Pumpkin Chili- Fall in a bowl!

Much to my husband's dismay I think, chili is one of my absolute favorite meals. I was trying to think of what I could make this year using pumpkin (another one of my favorite things that my husband isn't a fan of) and thought, "I bet someone somewhere made a recipe for pumpkin chili" and I was right!

I absolutely LOVED this! In true Sarah fashion, I did make some adjustments to the recipe based on my own personal taste preferences. One I would do differently next time would be to add more pumpkin- either pureed or cube some up and add to the veggie mixture. While you could certainly TASTE the pumpkin, I didn't think that it was nearly pumpkin-y enough! I'm not sure an entire second can would be needed, but a little more wouldn't hurt. I also added chicken broth- because it didn't seem liquid-y enough (and for a little more flavor)- and nutmeg- because I think nutmeg and pumpkin go so well together.

Pumpkin Chili

From: What's Cookin, Chicago?

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 green bell pepper, chopped 
1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped (Note: I used both whole peppers, because who needs a half pepper?)
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 pound ground turkey
2 14.5oz can diced tomatoes with jalepenos (Note: I used Muir Glen Organic Fire Roasted tomatoes with green chiles)
1 14.5oz can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained (Note: I did NOT drain these before adding them)
1 14.5oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup frozen corn (Note: I used AT LEAST a cup.)
2 cups (1 14.5 ounce can) pumpkin puree
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 tablespoon cumin
cayenne pepper to taste
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Things I added:
Nutmeg to taste
Approx. 2 cups chicken broth




For serving:
fresh cilantro 
shredded Cheddar cheese 
sour cream 

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Saute the onion, green bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, and garlic until tender, about 10 minutes.
When done, transfer mixture to a slow cooker. (Note: I didn't do this. I just cut up all the veggies and added them to the crock pot. Because really why saute them when you are going to put them in a crockpot for 4+ hours.)

In the same skillet over medium high heat, add 1 tablespoon oil. When oil starts to shimmer, crumble in ground turkey, and brown, about 10 minutes. When done, transfer mixture into slow cooker. 

Add the tomatoes, beans, pumpkin, and corn. Season with chili powder, cumin, pepper, salt, and cayenne. (and nutmeg if you want)

Cover slow cooker and cook on high for 4-6 hours or low for 6-8 hours. 

To serve, garnish with chopped fresh cilantro, shredded cheese and sour cream, all to your tastes. (I thought the fresh cilantro was a GREAT finisher!)


I think this will make for a fantastic lunch today! :o) Enjoy!

Sriracha Mac 'n Cheese

For those of you who are unaware- I love hot sauce. I would even say that love is probably an understatement. I am obsessed with hot sauce- cholula, sriracha, franks... I love them all! So when The Sriracha Cookbook by Randy Clemens was released this past spring, of course I jumped at purchasing it!

Since I've purchased the book, I've made several recipes from it.... Chilaquiles, carne asada, gazpacho, pulled pork.. but one thing reigns about all others- the mac n cheese! The spiciness of the Sriracha mixed with the sharpness of the cheddar, sweetness of the nutmeg and the crunch from the bread crumb topping make this a fantastic fall meal! (Or any time of year meal for that matter- it just happens to be fall)

Baked Mac n' Cheese
8 tbsp. (1 stick) butter
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
8 oz. elbow macaroni
1/2 small sweet onion, diced
1/4 all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. dried mustard
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 Sriracha
7 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese (NOTE: I used 8oz. so I could just use the whole bag)
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly spritz a 2-qt. casserole dish (I used my 9x13 baking dish) with nonstick cooking spray.

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt 4 tbsp. of the butter. Add the bread crumbs, stirring gently. Turn off the heat, allow the bread crumbs to absorb the butter and reserve.

In a large stockpot, bring 2 qts. of salted water to a rolling boil. Add the macaroni noodles and stir. Cook until the noodles are just slightly undercooked.

While the pasta is cooking, melt the remaining 4 tbsp. of the butter in a large saucepan (I used my Wok) over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Whisk in the flour, gradually. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Add 1/2 cup of the milk while whisking until it is absorbed and thickened slightly. Then add the rest of the milk, followed by the cream. Add the salt, dried mustard, pepper and nutmeg. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occassionally.

Stir in the Sriracha. Gradually add the cheddar cheese while slowly whisking, one handful at a time. (NOTE: the recipe says only add 1 1/2 of the cups here and put the rest on top. I add all the cheddar into the sauce and put extra parmesan on the top.)

Once all the cheese has melted, toss in the cooked macaroni, coating the noodles with the cheese sauce. (NOTE: this will almost look like cheese soup with a little bit of noodles. This is OK- the cheese thickens while in the oven.) Transfer the noodles and sauce to the baking dish. Top with remaining 1/4 cup cheddar cheese and parmesan cheese (or in my case, just parmesan). Cover with an even layer of the buttered bread crumbs.

Bake, uncovered, until golden brown for 18-22 minutes.

I took this to a potluck on Friday night and it was a HUGE hit! It's great a for any size group of people and makes GREAT leftovers! The breadcrumbs aren't usually as crunchy the next day, but they are still tasty!

Tonight's menu?? Pumpkin chili! Mmmm! I am clearly on a Fall foods kick!

Weird.

Vernal, Utah is weird.

More power to J for being able to live there. It wasn't so much the small town feel that turned me off (I did spend four years of my life in Clarion, Pa. people) as the people and the weird dinosaur statues.

NOTE: Vernal is located about 30 or so miles from Dinosaur, Colo. so while the statues make sense, it doesn't make them any less creepy.
NOTE 2: I tried my hardest to take photos of said statues while driving along the "main drag" in Vernal. I failed to do so.

About 40 miles outside of Vernal is the Flaming Gorge- very cool! I cannot wait to check out this place more in the summer- when it is warmer and there are no hunters!

In other news, I am now 25 years old. What does that mean? Well, now I can rent my own car without paying an additional million bucks a day. That's pretty much it.

J bought me a new board which I had been subtly hinting at for months. By subtly, I of course mean telling him nearly every day that a new board for my birthday would be much appreciated. BEHOLD... the Never Summer Infinity:

Isn't she beautiful? A Basin opens tomorrow and I am ready for a kick ass winter! Me and my new buddy up there will have tons of fun! May be someday soon I'll get to take my new buddy to Telluride...

Also, I am participating in a Rugged Maniac race this weekend. Wish me luck... This may very well be my last blog entry before death... :o)

Change...

As the aspens begin to change... so has my life. It's been awhile since I've written- and that is mainly because of the HUGE life altering changes that have occurred in my life. Well ONE huge life altering change.

Jonathan has moved to Utah. Vernal, Utah. Vernal is 5.5 hours from Denver.

No we are not divorced, nor are we GETTING a divorce. But, he had an incredible job opportunity and we decided it made sense for him to take it. Being the long-distance relationship pros that we are, I am looking at this for what it is- temporary. He should be back in our house by this time in 2012.

Does it make the next 10-12 months of my life any easier? No.

But, it does give us a really great opportunity to explore the western part of Colorado and into the easter part of Utah- which I am very excited to do. (Did you know there is a place called Dinosaur, Colorado? Yep. There is.)

In the mean time- I will be residing in Denver, in the house that we own, with our dogs, just living life... cooking, reading a lot and working out.

As the cliche goes... when life hands you lemons, ask for a bottle of tequila! Or, may be it is make lemonade? I like the first option best. :o)

Love writes a letter and sends it to Hate...

In preparation for our trip to Pennsylvania in two weeks, I have been listening to some really great, meaningful music. I have to arrive in my hometown with the utmost optimism so as not to drown in the negativity that dwells in Western PA. Perhaps it is my own negativity about traveling to place the I chose to leave for a reason (or several) and the lack of "vacation" I have while actually there.


I have found "The Ballad of Love and Hate" by The Avett Brothers to be intoxicating and so truth felt. Aside from the fact that I am madly in love with Seth, I keep listening to it for the lyrics (Ok- may be his voice, too!).

http://youtu.be/1cTJV3HK-Xs

Love writes a letter and sends it to Hate:
"My vacation's ending, I'm coming home late
The weather was fine and the ocean was great
And I can't wait to see you again"

Hate reads the letter and throws it away
"No one here cares if you go or you stay
I barely even noticed that you were away
I'll see you or I won't, whatever"

Love sings a song as she sails through the sky
The water looks bluer through her pretty eyes
And everyone knows it whenever she flies
And also when she comes down

Hate keeps his head up and walks through the street
Every stranger and drifter he greets
And shakes hands with every loner he meets
With a serious look on his face

Love arrives safely with suitcase in toe
Carrying with her the good things we know
A reason to live and a reason to grow
To trust, to hold, to care

Hate sits alone on the hood of his car
Without much regard to the moon or the stars
Lazily killing the last of a jar
Of the strongest stuff you can drink

Love takes a taxi, a young man drives
As soon he sees her hope fills his eyes
But tears follow after at the end of the ride
Because he might never see her again

Hate gets home lucky to still be alive
He screams over the sidewalk and into the drive
The clock in the kitchen says two-fifty-five
And the clock in the kitchen is slow

Love has been waiting patient and kind
Just wanting a phone call or some kind of sign
That the one that she cares for who's out of his mind
Will make it back safe to her arms

Hate stumbles forward and leans in the door
Weary head hung down, eyes to the floor
He says, "Love, I'm sorry," and she says, "What for?
I'm yours and that's it, whatever
I should not have been gone for so long
I'm yours and that's it, forever
Your mine and that's it, forever"

A Mario Kart ending...

J and I have been playing in a beer-in-hand kickball league this summer (And last, too). For the last game of the season, most of the teams in the league dress up. Our team - I gave her my word I'd stop at third- decided that we would dress up as Mario Kart characters. Below is photographic proof of our debauchery... I'd like to think if they gave out medals- we'd get gold!

It was so much fun! While I am sad that we are sitting out the fall season, I truly welcome not drinking that much beer on Wednesday nights! It's exhausting!!!!

Too hot!

One of the reasons autumn is my favorite season is because summer, spring and winter in Pennsylvania are dreadful. Autumn isn't a huge season here in Colorado as we pretty much have two: summer and winter. But, this 95 degrees and ridiculously high humidity we have been having reminds me of my summers in Pennsylvania where the only way to escape the heat is to be in a pool... Sadie and Ryleigh have the right idea...

Too bad Colorado's pools are few and far between... Guess I'll hang out in the basement for now in my air conditioning!

Red Rocks: the most beautiful venue on Earth!

This weekend, J and I went to see Grace Potter and the Nocturnals and the Avett Brothers at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison, Colo. If you've never seen a show here, you are TRULY missing out! It was a fantastic show- outside of the people who were determined to sit in the seats on their tickets in general admission- Weirdos! I would highly recommend going to see them this tour- Grace Potter is a BAD ASS and the Avett Brothers were so good!

Anyway-- here are some photos of the venue in all its glory:

My first Fourth of July in Denver...

J and I love to go camping and moving to Colorado has only increased that. Every Fourth of July we go somewhere- three years ago it was to a local state park, two years ago was 11-Mile Canyon and last year was to Gunnison. Unfortunately, camping has not been our number one priority this summer as gas prices have put a huge damper on our trips! No worries though... Not all was lost! Friday night consisted of a lovely date at our kitchen table with fresh mozzarella, tomato and basil pinwheels... and a couple glasses of Cabernet for me and some Bud Light limes for J (his fave!). Friday's are usually our quiet night where we like to unwind from the week by making something delicious and enjoying it lazily in front of a movie. Friday night's pick: Silence of the Lambs! (Note: I'm getting Jonathan hooked on all the movie series I love like the Hannibal Lector movies and Harry Potter... ahh, love!)

Saturday we went on a lovely hike in Jamestown, CO on a trail called Ceran St. Vrain. Our overweight (sigh) Labs were thrilled to discover that most of the trail ran beside water and were smart enough to realize that they couldn't swim in a lot of the areas due to the ridiculously high waters we are having this year. (Thanks late snow melt!) After a quick lunch at Larkburger- YUM! - we went back  home, grabbed a few things and off to Denver we went! After quick bike ride to a friends house, we were on our way to the Colorado Rockies game. Our friends- bless their hearts- stood in like for more than 8 hours waiting for Rock Pile tickets- or the $4 cheap seats that are the most fun! Here are some photos:

Since we had the cheapest seats in the house, we were able to go on the field to watch the fireworks for the BEST seats in the house! Very cool! Overall Saturday was a great night, with some great friends!

Sunday consisted of a few hours at Valmont Bike Park, followed by a lovely evening with some friends and more fireworks in their neighborhood.

Yesterday was more than relaxing and we spent most of the day in the basement catching up on True Blood and the Next Food Network Star! We're also watching the entire Harry Potter series to prepare for the end... which is just around the corner. Sad!

And now Tuesday is here... Is it the weekend yet?!?! At least it is a four day week!

Must. Be. Better.

Now that I've successfully gone three whole months without a single blog... I have so much to say! :o)

Jonathan and I both ended up getting brand new mountain bikes! I've lovingly named my bike Sylvia... because she's both sleek and beautiful.

We've been going pretty much every weekend- especially now that Boulder has opened VALMONT BIKE PARK!!!! A mecca of fun and entertainment, which regularly makes me feel like a child on my lunch break, let alone on my Saturday mornings! I've noticed a huge improvement in my bike handling abilities and have become so much more comfortable on my new best friend!

Purchasing several thousand dollars of bikes can definitely put a damper on a budget. Therefore, what better opportunity to broaden our horizon than with homemade cooking? I learned how to make homemade pierogies (an underrated delicacy of my homeland: Pittsburgh, PA!) and made about 100 in a 24 hour period. The secret? Sour cream. Put sour cream in the dough to keep it moist and in tact during the sealing process. I didn't use a secret family recipe or anything, but I did use this recipe: http://pittsburgh.about.com/od/recipes/r/pierogies.htm - The first batch came out a little thick, but once J and I discovered how thick to make them, they were perfect!

One thing to know is that I am addicted to hot sauce, especially Sriracha. So when Randy Clemens came out with The Sriracha Cookbook - I was ELATED! When the booked arrived at my house last month, I had never been so pleased! The book is so much more than just "add Sriracha to whatever" - but puts delicious twists on everyday favorites. First we started with the chilaquiles- a Mexican breakfast- which was amazing! We followed the chilaquiles with many other recipes such as deviled eggs, tikka masala, baked mac n cheese, pulled pork... and BUTTER... yes, Sriracha butter is a real thing and it is 100 percent delicious! J has limited my Sriracha cookbook recipes to about one a week... and I have to respect his wishes, but still put the hot sauce on 99.9 percent of my meals anyway!

Four months ago I started the C25K running program. I was physically forced to take a two week hiatus due to some major knee issues. This past Saturday, I successfully completed 5k. It took me 45 minutes... and I walked the last .4K, but I did it nonetheless. After the 5k, we biked 14 miles to Stapleton for an afternoon at the pool and many deserved beers! Granted, I still snooze most mornings when my alarm goes off at 5:25am, but I've decided that the dedication to running is going to take me a lot longer than the four months it has taken me to get here.

Hopefully it won't take me 3+ months to post my next blog... here's to hoping... Happy Fourth!

Since we last spoke...

Our lives have been a complete whirlwind! Justin and Greg have came and went... We had a really great time with them while they were here, but it does feel nice to have my house back! I'm already looking forward to them coming out next winter- if they are able!


Our friends Brent & Tiff came into town the night that Justin & Greg headed out. We hadn't seen them since November. They used to live here (actually not too far from the house we bought), but moved back to PA to be with Tiff's dad who was diagnosed with cancer. I think this trip was really hard for them because they really miss living here, but will need to be in PA for at least another year or two. We went with to dinner with them and their friends Alex & Whitney to Fogo de Chao. I had never been there, but fell in love with Caipirinha- Brazilian margaritas! 

They were pretty sugary, but man were they delicious!


On Saturday, we went and skied Vail with Tiff, Mike and Emily. Brent went, but got pretty sick after one or two runs and crashed at Mid-Vail. Jonathan and I actually downloaded with him- it was my first time downloading and it was pretty weird. Everyone going UP the lift stares at you and it's kind of uncomfortable. Oh well! We had a great weekend with them and cannot wait for them to come back!


Jonathan and I started week 4 of the c25k running program last night. I ran for five minutes straight. I could hardly believe it. I am actually starting to enjoy it, too.


Sadie May turned THREE yesterday! I cannot believe it! Where has the time gone? Awe, my girl!

Things are good. I'm ready for spring and summer. Our kickball league starts again on March 30th, which is great because I've been missing everyone! I'm in the process of pricing out a mountain bike so I'm really excited to get into that! Jonathan and I will be celebrating our one year wedding anniversary this month... I'm hoping it involves fondue! Mmmm...

Updates...

A lot has happened since my last post...

Jonathan and I got those long awaited, kick ass margaritas... and then some! We went on a 10-day vacation to Reno, NV and Tahoe, CA. We spent had a great time with some great friends, but I will say that I am glad to be home! Upon our return, two of our friends from PA have moved in with us. While I truly enjoy having house guests, as the matriarch of my house- it can be quite difficult being outnumbered 3-1... unless you count the dogs... which I don't.

Jonathan and I started the C25k program to begin training to run the Cherry Creek Sneak in May. So far, so good. It's nice having him to run with me as he pushes me way harder than I would push myself. We've also been riding our bikes a lot - I rode 20+ miles this weekend- since the weather has been so nice. Unfortunately, I haven't been going to Bikram lately as we haven't had the cash flow for me to buy classes. Hopefully next week I can alternate yoga and running... whatever it takes to clear my head would be great!

I am also struggling a lot this winter to muster up the motivation to snowboard since we just moved into our new house and don't a place in the mountains for the weekends. It is so tough to truly WANT to get up at 6am- drive an hour and a half for a few hours of riding- and abandon my high energy dogs all day. Especially since the good snow seems to happen mid-week! I think I may just be ready for Spring and Summer... especially since I got Jonathan a mountain bike and will hopefully acquire one myself soon! Yay for new activities!

Overall- life is great! We are still cooking a ton and enjoying our first year of marriage together. I'm still pretty sure that 2011 will be a great year for us!

Relaxation... and good food

The last few weekends, the hubby and I have stayed in Denver and relaxed. While I do love being lazy, I hate not going up to the mountains to ski. But our lack of cash has forced us to expand our cooking skills, while not expanding our wallet. So far this month, we've cooked all kinds of new recipes that we've never tried before. We made homemade pizza dough, but bought all the rest of the ingredients. (baby steps...) We used diced tomatoes and green chiles in lieu of sauce with hot sauce coated chicken and mozzarella cheese. It was spicy and delicious. The second time we mixed the tomato/green chile mixture in with some Muir Glen Italian Herb sauce, making it both sweet and spicy, and topped it with mozzarella cheese and oregano. Yum! The pizza dough turned out both crispy and fluffy. If you have all the ingredients to make your favorite pizza, it is definitely cheaper to make it vs. ordering in. Unless of course you're springing for the $5 BlackJack or Little Caesar's Hot N Ready pizza. Your stomach will definitely thank you for using quality ingredients and making it yourself- trust me!

We've also found ways to spice up what would be dull meals. For example, last week we were both starving, but not for the planned meal of the night (tilapia). So... we pulled out a box of mac n cheese from the cupboard and added some chicken and salsa. Voila... a delicious meal, perhaps not the healthiest, but definitely yummy! And the following night when we decided to eat the tilapia we had planned for the previous evening,  I chopped it up and threw in some cayenne pepper, mixed up some guacamole and we had fish tacos.

Mmmm... and last night we tackled spinach and bacon risotto. While risotto can often be a daunting meal due to the stirring dedication, it turned out beautifully.

While I am thoroughly enjoying all of the new recipes and time we are spending together in the kitchen, I'm really looking forward to that first meal in a restaurant. Preferably a restaurant with some kick ass margaritas to accompany my long awaited meal cooked by someone ELSE! :o)

Mmmmm. Bikram.

Last week, I started going to a Bikram yoga studio in Boulder. (I told you I wouldn't stop doing yoga.) My co-worker, Kate, and I go after work... it's a GREAT way to end my day. If you've never experienced a Bikram class, I highly recommend it. It's 90 minutes of pure bliss... Granted you sweat like crazy and your heart is racing a million miles an hour, but it is so cleansing and purifying and... just plain AWESOME!

But, be prepared. It's very addicting. I love how I feel during class, immediately after and even the next day. However, I have to be prepped for the class so I've been drinking liters upon liters of water so I don't pass out from the sheer heat!

I've been reading articles about whether it would help me get in shape and I think it definitely will. I've already been trying to cut back on my two weaknesses: booze and sugar. Between the cut backs and doing Bikram a few times a week, I think I'll be more prepared for my upcoming trip to Tahoe... and my 2011 goal to run a 5k! Wish me luck!!!

Another update: I've been walking the dogs almost every day! Although, this week we are puppy sitting. Walking three labs is significantly harder than two! So we'll see how this week goes! :o)

My 2011 Resolutions.

Every year I jump on the New Years Resolutions band wagon. I make completely unrealistic goals like, "This year I will lose a million pounds" or "This year I will not smoke a cigarette drunk". And then, life kicks in and my resolutions, like so many people's, go out the window fairly early in the year. This year, I've made several resolutions, but I feel that each one is completely attainable.

1. Run a 5K.
I always try to start each year getting fit. I try something completely different and I either like it or I drop it. Last year I got really into yoga- and while I still love doing yoga, I cannot afford a regular membership to a yoga studio. Sad...
So, this year, I will begin training to run a 5k with the help of the C25K program. I enlisted the help of my loving husband, Jonathan, to keep me on track. If all goes according to plan, I am looking at the Cherry Creek Sneak the first week of May to be my race! (Don't worry- I won't be stopping yoga all together... and now that we are finally settled we can get the trainers set up in the basement for some bike rides!)

2. Walk my dogs.
This seems simple enough. However, walking my two Labrador Retrievers -Sadie May and Ryleigh - by myself is quite a daunting task. Fortunately, we have open space behind our newly purchased house for me to walk them off leash every day after work until dark. Our new neighborhood also has great street lighting which allows for Jonathan and I to walk the dogs on leash on the sidewalk even after dark. We did not have this luxury at our old house. Park Hill should really get with the times on street lights to make their residents feel safer at night.

3. Start fresh.
Last year was filled with ups and downs for us. I lost my job, we got married, we lost touch with some friends, we made some great new friends, Sadie ate some weed on a hike and ended up at the puppy ER, we bought a house, Ryleigh ate toxic mold and was hospitalized for two days, Jonathan got a new job... At the start of 2011, everyone in the Murer household is happy and healthy. I want to forgive all of the negatives in 2010 and move on. I also want to apologize for anything negative I did to anyone else in 2010- I'm sure you didn't deserve the depressed wrath of Sarah Beth.

4. Be more positive.
Each day I struggle with trying to be an optimist, even though an optimist is so desperately what I aspire to be. I like to think that I am a good person, but I know the pessimist inside often gets the best of me. In 2011, I want to be more positive and see the best in others. I think having eliminated a lot of negative from my life last year and surrounding myself with only positive people will help me achieve this.

5. Enjoy life more.
This is kind of an all-encompassing resolution... and one that I've made for both myself and my husband. I also think that this is an ever-changing resolution. It's very generic, but very specific at the same time. We need to be more social and be less lazy. Even though we didn't rent a place in the mountains, we need to not let our laziness get the best of us and go skiing/snowboarding on weekends more. We need to get together with friends more. I need to read more books... and Jonathan, well, he should just read... :o) We need to make more of an effort to spend more time with our friends- whether that is having dinner and drinks, rock climbing or going to more parties, we just need to do it. But we also need to not overlook our need to spend time together as a couple... or as a family with our dogs (who- by the way- are my children and two of my favorite things in life). We need to do and try new things: mountain biking, hiking 14ers, baking...

My life is a work in progress... and I enjoy it like that. Perfection is a boring thing. But I also want to love my life everyday, or at least most days, and I think that these resolutions will help me get to that point in 2011. Wish me luck!