Not Your Average Gal

Copywriter. Content Creator. Constant Sassypants.

Archives for December 2014

2014 Year in Review

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2014 was the year I decided to take the reigns and revamp this here blog. In July, I hit “Publish” and I’m so glad I did. I want to take a brief moment and thank you for your readership and encouragement. Redesigning the blog wasn’t an easy task, but writing, well, writing is something I love and having you as an audience made the redesign that much easier.

So, thank you. From the bottom of my heart.

Let’s review what you guys read, what you guys liked, what you guys said and also some of my favorite things from this year. Sorry, it’s not like Oprah. I’m not giving you thousands of dollars worth of my favorite things. Just some kick ass writing!

2014 Year in Review

Top Posts

  1. Sport Bra Review for Big Boobs
  2. When Weight Holds You Back
  3. La Gordita
  4. You Will Always be too Much of Something for Someone
  5. Lay off me I’m Starving

It looks like you find something relatable about body image or weight struggles. Oh and boobs. You guys like boobs. It also didn’t hurt that Enell posted my blog on their Facebook page!

Funny enough, I get asked IRL (In Real Life, for all you non-geeks) about traveling much more than anything else. That doesn’t show up in the top 5, but still ranks in posts. If you want me to write more about travel, pipe up or comment and as always, share this blog with any friends.

Most Searched Terms

  1. Slutty Costumes
  2. Be soft do not let the world make you hard
  3. Costume castle eskimo costume
  4. Bear with me
  5. Caroline Made This

I know. I know what you’re thinking. What in the…? You see, there was a funny post I wrote in 2012 around Halloween about the most ridiculously slutty Halloween costumes and how absurd I found them. People still search for that shit. And people somehow still land here. Hi pervs!

Top Social Network Referrals

  1. Facebook
  2. Pinterest
  3. Twitter
  4. LinkedIn

Pinterest was a surprise. I definitely should be adding more of my “How To” tutorials that I used to post here.

Top Countries Trying to Hack My Site

  1. China
  2. Ukraine
  3. Brazil

Yes, nerd-jerks try to hack my site and put lines of code for malware. It’s not uncommon for anyone who has a site. I work hard to protect this here blog.

Favorite Comments

Great video from the TSA! I hope we don't have to start taking our ice skates off at security now though… That would really slow me down. – Kendra on Off to the Frozen, Cold Tundra

people seem to be on their worst behavior when they are in airports or airplanes…very selfish and irrational! everyone besides me of course. :) – kristin on How to Survive Holiday Travel

Love that you are just so real. I'm patiently waiting for a publisher or screenwriter to snatch you up. xoxo – Judi on You Will Always be Too Much of Something for Someone

You clearly cared enough to comment. Feel free to take your rude comments elsewhere. — care's actual friends who don't need to hide behind fake names – Jennie on Lay Off Me I'm Starving

Bitch is the new black, baby! Don't ever change. :) – Emily on The Bitch List

…I'm glad you read it and connected with me. I followed your link, found your blog and I couldn't stop reading. You are hilarious! Your hubby is one lucky man. I'll be following your adventures on Twitter and Instagram. – James on Travel Woes: Delayed Baggage & Stolen Goods

The only real danger in wearing the dress is that you might start a fire. SMOKIN' HOT, GUUURL. – Rheyn on When Weight Holds You Back

Obviously, flattery will get you everywhere with me. Thanks for all the comments this year, even those that didn’t “make the cut.”

Biggest Achievements

Running my first half-marathon

Traveling solo in Portugal for a couple days

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Adjusting to the hubster’s 3rd year of med school clinical rotations

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Writing this here blog

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Advancing in my job as a copywriter

(No pics to protect the innocent.)

Favorite Moments

Shenanigans at Disney with these weirdos

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Meeting this nugget

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4th of July festivities

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Meeting up with these gals in Spain

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When the hubster surprised me on Thanksgiving

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8.5 miles with my favorite

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Healthy Habits to Continue

Pushing the negative away

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Getting out of my comfort zone

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Being happy with me

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Letting go of unreliable friendships

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Moving towards minimalist

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Taking a different path

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2014 was a pretty killer year, wouldn’t you say? During all of it (from July to December), I was happy to share my good times and (some) bad with you here.

Thank you for reading and thank you for sharing in my love of writing. Truly, thank you.

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Here’s to another great year and more adventures in 2015!

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Holiday Roundup

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I’m not entirely sure why December is giving my immune system a run for its white blood cells, but I can only have so many green smoothies a day before I want to barf. I had a nasty stomach bug two weeks ago and thought I successfully avoided the plague going around the office.

Nope.

My immune system was probably pretty wrecked after the stomach bug and the day before I left for Minnesota, I knew I had a cold. Which has turned into a snotty infection, taking away my voice and, you know, actually tasting food.

I don’t “do” sick, you guys. I’m not sick that often. I’m about as healthy as they come, constantly pumping in vitamins, trying to eat right and obviously exercising. I have a history of getting sick right before I travel on big trips.

  1. Our wedding in England. I’m sure stress didn’t contribute to that…
  2. Our honeymoon in Thailand and Cambodia. Some people experience an adverse reaction to the typhoid vaccine. Guess who won that lottery?

Anyway, I’m currently sitting here typing this not feeling a whole lot better and hoping I can recover sometime soon back to my normal healthy self.

All that said, I’ve trudged through with antibacterial gel and Kleenex in-hand and enjoyed my Christmas in Minnesota. Yes, it was cold, but I actually was totally okay. Those 20+ years in Michigan did some good. I hope you enjoy the pics.

Had a lovely take-off.

A photo posted by Caroline (@carolinemadethis) on

 

Enjoyed my upgrade.

What? You don't watch Guardians of the Galaxy in First Class while enjoying a Bloody Mary? How lame.
What? You don’t watch Guardians of the Galaxy in First Class while enjoying a Bloody Mary? How lame.

 

Took selfies to send the Hubster at church.

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Laughed at different versions of a “sippy cup.” IMG_4129 Had a delicious Christmas Eve dinner. IMG_4122 Chased this penguin butt around.

Penguin butt. #MerryChristmas

A photo posted by Caroline (@carolinemadethis) on

Returned to being a 10 year old.

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Laughed around the tree opening presents.

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We Facetimed with the Hubster stuck on-call. (no pic, sadly, he looks cute in scrubs)

Hid from Cara’s camera.

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Looked adorable.

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Had a delicious Christmas dinner with the fun fam.

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“Will this make your blog so we'll be famous?”

 

Sent sick selfies to the Hubster. Like literally, sick.

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Said goodbye and goodnight to my favorite nugget.

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Sat around the tree chit-chatting while the snow fell before I hit the hay for my flight.

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3 hours of sleep later, we headed to the airport and I said goodbye to this white stuff.

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Got on the earliest flight home yesterday morning so I could have a belated Christmas with the hubster before he went on-call the next day (today).

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It’s been a whirlwind few days.

Here’s to a healthier time next week to ring in the New Year.

I’m thinking of doing a Year in Review post for the blog. Is that something you’d dig?

Off to the Frozen, Cold Tundra

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I live here.

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Ft. Lauderdale

 

I’m going here.

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NOT Ft. Lauderdale

 

My family owes me.

Tomorrow I’m off for the frozen, cold tundra of Minneapolis. It will be a quick trip, but one that was deemed appropriate since we didn’t have plans and the hubster is on-call on Christmas. Plus, Christmas alone with my ginger cat didn’t sound as appealing as spending it with THIS little nugget.

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Oh yeah and I needed just a few more MQDs to make my Delta status for next year.

Love you, family!

Last night I asked the hubster where all our sweaters were. No, I’m not joking. These are very foreign objects in South Florida. He pulled out a box of his from under the bed of all his sweaters, you know, that have yet to be worn. After fumbling through them we determined I must have donated all my sweaters because, you know, I don’t wear them. It was a ploy to never live in a cold state again. Shhhhh.

So layers for me! Weeeee.

Flying on Christmas Eve isn’t ideal, but I have a non-stop flight and I’m well prepared because I know How To Survive Holiday Travel. The holiday travel Gods liked me enough to get me upgraded for my flight already!

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Did you see the TSA even got in the holiday spirit with this hilarious video? When government organizations can make fun of themselves, I call that a win.

I’m looking forward to quality family time, but I also can’t wait to get back and celebrate a belated Christmas with the hubster. He’s sort of my favorite.

To all my friends and family near and far: safe travels and I hope you have a wonderful holiday!

A Holiday Change of Heart

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I had a whole wonderfully witty but sad post written earlier this fall about why I hated the holidays. I was ready to post it when some nagging feeling kept telling me to wait. I try to listen to these nagging nuggets of wisdom as much as I can. So I waited. And waited.

I’m glad I did. Because something happened this year that has taken me by surprise.

I’m actually fucking enjoying the holidays.

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It’s started at Thanksgiving this year when I had an incredibly good time with family. Who knew?!

Okay, back up the train. Maybe it started last year, when the hubster and I spent Thanksgiving and Christmas together in our new home in Florida. We had just gotten back from our honeymoon in Southeast Asia. We didn’t decorate anything. We didn’t travel anywhere. We had no guests. We ordered Chinese food. We watched football. We cried over a glass of wine after a family member pulled a fast-one on us again. Oh wait, no. No, that was me. That was only me.

But you know what? It was one of my fondest holidays until this Thanksgiving.

I never quite understood, as an adult, how the holidays could be so magical for people. Dare I say, I was even, cynical about it.

No. Who, me?

In complete honesty, there are some pretty legit reasons why the holidays have sucked for me that I won’t go in depth about. In a nutshell, the holidays have always been a mixture of feeling like an inconvenience and when I was younger, being shuffled around seeing who I could go visit. I still try to coordinate schedules and am finding that since we don’t have kids, we have very little pull over who will come see us. This may be our reality from here on out or we may have to resort to begging?

That’s a good reason to have kids, right? Presents and shit.

This year, I really focused on the wonderfully supportive people I have in my life. I reminded myself again, that I’ve been given a chance to start my own traditions, create my own less drama-filled holidays. I absolutely love that feeling!

We may be small, but I have my own little family of three, if you include my overweight, ginger cat. Said ginger cat also looooooves being dressed up for the holidays.

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I love our little family. We create some hysterical memories. One of the best things about meeting my husband has been the life we’ve brought together, just the two of us…and said ginger kitty.

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Just another Sunday morning around here.

I wanted to celebrate and embrace this newfound love of the holidays, so I busted out our holiday decorations. Remember how I didn’t even want to decorate for Halloween? What is happening to me?

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I noticed, quickly, that I donated a majority of items a couple years ago. So, of course, I had to go to Target to get more. Then, the hubster was on-call on a Friday, so I went back to Target after work…and got more.

I was Clark fucking Griswold. I just couldn’t stop!

I spent the evening drinking wine, listening to Christmas music and decorating with all my new and old goodies. (It all still fits in 1 Rubbermaid bin, my practical mind wouldn’t allow too much.) I think the results are quite pretty!

The hubster keeps walking around our place saying, “I really like all the decorations, honey.”

Maybe he just likes that I’m not totally annoyed by the holiday season and I’m actually pretty happy.

And I have to admit it…I am too.

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Happy Holidays, guys!

Running towards sanity

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This post may seem a bit disjointed, but bear with me. I promise there’s a point.

I had some nasty stomach bug last week that left me in the fetal position for most of Tuesday and Wednesday. By Thursday, I just wanted to go run.

My grandpa passed away this weekend. When Sunday came, I was really happy I had a long run scheduled in my training.

Running has always been intertwined in my life somehow basically since college. It’s my go-to workout, but has turned into so much more than just exercise.

Running is my sanity check.

Over the last two years, I’ve certainly picked up my mileage by training for half-marathons and I’ve noticed that on some runs I couldn’t tell you what songs were on my playlist. I was too lost in thought. Don’t get me wrong, there still are runs when I’m hitting NEXT trying to find the right song to get me motivated.

Turn Down For What works every time.

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While I was bowing down to the porcelain god last week, my writing took a backseat. So when the hubster asked “Are you sure you’re okay to run” by Thursday, I was itching. I needed to get out!

When I got the news about my grandpa, I digested it as much as you can in situations when it’s not totally unexpected. After our long run the next day, while cooling down, I started crying. I had opened up to the hubster while we were walking about how I was feeling about things and the tears just came, not uncontrollably, not in a rush down my face. They just brimmed to the top, watering my eyes as if to say, “Thank GOD you went for that run so we could get out.”

(We also clocked our best mile-pace to date.)

I hate the bad runs, I often question why I’m even running during those times.

I exude confidence during the good runs and find myself asking when the next one is so I can kill it again.

Regardless of the type of run, my mind seems to require the solitude and solace that running gives me. I’m very thankful I have it.

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The No Candy Bowl & Office Goodies Pledge

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Candy. Donuts. Pastries.

They have been non-stop in my office since October.

I turned around the other day and watched someone open ANOTHER bag of candy and put it in several bowls. These bags have to be from the store that gave birth to Costco. They are HUGE. When will the madness end?

Now, I say. NOW.

I’m taking the pledge not to eat from the bowl of candy garbage or yummy holiday goodies in the communal area in my office for the rest of the month.

Would you care to join me?

Listen, I realize everything in moderation is key. I’ll have a piece of candy some days, and other days one piece will turn into two or three.  And even 2-3 pieces isn’t bad…but guess what, they add up!

No, one candy won’t make me fat, but at the same time, one apple won’t make me healthy. I want to make better choices and having my hand in the candy bowl “just for 2 months” isn’t a great choice.

Side note: Did you know the average American gains 6 pounds over the holidays?!

That’s half my cat! (Okay…probably more like less than a third…)

"Which ornament shall I knock off this fucking tree next?"
“Which ornament shall I knock off this fucking tree next?”

 

In my humble opinion those 1, 2 or 3 pieces aren’t worth it.

I’d rather spend it on salty fries.

The No Candy Bowl & Office Goodies Pledge

So, I, Princess Caroline Peterson, vow not to eat anything from the office

holiday candy/deliciousness/sugar-filled bowl

and yummy holiday goodies in the communal area

for the rest of the month.

Want to join me? We can share in our misery here. It’s less than one month, people!

Copy and paste this in the comments to join in:

 

I, _____________, vow not to eat anything from the office

holiday candy/deliciousness/sugar-filled bowl

and yummy holiday goodies in the communal area

for the rest of the month.

 Let’s do this.