Do you like baking cupcakes… or heck eating cupcakes??   These are so cute!!!   Click to see the picture!

Testing out a new way to post things based on articles that I read. It’s called Press This.

Did you play with Legos as a child like me? I loved the pirates the best! Well, Lego is rolling out a new line of Legos aimed at girls 5+ called Lego Friends.

What do you think about? Would you be more apt to buy the regular ones or a Lego Friends for your 7 year old daughter or niece?

I like the classics, but maybe this would interest them at a younger age. I didn’t “get into” legos until I was about 9 or 10.

Here’s my original list with updates:
1. volunteer- Habitat for Humanity with work, I had a great time. I want to find more opportunities to volunteer and keep it a semi-annual thing.

2. keep in shape: run 4 times a month and 3 yoga sessions a month. I think I’ve done pretty good with this- except for the last 2 weeks- with traveling back to KY. I was wanting to go running today although my pinkie toe got stepped on by a stiletto heel at the NYE’s party last night, so I’m thinking maybe tomorrow- although it’s currently 50 degrees with sun and that’s pretty close to my favorite running temp!

3. go kayaking/canoeing- In September, we want kayaking on the Charles River. I was so nervous at first because it was so low and we had our iPhones with us in this huge bag that was supposed to keep thing dry, but it didn’t seem like it would. It took a while to get the hang of, but was fun once my nervous subsided and we figured out how to row with the paddles. My hands hurt but I wasn’t sore the next day.

4. go on a hike- Check!! The Blue Hills with Jules and Lucy

5. follow a new recipe- In October, I made chicken noodle soup and chimichangas (although I used beef instead of turkey). I want to try to make this a monthly thing.

6. visit a farm- Although I don’t think it fully counts, we did go to Marini Farms in October for this flashlight corn maze on a double date. We visited the farm shop where they were selling apples, so technically I visited a farm, but I was hoping to go Apple picking this year.

7. find a job (career) that I enjoy- not much progress on this.
8. monthly me activity (hair cut, manicure, pedicure, brow wax, massage)- I’ve done pretty good about this between hair cuts and waxing, but with winter, a pedicure will probably wait until May.

Picture from Z salon in December, where I got my latest hair style. I love Z salon on Bardstown Road.

9. monthly friend event (girl meetup, dinner with friend)- Boy oh boy, I have definately kept up on my goal for this. Way tooooo many to remember, but I’m looking through Flickr to remind me.

With coming back to KY for Christmas, I had brunch with Jules before leaving Boston, had brunch with Lynn, brunch with Rebecca and little Johnny, dinner with co-workers #1 at Old Chicago (Lisa, Kim, and Elizabeth), dinner with co-workers #2 at Maido (Jackie, Ashley, and Holly).

I had 3 Boston Bruncher events (August at OM, September at the Cottage, December at Harvard Common Press). Went to the Donkey Show at the Oberon with Jules.

Had dinner and cocktails with Tonya at Cuchi Cuchi:

In October, I also went to Bianca’s (of Confessions of a Chocoholic.com) 3 Musketeers event at the W and had chocolate for dinner!

In November, I went to my first trivia night (more later) with one of the Ladies Meetup.com groups at McGreevy’s and then Jules Facebook-Check-in-stalked me and surprised me by showing up! Our hiking adventure also is a win here! We also had dinner in Chinatown on a random Tuesday night- I love it!

10. go on a road trip (60+ miles away)- We went to Portsmouth, NH and Portland, ME in August.

11. be a more consistent blogger- ahhhh, not so good on this one.

12. go to trivia night at a pub- I’ve done it twice and love it!!!!! Girls Night at McGreevy’s and then the Kinsdale with the Ex-Southerns Meetup.com Group. I want to keep doing this and it’s good with a group of 4-6.

13. watch the sun rise- Not really. I saw the sunrise on the morning I came back from Kentucky, but that was not very romantic/memorable other than being on the plane from Louisville to Boston.

14. Try An Ethnic Cuisine I Have Never Tried Before. Nothing new comes to mind, but the opportunity has come up yet.
15. Bike Ride (rent or buy)

16. Go on a picnic

17. get a new (to me) car if I’m still not living in the city

18. take part in a photo shoot (either take or be taken in)

19. go to a beach- Yep, three Singing Beach, P-town, and Carson Beach in Boston

20. get a real pair of sunglasses- Yep! Love them!

21. halloween party/dress up- OMG, yes.

22. take a factory/ery tour (beer, wine, chocolate). I’ve been to Harpoon twice, yes twice!  The first time was in September with Ben and then in December with Girls Pint Out.

23. go to brunch with the girls- Tonya, Jules, Lynn, Rebecca, and BB. I’m good but I want to keep this up!

24. Go to Top of the Hub for cocktails- Not yet, but close twice. I went for dinner when Step-FIL’s sister came to town and threw the idea out just last Friday but went to Beacon Hill instead.

25. Visit 3 new cities-  Portland, ME; Portsmouth, NH; Providence, RI:

26. Go to an Art Museum- MFA and ICA in August!
Museum of Fine Arts (MFA)- Free on Wednesdays. Went with a girls’ meetup group and Julienne.

Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA)- Free on Thursdays. Went with my husband.

27. Visit a new state in the US.- Rhode Island, Maine, New Hampshire- but I’ll keep adding- hopefully Vermont soon!
28. ? Originally I didn’t have anything here, but I’ve decided to put down to work on figuring out what makes me happy. I’ve started to journal and that’s a little bit of progress
29. ?Do what makes me happy…. to accomplish #30
30. Be Happy

On my visit back to Kentucky last month, one of the things I did was volunteer with co-workers for Habitat for Humanity.

A group of about 10 of us joined about 20 others from our work on a Friday afternoon.

Us girls mainly stayed on the ground level and put up things on the sides.

Although Jennifer wanted to be up top putting up walls:

We had hammers and nails:

Up on ladders:

Another view from up top:

We got to meet the future homeowner and she was a hard worker! If you get the chance to volunteer, I recommend it. It was a great team-building exercise, along with helping to build a house for those that need it.

I got to have breakfast with Lynn yesterday too!

We were only going to stay for a little while, but it took almost an hour to get in- so we stayed for about two hours. Tried Harpoon’s light beer and then the Oktoberfest brew! Oh and pretzels!

Even though I woke up feeling awful- and only half awful at lunch- I made it to the gym! Yay!

2. keep in shape: run 4 times a month and 3 yoga sessions a month- I’ve done pretty good with this. The weather is cooling down in Boston and I’ve had to outdoor runs in the past week!

8. monthly me activity (hair cut, manicure, pedicure, brow wax, massage)- My August activity was my massage .

9. monthly friend event (girl meetup, dinner with friend)- Since this was in July, it doesn’t count, but my birthday dinner here.

But I’ve also had 3 dinners with 2 girlfriends since being back in Boston (Tonya Italian and Thai & Julienne Pizza)

And I just saw this on Flickr and reminded me that I went to the Let them Tweet Cake event in August:

10. go on a road trip (60+ miles away)- On August 13th, we rented a car and drove to Portland, Maine and Portsmouth, NH.

19. go to a beach- Okay, I’ve been to 2!

Singing Beach:

Provincetown:

20. get a real pair of sunglasses- I got them in the mail yesterday:

23. go to brunch with the girls- I signed up for the Boston Brunchers contest and was invited to OM for Brunch and had a great time and meet several Boston Blogger ladies.

25. Visit 3 new cities- I’d say you can mark me down for 2 so far.

1. Portsmouth, NH

2. Portland, ME

26. Go to an Art Museum- I’ve been to 2 so far:
1. Museum of Fine Arts (MFA)- Free on Wednesdays. Went with a girls’ meetup group and Julienne.

2. Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA)- Free on Thursdays. Went with my husband.

27. Visit a new state in the US- New Hampshire, Maine