Resolution-ary Road

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I'm playing some serious blogging catch-up today.  We have had a busy start to the year - on the downside we've all been sick and on the upside my in-laws came to stay for two weeks which was really lovely!  As a result, however, I have been seriously slacking in the blog department.  So today and next week will (hopefully) bring some catch-up posts, photos, and thoughts.  Is that OK with you?

Well, 'the most wonderful time of year' has come and gone.  The mince pies and cookies have all been eaten, the egg nog has been drunk, the presents wrapped and ripped open on Christmas morning, the tree and decorations have been put away, the snow has melted and there's almost a feel of spring in the air here in Dublin - don't worry, I'm sure it won't last long!  Can you believe it?  I certainly can't - it all went by very fast.  

And now it's 2011.  I'm sure you're all way ahead of me and have already made and started to keep (or break!) your new years resolutions.  I, for one, am really not that big on resolutions.  Not that I don't believe they are a good thing to make - it's always good to take stock of your life, decide on things you want to change or improve, and challenge yourself to be a better version of yourself.  The last couple of years I didn't really make or break any resolutions - last year mainly because I was in the newborn fog and was too tired to think never mind make a resolution!  But this year I feel it's time to get back in the saddle and make some changes.  Here's some of what I'm resolving to do this year (in no particular order):

1. Get fit.  Doesn't this top every one's list of new years resolutions?  This is two fold for me.  I want to get fit but I also want to lose that last 10lbs of baby weight that just will not disappear (not that the arrival of the autumn - my favorite food season - and Christmas did anything to help matters!).  I did make a bit of an effort in 2010 and I'm feeling the better for it.  However, I still have a bit to go in terms of where I want to be (post-baby) and I'm going to keep with the Pilates that I'm already doing.  I want to get back to spinning (my fave cardio!) and who knows, maybe I'll even give running a try (hahaha).
2. Take a class.  I've been wanting to take a sewing class.  I've wanted to take up knitting.  I really want to take a photography class most of all, though.  This year I'm going to do it. 
3. Volunteer.  My sister and I were discussing this a few weeks ago.  I spend a lot of time thinking of those less fortunate or those who just need a hand, or a smile, or someone to talk to.  This year I want to offer my time to help those in need.  
4. Travel.  P and I have lived here for 3 years now and for a number of reasons, we have not traveled nearly as much as we'd like to.  So in 2011 we're going to see more of Europe (in fact, we're booking our first holiday today!).  Of course, we'll bring along our favourite little person, but maybe we'll take a trip just the two of us, too. I also want to spend more time being a tourist in my own city, and I challenge you to do the same - I promise it won't disappoint!
5. Sing more.  And I'm not just talking about in the shower. Those who have known me for a long time know that I love to sing (hello JCHC!).  I've all but stopped singing and I miss it.  So maybe I'll join a choir or something - if they'll have me!
6. Be. More. Positive.  Have I always been a glass half empty person?  I don't know, I don't think so.  I hope not.  But what I do know is that since we moved back here I tend to be quite negative and I hate it.  The Irish in general tend to be that way, and I find myself slipping into that way of thinking.  It drives P crazy, and I don't really notice it until it really gets me down.  So this year I'm going to make a concerted effort to see that the glass is half full! 
7. Date night with the hubby.  We used to do this a lot, pre-baby.  Set a night that was a 'date night'.  Not just grabbing dinner together after a day in town.  A proper, get-dressed-up, out on the town kind of date. Sometimes it's dinner and a movie (we're total film buffs), sometimes it's just a long, lovely dinner.  Sometimes it's the theatre or a concert.  I miss those nights and I think, especially as new parents, it's really important for couples (us) to have time to re-focus on each other.  A lot of times life just seems to get in the way and it's hard to remember the need to spend time with each other and nurture that most-important relationship. 
8. Family first.  We've had a rough year, my family.  We lost an amazing lady who, although not related to us by blood, was just as big and important a part of our family as any one of us is.  Having been through that, I'm left craving time with my family - quality time, where we can be together, laugh together, and most importantly, be ourselves with each other.  We are slightly scattered (although thankfully not as much as we used to be), but I'm hoping that in 2011 we can all spend some much-needed time with each other.
9. Introduce C to the beach.  OK, this is slightly selfish because I'm CRAVING some beach time (hence the photo at the top).  And I'm not talking about Sandymount beach (although it's lovely too).  I'm talking white sand, crystal blue ocean, bright blue skies, pelicans diving for fish, palm trees lining the sand. And heat!!    
10. Be more organized.  I can be when I want to be.  But right now my closet is a mess, my drawers are disgraceful, my desk is stressful even to look at.  I want to take stock of my belongings, purge what needs to be purged and re-organize my things.  I think that's the start of a less-stressful day-to-day life, don't you?

Whatever your resolutions are for 2011 (and please feel free to share some in the comments - you might inspire me to add more to my list!), I hope this year brings you and your families happiness, love, and the opportunity to achieve whatever it is you are aiming for. 

xo,

G

Happy (early) Birthday To Me!

This past weekend (before I got sick...again), I did a little birthday shopping...for myself!  I have been on the hunt for some camel/tan not-too-high heeled court shoes (or pumps, if you're in the US), the not-too-high-heeled being the most difficult part of that search.  Everything has been so sky-high, and despite having a very tall husband, I'm pretty much as tall as I want to be!

So...I sauntered into the Brown Thomas January Sale not expecting to find a thing (in my price range).  The shoe department was like a beautiful, sparkly, colourful zoo!  Had I an unlimited budget we would have had to rent another apartment just to house what I could have brought home!

Anyways, what was staring me in the face when I walked into their shoe room but these little lovelies...

(excuse the awful camera phone shots, they are slightly ligher in colour than they look in the photo and they are not patent leather)

They are PERFECT - exactly what I was looking for for so long!

Happy (early) birthday to ME!!

P.S.  They also had these famous beauties, in the heeled and flat versions....it was extremely hard to resist.

Hair today, gone tomorrow....

Good morning friends!

I need your advice.

In a week and a half I have a big birthday - one I cannot believe is almost here (wasn't I just 21?!).  I don't know whether it's the new year, the big birthday or just plain boredom but I'm craving a change of look.  This happens all the time - I get my hair to how I "really really wanted it" to be and then I get bored.  

Tomorrow I am getting my hair cut.  For reference's sake, here is my hair now:

Well, this is it without any styling whatsoever...but it's long, mostly all the same length.  BORING.

Here's the kind of side-swept fringe/bangs I'm thinking of getting:

But I'm don't think I'm going that short in the length - it's high maintenance and I have a 1 year old.  I need to be able to do a quick and easy ponytail.  However, I think Nicole Richie looks her best with this style - glowing and beautiful!

I've done the side-swept hair style before - I tend to go full circle with my hair - long all-one-length and then back to the side swept fringe/bangs with some long layers for volume.  Just look at the circle in action:

September 2003 - back in my 'nearly-blonde' days

Dec 2005

Jan 2007

July 2007

Autumn 2007, with my good friend M who was a month away from having her first baby!  Didn't she look great?!

Heavier fringe/bangs - July 2008

And then I did this...

November 2008

Don't get me wrong, I loved that at the time.  But it's an awful lot of work to maintain, I couldn't even get it in a pony tail when it was that length.

I have tried a heavier straight across the forehead type of fringe back in about 2003 - my face was fuller at the time so I think it wasn't the best decision!  I'll never forget my husband (then boyfriend's) face when I arrived at Ft. Benning for a visit with my new haircut (which I was so proud of!).  It's amazing he still proposed!  ;) 

Yikes.  Sorry, R - I didn't have one without you in it.

I arrived home for Christmas to discover that my sister had also gotten the same haircut - we didn't know, of course.  Suits her much better than it did me, but it didn't stop us looking like twinkies.  Not my best hair decision, in retrospect!

One hairstyle I tried and loved was this:

February 2009

Excuse the pose.

I had slightly-grown-out short hair (3 photos above).  We were going to a formal event and my stylist did pin-curls.  I wish I could have hair like that all the time - curls are so much fun!  I know, I know...the grass is always greener.  I even asked her if I could do a body/wave or perm to get that look and she said I definitely didn't want to go there.  :(  Julie, if you're reading this, didn't you get a body-wave freshman year of college or did I dream that?  I remember it looked great!

Anyways, back to the present.  So I'm going full circle again with the long/layered hair with side-swept fringe/bangs.  Here are some more pictures for thought:

So what I really want is for you to tell me honestly if I should do this?  What style do you like?  What should I NOT do?  Should I go short again and just suck it up with the time involved in styling it or should I keep it long?  Please be honest!

I realise this is a totally superficial post :)  but I would very much appreciate the advice!!  If it's not a disaster :)  I'll post a pic of the finished product tomorrow!

Is this thing on?

Hello friends - did you forget about me?  I admit this was a bit of a ridiculously long blogging hiatus, but I have good reason.  I was am sick.   I've been sick since a week before Christmas.  I spent most of Christmas week in bed and recovered just in time for C to get sick for Christmas day.  Poor little thing - she's resilient, though, and got better much faster than her mother.  However now I'm sick again.  I can't win!  But enough feeling sorry for myself and more of what else happened besides us all being under the weather....

Our Christmas was great - it was crazy, manic and kind of all-at-the-last-minute, but it was full of fun, love, laughs, and of course plenty of food!  I wanted to share some photos but I have lost my camera - catastrophe!!  I'm sure it's here somewhere but I just cannot find it, and that completely ruins my blogging plans.  I have a few camera-phone pics which aren't the best quality but you'll get the idea.

It was FREEZING over Christmas.  No, literally.  The temperature didn't rise above 0C (or 32F) the entire week of Christmas and one day it was -13C during the day (that's 8F, it just doesn't normally get that cold in Ireland).  With the wind-chill it felt a LOT colder.  My parent's street looked like this (thanks, hubby, for the photos):

That may not look like a lot of snow - it really wasn't - but it was solid ice - the snow on the trees literally froze to them - it stayed like that for over a week, which made for a beautiful sight, but treacherous road conditions when there's not enough salt in IRL to grit the roads, particularly in the 'country' where we were.  It was beautiful, though. 

Inside the house looked something like this:

The tree was beautiful - my dad, sister and brother did a great job decorating it.  It was perfect!  Christmas day started early with opening presents, a quick breakfast and off to Mass.  Then we all made Christmas dinner - with lots of help, I made the turkey (which will never be as good as Sue's but at least it wasn't a Christmas Vacation turkey!), my brother and his girlfriend made the stuffing(s) - yes, two different delicious kinds, my sister made the side dishes and my other brother set the prettiest table ever. My parent's made dessert and did the cleaning after (maybe the best present of all!!).  Then we made mulled wine and eggnog and played Cranium Wow - we love that game!  I think board games are making a come-back.  We don't own any but I plan to change that pronto.

Christmas Eve brought a special present.  Not only did we (finally) get my sister (who was driving over from Dublin), and my brother and his girlfriend back to Ireland from London - their flight was cancelled on the 23rd so they took taxi, train, ferry and car to make it to us by 7PM on Christmas Eve - but we also got this special present, too:  C walked!  She had taken some un-steady steps before, but she walked almost the full way across my parent's hall.  She was so adorable!  Now she's going non-stop.  Look out, world!

Santa was good to me - among other wonderful goodies, I got these:

:love:

You must excuse this scatter-brained post.  I am going in search of my camera and hopefully I'll have more to share next time.  In the meantime, I'll be thinking of my new years resolutions (better late than never) and we'll talk more about that soon...

Have a great Thursday, everyone, and please share your holiday adventures, too!