. How much do I estimate I'll send in medical expenses this year? What if I need new glasses? Should I count that in? What if I don't? Ugh. I don't think I like this part of being grown up...

Baking Fail

I love to bake, and generally I'm pretty good at it. My mom was never much of a cook, but the woman can bake and she always let me help. I grew to love the oven and making delicious treats.

Last night, I failed EPICALLY for possibly the first time in my baking career. I like to lighten things up while baking, because eating all the great things I can make is not good for anyone's waistline, and I tried to make brownies in a different way. I've heard that a can of black beans can be used instead of eggs and oil in brownies (much like a can of Diet Coke or a can of pure pumpkin can be used instead for cakes), so I tried it. But instead of looking up just how to use the black beans in the recipe, I just poured the can into the brownie mix and threw it in the oven. It was only later when the brownies seemed a bit chuncky that I realized I probably did it wrong. And I did. I was supposed to puree the beans first, then add the paste-ish beans to the mix. Oops. Instead we have what look like chocolate chip brownies, but actually taste exactly like beans.

I ditched the brownies for pumpkin bread that came out too sweet. Where was my head last night? Too busy listening to Christmas music and finishing Save the Dates I guess...

Another Holiday Photo

I got a pumpkin from my boss at Halloween, and I've now made it into a Sant-o-lantern. I just couldn't throw away the perfectly good pumpkin just because the pumpkin "season" has passed, so I just upgraded him a little.

Why waste the pumpkin when it clearly makes a wonderful holiday decoration?