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Everything Else Trying To Conceive

2011 Goals

I took this weekend to go back through my 2010 blog posts & it ended up being two year in review posts.  I also looked back on my 2010 goals…I’m not going to focus on the fact that few if any personal ones were completed {husband did get a new job that he really enjoys}.  I guess we’ll just say I’m still a work in progress…  I’m not calling these resolutions because I feel that sets me up for failure.  I’ll call these 2011 goals.

I first made known our TTC last January.  One year later, we aren’t much, if any, closer to that baby {CD1 of cycle 12 started Christmas day…that was just quite a day}.  So a 2011 baby is still a goal for this year.  I plan to make an appointment with OB/RE if we aren’t pregnant by February/March. I’m also getting tired of doing month TTC chart posts.  I promise to keep y’all informed if there’s changes with TTC, but I’m not sure that I’ll keep up those per cycle posts. {will yall miss them? think I’ll miss them? leave me a comment with your thoughts}

After the passing of my grandmother, I want to make a lot of time for family in 2011.  I look back so fondly on my time in Charlotte in 2010 with Ma.  I plan to go visit Nana & Pawpaw at OIB & Papa in Charlotte as often as I can & really visit with them and not take them for granted.

Steven & Beth’s wedding is Oct 22nd.  I want to be healthier by their wedding.  I work better when I have a timeline goal. I’m not going to make a “I want to lose x number of pounds goal” because I feel like that sets me for feeling bad if its not attained.  So I’m leaving it as healthier & happier.  I’d like to work out more during the week and at least do something active on the weekends.  Eat more at home {not takeout but actually cooking healthy meals}.  I’d love to fit into a size 10 instead of 16 bridesmaid’s dress, but if it’s a 24 because I’m healthy & happily pregnant, I will be ecstatic! {btw, I’ve been thinking that we maybe not super hard TTC cycles 13/14 so that I’m not super duper, you-can’t-travel pregnant or delivering on their wedding day. what’d yall think about that? should we continue to try?}

Be a better blogger.  I think I did better in 2010 when it comes to posting more frequently & getting connected with other bloggers.  I’ve made awesome blog & twitter friends in the past year & plan to keep that up.  I’d love to attend BlogHer11 this summer in San Diego & am going to see if I can make that work.

On that note, I want to *attempt* to do project 365 or it might end up as project 52 this year.  Maybe I’ll do a “my week in pictures” post on here that way I remember what I’ve taken each day/week & get to use my Nikon! 
I wrote these goals early last week and really got excited about this project 365 idea.  I decided to make a tumblr page as to not let the project take over this blog {I made a Page for it too}.  I’d *love* for you to start following me at http://suzstreats.tumblr.com & let me know what you think of my photos so far.  If you’d want to see them {or maybe a weeks worth here} let me know & I could start that up.

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Everything Else

2010 In Review {part 2}

Finishing up the 2010 review…

JULY
We had our dishwashed installed right before we left for OIB for the 4th weekend.  As a result of left out Jacks & a puppy, I purchased a new pair of my favorite Jack Rogers sandals.  The Sophie & True Blood netflixs also arrived in July. 

I went up to VA for a family friend’s couples shower & met my future sister-in-law’s brother & his family & got the recipe for her pasta salad.  I proudly showed off Moe in the pet blog hop.  I received two blog awards (people liked me huh?!).  I joined in on Momma’s Munchies & we went to see the Bare Naked Ladies.

AUGUST

I went to visit my Ma & Papa & while I was there I enjoyed a wine night with Sara.  I went to see Eat, Pray Love for a girls night.  I cooked a lot in August: I made Sunny Morning muffins, participated in 2 Momma’s Munchies, discovered Kim’s banana pudding {if you like banana pudding you NEED this easy recipe!}, & I made a chilly POM pie when my parent’s came in town for a wedding.

 

I posted my cycle 6 chart.  I ended my Aug posts with a wish list Wednesday {lucky me now has all 3 items on my list!}.

SEPTEMBER

I began my Thankful Thursdays.  The Wolfpack football season began! I received litter from World’s best {still love them!}& some blog giveaway prizes. I spend a fun Saturday in Charlotte celebrating Jenny & her triplets!  I got a lil crazy & started painting my nails {I actually used this polish tonight}.  I vented some TTC frustrations & Jason & I had our 3 year anniversary.

OCTOBER

We started October in Ocean Isle & Wilmington for a wedding {which I never posted photos of, so here’s a few}.

I also participated in the Soft Bums launting of their new cloth diaper.  I went on a work trip to the NC mountains; while there I toured Lake Lure & got a bunch of apples.  I made apple cake & apple bread.  Football season continued including my parents coming down for the BC game & our awesome Thurs night win vs FSU.  We went up to Richmond for my 10 year HS reunion and I ended Oct in Charlotte visiting with Ma & helping Papa right after his surgery {also had lunch with B}.

NOVEMBER
My work did a CSA day, so I bought raspberries then made raspberry scones.  I had a cooking fail with pepper jack chicken but thanks to Alethea & her extra potatoes, I made awesome sweet potato fries.  I enjoyed girls nights & fell in love with these pumpkin cookies.

There was the last 1 home NCSU game. I went to Charlotte & had fun with Ma & Papa & uptown with B

Then we went to Ocean Isle for Thanksgiving & I did a lot of shopping {also received a few more giveways}.

DECEMBER

We started {& snowy Christmas trees} & ended December with snow.  I had a bit of a TTC break down but good friends helped to lift my spirits. I got caught up a reading or at least tried.  We stepped out for Cinderella & dinner with friends for my 29th b-day.

We decorated for Christmas including my owl love.  I baked oatmeal craisin cookies & did a Christmas quiz

The rest of December was in Charlotte: I held Ma’s hands & said goodbye then went back with Jason & the rest of the family after she slipped into a coma then passed Christmas morning.

If you got to the end of this post, THANK YOU!  Here’s to the beginning of a new year & all it ups & downs {hopefully more ups than downs} it will entail!

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Everything Else

2010 In Review {part 1}

Yes, I’m still on 2010! I’m done looking back after this post though, I promise.  After seeing a few “year in review” posts on my some of my favorite blogs, I thought I’d try to do a short one of my own.

JANUARY
January posts began with the web announcement of 2010 as the year we began TTC.  I also posted a huge list of my TBR pile & a yummy banana bread muffin recipe.

FEBRUARY
February was a slower posting month.  We had a low key Valentine’s Day.  I won 2 blogging awards & was really excited about it.  I ordered a Lilly scarf & this post shows up 1st if you google “Lilly Murfee Scarf” :-P.  I also left for my friend Kelly’s bachelorette trip.

MARCH

I posted about our girls weekend in FL, my work conference & our trip to visit my parents for my dad’s 55th birthday.

APRIL

April was busy!  We took our first OIB trip, Moe started using World’s Best Cat Litter, I introduced my family to Jenny’s now famous sundried tomato bagels, I planted flowers {which lasted all summer!}, & we discovered a new favorite beer.  My first twitter hop was April’s Twitter Home Tour {Jason swore this post would lead to someone breaking in-if anyone wants my 6 year old Dell laptop come on!}.

Kelly & Brett’s wedding on the 24th wedding meant bridesmaid’s lunch, rehearsal dinner & wedding posts!

MAY

May was fun!  I wished my mom & grandmothers happy mother’s day. In case you missed it, I met the Pioneer Woman & saw/met a bunch of other fun girls at the book signing.  
I did my first couple TTC charting posts.  I decided to go to the Lilly Warehouse Sale. I had a super long but super fun lunch with Jenny, Katherine & BA.
JUNE

We tried some PW recipes & I made Pineapple Crockpot Chicken for the first time.  B & I went to the Lilly Warehouse sale & loved every second!
I joined in on two blog hops: I showed off my china & our wedding.  I made Kim’s creamy enchiladas for the 1st of many times.  I received another award & won my first blog giveaway.  I went to my first ever Pamper Chef party & loved the food & product I bought.  I also found yummy strawberry banan muffin recipe & we bought a dishwasher {you know you’re old when that’s exciting}!
…last half to be posted later tonight or tomorrow…
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Everything Else Reading

2010 Books

My goal for 2010 was 50 books.  I didn’t make that.  But I am proud that I read 40+ and that I really enjoyed most of them.  There were a few books this year that I started but didn’t finish.  I did not include those on this list.

You Don’t Look like Anyone I Know by Heather Sellers
Wednesday Sisters by Meg Waite Clayton
Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella
Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman
My Fair Lazy by Jen Lancaster
The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes by Diane Chamberlain
South of Broad by Pat Conroy
Fly Away Home by Jennifer Weiner
Little Bee by Chris Cleave
Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest by Stieg Larsson
Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
Promises to Keep by Jane Green
The Shack by William Paul Young
The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson
Dewey by Vicki Myron
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
When a Man Loves a Weapon by Toni McGee Causey
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Heart of the Matter by Emily Giffin
Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls
Sarah’s Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
Midwives by Chris Bohjalian
House Rules by Jodi Picoult
Not My Daughter by Barbara Delinsky
Such A Pretty Fat by Jen Lancaster
The Killer’s Wife by Bill Floyd
An Echo in the Bone by Diana Gabaldon
The Castaways by Elin Hilderbrand
Hoot by Carl Hiaasen
Annie Freeman’s Fabulous Traveling Funeral by Kris Radish
Barefoot by Elin Hilderbrand
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon

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Everything Else

Christmas Decorations

I just realized I didn’t post the photos I’d taken of our other Christmas decorations.  I also took a few photos with my new camera of my parents decorations & tree I thought I’d share.  After these I promise to move on to 2011!

B aka Annie gave me this ornament for my birthday! Love it!  Thanks B!

Below are the two end tables on our den. I usually spread some of these decorations out in different places in the house so they aren’t as cluttered, but that didn’t happen with all the traveling this December.  The one of the left is more funky/pink & the right is more classic (I think they’re all hand-me-downs from my mom!)

I’ve done this for the past couple of years: place plain, brightly colored ornaments in a pretty crystal bowl.  I first put in large ones, then midsized & finally top it with tiny balls {yes, I did type tiny balls! ha I’m 12!}

This year I added red Pottery Barn small laterns to the mantel & I can’t remember putting that silver ornament shaped dish or the silver ornaments in the greenery before.  I really like the way it turned out.  My favorite: waking up after Jason on a weekend morning & coming into the den all lite up!

Here’s a few of my parents house & their tree.  I took some of the tree pictures using the candlelight scene setting & some on auto. I love the romanticness {yes I’m making that a word}of the candlelight setting.

I love Mom’s Santas on the old-school cabinet TV & end table in the den.  The Pottery Barn deer are a mix of gifts from friends & after-Christmas sale last year. Also check out that *vintage* {aka old} Christmas card holding stocking.  Our stockings are hung in the basement with the same prelit greenery I have as well as the Pottery Barn holder spelling out PEACE & JOY.

I’ve loved getting ideas from all your decorations post. Guess mines better late than never right?!