Progress

My New Year’s goals have been pretty important to me so far this year.  So, I thought I'd update my blog on my progress:


1) Take Mark to Europe for the first time
Mark REALLY wants to go to Italy. To be 100% honest, I would prefer somewhere that I haven’t been before. BUT, if I’m going to revisit somewhere so soon, Italy is it. We are in the process of speaking to a travel agent (I’m not adventurous enough to plan our first trip out of the country by myself) to help us coordinate travel dates and accommodations. We are getting excited that this is actually going to happen this year!

3) Visit Lauren in Tyler, TX
Ok, for now, I am cheating. Lauren and Will offered to make the drive and come see us next weekend. I am beyond excited. I definitely WANT to be a good friend and visit her in the Fall, but I’m just too excited to be seeing them to care who's visiting whom. Yea!

6) Read the Entire New Testament
I’ve completed Matthew and Mark. I think reading the 4 gospels in a row is proving to be the most difficult part. I get bored with the repetition. But, for the most part I’m enjoying it. Favorite passage thus far:
Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. –Matthew 7:1-2
That is definitely something I should be slapped with everyday

31) Watch each movie nominated for “Best Picture”
I’m up to half!! So far I have seen: Black Swan, The Fighter, Inception, The Social Network, and True Grit. Unfortunately, other than The Kings Speech, I think I watched the ones I was most excited about first…poor planning

37) Double BodyPump Weight
I started with 2 small weights on each side for squats (and decreased from there on the rest of the tracks). NOW, I’m using 1 medium & 1 small on each side for squats. This is so close to double that it’s not even funny.

38) Go to Chicago to see Amanda Play Softball
Date selected…check. Vacation requested…check. Family on board…check.

39) Host book club
On February 28, I’m hosting book club. I’m excited to have everyone over, but not excited about cooking the main course (as is our book club tradition now). Oh well, I’ll probably keep it simply and go with Deborah’s famous Brunswick Stew. Can’t really go wrong there.
Side Note: We are reading the Book Thief. Liking it so far.

Wheeew... Thanks for sticking with me on that one.  Loving 2011!

Benefits and Birthdays

Last weekend some of us went to "Tapped" on Friday night to benefit the Alabama Autism Society.  Who doesn't love a good benefit with food and beer?  Apparently, EVERYONE does...especially when you sell tickets on "Birmingham Deals" for $10.  It was fun, but uber crowded.  We decided to hit up all the food stands then head on over to Pale Eddie's. 

Here we are at "Tapped":

And later at Pale Eddie's:

Saturday, we celebrated Matt's Birthday.  I was exhausted after being up past my bed-time on Friday, but we didn't want to miss this, especially since Matt was in Iraq last year on his birthday.  We had to make this one count for two, and I'm pretty sure we did that.  But, according to my pictures, Mark and I were the only ones there:

January Reads

In January I read…


The Memory Keeper’s Daughter, by Kim Edwards

I borrowed this one from a girl in my book club and really enjoyed it.  It dragged a little in a few places, but overall, it was a beautiful story.  It centers around the Henry family, with the first chapter showing us their peaceful life as a beautiful mother-to-be and her loving, doctor husband, David.  When David’s wife goes into labor, he and his nurse are the only ones present to deliver the baby.  His son is born and his wife immediately goes into a second labor.  The second, and unexpected child, is born with Down syndrome.  He tells his wife that the baby was stillborn and sends the baby off with his nurse to an institution.  In hopes of preserving his family’s happiness, David Henry makes this decision that ends up haunting all of their lives.  It wasn’t the BEST book ever, but it’s an easy read that’s worth the time. 
 
 
Pope Joan, by Donna Woolfolk Cross
 

Lauren, who organized our book club, pretty much forced us all to read this book in January. It’s the account of a woman pope during the 9th Century, and there is even some research that supports the idea that such a pope existed.
I trust Lauren, but I just wasn’t thrilled about reading this book; part of the reason I read “The Memory Keeper’s Daughter” first. BUT, and this is a HUGE “BUT”, the book was amazing. I loved every page! I don’t even want to tell you anything else about it (especially since my sister, who I hope reads my blog, might not be finished with it yet). Just trust me.

Cool It: The Skeptical Environmentalist’s Guide to Global Warming, by Bjorn Lomborg

Admittedly, I think environmental issues are quite interesting, especially concerning the changes on the environment caused by human activity. That being said, I ALSO think that there are more pressing issues out there: HIV/AIDS and other diseases, world hunger, and the need potable water. So, I was excited about a book that admits that Global Warming exists (and is a problem), but wants to put the new environmental craze into perspective.

The book was so, so. It gave me some perspective on things. For instance, in one chapter, the book gives a cost/benefit analysis for different issues, including Global Warming. According to the economists completing the analysis, slowing Global Warming is a “bad deal” with on about 1/3 of every dollar spent doing “social good.” Comparatively, for every dollar spent preventing HIV/AIDS (condoms, information, education), you get $40 worth of good (fewer sick, less social disruption). Now, I know environmentalist don’t have the “social good” values at the top of their priority lists (and I’m not sure they should), but that part was still very interesting.

Carried Away?

In February, I'm responsible for picking out our book club book.  I didn't want to let the group down, so I've done a lot of research.  Unfortunatly, while researching I got carried away.  Turns out, there are a TON of books that I want to read.  This is my SECOND box of books from Books A Million.  Better get to reading...

Semi-Recently

So, I tend to forget to take pictures.  And, if I actually take them, I forget to upload them. Turns out that Mark and I DID take a picture of the first snow this winter (December 26).  We had to time the camera AND keep it out of the snow, so it's not the best picture, but it's worth showing-off:

At the end of December we planned a bowling trip, THEN I found out I passed my FE.  So, we used the bowling trip as a bit of a celebration.  We had a good crowd:

I can't figure out why Mark's friends LOVE the peace signs, but I take what I can get when dealing with this group :)

Last, on New Year's Eve, I took one (yes, one) picture.  Here's a picture of Mark and me at the Georgia Dome for the Chick-fil-a Bowl.  What?  You can't tell we are even at a football game?  Blame it on the photographer (mom)...

Hopefully in 2011, the number of pictures I take will improve (though, January has proved otherwise).

Award Season

Award Season is underway, starting with the Golden Globes.  Since one of my 2011 goals is to see every movie nominated for an Oscar in the "Best Picture" category, I figured I could get a head-start by seeing which movies did well at the Golden Globes.  Plus, I got to see what everyone was wearing.  Anne Hathaway was stunning and my absolute favorite in her Giorgia Armani Privé dress:

PS:  I think I just decided what I want my 2012 body to look like... Is there any chance that I'll grow about 4 inches in the next year WHILE losing weight??

Sorry, back to the important stuff.  Based on the Golden Globe nominees for "Best Picture-Drama" and "Best Picture-Comedy or Musical," here's the list of movies I will be watching over the next couple of months (I've marked out the one(s) I've seen):

-Black Swan
-The Fighter
-Inception
-The King's Speech
-The Social Network
-Alice in Wonderland
-Burlesque
-The Kids Are All Right
-Red
-The Tourist

So, who wants to go to this movies???

The Heart Mender

In December I read "The Heart Mender" by Andy Andrews.  It was an easy read.  And since I haven't read a "romance" type novel since I stopped reading Nicholas Sparks in high school, it was actually delightful. 

I did skip most of the last chapter though.  The book started to harp on forgiveness and it gets a bit preachy.  We agreed in book club that it's not necessary to spell-out the underlying theme of the book... we got it!  BUT, all things considered, it was pretty good.