For 8 years now "Happy New Year" means "Happy Wedding Anniversary" to me. My husband and I got married on January 1st, 2005. From then on we have been spending the first day of every year celebrating our life as a couple: our love, partnership and our babies. For me there could not be a better way to start a new year!
Since I was busy celebrating yesterday, I wanted to come here today to wish you all a wonderful 2013! I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas (if you celebrate it) and that you were able to take a break from your busy lives to spend time with family and friends and recharge a little!
This year we hosted Christmas Eve at our house. It was only us and my parents in law, as usual. I made beef tenderloin with Madeira wine sauce, potatoes with garlic and herbs, roasted brussels sprouts with blue cheese and pomegranate and mushrooms (roasted with butter and herbs). Before the main meal, we had a cheese and apple salad and eggplant stack. I was so busy and distracted, I forgot to take pictures of the main meal! But I got photos of the appetizers:
Everything was delicious and I hope to be able to post some of those recipes here!
The kids loved Santa's generosity! They woke up early on Christmas Day to find all of this:
We spent Christmas day with family - chatting, eating and singing:
Today I am starting to put away some of the Christmas decorations with a good feeling. We enjoyed every minute of the Holidays and I feel so fortunate to have a wonderful and healthy family right now. For 2013, all I want is a bit more of the same: love and health.
People are always curious about new year resolutions. I can tell you that I often choose not to have one. I am not the kind of person that makes lists. I don't even make them to go to the grocery store. I don't plan the week's dinner menus on Sunday. I don't prepare the kids lunch box in advance. I don't have a list of personal and family goals. I don't have an official "new year's resolution". Instead I have lots of thoughts, plans and ideas constantly running through my mind. I try to keep them "organized" in my head! Some days it is hard, but that is how I function (I know that if you are a "plan ahead" kind of person you are pulling your hair right now!!). Anyway, I like to be spontaneous in all do - from big decisions to small everyday tasks. It works for me and that is how the most precious things (and people) in my life happened - unplanned! This blog is an example of how I operate. Almost 1 year ago, without planning, I decided to start a food blog. That was how 2012 started for me and that crazy spontaneous decision set the tone for a year I will never forget! Soon after starting Blogging Foods I was invited to be a contributing blogger for a few of General Mills websites such as BettyCrocker.com, Pillsbury.com and EatBetterAmerica.com. That has been a fantastic experience. I still wish I had more time to dedicate to the Blog and to General Mills but I think that time will come when my kids are in school full-time. For now, I am doing as much as I can with the little free time I have and I am trying not to stress about it.
Also in 2012 my family and I were lucky enough to be able to visit both Brazil (my home country) and Croatia (my husband is half Croatian). The trips were fantastic - a treat for our hearts. Being with family at places that mean so much to us is all we need to feel recharged. My mom came from Brazil to spend the Fall with us which was also amazing!
My daughter started Kindergarten and loosing her teeth! She can ride a bike without training wheels and now she can ice skate. My son turned 4. He still loves trains but is slowing moving towards super heroes and sports. Both kids are getting better and better at swimming too!
Although I have no set resolution for the new year, I do want to continue to work hard to keep my family taken care and happy. And I also hope to continue having this space to share yummy foods and stories with you!
Have a beautiful 2013,
xoxo
Paula
Since I was busy celebrating yesterday, I wanted to come here today to wish you all a wonderful 2013! I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas (if you celebrate it) and that you were able to take a break from your busy lives to spend time with family and friends and recharge a little!
This year we hosted Christmas Eve at our house. It was only us and my parents in law, as usual. I made beef tenderloin with Madeira wine sauce, potatoes with garlic and herbs, roasted brussels sprouts with blue cheese and pomegranate and mushrooms (roasted with butter and herbs). Before the main meal, we had a cheese and apple salad and eggplant stack. I was so busy and distracted, I forgot to take pictures of the main meal! But I got photos of the appetizers:
The kids loved Santa's generosity! They woke up early on Christmas Day to find all of this:
We spent Christmas day with family - chatting, eating and singing:
Today I am starting to put away some of the Christmas decorations with a good feeling. We enjoyed every minute of the Holidays and I feel so fortunate to have a wonderful and healthy family right now. For 2013, all I want is a bit more of the same: love and health.
People are always curious about new year resolutions. I can tell you that I often choose not to have one. I am not the kind of person that makes lists. I don't even make them to go to the grocery store. I don't plan the week's dinner menus on Sunday. I don't prepare the kids lunch box in advance. I don't have a list of personal and family goals. I don't have an official "new year's resolution". Instead I have lots of thoughts, plans and ideas constantly running through my mind. I try to keep them "organized" in my head! Some days it is hard, but that is how I function (I know that if you are a "plan ahead" kind of person you are pulling your hair right now!!). Anyway, I like to be spontaneous in all do - from big decisions to small everyday tasks. It works for me and that is how the most precious things (and people) in my life happened - unplanned! This blog is an example of how I operate. Almost 1 year ago, without planning, I decided to start a food blog. That was how 2012 started for me and that crazy spontaneous decision set the tone for a year I will never forget! Soon after starting Blogging Foods I was invited to be a contributing blogger for a few of General Mills websites such as BettyCrocker.com, Pillsbury.com and EatBetterAmerica.com. That has been a fantastic experience. I still wish I had more time to dedicate to the Blog and to General Mills but I think that time will come when my kids are in school full-time. For now, I am doing as much as I can with the little free time I have and I am trying not to stress about it.
Also in 2012 my family and I were lucky enough to be able to visit both Brazil (my home country) and Croatia (my husband is half Croatian). The trips were fantastic - a treat for our hearts. Being with family at places that mean so much to us is all we need to feel recharged. My mom came from Brazil to spend the Fall with us which was also amazing!
My daughter started Kindergarten and loosing her teeth! She can ride a bike without training wheels and now she can ice skate. My son turned 4. He still loves trains but is slowing moving towards super heroes and sports. Both kids are getting better and better at swimming too!
Although I have no set resolution for the new year, I do want to continue to work hard to keep my family taken care and happy. And I also hope to continue having this space to share yummy foods and stories with you!
Have a beautiful 2013,
xoxo
Paula
I just love looking at your blog Paula! Your photos are gorgeous and it's so fun to hear stories of family traditions and day-to-day simplicity. Keep it up, you do a beautiful job and your passion for life is so contagious!
ReplyDeleteAngie
Thanks Angie! I hope you had a fantastic Holiday with your sweet little girl! I'm hoping Gio can be your student next year!!
DeletePaula