300 Days of Sunshine

Happy Tuesday!  It's another snowy day here in Santa Fe.  We've had a relatively relaxing month!  Here are a few updates on life lately... 1.  A couple months ago I purchased a new vehicle, a 2019 Chevy Equinox.  (I named her Selene, after the Greek Goddess of the moon, on account of her pearl color.)  I am so in love with her!  It's my first real "grown-up" car.  I have been so thankful for the All Wheel Drive feature during this snowy, slippery winter, and I love having a safe vehicle for toting Ady around town.  (The only downside is the popularity of white SUVs in Santa Fe... I almost accidentally stole some girl's white Jeep after yoga class... oops.) Selene 2.  I'm just about the only person I know who doesn't watch Netflix.  I can't say that I feel like I'm missing anything, other than the opportunity to join in every other conversation about new shows.  TV isn't really a part of my normal routine.  That b...

This has been the best winter for snow since we moved to Santa Fe.  (We probably have El Nino to thank for that.)  I haven't gotten back into skiing yet this season (partially due to the time commitment and the childcare expenses involved, and partially to avoid injury), but I have really enjoyed hiking in the woods with my snowshoes.  This past weekend I participated in the Santa Fe Snowshoe Classic, a 3.8-mile snowshoe race on forest trails in the Sangre de Cristo mountains.  It has been a goal of mine to do a snowshoe race, and I'm so glad I finally did it!  The route was a scenic loop at 9600-ft elevation, following the Big Tesuque Trail, Pacheco Canyon Road and the Winsor Trail.  I had never hiked this stretch of trail before and enjoyed seeing a new part of the forest.  The first half of the trail was mostly downhill, followed by a long climb up the remainder of the loop.  It was vaguely reminiscent of my Nordic ski racing days (minus the sp...

A new year.  A new chapter.  A fresh start.  Another opportunity to come closer to being the person I want to be.  A chance to set goals.  A moment that calls for reflection. I have a lot of the same goals year after year: to read more, write more, drink more water, do more yoga, smile more, run more, spend more time with friends.  I strive to be better at my job, to be more financially responsible, to be a better wife and mother, and to achieve balance in my life. For 2019, my focus is JOY.   What is joy?  Is it pleasure?  Is it happiness?  Is it jubilation?  It's not necessarily optimism, or suggesting any expectation of the future.  It simply is experiencing pleasure in what exists right now in this moment.  It also reminds me of Enjoy, and Rejoice. This one word sums up who I want to be this year.  If I can find joy in my work, in my family life, in my social life, and in my hobbies, then I will feel ...