Kristen's Notebook: 2012

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

2012 Goal Check-In

One month ago I posted on what I would like to accomplish in 2012. Today I am blogging to check in where I am at...hopefully better than I think!

What I want to accomplish in 2012:

1. Run a total of 1,000 miles

So far I have ran 60 miles. I definitely need to get my butt in gear to make the 1,000 mark. It has been so hard running more than 4 miles on the treadmill. I also do two days of no running and instead do a one hour weight lifting class, so l\getting the miles in hasn't been the easiest. No excuses....I just need to run longer!

2. Run another 1/2 marathon

Still have not signed up for one but definitely plan on doing it.

3. Paint our entire basement

I have bought ALL of the paint...all 12 gallons of it. I just need to find the time to actually paint.

4. Blog more

I have been a slacker here. Since this is my 4th post for the year. I definitely need to get going on this!

5. Journal more

I have wrote in my journal every night before going to bed. Thank you to my fabulous best friend Mollie for a wonderful Christmas gift...A Diary of a Lady...to help me journal. I just love it!

6. Start a tradition of Sunday Dinners

I still need to get this started!

7. Do more DIY projects

I have tons of ideas and have bought some items to help with my ideas...just haven' t done anything.

8. Visit family and friends more frequently

Josh and I actually leave tomorrow for a long weekend in Florida with my family who lives in Florida for the winter (including my dad, grandparents, and aunts and uncles). I am looking forward to a nice long weekend away and in warm weather.

I am also very very close to securing my three week long South Africa visit, spending two weeks volunteer teaching and one week exploring SA. All three weeks will be spent wth my favorite gal Mollie and her amazing husband Eric.

9. Work less

Haven't done this either!

10. Drink more water and eat more fiber

Still on a high fiber diet...but haven't been drinking much water.

11. Take more pictures \

Haven't been doing this either...man...what is wrong!!

12. Do more yoga

4 weeks ago I bought a 6 session package for yoga at a private yoga studio. I love it!

Realization has it that I need to get going on a few things but am happy that I have done some of my goals or at least started. It is only February and I am confident that I will meet them ALL by December 31, 2012!

Have a fabulous weekend!

Kristen

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Neapolitan Cupcakes

Has is really been January 11th since my last post!! I am not living up to one of my goals for the year...Blogging More... I can't believe February is here...where did January go? Lots of exciting thing have happened including two weekends away to Minneapolis, one with Josh and one with my mom and sister. The Cooan family also went to see Lion King, and I organized a Daddy Daughter Dance at work for over 140 participants. Ok...now I know where January has gone!

Lets get to the Neapolitan cupcakes. I love the mixture of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry. Thinking back, one of my favorite ice cream flavors is Neapolitan. My favorite memory of eating Neapolitan ice cream is at the Old Spaghetti Factory downtown Minneapolis. If you ever get a change to go, it is really worth it. The food is amazing and each meal comes with a dessert and one choice is Neapolitan ice cream.

This is a Kristen creation so although it tasted good it really didn't look great. The colors were identified but the size was really small and didn't fluff as much as I thought...small is better anyway when talking about desserts, right?!?

Ingredients:

One box of strawberry cake mix
One box of brownie mix
One tub of vanilla frosting

Follow the directions to the cake and brownie mix. In cupcakes tins put a layer of brownie mix and then top with strawberry cake mix. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes. When cooled, frost with vanilla frosting. There you have it...Neapolitan cupcakes.

Enjoy!

Kristen

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Where Does Snow Come From?

As winter opens its door and welcomes us to 17 degree weather, snow, and high winds it brings me back to a discussion that I had with my students last week about snow. During our morning meeting I asked them where they thought snow came from. This is what I got...

Of course...the sky
The North Pole
Earth
Winter brings snow
My mom and dad get snow at the gas station
From the red air balloon that floats in the sky
Clouds
Santa brings snow for Christmas

This answer isn't even relevant to the question asked but I had to include it.
Genaveve: Ms. Kristen please don't ever eat yellow snow.
Ms. Kristen: Why shouldn't I eat yellow snow?
Genaveve: That is where a snow man went to the bathroom.
Ms. Kristen: Thank you Genaveve.

It was bittersweet telling them that snow comes from water vapors that condense into ice crystals. These ice crystals attach themselves to each other forming snowflakes that eventually get heavy enough to fall to the ground. My answer wasn't nearly as good as theirs! The imagination of preschoolers.

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Happy New Year

It is hard to believe that 2011 has gone and 2012 has opened its doors.

There is such an exciting buzz around ringing in a new year. A feeling of wiping the slate clean and being able to start again...forget what you didn't accomplish and focusing on what you want to achieve.

2011 has been a great year! There wasn't one thing that made 2011 a great year; it was the small, exciting things that made the year such a success.

The Top 10 of 2011

1. Spend 3 glorious days in Napa Valley

2. Successfully completed my 1^st sprint triathlon

3. Went to New York City with two fabulous friends (went on Sex and the City tour--FABULOUS)

4. Ran the Madison Mini-Marathon (6 miles of the race in pouring rain and high winds)

5. Saw Amos Lee (twice) and Ray LaMontagne live in concert

6. Started a blog-Kristen’s Notebook

7. Rode the cable cars in San Francisco

8. Celebrated our 1-year-wedding anniversary in Miller Park at a dear friends wedding

9. Had a wonderful girl's weekend with 5 amazing friends

10. Witnessed the Packer's beat the Vikings at the Metrodome