new year, new slate!

Today is the last day of 2009, in a matter of hours it will be a brand new year!

Every year I make a few new year resolutions; some of them I cross off, others...not so much.

This year my resolutions are:

1) Like every other person: Get healthy! I want try to not drink so much diet coke, and for one month no soda pop. And obviously eat right/exercise.

2) My ward is doing the challenge to read The Book of Mormon together this year, so they've give us a book mark with what we need to read each day. I haven't done this since President Hinckley's challenge years ago in the beauty school days.

3) I'm usually good at not spending money on frivolous things but I haven't been great on it lately so I plan on making sure if what I am buying is a need or a want.

4) Write more consistently in my journal.

5) Find a salon job and work hard to save up for future events.

6) Do more service for others in need.

7) Be more patient and speak only kind words.

8) Be a better daughter, sister, aunt, girlfriend, and friend.

9) Finish my hair clips and head bands I've begun making. I've been slacking off.

10) Most importantly to be a better daughter of God, I am definitely not perfect nor close to it but I want to make right choices to be better person.

Do you think we are prepared for the holidays?

Wood Christmas party!

Sunday evening we had our Christmas party. We ate a delicious dinner thanks to my mom and sisters (I had the difficult task of being in charge of drinks)

Stefani read this book to the family, if you don't own this book you should go out and get it. It's a must have! It teaches about the gift of giving others of Penny's jar of money she gives out each year with her family. So for our activity after we decorated our own jars to fill up for the next 12 months till we give our jars away next December. It was such a fun activity to do as a family and looking forward to next year of all of us giving them away to someone who needs them.

Everyone busy decorating their jars

Austin's Jar of Love haha

Everyone's jars they made!

Mrs. Clause ready to give our her rewards!

Not everyone was thrilled with their white elephant gift

poor Hailey got stuck with a jar of jam, that little lip couldn't have

popped out faster, she was happy that someone ''stole'' her gift so she could

pick a new present haha

Ryan was on the ''nice list'' and picked for an award for staying busy with school and work, getting good grades. He got some pj pants and ear plugs. He was excited about his white elephant gifts of crackers with a salami stick.

accessorize much?

I found this great website from one of the magazines at the grocery store when skimming through it and love it! I pretty much want everything on it haha. Go HERE

**Also they are having free shipping on the 17th on all orders! They have some dang cute things, I bought some necklaces and bracelets for presents and one for myself since I HAD to reach the $50 in order to get my free shipping. totally worth it btw.

Here are a few of the items that I bought:

I think this is so cute and unique

I bought this one in teal, so pretty!

This necklace I love, it can either go with jeans a cute t-shirt or with dress for a party ect

Great gifts to give to a friend, sister, girlfriend, anyone who would love some more jewelry!

Tis the season

I have a love hate relationship with the season winter, my dislikes are like anyone else's

*driving in the snow/blizzards

*scraping snow and ice off my car since I don't have the luxury of parking in a garage

*dry skin

* washing the salt and snow off my car knowing it's going to snow with in the week but I don't want rust to appear come Spring

The things that I enjoy about winter would be

*peppermint ice cream

*stephen's hot chocolate and pumpkin spice

*cozying up by the fire with a blanket and classic holiday movie

*the smells of pumpkin and cinnamon

*the beautiful serene look after a new fall of snow

*Christmas lights around the neighborhoods and Temple square

*Shopping for my friends and family

*sledding at Sugarhouse park/snowball fights

*bringing out my scarves, gloves, sweaters, boots, ect I love winter clothes

*listening to holiday music in my car and singing along

*watching Martha Stewarts holiday show getting cute ideas of making my own holiday cards, wrapping presents, and yummy food

*Did I mention delicious food?

*my mom's homemade cinnamon rolls are scrumptious

*and most importantly remembering the true meaning of CHRISTmas

I'm looking forward to spending this Christmas season at home with my family, and ecstatic that my sister Brittani, her husband and son Finn are going to be with us. I hope you are all enjoying the end of the year and the season!

cabin fever

I've been trying to get rid of a cold the past week and was anxious to get out of the house yesterday and go do something fun. I met up with some friend to In-and-out (so good!) After debating what to do I made a suggestion to go see the movie "The Blind Side"

Being the first to arrive at the theatre I went up to the guy at the ticket booth to purchase mine. I guess being told you smell amazing is a compliment guys tell girls now? ....thx?

Anyway, the movie is AMAZING, I absolutely loved Big Mike and oh my, SJ is so adorable he is such a funny little kid. Sandra Bullock did a great job, the real Leann is an amazing person she is now one of my role models.

I definitely give 2 thumbs up and highly recommend it to anyone of my friends and family

Next movie to see for next month is

"A Christmas Carol"

I am so excited for Thanksgiving coming up! We are spending it with Ryan's family at his Grandmas house. I cant believe before we know the year will be over and it's time to being 2010..weird! I still remember it turning year 2000 and everyone was freaking out.

counting down the days till San Fran!

I am going to see WICKED!!! Can you tell I'm excited? I seriously can't wait, I've been listening to the sountrack imagining what it will be like LIVE. My friend Tiffany called a few weeks ago and asked if I had plans after Thanksgiving that they have an extra ticket to Wicked and a Notre Dame football game. psh even if I did have plans I would move it around! haha.

Thanks Tiff! it's going to be so much fun hanging out with you and your fam next weekend!!

Who's team are you on?

Who else is absolutely excited to go see the new Twilight movie?! I know I am! 2 days left till I see with my mom and sisters :D

While reading the book I was with out a doubt on Edward's team. He sounded so dreamy, absolutely beautiful and pretty much made me dream of vampires.

BUT

Now that the movies are coming out.... I would have to say I have deserted Edward and gone to the Jacob side. I'm sorry but Rob Pattinson,... you just didn't stack up to play Edward.

Non the less I can't wait to go see it

<3 my family

Now that I've returned from my trip and my family is whole again (Brittani is in town for the next couple of months!) we went out this afternoon for lunch at Chili's filling our faces with yummy goodness and their amazing chocolate molten lava cake...uh-may-zing. It disappeared with in seconds!

I'm so blessed to have 3 amazing older sisters that are so close with one another and would drop anything in their life for each other, Especially when Brittani is visiting! *also grateful for their understanding husband for the long disappearances so we can

re unite*

I have 2 of the best parents, I couldn't ask for anyone better to be my mom and dad. I look back on growing up and want to thank them for keeping me grounded because they love me and only want the best for me.

I remember at times being a teenager thinking how could I have such mean and at time unfair parents to not let me stay out at all hours that I had a curfew, who grounded me when not keeping my grades up or following their rules, for not buying me the much wanted honda civic when turning sweet 16 and got instead a hand me down used ford explorer. What a MEAN mom and dad RIGHT?!

WRONG

THANK YOU mom and dad for making me have a curfew, for disciplining me when needed and actually allowing me to drive a car and actually having it all to myself. The exploder was a good car and have 6 years of memories with that thing till it finally died.

THANK YOU for teaching me to respect and love everyone, to forgive quickly *don't sweat the small stuff!* My mothers LOVE and nurturing; my fathers WISDOM and patience has taught me many life lessons the last 24 years and looking forward to many more.

If I can be half as good of a parent as they have been and continue to be than I think I'll be on the right track.

<3

2009 cruise!

I love cruises! this was my first time and here are my top reasons why they are so amazing

1) unlimited amounts of food to gorge yourself anytime your little heart desires. 24 hours a day fresh made pizza, amazing sandwiches, I can't count how many ice cream cones I had. The lobster, shrimp, desserts... I don't even want to think about the calories I consumed with in the past week. All I know is that I left with my pants feeling a bit m

ore snug than when I arrived.

2) looking forward to going to bed so I can see which towel animal was left on my bed with the next days itinerary and mints.

3) seeing so many types of people: conservative,old, young, crazy, people who need to cover up more than a speedo or string bikini... painting a pretty picture for you yet?

4) karaoke! like the party cruise girl said "Karaoke is like Nascar, you don't go to see the best you go to watch those who crash!" and boy were there some that crashed..and than some.

5) stopping off the different ports were amazing! Puerto Vallart

a, Mazatlan, and Cabo San Lucas were so much fun, shopping, amazing beaches, the infamous "you want to buy? For you, I give you great price!" Thanks to Ryan's help we bargained for a necklace I really wanted from $75 to $30.

6) And of course spending time and getting to know the Ouzounian side more, it so fun to meet family members I haven't met

yet, to see others I haven't seen for awhile, what a great vacation for all ages to have a wonderful time together.

I took almost 300 pictures and would have taken more if I had the memory on my card for it. So I will post some of my favorites

They surprised me with a birthday cake! (my birthday was the day before)

Here's the whole gang on the stairs!

This place is called el eden, beautiful & so fun! also it was the set for the movie "The predator"

me with one of the crabs we found!

Stefani, Rachel, Me, Andrea. Chloe, Mickell, & Aubrey

beautiful Cathedral in Puerto Vallerta beautiful view at the beach!

poor Rachel got her sister's anniversary ring stuck on her finger for a few hours... she tried everything; soap, ice, lotion, water, finally pulled the lil sucker off!

Ryan and I dressed up for one of the formal nights

Watch Out!!

There is an open house Thursday October 8 for a watch party, you know the cute interchangeable watches and bracelets?! Sabrina is doing it with her mother and you should all pretty much come! I will be doing glitter toes there as well!

*gel acrylic with glitter that stays on your toes for 6-8 weeks* I have some great colors to choose from :D

So come on over and have some fun :D

The perfect brownie

Is it dumb that I totally want this? 

I really need to get out of the house today... no more infomercials.  And no more thinking of chocolate. I blame my genes for being a chocoholic.

26 days

I know I can I know I can I know I can. I'm putting this into my brain for the next 26 days while I eat and drink healthy with my mom before I go on my cruise. 

breakfast: forgot about first day and ate a delicious definitely not healthy muffin, half way through I remembered and put it away.

lunch: ate soup that my mom made that is supposed to be very healthy for us with a glass of water

dinner: lettuce sandwich with tomatoes and cucumbers and turkey meat.

In between meals I'm finding veggies to munch on and drinking lots of water.

 

Ugh and it doesn't help that the snickers bar in the candy stash has been eyeing me when walking past. 

 

I've been making plans of different foods I'll eat, different exercises I'll be doing and keeping sugarless gum close by. I heard that chewing gum can help your cravings so I might be going through a few packs...

 It's always hard the first couple of week to change my eating habbits, but after the time has past I no longer crave my diet coke, sweets, and unhealthy meals. I have a goal to lost at least 10 pounds if I'm lucky and work hard before the cruise. As well as at least maintain my weight during the cruise since I heard cruise food is amazing and at your beckon call 24/7. 

Anyone have amazing healthy recipe's? if so let me know! whether on here or e-mail me at jannali.wood@gmail.com

I know of a few people who have P90X and love it I've been thinking of purchasing it. Till than Windser Pilates and yoga dvd's and outside running is what I'll be doing.  

one month left

As fall approaches soon I am anxious to dust off the sweaters, boots, and of course my drawer of scarves. I absolutely love fall, though I'm not the biggest fan of the next season...I dread the cold long winters that come every year here in Utah. If it were my way come February 1 winter would be over and Spring would be quickly on it's way. 

Lucky for me one month from today I will get my last hoorah of sunshine in Mexico! I will be on one of these.

and relaxing some where like this

I can't wait! It will be so fun to go on my first cruise and hang out with Ryan and his family :D

state fair!

Oh the state fair. The food, the rides, great place for people watching, and booths to pay a buck to see "the worlds smallest horse" or "the largest alligator" 

And even better that night, going back to 6th grade days listening to Boys 2 Men. Yes that's right they were playing live that night. (poor guys are taking whatever they can get these days, but they still sound great!)

another one bites the dust!

One of my friends from High School has joined the marriage club! I'm so happy for her, she got married in the Draper Temple and it was a beautiful day there! It was fun seeing my old group of girls there. While others were on their way for pictures, and some were in the temple with her I was able to watch my friends little girls. They are living in Japan and were able to make it to the wedding! 

aren't they adorable! they were so fun to watch 

I've been told rain is good luck on your wedding day, so with that and a double rainbow I think she's got a great future haha. The weather made for beautiful pictures at her backyard reception.

 

I didn't get this picture at the best angle

but it was so pretty!