The New Year is here to stay, at least for the year anyway. Gone is the tree, down are the lights and eaten are the last of Mom’s cookie delights (good riddance!). Big question: So how’s the resolution going?
If you’re like me, you don’t even remember the resolution you made last year. Come to think of it, I’m not so sure I made one. But that’s the beauty of the New Year—it’s a time to start fresh, turn over a new leaf, try to make this year the best one yet, and don’t look back. Whatever mishaps, hardships or roadblocks we stumbled upon in 2010 are behind us, and 2011 is our chance to make amends, find peace and shoot for the moon. Not to sound cliché, but the world is our oyster! Instead of bogging down the New Year with daunting to-do lists and lofty goals, I’ve decided to create a wish-list of fun things to look forward to this year instead.
It kind of seemed like a no-brainer once I read that nearly 40% of people typically break their resolutions by the end of January, while a third more only keep them up for six months. That was me to a “t.” Why are we so hard on ourselves? Human nature….or is it marketing? Think about it, how many ads for the gym did you see on TV or hear on the radio during the first week of the January? “I pick things up, and I put them down” come to mind? (A fan of Planet Fitness or not, this ad is hilarious!)
Sure, we all know that we overindulged during the holidays and it’s time to get back on track. Don’t worry, we’ll get there. Now is the time to appreciate the phrase, “it’s the small things that make the biggest differences,” and move on to the things that fulfill your life with happiness and joy. Let’s face it; you’re much more likely to have those memories stick in 2012.
Some fun things I’m looking forward to this year include:
• Running a few local 5K races, the Bellin 10K, and maybe, just maybe, the Cellcom half-marathon (I’ve yet to decide if that’s “fun” or “torture”)
• Watching Ella start Kindergarten (where does the time go?)
• Preparing Jaisa for potty training (again, not sure where this fits on the fun-o-meter, but it’s a milestone nonetheless)
• Seeing the musical Wicked for the first time
• Enjoying an annual Girls Night with my girlfriends from college
• Taking a long, overdue trip to Door County with Matt, just the two of us (Alleluia!)
• Spring breaking it to Blue Harbor Resort & Waterpark for our 4th consecutive year
• Heading to Wisconsin Dells for a summer vacay
• Hopefully doing some camping, even if it’s just in our backyard
• Packing up for a big move? Time will tell, but a house with more room to hold our stuff would be nice…or maybe we just need to get rid of our stuff…hmmm
• Scheduling regular mother-daughter days with the girls
• Spending time with family and friends, because that’s what it’s all about
And that's just the beginning...
Enjoy the New Year for all that it is – a chance to start anew and appreciate all that you have!
What’s on your list of fun in 2011?
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Friday, December 10, 2010
The Case of the Gimmies
This time of year, it’s hard to escape the blatant advertising of kids’ toys…. It’s Zhu Zhu Pets this and Littlest Pet Shop that…. Ella didn’t even know Sing-a-ma-jigs existed until she saw a tantalizing commercial for them in between one of her Dora the Explorer episodes. Now she’s “gotta have it!” And quite frankly, I’VE HAD IT!!
This time of year, when we parents are already trying to keep the kids as happy as we can and making sure we get some of the special items on their Christmas list, it gets frustrating (as the month scurries along) when the lists get longer, and longer, and longer. The gimmies gotta stop.
I want this!
I want that!
When do I get presents?
Seriously, all this talk about “what’s in it for me?” really takes the joy out of Christmas. As Linus said in A Charlie Brown Christmas, “we’ve lost the true meaning of what Christmas is all about.”
I hate to be a Scrooge, but what about Joy to the World, Angles We Have Heard on High, and Hark, the Harold Angels Sing? Instead, we get All I Want for Christmas… and You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch if we don’t deliver.
Charlie Brown nailed it on the head. Christmas really has gone commercial. And it’s up to us to bring the “peace on earth and good will toward men” back. Show your kids that, believe it or not, it can be just as much fun to give as it is to receive. Take a few names off your nearest Giving Tree and have your child help you shop for a gift someone truly in need deserves. Spend some good, old-fashion family-time ringing bells for The Salvation Army—something (anything) to show your kids that this time of year is not just about the presents.
Matt, the kids, and I decided to pull a couple names off our church’s Giving Tree this year and it gave me and Ella an opportunity to get started on some holiday baking, since one of the requests was homemade Christmas cookies. That festive project led to a separate day of making ornaments for the tree.
Memories last longer than any toy ever will, and the best part is you can make as many as you wish. Your kids will surely treasure those experiences for years to come. I know I’ll never forget the fun I had as a kid, decorating cut-out cookies with my mom or having my dad drive us around town to look at people’s outdoor Christmas lights. Special times like these are what make the experiences a gift that keeps on giving.
What are some ways you help make the holiday season special as a family?
This time of year, when we parents are already trying to keep the kids as happy as we can and making sure we get some of the special items on their Christmas list, it gets frustrating (as the month scurries along) when the lists get longer, and longer, and longer. The gimmies gotta stop.
I want this!
I want that!
When do I get presents?
Seriously, all this talk about “what’s in it for me?” really takes the joy out of Christmas. As Linus said in A Charlie Brown Christmas, “we’ve lost the true meaning of what Christmas is all about.”
I hate to be a Scrooge, but what about Joy to the World, Angles We Have Heard on High, and Hark, the Harold Angels Sing? Instead, we get All I Want for Christmas… and You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch if we don’t deliver.
Charlie Brown nailed it on the head. Christmas really has gone commercial. And it’s up to us to bring the “peace on earth and good will toward men” back. Show your kids that, believe it or not, it can be just as much fun to give as it is to receive. Take a few names off your nearest Giving Tree and have your child help you shop for a gift someone truly in need deserves. Spend some good, old-fashion family-time ringing bells for The Salvation Army—something (anything) to show your kids that this time of year is not just about the presents.
Matt, the kids, and I decided to pull a couple names off our church’s Giving Tree this year and it gave me and Ella an opportunity to get started on some holiday baking, since one of the requests was homemade Christmas cookies. That festive project led to a separate day of making ornaments for the tree.
Memories last longer than any toy ever will, and the best part is you can make as many as you wish. Your kids will surely treasure those experiences for years to come. I know I’ll never forget the fun I had as a kid, decorating cut-out cookies with my mom or having my dad drive us around town to look at people’s outdoor Christmas lights. Special times like these are what make the experiences a gift that keeps on giving.
What are some ways you help make the holiday season special as a family?
Sunday, November 21, 2010
The Dessert to be Thankful For...
As we prepare for our Thanksgiving Day feasts, there’s always one thing besides the turkey (of course) that we look forward to dressing our tables with every year. For some of us, it’s pumpkin pie with whipped topping, or Grandma’s famous stuffing. For others, it’s the tart and tangy apple pie and vanilla ice cream, or the rich creamy comfort of green bean casserole.
In my family, there’s been one glorious dessert that’s been topping off our holiday meals since I was a kid. No one can ever seem to get enough. And when it’s gone in the blink of an eye, all of us our thankful for having tasted a little piece of heaven. I’m proud to say this mouthwatering masterpiece – with its sinfully delicious concoction of chocolate and peanut butter melded together with cream cheese and whipped topping – was passed down from my Grandma Mabel and we’ve been singing her praises for sharing the recipe ever since. My grandma is no longer with us, but her recipe lives on, making its way to a few family gatherings every year.
I’m thankful to say, I’ll be bringing the Peanut Butter Torte to Thanksgiving in a few days, or as my family affectionately calls it, Mabel’s Torte. It’s been missing at our table for the past few occasions so I know it will be a welcome treat and I’m sure the first of the desserts to be wiped clean from our plates.
It’s that good.
If you’re in charge of bringing a dessert for Thanksgiving, come with this knock-their-socks-off creation. I guarantee your family will be asking for it for years to come. Just tell them you got it from Mabel. It’s a simple recipe that you can make ahead of time and leave in the refrigerator until you’re ready to go.
Give thanks for all that you’ve been blessed with this year…..like this recipe!
Peanut Butter Torte
Crust:
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup peanut butter
¼ cup margarine
1 cup flour
Beat sugar, peanut butter and margarine until fluffy. Add flour to mixture. Pat into 9” x 13” pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Let crust cool completely.
Topping:
8 oz. whipped topping (thawed)
8 oz. cream cheese (softened)
½ cup sugar
¼ cup peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup chocolate chips
Beat first 5 ingredients until smooth. Beat eggs separately then add to mixture. Pour mixture onto cooled crust. Melt chocolate chips. Drizzle thinly over mixture and marbleize with a knife. Refrigerate for 1-3 hours. (It also freezes well).
Happy Thanksgiving!
What's your favorite holiday recipe!
In my family, there’s been one glorious dessert that’s been topping off our holiday meals since I was a kid. No one can ever seem to get enough. And when it’s gone in the blink of an eye, all of us our thankful for having tasted a little piece of heaven. I’m proud to say this mouthwatering masterpiece – with its sinfully delicious concoction of chocolate and peanut butter melded together with cream cheese and whipped topping – was passed down from my Grandma Mabel and we’ve been singing her praises for sharing the recipe ever since. My grandma is no longer with us, but her recipe lives on, making its way to a few family gatherings every year.
I’m thankful to say, I’ll be bringing the Peanut Butter Torte to Thanksgiving in a few days, or as my family affectionately calls it, Mabel’s Torte. It’s been missing at our table for the past few occasions so I know it will be a welcome treat and I’m sure the first of the desserts to be wiped clean from our plates.
It’s that good.
If you’re in charge of bringing a dessert for Thanksgiving, come with this knock-their-socks-off creation. I guarantee your family will be asking for it for years to come. Just tell them you got it from Mabel. It’s a simple recipe that you can make ahead of time and leave in the refrigerator until you’re ready to go.
Give thanks for all that you’ve been blessed with this year…..like this recipe!
Peanut Butter Torte
Crust:
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup peanut butter
¼ cup margarine
1 cup flour
Beat sugar, peanut butter and margarine until fluffy. Add flour to mixture. Pat into 9” x 13” pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Let crust cool completely.
Topping:
8 oz. whipped topping (thawed)
8 oz. cream cheese (softened)
½ cup sugar
¼ cup peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup chocolate chips
Beat first 5 ingredients until smooth. Beat eggs separately then add to mixture. Pour mixture onto cooled crust. Melt chocolate chips. Drizzle thinly over mixture and marbleize with a knife. Refrigerate for 1-3 hours. (It also freezes well).
Happy Thanksgiving!
What's your favorite holiday recipe!
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