Hi friends! I am linking up with Erika and Andrea today.
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Week in Review
Happy New Year! Wow! I am still in disbelief that its 2023. Am I the only one who has written 2022 multiple times this week? (Or stamped things received/filed with 2022?)
New Year's Eve was nice and quiet.... well not counting the neighbor's setting off fireworks all around us. They were really really pretty!
I think I was more excited for New Year's Day this year. I was going on TWO adventures today. At a lot of the New Jersey State Parks, they were having First Day Hikes. Some parks were short one mile hikes, other parks were 5-10 miles. (After a quick google search, I found other states did these too! I LOVE this idea!) I signed up for the New Year's Day Jaunt at Double Trouble State Park. I have been to this park a few times. There are many different trails throughout and I was excited to try something new and get outside. I had no idea what to expect!
There was about 15 people who came. The Ranger was so informative and knowledgeable! We walked a sandy trail that I didn't even knew existed. This trail took us along a babbling brook that in the olden days provided power to the Old Saw Mill on the Property and we ended up at the Cedar Creek Lake. It was a beautiful slightly warmer day and when I tell you, as we approached the lake, the weather completely changed! It got SO WINDY and cold! I was in shock! The water was SO blue and the it was a beautifully sunny day besides the wind.
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| The group (From Double Trouble State Park's Facebook Page) I'm in the Pink Jacket |
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| In awe of this blue! I want to bottle it up! |
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| The Park Ranger pointing towards the brush pines and the underbrush |
We made our way back from the lake to the two buildings on the property- The Sawmill and the Cranberry Packing House. Now I took a field trip here in elementary school, to learn about the Cranberry bogs BUT I don't remember anything. I was really excited to learn about this history and see what it was. Our Ranger, knew so much and provided us with fun facts while answering questions. This was a really neat thing!
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| The old saw in the Saw Mill |
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| Cranberry Packing House and the Cranberry Bog |
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| The Cranberry Bog |
I left there so excited! I walked, I learned and I had fun. It was only 12 hours into the New Year and I was happier than a pig in mud!
My next adventure was with my parents. Over in South Seaside Park, Island Beach State Park was having a First Day Hike with S'mores. How could I pass this up?! The ride to IBSP was quick and really nice; a stark contrast from the summer time and the constant traffic. We were SHOCKED to see how many people came out to the event. (The IBSP Facebook page said a few hundred people came out!) I knew it; the event organizer's knew it- the S'mores would bring the people. Perhaps the nice weather had something to do with it too!
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| The group at IBSP (from IBSP's Facebook page) |
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| L0VE them! |
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| I'm framing this photo. 💗 |
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| My happy place |
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| I'm framing this one too! 💜 |
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| S'Mores!!!!! |
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| Look at all these BLUES! |
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| It comes and goes.... |
I highly suggest you take a winter beach walk.
Wednesday night I went to the library to work on WGJ and to attend Crafter Dark- an adult evening craft program. I went to the inaugural one back in June and I loved it but life happens and this was the first time I was able to attend. I was so pleasantly surprised to be in the Makers Space again. We made a perler bead craft (just like in June!) The girl running the program felt so bad for me because the other program was a perler bead one. I said I didn't mind at all! It was relaxing and I got to chat with other crafty people. I ended up making a snowflake and a heart. My little crafter heart was so full. I walked out of the library grinning ear to ear holding my new creations.
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| Hot off the press.... literally |
Lastly, I somehow unintentionally began dry January. I didn't go into this year with that being the goal but here we are and I am not mad about it. I love my Palomas but maybe this is a good way to start fresh.
What a fun week! I swear going to the beach really helped my mood this week. Maybe I should make it a weekly thing.
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Links
Garlic Parmeasan Orzo Pasta ///This looks delicious hesitant because of the cream. (You know, I am lactose intolerant but I take that as seriously as mid-westerners take tornado warnings LOL).
Fitbit Charge 5 /// I have the Fitbit Flex from about 10 years ago floating around in my drawers. I loved this thing. I have been missing finding out the exact distance when I am running or walking and how I am sleeping and this has been on my mind for a while. I have some Christmas money that I think might go towards this.
Chunky Crochet Garland /// I found this on Instagram around Christmas time and I fell in love with it! How pretty is it?! After reading the instructions and watching the how to video, I pulled out my hot pink yarn and crochet hook and after making many knots, I decided to give in and wait for some help. The library has a knit and crochet group each month, guess who's their newest member?!
Pioneer Woman FlexBrew/// Give me all the navy blue accessories. Add some pretty flowers on it and I will almost always buy it! My parents have the original Flexbrew and LOVE it. I would use this in my office but I use getting coffee a way to get out of my office. What decisions!
Parmesan Orzo/// As I was writing this post, I scrolled through Google news and found this easy recipe. This looks simple and easy. Guess I will be eating a lot of Orzo in my future. Now if I can remember where that Orzo pasta salad recipe is....
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Looking Ahead
This weekend will consist of chores, writing next week's blog posts (they are a little more involved and I want to really think about them), yoga, the gym and lunch with an old friend.
Next week is filled with yoga, crafts, climbing, the gym and old friends.
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This Week's Posts
New Year's Eve | Dear 2022 | 2023: What I am Looking Forward To | Happy New Year | Random #12
You can always find all my past posts on the right side of the page, going all the way back to 2011!
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Thank you for reading and for all your support! I hope you check back throughout the year to see all my adventures and posts! I really enjoy writing these posts and I look forward to reading your posts too! I love this part of the internet- its like a nice coffee date with an old friend!
Have a great day!
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[[Cultivate kindness]]
ps. Did you notice anything different in today's post? Actually, there a few things:
1. The title! New year, new title for my Friday Favorites.
2. My week in review- I love recapping at the end of the month in my Love Letters but I want to share more when things actually happened.
3. My signature- I went from XOXO to toodles. I always thought of Gossip Girl with the XOXO's and toodles is something I say in real life. Why not have it on here too!
Keep your eye out for some more changes I will be incorporating over the next few months. -g
Fall and winter are some of my favorite times to hit the beach since they are usually deserted. I had no idea that many state parks hosted first day hikes; I am definitely going to have to look into that!!
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