out with the old IN with the new! best of 2011. goals 2012.

it’s that time…the LAST WEEK of 2011! icanhardlybelieveit.

let’s review 2011. last january started off with snow and ice:

but spring came…so did family…and the Atlanta, GA lds temple re-opened!

the temple made it possible for our friends to become a forever family!:

i turned 24:

the summer’s garden was a success:

(some of the first fruits!)…cinnamon and kids came to visit…we enjoyed july 4th together

(and i succumbed and chopped off all my hair)

my two best friends had their FIRST babies in the same week! i took prego pics of both:

and my SISTER had her fourth…happy new little nephew to ME…this is miles august ayres:

me and miles…i made it back to utah after like 4 years…for B’s wedding! and a reunion of friends:

mine and elissa’s reunion was WAY overdue.

same with ry guy.

and i even MET my blog bestie in PERSON!! miss chelsea vose.

and the year got even better, joe beau came to visit…

and as you just saw..Christmas came, and so did my favorite Virginia family.

i try to reflect on the last year and it’s happenings. funny how it always feels like so long ago and yet also that the year sped by. i had to reference back to my old 2011 NEW YEAR blog post to see my list, how far i’ve come and what progress was made.

so, referring back to that list of goals, i DID in  R E V I E W:

- take more pictures: purchased a DSLR which was a major catalyst

- be more social? …eh, yes and no! haha.

- get back to school: i DID take some online classes in 2011. got a 4.0 in them! win!

- get in shape?: i joined a gym and fell in love with zumba. i would say a definite improvement/obsession for a healthier lifestyle was made. win!

- i HAVE done some painting in 2011. wish i’d done more.

- did i make it back to Puerto Rico? pick-up my old guitar skillz? or was there a boda? no, no, and…no. life goes on.

all in all, 2011 was a rough year for me. no lies. and although there weren’t many HUGE events for me…there was a lot of personal reflection and growth. i feel i have come a long way (but still with a long way to go). i feel i am so much more honest with myself and much more trusting in God and His timing. i also was employed full-time all of 2011…and blessed with a great job this year, too! i will count my blessings.

as for my Whitney Tutt 2011 BEST OF list…looking back, i have very little to offer as far as movies and music and all of that this year. so…please excuse my pathetic list.

MY top 2011 album releases:

haha…love how i had to throw in the Biebs there.

Feist, Wilco, Coldplay, and Adele all had noteworthy album releases in 2011 as well. I just haven’t spent too much time listening to them to be able to properly rate them. OH…and Pitbull…Planet Pit has some good ones! ha!

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M O V I E S. i was the worst at seeing movies in 2011. but i did make it to THE END:

also, of course i saw the new Twilight. i should be ashamed of the few times i made it to the theater this year. i didn’t see the new X-Men. or Green Lantern. or Thor. or Cowboys and Aliens. or Bridesmaids. or The Adjustment Bureau. or…well. what DID i see?

that i can remember…Limitless. Fast Five. Super 8. Something Borrowed. Pirates 3. HP7. Breaking Dawn. Jane Eyre.

oh…i did thoroughly love this movie, if you have even heard of it, came out in Feb:

and, i’m such a fan of the 80′s classic, i loved the new one:

so, that’s that.

B O O K S!

my 2011 favvy:

and that concludes my 2011 review.

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NOW

time for my 2012 goals. considering the last couple months of 2011 have been rather positive. it gives me hope for the NEW YEAR!

i mean, i WILL be spending my first two weeks of the new year in Italy. what better way to ring in 2012?! i feel like the year will be as eventful as it’s start.

2012 GOALS:

1. Thanksgiving Day half-marathon (with my sisters, that’s the plan)

2. maintain health and fitness (which will be needed to accomplish #1 – i also have new yoga dvds i need to try more regularly)

3. allow my hair to grow out at least long enough for a ponytail. ha! dye it less.

4. be more assertive

5. work on my sewing skills

6. practice piano often

7. maintain an eternal perspective

8. develop my art more – paint/draw more (aka: spend less time on Pinterest and more time actually DOING the great ideas)

9. complete one book a month

10. notice/do more for others. serve.

11. try a new recipe each month (i have so many “pending” to be attempted)

12. figure out my “continuing education” plan

13. travel somewhere new

14. work on my “technical” photography knowledge

15. true love

…i think i can handle those. realistic. attainable. worth it. i’m ready.

2012…bring it!

love, whit

the BIEBS

let’s be real…

what can’t be cured by a little justin bieber?

…just look at that face…

i am not ashamed to admit that i can be instantly put in a good mood on any day when dancing and singing along to the biebs while getting ready or in my car. or any time for that matter.

yes, i JUST blogged about the biebs. i’m 24. we can all get over it now. and accept the fact that there’s no better way to spread Christmas cheer than blasting JB Christmas for all to hear!

love, whit

why Atlanta, GA is the place to be

ok, i don’t live IN atlanta…but close enough to call it home.

don’t get me wrong – i ADORE downtown. i spend plenty of time there. i LOVE cities. but i’m also a sucker for the winding roads and country scenes and the “homey” feel of tiny towns. so i live just far enough out from the heart of Atlanta to enjoy BOTH!

i guess it’s not just the ATL, but Georgia that i love so dearly. i love it’s diversity. i love it’s southern hospitality and charm. i love it’s weather – today is GORGEOUS! you get all four seasons here and they last as long as they are supposed to. and the scenery – GREEN GREEN GREEN! i need my trees and lakes and ponds and wooden fences.

lately there have been some things that make me so happy:

1 – Chick-Fil-A receipt days. Bring back your receipt and get everything on it for FREE! not to mention they put out a vase of fresh flowers on every table daily. classy fast food of the south.

2 – the heart of the town i live in can be summed up in one street – it has a library, city hall, beautiful little park, an ice cream place, two churches, a family owned cafe, an old lady salon, and a couple other little “shops”. there is a bank and auto shop across the way. i love this little strip. i can walk to it all easily from my house.

don’t get me wrong, i don’t live in the middle of nowhere. anything else i could possibly need is about a 10 minute drive away. it’s the best of both worlds. i pass cow pastures, fields, trees, po-dunk looking homes and even a huge southern mansion, and end up at a shopping mall complete with Victoria Secret, Ethan Allen, Macaroni Grill, Gap, Barnes & Noble, and seriously any place you could possibly need. WalMart, Target, and Sams Club are just down the road, too. along with everything else.

3 – the gym i go to knows me by name. and in my Zumba class, we have enough diversity that it’s so full of flavor! one lady last night was signing in her friend and shouts out across the room, “JJ HONEY, how you be spellin’ yo’ LAST NAME?!” it was so loud everybody got quiet. then from across the room “JJ” shouted back how to spell it. the way people talk just make me smile.

4 – people. doesn’t matter if you know a person – they smile, wave, and say “hey!” or “how yah doin’?!” even if you don’t know them from adam! i especially like the handful of strangers that go walking every morning – i don’t know a thing about them, but i feel like we’re friends because we wave and smile to each other every day on my way to work.

5 – Waffle House. open 24/7. better than any Denny’s or IHOP. and the environment makes it all that much better.

6 – Little Five Points. it’s like little bohemia. music venues. book stores. vintage shops. great food. the most interesting of people. full of photo opps.

7 – Fernbank Museum’s IMAX theater. educational and incredible. enough said. i love it!

8 – Papi’s Cuban Grill downtown. i could eat there everyday. and around the corner is the fabulous Fox Theater!

9 – Concerts in Atlanta. concerts in parks. cheap shows every weekend. and i love love love the smaller venues – Vinyl, Center Stage, the Loft, the Tabernacle. (the Masquerade for when i was in high school and more into the punk/rock scene). other venues – Smith’s Olde Bar. Decatur – Eddie’s Attic – SWEET POTATO FRIES! mmmm.

10 – the classy homeless trumpet player. i swear i see him every time i’m downtown. usually he’s down the corner from the Fox. he’s got talent.

11 – parks. georgia has so many beautiful parks! i love picnics or walks in the park.

12 – i’ve already mentioned diversity. but you go to the right parts of town, you really can find little Korea and mini Latin America. Caribbean too. It’s great for eating out! or shopping at all the international markets. so great!

12 – stone mountain. hiking to the top never gets old. SO beautiful! and all the things to do in the park around it. after a day there and an evening watching the laser show. i just leave thinking “God bless the U.S.A.!!”

and just some other things that make this city so great – Centennial Olympic Park, The Coca-cola factory, Turner Field, the GA Aquarium (only THE largest)….

my “i love georgia” list could go on forever.

you don’t even have to go “downtown” to find it all. this weekend, i’m headed to the north georgia mountains. It’s October – time for apple everything!

I spent my years in Utah for school. I’ve visited Arizona plentyplenty. I used to live in Florida. Texas – spent enough time there to not want to stay too long. as far as living…nothing compares to Georgia. home sweet home.

(the bus roll)

love, whit

move like a jellyfish

500 Days Of Summer. loved that movie. i think i need to watch it again.

yes, this is going to be a shallow entry. sorry. it’s one of those days where i can’t help but say i have a huge crush on the following people. we’re all allowed our “dream guy” (or girl)…and i feel like sharing my top picks.

#1 (yes, my numba one) – john krasinski

yes, i think it’s love.

#2 – zac efron- YES PLEASE!

# 3 – jim sturgess, with an accent too

can i say i’m so very excited that his new movie, One Day, comes out this weekend – a book i very much love. he’ll be the perfect Dex.

and #4 – a perk to following FIFA – Fabio Cannavaro

VIVA ITALIA!

yes…a girl can dream.

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I believe in memories
They look so, so pretty when I sleep

-Jack Johnson

so last night as i’m laying in bed, watching Jack Johnson: En Concert (i LOVE this film – it gives me happy thoughts before i sleep) it just really made me want to go to France (where the concert tour begins – and continues throughout europe)…and, of course, crave sunny days by the water.

“Love is the answer,
At least for most of the questions in my heart
Like why are we here? and where do we go?
And how come it’s so hard?
It’s not always easy and
Sometimes life can be deceiving
I’ll tell you one thing its always better when we’re together…”

-Jack Johnson

and the challenge begins…

Borders is closing. tragic day for us all! or – me. it was once my happy place. though their going-out-of-business sale is GREAT for progress on my “TO READ” list. i came home with three new books all purchased at very low prices. one of which i’m already half-way through with — One Day by David Nicholls. i highly recommend it. i can’t put it down. i love, too, that the movies comes out in like 2 weeks?  

i found a super rad Calligraphy book too. great deal. i figure i need to spruce up and broaden what skills i still have from the class i took, what, three years ago? seems a beneficial goal. it comes in handy now and again, you know.

so i found this little “photography challenge” and decided i will do it. most often the “idea” is the hardest part for me…and this way, it’s given to me…i just need to interpret it my way. very nice.

so, DAY 1 (which was saturday) being a SELF-PORTRAIT – - – here you are:

not very impressive, i know. i was already all “LA Fitness’d” for the day, so i avoided anything with much detail. . future photos to not be so lame. promise. well, hopefully.

anyway

speaking of, i will share my WORK OUT playlist on the ipod…these various albums/songs keeps me going. not ALL are shown, but, for the gist: