Dear 2013. . .

I have recently been reading blog posts by friends/family that include their goals/resolutions for the new year. And let me tell you, they were some pretty intense and lofty goals, if not just for the goals themselves but for the sheer number of them. It made me feel guilty for not setting any goals/new year's resolutions for myself. Zip. Zero. Zilch. I guess I'm tired of setting generic goals that I never accomplish. It can be depressing. So this year I wasn't even going to bother.

I have to do something though. How else will I know if I've grown throughout the year or become a better person? Am I really progressing? Do you ever ask yourself that question? 2012 was great. Tom and I did a lot of fun things together, and our relationship grew. But am I really that much different than I was a year ago?

So, in an effort to make good use of my time this year and become better, here are a few of my goals for 2013:

1. Read 24 books. I think that one-upping last year is attainable.
2. Go visiting teaching every month.
3. Go to Hawaii.
4. Blog at least 3 times every month.
5. Finish my Articles of Faith blogs.
6. Take more pictures.
7. Successfully plan and execute the Beard Family Reunion.
8. Finish reading the Book of Mormon (again).

I'll have to add more later as I think of them. But I think that list is good for starters.

So here's to a good 2013! It's gonna be big.

Liebster Award

Since Tom has been gone,  I thought I would have all this time to blog, practice the piano and the organ, workout, etc. Now ask me how many times I have done those things since he has been gone. . . I fail. 

Anyways, a little while ago I was nominated by my friend, Lauren Dominguez, for the liebster award, and I didn't want to let too much time go by before I responded and let her down. So here we go . . . 

How it works:

The liebster blog award is given by bloggers to up and coming bloggers who have less than 200 followers. (Although I wouldn't categorize myself as an "up and coming" blogger, I definitely meet the criteria of having less than 200 followers.)

 

Rules of thumb:

1. Each person much post 11 things about themselves.

2. Answer the question the nominator made for you and also create 11 more questions for the blogs you nominate.

3. Choose 11 people and link them to your post.

4. Go to their page and tell them.

5. No tag backs!

11 things about me:

1. I read 23 books in the year 2012.

2. I have never traveled outside the continental United States. I hope to change that, preferably sooner than later.

3. I know more about sports than my husband does.

4. I have to pee (a) every time I go to the kitchen at work and heat up my lunch, (b) any time I am nervous, and (c) every time I get home from work and get out the keys to unlock the door to our apartment. Why is that?

5.When I was little, I wanted to grow up and be a kindergarten teacher who drove a forest green mini van. 

6. I am opposed to having a smart phone. I even resisted getting a touch screen for a long time.

7. I choreograph dances in my head all the time.

8. I sneeze several times each day.

9. My ACT score was 28.

10. I really really wish I could speak Spanish.

11. I love sweet pickles.

Lauren's questions for me:

1. What is your dream vacation? Oh, so many places to choose from. I know it's nothing exotic or romantic, but I really want to go back to D.C. I love it.

2. What is the first CD you purchased? I am honestly not sure I have ever purchased a CD for myself, they have all been gifts. My first CD ever was Celine Dion's Falling Into You.

3. What was the first concert you attended? Like real, real concert? I went to Clay Walker in West Jordan, Utah last year. And Diamond Rio up on campus for Tom's birthday. Does that count?

4. Who was your first crush (celebrities don't count)? Zachary Taylor, kindergarten

5. What is your least favorite food? bacon and olives tie. I hate how they seem to sneak into every sandwich and pizza slice.

6. If your family got asked to be on TLC what would your show be called and what would you be on for? Rodrigues Family Circus: typical family drama.

7. How many pets have you had in your whole life? Way too many to count. We went through several litters of kittens when I was younger, and a few dogs, and goldfish.

8. What is the name of your 5th grade teacher? Mrs. Kay - she is pretty much amazing and now teaches education classes up on campus.

9. What do you want to be when you grow up? I want to teach aerobics or dance lessons, or maybe piano. Something part-time that would allow me to be home and raise the kids.

10. Would you rather have horrible breath or acne? I would have to say horrible breath, assuming it could be fixed with daily brushing and mouthwash. There's only so much makeup can do to cover up your acne. And since I'm suffering from a bad case of it right now, I am not inclined to pick it. (no pun intended)

11. If you could have lunch with one celebrity who would it be? First person that comes to mind is Adam Levine since he is my current celebrity crush. I would be so intimidated I wouldn't say a word; just stare at him the whole time and hope I don't have food stuck between my teeth. Since I told Tom about my crush, he now refers to him as Adam Levinee Weenie.

11 questions for YOU: 

1. What is the most important goal you have set for yourself this year?

2. What is your favorite dessert?

3. If you had one day left to live, how would you spend it?

4. Who was your first date and what did you do?

5. Would you rather lose your sight or your hearing?

6. Last book you read?

7. If you could teleport, where would you go right now?

8. Favorite chick flick?

9. Who is someone you find inspiring?

10. What are you most looking forward to for the year 2013?

11. What food are you craving right now?

I nominate:

Jenni Muench

Bekah Hintze

Mandy Torgrimson

Julie Millard

Hannah Hintze

Nicole Norton

Elle McCall

Rad Rachel

Marinda Morgan

Ashley Millett

Lori Shirley

P.S. I won't be offended if you don't want to do this, or if you never see this post and don't do this by default. Ok. That's all.

I hope you all learned something fun and new about me. I really put myself out there with the Adam Levine thing. Don't judge.

Christmas Silliness - Part 2

Christmas Silliness - Part 1

Halloween 2012

Yes, I am a few holidays behind, but I am determined to catch up at some point. I just need to get motivated! Here are some fun pictures of our 2012 costumes (and it didn't take me a whole year to get the photos this time!) My Nana is a member of a dance and poetry society in California. She used to make costumes for them, and these are the only ones that she still has left. I decided that Tom and I should put them to good use, so we became "Romeo and Juliet" (the live version) . . .

. . . .then on the following night when we attended another Halloween party, we decided to switch it up a little and be "Romeo and Juliet" (the dead version).

  

 very upset these photos would not flip, by the way

Pumpkin carving . . .

And the winner is . . .

Something between #1 and #2! I wasn't quite brave enough for #2. Maybe someday. It's not the best picture because a) I took it of myself, and b) I was in a hurry. But you get the idea. Anyways, I absolutely love it (and so does Tom) and I am happy with my decision! Thanks to all of you who gave your input! 

Merry Christmas!!

far, far away

Well, it's official: For those of you who haven't heard, Tom has accepted a Medical Assisting externship for the winter . . . in Oregon . . . and I will be staying here (due to my job). It was a very difficult decision for us to make, but I think that it will be the best opportunity for him. He will have the chance to work in lots of different areas of medicine like pediatrics and urology. And perhaps the best part is that he will get to shadow as many surgeries as he wants!

So, I will be husbandless for two months. Thank goodness it's not any longer than that. I'm afraid it's going to be harder than I anticipate. We will not be able to ring in the new year together, or celebrate Valentine's Day (not that I like all that mushy stuff anyway, but still). I know he'll be in good hands staying with his brother's family. And in the meantime, we are enjoying the time we have together.

It's almost Christmas, can you believe it? It doesn't feel like it. Maybe it's because there is no snow outside. Maybe it's because I have hardly any of my Christmas shopping done. Maybe it's because we aren't putting up a Christmas tree this year. Whatever the reason, I hope the Christmas spirit gets here soon! The season is going to pass by far too quickly.

Last night I pretended to be the home-making type and baked Christmas sugar cookies. I felt especially artistic for some reason as I dripped the different colors of frosting onto the cookies. Then I proceeded to knit in bed underneath my electric blanket while Tom finished up his homework for the night (curse you, week before finals week).

Married friends, we can still hang out even though I will be missing my other half, right?

I'm sure going to miss him. It's a good thing that we have eternity to spend together, because anything less wouldn't be long enough.

I don't mean for this post to be a downer, I am really happy for Tom and we are doing great!
I will be posting about our Thanksgiving trip, sometime.

Happy Holidays to you all!