2016 Personal Growth and Goals

Well I try and not do too many resolution type things at the first of the year, cause really why set yourself up for failure, but trying to better yourself inwardly and setting realistic goals for oneself is always a good thing. So since I am trying to use this blog more and keep myself accountable for my actions, self realizations, adventure and whatever else happens in my life, I figured I would make a little list of personal growth ideas and future goals for my hobbies, my family, and education/career. 

List away....

• Be more patient in my marriage - I have a short-temper and tend to not think before reacting to things that can be simply resolved but I blow way out of proportion. So, I want to work on this aspect of myself really hard, to be able to have a stronger and more communicative marriage for years to come.
• Buckle down and take the GRE - Basically, stop having a pity party about it and just sign up, study for it and get it over with so I can start really working towards my educational goals whatever that is right now. 
• Pick a educational and career path while here in Germany -  Donald would love for me to try and get a GS position here in Germany, I need to pick an educational path that will get me a little closer in the door of said position and then I can begin working on my real goal a MLIS degree. 
• Spend more time with my hobbies - Do photography more, read more, start taking time to journal and plan with this planner community stuff, begin coloring in my adult coloring books, basically be more productive in the things that make me happy!
• Personal blog more - Basically, actually use this blog for more than random post but for updates on life in general, chatting about living in Germany as an American (it is not hard), and sharing some aspects of my hobbies.

For now I think those are good goals to set for myself. Not a whole lot of pressure, but a good way to stay focus on the positive. 

BLOGMAS 2015 | Day Four: Please Santa hear my wish....

Yes, even as an adult you want to believe in Santa and that he will hear your wishes on what you really want for Christmas and it will magically appear on Christmas morning on a wall, wrapped under a tree, sitting outside in the driveway, etc.

Gifts I wish Santa would bring me:

1. Pretty bookcases: I have been wanting new bookcases for my apartment since I moved to Germany, and I have yet to get them. I would love to hear my heartfelt wish and deliver me some sturdy, aesthetically appeasing to the eyes bookcases to house my many books. I have this wall in my apartment that is perfect and is just waiting to be adorned with these bookcases.

2. The winning lottery ticket: You heard me correctly. I want to winning ticket so I can travel Europe when I want and not have to worry about if there is enough money to do so. I could also, decorate my place the way I wanted and again not have to worry about the money flowing out of my hands.

3.My family visiting me next year: I live in Germany now, far,far from my family and I would love it for them to come visit me this upcoming year. If Santa could make that happen that would be AWESOME!

4. All things that relax and keep me organized: This can be many things; books, adult coloring books, planner/organizational tools, a maid, etc. So Santa make the judgement call on what you think I need to complete this task.

BLOGMAS 2015 | Day Three: Favorite Winter Beverages

Favorite Winter Beverages:

1. Hot Chocolate: I like it made with milk instead of water, it makes it more creamy and smooth and sometimes I even like to have a little Bailey's or caramel liquor to just spice it up a little.

2. Gluwein: Gluwein is red or white wine heated up with some spices to keep you warm and toasty while walking around the many Christmas markets scattered all over Germany. I particularly prefer white Gluwein.

3. Warm Apple Cider: A wonderful smelling and inviting drink to warm your insides up while spending time with family.

4. Warm Milk: I know this sounds weird but during the winter months I get bad insomnia and walk milk relaxes me.

BLOGMAS 2015 | Day Two: Favorite Christmas Movies

Favorite Christmas Movies:

Everyone has their favorite Christmas movies and it always varies between family and friends. Listed below are my favorite Christmas movies. Tell me in the comments below what your favorite Christmas movies are and why?

1. The Polar Express- I love this movie and always watch it in December. This is the movie that makes me want a 3D television seriously bad. I always feel I am on a roller coaster when watching The Polar Express, does anyone else feel that way?

2. Gremlins - I love love love the Gremlins. Do not feed Gizmo after midnight, please! As cheesy as it may be, I believe the new Krampus movie is going to have the same feel to it. Wait and see!



3. A Dog Named Christmas - Okay here comes a true confession from me, I am a Hallmark Channel kind of girl and several of my favorite Christmas movies are Hallmark movies. This movie is the first of three. A Dog named Christmas is about a dog that brings a family closer and heals old emotional scars. Yep pulling at my heartstrings this one is.



4. A Charlie Brown Christmas - Seriously if you are not a Peanuts fan and watching this lovable show during the holidays we need to have a serious sit down therapy session.



5. A Season for Miracles - Hallmark channel movie #2. The name says it all oh yeah and there is a very cute romance happening too, because I love me some clean family romantic movies.



6. The Most Wonderful Time of the Year - you know the drill by now, a romantic comedy to round out my Hallmark Channel Christmas movies obsession.



7. A Christmas Story - I gotta have a classic on my list. This is a fun movie to watch with the family. What is even funnier is that my older brother every year (his Christmas tradition) watches this movie like clockwork in December, sometimes more than once. So when I watch it, it always makes me think of my brother.



8. Home Alone - Last but not least Home Alone is that reminder to all parents to count your kids when you get in your car or before boarding a plane to make sure you have not left any home alone for the holidays.



So now you know what my favorite Christmas movies are. Tell me below what your favorites are!

Happy Countdown to Christmas!

BLOGMAS 2015 | Day One: Christmas Traditions

I am happy to say I am participating in Blogmas 2015! I will post every other day till December 25, 2015.  I will also be posting a bookish blogmas post over on my book review blog, Between Library Shelves.

Christmas Traditions:

Today's topic is Christmas Traditions. I recently got married and my husband and I are having to create new traditions between the two of us. So here are a few that we have started, being this is year is our second Christmas together. One thing to point out is that several of these traditions is because of where we live at the moment and will probably change in years to come. 

1. Christmas Markets: These originated in Germany long long years ago and are still a main attraction throughout Europe. I try to frequent as many Christmas markets as I can in the month of December. Last year I went to 5 around the area that I live.  So far, this year I have been to one, with a wonderful friend and her family. This was her first time experiencing this wonderful European tradition. 

 I thought this market was the prettiest of them all. 

2. Gluwein: This is a tradition of Germany, it is one of the most popular drinks that keep you warm as you walk through the many Christmas markets. Gluwein is a red or white wine that is mixed with spices, warmed and becomes a great drink to keep your hands warm while wrapped around the mug and your insides warm as you drink it all down. I personally like white gluwein , my husband prefers red. Not only can you drink this drink at Christmas markets but you can buy it anywhere for cheap, and let me say that January and February are really cold and miserable here so gluwein is good to have around to keep your spirit up. 

3. Gnomes: Last year I bought George my first gnome and recently, I bought Godfrey. Gnomes, especially Christmas gnomes originated in  the Scandinavian region (Norway, Sweden, Finland) and garden gnomes originated in Germany.  I prefer the Christmas gnomes. The story goes that you whisper to your gnome what you want for Christmas in hopes you receive it on Christmas day. So basically it is Europe's version of Elf on the Shelf. I have coined the phrase "Gnome on the Roam."

L-R: George and Godfrey

4. Skyping with Family on Christmas Day: Basically, we are both far far away from our families right now and we miss them so much on Christmas that we like to sit down and chat with family via Skype to see what they got from Christmas and if they enjoyed what we sent them. 

One event I hope becomes a tradition is this year's The Any Book Book Club Holiday Party. This is the first year it will take place but I hope it is a great success and becomes a regular event in the coming years. 

HAPPY COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS!

Update: First couple weeks in Germany

"The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page."

~Saint Augustine

I have been trying to write this post for a week now and finally sitting down to do so. Germany so far has been okay. I am not adjusting to it as well as I may have wanted to by now, but in do time I suppose I will call Germany my home. The first week was nerve racking all I wanted to do was sleep and all Donald did was try and keep me awake. We were on the go all during the day, getting me in the system on post and meeting with the shipping people at our new apartment, unpacking our stuff to find that not everything that I shipped made it safely here. :( Since this week we have been taking the weekends to shop for furniture and household goods and trying to mesh our styles together to come to a mutual decision on what we would like to see in our apartment. We have decided on a couch, entertainment unit and coffee table so far, but here in Germany or at least the places we have been to (not Ikea) they have to make what you purchase or ship it to the store from elsewhere and it is the slowest process ever. So basically you pay and wait on your furniture for a few months.

One thing I am looking forward too in November and December is Weihnachtsmärkte (Christmas Markets) There are several around where I live and I can't wait to go and experience them. Take pictures and share with you all. here are a few pictures of the view from our apartment, the area around the apartment and a random picture as we were out shopping for furniture.

Skyline from my porch. This is what I see when I walk outside.

Another photo of skyline from my porch, this is in the time before right before evening is upon us.

Off to the left of my porch is this row of houses in the distant, and lots of trees.

 

 

Kenzie out on the porch, She likes to come out and watch and listen to the children play in the neighborhood.

Kenzie running on the porch, she was glad for the sunshine and not so nippy weather.

A collage of the area around my apartment. Clockwise: Sidewalk area leading to playgrounds, which we just discovered has a slide that looks like a pile of books, so cool. Next is another playground area for older children that include ping pong tables, climbing egg, and trampolines. 3rd picture is just a tree area that also has a picnic table so one can sit and chill if like. And the forth picture is a shot of my apartment building and my apartment is the top apartment.

Randomness: Amy likes to come across things that are large and usually are not. So I took a picture of this chair at a furniture we went to last weekend.

Friendships: What merits a great one?

"Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends leave footprints in your heart."

~Eleanor Roosevelt

Lately, my mind has wondered to and fro about the idealistic nature of friendships and what people find as criteria for a good friendship.  I have heard many sayings that revolve around how one determines true friendship and funny thing is most of the time it is not that cut and dry. I like to think I try to be a good friend, but I know I fall short drastically in that I am introverted and need my distance, that I do not communicate in all the various ways enough, and my attitude can be a positive or negative contender in the mix, but I do try.
I believe everyone has personal requirements for friendships and each requirement carries a certain weight. I think my biggest requirement is TRUST, I have a hard time just having blind trust in people and so trust does not come easy for me. Trust to me is like needing refreshing water to others, it is what keeps me going in friendships.  Other requirements that I hold dear to me are honesty, and an understanding of oneself and not needing to be someone else.

Over the years, I have learned some lessons of what may not seem to be good friendships and that sometimes differences do not attract and sometimes having too much in common can lead to disaster. I also know there are those times that friendship defies all of these and becomes one harmonious gathering.
Let's take my husband, astrologically we are oil and water and should never mix, but oh do we like each other around. Is it pleasant always, No! But said husband, realized a long time ago that to get me to let him into my "little world" he was going to have to gain my trust and that is what he took a notion to do in small, concise ways that paid off in the end. Trust! goes a long way with me.
Other friendships that I hold dear to my heart are those that were sealed through moments in time that people come together and realize that puzzle pieces just fit, or those that we meet and are just mesmerized by how they have the strength to deal with such chaos in their life and still have the biggest heart, the most positive outlook on life and tries to never let anything get in their way of happiness. 
Sadly, not all friendships are meant to be, I have found that a timeline should be coveted in one's mind to how long one should be acquaintances before truly be considered a friend. In a freshly new friendship or one that has gone astray and reconnection has happened, that one weighted requirement should be at the forefront of the friendship. It should always be present and calculating the timeline to if the friendship will go down in history as a great friendship that surpassed all boundaries and satisfies the weighted requirement of TRUST or was it a friendship that was to teach you a lesson and that is all.
So I know I am not a perfect friend but this year alone I have reached out to a friend I had years ago, that I know I am the reason we wavered in our friendship and asked for forgiveness, told that friend that I missed our once great friendship and wished we could work on it now that I understand what went wrong and how my attitude played a big part in the distance that has become between us and the friendship.  There are other acquaintances that I would love to venture and try to have better friendships with and I know that trying to be a better friend is the first step in the right direction.
So I go forth, with my weighted requirement on my left arm and seek to learn more about my friendship ability and to consider who I want to call great, compatible, and trustworthy for my future friendships, especially with this adventure ahead of me of Becoming a Miller.

photo courtesy of www.fanpop.com