2012.

Last breakfast of 2011.

Apples, strawberry yogurt, chia seeds, Fiber One, Raisin Bran and strawberries…

Went to BodyPump today followed by this lunch!

Spinach salad with maters, bread, celery, nuts, olive oil, seeds…

Justin and I went over to Allie and Trav's to help them get ready for tonight. I honed my homemade pizza roll making skills.

I love New Year's. It's a no pressure holiday where your main job is to enjoy yourself and count down from ten, easy enough right? Maybe not after one too many glasses of champagne :)


Here are some quotes and words about the new year from "The Daily Love" that I would like to share...


"Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true."
- Alfred, Lord Tennyson, one of the most popular poets in the English language.



"We will open the book.  Its pages are blank.  We are going to put words on them
 ourselves.  The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's
Day."
- Edith Lovejoy Pierce, a twentieth-century poet and pacifist.


"What did you learn this year? What mistakes did you make? What stories did you create
about what's possible for you? What stories did you create about what's impossible
for you? This time last year, were there changes that you wanted to make, but didn't?
Why not? Did you love yourself just a little bit more this year than you did last
year? What's one habit that you DON'T want to bring into 2012? Can today be the
LAST DAY of that habit? When would now be a good time to let it go?

We are all moving ahead into 2012 - it's close enough. But for this moment, let
us think back about the year, let us reflect, take a moment to pause and really
give 2011 a conscious goodbye - and with it - the habits, stories and beliefs that
should stay with it. The first step to creating something new is letting go of what
no longer serves you. What no longer serves you?"


Very interesting to think about huh?


Justin and I had a blast last night at the white elephant party… Here are some pics and videos that can explain it better than I can.

In front of our Christmas tree all ready to go

Crafty McCrafterson

Blow Horns

Glow Sticks

Jay: "Why don't we just give these all to Justin??"

Mistletoe!

Ornaments hanging from the chandelier! So cute!

White Elephant Madness

Kevin opening Jersey shore trivia and Axe body spray

Jessica Rabbit. I got her in the exchange, but she got stolen.

I'm still bitter Clary.

Mean mug. My gift- a hat that says "Jesus is my boss" a Jeff Gordon lunchbag, a bizarre figurine and a glass swan plant holder. I feel blessed.

Justin got wind chimes with a lab on top

Don't tell him, but I think he legit loved them… he wants to hang them on our bed...

See that little baby?? That vest was our gift… She was a winner. There's Kevin holding up his God Bless America CD loud and proud. Lookin' good Kev.

Jamie's Sweatsuit

Season 2 of Alf

Jamie: "OMG!! That's the BEST season!"

Jay rockin' the vest before he took off the button up shirt underneath and things got really wild.

Our other gift.

This thing actually got me .99. They should have paid me to take her.

Jesus is def. his boss. Back off Keene.

Midnight!

Celebratory

Blackmail. Look at that pleasured look on Jay's face. Not to mention his America Flag vest.

Dead.

We got home at about 4 and slept until 1:30 today!!!!! Who am i?! I never do that. It was so wrong, but it felt so right.

Happy New Years!!!!!!!

2011.

New Year's Eve is wonderful and scary time. You get to reflect on what you have created in 2011, how you have tried to get the last drop out of this very year. This very year of your life.

The scary part or should I say exciting is to think about what you want to create in the unlived year of 2012. Are there adventures you want to have, people you need to let go of, habits or patterns of thinking you would like to change?? Are there people you know you need to hang on to, things that happened in 2011 that you want to recreate again and again?

The great part is you have this opportunity, this day to design what you would like your life to look like a year from now. Of course it never works out like you exactly planned, but as the saying goes, "shoot for the moon, land among the stars."

Today, I would like to take a moment to reflect on the journey I've taken this past year.

A year in the life of Brittany Hagan. Phew. It's exhausting even thinking about :) (I know that's what my mom's thinking)...

It has been quite a roller coaster of a ride…albeit an incredible one.

Month by month highlights, this is what my life has looked like?

January
*Won the title of Miss Orange County which would change my life forever

*Started my internship with HSN

*Went to watch Miss America live in Las Vegas for the first time (was on TV!)

February
*Ran my first half marathon

*Spoke out about eating disorders for the first time to the University of Tampa sororities

*Became part of the most successful fundraising NEDA (National Eating Disorder Association) team in the country (responsible for PR and media relations)//Went on first NEDA walk…Justin came with me

March
*Traveled to New York City for the NEDA annual fundraiser

*First on camera host job

April
*Traveled to Washington, DC for the first time to lobby for eating disorder legislation

May
*Traveled all over Turkey (didn't know anyone I was going with for the first time ever)

*Threw sister's bachelorette party in Key West with Casey and my mom!

It got weird.

June
*Read 3 books!
*Preparation for Miss Florida

July
*Competed for Miss Florida (made top ten, won Miss America's Community Service Award, met some amazing women who had a profound impact on my life)

*My first college friend, Erika, got married to John Marx (their kids are Karl and Skid)

*Helped mom throw Kara's shower at the lake

August
*Kara'a wedding (one of the happiest weeks of my life)

*My Miss America little sister, Elizabeth became Miss America's Outstanding Teen

*Started my own clothing designs

September
*Found a passion for cooking

*Began my last semester of school ever

October
*Found a new passion for blogging

*Laura got engaged

*First paid dance job

*Got Mac n' Cheese

*Went to Disney World

November
*First Turkey trot!

December
*Graduated with my MBA degree

*Got my first real job with Target

I became a maid of honor twice, gained a brother in law, 3 trips to places I've never been, a lot of confidence and happiness, 2 fish, an MBA degree, and a job! I'd say it's been a solid year :)

I also want to recognize the two family members devastatingly lost this year, my Uncle Denny and my cousin Chris. I know you are in heaven with Grandpa Hagan. May your families find peace in that in 2012.

What about your life? What steps have you made towards having the life you want? Don't be afraid to be honest with yourself…you most likely have done more than you give yourself credit for….