…looked a little bit like this.

Family, food, relaxation, and a year’s supply of nail polish. What more could a girl ask for?

Now pardon me while I spend the day doing absolutely n-a-d-a. xoxo G

Next up – New Year’s Eve! Check out my favorite NYE dress styles.

I was in PA yesterday for our company holiday party. My boss was short one Christmas card, so I insisted I didn’t need one.

He insisted I did.

…Daddy’s girl, much?

(Speaking of small dogs…)

Your yappy little friend is driving me loco.

(not actual dog)

And the fact that it resembles a large rodent doesn’t help. Yeahisaidit.

Love,
your-neighbor-who-is-too-chicken-to-say-anything-so-she-rants-about-it-on-her-blog

A few months ago I said so long to BlackBerry and switched to my dad’s ancient old iPhone3. Even with the least-capable of the iPhones…and one that shattered the moment I dropped it on carpet…I have indeed become the shameless iGeek I swore I’d never be.

…one that just said “indeed.” Ugh.

Needless to say, this morning I decided to make an even deeper commitment and snag myself an iPhone4.

I thought about going for the 4S – but with all due respect, Siri, you seem pretty annoying and not worth my extra 100 bucks. I probably should’ve invested in the insurance option, though, since I may or may not have already dropped my case-less new phone flat on its face.

(Dad, you didn’t read that.)

Anyway, today I also got around to grocery shopping for the first time in…a couple of months.

Because…let’s be real…“cereal runs” don’t really count.

Gosh, being this productive on a Saturday is exhausting. I think I deserve a night out, don’t you?

How often do you go grocery shopping?

Wait…where did this year go?

Can’t complain. Christmas = happy heart.

Fake tree and all

…looked a little bit like this.

This past year has brought more for me to be thankful for than ever before. I’ve been showered with overwhelming opportunity, challenges, relationships, blessings, and love…and then some.

Merci. Gracias. Thank you.

What did your Thanksgiving look like?

I mean, Sunday is supposed to be a day of rest…

Yep. That’ll do.

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That was always the first thing that came to mind when I saw other bloggers using this condiment so-unappetizingly-called nutritional yeast.

After seeing it in the store a few weeks ago, I decided to finally give it a try. I mean, considering my health tank hasn’t exactly been at an all-time high, I sort of need all the help I can get.

Nutritional yeast is “a valuable source of high-quality protein, essential amino acids, vitamins, dietary fiber, and minerals.”

Or as I like to call it…

I was quite skeptical, but I really am loving it! 8 grams of protein per 1 1/2 tablespoons and a salty, cheesy flavor? Sold.

For the most part I’ve been eating it atop salads and veggies, but I can attest that it also makes for a rockin’ addition to New England Clam Chowder.

Have you ever tried nutritional yeast? Thoughts?

What the heck did I think I was going to do with all of these bags?

Dare I say that instead of trashing them I just organized them neatly in a box…?

What’s the difference between “holding onto stuff you might need somewhere down the line” and straight up hoarding?

…Good question.

That’s why over the next few weeks I’m going to subject myself to a little something I’m calling the Downsizing Challenge.

You see, I have a lot of stuff. Clothes, books, food, random nick-nacks….a lot of which I use, but also a ton that just seems to lie around with little-to-no purpose. And, since I’m moving to an apartment just about 1/4 the size of the one I’m living in now, I figured now would be a good time to purge some of this unneeded junk.

The thing is, though, I’m also at a point where I need to, well, stop spending money. So I want to make sure that I don’t downsize to the point that I end up needing to do laundry every other day, for example. Get what I mean?

So, that’s what I’m going to spend most of this Saturday doing. I’m hoping to load my car with as much “junk” as possible for when I go back to Pennsylvania in a few weeks, which is when I’ll actually be getting rid of my car as well. Yeah, I’m taking this downsizing thing pretty seriously.

I’m hoping that this little challenge will result in some fun tips (and maybe even new recipes?), so stay tuned! And enjoy this weekend, will you? xoxo G

How often do you downsize? Or do you tend to hoard stuff??