Holiday Gifts
Look at the free (and almost free) gifts I came home to courtesy of Open Sky, Kath, and Tina! I should also thank Twitter too because that’s how I found out about the limited time deals!
Gifts will probably be low key this year due to my crazy expensive tuition costs, so Kath and Tina are my Santa Clauses this holiday season. Just to put it into perspective, one year of tuition+room+board+a trillion miscellaneous fees could buy me ~100 SLR cameras. Four years=400 cameras!
Okay, education is important but 400 SLR cameras would be pretty cool too 
I opened all of the boxes immediately (I guess I should have waited for Christmas Day, huh?) but I thought it would be fun to show you the gifts one at a time. Hint: they’re all food/kitchen related! Are you excited!?
Holiday Goals
I decided this morning that I need to set a few goals for my 4-week winter break to avoid wasting away and getting nothing accomplished. All semester long I’ve been repeating ‘oh I’ll do that over break when I’m stress-free’ and I know that if I don’t spell out my goals, nothing will get done! Hopefully you all will hold me accountable!
Allie’s 10 Holigoals (okay, that was lame):
1. Actively search for a job, and apply to at least TWO. Two isn’t a lot, but seeing as how I’ve applied to one this whole semester, it’s plenty!
2. Fix up my blog--there are so many little things that I need to change/fix. I feel like it’s a little rough around the edges right now.
3. Workout at least 5 days a week. I’m pretty consistent with exercise at school but I tend to skip workouts when I’m at home, most likely due to lack of structure and STRESS.
4. Strength train 2x per week. My strength training has reached an all time low of about once a week (sometimes once every other week!).
5. Read a book!
6. Go easy on the sugar. My sweet tooth has been a little insane the last couple of weeks and it’s time to give him a break! The more sugar I eat, the more I want, and the worse my body feels. Obviously, I’m not cutting out sugar–gosh that would be way too difficult–but rather cutting back a little bit to a moderate amount.
7. Do something for someone else [in need of my help].
8. Try a new vegetable. I’ve tried many, but I know there are plenty out there that I haven’t tried yet.
9. Update my iPod! My iPod turns 4 years old this Christmas! I haven’t added new songs or playlists to my iPod in a loooong time. My workout playlists are getting old, boring, and predictable!
10. Put on real clothes and take a walk outside every single day…so I feel like a real person. I tend to lounge around my house and wear baggy sweats all day long when I’m home. I usually end up feeling like garbage and then eat garbage too. It’s going to be cold but I’ll get over it. Maybe I’ll sip on Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Coffee to motivate me….and totally defeat the whole purpose.
~~~~~~~~
Speaking of which…..I had some BUX on my drive home yesterday! A venti half caf (full caf would have killed me) w/ 3 *magical* pumps of pumpkin spice syrup! Lalalalala.
Check out this ornament message!! Awwww. It’s referring to us bloggies and bloggy readers, obvi!
This morning, I woke up and had 1/2 a Zbar before setting out for a strengh+cardio workout. See, I’m already working on goal #s 3 and 4!
I did full body weights interspersed with elliptical/incline treadmill walking. It ended up being about 30 min. strength and 30 min. cardio. Pahfect.
Afterwards, I ate the other half of the Zbar.
I also made a yogurt parfait with :
- Pumpkin Pie yogurt
- TJs European Style Yogurt
- Banana slices
- Kashi Puffs Cereal
- Blueberries
Off to get ready for a holiday party!!! I’ll be back with details and photos.
Quirky Qs (it’s been awhile!!):
1. What are your holiday goals?
2. What are some of your strategies for staying healthy during the holidays?
3. Which one of my goals are you going to hold me accountable to!?
{ 38 comments… read them below or add one }
Good goals! I think you need to definitely do the strength training so that’ll be the one I hold you accountable for LOL. I try to stay healthy over the holidays by maintaining my workout schedule and not keeping my house stocked with cookies, candies, and other such goodies. Pretty much try to eat like normal and not go bonkers.
Great holiday goals! I will be setting some goals for myself this break, too. I also have to make a list, or else NOTHING will get done! Ha! I have a little OCD when it comes to ToDo Lists, goal lists, etc.
Enjoy your break! I would killlll for 4 weeks off! Do you have to work at all during that time or are you 100% off?
Fun fun gifts!!
Great goals. Putting on real clothes is a goal of mine as well. I dress like such a slob at home. I hate it! We can cheer each other on
Have a great break!
niiice
glad you made the safe trip. I have yet to try the Pumpkin butter + coffee. This morning on my way to work, I wanted the pumpkin spice goodness at starbucks, but alas, I lost my debit card 
boo. I’m hoping you try a new veggie, I’ll try to think of something to suggest.
Is funny you said you want to fix up your blog. I really need to do something with mine, but I am just learning and really don’t know all the tricks people do…I mentioned in my post this morning how bright and positive your blog is. Have a nice day
(I know its cold too…I just do one daily short walk outside and its unbearable…but I have no other choice, so I make the walk shorter cause its just way to cold out…oh well
I can’t wait to see what you have in those boxes! I love strength training sooo much more than cardio I’ve realized. I’ll try and hold you accountable to that one! And the putting on real clothes thing…well let’s just say when I nanny I show up in workout/sweat pants, gym shoes, and a sweatshirt 100% of the time…Oh and the sugar one is always something I can work on!
Making a list of your goals sounds like a great idea. I am an avid list maker. If I don’t make them I feel like nothing ever gets done!
Love your goals!
The first two are on my list of things to do over break as well. Though my job search is for a summer job, I need something really cool to do for the summer!!!! And I can’t think of anything I’d like to do.
Fixing up my blog for sure.
Working on my application package for dietetics.
Work out almost every day! (I do this normally, especially at home, as I need to escape people for a wee bit) And do yoga every day as well (been doing this for exams, it’s felt so good!)
Look into careers.
Chill out and relax.
Spend lots of time with family and friends!
By the way stumbled on your blog through Kath Eats Real food.
love it
What? Free stuff? Oooh, I’m jealous. But wait. I need to be appreciative of what I have! So I’ll take that back—for now.
Can’t wait to see all the goodies you received!
Hope you succeed on all of your goals! I always set goals, and then I never achieve them.
It’s a little disheartening, but I suppose I set the bar too high and waaay out out of my ability. I actually don’t have any sweatpants 
I live in jeans :] My holiday goals include getting some studying done and not stuffing my face at every opportunity (there will be too many!). I’m counting on you to try a new veggie and blog about it. 
I love your goals. I just might have to copy you : ) #2, 6, and 9 are on my list too!
great goals & great eats… and very festive post
love it
holigoals! great word. i cant wait to see what was in the boxes!!! i am holiding you accountable to all ten. yep.
I love your goals and it really inspires me to make some, but I think I’ll wait till the New Year now and make some New Year’s resolutions.
Jealous!! I tried to do the open sky coupons, but by the time I read the posts, the coupons were all out
So excited for the gift openings! I really like the goals idea too. Getting dressed always helps me feel very productive – especially putting on a watch. For some reason that makes me feel super focused!
I totally hear you on the cutting out some of the sugar, i.e. I need to not make cookies. I know it’s super fun and cheerful and in the spirit of Christmas, but my veins wan’t zero of the white stuff in them (in the most non druggie way
).
Good for you lady!
I made a very similar goal list this morning for my winter break (which is 5.5 weeks long…ah!). My goals for winter break are to strength train 3x a week, stay away from processed foods, and read 3 books.
As for healthy holiday strategies, I just try to plan ahead as much as possible in terms of food and exercise.
Enjoy your break, you earned it
Ooooh, I can’t wait to see all the awesome presents you got
I tend to say “ahhh I’ll do it over the break” and then neglect whatever that was as well. I need to make a list too! Numero uno on that list is clean my room!
My holiday goals look almost identical to yours As for holding you accountable, girl we love you no matter what you do! If you sit on the couch and watch back-to-back holiday movies while snarfing some cookies – still sounds like an awesome break.
As for avoiding that happening for myself, eh, I just think everything in moderation. If I get some activity and try not to eat entire plates of cookies, I think I should be ok. 
Great goals, Allie!
Your goals are great! I have one goal for the week after Christmas – read a book!
Those sound like great Holiday goals. Mine our to be active everyday, in some form and drink more water! I too struggle with getting dressed in real clothes so to speak, due to working from home, I have the luxury to stay in my pjs
Hey Allie, don’t know if I’ve commented before but I’ve been reading awhile! I’m always impressed at how healthy you manage to stay while still in college! I liked the idea to make some goals and not wait for new year’s resolutions. I too need to apply to jobs over break so I’ll ask you how that’s going in a few weeks
! Good luck with your goals!
Katie
My goal for the Holidays is to enjoy it plenty. I’ll eat healthier after that. LOL Sure I’ll try to eat reasonably. But I have also a sweet tooth and it’s hard to be reasonable with desserts. I can’t wait to see what you ordered.
LOVE those goals!! i want to try a new veggie tooo!
Agh! Can’t wait to see what’s inside those boxes!!
Love the ornament message on the S-bux cup–I know you and I have LOTS in common:)
Fab goals I need to try some new vegetables too I’m doing well on the exercise but need to also give the sugar gremlin a rest! x x
I love the ornament message. I totally do the same thing as far as saying “I’ll do that during break” and then it’s like AH what did I say I would do? I only have a week off so I can’t leave everything for that week!
Ok, I can’t tell you how many red Starbucks cups I’ve had this month and I’ve never bothered to read the message printed on a single one of them!
Thanks for slowing me down and pointing out a great message!
Cheers!
Love your goals! Mine is to replace some of my long walks with home work-out DVD’s so I spend more time indoors, lol. I get so antsy staying inside but it’s way too cold to be out for several long hours a day. Also to bake/cook more from scratch! And to use up some food in my freezer.
What did you get from opensky?! I ordered stuff to but it hasn’t been delivered yet…did all my holiday shopping for my American family via there!
wow! those goals are sooo fab. and i am in the same boat with almost all! esp. putting on REAL clothes. but hopefully the boy coming home will get me out of my bro’s sweatshirts and purple fleecies.
LOVE YOU
great goals allie! I know you will fufil each and every one of them for SURE you even already started strength training!!!
the pumpkin parfait looks amazing! one day to cut down some sugar in that is if you use plain yog and real canned pumpkin then just add some pumpkin pie spice! BAM half the sugar
enjoy your holiday partttyyyyy!!
As long as #1 refers to “finding a bakery job,” I will fully support you.
I love the Starbucks cups…they’re so festive and put me in a happy mood!
Lovely eats (as usual!) and good buys!
xxx Julia (Taste of Living)
Those parfaits look delish!
Love the goals girl!!!
I need to fix up my blog too, that is a goal of mine and updating my Ipod was one too until I accidently washed it yesterday : ( I had it in my jacket and forgot, went through the wash and dryer, Im hoping it comes back to life : (, we will see!
Oh the Pug Pups, yes they are cute, xmas gifts from my lover for my son and I : ) we get them next month, so very excited!!!!
I hope you had a great weekend !!!! xoxo
AHHH! i cant wait to see what you got from opensky!! that deal was AMAZING and soooo worth my time refreshing my screen 10 billion times. unfortunatly i keep missing mr. fedex….. hopefully i’ll actually get them tomorrow!!
I love your holligoals!! I have very similar tasks to accomplish, especially in the fix up the blog department and updating the ipod.
and number 10 is such a good idea!!! i’m notorious for living in sweats at home. hey its just my family and all the kids i grew up with, right??
night bella!!
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