Christmas Recap

I have to say Christmas 2010 was pretty successful...

On Christmas Eve Eve Brian hosted a fabulous little holiday cocktail party at his apartment. Check out additional pics from the very successful Soiree on the facebook album here.

Brian, Me & Ant

Cheers!!

 Christmas Eve I headed out to NJ for the remainder of the Holiday weekend.  This was my first Christmas sans my parents and second "white" Christmas in New Jersey.  At first I was a little sad that I wasn't going to be spending the Holiday with my parents, but I was spending it with family and that's what really counts.   Its about time to start making new traditions for myself.  I had a great time and no regrets not going back to California for the Holiday, also think I wouldn't have made it back to NYC if I did thanks to the crazy Blizzard on Sunday.

Christmas Eve was wrapping all the gifts that both my Mother & I shipped to my Uncles, 4pm Mass then Jersey Aunt Mary's for the evening.  And in the theme of making new traditions I again made the Danenhower Deviled Eggs for the festivities. Check out my serious egg cracking skills...  Oh, best part of Eve, Mary accidentally hit her sister, Theresa in the eye with some fuzzy slippers and Theresa got a black eye, see below.

Look at those perfectly cracked hard-boiled eggs... I got skills

Mary, Theresa & Theresa's Black Eye

 

Christmas Eve night after returning home from Mary's I participated in my family's tradition of receiving new PJ's for Christmas, Love.

Christmas morning we had an amazing breakfast cooked by my Aunt Dawn then we opened gifts.  I got a new macbook!!  That was a serious surprise,  Thanks Mom & Dad!

"Oh.. My.. GOD... I got a new computer!!!"

Christmas afternoon the Dimon family along with my Aunt's Sisters (Jersey Aunts) & Mother came over for presents, merriment and food.

Grans chilling at the bar with Chels & Ash

The Cousins w Gran in our Xmas PJ's... Top: Ashley & Me; Bottom: Chelsea, Granny & Jonathan

And Sunday I finally saw some snow, Blizzard was a little more than I was requesting for.  I was looking for some light snow, maybe 4 inches max, not 20.

Sunday at 2pm before it got really CRAZY Blizzardy

For more pictures from the Christmas weekend in Jersey you can check out my facebook album here.


Best Part of the whole weekend, Monday I got a SNOW DAY!!!  Impromptu 4-day weekend!


And now.... Happy New Year!!

New Years Resolutions vs. Aspirations

Its crazily enough almost the end of 2010 and time to think about 2011.  In 16 days everyone will come up with some outrageous New Years Resolutions for 2011.  I on the other hand am making "New Year's Aspirations" vs. Resolutions because lets be honest, no one ever follows through on their resolutions.  We all set these unattainable goals and resolutions for the New Year that we only half attempt in the first few months of the year then inevitability give up by Spring for a lack of effort, determination or sheer boredom.  So this year I've come up with a few things that I'd like to aspire to do in the New Year and (hopefully) years to come.

1. Actually put money into my non-existent savings account.  (My Mother will scoff at this one because she knows this will be my hardest aspiration).  That means spending less money on whatever I spend money on, I don't know where it goes.  My American Express bill is always a surprise.

2. Clean up my dirty mouth.  I have the innate ability to throw in a "dirty" word in almost every conversation and sometimes those words are not appropriate for the audience.  I need more than orbit gum to clean up this dirty mouth, I need a rubber-band around my wrist and sheer determination to keep my language cleaner.

3. Limit the number of excuses.  I'm very good at coming up with multiple excuses to not do something.  I aspire to stop making so many excuses for any number of activities like: going to the gym, doing the dishes or laundry, participating in activities out of my comfort zone, etc. 

4. Dance, just dance.  I need to make a commitment to (1) sign-up for class and (2) show up to class.

5. Cook Dinner a minimum 3 nights a week.  This aspiration can be looped into #1 and #3.  I like to cook but (#3) find an excuse not to and end up ordering from seamless web (#1).

To be clear I'm not resolving to do all these things, but aspiring to.  So you can't hold me accountable if they don't pan out 100%.

Boobie Update

Today I was surprised, astonished, slightly (just a tiny bit) disappointed, but not really surprised.  I went to Linda the Bra Lady to officially get my new boobs fitted into some under-wire bras... Final boob size 32 F or 34 DD, I thought I lost my boobies, guess not.

1. My first push-up bra, 2. t-shirt bra, 3. Everyday bra, 4. My first sexy/lace bra

It was a whole new experience trying on the new bras.  I had no idea how they were supposed to fit, especially the push-up and lace bra since I've never owned one before (didn't need & never made in my size), I had to ask my fitter if that's how they were 'supposed' to fit. My shirt even fits differently now, it fits better because I have boobs! Now my boobs are separated and lifted into individual cups versus my wireless non-cupped, no boobie definition bras I was currently wearing.

My boobs are like the prodigal son - I had them, I lost them and today they came back.  I guess I'm also a ball of contradictions when it comes to the ladies: (1) I didn't want my ginormous boobs, (2) Got them reduced, (3) Want big boobs again (push-up bra).  Still overall still best decision of my life and now I have so many options for bras, even cute, sexy and lacey bras I did not know in my previous boobie life.  Yay, to the new ladies!


UPDATED:
how appropriate - an article on "sister sizes" for any of those who are curious how 32 F and 34 DD are essentially the same size

Cow Class

So today I took my final butcher class at Jeffery's Meat Market.  Same concept but it was a totally different experience than last week's Pig Class.  I enjoyed myself and I learned a lot but I think I preferred the pig over the cow class.  But now I'm interested in the sausage class...

"Just Too Damn Smart"

Per my Mother's request I finally looked up my grades from my last two OD classes I took in November.  I already assumed I got As since every other class I've received As and I DID (shocking, I know).  So either the professors are easy graders or I'm just amazing, both work for me.  I've got one class left in Spring then I will have earned a Certificate in Organizational Development and Leadership. Woot Woot

'Tis the Season

This year I decided to get into the Holiday Spirit and do a little decorating around the apartment.  I really wanted to buy a Charlie Brown Christmas tree but they're really expensive.  Then I would also have to invest in twinkle lights, ornaments, etc which I do not have money for since my Amex is nearly maxed out with Christmas gifts for friends, family and a few for myself.  So I did some mild decorating...

Holiday Door Contest at Work

My Classy Front Door

Some garland

Some Silver Sticks that Light Up

And Look I baked Coffee Cake Muffins...

Pig Class: An explanation

So it seems there was confusion about my last blog post…

For my birthday I asked my parents to purchase me butchering lessons.  So on Saturday I went to my first lesson at Jeffery's Meat Market.  In the class we "built" a pig section by section; from front foot to butt to hind foot.  If you look at the picture album you can see each piece a we put it together and you actually see a whole pig.  As we put the "pieces" together we learned about each section and how to cook it.  I even tasted a few things too, like pigs feet.  Then the best part - we made sausage!  and then we ate the sausage and it was delicious. 

I hope that synopsis clears up some confusion.

Pig Class

Today in Pig class we "built" a pig, had some laughs and made some awesome sausage.

Meet Frank

Overall, a very successful Saturday.  You can check out the pictures from today here

Next week... Cow

The SMART Daily: WD-40

My friend Blake has this awesome blog called 'The SMART Daily' and I just had to share his latest post about WD-40.

Learn & Enjoy... The SMART Daily: WD-40 :: 40+ uncommon uses for the Answer in a Can...: "Does anybody know what the main ingredient of WD-40 is?"