Just Melancholy

Like every other year, and like others before me, my New Year’s Resolution is to lose weight. However, I’m trying to center my goal more on training for a 10K rather than just losing weight. I think this will help me meet my goal because I have a date set for the future which I can’t fail on.

Of course, I’m also trying to eat less (especially chocolate) and enjoy food for fuel, rather than as an emotional outlet. Like other women, I do eat when I’m tired or stressed, a habit I intend to break. I’m getting some help from Akavar to eat less, and from a personal trainer to keep my workout time and to work out properly.

I’m going to reach my weight loss goal this year (lose 10% body fat) and run a 10K, and I hope you can reach your goals this New Year too!

I received a lot of good stuff this Christmas, but my favorite part was watching others open the presents I bought them. For instance, my little brother was so excited when he opened his huge remote control truck. With a little charge of the battery he had it racing throughout the house, scaring the dogs.

However, my favorite person to watch was my Mom. She has an old antique tea set she inherited from her Grandma, which was missing a tea cup and saucer. She didn’t know the manufacturer name or pattern number so she assumed she’d never have a complete set. Well, I found the exact pieces she was missing just by looking through pictures on a china replacement site. They have everything from china to crystalware replacements, even for older and discontinued models.

The look on her face when she opened the present was priceless. She almost started to cry, she was so moved by the present. It was definitely one of the best moments of Christmas Day!

As I’ve gotten older and married, my family has shifted from spending the holidays at my parents’ house to traveling during this time of year. Last year we went to Hawaii and next year we’re going to Spain.

Due to some health problems, this year we stayed stateside at an Arizona country inn. Although it wasn’t in Europe, this bed and breakfast was voted one of the best B&B inns in the world and now I know why! They offered tremendous personal service and had luxury log cabins and rooms. With the beautiful mountains of Northern Arizona surrounding us, the vacation was a relaxing and fun time with family.

We went skiing nearby and raced on snowmobiles. At night we went dancing, relaxed in the hot tub, and enjoyed dinner at the local grill restaurant that served fabulous food! We also played card games in the huge rooms.

For a little romantic time, my husband and I watched the stars, got massages, and slept in late. We were even able to catch up on the real world with wi-fi wireless network.

It was the best holiday yet. We had so much fun spending time together and returned feeling more relaxed and rejuvenated. Consider traveling away from home your next holiday, and leave all the holiday tasks to someone else!

With my Mom barely out of surgery, I decided to host the family’s annual holiday party the day after Christmas. To ease my holiday stress, I hired a renowned Salt Lake City caterer to bring the food while I worried about the decorations and location. Everything came together beautifully so I could enjoy mingling and chatting with all my guests. I love the holidays!

Since I am getting married, I was looking through pictures of myself growing up.  Unfortunately, my Mom has never taken the time to organize all our pictures into albums.  My sister put them in boxes, but they are in random order.  I don’t blame her, since she works full-time and travels all the time, but it does make my job a little harder.  Looking through pictures is hard enough, since I try to avoid the ones of me with glasses or braces when I’m in middle school, that awkward age that no one thinks they look good.

I’d like to organize all our pictures into scrapbooks or at least just albums, but I’m not very artistic.  Does anyone know a good place I can get tips for scrapbooking? I need something that’s easy to read and apply, as I don’t have a lot of time or money to spend on it.   My sister and Aunts did a book for my Grandma, which was beautiful with gold trimming. However, I don’t expect to be that elaborate, just as long as it looks nice.  Some help?

For my 23^rd birthday two months ago, my husband (then fiancé) bought me a beautiful, brand new MacBook Pro laptop. A top of the line model, the computer came with all the bells and whistles. Which is why I used it for everything…it was my personal assistant, day planner, calendar, accountant, and photo album.

Well, two weeks ago it was stolen. Yup, stolen. Snatched, seized, abducted. Right out of my very own car, by some rotten individual.

If I sound upset about it, well I am. That computer was my life. All my pictures from the last two years, finances, and school documents were stored on there.

However, I have to admit there were a few precautionary steps I could have taken to ensure such a situation would not be so bad. Here’s what I’ve learned:

- Always hide valuables in your car if you opt to not take them with you. I do not know what in the world I was thinking (or not thinking) when I just placed the computer on the backseat in plain view.

-Remote backup. Don’t know what it is? Look it up. Don’t have it? Well, you need to get it.

-Check your insurance. Unfortunately, the computer wasn’t covered in our policy and since we don’t have $2, 000 just lying around, it will be awhile until I get a new one.

-Last but not least, make sure your husband is in a really good mood when he finds out. Making sure he has a full stomach makes my husband a happy man. Whatever you have to do ladies.

As if I’m not stressed enough during the year, the holidays come around and amp up the pressure. Although the holidays should be a jolly time, I dread the annual Christmas shopping. I hate fighting the crowds, even if there are amazing deals the day after Thanksgiving on Black Friday.

I always worry if my hubby will like his gifts and draw complete blanks as to what presents the rest of my family will like. For instance, what am I supposed to ?@# get my new in-laws?

I’ve decided this year that I will cut back the stress. I’m doing most of my shopping online. I bought the rest of my presents on Black Friday in just a few short hours (in and out is my motto).

Although I love cooking, my annual Christmas party is going to be done by a superb Salt Lake City caterer that I used for my wedding.

And last by not least, I am sending out all my Christmas cards soon in one day, and making my husband help me do them. Luckily, we have pictures and cards already picked out and ready to go.

Anybody else have suggestions for making this year a stress-free holiday season? I’d love to hear your ideas!