New Year's Resolutions


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, 1850


Another year over, and a new one just begun…  2012 was an exciting year for me and Jaycob!  It was our first full year in Santa Fe, and we’re enjoying our new home here more and more now that we have a great group of friends, many favorite restaurants and hang-out spots, and greater familiarity with the hiking trails.  We celebrated several friends’ weddings this year, and welcomed a few new babies into the world (with more to come in 2013!).  We enjoyed vacations and visits to New Orleans, Denver, Minneapolis, Aspen, Chicago, Bloomington, Boca Raton, Virginia Beach and Miami, and we were excited to have some of our friends and family members come visit us in the southwest.  We went to Balloon Fiesta (twice), took a ride in a hot air balloon, rode horses, explored Spanish market, stayed at Loretto Inn and Spa… and got engaged!  It was a busy and fun year and I look forward to 2013 being even more amazing.

I slacked on most of my New Years Resolutions in 2012, but I did achieve my goals of cooking/baking at least one new recipe every week (I made 66!) and keeping up with my blog.  Here are some of the things I hope to accomplish in 2013…

Fitness Goals:
o   To focus more on core strengthening to prevent injury, and do a minimum of 25 minutes of ab work per week
o   To hike Spirit Lake, Wheeler Peak, and Lake Katherine trails
o   Practice yoga at least once a week
o   Start running consistently again

Relationship Goals:
o   For Jaycob and I to grow stronger in our relationship as we plan our wedding and complete our marriage preparation classes
o   To speak positively about others
o   To maintain regular communication with the people who are important to me

Financial Goals:
o   Save $5,000
o   Pay off credit cards

Community Goals:
o   To volunteer at 1-2 nonprofit organizations
o   To become actively involved in my new church parish in Santa Fe

Personal Goals:
o   To not feel obligated to say yes to everything that others ask me to do
o   To set aside more time for myself and avoid becoming overcommitted
o   To stay CALM and SANE during wedding planning





Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

A Pacific Northwest Bachelorette Party

Image
I just returned home from a memorable weekend in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, celebrating my sister, Katie, who is getting married in just a few short weeks.  Four years ago she, as my Maid of Honor, planned the most unforgettable and fun-filled bachelorette weekend for me:  San Francisco and Sonoma Bachelorette , and now it was my turn to do the same for her!  We gathered together a group of twelve women from Boston, Chicago, New Orleans, Salt Lake City, Manchester, Santa Fe, Denver, and Seattle to celebrate the Bride to Be.  I wanted to have some organized, pre-planned group activities, but also plenty of down time for games, lounging, and drinking wine.  While we wanted most of the weekend to be spent at a cozy cabin overlooking the serene water of Puget Sound, we wanted one exciting night out on the town, and I think we achieved that balance.  Here's the breakdown of our weekend events: 1)  Night Out in Capitol Hill We arrived in Seattle on Thursday and checked into the
Read more

High Altitude Baking: Coffee Cake

Image
Happy January!  I have two weeks left of my maternity leave and I'm trying to make the most of it by spending lots of quality time with Baby Ady before she starts daycare.  It's going by so fast!  While I'm home I've been using my crock pot a lot, working on some yarn projects, taking long walks with Ady and Kua, reading, and doing some baking.  I have struggled with high altitude baking since moving to Santa Fe 5 1/2 years ago.  Cookies turn out okay, but I usually have to make some adjustments with cakes, and my breads are often mushy in the middle and crispy on the ends.  I can get by okay with a few of my favorite recipes that I have practiced multiple times, but it's often hit or miss.  For Christmas, my secret santa got me this amazing cook book, Pie in the Sky: Successful Baking at High Altitudes, that explains the chemistry behind high altitude baking and gives suggestions for adjustments to make at various altitudes.  Ingenious!  The idea for the book ac
Read more

My Bachelorette Party: San Francisco and Sonoma

Image
I have the best Maid of Honor in the world!   Between grad school, work, and preparing to move into a new apartment, she miraculously found time to plan THE BEST bachelorette party ever (and 3 time zones away, I might add).  I had such a fabulous time being surrounded by (and loved and adored by!) all my best friends for four days. The weekend started at 4:30 a.m. Thursday when my Santa Fe friends and I drove to Albuquerque (a 50 mile trip made possible by Panera breakfast) to catch our early flight to the Bay Area.  After a 2 1/2 trip (complete with Bloody Maries, Tequilla Sunrises, Coffees with Baileys, gossip and a few bridal magazines) we landed in Oakland!  One of my dear bridesmaids from Chicago who had arrived a few days earlier picked us up and we headed into San Francisco.  We met up with the other gals, checked in early to our hotel (Parc 55 Wyndahm in Union Square) and set out to explore the city by foot.  Some locals recommended Mama's in North Beach fo
Read more