As I sit here and write this on New Year's Eve, I am elated to take a look back at you and see everything you gave to me. It was quite a year. I don't know if I fully expected this year to be as transformative as it was. I think everyone gets nostalgic on New Years Eve and I like to take this time as a check in to see what actually happened.
If December 2022 Me sat down with January 2022 Me and told her all the things that were going to happen this year, I am pretty she would not have believed me. As always, I had high hopes for this year to be filled with all good things. There were both highs and lows from this year and they made up a really neat year.
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Here are some of the most memorable thing from each month
January: I turned 34 and jumped with two feet in.
February:The first time in a very long time where I went out to a restaurant and a paint & sip and it felt normal- like pre-covid normal.
March: Year 3 of this pandemic....on a positive note, I'm still rock climbing.
April: I got to experience Holland Ridge tulip farm twice! Once with Kyle and once with my parents. It was magical.
May: I attend an art show at Bell Works. I've never did anything like that and it was a neat experience.
June: I tried something new- an adult craft class at the library-Crafter Dark.
July: Went to North Carolina for Fourth of July had a fantastic time. Fell in love with North Carolina and the Mountains.
August: It's a three way tie- Lady Gaga concert; Pool Party at the Berkeley Hotel in Asbury AND the Lacey 5k.
September: Its a tie! Trips to Longwood Gardens to see the "Light" installation AND Grounds for Sculpture.
October: PorchFest was hands down my favorite adventure I went on this month.
November: Feeling rejuvenated in Florida on vacation.
December: Ran the Jingle Bell 5k in Downtown Toms River after thinking about it for YEARS.... AND hit a really big savings goal this year!
What a year! Lots of other fun things happened along side the things above but I'll just settle for the highlight reel on here.
Speaking of highlight reels, I created this Reel for Instagram of one photo from each month. I will admit that it was really hard to figure this out and I felt old trying to attempt it.
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I am proud of...
*Leaning into asking questions and not bring embarrassed... you're learning, you're not stupid.
*Speaking up for what's mine.
*Not apologizing for what's meant for me.
*Not rushing (getting to work extra early).
*Coffee is amazing.
*I can't do everything.
*Taking chances with new things.
*Being myself, unapologetically.
*Monmouth County will never be home, it's a nice place to visit.
*Climbing taught me to slow down and breathe.
*Proud that I don't wait around; I go do things on my own.
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Goal review
✅Move 3x's a week- I think I moved a lot more this year than I have in other years. Between running, walking, yoga, climbing, and the gym, I moved 166 times (adding the numbers from my exercise paragraph below. Moving 3x's a week for 52 weeks equals 156 times. Give or take a few times, I think I accomplished this goal!
🔀Spend 1000 hours outside- This was a really lofty goal and I know there was a guide to guide you to a 1000 hours outside but I am pretty sure I didn't reach this. I gave it a really good effort. I tried to get outside every chance I could get. AND if I am telling the truth, I stopped counting in the Summer. My total number of hours outside is somewhere in the range of A LOT
✅Being the best version of myself- Kindness ruled this year. Kindness always comes easy for me and most of the times, I didn't think too much about it.
🔀Be more creative- I really struggled with this all year long. I guess when I made this goal, I was thinking more about being crafty creative yet I kept up with blog posts each month and I took really beautiful photos all year. I guess my perception of being creative shifted a bit and I am happy with what I did create, even if it wasn't crafty.
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License Plate Game
I ended up seeing 48 out of 50 states. New Mexico and Wyoming were so elusive!
Exercise and Climbing
I had 41 climbing sessions at 4 different climbing gyms. I mostly bouldered VB's to V2's. I did attempt one V3. I top roped a few times on 5.7 to 5.9's. I have realized that I enjoy bouldering a lot more than top rope.
I went to the gym 26 times this year- I started going in late September. I was active 101 times (from data on my Samsung health), I feel like that is pretty accurate. Lots of walks around neighborhoods, in parks and by the water.
Books Read
I read 18 books this year. My goal was 45 but by June, I completely fell off the reading wagon. At first I was sad but maybe in this season of my life, reading is not in the cards AND that is okay!
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Well 2022, you were a good year. Thanks for the memories (cue Fall out Boy) and I am excited and optimistic about 2023.
[[There is something so inspiring about another chance to get it right. To achieve that goal or reach that dream. Yes the new year is bursting with hope.]]
I wish for all the goodness that you deserve to come to you this year and all the hard work you've done, to be shown in ways you could only dream up.
Wishing you Peace, Love and Laughter in the new year.
Thank you all for your continued support. This has definitely been a wonderfully crazy, wild and wonderful year. See you all in 2023!
[[There is something so inspiring about another chance to get it right. To do better. To achieve that goal or reach that dream. Yes, the new year is absolutely bursting with hope]]
Hi friends! I am linking up with Erika and Andrea this week.... well I hope to, I am not sure if they are on a Christmas Break but I figured I would still write it, you know for posterity.
Let's start with a Christmas weekend rewind:
Friday: Christmas Eve Eve. I had off and I was supposed to go to the dentist but they moved the appointment up a day and I was able to relax and hang out, kinda for the day. Mommy and I baked a bunch of different cookies and I finished up the last gift I wanted to before Christmas. I also hit another one of my savings goals this year! What a way to end the year! I was really proud of this and I do not take for granted the opportunity I have to save money right now. There was also really terrible weather this day- like Hurricane Sandy type flooding and then with it being so cold, everything froze. Fun times.
Saturday: Christmas Eve. I got up earlyish to go to the Waretown Bakery to pick up some goodies for the weekend and to the Gym. Well, because everything had frozen the night before, I had fun getting into my car and then thawing it out. HA! I was able to defrost everything enough to drive. To my surprise pulling into the bakery's parking lot, it was JAMMED. This is a tiny bakery and the parking lot is tiny and color me shocked. I found a spot right in front- which proved to be a challenge leaving and I opened the door to the bakery and I was greeted with wall to wall people! HA! I took one look and said, Back of the line? and the nice crowd pointed me the right way. I giggled and said Merry Christmas everyone! " and waited my turn. I was in and out of there in about 30 minutes with warm donuts and a raspberry crumble that smelled delicious. I couldn't wait to eat them!
After dropping the goodies off at home, I headed back out to the gym. I was pleasantly surprised again how crowded the gym was. With it being Christmas Eve and the gym having shortened hours, everyone was getting their workout in early. My gym got new treadmills and I will be honest, they were slightly confusing at first but I figured it out and off I went. After the gym, we went to Caffery's for drinks and food; a new tradition. I was not suprsied to see so many people there at 11:30 AM. We had a restful afternoon waiting for the big day!
Sunday: It was Christmas! Santa came and before we opened gifts, we had coffee and donuts and chatted. Then we opened gifts, including some joke ones and spent time together. As I have gotten older, what is beneath the tree is not what I look forward to, it's spending time with those who you love. We ate and drank and had an overall lovely relaxing Christmas. Monday: The last day in my four day weekend. It was relaxing; I ended up going to the gym next town over and I was pleasantly surprised by it. I like seeing all the different clubs and how they are set up. I had to ask an employee where the locker room was when I got there. When I was leaving, the same employee asked me if I found everything okay and if I had a good workout. My little heart turned to mush, I LOVE that attention to detail!
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What a week!
Back to work on Tuesday. I knew I had a list of things to do but most of them were follow ups. My mind this week seemed to be elsewhere- on other fun projects that I have in the works. I got the things I wanted to done, including a deep clean of my office to start the new year off right.
I went to the Women's group-Beladies at Gravity Vault on Tuesday night for yoga and climbing. I have been looking forward to this all month. These women as always so kind and supportive. Usually the class is taught by Sarah but Tuesday's nights class was taught by Krystal, it was her first class at the Gravity Vault and she did such a great job! She was geniune and it showed through her practice. I bouldered afterwards and I was quite scared. I hadn't climbed since last month and I found an easier route and just went for it. I was proud that I tried. I did a lot of observing and I am excited to do more climbing in 2023.
I know everyone is going to say this but it has been so stinkin' cold lately! I feel like we are in the movie Frozen. Can we skip to the good part- Spring and Summer? Pretty Pleased?
As we enter into New Year's weekend, I am feeling relaxed and ready. Ready for whatever* 2023 throws at me.
(DISCLAIMER: whatever refers to confetti, good news, good vibes, excitement, sunshine, money, happiness, joy, love, peace and anything that can be refered to as a synonym for any of the above things listed.)
I hope you are ready for 2023 just like I am!
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I found two fun articles this week:
I want a Hippopotamus for Christmas/// Not only was this my answer for anyone who asked me what I wanted for Christmas this year but it really did come true for a zoo in Virginia. A baby pygmy hippo was born! I wonder if that hippo realizes how iconic he is right now!?
SNOWFLAKES! /// I love snowflakes but reading about how a Vermont farmer proved no two snowflakes are alike is wild! I knew I loved nature and how unique everything is!
Hi December! Grab a cup of coffee and let's sit down for a little chat, shall we?
You were definitely one of the more surprising months.
I had set out in the beginning of the month to really lean into this month and all the Christmas fun that could be had and I think I accomplished that the best I could.
Some of the original holiday themed plans for this month did not happen but that was okay; don't get me wrong, I was sad and upset but I knew it was for the better. The Asbury Park Santa Run was something I had been looking forward to for a long time and when the day came, I didn't know how I was going to feel not running it but when I found out my bib number went to an adorable little girl who ran the furthest she had ever run (in the rain and cold too!), that made me really happy.
My parents and I spent almost every weekend, driving around looking at lights and looking for Santa. We had so much fun and it brought me back to my childhood when we used to do the same thing. The only thing that was missing was me in my pajamas and subsequently falling asleep in the backseat. Daddy and I patiently waited for almost 2 hours for Santa to come around on a firetruck earlier in the month. We must have been the two oldest kids on the route that night; there is just something so magical about that. I am glad I like in an area where that still happens.
We found such great Christmas events around our town; from Waretown's drive through lights to Jake's Branch Park drive through lights; then driving around different neighborhoods and running into Santa at Jersey Mike's. My favorite had to be our afternoon spent at Hook's Bar in Seaside eating and having a holiday drink while Santa was taking photos with all who wanted one. I swear I took photos with at least FOUR different Santa's this year. It was comical and it made me laugh. I love leaning into silly things like that!
For Christmas gifts at the office, I decided to go the food route this year and donuts from the Waretown Bakery were a HUGE hit! Who doesn't love getting donuts?! I was really happy Mommy suggested that idea because I was kind of tired giving hand soap out. (Who doesn't love hand soap too?!)
Outside of our holly jolly time, I spent a lot of time reflecting on what had happened the month before. I was sad but also proud; proud that I had entered my villain era this year and I wasn't standing anymore for things that were not right in my life. I have come to have acceptance for what had happened, and it will always be a part of my story, I can't erase that but I can learn and grow from it. That is one thing I would like to take into 2023 with me- standing up for myself. I remembered this quote from Greek and I felt it's really applicable " Some love stories are short stories, but they are all love stories."
I have also been thinking a lot about how I want 2023 to look for me. What I am taking with me, what I am leaving behind, what I am trying to create or manifest, what I will be working on, what I will strive to be. As cliche as it sounds, a new year is filled with unlimited possibilities and I really can't wait to see what happens next, with my life, my blog, my job, my adventures. I am turning 35 next month and while it's crazy to think about, I am happy about the adventures I have been on that have gotten me to this point.
ONE really exciting thing that happened this month was I hit another one of my savings goals! I wasn't supposed to get to this point for a few months but I did it early! WAHOOO! I had to mention that because 2019 me, is SO proud of what I have saved and 2022 is grateful for the opportunity I have to save so much! YAY!
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Goal Update
I moved 13ish out of 31 days this month (Move at least 3 times a week)
I spent 10ish hours outside (Spend 1000 hours outside this year)
I tried to show kindness all month (being the best version of myself) and it really boosted my mood those days when I was extra kind.
I was a smidge creative at all this month. (I made my ugly sweater and wrapped some gifts)
License Plate Game
ONE new one!! It was NORTH DAKOTA by total luck! Still looking for Wyoming and New Mexico. I have a few days left and I'm so curious to see if I can find them!
Climbing
I climbed 1 time this month! I climbed 5 different routes over the session. The ranged from V0 to V1. I was a bit scared to actually climb. I had gone to yoga at GV earlier in the month and I chickened out. I really just need to go for it and get up on the wall; that's what I did at the end of the month, it was the beladies event and I just stuffed my hands in my chalk bag and went. My knees were shaking and I might have climbed up half way then back down on a few routes but I did complete 4 out of the 5 routes, each two times. The most proud moment was figuring out the V1 green with these tube like holds. It wasn't so much that it went vertical but it went across and figuring it out gave me a little confidence boost, especially after falling from it twice previously. I look forward to climbing more and taking the opportunity before yoga to go climb.
Exercise
I went to the gym 6 times this month AND ran a 5K AND a chilly 2 hour walk outside! I was really excited with my time for the 5K especially since it was the first time I had run outside in the cold. It was nice to get out and walk on the Rail Trail with Adrienne and Evie Pink! I decided to tried to incorporate more weight training this month. I did cardio (walking, rower, stairmaster) and used a kettlebell most of the time. I want to get back to my old way of exercising with my little index cards listing the exercises; I started that a bit this month and I hope to hone the best exercises for me and give myself some variety. I am also hoping to start to use the machines more. I am slightly intimidated by them, even though I know how to use a good bunch of them. That is next month's goal.
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Did you miss any of my posts from this month? Find them below:
Lastly, I am looking forward to January for a fresh start, my 35th Birthday, more yoga and climbing and walking, trying new things and activities. I am also looking forward to working on a new project that I am not ready to make public yet. I am really hoping 2023 is a great year.; the last 4 years have been record setting ones (and not always for the best reasons.
Thank you for reading along and supporting me on my journey. I appreciate each and every one of you! Looking forward to sharing more in the new year!
Three years of sharing my monthly photo diary. This makes my heart so happy. I love taking photos of everyday life. Things that make me smile, giggle or make me think. I love this and I am so excited to start my 4th year in 2023.
Morning Commute
Found on the floor
Vintage
Penelope did her good deed for the day- She helped a little girl who was being adopted, feel more comfortable in Court.
SANTAAAAA! I know him!
Pre-Jingle Bells 5K Race Photo
Run, Run, Rudolph!
Christmas Trees
Patriotic Christmas Tree
Full moon energy
Best.Donuts.Ever
Best Tradition....Santa on a firetruck
Hi Santa!
Santa's "elves"
Hook's with Mom and Dad
Santa checking his phone,eh list
Hooks
Favorite Christmas Mug
So cold.....
Christmas Cheer
Elf at Gravity Vault
You Serious, Clark?
I have worked at the Courthouse for 11 years and I had no idea this existed.
Adding these trees to my "to make" Pinterest list
Found Santa driving around
Bundled Up
Sunday Morning Walk
Interrupted Santa's lunch at Jersey Mike's
All is calm, All is bright
Favorite vintage ornament
Found in the parking garage
Sweet and unexpected gifts
Ugly Christmas Sweater
Casual Thursday.
Christmas Eve at Caffery's
Always...
To catch up on my Diary posts you may have missed this year:
