Categories
Fabulous living

2022 New Year’s Resolutions

Happy New Year friends! I hope you had a wonderful New Yearā€™s!

As much as I love the holidays, thereā€™s just something special about the fresh start of the new year.Ā 

During the week between Christmas and New Year I always like to set-up my Simplified planner for the new year and reflect on the passing year and set up my resolutions for the new year. I always like to see how far Iā€™ve come and look ahead to what I want to accomplish in the new year.Ā Here’s a recap from last year’s resolutions.

Each year I come up a word or phrase to live byā€¦.my phrase for 2022 isā€¦.Be the Best Version of Myselfā€¦I truly found my rhythm last year and I want to continue to cultivate my routines and lifestyles and grow in this new year.

Out with the old and in with the new…getting my new planner set up.

From mottos to goalsā€¦I always like to set a few realistic goals for myself each year and this year is no different.


I decided to break up my goals into different categories this year. The four categories that I want to work on are: Physical, Spiritual, Professional and Lifestyle.

Physical– I love getting my daily workouts in and fitness and health are a big priority for me. This year, I want to work more on healthy eating. I have a major sweet tooth, but I want to incorporate more veggies in my daily meals and be more mindful about what Iā€™m putting in my body. My goal for my physical health is to put more greens on my plate.Ā 

Spiritual– I always try to make my faith a priority and I want to continue to do that in the new year. Besides going to church every week I want to carve more time every morning for prayer and time with Jesus. My spiritual goal is spend more intentional time with God every day.

Professional– I want to continue to work on my craft and skills at work. This year I want to get more creative with my storytelling and writing. My goal this year is to really up my game with how I shoot video and tell stories every day at work.

Lifestyle– As far as my goals for my lifestyle goes for this upcoming year, I want to use more sustainable and recycled products in my daily life. From using recycled bags while shopping, to using plastic containers for my lunches. I want to waste less and do small acts every day to my part to help conserve materials.

I decided to work on four areas of my life this year in addition to continue to flourish in my routines and daily life. 

I canā€™t wait to see what this year holds and all the adventures that it entails as well as see how I grow personally and professionally.

Thatā€™s a look at my 2022 New Yearā€™s Resolutions.

What are some of your goals for the year ahead?

Categories
Fabulous living

2021 Resolution Recap and Year in Review

Hey guys! Happy Wednesday! Merry Christmas! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas with family and loved ones. I always love the time between Christmas and New Yearā€™s, whether you are off for a break or working, itā€™s always a nice time to relax, catch your breath and take some extra time to reflect on the year.Ā 

I wanted to take some time to reflect on the past year and my resolutions. For a quick recap, you can read my post here about my 2021 Resolutions. My word of the year was intentional. I wanted to be more intentional with my time with friends and family and more intentional with the things I put time and energy in. I wrote it on a post-it note in my planner and moved it from month to month as a reminder for myself. Overall, I think I did pretty well with focusing on family and friends when I spent time with them. I also prioritized what things I did during my free time too.

My first of three resolutions for this year was to be more intentional with family and friends. I found myself doing a lot of multi-tasking and wanted to be more focused on one thing at a time. I did well with spending time with family and a lot of this had to do with my new work schedule. I now get to spend a lot more time with family and do my best to put the phone down and be present, but thereā€™s always room for improvement. 

My second resolution was less screen time. I did well by setting up times on my phone to have my phone shut off to focus on work or housework. But there were times that I was tired by the end of the day and just aimlessly scrolled, not the best use of time, but sometimes you need a brain break. That will continue to be something I work on in the new year.Ā 

My third resolution was to be more consistent with friends. I definitely made more time for friends by setting up times to do things with friends. The pandemic put a halt to a lot of social activities so by really setting aside time for friends, I was able to maintain my friendships I hold dear to my heart. For example, I started the year out with my virtual book club with my high school friends, Maddie and Ryan. I also set up time for monthly facetime dates with friends (more on that on a post in the new year).

Stay tuned for my goals for 2022 next week!

Now, for a quick year in review. I had a lot of high hopes for 2021 and a lot of them came to fruition. 

I was able to spend lots of time with friends, either in person or via facetime or zoom.

Seeing my best friend Danielle was a highlight of the year.

I also got in a lots of day trips to new places for hiking and walking, from State Parks, to National Parks, new trails and old spots.

Going on walks makes the winter more manageable.
Fall weeks are good for the soul.

I also tried new things like ice skating and have loved it. I went three times in the past three weeks. 

Skating on the bay was such a fun experience.
Skating in Buffalo.

I got to travel with my family and get some great one on one time with loved ones.

Family time with my brothers on vacation.

I got a chance to stand by one of my best friendā€™s side as she got married.

Getting wedding ready!

I got lots of fall walks in and got to celebrate the start of the holiday season.

Apple picking was one of the fall walks and adventures I embarked on.

The best part of the year was getting my Covid-19 vaccine.

Work has been busy this year, but Iā€™m so lucky with all the opportunties Iā€™ve been given and all the things Iā€™ve learned along the way.

Covering different stories every day makes my job so fulfilling.

Iā€™m so lucky to have a loving family and supportive friends along for the ride too.

What a year 2021 wasā€¦.2022ā€¦letā€™s do this!

Categories
Currently

Currently #24

Hey guys! Happy December…the countdown is on until Christmas! I hope you are gearing up for the holiday season!

Quick check in time…How are you doing? Got everything wrapped? Checking off all those holiday traditions? Feeling overwhelmed with everything you still have to do? Weā€™ve all been thereā€¦while it may seem like this season will never end, it will. In the meantime, enjoy every moment and soak up all the moments, the big ones (like decorating the tree) or the little ones like looking at Christmas lights.

Onto todayā€™s post, can you believe that we are up to two years of Currently?!  This has been such a fun monthly post, not only does it keep you updated on my life but it also puts in perspective everything Iā€™ve done in 30 days or soā€¦without further ado, hereā€™s this monthā€™s Currently.

What Iā€™m up to: ALL the Christmas fun and cheer. From skating, to watching Christmas movies, listening to Christmas music at every opportunity, baking cookies and shopping and wrapping this month has been about enjoying all the Christmas fun!

There’s Christmas cheer all over the house.
We got our tree earlier in the month and it was perfect tree cutting weather.

What Iā€™m wearing: Besides work clothes, Iā€™ve been getting in the Christmas spirit by wearing Christmas sweaters, some cute graphic shirts and of course, Christmas socks!!! I canā€™t get enough of Christmas socks!

What Iā€™m reading:  I finished reading ā€œAll the Light We Cannot Seeā€, it was definitely a heavier read but it was so well done. This month I have been reading all the Christmas books. I read “A Shoe Addictā€™s Christmas”, which was super cute. I then read “Pride and Prejudice and Mistletoe”, this was the perfect mix of Christmas and a beautiful tribute to Jane Austen. Iā€™m currently reading “The Mistletoe Secret” by Richard Paul Evans, I read his series, ā€œThe Walkā€ during the pandemic and loved it, so Iā€™m very excited to read this one too. 

What Iā€™m Watching:Ā Besides watching classic Christmas movies and some Hallmark ones too.Ā Ā I have also been watching Selling Sunset on Netflix and like many other women out there, Iā€™ve been watching ā€œAnd Just Like Thatā€ā€¦the first two episodes were so beautiful and so poignant, but broke my heart. I canā€™t wait to see what else this season has in store. If you have watched them, what are your thoughts on the shows?

What Iā€™m Loving:Ā Christmas spirit all day, every day! I love this time of year, thereā€™s nothing better than having a candle lit, while wrapping presents and watching Christmas presents. Plus, making treats hasnā€™t been bad either. I made some Christmas bark this year and it was so good. Itā€™s super easy to make and itsā€™s easy to save and store. Hereā€™s the recipe I used, thank you Mix and Match Mama!

Look at all this delicious Christmas bark!

What Inspires Me:Ā The holiday season puts me in the best mood. I decorated my room at the end of last month and whenever I put on my tree and light a candle, Iā€™m automatically put in the Christmas spirit. I also canā€™t wait to spend time with family and continue our holiday traditions.Ā I went skating this month and had the best time.

Skating in the city
Buffalo was beautiful.

What I accomplished: Iā€™ve been doing a great job at being intentional and present during the holiday season. From the gift buying to the family time and holiday traditions. I wish this season was longer. Even enjoying a hot coco and cookie while driving back from ice skating made me so happy. 

Besides homemade cookies, I can’t resist some Pillsbury cookies too!
Even the shopping malls are all decorated

Goals Accomplished from Last Month I got all my Christmas shopping done by my deadline and I got almost all my gifts sent out or wrapped. It was a huge accomplishment! I love all the gift giving but it can be a lot to get everything organized. I donā€™t know how parents do it, they are the real super heroes during the holiday season!

My presents for others all wrapped up under my tree.

Goals for the New Month:Ā Ā Kick off 2022 with my New Yearā€™s Resolutions. I also canā€™t wait to break out my new Simplified planner and start getting ready for the next. As much as I hate to see the holidays come to an end, thereā€™s nothing quite like a fresh start.

Thatā€™s a look into my life this past month, lots of holiday fun and traditions. How are you spending the last few weeks of this year?

Categories
Fabulous living

Bringing Back Live Music

Hi everyone! I hope you are having a great December! Iā€™ve been doing my best to soak up as much Christmas spirit as I can, between drinking lots of hot coco, doing shopping, having my Christmas lights on, and doing some fun Christmas activities too, like ice skating and watching ALL the holiday movies.Ā I’ve been doing my best to get it all in between work and family time.

Itā€™s been a long time since things have been normal since the pandemic began back in 2020. 

But slowly and surely, things are going back to normal. 

One step towards normalcy has been the return of events and activities including live music and concerts.Ā 
At the start of December, my mom and I traveled to Cleveland for dinner and a concert.Ā 

I didnā€™t take as many pictures as I planned but had the best time.

Hereā€™s a quick recap:

We started the night meeting friends for dinner in downtown Cleveland at The Chocolate Bar.

If you know me then you know I have a HUGE sweet tooth, so this was the perfect spot.

We all enjoyed appetizers and shareable items from potstickers, to artichoke dip and chips, soft pretzels, deep fried raviolis, and then pulled pork sandwiches.

A look at some of the snacks.
The dessert line up was even better. Here’s a look at the menu.
Here’s what I got…the triple chocolate fusion. It was soooo good!

I also got a mug of a mint hot chocolate. It was the best warm cup of cheer.

After dinner we walked over to the show. My mom and I saw Andrea Bocelli. It was a beautiful show, from the choir to the orchestra, the soloists and Bocelli himself. We were blown away by the talent and the performances. He sang a mix of Italian opera, some songs in English and some Christmas tunes too!

Concert time!
A close up of the performances.

After the show, which included FOUR encores (!!!), my mom and I checked out some lights in the city before heading home.

My concert buddy! We’ve seen Matt Nathanson, The Piano Guys, Ed Sheeran and now Andrea Bocelli.

It was so nice to be able to have a sense of normalcy, even though we were masked the full time. After waiting for this show for months, I was so happy to finally see him live in concert especially after not being able to attend live music events in almost two years.

It was the best way to enjoy a night out and enjoy some live music too.

Categories
Fun Ways to Organize

Getting Ahead of the Game

Hi guys! Happy Wednesday! I hope your week has been going well. Iā€™m in full on Christmas mode over here! From shopping to listening to music and having my dĆ©cor up. This time of year is always fun but also busy.

Thereā€™s so much to get done in such a short amount of time, it can be a lot to keep track of which is why I always like to stay ahead of the game by planning ahead. Whether itā€™s the holiday season or a random week in July, planning ahead ensures my week goes a little smoother.

In a world of chaos, thereā€™s only so much you can control which is why taking a few minutes every week makes my days and nights smoother.Ā 

Hereā€™s three ways that I prep to get ahead in the game.

Weekly To Do: Every Sunday I make a weekly to do in my planner. A tip I got from Emily Ley on how to best use both a digital and paper planner, if you use both. She recommends to put all your important dates, information, events etc. in your digital calendar. So whenever you have an appointment or something that needs to go on the calendar, you put it in your digital calendar so itā€™s always accessible. Then every week (or me itā€™s Sundays), I transfer everything from my digital calendar to my paper planner, I also add any to-dos to my planner and extra notes.

A look at my planner (and old page that’s pretty generic)

Meal Prep: Another way I prepare for the week ahead is by lunch planning. Since I eat dinner at home, I only meal plan for my lunches in advance. Sometimes, meal planning is buying some boxed salads, and setting aside pretzels or fruit for my lunches. Other times itā€™s making baked chicken and veggies and portioning them out for each day of the week. No matter what the form is, I always spending time getting my meals organized for the week so I can just grab and go for each day.

An example of one of my meals that I make for work.

Outfit Plan: Another way I save time and plan ahead is by planning my outfits for the week. Again, I spend 10 minutes checking the weather and planning what to wear from clothing to shoes and accessories. I can change an outfit if need be, but for the most part I have them all lined up and just grab it for each day. I started to plan out my outfits in college and it was a huge time saver. It also makes my mornings go much smoother.

Outfit planning

Those are just three ways that I plan ahead which makes my days and weeks run smoother. What things do you do for streamline your daily lives especially in busy seasons?

Categories
Fabulous living

Christmas To-Do List

Happy December! We made it to the last month of 2021ā€¦this past year has brought lots of ups and some downs too, another post on that and an end of the year recap will be coming later. Todayā€™s post is all about holidays and Christmas and all the holiday cheer that comes with it!

If you have been following along long enough, you know I love my to-do lists and my goals, especially when it comes to the seasons and holidays. Hello Summer to do, Fall to do, yearly goals etc. With Christmas just weeks away, hereā€™s a look at my Christmas to do list for the month of December.

  • Decorate
  • Buy Gifts
  • Wrap and Send Gifts Early
  • Make Cookies
  • See Christmas lights
  • Listen to Christmas music
  • Read Christmas Books
  • Watch classic holiday movies
  • One Christmas activity a week
  • Go ice skating
  • Get the Christmas tree and decorate it
  • Family Christmas card
  • See family and friends
  • Give back to other
  • Celebrate the holidays

A lot of these things are free or affordable and can be done all through out the month of December. Some are must dos like buying presents, others are fun actives like go ice skating. I canā€™t wait to celebrate the holiday season and everything that comes with it and most importantly, spend time with family and remember the reason for the season. I can’t wait to get started on my to-do list What are you looking forward to the most this holiday season and what’s on your to-do list?

Categories
Currently

Currently #23

Hi everyone! Happy Thanksgiving Eve! I hope you are getting ready for your Thanksgiving feasts! Whether you are heading to familyā€™s or doing all the cooking yourself, I hope you all have a happy Thanksgiving.

Iā€™m looking forward to being able to celebrate Thanksgiving with my family and having the day off! Granted, Iā€™ll be back in work the next day, but having a day off will be wonderful.

I always like to be as open with you all as possible, so this past month hasnā€™t been too exciting. A lot of work, family time, watching movies and pretty routine things, I didnā€™t even take many picturesā€¦blogger fail. Nonetheless, hereā€™s a look at whatā€™s currently going on. 

What Iā€™m up to:Ā Itā€™s been a productive and busy month at work, from starting the month with the election, we had our annual food drive at work, and just on Monday, I led another roundtable panel. Between work, Iā€™ve enjoyed time at home, watching movies, relaxing and planning Christmas gifts and goals.

A behind the scenes look of when I go live.

What Iā€™m wearing:Ā Glasses! Surprise, I had to revert to glasses for about a week and had to forgo eye makeup, it was definitely an adjustment to go for the more natural look especially at work, but it was good to change it up. Thank goodness I had bought some new, cute glasses too. In other news, I have been wearing long-sleeve dresses and even had to break out the turtleneck.Ā 

A look with glasses before work.

What Iā€™m reading:Ā Ā Iā€™ve been working my way through ā€œAll the Light We Cannot Seeā€, itā€™s a beautifully written book about World War II and childrenā€™s perspectives on it. Itā€™s taken me a while to work my way through it since itā€™s so heavy, but Iā€™ve really enjoyed it so far.

What Iā€™m Watching: Iā€™m still enjoying Community and watching that when Iā€™m need of a laugh. Iā€™ve also been watching a few movies, some new and some classics on Netflix and Amazon Prime too. 

What Iā€™m Loving:Ā Besides work, Iā€™ve been excited for the upcoming holidays, from Thanksgiving to Christmas. I canā€™t wait to see family for Thanksgiving and decorate for Christmas the day after Thanksgiving. Iā€™m also looking forward to celebrating all the Christmas traditions too.Ā 

I saw this when I was shopping and had to laugh.

What Inspires Me: Iā€™ve been inspired by all the Christmas dĆ©cor and gifts that Iā€™ve seen in the stores. Iā€™ve done some window shopping but havenā€™t started any major shopping. Thereā€™s something about seeing giftwrap and bows in the stores excited for Christmas and all the traditions.

Seeing this come out is getting me even more excited for Christmas!

What I accomplished:Ā Iā€™m feeling super accomplished after getting lots of work projects done. I have started some Christmas shopping and planning. It was great to start ordering some things too. I also got much needed rest.

My little buddy enjoying time on the couch.

Goals Accomplished from Last Month Iā€™m happy I got to enjoy some bursts of warm weather, like going for a walk and enjoying the changing leaves. 

Some of the leaves from my walk under my desk.

Goals for the New Month:  My plan is to get my holiday shopping done early, so I donā€™t have to worry about things coming in late and then Iā€™m looking forward to Christmas traditions and celebrating holidays with my family.

Thatā€™s a look at my life the past month, itā€™s not too exciting, a lot of work projects, and a mix of family time and relaxing. How are you spending Thanksgiving?

Categories
Fabulous living

What I’m Thankful For

Hey guysā€¦happy Wednesday! We are slowly but surely making our way through November. These past few weeks have been filled with work, catching up on reading, going on fall drives and cozing up with warm drinks and lots of baking…all my favorite things!

As we get closer and closer to Thanksgiving I want to take some time share what Iā€™m thankful for. I do this kind of post every year and while the list stays the same itā€™s always a good reminder and it puts things in perspective of whatā€™s important.

I could spend all day working on this list, from my loving family, supportive families, a great job, food on the table, my faith etc, but I wanted to highlight a few specific things Iā€™m thankful for this year. 

-Covid-19 vaccine.

After being in this pandemic for almost two years, I was so thankful I was able to get my vaccine as an extra layer of protection against the virus.

Such a milestone this year.

-Seeing friends

Thanks to vaccines, Iā€™ve been able to see more friends this year, from high school and college. Weekly coffee dates are back, traveling for day trips were a big hit this summer and being able to be in one of my best friendā€™s weddings this summer was the cherry on top.

Seeing friends in person has been huge!

-Growing in my job

Iā€™m so thankful I was able to learn and grow in my role at work. Iā€™ve seen a change in myself with how I tell stories and in my confidence. I am always looking for ways to grow and Iā€™m so lucky to have so many wonderful mentors and co-workers to help me grow and learn every day.

I’ve grown a lot in front of and behind the camera.

-My Health

It goes without saying but Iā€™m so thankful Iā€™ve been able to stay healthy amid the pandemic. In these trying times Iā€™m so grateful for my good health and for the good health of my loved ones too, from family to friends, co-workers and neighbors, these past few years have taught me whatā€™s important in life.Ā 

I’m so grateful for my health

-My Support System

From my incredible family to my friends, my co-workers and relatives, there have been so many times this year that Iā€™ve been reminded of how lucky I am. Whether itā€™s my family moving around dinner times to accommodate an early morning wake-up, my friends who listen to me when I need to talk or take me on an adventure when I need to clear my mind, or my co-workers who help me grow in my job. Not a day goes by when Iā€™m not thankful for all the incredible people in my life.

I wouldn’t be here without my family!

I do these kinds of posts every year to remind me how lucky I am and how grateful I am for all my blessings. I have so much to be thankful for in my life.

I hope you and your families have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Categories
Fabulous living

Fall Bucket List Recap

Hey guys! Happy Wednesday! Even though we are in the middle of November and still have about a month of fall left, I wanted to recap my fall bucket list before we get into the holiday fun between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Hereā€™s a recap of my fall bucket list.

Here’s my bucket list all marked off.
  • Apple Picking
I collected lots of apples and made some tasty recipes too!
Up-close of the apples.
  • Niagara Falls

I didn’t get to Niagara Falls, but I’m making a plan to go next spring or summer.

But I did get to go to another set of water falls in New York in Letchworth State Park.
  • Kinzua Hike
A beautiful fall day for a hike at Kinzua State Park.
  • Hockey Game

I didn’t make this happen, but I’m hoping to head to some local games this winter.

  • -Cider Press
I went to a pumpkin patch that at a cider press on site.
  • Decorate Pumpkins
Collected lots of pumpkins and used the to decorate my house.
  • Collect Leaves
Some of the leaves that I saw on the walk.
Then I used them to decorate my desk in my room
  • Scary Book and Movie
This was a chick read with a Halloween/mystery twist.
  • Celebrate HalloweenĀ 
Decorated my house for Halloween. (The pumpkins are from Mason Farms)
And I ate a lot of sweet candy, probably too much!
  • Fall Walk
Nothing beats a fall walk. If you are looking for places to walk, check out my blog post on places to walk or hike.
  • Enjoy Hot Apple Cider

I was enjoying a cup of hot cider every morning but work, but I never snapped a picture…blogger fail.

  • Make A Fall Treat
I made cut out cookies for Halloween
I made apple crisp and apple bread from the apples I picked.
I made s’mores cookies for the first time.
And of course fall trail mix.
  • Mason Farms
Here’s the pumpkins I got from Mason Farms.
  • Fall Festival

I didn’t make it to a fall fest this year, but I clearly enjoyed lots of fall fun!

I hate to see summer end, but I always look forward to the changing leaves and fall fun. That’s just a little peak into my fall fun! What are some of our favorite fall activities?!

Categories
Fabulous living

Self Care in Daily Routines

Hey guys!

Itā€™s Novemberā€¦these next few weeks are a weird for me, Iā€™m not ready to get ready for Christmas, but itā€™s almost getting too cold for fall fun.That means these next few weeks call for curling up and staying inside and enjoying indoor activities, whether it’s reading watching shows or doing something creative.

One thing Iā€™ve gotten better with over the last year is finding hobbies/forms of self-care and sticking with them. At the end of 2020, I wanted to prioritze my hobbies in the upcoming year of 2021. Yes, I enjoyed reading and blogging and exercise, but I wanted to make sure I was taking the time to incorporate my hobbies in my daily life. 

All through our lives, we spend a lot of time taking care of others, whether itā€™s feeding or taking care of our families, checking in on our dear friends, or putting in long hours at work, we do a lot for others, which is why we need to make time for ourselves. 

Self care on a day off looks like long walks.

Whether itā€™s waking up early before the day gets started to spend some quiet time with God, or making time for ourselves in the afternoon or taking a bath before bed. Giving ourselves some time will make us be better people to care for others.

When I realized I wanted to start building my hobbies in my daily routine, I first made a to do list of hobbies I wanted to do every day and was happy if I just got them done through the course of the day, no matter if it was in the morning or afternoon.

However, I quickly found that the day would get busy and get away from me and as a result, I wouldnā€™t have time to take care of myself or enjoy my hobbies. I wanted to make time but I couldnā€™t find the timeā€¦until I realized I needed to schedule time for my “me time” or hobbies in my day. After I did that, I found myself enjoying my hobbies and still getting everything accomplished in the day.

I always start my day with a 5 minute meditation.

Hereā€™s how I did it:

My daily ā€œme timeā€/hobbies include: going to the gym, journaling and prayer time, meditation, reading my favorite blogs/checking my own blog, reading a bit and a word search.

Reading a book allows me to relax before I start a busy day.

I first just wanted to get them all done in a day, but then I realized if I did my “me time” in the morning then I would start my day on the right foot and I would be less stressed as the day went on.

My morning now looks like me waking up and journaling, praying/meditation, reading my blogs, getting ready for the day and then reading a few pages/chapter (depending on the time) of whatever book Iā€™m reading and then do a word search for a few minutes. I started doing them a few months back and I have been on a streak about doing a little bit of a word search every day. It relaxes me and keeps my mind sharp.

I word search I just finished.

I get all my me time done in the morning so then when I get home from work, I can get things done, enjoy family time and unwind and I know I got all my “me time” done in the morning. The time it takes me to do everything varies based on what I have to get done for the day. But it typically ranges from the momentI wake up until the moment Iā€™m out the door about an hour (itā€™s longer if I have a longer workout. But one hour to an hour and a half makes a huge difference in my day.

Thatā€™s my way that I practice self care. No matter what your self care or hobbies look like to do, itā€™s so crucial you get some time in your day.

How do you practice self-care and incorporate it in your life?