Happy New Year!

I set a goal to write and blog more frequently. Technically, today is January 7th but I am going to catch up and blog my little heart out. (And apparently not hit "publish" til January 9th!)  I caught Eric's New Years cold and have spent a miserable weekend and now a Monday at home. I do go a little stir crazy when I am housebound. I mean, on the outside looking in it sounds kind of wonderful--a whole day to do nothing but rest and watch TV. But I have my iPhone, iPad and laptop on the couch with me, a marathon of Sex and the City and also I keep texting and annoying one of my friends, I am positive!

 The other thing about having a cold is nothing has any flavor but I keep eating like I am trying to find something that tastes good and what I have found is an addiction to raspberry lemon cookies from Target. I ate a whole sleeve yesterday and another one today. I am on my way to Fatville especially because with this cold/flu I haven't been working out and have missed my friend, Le Elliptical, and have missed my Zumba and Barre Burn classes.

 Anyhow - REWIND. On New Year's Eve Eric and I rang in the New Year at my favorite Italian restaurant, Mama Maria's in North Hudson. Well, we didn't actually ring it in there as I am sure we were home by 10 pm but I made a point to stay up til midnight and text at least one person a Happy New Year. What stands out in my mind about NYE is my cute hair-do thanks to my pal, Lisa, and how freaking cold it was--well below zero. New Years Eve never lives up to my expectations so I long ago really stopped having any.

 HAPPY NEW YEAR!

 The other thing about me that you should know is I always get a little bummed when Christmas is over. I hate when all the decorations come down, I find the after-Christmas sales and leftover merchandise kind of sad, and all the sparkle is gone. I think Eric has learned to deal with me and to try to cheer me up and I do eventually snap out of it. This year I snagged the Alice + Olivia suitcase I was coveting from the Neiman Marcus collection for Target. I got it for 70% off!



 MY CUTE NEW SUITCASE FOR ALL MY TRAVELS

On the other hand, I did NOT get the Alice + Olivia bicycle I was wanting--but Eric insists I don't need 3 bicycles and he is kind of right. But this bike is sooo cute, don't you agree? Fun and whimsical!

 THE BIKE I REALLY, REALLY WANTED

Then call me crazy, but I scheduled my annual visit to the gynecologist for January 2nd. But I guess it is best to get it out of the way. I actually don't mind the actual exam as much as I hate the scale and the blood pressure cuff. I have a well-documented file of white coat syndrome--I see a doctor and my blood pressure goes through the roof. If only someone would give me a Xanax but they won't! Or I have yet to convince any doctor that I need Xanax.

 Anyhow done with that doctor for the whole year! Then back to work for a day and a half and believe me that wasn't easy after having 12 days off. But as I said, I ended up getting Eric's cold which feels more like the flu so I have yet to actually work a full week this year. I do plan to get back to work tomorrow--I need some structure or else I just run rampant. 

 Of course, I don't want my life to be too structured -sometimes I really appreciate a nice surprise! And I do mean a NICE surprise. Actually I had a nice surprise this week followed almost immediately by an UNPLEASANT surprise. And maybe actually it wasn't so much a surprise as something I knew was coming but nothing could really prepare me for it. I know that sounds cryptic but some things I am just not ready to make "public" yet. A long time ago when I was blogging a lot, I said I wanted my blog to be a happy place and that still stands. I think it is enough that I admit some of my craziness above!

 I still hope that 2013 is a great year but it has started out with a lot of ups and downs and it is only one week in. 

 Cheering on the Seattle Seahawks in Wildcard Playoffs (in my Chicago Bears shirt - I am contrary like that)