My father-in-law has retired at least 3 times. Every time he retires he jokes with me that he is turning a corner, he proclaims his new journey, The Summer Of Bob! 😆
Well, I am officially taking this a step further! 2019 will hereby be known as, The Year Of Kristin!
I have such a good feeling about this year! I just know that 2019 is my year! It is the year that I will be turning 40! It will be the year that I shake off my insecurities and do the things that scare me.
Wait… I am turning 40 😳
To make sure that happens, I have set a few resolutions for myself. I try not to make unrealistic resolutions but work more towards goals that I would like to achieve in my lifetime. This year, I have chosen 10 goals that I believe will help me make 40 the best year yet!
Goals:
New Blog: A big announcement will be coming soon but until then, I have a little something to share… I have chosen a new blog host! I am in the process of making this blog what I have always wanted it to be. Organized, informative, beautiful and user-friendly! I have dreamed about this for a long time but never had the confidence to take my hobby that extra step. Thanks to a friend for pushing me and helping me through the initial process, I am on my way and I can’t wait to share the new look soon! 2019 is the year that I will design my blog to look exactly the way I want it.
New House: Last year in my resolutions I wanted to find the perfect house for my family and I. Well… We kind of did that! We have decided to build… up! Within the first week of 2019 we have already received confirmation that our zoning permits are being looked at, the engineer has been by, we have found our contractor and the 3D design is done! It will be just a matter of time before my dream home becomes a reality! This is such an exciting stage for me because I have never owned my own home! I can’t wait to make the space perfect for me and my family. 2019 is going to be the year that I get to design my personal space exactly the way I want it.
Date:
Every year I resolve to date more. My husband of course! 😂 While we have gotten so much better at making time for each other, I feel that there is more I can do to make special time for my Ninja. The podcast has certainly helped us dedicate 1 night a week to each other, however, I am usually in pyjamas with my hair thrown into a ponytail and we are sitting in the garage 😳. So while we do get to chat like adults there is definitely an element of same same. Now that the kids are getting older it is easier to find a babysitter and I fully intend on using one this year! We have found 1 million things to do for families but there are also so many fun things to do in Penticton for adults and we want to do them! 2019 is going to be the year that I get to be a playful, fun, young, sexy wife to my husband and not just the mother of his beautiful children.Inflexible Yogis on Instagram:
I have also noticed that yoga is a recurring resolution. I usually resolve to do more yoga because I know how good it makes me feel. This year I would like to take that one step further! I follow @Inflexibleyogis on Instagram and seeing people post pictures of poses they have worked on over the years is super encouraging! I would love to pick a few poses that I have always wanted to do and work at them, stretch, gain better balance, and challenge myself to do them. 2019 is going to be the year I become the Yogi I picture in my mind when I visualize my practice. 2019 is going to be the year I will get closer to doing the splits!TV Shows:
I know you must be thinking, what? Here’s the thing, my Mom and Dad always taught me to finish what I start. I have always done so, sometimes to my own detriment 😂. Sometimes I watch TV shows and even though they hold no interest to me, I continue to watch them because I started it so I have to finish it. No more! Time is money, time is precious, time is something I value and I will no longer waste it on TV shows that I don’t like. What I really want to do is finish the shows that I put off to watch something I can hardly stand, shows like Game of Thrones and The 100. I love those 2 shows and I am behind many seasons because I watch all the shitty shows on my PVR first. No more! Also, there are shows that I have always wanted to watch and put off because I have shitty shows to watch instead. Shows like the Marvelous Mrs Maisel and The Americans. If I don’t like it, I don’t have to watch it! There I said it. 2019 is going to be the year that I take back my time and only watch what I want to watch.Get Fit/Dance: Every year I say it but you know what? Last year I actually did it! I feel like I am more active, fitter, and more healthy than I have ever been in my entire life! Granted, when I was younger I was a lot thinner 😂 but I wasn’t healthier. I didn’t exercise, I didn’t eat right, and I certainly didn’t do anything extra to take care of my body. I love my Fitbit! It keeps me accountable. I also love my Facebook challenge group that I run because every month I can focus on a new part of my body that I may not have focussed on in the past! I also love dancing! OK well I don’t actually love dancing 😂 but I do love how I feel at the end of each class! This year I just want to continue on this path! 2019 is the year I give dancing my all and continue to stay active and healthy!
Let Go: This is a tough one. I don’t think this is a yearly resolution thing, more like a lifetime of learning thing. I need to learn to let it go. Let it go when someone says something I don’t agree with, let it go when someone doesn’t live up to my very high expectations, and let it go when I can’t change the outcome. I don’t want to dwell on things that I can’t change anymore. I have never been in a 12 step program but I think there is a lot to be said for the very true quote,
“Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”
REINHOLD NIEBUHR
Yes! Let me do that! 2019 is going to be the year that I don’t weigh myself down with the problems of the world that don’t affect me or that I can’t change. 2019 is going to be the year that I decide what is going to affect my life based on a choice. I am going to choose to let go of the small stuff and enjoy all the wonderful aspects of my life.
Try New Foods: Now that I am entering my 40th year 😂 there is something about me that I don’t like and I want to change. I am the least adventurous person in the world 🙈 well maybe not the world but I am pretty boring and stick to what I know. I like to talk a big talk but I don’t walk that same walk LOL. This year I want to change that! I want to expand my palate! While some people think our family is very adventurous, that would be untrue 😂 we stick to what we know, Italian, Mexican, fake Chinese and of course Canadian/American! I want to try Indian… again 😜. I want to spice up my food! I want to try lamb despite the cute fuzzy image I get in my head when I hear that word. I want to use chickpeas as a protein! Well, maybe not go that far 😂. 2019 is the year my taste buds are going to thank me for stepping out of my comfort zone and trying new things.
Stop Interrupting: Seriously. I have always had a big problem with this. I am inpatient and I assume to know what a person is going to say next so I interrupt 😒. 2 things have made this more apparent to me in the last little while, listening to myself on a podcast 😳 and listening to my children behave the same way 😳 SBean woke me up the other day with a nice letter that she wrote just for me…
I get it! Obviously if I’m going to say it, I think it is exciting! However, the conversation is between 2 people that listen to each other’s thoughts and ideas and respond accordingly. I like conversations. I like learning. I like learning about people I am conversing with. Therefore, 2019 is going to be the year that I shut up and allow people to finish their thoughts because they are exciting as well.
Work on My Social Life: I used to bug my Sis that she always made time for her friends. In my mind, I have always been one to think, make time for your family because they will be there forever, who needs friends they come and go. Again, 40 😜… I love my family but I love my friends too! My WinnipegBesty and I have been friends for 35 years! That is not a friend that fits my come and go theory. I have friends that I’ve known for decades that I still talk to on a weekly basis! Some of the women that I’ve met here have been my peeps for the last 10 years! They put up with me, they love me, and they deserve more of my time! So many times over the past few years I’ve heard myself say let’s get together sometime and then shit happens and we don’t get together. Enough of that! 2019 is going to be the year that I stop saying we should do that, we should get together and start saying let’s do that, let me check my calendar and we can schedule that right now.
I didn’t make Christmas dinner this year but we did have my in-laws over for a nice dinner before they left on their latest cruise! This dinner was freaking amazing! It is definitely not fat free LOL but if you are looking for delicious comfort food or on impressive dinner for guests… Look no further! I am going to apologize for the pictures right now but when I spend a full day cooking a dinner, I just want to sit with my family and eat it and I didn’t take very good pictures LOL in fact, I even chose the ugliest garlic knot of the bunch to make sure that my guests got the pretty ones! I ended up taking the one that looked like a giant tit 😂.
The Most Amazing Lasagna Recipe
Adapted from The Stay at Home Chef
1 pound sweet Italian sausage
1 pound lean ground beef
1 large white onion, minced
5 cloves garlic, pressed
1 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
2 6 ounce can tomato paste
1 bottle tomato passata
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons white sugar
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon ground oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley divided
1 pound fresh lasagna noodles
30 ounces ricotta cheese
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tub sliced fresh mozzarella cheese
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
In a large pot over medium heat, add in ground sausage and ground beef. Use a spoon to break up the meat into small pieces.
Preheat oven to 375. Lightly grease a deep pan. To assemble, spread about 1 cup of meat sauce in the bottom of the prepared pan. Place 4 noodles on top. Spread with 1/3 of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with 1/4 of Italian cheese. Spoon 1 1/2 cups meat sauce over cheese, then sprinkle with 1/4 cup parmesan cheese. Repeat layering two more times to create three complete layers.
Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes.
Soft Garlic Knots
Adapted from Creations by Kara
1 tablespoon sugar
1 packet rapid rise yeast
1 ¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
¼ cup milk
1 cup hot water
3 cups flour
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
Combine sugar, yeast, salt, olive oil, milk, and water in a large mixer bowl. Add enough flour to make a soft dough. Knead on low speed until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Let dough rest 5 minutes.
Divide the dough into 10 equal pieces. Roll each piece into an 8″ long rope and tie into a knot. Place on a greased cookie sheet.
While rolls are baking, combine all glaze ingredients. Brush rolls with the butter glaze while still hot.
Kale Salad With Warm Cranberry Vinaigrette
Adapted from Gimme Some Oven
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 shallot, peeled and thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, pressed
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons honey
juice and zest of half a lemon
1/4 cup crumbled Feta cheese
Heat oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add shallot and saute for at least 5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute. Then add the packet of cranberries/pumpkin seeds that comes with the salad, red wine vinegar, honey and lemon juice and zest, and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
In a large bowl, toss the kale with dressing. Serve topped with crumbled feta cheese.
Dinner!
Our last week of winter break was super relaxing! Good friends, good food and good cuddles 💛.
We got ready (I got new jeans and I LOVE them! I have never tried on a pair of jeans that are so comfortable and fit me so well!) and went to The Nest & Nectar for a gin cocktail making class!
ROUND 1: Blood Orange 75 (gin, lemon juice, blood orange simple syrup and Prosecco) which was paired with an Apple Brie Skewer topped with Salted Caramel.
ROUND 2: A Gin Sour (floral gin, lemon juice, honey water, celery bitters, and egg white) and I even tried it with the egg white 😳 SO good! Paired with a Crostini topped with Ricotta, spicy preserves and spicy salted Caramel on top!
ROUND 3: A Floradora (gin, raspberry purée, mint, simple syrup, and ginger beer) paired with Prosciutto wrapped Butternut Squash, a Pepperoncini, and a spicy Chipotle Crema
