Leap list?

Have you guys heard of this? I just heard about it the other day while watching the lameness that is The Bachelor, of all things. Basically, it's a list of things that you want to accomplish before your next mile stone; kind of like a short term bucket list. Well, if you know one thing about me, it's my absolute L.O.V.E of lists! For me, a leap list is not a "want to have, it's a NEED to have!". Ahem.

Things I Want To Do Before I Turn 40:

1. Run a half marathon - this one will be pretty tough for me, but if you don't aim high you'll never get off the ground, right?

2. Find one new thing and get involved in a big way. This is really general, but I have an idea brewing!

3. Do 12 mini- triathlons. I have 11 to go!

4. Make a good idea a habit. Like kicking my caffeine addiction...or maybe I'll stop buying so many shoes. Hmmmmm....l

5. Go snorkeling.

6. Go to Saipan.

7. Go to Japan.

8. Go parasailing. This may be what kills me - I am terrified of heights!

9. Take cooking classes and actually apply what I learn.

10. Grow my hair out. This might sound simple, but I really like scissors.

That's it! What's on your list? ;)

My word for 2012 is......

Each year I pray and ask God to bless me with one, single little word that I want to concentrate on and make the focal point for change and growth in my life. In 2011, that word was "transparency". My goal was to become truly and wholly without walls or pretenses and to allow the people in my life to really know me for who I am. I think I was successful in my endevour - it's really freeing when you don't have to "create" who you are. You can just be. I also learned a few things about transparency; there is a time and a place for it. It's ok to be transparent AND discreet. I have learned that not everyone needs to know everything. It's great to have privacy! I don't know if I really embrace that concept here yet though! It's also very empowering to be comfortable in my own skin, to not have to silence my inner being, if you will, for the sake of being deemed normal in someone else's eyes. I am so thankful for this lesson.

That brings me to 2012! This year the word that God has given me seems to be "contentment". I believe that means that I need to learn to be satisfied in my present situation. By satisfied I don't mean that I intend to be complacent in where I am, just that I need to be content in what I have and where I am going. It's a lot harder for me than it sounds. I am typically looking for the next "thing". I am learning to just stop and be in the moment, whether good or bad or hard or happy. I need to learn to be still and to really listen. And to be content with the material things I have. I struggle a lot with that. I like to have new things and gadgets and projects - this year I am learning to be happy with what I have now. I also keep hearing the word "strive", and I think that means that I should be striving for things that I cannot yet accomplish, but I haven't quite figured that all out. I know that this is going to be a great year for sure, whatever it brings, because I am learning contentment..... ~K

New Year's Eve Advice

So boys and gals, I am a tad late with the New Year's post

but I have a good reason - I am just now fully recovered and have collected all of the information I needed in order to fill in the blanks of that evening.

Suffice it to say, this Mama should not mix wine with Ice Picks.

Ice Picks being Iced Tea with "a" (singular) "shot"(small amount) of vodka. In my world, things that are good in small amounts are better in large amounts. This does not hold true if you add alcohol. 

I hereby declare that I cannot party like a rock star.

Anyhoo, despite my morning after sickness, the evening itself was a full-on BLAST! We ate, we drank and we made merry!!

The had a dance party with a run way in the kitchen and we sang karaoke style in our loudest voices. We played a boys against the girls Trivial Pursuit game that the girls limped away from and in the mix of all that, I got some very hilarious quotes.

These are the Top 5 Things said on New Year's Eve 2011:

1. "If you think it might be a poop, don't do it." - Excellent advice!

2. "When she drinks, I get molested."

3. "It ain't gay if it's a 3-way, with a honey in the middle, there's

 some leeway! ~Justin Timberlake parody

4. "Don't make me crawl over there and stick my head up your skirt!"

In our defense the above sound much, much worse than they

 actually were and we had so much fun!!

Happy Belated 2012!!!