Day 17: Mmm Food

Share one of your favourite recipes. What do you like about it?

I absolutely love Mom's homemade Chicken Parmesan. She makes it from scratch and it's absolutely incredible. It's my all-time favourite meal and Mom always makes extras for left-overs the next day. On our birthdays, my mom always makes us a special meal. My brothers and I always request Chicken Parm. No one makes it like she does. It's just sooo good!!

Day 16: Childhood Memories

Tell us about a memory that you remember from your childhood. Why do you think this memory sticks out in your mind?

There are so many memories that I have from my childhood. One that really jumps out at me is shopping with my Gran. She used to take me and my brothers out quite often. We would get to go on a bus adventure with her, which was very exciting as a child. She would treat us to lunch of our choice and we would walk around the shops with her. She was an absolutely wonderful woman who I miss more than I could ever describe. So much of my life has been shaped by her and having her in my childhood was the greatest thing that any kid could ever have.

Day 15 : Best Mom Ever!

Our moms do some incredible things for us, tell us a time when your mom did something above and beyond. Whether it's something big, small, or just simple words.

It's ironic that this is posted on a day that my mom and I have been fighting. That being said, my mom is pretty spectacular. While she is not perfect and definitely has her faults, she has always been supportive of me and my brothers. She does a lot for us and always picks us up when we stumble or fall.

Day 13: When I was little, I wanted to be...

What did you dream of being when you were little? What did you imagine that occupation would be like?

When I was a kid, I used to dream of being a teacher. When my friends played house, I used to play teacher/student. I even went so far as to line up my teddy bears and stuffed animals and teach them. I think it's funny that my entire life - all through childhood, high school, and even part of university - I was convinced I was going to be a teacher then suddenly it changed (which is a long story all in itself). I guess it's a relief to be back where I started and taking the steps to achieve my childhood dream.

Day 12: The Holiday I am looking forward to...

What is the holiday you are most looking forward to in 2011? Why? Who will be there? What will you do to celebrate?

I always look forward to the Christmas Season. I love the get togethers with friends, family and loved ones. I love the decorations and lights against the snow. I love the trees and the smells. I love the food and preparation of it all. I would say this is the Holiday that I am looking forward to the most.

Day 11: The best movie I've ever watched

What is the best movie you have ever watched? Did you relate to the main characters? How do you feel when you watch it? Can you watch it repeatedly without boring of it?

I have a few favourite movies but I don't have anything that really stands out in my mind as a favourite. I enjoy all different genres of movies - comedy, suspense, drama, romance, etc. - so for me to have one favourite movie is impossible.

A few movies that come to mind are Fox and the Hound. It is my favourite Disney movie and it never fails to make me sob like a baby. Inception was also incredible. It made me think and it blew my mind. Still to this day, I haven't completely figured out the movie. Death at a Funeral, the UK version, is one of the funniest movies that I have ever seen. I don't think that I have ever laughed so hard in a movie before. It was amazing.

Day 10: Insects

Tell us about the scariest or ugliest insect you've ever seen, found in your home, touched… etc…

I don't actually have a memory of insects that I've touched or seen. They're not really something that stands out in vivid memory to me. Yes, I've seen thousands - maybe even millions - of bugs over the course of my life. Nothing stands out in my mind though. I'm not squemish when it comes to bugs - usually, I'm the one that has to get rid of them.

Day 9: The news

Tell us why you do or don't watch your local news.

To be honest, the news does not interest me. I read the newspaper headlines everyday and if something catches my attention, I will read the article. I do not sit down and watch the news.

That being said, I watch the sports news daily. When I am getting ready in the morning, I usually have SportsCentre on in the background. My homepage on my internet browsers is TSN. I am very up to date on what is happening in the sporting world. This is simply because it interests me. I am a huge fan of sports and like to keep myself informed on what is going on.

Day 8: Collections

What do you collect? What do you collect? Do people's collections bother/annoy you?

I actually don't collect anything. I used to collect polar bear items as they are my favourite animal but have since stopped as I'm trying to reduce the amount of stuff that I own. While it doesn't bother me that other people collect items, it is not something that I avidly do.

Day 7: First Day of High School

How was your first day of High School? Get locked in a locker? Sit by the cute and popular guy at lunch? Were you nervous? Did you get lost trying to find your classes?

My first day of high school was in 1999 - over ten years ago - but I still remember it pretty well. I remember that I was both excited and nervous. I was going to a new school where I knew no one - I had switched from the public school board to the Catholic school board to begin Grade Nine - and was ready for a fresh start. I didn't have a positive experience in Elementary/Middle School so I was ready to be free of the people I had started Kindergarten with and begin a new path.

One of the things that really stands out from my first day in Grade Nine was my Grade Nine music class. I had played the flute starting in Grade Six so I was really excited for this class. I remember sitting in the middle of the class and two girls turning around and introducing themselves to me - Ashleigh turned out to be my best friend until Grade 11 and Amanda and I are still friends to this day.

Day 6: Words Matter

If you had to eliminate one word or phrase from the English language, what would it be? Why?

Totally. I absolutely hate that word. Are there circumstances where it is warranted or even required? Yes. However, in certain situations when I hear people say "That was totally awesome!" or "Yeah, she totally loves it." SHUT.UP. You sound like a moronic, valley girl. It's annoying, and yes, people judge you.

Day 5: Blogging

Why did you create a blog? What did you hope to get from it? If you could change one thing about your blog, what would it be?

I have been blogging for almost ten years so the reason that I created a blog has been completely lost on me. I've been on and off with my blogging relationship since I got my first Blurty. Since then, I have moved to a number of different blog hosts - LiveJournal, Blogspot, and my own site that has been hosted for me.

Obviously, I am a fan of my own site the most (although, I wish it would work for me!). It's been great to have my own control over everything within it and not have to deal with ads. I'm looking forward to it getting up and running again (with a new host) and even getting a custom layout on it.

Day 3: The Morning Routine

If I don't do/have this in the morning, it offsets my entire day!

I'm all for that extra five minutes of sleep in the morning, so I tend to do a lot of things at night. For example, I shower and blow dry (sometimes even straighten) my hair at night. I pick out my clothes for the next day (even if it's just mentally), I (usually) pack my lunch the night before or at the very least plan for it. Basically, I try to get everything done the night before so I am not rushing in the morning.

My morning routine is very typical when I have to work. I get up, go to the washroom, brush my teeth, put my contacts in, listerine, and wash my face. Then I get dressed and do my makeup (should I choose to wear some that day). After that, I plug in the kettle and wait for my Green Tea while I make my lunch. Then I'm out the door! There's no time for me and dawdling in the morning. Most of the time, I eat my lunch in my car or on my walk to work.

It's simple and basic and the way that keeps me functioning.

Day 2: The 2011 To-Do List

Is there anything specific you would like to accomplish this year? Where are the places you would like to visit? What do you hope to check off your bucket list?

When I made my 2011 goals, I made sure that they were things that I actually wanted to accomplish. Being healthy both physically and financially are two things that I would really like to accomplish this year. With that being said, there are also a number of things on my Day Zero list that I would like to accomplish. While I still have two and a half years to accomplish the things on my Day Zero list that are on there, these are what I would like to accomplish this year:

* Get into Teacher's College
* Learn basic sign language
* Exercise three times a week for two months
* Purchase a pair of TOMS shoes
* Attend a NHL Playoff Game
* Go to NYC and/or take a roadtrip the the Western Provinces (Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, British Columbia)
* Make one new recipe a month for a year
* Read the Bible

These are in addition to my goals for 2010 of living a healthier lifestyle and being more financially responsible. While it seems like a lot, I believe that I will be able to accomplish these goals (and maybe more!).

I'm looking forward to this year and the journeys that it has in store for me.

Day 1: Resolutions

What is your resolution for 2011? Do you often make a resolution and not keep it? What is the longest you have kept a New Years resolution? What is your most often chosen New Years resolution? What do you think about New Years resolutions?

This year, I decided to move away from resolutions and move towards themes. I believe that these themes will allow me to make SMART goals that will be much more attainable.

01. Health - This year, I am determined to be more healthy through a variety of ways.
* Don`t sweat the small stuff - I am going to work towards letting the small things go and choose my battles carefully. I will work towards removing additional stress from my life.
* Be physically fit - I am going to become more fit through three ways.
a.) Complete Jillian Micheal`s 30 Day Shred
b.) Complete Couch to 5K
c.) Sign up for and complete a 5K race.
* Eat Healthier - I am going to eat better by:
a.) stop drinking pop for at least thirty days - then only occasionally.
b.) Do a Detox and then continue to eat healthy foods
c.) Log what I am eating through my `Lose It`app

02. Financial Health - I am determined to put myself in a better place financially then I am right now.
* Pay off all debt - This is excluding student loans. I know that it is not attainable for me to pay off my student loans especially since I am planning on going to school this year.
* Pay off at least 25% of my student loan - I should be able to attain this and still save for school. This is why I have chosen 25%.
* Set up an RRSP and contribute to it regularly - It is so important to prepare ourselves for our future. I will complete this within the year.
* Save $1,000 for the use of a trip - Once all the above goals are completed, I will save $1,000 to reward myself with a trip to the destination of my choice.