2011...

One thing I LOVE about blogging is being able to look back and see how you changed or grown as a person.

I clicked on my 2010 resolution posts to see what I had accomplished and I was stoked to see I had actually accomplished a ton of the resolutions/goals I had set up for myself, for 2010.  You can check it out here. 

For me this is a proud accomplishment, because I will be the first one to admit I can be a little flightly and get bored with things rather quickly.  So it amazes me that I have been able to maintain this blog for almost 3 years.  I think I have become a much better blogger and it has really helped me to find myself in the process. 


So here are my goals/resolutions for 2011...

1. Graduate Culinary school with HONORS!! (I’ve only been in school for a month, but it’s WAY harder than I expected to be, but I am working hard and have made it my mission to leave with those gold cords)

2. Plan an AMAZING wedding that is a true reflection of me and the wonderful man I am being blessed to marry. (Were trying to avoid getting wrapped up in all the unnecessary wedding crap and plan a day that makes us HAPPY, because in the end that’s what its truly all about)

3. Become more social. (I am pretty outgoing, but I have a tendency to talk myself out of doing things. I need to put myself out there more and make sure of the chapters of my life story are filled with great adventures).

4. Create my DREAM career. (I have realized that I NEVER NEVER want to work for anyone else again, (especially after my present job situation) I know I have the education and skills to create the perfect career for myself…which leads me to….

5. Make DOLLFACE DELIGHTS the most amazing company ever! ( I need to spend more time in growing my company, because it has the potential to MONSTER)

6. EMBRACE who I really am. ( So, what I am turning 30 and still love to wear Hello Kitty T-Shirts and wear colored hair extensions, I love that I have always been true to myself and need to stop caring what other people think about me)

7. Sign up for a Fitness class (I set a weight loss goal last year and FAILED, so I am going to take baby steps and find a fun class to join, wonder if they have a speed shopping…LOL)

8. Figure out how to use False Eyelashes. (I found out there is a guy in my class who does DRAG and I am so excited for him to give me make up tips and a complete DRAG MAKEOVER…WOO HOO!!)

9. Appreciate things more. ( I BITCH and MOAN a lot about my job and other things, but looking at the big picture I am pretty lucky, I have a great family, the most AMAZING boy, the cutest dog and the potential to make my dreams come true)

10. Stop being so tense!! (This one is major, I am a very Type A person and I get stressed out very easily ( My dentist actually told me he could tell I grind my teeth a lot). I can’t change everything and sometimes just need to go with the flow!)

I would love to know what your goals/resoultions are...if you post about them make sure to share the link in the comments so I can check them out!

(ALL PHOTOS FROM WEHEARTIT.com)

Weekend Recap....(Christmas Edition 2010)

I had an AMAZING Christmas with my family and it sucks to be back at work this week. I left my camera at home (like a dummy)so I didn’t get to take many photos outside of my phone, and they came out kind of crappy.  The boy surprised me and got me an IPAD for Christmas, I LOVE IT!!!

We also took our engagement photos, which were so much fun.  It was FREEZING, but Amy was amazing and so easy to work with and just an all around nice person!!! It was refreshing to meet someone that you instantly clicked with. I can’t wait to get the photos back so I can share. 

I am still getting over being sick (ya, I know!!) so this post is going to be very short and sweet.  I promise to be much more exciting in the weeks to come! 

TGIF...

I feel slightly better after taking the advice of my dad and getting some Zycam (I think for as much as it cost I should be doing back flips at the moment, but oh well). 

Tonight is our last class for 2 weeks, but we met our instructor last night for our next 3 weeks of classes and it sounds BRUTLE!!   We talked to some students who are graduating in January and they agreed that these classes coming up were their hardest.  The class is called “ Petit Fours", its a lot of mini cakes and also where we learn to make French macroons, which is super exciting!!

(Photo Source)

Lots to do this weekend with vacation plans and Christmas literally around the corner.  Everyone have a great weekend!!

Its Thursday Time....

(Please excuse my bushy eyebrows, I am trying to let them grow to even up...so ya, I kind look like a cave man right now!)

It’s Thursday, my weekend is getting closer and closer, I can see the light of day on my Holiday Vacation, and guess what….I AM GETTING SICK. Just my luck I am slowly feeling the signs of sickness upon me, it started off with sneezing, but now my throat is getting sore and I am coughing. I hope this thing passes really quickly, because the last thing I want to be is sick.

To make myself feel better I have been looking at wedding dresses. In the beginning I was really stuck on the idea of the boy not seeing the dress I picked out, but the thought of me being able to keep a whole secret for almost a year, makes me fall out laughing…so at this point he will most likely see whatever I get…Oh well. But right now these are the dresses I am falling head over heels for. (Only if I could get married once a month…LOL)

(Stephanie James)

(Stephanie James)

(Justin Alexander)

(Justin Alexander)

(Fancy)

(Fancy)

Also something to make you giggle...In class the other night one of your projects was to draw out something then later we would putting it together with Salt Dough (basically homemade playdough).  I have the worse drawaing skills, but have mastered stick people to their finest.

 So this is what I drew.....

(Laugh...Laugh...I know!!)

This is how it came out...

(You know I had to make sure she had plenty of blush on...LOL!)

Weekend Recap....

I swear it seems like my weekends are getting shorter and shorter, but I am looking forward for the end of this week, because it’s Holiday Break and I will have some extra free time.

We didn’t do much this weekend, mainly because I was exhausted and its getting cold outside and me and cold do not mix. We've been all over town shopping so we can finalize our outfits for our pictures next week, I am actually starting to get nervous and excited about taking them. I mean I’ve seen some amazing engagement sessions and I really want ours to be a good reflection of us, but I have faith in our photographer!!

(This is my winter uniform...I love my tights!)

( I got a little sassy over the weekend and did something fun with my hair...yes I am such a REBEL...)

We meet the Chaplain who is going to perform our ceremony on Saturday and I really like him. He was very professional and left us with a good feeling that were in capable hands.  He also told us a few funny stories of a few weddings he had performed, like the couple who brought their dog and then the muddy dog jumped on the bride's dress ( I WOULD DIE!!)...guess Loco is staying home...LOL!

(Speaking of bad little dogs, look who is "HELPING" me study, by sitting on my notebook)

I know we still have alot of time before the actual wedding, but I am trying to get as much crap done as possible, I don’t want to be stressing out at the last minute, so I am making tons of lists and checking them twice( I had too…LOL).

On a baking note I made the best chocolate chip cookies EVER, the secret, yes I am going to share one of my culinary secrets...LOL! It’s all in the chocolate, I know CRAZY. Well I have a pretty good chocolate chip recipe, but I hated how the chocolate chips I used never really melted, well in school we use really high quality chocolate, about 60% (this means the actual cocoa butter in the product). So I went to one of my favorite bake shops over the weekend and found that they sold chips that were 57%. They are more expensive than your Toll House or Nestle chips, but still rather reasonable, but so WORTH IT!! (You could just buy a few good quality chocolate bars and do chunk cookies too)

Also, there was a gingerbread contest at my school and these were a few of my favorites.  These houses were so amazing, because everything was edible.  You could really see the detail and hard work people put into these houses, it was so cool!

How cute is the "UP" house...

Random Thought of the Day...

So long long time ago (okay maybe not so long ago, but this is my story...so..ya!) Anyhoo, I made a big hoopla of trying to lose 20lbs. I got all motivated, than got less motivated and soon was in the negative with my motivation and those 20lbs are still here.

Now I am in culinary school and were eating sweets and carbs all the time, I get home super late and end up stuffing my face with crap and none of this is helping. Well if I have not blasted this info enough I am getting married. I am going to be a bride in 11 months and I really would like to not be a plump bride. Now I am not going to get all crazy about this, because as we have seen from my history I suck at this whole exercising and eating healthy thing.

I NEED to do something, I just need to find something that works for me. Something I can stick with and actually WANT to do. I think my lack of motivation comes from my small attention span and getting bored very quickly. Who knows….either way I want to look like this on my wedding day!!

(Damn J-Hud!!)

Weekend Recap...

Along with having to go to class on Saturday we also had a test, which sucked majorly. I spent the early part of the day enjoying a warm day, filled with my FAVORITE crepes and studying.

We got there pretty early and there was a ton of people already there, after ordering we found out it was going to be a 30 minute wait, but it was well worth it.

  

One thing that makes me love Austin is how successful small businesses can be. It really makes me indecisive about moving, because I know the type of business I want to go into would work so well in this city.

The next 3 weeks in school we are studying bread and our test was on Baguettes and Pan Au Lait (basically a soft roll). The hard part was actually shaping them correctly, but I think mine came out okay.

We will be in breads for another 2 weeks and then we will start petit fours.

Black Swan was not playing, so we just stayed in and watched some Netflix movies. We watched the “Bounty Hunter” with Gerard Butler and Jennifer Anniston. The movie was OKAY, I am glad I didn’t pay to see it in the cinema, but to kill a few hours it was fine. The gem of the night came from a classic 1984 cult classic called “Angel”

Its this crazy movie about a school girl by day and hooker night, and this serial killer killing off the ladies of the night (yes, its was just that amazing). The chick playing “angel”, was supposed to be 14 in the movie, but actually looked more like 44. It was just a hot mess of a movie, but I LOVED every minute of it and to make my day even better, there are 3 SEQUELS…Woo Hoo…and yes, they have all been added to the Netflix que.  (It’s the little things in life that make me happy…LOL!!). 

In Wedding news, I am loving these right now!!

(I also think I NEED those shoes)

TGIF...

Sometimes writing something out can ease a lot of frustration. After putting it out there that I was having a rough day things actually started to look up. In class we made a TON of bread and at this point I can’t even move. Bread truly is my weakness and when its hot and fresh and slathered with Nutella I become SHAMELESS….

In wedding news, I am so excited we are going to be doing engagement photos in a few weeks. The cool thing is the person shooting is Miss Amy, a fellow blogger. I started reading her blog, because she seems like the sweetest most down to earth person who shoots some bad ass photos, plus I thought it was cool she lives close to my own hometown.

(This photo is so sweet to me...you can see more here)

Well when I knew I would be making a visit in a few weeks I immediately contacted her (thank you TWITTER) and TA-DA….were about to make some MAGIC!!  I can’t wait to meet her and have her shoot us… make time to check out her blog. I promise you will like her as much as I do!!

I have class on Saturday…yes, on Saturday and its pretty much all day, so my weekend will be a short one.  I want to see this movie...

I really like Natalie Portman as an actress and the plot seems really different.  I heard its a limited release this weekend,so we will see.  Last weekend we saw that new movie with Ann Hathaway, "Love and other Drugs".  It was okay, she pretty much naked the whole movie.  So its a chick flick that your dude won't have an issue sitting through...LOL!

I also think my mouth needs to be involved with this....

(White Chocolate Mocha w/ Caramel in the coffee and on the whipped cream...SO GOOD!!)

Everyone have a great weekend and stay warm, its getting cold out there!!



Rough Week...

It’s been a really rough week….


Work is exhausting, depressing, draining and a few other choice words…

I missed my first day of school and literally feel so behind (you have to think we cram a weeks worth of stuff in one day)…

Dealing with reoccurring health issues…

Truly feeling backed in a corner due to financial constraints…


It’s been a really rough week …..


My LOVE surprised me with a sweet treat just to put a smile on my face…..

Were starting to bake bread in school and I am in true HEAVEN….

I am alive and still kicking….

Good music has made my days bearable….

It's been a Rough Week....but its almost OVA!!!