I was talking to a client at PB and discovered she had a blog. We started talking about blogging, why we blogged what we blogged about and we exchanged blogs and I told her that mine was "just a personal blog". I always warn people because I feel if you don't know me, it could be very boring, not funny and well... weird.

I blog because I love to write, want to keep my KY people connected and because it forces me to confront myself, the people around me and really embrace life head on!

I originally thought my blog would be a foodie blog because when I started it I was cooking a lot, but it really turned into a personal diary entry (with sensors!) about my life in the city.  I told her I tend to blog when I'm sad, because when I'm happy I am busy living it and embracing all the sweet things in life. She thought this was a funny thing, and I started thinking about it and thought I should start blogging when I'm happy too. I'm not certain I can commit because I do tend to write more when I have a lot on my mind on a more emotional/ dramatic level. I'm not sure what all that means. I feel like I'm pretty even keeled about things, but sometimes I have a lot of things on my mind that needs releasing. So anyway, nothing too crazy going on in my life, as I'm simply just trying to figure it all out one day at a time. Here's the latest. 

Josh and I took a trip to Colorado to ski the mountains of Aspen. It was a pretty perfect amazing trip that I couldn't have thought up better in my secret imagination. It was easy going with lots of laughter, no drama, great weather, good food, great skiing, AMAZING accommodations at Hotel Jerome and even consisted of a pit stop at a casino. Well, we actually stopped on the way to Aspen outside of Denver and one stop on the way back to redeem the first time! I learned a little more about black jack, the strategy, the rules, the highs and the lows of it (aka wins and losses) and learned that non-smoking casinos do exist and still generate lots of money! Kentucky- get with it! I had so much fun and really enjoyed spending time with him. Traveling is usually when I can stress out the most, and it was effortless and I was well taken care of. 

I had two good days skiing at Aspen Snowmass and the third day really got myself into a challenge at Aspen Highlands. It was way to hard for my confidence level and it took me almost 45 minutes to get down the mountain on the first run. I fell, cried, thought I was going to die a lot, hated life for a few seconds, had an anxiety attack, got really angry, then really sad, really scared and cussed myself out... and then I made it to the bottom! There weren't signs on which runs were green and so I ended up going down blues that felt like suicide (drama queen, yes!) and just felt out of control the whole way down. I am not a fast skier. I am cautious, like to be in control and take my time down. I usually ski solo because everyone is really good and I'm okay with being by myself with no pressure and time to just cruise the bottom part of the mountain! This mountain was just not for me! I was in the lift line trying to stall going back up and Josh came through the line. He offered to go down with me and find me a a little route that I could keep going down. He's a really good border and I felt bad because I didn't want to take time away from him. I told him to leave me, but he insisted and we found a route that was manageable. I went down one time after that with Josh and a sales rep and she offered that we set up a lesson for me. She was very generous and got a lesson set up with the ski school manager, who I was told was a bit older but an incredible skier who would teach me something. Weems was his name and he really did save my day! He is an amazing skier who gave me lots of pointers and helped me get down the mountain without feeling like it was the end of the world. He even gave me a lot of advice, a big hug at the end (we literally just did one run together, but it felt like we had known each other for a whole day), a signed copy of his book and the encouragement I needed for the next day! So glad that happened! The next day Josh did Aspen and I attempted Buttermilk, but couldn't find parking because of the X-Games, so I went back to Snowmass, did a couple runs and then returned my equipment. Skiing is really fun, but it's a lot of work and I think it's a lot like giving birth in that you don't remember the hard work and pain, but the bliss and accomplishment after the fact. That's why it keeps happening. What doesn't kill us makes us stronger right? Or as Lori just amended, "what tries to kill us, makes us smarter."

Heading to Florida next weekend for a girls trip I had planned last September. I had extra money then from nannying and thought it would be nice to get all my besties together for some fun in the sun. I don't have the extra money now, but I am excited to go and see Rachael, Sarah, Jaime and Lori in South Florida. It's a quick trip, but I will get the vitamin D, warmth and laughter needed to get me through the months I won't see their beautiful faces! I keep telling myself "YOLO," which means you only live once! So with that, I'm just going to keep living in the moment, being and doing what makes me really happy!

Much love from the city. xo

I owe Lori for this brilliant title. As we were snacking in the kitchen last night, I think she said hindsight 22 about a topic and kept the laughter rolling by adding hindsight 25. I think it was a mix of catch 22, hindsight, and us being 25. After five minutes of laughing about it, I decided what a brilliant title. I had a really bad day and Lori had a beautiful mini pecan pie for me when I got home from teaching. She knew I had been craving one and being the supportive beautiful person she is, lifted me up with something as little as a snack. (She knows the way into my heart always starts with food!).

Hindsight: recognition of the realities, possibilities, or requirements of a situation, event, decision etc., after its occurrence.

So it’s 2012, those Mayans sure were wrong with the world ending. Although, it is just January. Hm.

The Holidays in the city were amazing, special, unique but not quite home. I’m not complaining, I’m actually very grateful for my beautiful holidays here, I just really missed home and a lot of emotions surfaced that I had been suppressing since July. Lori and I spent Christmas with Alan and his brother Barry “in the country” as Lori calls it (it’s 30 minutes outside the city—New York City that is). They bought all the food and Lori and I went over Christmas Eve and made their special Irish cake, had snacks and watched movies. Alan even had a beautiful tree lit up, decorated with beautifully wrapped gifts under the tree, (I’m saying even, because it wasn’t there two days before that). LoL.

Christmas day we laid around and cooked and continued to watch more Christmas movies. It was relaxing and peaceful and felt like a piece of home having Lori there. We did a gift exchange and even though it's not about the gifts, we were all pretty excited! I got Lululemon for everybody. Barry got me and Lori a wall piece that hangs in the kitchen that has tiers of different inspirational words, Lori got some Betsy Johnson jewelry from Alan, and Alan got me a set of kitchen knives and a beautiful watch. It was just a lovely Christmas day and Christmas dinner was even more amazing. Alan made a turkey and ham. Lori made amazing broccoli casserole. I made deviled eggs, corn casserole, mashed potatoes and some stuffing.  It was a feast and we all held our bellies in pain afterwards. It was a beautiful way to spend Christmas and I’m so thankful for the hospitality of the Walsh boys!

New Years Eve, Alan drove Lori and I too the Hamptons to see Sarah Poe. Her house was AMAZING! She lives with young professionals and one of them is an interior decorator and the house is so cool, Lori and I were both ready to throw our dreams away and move to the Hamptons! She had beautiful hors d'oeuvres that we all sat and devoured when we walked in, a fire in the kitchen (in the fireplace) and good friends that became our own! It was small and low key and the ideal perfect way to spend New Years Eve.

Sunday we woke up and made breakfast with her housemates (egg bake, chocolate chip pancakes, fresh grated hash browns, bacon, leftover cheeses, brie and crackers, dips and guacamole. It was amazing! Afterwards we cleaned up and went to the beach and walked around (by walk I mean I was piggy backed because I didn’t want to get my feet sandy),  a winery wine tasting and then went to a little town in the Hamptons and walked around the shops. We drove back to the city that evening and welcomed the New Year with a perfect day spent with great people in a beautiful place.

With a new year there’s often times a lot of reflection. It’s a time to look back and think about the accomplishments or lack there of, set new goals and resolutions and really make a stance to create something amazing in the new year. At 25, hindsight... I can honestly say there’s not much I would have done differently in 2011. I made a lot of brave decisions that changed the course of my life, and I am grateful for the opportunity and excited to see what happens next.

Pure Barre is going amazing and our evening classes have been packed full with beautiful woman ready to change their bodies! Lulu is amazing and I have made great friends and really fallen in love with the culture and family it creates for it’s people.

At my lulu staff meeting we actually just discussed the word grateful, all that it means and how we interpret it. We also talked about it’s opposite; entitlement and this topic really resonated with me and helped me with my reflection and self-evaluation for the New Year.

I’m most certainly grateful for everything and in no way feel entitled to anything I have. I sometimes feel undeserving and I need to work on accepting myself for who I am and acknowledging that I have put in a lot of hard work and sacrifice to be where I am. 2012 is going to be full of goal accomplishing, hard work, dedication and positive change that’s going to allow me to stay on course and in pursuit of happiness and dreams I will continue to stay happy, optimistic, motivated, inspired, supportive of those around me, compassionate with all the beautiful people in my life, humble, grateful, and real.

To enroll you all in my goals so you can hold me accountable this is what I am going to accomplish in 2012.

Become an entrepreneur.
Write a children’s book, “Coopers House.” (Dad will illustrate it and it will be for the Veloudis family for their beautiful family and hard work they put into Coopers Law!)
Workout 4x a week (3 x at Pure Barre)
Pay off credit card.
Draft cookbook recipes.
Las Vegas girls trip in the Spring.           
Beach vacation by the end of Summer.
Laugh more.
Take life less seriously.
Read a book a month.

I’d love to know your goals for 2012. Just post in the comments below so you too can enroll people!

Much love from the city! Xoxoxo

Egg Bake Recipe:
I don't measure often or follow recipes. In the Kitchen I like to be creative and use what I have in the kitchen and make it up as I go, but this is a good recipe you could follow and have some creative freedom for yourself.

Butter the butter out of a casserole dish.
Crack 12 eggs into it (or less if it's a smaller dish)
Pinch of Salt and pepper on top of eggs.
Caramelize onions and thyme w/ about 2 tablespoons of EVOO (or you could do any combination of spinach and garlic, onions and bell pepper, any vegetable with onions and garlic).
Dollop into egg mixture.
Add Salt and Pepper
Add Parmesan Cheese (or any cheese, Smoked Gouda, Sharp White Cheddar, or whatever your favorite is)
Bake for about 25-30 min on 375 or until golden brown. If you want the yolks runny, lessen the time.