Let them eat cake!

Lent is winding down, and Easter is just around the corner! This year, I gave up meat.. and seem to inadvertently have also given up blogging. Lo siento.

This is a big weekend in the Frese household. My Mama submitted the LAST assignment ever for her Master's degree (yay!!), her birthday is on Sunday (yay!!), and the whole family is in the same county for once - as Jana came home from school for the weekend (yay!!).

A special occasion like this calls for Easter Cake! I call this delicious dessert "Easter Cake" because one year, I gave up baking for Lent (youch. super tough.), and this was the first thing I baked on Easter morning. It also happens to be a very appropriate name, as this cake is best suited for spring. I really only have Easter Cake about once a year.. at Easter when it is fitting, or on my birthday which is no where near Easter.. But boy, when that one time rolls around, it is a joyous occasion. Yum-o. It's light, fruity, refreshing, and easy-peasy. Lemme show you.

For the cake:
Mix 1 cake mix (white or yellow are fine - I used "sugar-free" to really make this a reduced-guilt dessert) with a 15 oz. can of mandarin oranges (juice and all!) and 3 egg whites. Pour into preferred pan(s) and bake per box directions.



I promise this is not a Hy-Vee ad.

If using round (or heart..) pans, allow baked cakes to cool in pans for a few minutes, and then turn then out onto a wire rack to finish cooling. (If making a 9x13 cake or cupcakes, ignore this step.)

While the cakes are cooling, whip up the topping. First mix together 1 box of sugar-free instant vanilla pudding mix and a 20 oz can crushed pineapple (juice and all!). 



Yes, it will look slightly radioactive. No worries... unless you live in Japan. Then check to see if pineapple actually IS radioactive.

 Allow the pineapple/pudding mixture to sit for a few minutes to firm up slightly. Then gently fold in 1 container of light whipped  topping (thawed). 


Now it's radioactive tie dye!

  If you made a 9x13 cake or cupcakes, just slap the topping on and you're done! If you're making a fancy layer cake like me, read on. (Just don't get jealous that your fancy layer cake isn't heart-shaped and adorable like mine!)

Spread a nice thick layer of topping on first cake. Real thick. Trust me, you have TONS of topping to work with here. And it's basically artificial sweetener, fruit and air, right?! Load it up my friends.



Now it's gettin' good!

Once you've got a good thick layer goin', smoosh that other cake on top!

And finally, finish off the top and sides with a generous helping of that yummy Cool Whip mix. Ohhh yeahhhh. Help yourself to a big, healthy slice and don't feel guilty about it! If there happen to be any leftovers, store 'em in the fridge. I have a feeling this won't last long though.

I definitely recommend that you share this recipe at your Easter feast next week... and every year to come. As for me, Mama just got home, so I'm not waiting til next week. I'm diggin' in NOW!

Happy RD Day!

Registered Dietitian Day… a holiday you’ve never heard of before? Probably! Four years ago, the American Dietetic Association decided to mark a day to honor registered dietitians, and there’s no better month to do so than March – National Nutrition Month!

 Those who are close to me know that I cringe and/or spin in to a violent rage (kidding…sorta) when I’m referred to as a “nutritionist” instead of a “dietitian.” Why, you may ask? While these terms may sound very similar and like they’d do the same type of thing, there is actually quite a difference.

What are the differences? Well, I am so glad you asked!

From the American Dietetic Association website (eatright.org):The “RD” (registered dietitian) credential is a legally protected title that can ONLY be used by practitioners who are authorized by the Commission on Dietetic Registration of the American Dietetic Association.

Some RDs may call themselves “nutritionists,” but not all nutritionists are registered dietitians. (I know, that’s way confusing. That’s why I only call myself a dietitian!) The definition and requirements for the term “nutritionist” vary. Some states have licensure laws that define the range of practice for someone using the designation “nutritionist,” but in other states, VIRTUALLY ANYONE can call him- or herself a “nutritionist,” REGARDLESS of education or training.

Individuals with the RD credential have fulfilled specific academic and professional requirements, including having earned at least a bachelor’s degree (although about half of RDs hold advanced degrees as well), completed a supervised practice program and passed a registration examination – in addition to maintaining continuing education requirements for recertification.

In short, registered dietitians are professionals who have completed 5 or more years of education & training to become credentialed food and nutrition experts who are trained to translate the evidence-based science of nutrition into practical solutions for healthy living. However, nutritionists may simply be someone who watches Dr. Oz on the regular, picks up nutrition tips from him, and distributes that knowledge to others. Which would you feel more comfortable with?

When you need food and nutrition information based on facts or need to know how a healthy diet improves health and fights disease – rely on qualified professionals in the field. If you take away nothing else from this post, remember this: RD = Expert.

Happy Registered Dietitian Day!

Cartoon from http://www.diabeteshealth.com/

A Reply (by Bob)

I'm switching it up this post! I follow several blogs, and after reading the most recent post of my dear friend Bob, I felt that his message was something powerful that I needed to share. A fellow Billiken, Bob will be graduating from Saint Louis University this spring. This semester, he is taking a course in spiritual exercises, and the following letter (shared with permission) is an assignment Bob wrote in the style of the philosopher Seneca. As much as I talk about nutrition and physical activity, I really haven't touched on spiritual exercises - but what better time to get our spiritual side into shape than during Lent?! I hope you enjoy this as much as I did!

My dear Gardener,

How good it was to hear from you! I was most pleased to learn of your change in profession. Being a mason certainly had many benefits. You were able to build many wonderful and beautiful structures.. wonderful lighthouses to guide those searching for a path. I was worried when I heard of the collapse of one of your structures, the lighthouse you were so proud to have completed crumbled and fell. You are no doubt aware of the causes of this. I have no doubts in your skill at masonry, but it was the very structure that was damaged, that was weak. Without any ability to move and sway with the winds, or to move with the shakings of the earth, all structures fail.


Have you made a connection yet between the crumbling of your tower, and the misguidedness of the path you were on in life? As I have stated, your tower could not handle the subtle changes of the elements. In much the same way, you could not handle the subtle changes of life. You were so used to building things of stone, you also built yourself of stone. Everything you had learned in life, everything that had crossed your path you internalized. This is good! Without internalizing events we learn little. However, you internalized things and did not question them.

The events of your life were but steps on your path, yet you did not know where you were going, and more importantly you did know from where you came.

All the gifts of your life, you gathered together. You did not necessarily take them for granted, but you did not imagine a life without them, you did not question towards what end they were leading you. Further, you did not question where God was leading you in all of these things.

And much like your tower, which took but the smallest quake of the earth to destroy,
it took one small question, “Where are you headed in life down this path?” to freeze you in place with fear.

But you have recovered well from that point! You are now the gardener of something incredibly precious. For just as you prune and make beautiful flowers and other pieces of nature, you also have learned to do the same with yourself. You have certainly found that at times you must cut parts of plants away so that the rest of the plant may live. In some cases too, beautiful parts of a flower must be removed in order that the flower may continue to grow. You must do the same with yourself, you must be open to your own self-pruning. Your soul can become so much more alive, so much more happy if you practice this self-care.

This is no easy task to be sure, but you are not alone in your endeavors. God, in all of God’s goodness, is helping you. You just need to be aware, to be present to what God is saying. This idea of presence is perhaps the first step in cultivating a strong sense of self. Do not think your efforts in building were a waste. They brought you to this point. It may not have been the quickest route to this point where you can freely discern, but it is sometimes necessary to come to these points in our lives through a “back door.” If you had been more in practice of being present to yourself and your surroundings, you would have likely realized that masonry was not fitting for you. You desire something with more fluidity, something with greater opportunity for growth and freedom. But you have started down the path to presence in the end.

What does it mean to be present in every situation? It means that you are aware, you are able to see each situation for what it really is. In all of your interactions with others, you are able to view them as a third party. It may sound paradoxical to be both present and removed from a situation, but think of a couple in the heat of an argument. Is either person being very present to the feelings of the other? But if one can step back and view the argument of the other, than true presence can be found, and the couple can reach a resolution.

Very often as a gardener you may find that your work goes unnoticed. You are no longer constructing enormous (and at times beautiful) structures. But use this as a lesson in humility. How fickle were your creations. Does anyone remember everything you have built? You may, but I imagine that there are certain aspects even you do not remember. No one may ever see your beautiful arrangements of flowers and trees and bushes, but you will know that they are your creation.

You will also be aware that sometimes pieces of your arrangement must be removed. Something may grow which at first appears beautiful, but in truth it does not fit. This same occurrence happens in life. How often do you try to take up things into yourself? How often do you try to make the ideas of others part of yourself? This practice is not in itself bad, for how else can one learn if not by examining the thoughts and practices of others? But, where many people fail is in not examining these ideas. They simply add them to their buildings, but when something comes along that challenges this idea they are greatly weakened because they have never examined it. If however you treat each new idea as a leaf on a stem then you can be more present, more open to growth. Upon being challenged, you can simply remove the leaf, and the rest remains strong.

Take great care in all of your actions.

Your life is meant to allow immense growth.

Very often, the size of a plant is only limited by the nutrients it is offered. Be sure to nurture yourself always. Do not settle for the advice of peers. Look to the heroes of old, in all areas of study for knowledge. Create a fertile bed for yourself, and you can handle any variety of situations that your journey may bring you.

The better the ground from which you sprout, the stronger your roots can be, and the less likely you will be to stumble as you did once before.

If you do stumble though, examine what tripped you and add this too, to your bed from which you grow.


Gardens at Versailles, the most beautiful place I've ever been

 For more of Bob's thoughts and insights, you can follow his blog "Presently Present" at http://reflectiveandpresent.blogspot.com/ 

My butt is big and that's just fine, and those who might scorn it are invited to kiss it.

I thought I'd finish up National Eating Disorders Awareness Week by sharing with you some great ads from Nike. While these have been somewhat controversial, I think they make some great points! All bodies are shaped differently, and very few are shaped like the willowy models that strut across runways and are plastered on magazine covers, but every body is beautiful in its uniqueness.

The most important take-home message is that
we should love our bodies for the amazing things they do for us,
instead of picking at every perceived flaw or blemish.

Enjoy!
(all images are from the Nike blog and are property of Nike - not my own)

Thoughts? Favorites? Share below!

It's Time to Talk about It

In today's society, we are surrounded by information and images telling us of our nation's obesity epidemic. Shows like The Biggest Loser tout the dangers of obesity and put extreme examples of overweight contestants through a rigorous diet and exercise regimen to help them improve their health and regain happiness. Rates for bariatric surgery procedures continue to climb, and fad diet after fad diet is being promoted as a quick fix.

Yes, we all know more Americans are overweight or obese now than ever before. Yet what we don't hear a lot about is that the rates of eating disorders are on the rise too.

Did you know that more than 10 million women and 1 million men are fighting a life or death battle with an eating disorder such as anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa? (National Eating Disorder Association) Or that millions more are struggling with binge eating disorder?

Next week (February 20-26, 2011) is National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, and NEDA has chosen a fitting theme: It's Time to Talk about It.

I scoured the NEDA (National Eating Disorders Association) website, searching for statistics for this post, and while I found some shockers, I also noticed that the research cited isn't all that recent. This table explained why:

Despite the prevalence of eating disorders they continue to receive inadequate research funding. In 2005, the National Institutes of Health estimates funding the following disorders accordingly:

Illness Prevalence NIH Research Funds (2008)

Eating disorders:        10 million        $7,000,000*
Alzheimer’s disease:   4.5 million      $412,000,000
Schizophrenia:            2.2 million      $249,000,000
* The reported research funds are for anorexia nervosa only. No estimated funding is reported for bulimia nervosa or eating disorders not otherwise specified.

Research dollars spent on anorexia averaged $.70 per affected individual, compared to over $159.00 per affected individual for schizophrenia.

Check out some other eye-opening facts - all from the NEDA website:

• 80% of women are dissatisfied with their appearance
• 81% of 10 year olds are afraid of being fat.
• For females between 15 & 24 years old who suffer from anorexia, the mortality rate associated with the illness is 12 times higher than the death rate of all other causes of death.
• Anorexia nervosa has the highest premature fatality rate of any mental illness.
• The majority of people with eating disorders do not receive adequate care.
• 54% of women would rather be hit by a truck than be fat.

In an age when thinness is revered and sometimes sought after at all costs, eating disorders may even seem a desireable trait. Women who restrict are thought to have enviable self-control. As the anorexic begins to lose weight, she is complimented - "You look SO GOOD! Have you lost weight?!" - which feeds into the disordered thoughts. Unsuspecting people toss around comments about needing to "starve" themselves, or wishing they could "throw up" after overindulging, as though they are jealous of those who can.

But eating disorders aren't about self-contol... they're about being controlled by crippling thoughts and compulsions. They aren't about being "good," or being able to walk away from the dessert table... they're about being so afraid of food that certain dishes can bring on tears or panic attacks. They're not about looking pretty and thin... they're about feeling like you are never good enough. They aren't about choice... they are diseases.

Eating disorders are under-researched, under-funded, and misunderstood. I encourage you to take this week to learn some more about eating disorders, to broach a taboo topic. It's Time to Talk about It.

For more information, statistics, resources, treatment options, etc., please go to:

• National Eating Disorders Association
• The Elisa Project
• Something Fishy
• My post on Fat Talk

Be true to your heart.

Well, we have survived SNOWpocalypse 2011 and made it into the heart of February, which is American Heart Month! Did you know heart disease is the #1 killer in America? Here are some other frightening facts about heart disease from the American Heart Association:

• 90% of women have one or more risk factors for developing heart disease
• More than 82 million adults are estimated to have one or more types of cardiovascular disease. That’s one in three people.
• On average, 2200 Americans die of cardiovascular disease each day, an average of 1 death every 39 seconds.
• Heart disease is the #1 cause of death among women age 20 and over, killing about one woman every minute.
• More women die of heart disease than the next 4 causes of death combined, including all forms of cancer.

Luckily, there are things we can do to prevent cardiovascular disease. The AHA points out these: “Life’s Simple Seven.”

1.   Get Active            2.  Control Cholesterol*          3.  Eat Better*

4.   Manage Blood Pressure*       5.  Lose Weight*          6.  Reduce Blood Sugar*    7.   Stop Smoking

Notice something many of those have in common? The five I asterisked can be managed with food. Your diet has a huge impact on your heart health! Specifically the AHA asks us to eat more fruits and vegetables, load up on fiber-rich whole grains, eat fish at least twice a week, choose lean meats and low-fat dairy, reduce saturated and trans fats, and choose and prepare foods with little or no salt. I’m taking the pledge to eat heart-healthier this month, and I hope you do too. It’s never too early, or too late, to start!

While scoping out the Hy-Vee grocery ad last week, I spotted two recipes that sounded too good to pass by. (Please remember I’m a dietitian, and I sometimes get excited about foods few other people would.) These next two recipes – Barley & Vegetables and Lentils & Mushrooms – are adapted from that ad. I made both yesterday, and am happy with the results. Check it out!

Prepping all my ingredients - how pretty is this?!

Barley & Vegetables

1 tsp. olive oil

1 medium onion - diced

1 1/2 tbsp. minced garlic

1 cup diced carrot

1 cup diced celery

1 cup cubed butternut squash

5 cups fresh spinach, sliced

1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained

1 can (14.5 oz) cannellini (or white northern) beans, drained and rinsed

1 can reduced-sodium garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rised

1 carton (32 oz.) reduced-sodium or unsalted chicken stock

2 cups quick-cooking barley

2 tbsp. fresh rosemary (I used 2 tsp. dried)

3 tbsp. fresh parsley (I used 1 1/2 tbsp. dried)

Add fresh pepper and sea salt to taste

Lentils & Mushrooms

1 cup dry lentils

1 pkg. mushrooms - sliced

1 zucchini - diced

1 yellow squash - diced

1 red bell pepper - diced

2 tsp. olive oil

1 tsp. chopped garlic

3-4 tbsp. balsamic or red wine vinegar

2 tsp. dijon mustard (We didn't have any, so I used 3 tbsp. of vidalia onion honey mustard)

2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

3 green onions - sliced thin

Fresh ground black pepper to taste

First, prep all ingredients. Chop all the veggies into small, bite-sized cubes. If making the lentil dish, sort lentils - pour onto pan and pick out any pebbles or discolored, misshapen lentils.

For the barley dish:

In a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat, saute onion, carrots, celery and squash in oil until they begin to soften. Add spinach and garlic, and cook one minute longer.

Next add tomatoes, both beans and stock. Bring to a slow boil.

Once boiling, add barley, rosemary, parsley and pepper. Reduce heat and cover. Allow mixture to slowly simmer until barley is cooked and mixture is thickened, about 10 minutes.

Finish with a sprinkle of shredded parmesan cheese for a delicious, sort of creamy, hearty all-in-one meal. Definitely my favorite of the two recipes, and sure to become a staple for me. Delicious!

For the lentil dish:

Cook lentils according to package directions.

(Sort lentils. Rinse under cool water. Add 1-lb. bag of lentils to 3 1/2 cups boiling water. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes. Lentils should soften but retain shape. Drain any excess liquid.)
**NOTE: I cooked entire bag, but recipe only uses half the bag. I froze the rest to use later.)**

In a saute pan over medium heat, saute mushrooms, zucchini, squash, pepper and garlic in olive oil until just soft.

In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, mustard and extra virgin olive oil.

Toss together the lentils, vegetables, sauce and green onions, and season to taste. May serve warm or cool.



The finished products!
Not the most beautiful dishes ever, but they tasted yummy.

 This meal meets many of the AHA's healthy eating standards. They incorporate LOTS of fresh vegetables, hearty whole grains, fat-free and cholesterol-free protein sources, and are relatively low-sodium. Another great thing? They make tons of food, so I have meals to heat-and-eat alllll week :)

"The quickest way to know a woman is to go shopping with her." (Marcelene Cox)

Ever wonder what dietitian’s put in their shopping cart? While it totally varies depending on mood, hunger, time of the year, etc., I definitely have staples I grab each shopping trip. Since beginning my job as an in-house dietitian at a grocery store, I’ve stumbled upon a few new products that have been added to the list of staples that come home with me… Here’s 9 of my new favorites (in no particular order). Enjoy!
**Click on the links (blue words) if you'd like to learn more about each product.**

1. Bell Plantation’s PB2 – Powdered Peanut Butter with Premium Chocolate

I’m having this strange love affair with peanut butter recently, and PB2 allows me all the peanut butter flavor without the calories and fat! You can reconstitute this powder to a peanut butter consistency with water, milk, juice or jelly... dip fruit straight into the powder... or use it in recipes, in yogurt, or (my personal favorite) on ice cream – light ice cream, of course! 

2. Peanut Butter & Co. – Cinnamon Raisin Swirl peanut butter
PB&Co. started as an NYC restaurant dedicated solely to all things peanut butter. Um, genius?!  Check out the menu.  Definitely on my bucket list to check this place out in-person one day. My store only carries Cinnamon Raisin Swirl, but I’ve also tried Dark Chocolate Dreams, and White Chocolate Wonderful, and seriously (if you couldn’t tell just from the names) you can’t go wrong. The Cinnamon Raisin Swirl is great with apples, in the recipe below, or just by the spoonful.

Pumpkin-Peanut Butter Dip

1 ¼ to 1 ½ cups canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)

1 cup peanut butter (Cinnamon Raisin Swirl)

½ to ¾ cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla
Mix all ingredients together, and serve with apple slices, graham crackers, pretzel sticks.

3. Cinnamon pita chips

It’s well-known to anyone close to me that hummus & pita are pretty much my favorite things ever created. Along with Hugh Jackman, pita & hummus reassures me that there is a God who loves me, and wants to send things to this earth to make me happy. Also look here. And here.
 Oh yeah –and I did mention he’s not only a dead-sexy superhero with an Australian accent, he can ALSO sing and dance?! (start at minute 4)

Oh right, I was talking about pita… err… So yes, I discovered this delightful surprise – cinnamon sugar pita chips! While these would be atrocious with hummus (which is a statement I’ve never said in my life), they make a scrumptious snack. Try them as “nachos,” topped with fresh berries, a drizzle of yogurt and some shredded coconut. Fun for the whole fam!

4. Kashi GOLEAN Crisp – Toasted Berry Crumble

You can’t go wrong with the Seven Whole Grains on a Mission! Packed with fiber, protein, and a sweet berry flavor, this crispy crunchy cereal makes a great breakfast paired with soy milk, Greek yogurt or on its own! Omm nom nom…

5. Snapple – Diet Peach Green Tea (a retired staple)

While trying to wean myself off Diet Dr. Pepper after a year in Dallas (aka, the heart of Dr. Pepper Country), I found solace in a bottle – of diet peach green tea. Our love affair only lasted the summer (or as long as it was marked down at the grocery store). I told myself green tea had more health benefits than soda – which it totally does… just not when super-processed, watered down, and artificially sweetened. We did have a good run though.

(I’m back on the DDP now… ergh.)

6. FlatOut Flatbreads

As my friend Jen would say, “FlatOut awesome!" My favorite is the Healthy Grain – Multi-Grain with Flax (yeah omega-3’s!). These flatbreads are ideal for wraps and for FlatOut Awesome PIZZAS! (Jen also introduced me to these.) Top a flatbread with your favorite marinara, some part-skim mozzarella and your favorite veggies… throw under the broiler for a few minutes… and voila! Quick and easy dinner on the skinny.

7.  Laughing Cow Light Wedges

Not a new product to me, but definitely a new obsession, especially with all their new flavors! Each light wedge has only 35 calories, but is totally creamy-dreamy. I love the Mozzarella Sun-Dried Tomato & Basil flavor with Sun-Dried Tomato Wheat Thins (another new favorite), the Queso Fresco & Chipotle on warm pretzel bread, or the Light Swiss flavor on a FlatOut wrap with reduced-sodium deli turkey, spinach, and cranberry relish. Yum-o!

8. Skinny Cow – mint chocolate ice cream sandwiches

First of all, how can you not love a company whose logo is a “sexy” (?) cow posing as a centerfold?! Hilarious. Secondly, ice cream is right up there with hummus and Hugh Jackman on my list of favorite things… and the combination of mint-chocolate rivals hummus-pita for the spot of “Laura’s Favorite Flavor Combination.” So what could be better than a reduced-fat mint chocolate ice cream sandwich with added fiber (oh, have I mentioned my fiber fetish?). Trust me, it still tastes heavenly. Mmmmm…

9. LÄRABAR

“Energy in its purest form.” These bars are made with seven ingredients or less – just nuts, dried fruit and spices. No preservatives, no added sugars or fats, no worries! Of the flavors I’ve tried, apple pie and cherry pie are probably my favorite… but there’s really not one I’d turn down (especially with their new chocolate line!). They’re also gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, vegan, non-GMO and kosher. Great for an on-the-go pick-me-up (enough hyphens for ya?).

What are some of your fun, favorite grocery staples?? Comment below! Happy shopping y'all!

Another fresh new year is here...

Another fresh new year is here...
Another year to live!
To banish worry, doubt, and fear,
To love and laugh and give!

This bright new year is given me
To live each day with zest...
To daily grow and try to be
My highest and my best!

I have the opportunity
Once more to right some wrongs,
To pray for peace, to plant a tree,
And sing more joyful songs!
William Arthur Ward

Happy 2011 everyone! I'm embarrassed it's taken me sooo long to write another post. That's definitely one of my New Year's resolutions -- to write more! I hope everyone had a very happy holiday season - Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah for my Jewish followers (Joanne you out there?), and Cheers to another New Year -- as this beautiful poem says, another year to live.. to laugh and love and give.

I don't generally make many resolutions.. not serious ones anyway. My resolution for 2010 was to make more money in 2010 than I did in 2009. And considering in 2009 the only income I had was from working very limited part-time hours making minimum wage at SLU's rec center for about 4 months, and in 2010 I landed a full-time gig with benefits, I'd say I did what I set out to do!

For 2011, there are just a few things I really would like to work on, and what better way to hold myself accountable than to publicly share those resolutions with all of you? Here's my top four:

1) Pray more. Attending a Catholic university provided me the unique opportunity to really nurture and grow my faith life during undergrad. Staying active in campus ministry activities, participating in several retreats, and attending 10pm Mass weekly with fellow students, I was constantly working on improving my relationship with God. Unfortunately, since graduation, my relationship with The Big Guy has been moved to the back burner... and it seems that burner wasn't on, because it's definitely lost its steam! 

Since I started working full-time, my routine has become: work, work-out, come home to shower/eat/relax/sleep, repeat. And while I take time every evening to relax, I'm not spending quiet time with myself or with God; instead, I'm filling that time with internet surfing, Facebook, TV, doing puzzles, reading... not bad things, but also not really productive things. I'd like to spend a little more of that time quieting myself and tuning in, instead of distracting myself and tuning out.

2) Write often. Not only would I like to update this blog on the regular (already have 2 other posts started -- stay tuned!), I also would love to get back to journaling. I kept a journal religiously my senior year of high school, and have made shoddy attempts here and there to get back into it over the past several years. Not only is it a great way to track memories (and ensure hours of laughter and eye-rolling when you uncover said journal again in the distant future), journaling is a perfect way to slow down, reflect, vent, problem solve, and really get to know and examine your inner-self a little more closely.

3) Keep in touch better. I loved so many things about going to school at Saint Louis University. The absolute best part, however, was the people I met and relationships I built there. Through SLU, I came to know some of the coolest, most inspirational people... and I'm lucky enough to still call many of them close friends. The only downside of them being so "cool and inspirational" is where their "cool and inspirational" adventures have taken them.

To give you a few examples: Joanne is working on a graduate degree and learning more about her faith in Israel. Carrie is a physical therapist around Seattle, WA. Julia is working in student affairs and Greek life at Tulane University in New Orleans, LA. Erin, Brigid and Justin teach middle schoolers outside Honolulu, HI; Astoria, OR; and Sacramento, CA, respectively. Caitlin is in law school at SMU in Dallas, TX. Theresa, recently back from a year in Ecuador, is in medical school in Columbia, MO. Sarah works in corporate responsibility for the Rams in St. Louis, MO. Lily teaches piano lessons in Iron Mountain, MI. Mandy is a school foodservice director and registered dietitian near Cincinnati, OH. Morgan is in corporate writing in Chicago, IL. Dan is a theology graduate student in Boston, MA. Greg, recently back from a year in Alaska, is "selling beer" in Saratoga Springs, NY.  Pat C. works at the Cleveland Clinc, while Pat D. is in the Navy and hard to keep track of lately - maybe in Japan? Not to mention all my internship pals in the DFW metroplex, and high school friends scattered about, soon to include Mitch playing pro football in Austria. And this is literally just a few. (No offense to any of you I left out! Love you all..)

As you can see, I have friends in every time zone, let alone on multiple continents, and in all lines of work. It's not easy for us to match schedules and find time to catch up. (Just ask Katie, Pat & Mandy - all of whom I've been playing phone tag with for waaay too long!) But sometimes it's that I "don't feel" like picking up the phone to make the call, or am "too lazy" to open my laptop and crank out a quick email. But because all these people are so important to me, I'm making it a priority to keep in touch better and maintain these relationships. With today's technology it shouldn't be hard -- Skype, email, Gchat, texting, cell phone calls, etc. make keeping in touch possible virtually anywhere, anytime. (Although I am quite partial to good old fashion snail mail and in-person conversations too!)

4) Get closer to figuring out my life. I obviously don't expect to have my life figured out at the close of 2011, but I hope by next January to be a little more clear about where I'm headed. While working in my hometown and living with my parents in fine for now, I know it's not what I'm supposed to be doing (or WANT to be doing) long-term. The problem is, I'm not clear about what I do want, so I'm having trouble figuring out the next step. I'm confident that the above goals.. quieting myself, praying, reflecting, journaling, having discussions with my great friends.. will definitely help me move in the right direction, toward achieving goal 4.

Stay tuned for more posts soon -- including "24 Goals for 24" (I turn 24 in a couple weeks, and am planning 24 goals to work toward in the year ahead -- different from resolutions.) and my favorite new products I've discovered working in a grocery store!

Here's praying that 2011 is a year of health, happiness and blessings for you and those you love!