Day Thirty: One Last Moment

And just like that, the Thirty Day Challenge is over. Just in time for 2011 too! I'm excited to take the blog in some new directions in the coming year and hopefully be as consistent with my posts as I was when I first started this. Thanks to everyone that's followed along thus far and I hope to make some new blog friends in the coming year.



Here's to a fun-filled 2011!

Day Twenty-Nine: Your Aspirations

Only one more post! I can't believe it! My aspirations (for 2011 and beyond) are:


Continue to be healthy and active. Challenge myself to try new activities, like a spin class that I've been purposefully putting off.


Find happiness and appreciation in everyday experiences.


Travel more! I want to take a real vacation this year, for a whole week to somewhere I've never been.


Grow in my career and explore options for grad school.


Have fun with my new Diana camera and take pretty pictures like Naomi at Rockstar Diaries.


Have a date night with my bf once a month where we try out new restaurants.


Blog more consistently! And comment on the blogs that I follow/love.

all images via

Day Twenty-Eight: Something That You Miss

I really miss my Pop-Pop. We were so close and I often think about how different things would be if he were still alive. Wasn't he handsome?! This is one of my all-time favorite pictures of him. He reminds me of James Dean a little here!

Day Twenty-Seven: Your Favorite Place

I'm happy anywhere that I'm having fun with my friends and family. But I'm extra happy when I'm anywhere that stirs up some sense of nostalgia. The places that make me the happiest are:

Fenway Park. I realize this seems a little weird, but it really is a beautiful and historic place. I love thinking about all the baseball greats and generations of people who have passed in and out of the park.



The Greek Isles. Definitely the most beautiful place on earth I've ever seen. The beaches and architecture are gorgeous. It was hard to leave.



Home. Especially around the holidays when all of the decorations are up and there's a fire roaring in the fireplace.



Crystal Lake, Michigan. My family has been vacationing here since before I was born. It's a quaint little town right on Lake Michigan and it always reminds me of being a kid, splashing around in the water all day and getting to eat superman ice cream every night.



What are some of your favorite places?

Toy Poodle

This is pretty much the cutest ornament ever. I love that it resembles a balloon animal!

seen at A Piece of Toast

Day Twenty-Six: Your Fears

I don't spend all day worrying or in fear of what may happen at any given moment. There are some things that I'm just naturally terrified of (and have been for as long as I can remember).

Being attacked by a shark. Highly unlikely, I know, but the thought still terrifies me.



Flying. I despise it, mostly because I had a lot of ear problems when I was a kid and I associate flying with pain and uncomfortable pressure. Any little bump of turbulence has me lunging into my neighbor's lap. Worst case scenario: my plane crashing into the ocean and being eaten by a shark. No bueno.



Death, but not so much dying. I'm more afraid of people who are close to me dying and having to live without them. That might be a whole separate fear but right now I'll just stick to death. The finality of it gives me the creeps.



Those are the biggies.

Day Twenty-Five: A First, In Great Detail

Last January marked the first time in my entire life that I had ever tried skiing. I've roller skated and ice skated multiple times and had lots of sledding adventures, but never tried skiing. Nothing that I've done before really compares to it. I did all the basic research (layering for the weather, proper equipment, and stopping techniques), but actually doing it was hard to prepare for. I think you have to be willing to fall. A lot. And that was a little daunting for me. After two full days of lessons and countless trips down the kiddie slope, I felt okay. Just okay. I certainly wasn't ready to take on any of the major trails, but I had built up some confidence and could make turns and stop without falling on my face. I also used muscles that I didn't even know I had. That weekend marked the first time in years that I learned to like oatmeal and my very first time being in a New England ski town. So I guess a lot of good came out of learning to ski and taking some falls.


I'm going again this January (which I'm both excited and nervous about), and I hope to remember some of the basic skills that I managed to pick up last year. I think the hardest part is just letting yourself "go" and not try to over think every single move. I found myself being really jerky with my movements and not getting a fluid feeling until towards the end of the second day. I also blame one of my instructors for making me go on the lift just two hours into my first lesson. Ever. It was mildly traumatic. The good news is that if I have a total meltdown on the bunny slope I can always go cross-country skiing or snowshoeing (good workouts, too!).

Do you have any tips for beginning skiers like myself?

Day Twenty-Four: Something That Makes You Cry

I rarely cry. It's not that I'm insensitive, it just takes a lot to make me sad enough to cry. Now that I think about it, I'm more likely to cry out of anger or being upset than out of sadness. That being said, I occasionally tear up randomly during movies and sports montages. It doesn't even have to be an emotional part and it might happen even if I've seen a movie a million times and I know the plot. I'm weird because this just started happening a few years ago. I was watching The Family Stone the day after Thanksgiving and I found myself getting a little teary eyed during one of the family scenes. That movie is so great at portraying a real family dynamic, by the way. I love it. It's a Wonderful Life has also been known to make me tear up at the end when Clarence gets his wings. Other than a few movies and random moments, I'm not overly emotional. Sentimental-yes; sappy-not so much.

Day Twenty-Three: Something That Makes You Feel Better

These are all things that make me feel better when I'm tired, stressed out, or just plain grumpy (which isn't often). I'd have to say going to the gym and getting some endorphins pumping is the best remedy for a bad day. I also like giving one of my family members a call just to say hi. That usually cheers me up.

all images via we heart it