I’ve told a few friends about this site I use instead of belonging to a gym, but I’m always forgetting to send them the link. So, here it is!

It’s called BodyRock, and the (really jacked) lady who does the workouts is called Zuzana. She’s Czech and her husband is Canadian. They travel a lot around Europe and they document their adventures on the site as well.

Her workouts are designed so you can do them at home with minimal equipment. Most of them require no equipment at all. The theory is that you can use your own body weight to build muscle and stay fit.

I like her workouts because she always seems like she thinks they’re really difficult too, even though she probably has about 1% body fat and serious muscles. It helps when I’m huffing and puffing that at least she is too!

And I like that I can do the workouts in our small living room, sometimes watching TV, and they don’t take forever! Some of the workouts take her only 12 or 17 minutes. They take me longer, but I’m usually done in half an hour!

They’re hard at the beginning, but they get a little easier and you build muscle really quickly.

For each workout, she does a video where she demonstrates everything . I usually watch the video once or twice so I know what each exercise is and see the correct form, and then I do the reps on my own. I set up this free interval timer on my computer and off I go!

Right, so there’s my Zuzana pitch as I’m spending a few days coming down from the sugar buzz of the last few weeks.

Here are my top 5 favorite workouts from the site. And don’t let the names scare you! Or her slightly provocative workout outfits. Ha!

1. Sexy Pain Train Workout

2. Eight Exercises Drill

3. 600 Rep Workout

4. Rock Your Body Workout

5. Turbo Fat Blaster Workout

Obviously, I can’t guarantee you’ll look like her by doing the workouts. Heck, I don’t look like that and I do them several times a week. But that’s because I like sugar. I could eat chocolate for every meal (I actually did eat chocolate for most meals over the last few weeks!) and I usually choose sweet tooth over Zuzana bod. But I think I’m fitter than if I belonged to a gym, and saving myself lots of money on a gym membership!

Enjoy!

I love new year’s resolutions. I think of them for months leading up to the new year, trying to figure out what will be the best way to start the year on the right track. I know some people find them too much pressure, but I suppose I’ve never been too worried about breaking them.

And I figure even if you break them, at least you tried and that’s a step in the right direction!

My most successful resolution I’ve ever made was in 2007 to stop cursing. I had been working on political campaigns for a few years and I’d picked up the campaign lingo, which generally involved a lot of cursing (sorry, parents!). So in 2007, I made a resolution to stop cursing.

Four years later, it has nearly worked. Nearly. It just goes out the window when it comes to cat poop and certain very important domestic disagreements when I really need to make my point (sorry, Michael).

So this year, I’m re-resolving to really stop swearing altogether.

I’m also making a resolution to write a letter, not an email or a facebook message, each week. Everyone loves getting letters, and I think it will make 52 people smile!

A few months ago, I started writing a book, then got caught up in my blog and put it down. But 2011 will be the year I finish writing my (first!) book, and maybe 2012 will be the year you all see it in print!

Of course, I have a long list of crafty, arty projects I want to start and finish, and lots of recipes I want to try. And even my lovely blog is getting a serious makeover in the coming weeks which I think you all will like.

What about you all? Did you make resolutions? Are you scowling at me through your computer because you hate resolutions? Come on, I know you’re out there!

{I’m not sure where those images are from! I saved them before I started this little blog, so if they’re yours or if you know where they’re from, please tell me so I can give credit!}

See you in 2011!

Yesterday, with the Christmas craziness over, I went to work on a (belated) holiday card email to send to our family and friends in America.

This is what I came up with:

I used the site Picnik and it is just genius. I uploaded a photo, tweaked it a little with their awesome (and free!) photo editing options, and made it into a Christmas card. You can send the card from their site, but I wanted to be able to write personal messages at the bottom so I just sent it to myself, added the message and sent it along!

I’m no photo expert, so this site is a great, free option for giving your photos a little boost.

Check out the options for “seasonalizing” your photos too – they’re hilarious!

Not that we’ve needed extra snow here in Dublin, but you can even add snow and lights!

There’s even an option to add nuts, hats and ornaments! Instant holiday cheer!

I hope you all had a lovely and peaceful Christmas and Stephen’s Day, or Boxing Day, or day-after-Christmas Day or Blizzard Day, or whatever the case may be!

We had a festive, white wonderland Christmas in Dublin and then woke up today to green grass and pouring rain again. Maybe it means spring is on the way!

{The Christmas mantle at 52 Grange Park}

My parents sent over a Kindle for Michael and I to fight over, so I’ve been browsing Amazon for books. Anyone have any great suggestions? I just finished the sample of My Life in France, by Julia Child and Alex Prud’Homme and I’m hooked. What a fun, inspiring lady.

{Papa J and Mama Lo surprised us with a dryer – can you say excited??}

Sadly, our Christmas tree had to be taken down already – there were more needles in a pile on the floor than on the tree and it’s been brown for over a week. Maybe we peaked too soon this year? But now that the tree is down, we’re going to do a serious deep clean on the apartment over the next few days. There is a dusting of flour and cocoa powder on nearly every surface from the frenzy of baking over the last month and it’s got to go!

{Happy Holidays from the Westbrooks family!}

On Sunday evening, Michael and I went to a lovely little Christmas gathering at a friend’s house.

When we walked in the door, the smell that greeted us was just delicious. Mulled cider and mulled wine! It just smelled like Christmas.

Since we can’t get real apple cider in Ireland (no apple farms either – giant bummer in the fall), mulled apple cider is a great alternative.

Image from here.

Here’s a recipe that will make your house smell like it’s ready for the holiday this weekend!

Mulled Cider Recipe

* 1/2 cup of brown sugar
* 1 teaspoon of whole allspice
* 1 teaspoon of whole cloves
* 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
* 3- inch stick cinnamon, broken up
* 2 quarts of apple juice

Stir everything together in a saucepan and heat until just simmering. Let steep for at least 20 minutes or up to half an hour. Strain out the spices and serve into warmed mugs. This recipe will serve around 8 people.

Hint: If you place the whole spices in a small cheesecloth bag, it will be much easier to take them out before serving.

I don’t have whole allspice or whole cinnamon sticks, so I’ll probably use about 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon and 1/8 tsp ground ginger. We’ll see how that works! I think you could also add some orange peel for some citrus zing.

The other thing you can make to fill your house with Christmas is mulled wine.

Image from here.

Mulled Wine

* one orange, peeled and sliced (keep peel as well)
* 1/4 cup brandy
* 8-10 whole cloves
* 3 cinnamon sticks
* 1 tsp fresh or 2tsp ground ginger (or allspice)
* one bottle of red wine

Combine all ingredients in either a large pot or a slow cooker. Gently warm the ingredients on low to medium heat (avoid boiling), for 20-25 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure that the honey or sugar has completely dissolved. When the wine is steaming and the ingredients have been well blended it is ready to serve. Ladle the mulled wine into mugs (leave seasonings behind) and enjoy!

Now, don’t those sound cosy?

I’ve had a big baking day, I made chocolate snow drop cookies for the neighbors, two pumpkin cakes for a friend’s daughter’s school, homemade pizza to keep Michael happy, and another batch of (perfect) buttercrunch so I could redeem myself from yesterday’s disaster. I’m all baked out.

Even my computer is covered in flour and cocoa powder dust!

It’s snowing and it just won’t stop. I don’t have any of my own pretty photos for you because it’s still mid-blizzard and has been since Sunday! But here are a couple that give you a taste.

Images from here and here.

Meanwhile, I’ve been messing up recipes left and right. Yesterday I wanted to make just a little more of Nancy’s buttercrunch, so I halved the recipe and burned it. I shouldn’t have tried to mess with perfection!

And just now, I was trying to make this peanut butter fudge that looked so easy and so appealing, and I burned it. I forgot and put it on the only burner that heats up way too hot and walked away for two minutes – burned!

I have a couple cakes to bake for a friend tomorrow, so here’s hoping my baking bad luck is at an end!

Do you ever have those stretches of recipes not working right, or your brain not working right? It used to happen to me a lot more often, before I learned I need to read the whole recipe through before I start, not as I’m going along. Now it happens a lot less, but man, it still makes me a little grouchy!

So, because I’m going stir crazy and need about one ingredient for each of the recipes I’m dying to make, Michael is taking me to the grocery store. If we’re not back in a few hours, call the search party!

Happy Friday afternoon, folks!

I could not get to sleep last night. And it was my own fault. Before bed I was browsing around the kitchen section on Canadian House and Home. So instead of sleep, all I could do was think about kitchens. Tiles, storage, appliances.

And the best thing about my dream kitchen? It’s going to have a place for other people to sit and relax while I make dinner or bake goodies. So it’s not just me in there while everyone else is in the living room having fun!

Here are a few of the ones I was drooling over.

cute kitchens

Anyone have any great weekend plans? I’m working on a few batches of mini whoopie pies for a party Sunday night. You didn’t think whoopie pies were holiday fare? Think again, friends! Photos and recipes back here, bright and early Monday morning!

Happy baking!

Happy Friday afternoon, folks!

I could not get to sleep last night. And it was my own fault. Before bed I was browsing around the kitchen section on Canadian House and Home. So instead of sleep, all I could do was think about kitchens. Tiles, storage, appliances.

And the best thing about my dream kitchen? It’s going to have a place for other people to sit and relax while I make dinner or bake goodies. So it’s not just me in there while everyone else is in the living room having fun!

Here are a few of the ones I was drooling over.

Anyone have any great weekend plans? I’m working on a few batches of mini whoopie pies for a party Sunday night. You didn’t think whoopie pies were holiday fare? Think again, friends! Photos and recipes back here, bright and early Monday morning!

Happy baking!