The 2011 Life List

Instead of making new years resolutions this year, I decided to list a few life lessons I learned in 2010 that I wish to remember in 2011.

The 2011 Life List

-Take care of yourself first...then the rest of life will follow suit.

-Daily happiness is a learned art, you must work at it.

-If you truly want something or someone in your life, you will make time for them. Even if you have the world's busiest schedule, there is always time to fit in the things you care about the most.

-If life is 80% wonderful, focus on that wonderful 80%. Focusing on the 20% that may not be as perfect as you'd like it will only ruin your already existent wonderful majority.

-Life is made up of the little things. Don't. Cut. Corners. on the little things.

-Never take those you love for granted, show your love and appreciation for them often.

-Who I share my life with is more important to me than where I live...thank goodness 2011 brings Chicago.

-Talking often to my grandparents helps me maintain perspective on life. How could it not when they have 50+ years of life experience on me?

So...here's to 2011. May it be just as wonderful and enriching as 2010.

Alive + Happy

Sorry for the blogging hiatus. Pinky promise swear a longer update will be coming soon. But for now, I think this picture pretty much sums up just how happy I am. Two weeks back in the fresh rocky mountain air has done WONDERS for me.

Hope you are all doing well and having a very wonderful new years!

Sheer Excitement

The only things that stand between me and sweet freedom at the end of the week? Two days & a holiday cookie exchange. Yup, I can do that.

(pardon the paint job, absolute lack of adobe on my work computer)

I Take It Back.

The temperatures are horrible in Michigan. 9 degrees at 5pm. Before taking wind chill into consideration. Brr. Sleeping bag jacket, I have a feeling we are going to be besties this winter.

Winter in the D

We had our first big snow storm this weekend in the D. I don't think I'm going to survive winter here, and not because of the temperatures. The temperatures are totally fine so far, hasn't even dipped below 20F yet. However. These are some of the WORST roads I've EVER driven on. Literally. Think insane Wyoming style snow+wind, then add in the ice factor of the great lakes area, then add in the fact that Michigan doesn't seem to use snow plows. What northern state doesn't allocate their budget to include snow plows in the winter?! Seriously people, no wonder your roads looked like this all day yesterday and today! And that wasn't even the worst of the cars I saw this weekend.












On the upside, I'm leaving for a blissful THREE WEEKS in exactly five days. FIVE DAYS.

Meet My Idol

She is the head chef at the local Sur La Table kitchen (where I took an amazing cooking class earlier this week). She has my dream job and inspired me in every way when I talked to her about how she got to this point in her life. Is it the most glamorous job out there? Definitely not. But in my mind, it is perfect in every way.

One day peeps...one day.

Someone Please Explain This To Me

Why is it so cold in Michigan? It makes no sense to my Rocky Mountain mind. I'm pretty sure it's colder in Michigan right now than it was in Utah last winter when this picture was taken. Eww.

Let me clarify: no mountains+no snow=no right to be fah-reezing cold.

Thank heavens for UT in...19 days!