Review: Food Saver

One of the gifts we got for our wedding was a Food Saver. This was an item I knew I'd love and use but the price was a little steep to justify buying myself so I was really excited that someone got it for us. For those who don't know - I love buying meat in bulk and then freezing it. This is great for saving money but over time, the meat definitely loses integrity and gets freezer burn. Now that I'm typing this out, I probably should have just bought the thing...

Anyways... so far I am loving the Food Saver!!

Once we got back from our honeymoon, I made it my mission to buy all the meat at Costco... actually, let me rewind. The closest Costco to our house is a Costco Business Center. It's still accessible by regular members but it's catered more to business owners. Things are sold in SUPER bulk but at prices (per unit) even cheaper than regular Costco. Sounded like a perfect mission for Food Saver.

So, I went to Costco to pick up some meat for burgers and ended up with a 10 lb log of ground beef. Easy solution - divide it up and freeze it! I decided to go with 2lb bags so each one had enough for several burgers and if I didn't want to use all of it, I could just take out a part and seal it again!

It worked awesome! I now have 4 bags of beef in my fridge and the rest I made into burger patties. I actually feel like removing the oxygen has made the meat better too.... The booklet said that the meat may darker but I've noticed all the meat I've sealed has looked redder and fresher (compare to the top right package which was the original log). 

I also suggest using a kitchen scale. They're really cheap and totally get a lot of surprise use (some recipes prefer grams to traditional measurements because they're more accurate) and great for knowing how much you're freezing.

The Food Saver came in handy later that day too. I also bought a top sirloin at Costco... and it turned out to be two of them! They were pretty big also so one was enough for dinner. I seasoned both, cooked one, and vacuum sealed the other. Down the road when we want steak again, I've also saved myself the trouble of seasoning it. 

Now the big question... the bag refills. The Food Saver comes with a starter pack of 4 bags and 1 roll. The rolls are cool because you just create your own bag at the size you need so you're not wasting any of the material. Since I went pretty crazy at Costco, I decided to also get a replacement package. It comes with 5 rolls (which are 20ft long) and 36 bags. It's pretty pricey at $40 but doing the math, if you use 1 ft for each package you make with the rolls (you will probably use less) then it's about $.30 a bag. Definitely not cheap but if it holds up much better in the freezer, I think a 30 cent premium on our meals isn't too bad. We finally worked through the starter roll that comes with the food saver so it took about 3 months. That means I won't need to buy more refills until the middle of 2018. Not bad.

Other than that, you do need quite a bit of clearance to fit the bag into the vacuum seal which seems a little wasteful too. I few times I didn't get it in well and the machine just tried to vacuum forever. 

Mostly though, I love it! So far everything we have defrosted from the Food Saver freezer bags has tasted great and definitely held up really well. It's only been a couple of months so it will be interesting to check in on some of that ground beef down the road and see if it still holds up.

2017 - No Resolutions, Just Habits

I think this post will make the most sense if you read my last one about 2016 resolutions so I highly recommend doing that now. Ok - all good? Great!

So - if you read my last post, you know that I had... quite the year in 2016. I got married, I bought a house, and had some huge life changes. I also had the really normal experience of feeling self conscious and like a really imperfect human. I gave myself a couple of weeks to feel sad and wonder what was wrong me and then I decided to stop being sad and to be awesome again. 

How does one do that? You throw yourself into meaningful habits. Some people might call them resolutions but resolutions always feel really tied to New Years. They also feel like something that expires when the year is over. I had two problems with this - I started at the end of 2016 so it didn't feel like something I was doing just for this new year.... and I wanted these to be lifelong changes. 

Family Time

When I felt really disconnected last year, I remembered that even though I sometimes feel lonely, I'm not alone. I have a husband. That's like a built in friend for life that will have to jump through a lot of hoops to not have to put up with me (sucker). I think he kind of likes me too so that's good. We came back from our honeymoon and I wanted to see all of my friends and show off our house and talk about our wedding and honeymoon - but they didn't seem to want to do that. Instead Dan and I spent a lot of time together. We put together our house. We went on hikes and walks. He came with my to visit my parents and cheered me on my races. We continued our mission of drinking every stout in San Diego. One person can't always be the whole world for you but sometimes one person is enough to make a really big difference and I'm happy Dan is my person. 

It reminded me that as much as I am a social butterfly that loves hosting parties and spending time with lots of friends - spending quality time with my husband is just as important. I decided that once a week we should at least go on a long walk or hike together. Two weeks in, it's been really fun. In addition to some quality time together (plus dog), we've already checked out two new trails in San Diego. Next week it's supposed to rain so we'll have to find another plan but that's ok. We, of course, still have every day things like dinner and tv shows together but there's something nice about getting out of the house together... especially doing something free. And sometimes we do not free things like go on beer and donut dates. 

These two pictures were the same day. #earnedit

Stick to a Regular Fitness Schedule

The second thing I did after our honeymoon was to get back on a workout schedule. I started pretty slowly too. One class one week, two the next... and on and on. I found out a friend and her boyfriend go to my climbing gym so I now had climbing partners and friends to keep my accountable. Dan and I take body pump together every week and I even started grabbing a second class on weekends. I take the dog for more walks than ever. Last week I logged 10 workouts so I think that's a good place to cap it (If you're wondering how I can physically bear doing that much - some days the double workouts were a short yoga class or a walk with the dog). 

I feel fantastic. Up until now I'd been feeling... lethargic. I'd get a full nights sleep and still feel tired in the middle of the day. Now I wake up on my own before my alarm and I don't get that afternoon crash. I can't wait to really measure my results at my next couple of races. 

Meal Planning

If you're like me, you think of meal planning and you think of 7 really boring copies of the same meal stuffed into various tupperware.

Yea, No. 

What I mean by meal planning is looking at my week and figuring out what to cook for dinner each night. I love cooking so that's not the problem. My problem comes with shopping. I have this very human habit of going to a store and buying everything that looks delicious. It all sounds great until I get home and forget about it and then it goes bad. Not only is it bad for money but it's really wasteful.

For a couple weeks last year, I wrote out what I wanted to make each night, what I needed for it, and when I'd go shopping for each meal. This included when we'd eat leftovers. It was super cost effective and had very little waste. It also helped me plan meals around the workout schedule. Like Thursdays - our class is at 6:30. At best, if I start dinner right when we get home, we're eating at 8:30 and usually later. Thursdays are a perfect day for slow cooking. 

It also has the added benefit of letting me be creative or reference my many cookbooks and all of Pinterest. A couple of times, I realized I had some awesome protein that I didn't have any ideas for. I got to spend time looking through recipes for something cool to do - something I wouldn't have been to throw together with out a little planning. 

I haven't been doing this the last few weeks but I want to get back on the meal planning train very soon. 

Take an Annual Trip with my Husband

Not very long into our honeymoon Dan said "We should take a trip like this every year." My response: "You are absolutely right." Up until that honeymoon, we hadn't taken a trip that wasn't for a race, wedding, or family. That's crazy. It was so nice to be away from all our stress and also not have to be anywhere at a certain time. 

I'm so excited we already have our trip to Europe planned. It's something we've talked about since we first started dating and we are finally making it a reality. It will definitely be a very different trip than our honeymoon in Mexico but I know it is going to be one awesome adventure. 

Read a Book a Week

This is a goal I had in high school and re-visited a couple of years ago. The last two years, I came just a few books short of my goal of 52. So far this year I've read 4 books in 2 weeks so I'm ahead of the game a little bit. I like getting a head start in January because life happens and you just can't always set aside reading time. Although - part of this habit is to make sure reading time is a priority. Sunny day? Go lay in the backyard and read. Rainy day? Go curl up on the couch and read. Sick day? Lay in bed with some tea and Emergen-c.... and read. Waiting for something? Read. Mad? Read. Bored? Read. Hungry? Make a sandwich and read while you eat. 

Read.

Me Time

I am definitely the kind of person who stretches myself too thin whenever I can. I hate saying no to things because I hate when people do it to me and I know I always have a great time when I go out. Sometimes though, I just want things a little quieter. I also get the feeling that most people already are deep into the habit of just saying no when they need time for themselves and maybe it's time I did it too. 

Finally, at the beginning of this year, I was able to find a little pocket of time that was truly for me. While reading may seem like "me time" I'm usually up against a deadline for book club or the library so sometimes I'm rushing a book in when I'd kind of rather be doing something else. That something else is playing video games. It may seem silly, but it's one of my passions and I hadn't truly been able to play one since 2015. I was a little worried I'd turn on my PS4 and forget what buttons did what but it came back so naturally and being able to really escape to another world was just what I needed. The games I like usually have a good amount of adventure and problem solving (Assassain's Creed, Batman Arkham, God of War) so taking the animus to the French Revolution lately has been so good for my brain. 

And Yea All the Stuff From Last Year

I still want to be patient and find balance and go to Mexico and not be a Bridezilla (I think I'm going to NAIL this one) and watch my temper. Resolutions shouldn't be about doing something for a year and then stopping. They should be about making positive changes for life.... then you're not getting older, you're just getting more awesome.

2016 Resolutions Re-Visited

Hey blog world - it's been a while. Normally this is the point where I apologize profusely and give lots of excuses on why I didn't write. I had a lot of excuses too - planning a wedding, travel, family illness, burnout.... but the truth is... I did write, a lot. I have so many drafts saved.... but I felt really self conscious and got the feeling that I didn't have any place to stand on a pedal-stool and give my opinions on things because I don't have it all figured out and most of the time I'm really really not sure of things myself - so I decided to not post the posts I'd written and to not write the things in my head or share the opinions I was creating. I'd go on long walks or runs (aka thinking time) and draft blog posts in my head.... and not do anything with them. I'd try out a new gadget I'd bought or received and think about how amazing it was (or wasn't) and want to tell someone... but not. Eventually, I decided that maybe it was good to at least circle back to my annual resolution posts, even if they were a little late.

And for my insecurities? They're still there. Some have worked themselves out through time or patience (not my strengths but I'm working on it) or just brutally throwing myself into any other passion within reach. Others are still forcefully there but they kind of came to a head this weekend with two friendships I was feeling a little disconnected from. One responded to me with coldness and bluntness and the other said "Why didn't you just tell me how you felt?" It always sucks to have your feelings disregarded but the bright side is that everyone is different and while someone might hurt you, someone else will show you kindness that reminds you why you do this and why you want to keep writing your blog even if you feel insecure sometimes.

So back to the main event - New Years Resolutions!!!! Looking at the list from last year is kind of a wonderful thing. While 2016 was a terrible year for most, it was the year I got married and bought a house and I will always remember the good that came from it. It was also the year I knocked off the most off my resolution list. While I can't give myself a 100% because a lot of the items weren't "all or nothing" - I have to admit, I didn't fail any of the items either. I had some missteps but in the end it all came out ok.

Here goes...

Not Be a Bridezilla

Well, I had my moments. I feel like I burned some of my Bridezilla-ing early on and it showed me I need to keep my cool and be more understanding. Looking back, I wish I hadn't over re-acted early on because it just made for some tough patches with friends and in the big picture, it all worked out ok. I think the hardest part about weddings is that it's not always obvious what's a huge deal and what's a little deal and it makes everything seem really huge. Spoiler alert big deal stuff is: family, groom, and marriage license showing up. Yea, food and clothes and alcohol are important too but you can get married without them. After that cheetahs and people having fun. Lastly, things looking nice. Everything else is a cherry on top. Spoiler again - the stuff I got mad about didn't even make that list. I'm an idiot sometimes.

 I still had some stressful moments later but I think I kept a better perspective as it got closer to the wedding and my priorities changed. Everything ended up looking amazing and all important people were accounted for. Our guests had a great time, we have amazing memories and pictures, and mostly, I got a pretty great husband out of the deal. I give this resolution a C.

Maintain or Gain

This one may seem a little weird. I wanted to make sure I didn't lose any more body mass last year. I wanted to either stay the same weight or build muscle. I've always wanted to be a strong girl and I think I'm above average but I wanted to push it last year. The wedding really side-lined my workout plans but afterwards, I became a more regular fixture at the climbing gym and at Body Pump class. I eventually added in some cardio (in the form of dog walks and runs so that the benefit can extend to another). I did two obstacle races at the end of the year that I strongly out-performed my past self in and have several more lined up for this year. All in all, I'm definitely stronger than I was this time last year and I'm moving more towards a fit physique than a skinny one.

My plan for this year to add in a weekly yoga class by my friend Lindsey (who also sells amazing natural products) as well and keep taking any opportunity to head outdoors with the dog for a walk, run, or hike. That will put my at something like 7-10 workouts per week. It might sound intense but since I didn't nail this goal in 2016, I definitely will this year. I give this one a B+

Start a Passive Income Business

My Etsy shop has been rocking! I really wanted to add some more patterns and things to my shop so I could just make money without doing much. I found that the hardest part of making patterns was finding good images to convert so whenever I wanted a distraction, I would just look for cool images to use. I also figured out how to use the Etsy advertising and while it's costing me a little bit, it's bringing in so many sales that it's totally worth it. It's gotten to the point where I sell a few patterns a week and I'd love to work on boosting that even more so that the income is enough to supplement the extra expenses we have now that we are homeowners. And if it's not that much - it would be fun to move it to own's account and use whatever's in it at the end of the year to splurge on an expensive treat like a fancy night out.

I've also been working on starting an active income business because I realized the only way to get rich is to really work for myself. However, those plans took a side line for wedding planning and house buying but 2017 is definitely the year to tackle that. I don't want to get to much into it but look for more later this year. This one gets an A-.

P.S. Look at this picture compared to where it was last year!!!! I didn't have a ton of time to stitch this year, and a lot of it was spent making a gift for a friend but the comparison is AMAZING. It will probably take me ten years to finish this but I should just post a picture a year so I can track my progress.

MexiCAN

WE FINALLY WENT TO MEXICO!!! We wanted something really relaxing and not super expensive after our wedding. I think some people call this kind of a trip a honeymoon but we keep telling ourselves that our trip to Europe this year is our Honeymoon... I digress.

Mexico was incredible. We went to an all-inclusive resort in San Jose del Cabo and it was amazing. We did an activity in the morning like bike riding or archery or shooting or swimming with dolphins (wait, what?) and then relaxed by the pool and ate all the food all afternoon. Oh you want to know about the dolphin thing? Well, Dan won the shooting competition and won BOGO dolphin swimming passes. That was more than enough to persuade us so we got to live that dream!

I know an all-inclusive resort isn't real Mexico but we got to the country, we spoke Spanish (even Dan said a few words!), we saw some beautiful sites, we drank a lot, and we swam with dolphins (I'm not going to let that go). I've been wanting to cross the San Diego border into TJ this year and I REALLY want to take a little road trip to Ensenada. Some friends keep suggesting it and I keep responding very affirmatively so I think we'll be making that happen. This resolution gets an A.

Watch My Temper

I will probably always be working on this one. If you read the Bridezilla section of this one, than you know I obviously didn't ace this one. This feels like the kind of thing that will be a growth project for me my whole life and I can only take it situation by situation. As I talked about in the intro to this post, I felt really self conscious after the wedding last year. The reasons were normally things that I would have gotten really mad about and sent some angry texts. Instead I kept it mostly to myself. I'd broach it a little with Dan or some outside friends (because another thing I've been working on is not gossiping as much, at least not to friends of the people involved) and it seemed like something that would work itself out. Months later when the issue seemed to be getting worse instead of better, I finally decided to stand up for myself. I'm sure it didn't go well but I'm happy I gave myself months to think about it instead of just snapping like I did other times this year.

The most important thing I've learned from this one - most of the time I'm overreacting and I just need to be more patient or understanding and it's better to be the bigger person and give it another shot. However - some of the time, you've rolled over one too many times and you need to stand up for yourself because patient and understanding or not - YOU ARE A PERSON WITH FEELINGS and maybe those feelings are little more sensitive and maybe you have a bad temper but you still deserve to be treated with respect. I give this one a B because holy fuck I came really far by the end of the year.

Keep It All About Balance

This was the shining light of my year. In a year full of craziness in the world, craziness in my life, and the usual craziness of just living in my head... I think I'm getting really close to this balance thing. The whole trying to be angry less and work out more - they're kind of a perfect partnership. When I was feeling left out and insecure and self conscious - I threw all of that energy into working out more and reading more and immersing myself into some of my passions. I created a workout schedule that is as good as having plans. Some of that workout schedule involves working out with friends who keep me accountable for showing up and yes, one of those friends is my dog. I reached out to other groups of friends and have connected more with them. I picked up from my book club hiatus with a stronger passion than ever for my group. I joined some new meetups that reflect the direction I want my life to be heading in. I played a video game for the first time in a year and half or so. I'm finding that when I feel disconnected from people, maybe it's good to focus that time on my husband, my pets, and mostly, me. I give this one an A because as the most subjective of the resolutions, and one that probably no one ever gets perfect, I feel really good about where I am.

And that's our lead in for 2017....

Paleo Lobster Bisque

Disclaimer: I actually wrote this post like a year and a half ago and I thought I posted it then. I was trying to clear out some of my old drafts and I found this so I'm just going to post it as is but keep in mind, it might be a little dated.

Lobster Bisque is one of my favorite things. However, all the dairy and butter make it super not paleo. It kills me inside when I see perfect lobster claws at Costco and can't think of anything paleo friendly to make with it.

Well forget that. We are going to figure it out.

Googling Paleo Lobster bisque, I was surprised to only find one recipe and it didn't really seem to have that creamy factor that makes lobster bisque so luxurious. I was determined to make my own alternative.

I just have to start off by saying, the ingredients for lobster bisque are gorgeous. I think the best thing about making soups and things from scratch is being able to use fresh, healthy ingredients. It's crazy reading a label and seeing how far food has come from being anything real. Seeing these things laid out really gets us back to eating actual food. 

This was also my first experience using Old Bay which I know is a staple on the East Coast. I'd had it a few times on bloody marys when I visited Boston and loved the flavor so I was excited to have my own so I could flavor all of my seafood.

I use this recipe as an inspiration but went off the cuff to make it paleo friendly. The biggest changes were using real lobster claws, organic chicken broth, coconut cream, and tapioca flour substitutions.

To begin, I sauteed garlic and then added the stock, tomatoes, Old Bay, parsey, green onions, pepper, and dill. From there, the mixture is blended to smooth it out. After that the lobster is added in. The original recipe says to cook for 45 minutes before adding the cream. I did this but if you are substituting coconut cream, it's not as important as your coconut cream won't curdle. 

The recipe also gives the option of making a roux if your soup is kind of thin. I definitely felt that mine was. However, a roux is tricky with paleo as flour is out of the question. Instead I used Kerrygold grass fed butter with Tapioca flour. It added some helpful thickness to the soup which was great. 

All in all, it turned out amazing. I was happy to have lots of leftovers to freeze (although I lost them in the move) as well as Dan didn't like it and the recipe made a lot. 

After we moved, I bought a pre-made lobster bisque at the store because I was feeling lazy and really wanted it again. It's amazing the difference between a store bought product and one that's homemade. I won't be making that mistake again!

Urban Cidery Coming to San Diego!!!

When you think San Diego, you think of a lot of things - craft beers, the beach, fish tacos, Comicon. Cider might not be your first guess but a new cidery is trying to change that.

Cider is something that Dan and I love but generally when we go out, we find the same common brands - Ace, Angry Orchard, etc. In San Franicsco, we frequented the cider bar (UpCider) on Polk Street but there hasn't really been anything like in San Diego. So on a trip to the dog park, we were really intrigued when we saw a sign for a local cidery called Poochie's Hooch that was giving proceeds to help rescue dogs. This seemed to combine two things we love - cider and dogs - so I decided to look them up.

At first, I didn't get many hits, but eventually I stumbled upon the Facebook page and I saw that they were just trying to raise capital to open a cidery next year. I decided to send a message to see if there was a way we could buy some before then and the cider maker, Mary Paulson, invited Dan and I over to try some of her ciders.

We were instantly impressed from the start - Mary had several different ciders for us to taste through and for such a new cider maker, it was amazing how many varieties she offered. This was still just a small sampling of everything she's made as her batches are so small, she works through them quickly and many flavors don't last long. 

Dan's favorite cider was the Pumpkin Spice which was no surprise. Not only is pumpkin his usual favorite, but it's also Mary's most popular cider. Many of her fans so far have requested that it be featured year round at the future cider house. 

My favorite was the Nutter-Nilla cider. Peanut butter and vanilla seems like weird combos for an apple cider but the flavors came together really nicely in a fun new combo. Because many of Mary's other popular flavors weren't available when we went (I'm looking at you Apple Bacon). 

And then we moved onto the really fun and unique creations.

The first was Mary's Sparkling Strawberry Wine. This was probably my favorite drink of the day (but technically not a cider so the Nutter-Nilla still wins there). It was a very light and low alcohol sparkling wine that already tasted like a strawberry mimosa. Mary plans to offer Sunday brunch at her cidery with Sparkling Strawberry Mimosas (she swears it's even better with orange juice added) and breakfast food trucks. It sounds like a great way to brunch. 

The most fun beverage of the night was her cider mojito. She used her Apple Mojito flavor and then added a lime, and a sugar rim to make a lovely cider cocktail - which is an idea I'd never heard of before and where I think her creativity will really shine. Not only will she have a vast collection of ciders to try but her cider based cocktails are what will really make her business stand out from the rest. 

After we were done trying Mary's ciders, she invited us inside for some of her homemade brandy and some snacks. Her cider is dryer and higher alcohol than normal ciders so we were definitely feeling a little buzz by the end of the evening. Her hospitality definitely extended far past a normal tasting and we had a great evening learning about her ciders.

If you'd like to learn more about Poochie's Hooch, definitely visit their Facebook page. Mary is currently fundraising to open an actual cider location where she will be able to ramp up production and have a tasting room. If you'd like to donate, she has an Indie Go-Go page and a GoFundMe site where people can donate to help get her business off the ground. Future profits from the cidery will go to help rescue dogs as well. 

30 Things I Learned Before Turning 30

I've really been slacking on the blog front. That will probably continue. Here's a break from the silence though for a huge update.

OMG I'm 30. 

As we all know, that's basically the end of your life and I'm too old to do anything now. AARP has been trying to recruit me for months now but I think I still have a few good years left so I'll hold off on joining for now.

30 is going to be such a landmark year for me. I'm getting married! I have an awesome little family of Dan and animals and wine. In a few years we'll hopefully have a house and maybe a baby. I'm in the best shape of my life and I know I have so much more potential. I don't feel like I'm getting older (unless I'm drinking - MAN those late 20s hangovers are no joke), I just feel like I'm becoming more me. This year is going to be huge and I'm so happy that my return of Saturn has landed me in a really  awesome place - but it look a lot of learning to get here. I'm pretty sure every other blogger over the age of 30 has a version of this list but I've learned so many great things on my way here and I wanted to share them.

1. Smile. I wrote my college essay on smiling. I got into every school I used it for. The gist of it: No matter how you feel, you'll feel better when you smile. You're going to have bad days but smile. When someone sees you smile, they'll smile back. Do you know what that does? It makes you smile harder. A smile is the freest most effective thing that we can share with people so do it. Just smile.

2. Learn when to fight for a relationship and when not to. I think one of the things we go through in life are losing friendships and significant others whether we want to or not. I've had times in my life where I've held on for dear life to relationships where the other person didn't and it is draining. You don't need that. No one has time for that. In a similar vein - It's ok to say no sometimes to your friends. If you're draining yourself saying yes to everything people want you to do, you're going to burn out.

3. But those good friendships - make them last. I have friends all over the country and it means a lot to me to keep in touch with them and whether we talk once a week or once a year, they mean more to me than anything. Find ways to keep in touch even if it's mailing birthday cards or sending a random meme or linking a funny Instagram to them. I read a great article on this a few weeks ago - about showing up for your friends and being there for things that are important. As we grow up, our lives are going to get more busy but making that extra effort to be there for the big things is huge.

4. Experiences are better than possessions. Trust me, I love my possessions and I possess quite a few of them but more and more I'm taking loads of things to Goodwill and wishing I had a little extra money to go somewhere. I always remember the fun stuff and the trips and with Facebook and albums it's so fun to look back on those memories.

5. Never say you can't do something. I always told myself I'd never be a runner and then I started doing 5ks... but I would never do a half marathon... well, I've done two. When you tell yourself you can't do something, your only obstacle is yourself. I don't tell myself I can't do things anymore. I just decide if I'm going to or not. You can do anything. Really. Do it. I'll wait.

6. Constantly do things that challenges you. The times I feel best about what I'm doing with my life are when I'm pushing my limits and reaching goals that are challenging. The fitness classes I take - not easy. Juggling all the things I do - not easy. Never keep yourself from trying something because it's challenging. Challenges make you stronger.

7. ...but you don't have to challenge yourself every day. I almost wrote "do something that challenges you every day" but let's be real here - sometimes you just need a day off. Or a week off. Or a month off. Listen to your needs and give yourself breaks.

8. Listen to your body. As I get older, I appreciate my body more and more and I've learned to listen to it's queues. I eat when I'm hungry. I eat healthier when it feels tired or bloated. I rest it when it feels stressed. You only get one body and it baffles me how poorly some people treat theirs. I know the steps I take now giving my body a great foundation to fight any health challenges I might be pre-disposed to.

9. Treat yourself! It's no surprise I try to eat mostly paleo, but the key word is mostly. We make cookies all the time! That aren't paleo! Like processed cookies full of sugar! I love wine and have a glass almost every day. Dan and I both workout a lot and always have a lot going on and the occasional batch of cookies makes us really happy and that's worth it.


10. Be uncomfortable. I have a lot of comfortable days and they kind of blur together and aren't interesting. The days where I'm uncomfortable and challenged - those are the days that make me a better person. I feel tired and accomplished at the end of the day and that's growth.

11. Don't miss out on the life experiences. I have always cherished being at my friends' weddings or in my niece's life or having spent some of my aunt's last moments with her. I'm happy I live near my family now and miss out on even fewer life events. It's worth it to make that push to be with the people in your life during the big stuff.

12. Travel. Everyone will tell you this. Everyone is right. Pictures are nice but seeing something in person is truly amazing. Going places is amazing. Taking time off is amazing. Travel is all of that and you owe it to yourself to do it.

13. Be open to new experiences. If you're going to travel - do it 110%. Don't go to China and go to McDonald's. Eat the weird thing (but I mean maybe pack some Tums and bring a bottle of water), hike the mountain, jump off the bridge - just do it. It's only scary for about 5 seconds.

14. Unplug. I think my absolutely favorite thing about traveling abroad is not having access to my cell phone. All but one of the times I've been off the continent, I didn't get international cell phone coverage. It seemed like an unnecessary expense and I would just hop onto wifi every few days to look up maps or whatever I needed for my. It felt amazing to not be a slave to my phone and the reset always made me feel less attached to my phone in the months after coming back. The trips where I did have my phone - I didn't get that same escape.

15. Be conscientious. On one trip when I didn't get the international plan, everyone I was with did. I was excited to go out and just enjoy everyone's company but instead everyone else was plugged into their phones - they were just checking Facebook or sports scores too. It really bummed me out then they were more drawn to their phones than the experience of dinner in a foreign land - but most of all that no one noticed I was sitting their trying to talk to them and enjoy the experience. I know I've been guilty about this as well which is why I love remembering this experience and reminding myself to put my phone away.

16. Make things! I love my creative side. My mom and my aunt were always very supportive of me creating things. One taught me how to sew and let me go through her trunk of cross stitch projects and other sewing kits.The other showed me that you can use a paintbrush on a canvas or to paint a basket or to just make your own 3d object and paint that. My life has always been filled with so much creativity and I love starting new projects.

17. And share what you make. When my aunt passed away, it was really hard on me. She taught me so much about the things I love and it hurts every day that she's not here anymore. The only thing that makes it better is how much of her art I have. It makes me feel like I have a piece of her in my home and it keeps her close. We're not all going to be rich or famous and memories can fade but having something so personal to remember her by means the world to me. If I can leave one thing behind, I want it to be the things I made too.

18. It's ok to change your mind. I feel like we have so much pressure to make big decisions at a young age. Sometimes I run into my ex-boyfriend from college and he always asks me if I'm going to start that sports store or any of the other crazy ideas I had when I was 20. It's always a little bit of a shock to me because those were like 109809 ideas ago and I barely  remember that I ever wanted to do that. I also wanted to go to business school... in Paris... or Massachusetts... I've wanted to move to Brazil, I've wanted to get some pretty terrible tattoos. I wanted to be a professional Rollerblader at one point... or a model.. whichever worked out first. The point is, I hope 30 year old you is very different than 20 year old you so its ok to want different things.

19. But you don't have to change your mind either.  I think the only thing I've wanted to do that I still wanted to do many years later was move to San Diego. That was a pretty solid idea. Glad that one stuck around - but, for the record, for a couple of years I changed my mind on that one too....

20. You don't have to know what you're going to be when you grow up. Speaking of changing your mind - I change my mind on what I want to "do" about 27 times a weeks. And I'm 30. So if you think you're supposed to know what you want to do when you grow up when you're 17 and applying to colleges - you're wrong. You don't have to know when you're 17 or 22 or 30 or 87. You should probably figure out what you're going to do for the next few years but you don't have to keep that job or stay on that path. It's never too late to figure out what you want to be when you grow up. (Dan wanted me to add that you could also just never grow up. That works too. My theory on that is you can be a kid until you have kids and then you just fake being an adult but play with their toys and pretend you're doing it because you have to and not because you really want to play with toys.)

21. But maybe start getting ideas. I don't know what I want to be when I grow but I have ALWAYS known what kind of job I want to have. I want to be the boss. I don't think I will ever really be happy until I am running my own show. I want a job where I never feel like my intelligence, drive, or creativity are compromised. I want a job where no one makes me feel stupid or brings out my impatience. I want a job where I can be an effective leader while being kind and fair. I want to be rewarded for my hard work but I feel like if all of the above are crossed off, the job itself will be very rewarding. Every day I try to figure out what this job is and how to get there and hopefully I'm getting warmer.

22. You're not too old to be successful. The biggest road block I face day to day is feeling like I'm behind my peers. I see people around me who are doing so well and I feel like I'm being lapped - like we started in the same place but somehow my path took me in circles while they all moved ahead - and then I remember that I'm 30. I've been working for 8 years. There are more years left in my working life than the number of years I have been alive. 8 years down, 35 to go (which is depressing in a different way). So I'm not living the dream in my first 8 years of working - I'm sure most people aren't. I happen to have some pretty badass friends who are but I have a really long time to get there too. That's 35 years to figure out what I want to be when I grow up!

23. Always be the person you would want other people to be for you. Sometimes I get frustrated that other people aren't the friend I want I want them to be. Actually this is 100% of any problem I've ever had with any friend ever. I finally realized the best way for me to get a handle on it. I always expect people to do what I would do or what I would want them to do but other people are never going to be me. Recently, I had an experience where some friends completely baffled me with the way they acted in a situation. I won't get into it but it was so out of the box that it threw me for a loop and really bothered me and I finally realized what part of the issue was - and it was that I would never, ever want someone to see me the way that I saw them in that situation and that even though it's frustrating - when the situation is flipped I want to be the bigger person and do what I know is right.

Ok, there were a whole lot of really serious ones a row - let's lighten things up.

24. Libraries are awesome. Some of you probably realized this when I you were 8. I used to love the school library when I was a kid but then in high school I worked at a book store and then Amazon happened and then the Kindle and I just started buying tons of books. If you're going to spend lots of money on anything, books are probably a pretty quality way to go, but I was buying books and they'd sit around and not get read... and then someone in my San Diego book club mentioned the library... and a light bulb went off as if this institution hasn't been around long before me. I LOVE the library. I love hold lists. I love deadlines. I love putting books on reserve and getting my email and having 3 weeks to read it and then giving it back for someone else to enjoy. I feel like it gets me to actually read books a lot faster and it makes me feel like part of the community.

25. Be part of a community. One of my first resolutions when we moved to San Diego was to find a community to be a part of. I didn't 100% find an all inclusive community like I left in the Bay Area but I found a bunch of little ones and that's great too. I have my book club, I have the group of friends I made when I first moved here, I have Dan's gym, and hopefully soon I'll have some climbers. Having a few little communities has been a great way for me to nurture all of my different interests instead of needing one group to do it all.

26. One person or group is not going to fulfill all of your needs. This is probably my favorite of all the lessons. I was having dinner with a friend once a really long time ago and she said "I really don't like when a friend thinks a boyfriend should fulfill everyone one of her needs. I think he fills some needs and other friends fill other needs and you can't expect one person to be everything you need from people." It was the best observation of relationships I've ever heard to this day. Dan is amazing for me. We like so many of the same things. We also don't like a lot of the same things. However, a lot of the things we don't have in common - I have in common with a lot of my other friends. Dan is never going to love partying like crazy with me or going out to an expensive dinner but almost all of my girlfriends do. I have friends that are responsible and organized and friends that are fun and silly and they all fill a different need I have in my relationships. You can't fit someone into a need they don't fit into. Find how each friend fits into your life and don't expect more from them than that.

27. Find the needs you need in your partner. Again, not everyone is going to be perfect. There is no prince charming who will magically be all things wonderful and amazing. Find what YOU need. I needed someone who could be silly and weird. I needed someone who would challenge me without frustrating me or putting me down. I needed someone who would be ok with my strong personality and my goals. I needed someone who could just go along with my crazy ideas sometimes. I have all of that in Dan. I think it takes a really special man to be with a strong woman and be confident in their manliness as well and I'm happy that my partner supports everything I do and builds me up and encourages me. If you're reading this though Dan - I wouldn't mind a few more flowers :* but thanks for killing all the spiders.

28. Brunch is one of the best things ever. It's even better than libraries. I know, right? Sometimes I think Dan is just with me because it's not socially acceptable for single men to go to brunch (not judging if you do - just keeping doing you). Brunch has reached a new level of awesome since we moved to San Diego. There's brunch on the beach. There's brunch with 10 different kinds of Eggs Benny (which is like the prom queen of brunch). There's buffet brunches. There's luxurious champagne brunches in fancy restaurants. Brunch is nothing new but when you mix it with everything else San Diego has to offer, it really just becomes extra special. I don't have birthday parties anymore, I have birthday brunches. I have parties anymore I have brunch potlucks. Just... brunch. 

29. Eat real food. Haha - I wasn't going to let you sneak away with out a little Paleo push. It's definitely related to loving your body, but eating real food has been one of the best lifestyle changes ever. Dan and I don't even really eat paleo anymore. We eat whole grain bread and tortillas and corn. We just make sure to really cut back on the processed stuff. It's been a great balance for us since we need more carbs with the amount that we work out. I also started a veggie garden which makes me so happy and has been an excellent happy place. It's really fulfilling to spend months starting from a little seed to eventually having vegetables you can eat and I can't wait until we buy a place and can really ramp up the garden. Also - the occasional cookie ;)

30. You can be really happy or you can be really upset all the time and it's always your choice. (disclaimer - barring mental illness, etc). I saw that in a magazine once when I was 18 and I hung it in the wall in my college dorm room. I've had many bedroom walls since then but the quote has stuck with me. Whenever I get upset about something or I'm sad or just in a funk - I try to remember that quote. I don't always succeed but every now and I then I think - "why am I feeling like this? This is all in my head. I could be upset or I could go play with the dog or watch a movie or go for a run or have a glass of wine." It doesn't always work but it helps get through the bad days sometimes. 

I think the best thing about all the things I've learned is going through them and remembering the lessons. I'm not perfect, I break my own rules all the time but a trip through memory lane is a great way to remember my experiences and my journey until this point. I still have a million things to learn but these 30 things have been a really good foundation on my journey through life.

2016 New Years Resolutions

Better late than never! I always try to get this ready to launch on the first... but I guess we're doing the first of February instead of January this year. Good thing none of my resolutions are being timely.

For those of you who are new - one of the few things that have been constant on my blog are my annual New Years Resolutions. I've always loved how making them public adds a level of accountability. It's also taught me about how to make resolutions that are accomplishable and realistic. I don't always get them all of them done but it is nice to see how much I can get done each year.

So let's see what I have in store for 2016.

Not Be a Bridezilla

One of the biggest things happening in 2016 is my wedding! It's a really exciting time but also stressful for sure. As the planning ramps up, I can definitely understand how some people lose it. I really want to make sure I keep my priorities in line though. From the start, I've wanted this to be a fun event that really reflects my relationship from Dan and keeping that perspective has helped a lot. We've been lucky that we had a reasonable list of "must haves" that are falling in line easily and we're not wasting energy on things that aren't important. However, with any big event, there are always surprises and wild cards and you can't control everything so the goal will be to keep my cool when things don't work out.

If any readers want to help out here - I've already had people get mad at me for choices I've made regarding the wedding. I can't keep everyone happy and I will never be happy if I try to do that. I'm working hard to make this a fun event and to make as many people feel included and thought of as possible. I'm not going to get 100% on this. If in any way I upset in this process, I am sorry. Please don't yell at me. It is not my intention to exclude or alienate anyone.

Maintain or Gain

Here's your typical weight related New Year's Resolution... but with a twist. I lost a lot of weight last year - probably about 15 pounds all together. It was definitely way further than I thought I would get and I don't want to lose anymore weight. I feel more comfortable, my clothes fit, and I feel really healthy. I think my next step is building some more muscle weight. I was doing so much running last year that I think some of the weight I lost was muscle weight and I want to build that back up and really look and feel strong. This past month I've been working on building a solid but fun weekly exercise routine where I'm working hard to get strong and see all the work pay off. I can't imagine anything sexier than having toned back and arm muscles as I toss my bouquet on my wedding day.

Start a Passive Income Business

At a brunch a few weeks ago, some friends suggested I start an Etsy store because I'm always doing crafty things. "Well, I have one" was my response. Yea, I have an Etsy store and it does really ok. Right now I just sell cross stitch patterns, but it's been pretty good. I keep a large quantity of digital downloads and when one is purchased, I just get an email that money has been sent to my Paypal. I don't have to do anything because my buyers instantly get to download they're pattern. I do very little and make about $10-30 a month on two patterns. Two. My goal is to make more creative and fun patterns and get that amount more. All of my work is on the front end of creating the patterns and then the store runs on it's own. I just need to make the time to make my patterns and have the extra dollah bills roll in.

MexiCAN

Last year I had resolutions to go to Mexico and Canada. Of course, I made it to the country that is three states away and not the one I can drive to in 30 minutes. There's no excuse for that. I am definitely making it down there this year.

Watch My Temper

Last year, I got upset about something and it almost cost me a friendship. I've always been a little sensitive and it definitely hurts my relationships. I really want to think about things before getting upset and find more constructive ways about communicating the things that upset me. The trick here will also be to make sure I don't let myself get walked over to the point where I get frustrated. Already this year, I've had a week where I had to back down and back down and back down and finally after a week of it, I completely snapped over something small and spent the whole night crying....

Keep It All About Balance

...which leads to the last resolution. Everything is a give and take and this year is going to be keeping my cool while standing up for myself and giving up something for the wedding to keep another thing that is more important and balance and compromise and patience. This year is going to be amazing and trying and it's going to have a lot of ups and downs. In this first month, I've already seen a lot of that. I want to make sure I keep my perspective and find the balance of when to work hard and when to take time for myself and when to back down and when to fight back. I think working on those skills will be great for building character and give me the right tools to take into a marriage.