Almost the end of the month blog.

There's only 10 days left of this month. That is crazy. Where do the days go? Well, I know recently since I don't blog as much it doesn't go to blogging and wasting my time because I know not many people read this. A lot of communication seems to happen via fb. And that is where a lot of my time goes...to wasting time looking at peoples pics and seeing what's going on in the lives of those I went to high school and college with. I admit...I feel like I am on it too much, because an hour or 2 goes by before I know it. It's addicting, I say. With 4 new people living in the IMM apartment-mansion, my nights have been filling up with community dinners, girl chatting and showing them the ropes of being an MA with IMM-particularly being a tour guide. It's all good though, I'm happy to have chicas to hang out with and when I need to be an introvert I just go to my room and close the door and hope no one knocks. ;)

Tips for the new year...

I got this off of Christina's blog. I thought it'd be good for me to do a check of what I need to work on, and I think it's going to be a lot. My thoughts are in parenthesis, and what I need to work on is in pink.

Health:

1. Drink plenty of water

2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar (good advice, but sometimes not possible, dinner is usually my biggest meal)

3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants (living in Spain helps a lot, so I already do this!)

4. Live and express yourself with Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy

5. Make time to pray

6. Play more games (now that my house is full I’ll have more people to play games with…well, card games because we don’t have too many board games to play L

7. Read more books than you did in 2009 (I don’t really like reading, but I know I should read more)

8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day

9. Sleep for 7 hours

10. Take a 10-30 minutes walk daily. And while you walk, smile.

Personality:

11. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about. (it’s hard not to compare my life to friends….most of them are happily married and starting or continuing to grow their families, but they aren’t traveling Europe and Spain!)

12. Don't have negative thoughts of things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.

13. Don't over do it. Keep your limits.

14. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

15. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.

16. Dream more while you are awake. (is dreaming the same as thinking way too much about the future!?)

17. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

18. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner of his/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness. (if only I had a partner I could remind)

19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.

20. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.

21. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

22. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.

23. Smile and laugh more.

24. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree... (this is good)

25. Challenge yourself to listen more if you're a talker and to talk more if you are a listener.

Society:

26. Call your family often. (how about the other way around, my family should try calling me too)

27. Each day give something good to others.

28. Forgive everyone for everything.

29. Spend time w/ people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6. (I wish I could spend time with my nieces and nephews, I hate that I am missing so much of their lives!)

30. Try to make at least three people smile each day.

31. What other people think of you is none of your business. (Only God's opinion truly matters)

32. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch. (this I do all too well, it’s green because I have some people in my live who need to hear this!)

Life:

33. Do the right thing!

34. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

35. Remember GOD and TIME heals everything, not me.

36. However good or bad a situation is, it will change. (keeping it real this way)

37. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

38. The best is yet to come. (I will try to wait, as patiently as possible, although I’ve had some of the best experiences in my life in the past year or so)

39. When you wake up alive in the morning, thank GOD for it. (I'm not much of a morning person)

40. Always exude joy.

2010

HAPPY NEW YEAR! FELIZ AñO NUEVO!

Who can believe it's already 2010?! I can't. wow! Let's make it a year to remember!

Feliz Navidad!

Hola Los Canarios!!!

These are the cute kiddos I'll be holidaying with. I am super excited to play with them, hold the little girl Amanda, and just have some good family time with Christina's Swedish fam!

Here's the lovely, super nice family that is allowing me to stay with them in the Canaries during their family vacation. It's a privilege, honor and pleasure to be able to meet them in the island! This is who I was with last year for Christmas as well, but I won't be celebrating actually Christmas day with them, I'm flying out the 26th.
And this is la playa in Lanzarote. I don't know if I'll be able to go to this particular one...I wish because look at it...a Minnesotans paradise!

This is where I'll be in the world. Dec. 26 - 31! So close to Africa...maybe I'll take a swim on over to Morocco or Western Sahara. or not. Oh, and closer to the equator which means WARMER!!

And this pic I below I believe is the Sports Resort we'll be at! Well, what can I say. The announcement that the Johan and Anna Maria are allowing me to come has made me so happy and now I'm about 100 times more excited for my holiday time off than I was before. Really, Christina...I feel so happy inside! Thank you!

Weather comparison

I admit....I miss the beauty of snow and frost. But I don't miss the freezing, freezing coldness that makes you have to start up your car 20 minutes before driving. My car, I mean bus, is always warm when I get in. It's just that I have to walk to and wait at the bus stop on average 20 minutes every time. Qué divertido!!

Thanks CBN Christmas Radio!

I am happy to of had this site sent to me because it's constant Christmas music, and the music on cd's I had my mom send me last year, I thought I saved the files on my hard drives, but I couldn't seem to find them. So, this is a life saver!!