I Resolve

People who talk smack on resolutions can shove it. Sorry to start out so harsh, but why be a Debbie Downer on something good? I mean, people deciding which ways to improve themselves for 2014… that's applause-worthy whether they stick to it or not. Personally, I am a big fan of resolutions, goals, and all things introspective. I make resolutions every year-- some I keep to form new habits and others are lofty goals that are just as promptly thrown to the wayside. I don't necessarily wait for Jan 1 to begin a new feat, but bandwagon goal-setting can’t be of more harm than good.  

Here are a few of the 2014 specific goals so far (Girl, read your Yahoo! articles and listen to Pastor Rick; the more specific your goals are, the more likely you are to accomplish them!):

·         Wake up a few minutes earlier to read the Bible 3x's per week to squeeze in some extra Jesus time. This will be a real challenge seeing as I hate waking up a moment sooner than the last possible minute, and then four snoozes later…yep, I'm late again.

·         Continue going to bootcamp 3-4xs per week. I started this in August as a goal to go 2xs per week and I stuck to it pretty well, even upping my game in the weeks prior to Christmas. Then I got sick and that led to lazy. Fitness goals this year are more of a continuation of 2013 life-changes, but still pertinent in 2014 since I'm {clearly} not always on my A-game.

·         Do a half-marathon. This has been a goal/NY resolution before, but this year I have a plan and a buddy. Hopefully I can stick to it this time. I really hate, loath, DETEST running. Yeah, I don't know why I am making this my goal but stubborn little me says a half-marathon will be mine in '14.

·         Work for 1 hour, 2xs per week on writing a book. Gotta start somewhere.

·         Set up and use Mint, the financial planning app. That leads to my financial sub goals:

-          Pay off all credit card debt. I have a big purchase I want to make, and I can't rationalize that {indulgent} {major} purchase with credit card debt lingering over my head.

-            Meal plan. Be all blogger-esk and organized and know what I'm having for dinner on Thursday by Sunday afternoon. Save time and money by eliminating those last minute "what should we eat" and "I'm too hungry to figure out a home cooked meal now" discussions. More time and money saved by making extra and having leftovers (probably for lunch and dinner. Not above it.)

Well, that's what I have so far. I also have other things I would like to accomplish or start this year (taking voice lessons, become fluent in Spanish, etc.) but I need to start with the essentials and work from there.

I also need to make a 30 (things to do) before (I turn) 30 list. I'll add Spanish fluency and voice lessons to that list.            

Now intro-spect yourself: What do YOU want to accomplish this year?

Boyd Family Christmas Card

Keeping with the blog theme of updates, how about a Christmas card?

As anyone who knows me knows, I am not much of a fan of the whole façade of the Facebook world in the variety of "my life is perfect" and "I do only awesome fun things with the most awesome people." The pre-internet equivalent of that would have to be the Christmas newsletter. Now, I'm not talking about the people with families who highlight the "what's happenings" of their lives. Those are lovely. I mean the "my family was perfect and awesome this year!" highlights of braggishness that are overly fabricated. I thought it would be fun to send out a braggish Christmas card in reverse. It would sound something like this:

Hello Beloved Friends and Family!

Well, 2013 marked the first full year for the Boyd house here in Aliso Viejo! It sure was a busy year, which means we must be very important people.

We started the year doing almost nothing for the first few weeks. Krystina used her college education to serve steaks to the patrons of Foothill Ranch for the first few months of the year, working only a few hours a day. Brad's good fortune allowed him to provide financially while only working a day or two a week. Amazingly it took almost a full month to put away the Christmas decorations from 2012 because we were too busy trying to break the record for watching the entire available series of "Parenthood" on Netflix in only a few weeks time. I am happy to report it was a success! Those kinds of shenanigans went on for awhile until Krystina finally got a real job in May. It was going quite well, but unfortunately she kind of got demoted after only a few months. Now, her company might call it a "restructure" but it sure looks and sounds like a demotion!

In the baby department things are really going our way, much to the chagrin of our parents. Krystina continuously remembered to take her birth control, so no accidents have been reported. The only baby in this house is our giant and awesome cat Sage.

Sage came to our house in January and really set up camp. He was meek and humble at first, but has since become more bold-- from jumping around to wake Brad up in the mornings, to bringing uninvited neighborhood friends in to tear up the curtains, Sage really feels at home now.

We had a fun year of traveling to new and local places, but we shant dwell on these sorts of things. What's really significant is that Krystina joined a local gym and Brad bought an Xbox 360, and together officially got a Costco membership. We watched several series' thanks to Netflix including but not limited to: House of Cards, Friday Night Lights, and Madmen.

Hard to think 2014 is fast approaching, and I'm sure it will be just as adventurous. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Since You've Been Gone...

Well, I suppose I am the one who has been gone. I totally abandoned this lil blog in favor of being both busy and lazy. It's been just shy of two years since my last blog entry. I remember exactly where I was when I posted that particular entry (for no important reason; just the fact that I have a memory that stores random useless details) and sitting at that reception desk feels like a lifetime ago. It also feels like yesterday. It's strange how every day seems the same, yet when you look back so much has changed (we're getting deep here, people). Here is a recap of life changes, things I have done, and things that have happened around me:

·         I got engaged, and then got married.

·         I moved twice. Using my zip code as a pin/password was a bad idea for awhile since I had 3 different zip codes in the last six months of 2012.

·         I changed jobs thrice. Apparently I can't hold a job and/or I don't like to work.

·         A bunch of my friends got married. Last time I blogged I think I had one married friend. Now I have lots. I Irish jigged my way to and fro at 9 weddings last year, toilet-papered the crap out of lots of bridal shower "brides", and fully supported said friends during their bachelorette parties.

·         I became obsessed with a cat named Sage.

·         I went to Kauai, San Francisco, Tahoe, Napa and Sonoma for the first time--and drove through most cities on the coast of California.

·         I lost a bunch of weight. And then I gained too much of it back. Then I got rid of some of that, which puts me at today; losing weight with no intention of finding it again. Getting fit for life, not an event.

·         I watched my friends start having kids. It's the weirdest but also so very cool. As much as I hate stranger's kids (unruly bastards) I love my friends' kids.

·         I wrote half a dozen or more beginnings to stories that I will never complete. Let's say we'll work on that for 2014. Writing with a purpose, please.

·         I got my cartilage pierced. My sister convinced me to be hardcore like that and get matching cartilage piercings at Claire's before we went off to work at Outback together. Next step-- me convincing her to get a tattoo with me.

·         I toned down my profuse hatred for Kohl's (see previous post). Don't get me wrong, I'm still not a fan, but now we have kind of a love/hate relationship. I still hate so much about them but also… I bought a workout shirt there for $2.00. I can't not go there, seeing as there is a location across the street from my house luring me in with fake deals and sales.

See what I mean about nothing changing and then everything is different? I mean, in February of 2012, who would have thought that a mere 22 months later I would be shopping at Kohls on Black Friday?

An Open Letter to Kohls*

Dear Kohls*,
I hate you. I know this is a bit harsh, but it must be said. There are too many innocent shoppers that you have decieved and let me state this as clearly as possible: I am not one of them. Don't think for a second that you have me fooled to think that this plain black sweater was ever $65.00 or whatever ridiculous price you made up. This is not Storage Wars--you can't just say a price and expect the audience to accept it. Do you take me for a fool? You think I believe that the sweater has been marked down from$65.00 to $25.00 and I'm getting some sort of a deal? I am not one who is easily deceived. You may have hoodwinked the rest of America (or whatever sad places your stores are in... I'm not going to waste my time looking this up) but I am not buying a $16.00 pair of crap slippers just because you wrote down $100,000 as the original price and expect me to think your janky brand was ever something special. And on another note, when the entire store is 25% off, that is not a "sale"! If every item is marked down, my only assumption is that some (now jobless) employee messed up on the printing of every price tag in your store. Calling this mishap a "sale" is quite the presumtuous move, Kohls.
This brings me to my next order of shaming. Lauren and Vera, I am very disappointed in you. Sellouts! Now, I am all about selling out in a good way; you make money, I get to buy your stuff. But what is this business of having your designs sold in this repugnant excuse for a department store?
Lauren Conrad, I think you are fantastic. You are smart (you went in to Hollywood, got your biz and got out) and you have the most awesome style, not to mention stellar beauty tips and tricks. Why wouldn't I want to buy items you designed? Why? Oh yeah, because it would require me walking in to Kohls.
Vera Wang, you are a lady of style and class. Did you hit your head on your way in to signing the contract with Kohls? I described you as a lady of style and class, yet you have stooped to new lows. Previous to this inexplicable career move your designs have been, let's just say it, unobtainable for me. You have the status and clout that constitutes the sketches you draw to be worth too much money for me and my shillings. As stated in Bride Wars, "You don't alter Vera to fit you, you alter yourself to fit Vera." So now at this point in your career you look to appeal to the masses. I get it, I'm the masses. But did you have to do such a nose dive? I mean, you had so many stores on your way down, why did you have to shoot straight to the bottom? Nordstrom would have been a fantastic fit for you, in my perfect opinion.
Oh, Kohls. Everytime you tell me to "expect great things" I find myself with the urge to back-hand you. You induce violence in my heart! Shame on you, and your "discounted" merchandise.

Respectfully,
Krystina

*In this particular instance, I am making an example of Kohls. JC Penny and Macy's, this applies equally to you as well.

Mad Hatter Bridal Shower

place settings

the food and beverage table (before all the food and beverages were added)

table details

more table details

A little Instagram to make it look even cooler

Andrea (Bride's sister and MOH) setting up and making cucumber sandwiches

This weekend my mom threw the most adorable bridal shower known to man. The bride is someone that my family has known practically all my life. My sister is in her wedding, and I am very close with her sister. My mom is good friends with her mom, so the shower was hosted at our house. The bride wanted everyone to wear hats, so we did a mad hatter theme! These pictures were taken right before everyone arrived, so the pictures aren't a 100% representation of everything, but it's pretty close.

May I have the root word, please?

We're only two days away, person(yep, just the one that will read this)! You know me, and you know that I am a freak about Christmas. I mean, literally, my family and friends are AFRAID to accidentally let slip what they got me because of the wrath that will quickly ensue. I love surprises big and small. To be honest, I love everything about the whole month of December. It smells better, the air gets (hopefully) more crisp, and people are generally just happier and nicer, wouldn't you agree?
Why do you think that is? Why are people nicer at Christmastime? It may have something to do with anticipation of gifts, or itchy sweaters, or perhaps it's the outflow of hundreds of dollars of additional cash in a three week period. OR it could be the merry humming of Christmas tunes that keeps people slightly more chipper.
I have a theory: I believe that Christmas is but a preview of what is to come. Allow me to explain. Eleven months a year, people slander God, use his name in vein, and deny his existence. Believers are deemed "ignorant" and "intolerant"(ugh, don't get me started on how Christianity in its true form is NOT either of those things). However, suddenly there is a shift when December rolls into town. People who claim there is no God hum along to "Hark the Harold Angels Sing"(...glory to the newborn king) and those who believe Jesus was a nice guy and a good teacher sing "Oh Come Let Us Adore Him"(Christ the Lord). Every person is going around singing that Christ has come, that our savior is here and we are saved. Does anyone find this ironic or amusing?? The Bible says that one day every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Christmas seems to be a preview of that. When believers and non-believers alike sing "joy to the world the Lord has come" it's just a taste of the forthcoming acknowlegment of Christ. Plus, everyone is filled with joy at Christmas whilst singing these professions! It's the keeping the root word of CHRIST as the meaning of Christmas.
I get that Christians and non-Christians alike celebrate Christmas in the U.S., but personally I LOVE that my celebrating is based on something so incredible I cannot even fully wrap my brain around it. I love that in all the excitement, I can take a breath and remember the unbelievable sacrifice that was made out of the ultimate act of humility of my God.
Woo! Merry Christmas!

Psych

When I really want something, I have this tendency to psych myself out. When I'm on an interview I sit up straight, fold my hands in my lap, and smile... but not so big as to expose my Uvula or give myself a double chin. I am composed and professional and downright boring. If I was interviewing people, I would go ahead and choose the person I would want to hang out with, since we will be working together and I wouldn't want to work with a boring prude. I know there is a level of professionalism required for things like that, but I also think there is a balance of showing myself--you know, that girl who laughs louder than anyone else (and shows the uvula), the one who stands up in the middle of the day and stretches like a cat, sings two bars of whatever is stuck in her head, and sits back down like nothing happened. Since there is a writing job I am after, I have to write the samples. It's not something that's hard for me; in fact, they even suggest that my writing sounds a bit "snarky" (um, yes please). However, since I have been sitting here searching my brain for the creativity it is hiding, I figured I might as well blog to get the creative juices flowing. If I get the freelance job, awesome. If not, I have a job that I love and will continue to work at one way or the other.