The first currently post of 2021! I had this post ready to go before the events of yesterday occurred and decided I was posting it anyways. Sometimes we need a distraction from the bullshit that has become our daily lives.

I am not usually one to comment on things like this. What I will say is that I am all for a peaceful protest. I am not ok with violence. I understood the protests back in June and I understand the protest that started yesterday. It is the right of the people. I am not ok with riots and mob mentality. Burning down cities and local businesses back in June, and now storming inside the capital taking selfies and being destructive was a complete shit show and embarrassing. I realize it is not the same thing, but the violent part of it is not ok. I sit firmly on the middle of the line and refuse to chose the democrat or republican party. In my opinion, both parties are self serving assholes who are all about preservation right now and aren’t always making choices that serve the American people as a whole. The poor are meant to stay poor. The middle class is suffering more than anyone wants to admit. The mega rich keep getting richer.

One of the beautiful things about our country is that every four or eight years, there is a transition of power that happens routinely and peacefully. And that is what sets this country above all others. I read this morning that Trump does plan to participate in an orderly transition, and I hope that is the case. I have been less than thrilled about our country lately. I think the way the pandemic was handled was crap, I don’t think that we truly had a good option at election time for either party, and I don’t think that just because we will have a transition of power…that things are going to magically get better.

I think that we as people of this country need to take our heads out of our asses. Start listening to each other. This isn’t about whether you are left or right. There are bad apples on both sides. What I do know, is that having the country so divided and constantly fighting isn’t going to get us anywhere. One part of the country can’t function without the other, and that is fact. We need each other and we need to start doing what is best for all of the people.

At this point I am just rambling. It was a nice, solid 5 days there in 2021. Good try everyone. Let’s get to the distraction, shall we?

Reading: I just started The Four Winds yesterday. I have an ARC copy, it will come out towards the end of February.

Listening: I got the audiobook for Greenlights from the library. Matthew McConaughey himself is the narrator, which makes any book written by a celeb instantly better…don’t you think? Hopefully I will have both of these finished before the book linkup next week!

Watching: Besides reruns of Friends every night before bed, the only shows we are watching are new episodes of Grey’s, Chicago Fire and The Good Doctor as they are released. I feel like Grey’s has done such a great job with Covid. I basically cry every episode.

Loving: In case you missed it on my Insta stories, I made the switch from Billie to Athena Club razors a little over two months ago and I am in love. I feel like the Athena razor is superior to Billie in every single way. It feels higher quality and just looks prettier, it does not get sticky and goopy and nasty after one use like the Billie did for me, I feel like I am getting a closer shave/the blades feel better (the last several orders from Billie’s felt like they went down in quality to me), I have not cut myself shaving at all, I like the magnetic holder for the shower it comes with better.

I purchased this all on my own, but they do offer a referral program. You can use my code: NADINE2490 and save $5 off your first order (making it just $4!!!!). After your first month, they will give me a $5 credit on my next order. Win-win if you want to try something new! They have different options to receive cartridges monthly, every other month, etc. for whatever your needs may be.

Planning: I am not one to make new years resolutions in a regular year, I sure as hell am not making any for this year. Basically, I just want to survive. I am grateful that my family made it through 2020 in one piece, even though I may be losing my sanity a little bit. I am going to be completely honest and tell you that the last few months of the year were really hard for me emotionally. I had pandemic fatigue in the worst way, and I let all my hard work 3/4 of the year go to waste. I ate like shit, I wasn’t getting enough sleep, I drank more alcohol than I usually do, I was drinking more diet sodas to get me through the day than water, and moving less since it was colder outside and we weren’t taking multiple walks a day, and running around outside.

I am back on the healthy nutrition train this week. I was doing great with my workouts through all that, as it is literally the only me time I get. Last year I stuck with Keto for several months and it worked so great for losing weight. But it came with a heavy price on other areas of my body, and it is just not a sustainable lifestyle for me long term. It never was meant to be when I started it, and this year I am trying to go into something more sustainable.

Right now my plan is to avoid processed shit as much as possible, focusing on more whole foods. No white rice, white flour, white sugar. I am trying to stay away from diet soda at home, only allowing myself to order one with take out if I feel like it. Drinking way more water!!! Less alcohol, more sleep, and trying to incorporate at least one walk a day in addition to my workout routine, weather permitting. If it is not raining, I need to be out there moving.

I was really good about trying new recipes last year, so I want to keep that up. I have been pulling things from the many cookbooks that I own. Chris had gotten me a recipe box for Christmas, so I want to spend some time writing down our favorites from Pinterest to keep in there as well.

Changing: I am pretty passionate about my feelings on how fucked up the government and FDA are about how our food is made. There are so many awful ingredients that they allow into our foods for the sake of the companies saving a buck or two. Did you know that major brand names that are sold world wide make better quality food for other countries because it is required…but here in the US we get the shit ingredients??? It blows my mind. I am lazy, and I buy my kid goldfish crackers and frozen chicken nuggets. I always buy organic milk, and try to get organic fruit and veggie options when available. I buy the natural, organic, grass fed meats….but again….I buy a lot of processed snacks and shit. Since I plan to go back to eating more whole, clean foods…I want to buy clean, healthier snacks for my family as well.

Yesterday I decided to sign up for Thrive Market so that finding healthier snack options is easier. Since I am doing all our grocery shopping via drive-up pick up or delivery, I am not in the store to read the ingredients on the box. I like that Thrive allows you to filter products based on what you want out of them. You can shop by diet and lifestyle, gluten free, organic non-gmo, etc. There is a cost to be a member for a year, but I think that the convenience and variety that they carry is going to make it worth it! I have also noticed that the prices for several brands on there is less than I have seen at Publix, Amazon, other stores.

I had great plans to share more Aldi hauls here or on stories, and I never got around to that last year. I hope to do that this year, and maybe share some of my experience with Thrive too. Is that something you would be interested in?

Doing: I am terrible about printing pictures. I had signed up for an app back in February of last year that allows you to print up to 85 pictures each month for free, you just pay for shipping. I did it once, then the pandemic hit and I haven’t done it since. As an adult, I wish my mom had more pictures of us growing up. I especially wish that there were more pictures with her in them!!! And my Grandma Jerry. I hardly have any pictures of her. So I want to get better about being in more pictures with Zoe, no matter how I look. And actually printing them and organizing them so we have something to look at.

What is your favorite way to organize and use printed photos? What about digital photos? Do you do anything with the thousands you have on your phone? I swore when I was pregnant that I was going to be so awesome about staying on top of organizing photos, and here we are 4 years later and nothing. It is so overwhelming, but so important to me and I need to make time for it! I may get back into scrapbooking. Who knows!

Laughing: Because otherwise we might cry….

I think I am finally showing back up on Bloglovin’ again! Hurray! It was nothing they did, Chris spent hours doing all kinds of things to my site for it to show back up with them. They don’t have the best customer service, they never responded to me. When I tagged them on Instagram last week, someone messaged me and asked for my email address and I heard nothing. Anyways. Sharing some Amazon finds with Tanya today! These are so random, but isn’t everyone’s Amazon past purchase list?

Moisturizing Socks

My feet always get really dry this time of year, especially me heels! They are already starting to crack, I didn’t prevent it in time. Enter these moisturizing socks!!! I can’t stand sleeping in socks, but these are great to put lotion on after my shower and work in them all day. I love that there are two pairs to rotate out.

Recipe Box

I asked for this recipe box for Christmas and found it under my tree! I absolutely love the way it looks, and the fact that it comes with tons of recipe cards and dividers to get me started. It has a lifetime warranty and unlimited downloads of more cards. It is super sturdy and absolutely gorgeous displayed in my kitchen. I use Pinterest a lot to cook from, but I want to write my favorites down. You never know when someone might take their site away, you know?? Plus, Zoe can have them one day.

Barbie Toothbrush

My mom always put a few useful things in our stockings each year. Underwear, toothbrush, socks, hair ties, etc. I wanted to continue that with Zoe. She loves Barbie and these toothbrushes come in under $1 each! For whatever reason, kids are really hard on toothbrushes and Zoe’s needs replaced faster than ours so it works out great to get a bigger pack.

Baking Rack/Cooling Tray

These are not only great for cooling baked goods, but work perfect to keep chicken wings elevated off the cooking tray in the oven, keeping them crispy! (They are oven safe.)

Desk Exercise Bike

Chris ordered this for himself since he sits in zoom meetings all day every day at his desk. It is pretty cool, because you can use it to work your arms too. I thought about getting one for me, but I honestly roll my foot when I sit at my desk.

This is the foot roller I am talking about. My physical therapist uses them at her practice and had me order one my very first day there over a year ago. I have two, one for home and one at the office. I use them every day for hours. It is the only thing that relieves my high arch and Plantar Fasciitis. Plantar Fasciitis is a real bitch, let me tell you.

Elena of Avalor

I don’t know why, but this doll is getting harder to find. The only place I have seen her is online at Kohl’s for often twice as much as Amazon. Zoe really wanted her, even though we don’t really watch the show. She is gorgeous in person, very pretty dress.

Have you purchased anything recently that is a game changer?

Before I get this started, shout out to Laura!!!! Today is her birthday! Happy Birthday!!! Yet another celebration we have to make up for thanks to this pandemic.

Well here we are, 2021. I am relieved that we made it through 2020…but also terrified of what the new year has to bring. I feel like everyone just thinks because the calendar year changes over, everything is going to be ok. In reality, nothing has changed from this week to last except the holidays are over and we are back to reality. Probably even more reality in another week or so when the cases rise again with all the get togethers that have occurred over the last two weeks.

I have mentioned before, I am coming in to this year with zero expectations. I was never really one to set new years goals anyways. Every year, I tend to get back on the healthy eating bandwagon after riding the sugar dragon through the month of December. I am doing the same starting this morning. Luckily, I kept up with my workouts through the month of December, so I am good on that front for once!

New Years Eve came in quietly over here. I worked most of the day, actually. I made sweet and sour meatballs, pasta salad and seven layer dip for us to snack on. Chris and Zoe had a dance party while I finished up a few work things, then we all hung out downstairs for a little while.

We had purchased tickets to virtual Tomorrowland, so after Zoe went to bed we poured some drinks and pulled that up on our projector in the basement. Laura and B had gotten tickets as well, so her and I texted some through the beginning of it. It was almost like we were watching it together.

The graphics were insane!!! They definitely made some improvements from the virtual they hosted earlier in the year. Chris and I both agree though that the energy is off and it just isn’t the same as streaming it live in a normal year with real people. After a few hours, we switched over to just watching our usual music videos and calling it a night.

New Years day was all about football, Roll Tide Roll!!!!! We made some BLT Burgers for lunch. I made a special sauce and guac to go on top of them from the Celebrations cookbook. (I get a lot of amazing recipes from here. Lots of gluten free, dairy free options.)

I made sausage balls, black eyed peas, hot dogs and sourkraut to snack on for the games. We watched the Tide take on Notre Dame, and Ohio State kill Clemson.

Saturday morning I was at it early taking down all the Christmas decor. It took me about a week to put up, and just a few hours to take all down and put away. Usually I am tearing it down on December 26th, but this year I wanted to enjoy it for a few more days. This is the longest we have ever had it up. I loved all the joy it brought, but this past week it just made me sort of sad. The holidays are over and we are entering a new year that we have no clue what it will bring. Normally we are in Gatlinburg after Christmas with Chris’s family, and it was sort of depressing to not get to do that. Zoe mentioned a few times that she remembered being up there last year and when can we go back. I think she just wants to go to the arcade again, lol. That was her favorite thing to do.

We did get to play several rounds of Zingo and Monopoly Junior. We have a sore loser on our hands. Zoe is super competitive, but watch out if she loses a round. I am not the parent to “let her win” or let her make up rules. I am trying to teach her out to be a team player and win with grace. How do you teach those things? Any tips? It is rough when she loses. Really rough.

Chris and I took care of winterizing the landscaping around the house, cutting down some tree branches and finally cleaning out our garage and organizing the attic spaces. I did so much heavy lifting on Saturday that I was sore as hell and could barely move Saturday night, and most of yesterday. We did manage to get a few more good meals in. I made cheesy chicken and brussels Saturday for lunch, some baked ziti for dinner, and homemade chicken enchiladas for dinner last night.

I feel really accomplished having all that done, our house back to normal, and I worked both Saturday and Sunday morning to keep myself floating this week. The end of the year is always insane in my world at work, but I am hoping we keep the momentum going. We have a lot to make up for after the several slow months in 2020.

I am working on what I want to do going forward with nutrition in 2021. I don’t want to do a keto diet, or anything that isn’t sustainable long term. It wreaked so much havoc on my body last year. I have been doing lots of research and watching lots of YouTube videos lately. Definitely going for more whole foods, avoiding processed things. Trying to eliminate white sugar white flour, more veggies, more meatless meals, etc. Do you have any nutrition goals that you are working on right now? How do you feel going into 2021?

Oh 2020. You were a weird one, that is for sure. I can sit here and talk about all the ways that I hated 2020. All of the things we missed out on, the things that were taken from us, the people taken from us. The fear, hate and bickering that was brought upon us from the media and each other. But I don’t think any of us have the energy for that anymore.

Instead, I want to remember the good I saw in 2020. How much extra time I got to spend with Zoe this year, that I would never have had in a normal year. Working from home, not having to put on real clothes and drive 45 minutes to my office was lovely. Even though every last bit of my sanity might be gone trying to juggle my job with my kid at the same time. My alcohol consumption has definitely increased this year, not going to lie.

It was nice to see people rally behind local restaurants and stores, doing everything to try to keep them swimming in an unprecedented year. I just keep thinking about how local business owners worked so hard to make their dreams come true, only to have this year shit all over them. I hope that curbside pickup sticks around, it is a lovely concept.

This year we baked a lot of banana bread, resurrected tie dye, started saying words like quarantini and had drive way parties and birthday parades. The it accessory was a facemask and the most purchased items were hand sanitizer, clorox wipes and toilet paper.

I am not completely mad about this year. Chris and I probably had more “date nights” than normal, since we would go downstairs after Zoe went to bed, pour some drinks and listen to music a few times a week. We really settled in to our new home and made it work for maximum comfort. I got my home office set up, we purchased outdoor furniture back in the spring, Zoe got a big girl bed, we became holiday blow-up yard decor people, we enjoyed Christmas for an extra month. We found a reason to celebrate all the little things and had daily parties of Zoe’s chosing. This year definitely made us all slow down some.

I read more books than I had originally intended and watched way less TV. Zoe and I have mastered some moves in Just Dance. We walked and walked and walked. I really love to walk. My fitness was on point all year, finishing out the last day with a hard AF workout this morning. Even if my nutrition went to shit the last two months. I will pick myself up, dust myself off and start back better on Monday.

Of course. OF COURSE. 2020 has to go out with a bang, as we are predicted to have bad weather tonight. I am really excited that we purchased virtual tickets for Tomorrowland 31.12.2020 and hope that we can just enjoy that and not have to turn on the news to stay weather alert. Ugh.

I don’t know what 2021 has in store for us. I am going to enter it quietly with no expectations and hope for the best. I am going to give others and myself more grace, and just take it day by day. It has been one hell of year, and it has taken an incredible emotional toll on all of us, if we realize it or not. I hope that we have all learned a few lessons to take in to 2021, and that we can all just be kinder and more tolerant of each other in general.

Christmas looked a lot different this year for a lot of us. I enjoyed the slow, lazy days at home in our jammies. It was nice not rushing off to be anywhere, and really soaking in our cozy home, all our decor, Christmas movies, good food, and letting Zoe just play with all her new stuff and not worrying about the mess everywhere. But I couldn’t help but think about how we should have been at Chris’s parents on Christmas Eve. Or that I should have cooked a Christmas dinner for my mom and sister and crew the weekend before. Or on Christmas Day, I kept thinking that usually Chris’s parents came over to see what all Zoe got, and then that evening we always went back to their house to see his brother and nieces that would come in from out of town that night.

This year I had an outdoor driveway Christmas with my mom, sister and two nephews the Saturday before. Laura and Sheff came over a few days before Christmas for a driveway Christmas party as well. It was only my second time seeing Laura in person all year. (The other time being when we celebrated Christmas, Zoe’s birthday and her birthday in January.) A damn shame, since we used to do lunch together weekly. Chris’s parents and sister dropped gifts for Zoe in our garage on Christmas Eve. We ended up doing Facetime calls with them while she opened her presents so they could see her.

Usually we have cinnamon rolls Christmas morning, but we made them Christmas Eve instead.

It was a real struggle to get Zoe to bed that night. She wanted to play with all her new stuff, and we got a late start on baking chocolate chip cookies for Santa. Because apparently Santa has to have chocolate chip cookies and not sugar cookies, according to Chris. Zoe was also really upset that she had to saw goodbye to Jerry. She went to bed sobbing, actually.

After all that, I came down to start laying out all the presents. It was a real chore to dig them out from all their hiding places. Some were out for Zoe to see for months and she had no clue. How am I going to swing this when she is older and more suspicious, I will never know! Also, I noticed that all the Santa cookies and milk had disappeared already. And I got none….interesting how that worked.

Christmas morning I was up early getting our breakfast stuff prepared. We had sausage pinwheels and hash browns, and the pinwheels have to sit in the fridge for at least an hour before cutting and baking. We waited and waited for Zoe to finally wake up around 7:30. She was shaking with excitement, upset that we told her she wasn’t allowed to come out of her room until we came and got her.

We played all day with all our new toys. Several rounds of Zingo, which is super fun! Even Chris and I have really enjoyed playing it. Zoe is a sore loser though, we need to work on that big time! I didn’t realize she was so competitive!

Chris had a blast (LOL!) putting together this LOL house. I think it was worth it in the end to see how excited Zoe was to play with it. It has an elevator, a pool, hot tub, flushing toilet, huge closet/makeup room, rooftop deck. Everything a little girl could want. Even a working lamp and disco ball!

Chris has been obsessed with Fuser for Xbox. You are basically a DJ spinning music for a Tomorrowland type of event. Since Chris was an actual DJ for years, he is like the master of this game and has been having so much fun with it. He has it hooked up to the projector downstairs for the full effect.

Our Christmas dinner menu was turkey breast, gravy, ham, macaroni and cheese, sweet potato casserole and green beans. We had plenty of sugar cookies, chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter snowballs and pizzelles for dessert. I also am carrying on my mom’s tradition of buying an assorted box of chocolates for Christmas every year. Zoe and Chris both seemed to enjoy that!

That evening, we snuggled in for some more Christmas movies and called it a day. Of course, some of our new friends had to accompany our movie party. And took up most of the couch.

Also needed to document my annual peppermint milkshake from Chick Fila!!!! I dont care how much sugar and calories is in this thing. It is pure Christmas magic and I must have one every year no matter what.

And that is a wrap on Christmas 2020. While I enjoyed all of the time with Chris and Zoe, I missed our family and friends and I really REALLY hope that next Christmas looks more normal. But this year we were healthy and safe in our home, and that is all one can really ask for in 2020, am I right?