I’m back in the Northwest after a very relaxing vacation to visit my family in Southern California. Our trip was fantastic! Paul and I had a great time visiting with our families, and even spent a night in Las Vegas with our parents (in case I haven’t mentioned it before, I looooove Vegas!).
While I was on vacation, something very important was happening in the country: the Supreme Court was hearing arguments for same-sex marriage. Since I avidly support the right of consenting adults to marry, regardless of gender, I was hopeful. Last fall I was among the majority in Washington state that voted to legalize same-sex marriage, and I felt strongly that while my state was making progress, the country as a whole was not. This week’s proceedings may pave the way to changing that.
I was surprised and excited to find that several of my Christian friends support the movement to legalize same-sex marriage and have spoken out for it on Facebook and other social media sites. I genuinely believe that most people recognize this for what it is: a civil rights issue. The trouble is, a few religious people get the issue of ‘marriage’ in the current context confused with the holy matrimony they seek in their churches.
What I don’t understand about those who don’t support gay marriage for religious reasons is that they ought to be able to see that we are talking about a government issue, not a religious one. No one is advocating to make an amendment to the Bible. We’re advocating to make an amendment to the United States Constitution. There are other things, such as divorce, that the Bible says you’re not supposed to do….yet they’re legal in our society. I believe this is because we enjoy freedom of religion (or freedom from it, in my case) and that just because one religious sect believes divorce is wrong, doesn’t mean it should be outlawed in our society.
How is gay marriage any different?
Now, I understand that part of the problem is that the word “marriage” is used in this country to represent two completely different sets of ideas. The one in question is the legal term marriage, the contract between two consenting adults that allows said consenting adults benefits under the law. The other idea of marriage, the one that you are tying yourself to another person in the eyes of your god, is an entirely different thing altogether and we are not discussing that one. If the church one was called ‘marriage’ and the legal was called ‘bibbidy-bobbidy-boo’ or ‘civil union’ or really ANY other title, I don’t think we’d even be having a debate here. But alas, we use one word to identify two completely different things, one of church and one of state, and this has led to, well, a mess.
Well, then what if we let gay people get married, but don’t CALL it marriage? I’ve heard this suggestion – give gay couples equal rights but call THEIR union a ‘bibbidy-bobbidy-boo’ or a ‘civil union’, and let the heterosexual couples be ‘married’. This to me is close, but not close enough. See, during the civil rights movements, black people were allowed to ride the bus – in the back. They were allowed to get drinks of water – from their own fountains. If you’re going to change the name from ‘marriage’ to ‘civil union’ (which I am not opposed to), then you need to change it for all couples, regardless of gender. A name change for all really would simplify things, in my opinion. You want a civil union, with all the legal rights and benefits? Go to the government. You want a marriage recognized by the god of your choice that affords you absolutely zero legal rights or benefits? Go to the church. You want both? Have at it.
I’ve heard the same-sex marriage opposed people declaring that we cannot “redefine marriage”. But I think that in society, we redefine things all the time. Back when the Founding Fathers wrote out the Constitution, black people were only considered two-thirds of a person (oh yeah, remember that?) and were property to be owned, bought, and sold. Women were barely more than property. Over the years, slowly women and minorities have fought their way to equal rights. If you had asked Ben Franklin what he would have thought of a female Supreme Court Justice hearing a gay marriage argument while the black President urged support of said gay marriage, he probably would’ve thought you were insane. And yet, that very thing has happened. Things change. People and ideas evolve. I’d like to think we get smarter as time passes.
I don’t go around telling people that I don’t think their religions are right. I embrace diversity and if you want to believe in something that’s different from what I believe in, good for you. But your religious beliefs have no place in our legal system, and this is not a religious issue. This is an issue of civil rights, of equality in our country, of discrimination based on sexual preference. We should not be basing legal rights on what one religion believes.
I hope we in the United States legalize and embrace same-sex marriage. To those who oppose it based on religion, fear not: you will survive this, as you have survived the legality of abortions and divorces. It will be all right. No plagues have struck Washington since the legalization of gay marriage. Nothing in your world will change. According to a pastor friend of mine, all human beings are sinners, and no one sin is greater or less than any other. Since it says in the Bible “let he who is without sin cast the first stone”, and since you are not without sin, how about you worry about your own self and let the same-sex couples do what they wish and be happy.

 

“I think it’s important to get your surroundings as well as yourself into a positive state – meaning surround yourself with positive people, not the kind who are negative and jealous of everything you do.” – Heidi Klum
I recently wrote about my realization that I needed to take more time to actively appreciate all the great people and things in my life. An unexpected side effect of really taking a step back and looking at my life was that I saw not only the good, but the things that were bringing me down. For the first time, I began to see that some of the reason that I was unhappy and stressed out was that I allowed people to be in my life that were consistently negative and dragging me down.
I think we’ve all had someone like this in our lives:the person that claims to love you, yet drowns you in their negativity and endless demands. It can be a family member, a friend, or a significant other. I’m not talking about someone going through a rough time, or having a bad day – what I’m referring to are people that are always unhappy, or telling you what you’re doing wrong, or attempting to manipulate you into doing what they want you to do. The person who makes your head pound when their name shows up on your Caller ID.
I initially wondered whether I was just crazy for allowing someone that toxic to be in my life, but when I started talking to my family and close friends, many of them had tales of similar experiences to tell. I heard stories about people that only called when they wanted money, friends that disappeared off the face of the earth until they needed someone to drive them to a doctor’s appointment, and even a friend/business partner who resorted to bribes and finally insults to get her way.
So once you’ve identified that you’re dealing with a person who is toxic to you, how do you deal? One friend told me she simply changed her phone number…but she doesn’t recommend this approach. “Looking back, I shouldn’t have just changed my number. I should have dealt with it directly. I just couldn’t do it at that time,” she revealed to me. Advice I got was unanimous: if someone doesn’t have your best interests at heart, and isn’t really there for you – cut that person loose.
Cutting ties with someone who isn’t necessarily good for you is easy advice to give, and incredibly difficult advice to follow through with. After all, just because you’ve identified that someone is dragging you down, doesn’t mean it’s easy to turn your back on that person. More than likely, you’ve kept them around for a reason – usually, because in spite of bad behavior on their part, you still care about them.
A few weeks ago, I went through my contact lists on my phone and my Facebook page, and started deleting. Then I had a couple awkward conversations with people.  I didn’t do this because I was mad at anyone or to be hurtful. I did it because I needed to put myself first, to surround myself with positive people who had my back no matter what. I’m twenty-eight years old and I don’t have time to waste with people who make me feel bad about myself or who don’t support me in my endeavors.It’s cliche, but life’s too short to spend it being made unhappy by people…by giving people who make me unhappy enough importance in my life to let them make me feel that way.
It can be very difficult to identify and end a toxic friendship. But in my opinion it’s worth it to purge the negativity in order to move forward in a more positive and supportive environment. My ultimate goal is happiness, and I knew I couldn’t get there with people who weren’t there for me. Now that I don’t have to waste energy on someone who really doesn’t value me anyway, I can invest more time in the people that do.

“I am determined to be cheerful and happy in whatever situation I may find myself. For I have learned that the greater part of our misery or unhappiness is determined not by our circumstance but by our disposition.” – Martha Washington
I believe that as human beings, sometimes we can fall into a pattern of behavior gradually, so that we do not realize the depths of our change until someone points it out to us. This happened to me recently, when in the span of just a few days, both a very good friend and a family member pointed out to me that I’d become easily irritated and that I was complaining a lot over silly things. Since one of my New Year’s Resolutions was to “stress less, smile more”, once I was (metaphorically) slapped in the face with my bad behavior, I was instantly motivated to change. I had to get over myself, fast.
Being a methodical and research-minded person, I downloaded The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. My hope was that it would be a good guide to figuring out what was lacking in my life, what was causing me to be so cross and disagreeable, and that it might offer me some direction in rectifying the issue before I drove my loved ones crazy (or, even worse, right out of my life). I started reading the book, and to my surprise I had a huge revelation by the end of the first chapter. The writer talks about how, on a  bus ride, she fully realized that she has a great life but wasn’t enjoying it. To say that I’ve been the same way is an understatement.
I have so much of what I’ve always wanted, and yet I have taken it for granted and not enjoyed it. While it’s good to be ambitious and want more, I know that it’s harmful to spend so much time focusing on what I do have that I completely forget to stop and appreciate all I do have. We’ve all heard the old saying about stopping and smelling the roses – isn’t it beyond time that I did just that?
I have a wonderful boyfriend and I love him with all my heart. Our schedules are complete opposites right now, and we don’t have any days off from work together. I miss him terribly. And yet, I come home from a long day at work, I find myself getting cranky with him instead of just enjoying my time with him.
Paul and I have been together off and on for nearly nine years. Back in 2006, we split up and I thought we would be out of each other’s lives forever. I missed him terribly, and the time spent apart just made me realize how important he was to me and how much I loved him. I vowed that if I ever got another chance at our relationship, that I would remember how I felt when he was gone and never take him for granted again. Happily, by the fall of 2007 we had gotten back together, and we’ve lived together this second time around for just over five years. I’ve learned that memories fade, and it’s not so fresh in my mind anymore just how much I missed Paul when he wasn’t a part of my life. Despite the fact that I should know better, that I should have learned, I still haven’t been treasuring my relationship with him as I should. Even though it’s not pleasant, I’ve forced myself over the last several days to think back to the time of our breakup, and to try and relive just how awful that was for me. And then when I go home to him at night, I am all that more grateful for the time together and just for who he is as a person.
There are changes I can make at work, too. I have a stressful job, and I’ve been working long hours to stay ahead. The thing I’ve forgotten to consider, is how badly I wanted this job and how lucky I am to have it. When I moved to Washington from California, I was beyond burned out with being a call center employee. I hated being on the phones all day long, taking call after call. I hated the mandatory overtime, the erratic schedules, the sales pressure. Then, in July 2010, I was offered a six-month offline project and took it enthusiastically. I worked very hard to prove myself, and caught the attention of my current boss, who offered me the position I am so fortunate to have now. My schedule is consistent, and I’m given a lot of flexibility.I imagine myself from a few years ago, working in the call center, and I imagine how elated my former self would be to know that there was something better on the horizon for her. And I know she would bludgeon me with a shoe if she knew that I complained about any aspect of my life. “This is what I dream of!” she’d shout at me (my younger self was a shouter). “How can you waste time being unhappy over little things when your big picture is so, so good?” And she would be right. I’ve been ungrateful. I have everything she wanted and I need to remember that.
There are a ton of other things in my life right now that I am so happy for – amazing family and friends, and my happy healthy kitties. I’ve found hobbies like Zumba that I’m passionate about and enjoy, and that keep me fit and feeling fabulous. And of course I have a warm home, good food to eat, my every need (and most wants) cared for.
So, more or less, my newfound mission in life is to savor the joy of the moment, to look around me and truly embrace all that I have, all the dreams that have come true. Because when I sit down and really let the gratitude wash over me, I have nothing at all to complain about, and everything to rejoice about.
 
 
 

I’m not a fashion blogger, and normally I don’t write about what I wear because I don’t consider myself to be all that stylish…and I’m certainly not a trendsetter. I work in an environment that requires professional dress, so my outfits usually consist of dress slacks and a sweater in the wintertime. But when I read my friend Kate’s post Menswear Inspired, I decided  to give the look a try.
I built my outfit around a red blazer that I’d gotten years ago to wear with a skirt to my sister’s high school graduation. I’d kept the blazer, in spite of the fact that I’d never worn it again after that day. For the menswear inspired look, I decided to pair the blazer with a lacy cream-colored top and skinny jeans. I finished off the look with a pair of cherry-printed flats. I kept my jewelry minimal and opted for a pair of dangly earrings. Here’s how the look turned out:

 
Interestingly, though I bought the blazer in 2005 and the lacy shirt in 2012, both are designed by Wrapper. My flats are Melrose Ave, and they are old…I bought them from Mervyn’s before it went out of business.
This outfit was definitely out of my style comfort zone, and I was pleased with the good feedback I got and with how comfy the outfit was! I also liked that I was able to put together a brand new look with pieces I already had in my closet instead of going out and buying all new clothes (not that I don’t enjoy getting new clothes, because I definitely do!).
 

Soooo….it’s been crickets around here lately. I’ve been pretty bad about updating my blog. I’ve been in a funk and haven’t really been doing much besides working and studying for school, so I haven’t had a lot to write about. I did reach one of my 2013 goals when I became a licensed Zumba instructor a couple weeks ago (check out my friend Kate’s blog post about the day here), and I’m proud of that and excited at the prospect of teaching a class and sharing an experience that has changed my life. Besides that, I haven’t been doing much and I’ve been in a less-than-sunny mood. Winter, I blame you.
This weekend, I decided I was tired of being such a grouch and was ready to snap myself out of it. I began the weekend by participating with some friends in the Valentine’s Day Dash, a 5k race around Green Lake in Seattle. We got up early and got a great parking space in a lot across the street from the start line, and didn’t have to wait in line at all to pick up our race packets. Because it was a Valentine’s race, when we registered we designated whether we were Single or Taken, and our relationship status was printed on our race number. Here’s mine:

 
It was a cold, cloudy morning, but no rain was falling. We walked around for awhile, looking at the different booths that had been set up and the costumes of the fellow racers. People get really into these holiday-themed races and there were lots of racers that were dressed up. I saw tons of girls in frilly tutus, and a man dressed like a Hershey kiss (I have no clue how he was able to run in that outfit). One woman had glued Conversation Hearts to the back of her shirt to spell out I Luv U, and even had some of the candies stuck into her hair.
The race began at 9:30. I tried to stay with my friends, but since there was such a crowd of people we got separated and I was left to run on my own. I didn’t mind though, I had music on my iPhone and I trotted along, enjoying the view of the lake as I ran. I’m not a runner by nature, and for the most part when I do run it’s on the treadmill. Running around Green Lake was a nice change of scenery for me. Even though it was cold out, I warmed up quickly once I got moving, and the air was clear and crisp. My music was upbeat, and as I passed the Mile 2 marker I realized that I was setting a decent (well, for me anyway) pace and that I didn’t feel at all like dying.
My official race time was 33:31. That wasn’t all that fast, considering the fastest girl came in at 16:59…I don’t think I could ever run a 5k that fast. But  I’m pleased with my time and I think it was pretty awesome, coming from a girl who couldn’t even run the first lap of the mile in high school without walking.
It’s amazing how much getting out and going for a run cheered me up and made me feel better about life. After the race I went home and took a shower, then treated myself to a pedicure and some shopping. I truly feel rejuvenated. I’m hoping that my winter blahs are now gone for good.

 

If you’re like me, you spend 40+ hours a week sitting in a cubicle while you’re at work. If you don’t, then please just know that I am very jealous of you.

 
In order to make my little work space feel more like home, I have attempted to add some personal touches that I think reflect my personality and make me happy.
I think it’s really important to have photos in your work area. Photos of family and friends make you happy and put a smile on your face, plus they remind you of why you’re at your job in the first place. Although I love what I do, sometimes I have a stressful day and I need a reminder of why I’m working so hard. I have several framed photos throughout my cubicle, as well as my photo wall.

The photo wall is one of my favorite parts of my work station. I have created a collage of photos of family, friends, and of course my sweet kitties. Looking at the photos brings a smile to my face and helps me remember good times and keeps me motivated.
I also have fun things around my cubicle that have been given to me by friends and family.

 
In addition to photos, I have a variety of things that have been gifted to me. As shown in the photo above, I have my Crazy Cat Lady action figure (this was given to me by my coworker Bob for Christmas one year, so fitting!), and the Cat sign was a birthday present from a family friend. I also have various shot glasses that friends have brought me back from their vacations (they’re filled with pins, not alcohol), old Verizon collectibles, and one GTE mug that I drink my morning coffee from at the beginning of every work day.

 
Sometimes, the cure for a stressful day is to visualize yourself in a tranquil, happy place. My brother Steve helped me out with that by making me these four beautiful landscapes as a Christmas present one year, and I can look into them and feel myself being transported out of my cubicle and into the scene of choice. For my Verizon buddies, you might also recognize good ol’ Clyde Vibe hanging out too.

 
Ever the cat lady, I have these two caricatures hanging in my cubicle so that I can catch sight of them and smile throughout my day. On the left is a Frank Coble print that I got at Pike Place Market in Seattle. It just seemed so fitting for my big kitty Oliver. On the right is a caricature that was drawn of me years ago when I worked in Victorville. The artist came out and sketched drawings for anyone that wanted one as part of a promotion day. I’ve kept it all these years because I absolutely love it! Please note the martini glass, and of course, the cat.

 
I’m also a big fan of office decorations. If there were a career I could pursue as an office decorator, I’d be all over that. I like to get in the spirit of birthdays and Christmas by decorating coworkers’ cubicles (or for Christmas, our entire work area). In the picture above, my desk drawers are trimmed with pink argyle. To create this effect, I used patterned DuckTape brand duct tape. I applied the tape to the top edges of all my drawers, and the customized look was so appealing that a few of my coworkers are now sporting custom DuckTape desk drawers too!

 
 
When you look at my cubicle as a whole, it may not appear to be all that terribly special. In fact, it may seem cluttered. But when you break it down and really examine each individual item (yes, there are a lot of work-related things in there too, they just aren’t any fun to take pictures of and blog about!), you’ll see that each thing makes me happier at work and makes life in a cubicle so much better.

It’s January and this morning dawned a not-so-balmy 25 degrees. I got up, bundled myself in warm clothes, and set off to brave the ice on my way to Starbucks and then work. I simply could not face an icy Friday morning without a skinny vanilla latte.
Winter can be hard on us, physically and mentally. It’s cold, the days are short and dark, and weather conditions are often unfriendly. Luckily, I’ve found some things that make the January days much nicer. Here are some of my favorites:
 

 Clarisonic Mia 2
I bought my Clarisonic back in November, at the urging of my friend Kate. I love it! The Clarisonic Mia 2 is a small handheld facial cleanser. Since cold winter air can wreak havoc on my skin, I’m extra diligent about using my Clarisonic daily to keep my skin clean and vibrant. The Mia 2 is a little pricey (it retails for $119) but it was worth every penny. To keep my skin hydrated, I use the Mia 2 and follow up with applying moisturizer.
 

      Olay Quench Body Lotion
Cold, windy winter weather can cause some seriously dry skin. While my Clarisonic is taking care of my face, the rest of my skin gets a re-hydrating treat with Olay Quench lotion. I’ve been using this brand since my first trip to Seattle in 2008, when Paul was headed to the drugstore and I just needed lotion so I told him to pick one. He came back with a bottle of Olay Quench, and I’ve been hooked ever since. It’s not heavily scented, so it doesn’t clash with my perfume (I exclusively wear Dior J’Adore, in case you were wondering), and within a few weeks of using it, my skin was noticeably softer. And, added bonus, most drugstores and even grocery stores carry Olay Quench, with a reasonable price of under ten dollars.
 
 

Fuzzy Jammies
In my house, we turn down the thermostat at night so the heat’s not running needlessly. This is a great way to save money on our heating bill, but it also means that the inside temperature drops in the house and it can get pretty chilly. I like to stay snuggly in warm fleece jammies (my favorites are Simply Vera Vera Wang Dreamy Fleece, $50 at Kohl’s). These pajamas are fantastic!
Side note: Not sure how long it will last, but when I looked at the website today the pajamas are on sale for $20! Get yours fast!
 
 

 A nice, warm scarf
I love a cozy scarf with my winter outfit. Not only are scarves cute, but they really do keep me warmer. This year I received three scarves for Christmas, and all were handmade by friends. If you didn’t receive any creative gifts this year, you can pick up a variety of cute scarves for reasonable prices at Target.
**I should also mention that the scarf in the photo was actually a loan from Kate. Go here to get one of your very own!
 
 

 
Comfy Boots
Living in the Northwest, we get a lot of rain. I hate getting my feet or the bottoms of my pants wet, so I’ve learned that a great solution is to wear boots in the winter to keep my legs dry. Recently I found these great Dana Buchman Tall Boots on sale at Kohl’s for $38 (regular price $99) and I just had to have them. Since I bought them, I’ve worn them several times and they are my go-to shoe with jeans now. They’re super comfy, and the flat sole doesn’t hurt my feet after walking around a mall.
Hopefully this list will help make your January more enjoyable! What are your favorite winter items?

It’s a new year, a fresh start, a chance to do everything better. People are resolving to hit the gym, finish that major project, or pursue that lifelong unrequited dream. While all those things are great, they may be difficult to achieve over the next twelve months. And so, I have a suggestion for an easy-to-keep resolution that everyone can partake in: resolve not to make any of the following your Facebook status in 2013.
**Disclaimer: This is meant to be funny. 
 
1. I have the best boyfriend/girlfriend/husband/hamster in the world!
While I’m super happy for you that you have this special person (or hamster) in your life, these generalizations are annoying and don’t make for great Facebook statuses. Instead, why not give a little Cliffnotes version of WHY that person (hamster) is the best in the world? For instance: “My wonderful boyfriend brought me flowers and breakfast in bed, how sweet!” If you mention a specific action instead of just informing all your Facebook friends that your sweetie is the bestest ever, people are a lot more prone to liking the post instead of just rolling their eyes and moving on. Also, if that special someone hasn’t actually done something all that wonderful and you’re just in the mood to gush…please, skip the post.
2. Men are such assholes!
I’ve seen this on my feed before and I really can’t stand it. First of all, you don’t see men updating their Facebook statuses to say “Women are such bitches!” And the reason for that is that women would get seriously offended by such a post. There would potentially be an angry mob storming the house of any man foolish enough to say something like that. Secondly, c’mon, all men are not assholes. I know plenty of nice guys out there for whom this absolutely does not apply. The reality is that if you’re writing this as your status, it’s probably because you keep surrounding yourself with people who are assholes and then being surprised and upset when they act as such. Spend less time blaming the entire opposite sex for the crimes of a few and get some better friends.
3. I’m so done! 
This (and any variation thereof) is beyond irritating. The obvious next question that you’re waiting to be asked is, “Done with what?” You’re fishing for attention here and you’re not going to get it from me, as I purposely ignore these types of posts. If you feel the need to vent via social media, just suck it up and give us a condensed version of what the hell your problem is. If it’s not something you want to share with all your Facebook buddies, then why post anything at all? Vent to a friend by phone, text, or private message. Don’t sob in public only to reply to the concerned questions of what’s wrong with a vague, “Things are just not going well today”, or other such nonsense. Spare me the drama.
4. Any post that involves changing your relationship status to ‘Single’ just because you’re fighting with your significant other. 
Couples fight. Every couple in every relationship has a tiff every now and then. But if I get into an argument with Paul, I don’t run straight to Facebook to unfriend him and change my relationship status. Unfortunately, I know people that do take such dramatic action, only to re-friend and re-update their relationship status in a couple hours once the fight’s blown over. If you really do go through a breakup, that’s sad and I’m sorry for you. But don’t broadcast your split on social media until you’re sure that the relationship really is over…if for no other reason than you’re not going to like it when your boyfriend’s hot childhood best (female) friend comments on the status and says she always hated you anyway, and that comment gets 100 likes.
5. Any posts that rant about how stupid people are in which you misspell a word or use poor grammar.
Let me be the first to tell you: misspelling a word or using the wrong form of ‘your’ when venting about what idiots people can be makes YOU look like the idiot. When I’m scrolling through a feed and come across “People are so dumb today! They do’nt know there left from they’re write!”, I’m going to mentally bitch-slap you. Don’t misunderstand me, I am all about a good anger-infused rant and I urge you to keep them coming, because they’re usually a blast to read. Just don’t call people out for being stupid and then make a mistake that proves you’re stupid too.
 

Today is New Year’s Eve, which means that in less than 24 hours, we’ll be bidding a fond (or not so fond, depending on your experiences) farewell to 2012. For me, it was a pretty good year. I lost some weight, had some great vacations in California, Moab UT, and Hawaii, and enjoyed showing my parents around the Northwest when they visited over the summer. I ran my first 5K and got my first tattoo. My biggest regret is a not-so-fabulous haircut I got this fall, but all in all, I have no harsh things to say about 2012.
I’ve always been the sort of person who loves the beginning of the new year, because I love a chance at a fresh start. I like the opportunity to make new goals for myself and give myself something to work toward. So as always, I’m making some resolutions for the new year:
1. Win the lottery. I made a valiant effort in 2012, but alas, the prize aluded me. Let’s hope 2013 yields better results.
2. Continue to exercise and eat healthy and maintain the weight loss I’ve achieved. I’m at my goal weight and I feel amazing. I want to continue on this path of healthy living and not lapse back into my old ways.
3. Become a certified Zumba instructor. Zumba has changed my body, my soul, and my life. I was beyond fed up with normal gym workouts and distressed that I wasn’t seeing results. Plus, I dreaded my time at the gym and was miserable throughout the workout. Zumba, by contrast, is addicting. I have so much fun and have met the most incredible people at class. I want to pay it forward and share the experience with others.
4. Stress less, smile more. Too often I find myself in a foul mood over circumstances that are simply beyond my control. Whether it’s a business decision at work that customers are unhappy about, traffic on the freeway, or unplanned inconveniences like car trouble, I am hoping to learn to put a smile on my face and not let it wreck my mood or my day. Things are going to happen that I can’t alter, and I just have to accept the situation with grace.
5. Get organized. I like things neat and orderly, but I also get lazy and my socks end up tossed haphazardly in a drawer, I have clutter in closets that could be thrown away or donated. I’m going to tackle the mess, get everything neat, and keep it that way.
Well, that should be enough resolutions to keep me busy in the next twelve months. What are your new year’s resolutions?

Christmas is less than a week away. Yesterday my coworkers and I had a holiday party at work to exchange gifts and celebrate with one another, so to add to the festivities I made Christmas fudge.
This recipe is a tradition in my family. Growing up, my siblings and I would watch as my dad prepared the fudge every Christmastime (we helped by licking the bowls…I’m sure he was glad to have such good taste testers). Now I live in a different state than my family so unfortunately I don’t get to spend the holidays with them, but I decided to keep the tradition alive and make the Christmas fudge for my work family. This is one of my very favorite holiday treats.
For this recipe, you’ll need:
3 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter
1 small can (5 ounces) evaporated milk (about 2/3 cup) NOTE: do NOT use sweetened condensed milk
12 ounces Baker’s Semi Sweet chocolate, chopped (you can also use 12 ounces of milk  chocolate chocolate chips)
1 jar Jet-Puffed Marshmallow Creme (I use Kraft)
1 tsp. vanilla
*You can also add 1 cup chopped walnuts if you want…I didn’t
(You can view the original recipe here.)

 
Line a 9-inch pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over the sides. (You don’t necessarily have to do this, I just do it so I can lift the fudge out of the pan and onto a cutting board for slicing, but you can definitely cut it up still in the pan).
Bring sugar, butter, and evaporated milk to a full rolling boil in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

 
Add chocolate and marshmallow creme; stir until melted. Add vanilla (and walnuts if you choose), mix well.
Pour into prepared pan; spread to cover bottom of pan. Cool completely (I stuck it in the fridge overnight and cut it into squares the next morning).

 
Once the fudge is fully cooled, cut into squares and serve. A service of this treat is 2 squares.
 

 
Enjoy!