kathleennorris-The-Courier

Hello 2013!

I've always loved New Years Day.It's the first day of a new year with absolutely no mistakes in it. Well no mistakes in it yet! :)It's our chance to make changes, grow, try new things, create goals, and dream of how we are going to make this our best year EVER!I'm really looking forward to 2013. And each year I try and make resolutions. But you know what?I'm done with resolutions.Here's the definition of resolution:A firm decision to do or not to do something.I don't want to put restrictions on myself like that. I don't want to make myself do or not do something.So instead I've created a few goals.This way if I reach the goal, HORRAY! If not, then I always have plenty of time to reach that goal later. You know, make it a long term goal! :)So here are my GOALs for 2013:-Start working out at least twice a week-Drink more water-Start eating healthier, no more frozen chicken nuggets-Own all of Leonardo Dicaprio's movies-Stick to a budget-Go on another cruise-Buy a car (this one will be my most challenging goal!)-Read more classic novels -Continue to grow with Disney-Develop my blog more.Now this is my "First day of a new year" goal list. But I plan to add to this list all year round and hopefully at the same time I'm adding to the list, I'm crossing things off my list too.

Source: forchicsakeblog.tumblr.com via Whitney on Pinterest

One of my best friends out this on her blog.So I'm stealing it because I love it and I love her! Hope your first day of 2013 is great! :)

2012

It is officially the last day of 2012.And my first and only thought is....where the heck did time go?It seriously seems like just yesterday I was writing my very first post of 2012.(Which no longer has pictures attached, as I've just discovered. Show's you how often I revisit past posts.)But I did just that today and I can proudly say that I posted at least once each month of 2012. For me, that's a big deal.And it will also be a big part of my goals for 2013, but that's a different post! Today, I want to reflect on 2012.For me, 2012 was full of highs and lows. I had some amazing things happen for me professionally and a few not so great things happen personally. Here are just a few things I learned from 2012:-I learned that change is a good thing and not something to be afraid of. -I learned that work friends can be the best friends. -I learned that furbabies are a must in life. -I learned that sometimes even your best friends let you down.-I learned that I'm addicted to technology.-I learned that I'm not a huge fan of the state of Florida and am only here because of Disney. -I learned not to be afraid of styling my hair.-I learned to not put a timeline on life. And finally here are a few of my most important moments of the year.
IN 2012 I:
-Worked my 4th job with Disney. YES Facilitator

-Went on my very first cruise

-Saw my best friend get married

-Got my job back in Guest Relations

-Became a Disney Trainer

-Went home to Texas 3 different times and saw my wonderful family.

- Went to Kansas
-Became a Foster Mom

-Had my first IRL meeting with a fellow blogger

-Became an IPhone owner
-Became a Real Mom (to my first furbaby!)

I would say 2012 was pretty great. But I have a feeling 2013 will be even BETTER!See ya next year blogger friends!

High 5 For Friday!

Hi friends!
Happy Friday! I hope y'all had a great Christmas week!Mine was great and super busy.
But rather than just tell you about it, let me show you through my top 5 moments from the week!

1. Christmas day was crazy! I worked in the morning. (Magic Kingdom closed to capacity, so we got to deal with all the confused guests who don't realize that even Disney World has fire marshall laws that we have to follow. But the end of the day was the best because I got to have Christmas with my wonderful family!Thank you technology!

2. I had my very first IRL meeting with a fellow blogger!Y'all, Meg is just the sweetest EVER! Her family is too!Jessica, you're next girlie!

3. Christmas Eve was spent trying to break into my own car after locking the keys inside.We are so thug.

4. & 5. Two movies from my holiday movie list were taken off the list!Les Miserables and Django Unchained.Expect movie reviews on both sometime next week!They were both AH-MAZING!

See told ya I had a crazy fun Christmas!Have a great weekend! Photobucket

Me, Myself and I- December

Can y'all believe there are only 6 days till Christmas?!I sure can't! My Christmas shopping is just about done. I just have a few last minute things to get this weekend and I'll be all set. Today I'm off to mail gifts to my parents and brother. (Hopefully they get there in time!)So, what better way to celebrate the 6 days before Christmas than with a Christmas themed Me, Myself, and I!Enjoy.

What was your favorite gift given to you as a child?

Hm....this is a tough one. But it has to be either the Easy Bake Oven or the fake nail kit I got when I turned 11. I thought I was super fancy and old.

Christmas is almost here, what is that one Christmas song you could listen to on repeat?
There are actually two. Either Silver Bells by Dean Martin or What Child is This by Josh Groban.(I couldn't find a good video of Silver Bells)

What are a few of the items on your Christmas list this year?

This year I wouldn't mind receiving.......a new IPhone 4 case and Burberry London perfume. Other than that I will be happy with anything.

Do you and your family have any special holiday traditions? Explain.

When I was a little, my brother and I would get to open one present on Christmas Eve (usually PJs) and then Christmas morning we'd open the rest. Stockings were always first (and still are) and then we open the others. Another tradition involved the rest of the family. Traditionally we would spend before Christmas with my Dad's family, Christmas eve/day with our little family, and after Christmas with my Mom's family. That tradition has pretty much stuck for awhile now! :)

Which do you prefer: wrapping paper or gift bags? Why?

Wrapping paper for sho! There's nothing like un-wrapping a present. Plus I love wrapping in wrapping paper. Finding just the right paper is so fun! And so is finding cute ribbon and little extras to add to it!
Here is my wrapping paper this year:

Sadie thought she was helping. She wasn't. She was doing the exact opposite actually.

Well, have a great Wednesday friends! Photobucket

High 5 for Friday (And a Book Swap!)

Woo hoo! It's Friday! (It's actually my Monday, weird I know)I hope you all had an amazing week. Mine was great! I'm doing my trainer shadows this week!It's going amazing and I am loving this new challenge. Plus it doesn't hurt that I'm actually teaching, which means I'm getting to use most of the ideas my parents and I spent thousands of dollars on while I was in college. Only instead of teaching history to high schoolers, I'm teaching ticketing and guest services techniques to new Guest Relations Cast Members. But hey, teaching is teaching and I'm loving every minute of it.
Now on to everyone's favorite link up:

1. As I'm the whole world know by now, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are officially expecting their first tiny royal! When I heard the news it was literally all I could talk about for the rest of the day!It felt as if I had just found out my best friend was pregnant. Ah! This is just the best news EVER! :)Congrats Will and Kate!
2. Everyday I'm more and more thankful for my sweet kitty Sadie. I love her so much! And she sits in plastic bags and looks adorable.
3. I spent one of my days off doing absolutely nothing but watching Modern Family and drinking Twinings Christmas Tea. It was delightful.
4. Christmas trees are one of my favorite things. This one is in Celebration, FL.
5. Book Swap!

I've participated in Heather and Katie's book swap each time they've hosted it and I wasn't about to skip out on it this time around.I was partnered with Amber from Brunch with Amber.Which was pretty exciting because I've been reading her blog since I first really got into blogging! :) In fact her It's Ok link up was one of the very first link up parties I ever participated in! So it was great getting to know her a little better through the link up!You know what they say, you can tell a lot about a person by the books they read. And Amber had a ton of books on her Goodreads list that I am now dying to read! :)She sent me two books that I have wanted for a while now because they complete a series that I've been reading!Here is what she sent me:

and

I haven't started them yet, but I plan to this weekend!Thanks Amber! :)Hope y'all have a great weekend! Photobucket

Anna Karenina

Monday night I went to Downtown Disney to have dinner with my friend Katie and her new hubby. We also met another friend and her new hubby. Which I thought was going to be mega awkward since it was two couples and me. (Fifth wheel anyone?) But it turned out to be a good dinner.
We had a fairly early dinner at Planet Hollywood (which is totally overpriced if you ask me) and afterward the others decided to walk around but I decided to head home.
I was walking by the AMC theatre when I saw that Anna Karenina was playing.As y'all know if you read this post, it's one of my must see holiday movies. So I double checked the time and saw it had just started 10 minutes before, so I bought myself a ticket and went inside.
Now I'm not really one do go and do things alone. For example, you'll never find me eating a meal alone in a restaurant, like EVER. But I would go to the movies alone once a week if my bank account allowed me too.
Today I'm giving you my thoughts on Anna Karenina.

I've never read the book, by Leo Tolstoy and luckily you don't really have to have read the book to follow the story line fairly easily. But for those of you who don't know what the story is about here is a brief synopsis.Anna Karenina is the beautiful wife of a Russian government official, Karenin. They have a seemingly happy marriage until Anna meets a man in the Russian military Count Vronsky. The film tells the story of their passionate love affair.
The film stars Keira Knightly and Jude Law. That alone made this film a given for me to see. Along with the fact that it is a period film. I will see any film that is a period film.It's my favorite genre.

I loved the way the told the story. It was as if we were all actually sitting in an old fashion opera house and each scene was played out as acts in a play. Now this wasn't the way the entire movie was set up but the majority of it was. It definitely required that you pay attention though because each scene moved pretty quickly. One minute you're in a ballroom in Moscow and the next you're on a train to St. Petersburg.

Keira Knightly and Jude Law did a great job portraying Anna and her husband, Karenin. I don't want to spoil the story if you've never read the book nor seen the movie, but you find yourself torn between feeling sorry for Anna and hating her at the same time.

I think my favorite part was the costumes. They were to die for, especially since the film is based in the late 1800s, the gowns, hats, and jewels are drool worthy. And as most of you know I was born in the wrong era, so I'm dying to wear just about every dress in the film.

(Side note: Shout out to all you Downton Abbey fans out there! Michelle Dockery aka Mary Crawley is in the film. Not gonna lie I was pretty excited when I recognized her! I love Downton Abbey!)

So if you enjoy great costumes, great music (this film is full of it), the late 1800s and all its society drama then you will love Anna Karenina.

Now I'm off to read the book!
Photobucket

Best Friend Reunion

Thursday and Friday were two of the best days I've had in a really long time.
We had a mini best friend reunion here at Disney and it was delightful! Four of six best friends got together for one fun filled day of laughter, togetherness, matching shirts, about 300 pictures, dancing in Fantasyland, enjoying Christmas decorations, seeing celebrities, dawdling so it takes twice as long to get where we need to go, and did I mention laughter (cuz there was a lot of it)!
Seriously, when my friends and I get together we have the best time ever!
But hey, lets let pictures speak for themselves.

If we were still roommates this could be a Christmas card.