An Amazing Year

This is always one of my favourite posts to write, I love looking back at the year that's passed and remembering highlights.
Last year on New Years Eve I started training. I hadn't been working out regularly, but I knew what the new year would bring. A dream that would finally be realised. And so I hopped on that treadmill and did an hour of cardio, something that I would repeat almost every day and sometimes twice a day for the next 5.5 months. I blogged here to document my training.

a rare mirror pic, I hate doing these but I was feeling fab this day

The first 5 months passed so quickly. I was so busy working 2 jobs, training, prepping my food and attemping to have a life outside training for the competition. I did still get to enjoy life, Saturdays were usually my cheat meal so I could have some fun.

Me on Easter

In February, Leigh started (I helped a little) a DJ business and Evans DJ Services took off like a shot! He has done several weddings over the past year and we hope to make it a successful family business.

Leigh and I moved into an amazing new apartment in April after a lengthy, painful search!

May rolled around and before I knew it, it was competition day.

But first, I had my other dream come true, a fitness photoshoot with my talented friend Carol-Ann.

The summer passed in a whirl of fun events and freedom to do whatever I wanted!

Super fun girls trip to Penticton!

In August due to a random series of events I ended up with my dream job, Personal Trainer!

In September, I got a new nephew, Oliver! My brother and sister in law make some cute babies!

October I celebrated my 28th birthday.

In November, we celebrated our friends Nik and Amanda's wedding! I've been friends with Nik for 12 years. Crazy. Somehow this is the only picture I have of them? This is them leaving the super fun reception.

The rest of November seemed like it would be uneventful... until a twist of fate landed us the cutest, sweetest puppy ever, Layla.

It was an interesting month or so getting accustomed to our new life but we are so happy with our girl!
Before I knew it, Christmas was here.

I had so much fun doing all my favourite Christmassy things, Christmas parties, brunch with the girls, a Christmas play at a local church, wine and cheese night also with the girls, driving around to look at Christmas lights, baking cookies...oh wait. I tried to bake cookies. And then this happened.

Although it certainly wasn't the most fun thing I've done all year, it was a good learning experience. Accidents  happen and always use the right tool for the right job (pretty sure Leigh has said that a million times before). Anyways, I didn't let it put a damper on my Christmas spirit!

We celebrated Christmas with lots of love, family, and friends!

Read about it here and here.

All in all, 2012 was so much better for us than 2011 and I'm so grateful for that. I know it wasn't like that for everyone, so if you didn't have the year you were hoping for, there's a fresh one right around the corner. I've got a good feeling about it.

xoxo,
Taren

Christmas Love - Part 2

Since the last post was agonizing to type, I'm going to stick with mostly pictures for real this time. All I have to say is, so much love this Christmas with our families. I feel so blessed.

Christmas Morning at home:

Christmas Morning at the inlaws!
Julie loved her Charlie Brown tree.

"These are MY socks. Not for YOU!" - Leigh

Christmas Afternoon at Chris and Chloe's where they cooked an amazing dinner for us!

Momma and Jack

 Me and my nephew Ollie

 Jenn and Ollie

 Mom Dad and Ollie

xoxo,
Taren

Christmas Love ~ Part 1

I have been wanting to blog all week, but its still extremely hard to type with bandages on my hands. If you didn't hear, I had a little incident and cut three of my fingers. Long story, anyways they are bandaged up and plus I can't really feel them so it's really hard to type. I really really hope this goes away. If not I see one of those things you talk into and it types for you in my future.
So I will share my Christmas Love in mostly pictures.
We had family and friends over on Christmas Eve and it was so nice and relaxing. I think it will be a new tradition. Unfortunately I was too busy having fun and I didn't take pictures.
I made a Christmas Eve box as seen on Pinterest which we opened after everyone had left. It included matching PJS for Leigh and I, Quality Street and Ovation chocolates, two glass Coke bottles, and a Home Alone DVD. This is going to be a new tradition for us.

new pjs

Leigh and his baby

festiveness

I popped into a pet store on Christmas Eve and couldn't resist this hat.

\

xoxo,

Taren

Snow!

Today we got quite a bit of snow by my house. I woke up and it was snowing and it continued to dump snow all morning mixed in with some hail.
I took these pictures while it was still dark out. PS I suck at camera settings. I decorated my balcony last week and the lights look so magical with the snow! I must say even though it made getting around frustrating, the snow really put me in a Christmassy mood!

Layla seriously loved the snow. I put her outside and she went nuts. She just wanted to run around in it.

In other exciting news, I finally found a Christmassy sweater. Not like an ugly sweater but an actual winter sweater that makes me feel like a ski bunny. Then I forced Leigh into taking a picture of Layla and I in our Christmas sweaters in front of the tree.

Crazy Christmas Taren is officially here.

xoxo,
Taren

Festive Weekend

Leigh and I have both been sick so we stayed home Friday night to rest and sadly missed my work Christmas party. We have so much going on that it was much needed. Saturday we had some friends over, I didn't take many pictures but I did get a family portrait in front of the tree! 

We finally got the internet! We haven't had it since we moved in, or cable and we finally got around to getting it set up. Leigh bought me a new desk and set up a little office for me! We have been using our spare room as storage since April and now it actually somewhat resembles an office. We are planning on putting a couch/futon in here for overnight guests aka Hilary.

This is my little office area:

Last night I made caramel corn while I watched a movie with Leigh's mom and sister. Somehow even though I have Layla blocked out of the kitchen, she got caramel in her fur. That should be fun to get out.

I have a lot of family and friend events coming up and I'm going to enjoy every minute of it!

There's a lot going on in the world right now as everyone has probably noticed. There is always so much good in the world, it can just be a little harder to see. We have to send a little good towards those who need it right now, those who have lost a loved ones or are having a hard time.  It's important that we remind each other that things will always get better. This is what Christmas is all about. Finding comfort and joy and hope for the future.


xoxo,
Taren

Skinny Cake Batter Dip

I'm obsessed with cake batter. Once it's baked into cupcakes/cake I'm much less interested.
When I came across this recipe I couldn't wait to try it. I made it for my friends last night and it was devoured. Tastes exactly like cake batter without the fat and pesky people complaining about raw eggs. Warning this makes a huge batch for some reason, you could easily half the recipe.

Recipe
Ingredients
1 box cake mix (with rainbow bits)
2 cups fat free plain yogurt
1 cup light or fat free cool whip

Instructions
Mix ingredients together until there are no lumps. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours.
Serve with teddy grahams to your awesome friends.

You could also use plain white cake mix and put in Christmas sprinkles if you want to be really festive.

I'm One of Those People

Over the weekend, I reached two lows. In my defense I've had a terrible cold and I think it affected my choices.
On Friday, I went to a brand new pet store (Bosleys, I like them because they support the SPCA) to buy Layla treats. 45 minutes later, I left with the treats and Layla was somehow wearing a pink reindeer sweater.
Yup. I'm one of THOSE people. To make matters worse, we returned to said pet store with Layla wearing said reindeer sweater to get her picture taken with Santa.
Shame!
(Side note, she doesn't ride in the car like this, she rides in her crate in the back)

Evans Christmas!

I worked on two projects today. One was a stocking for Layla. Yes, I'm one of those people. How cute is it though?
The other was adding more Christmas to my house. You know how people cook and taste as their cooking and they say "it needs more salt, oregano ect"? I'm like that with decorating. Today I decided I needed more Christmas in my house. More lights more garland more bulbs!! Here is the completed living room.