A new year, a new list

Since 30 seemed like a good number last time around, I came up with another 30 goals for myself to accomplish or start working toward his year. You'll notice a few repeats and I will explain my reasoning for each. In no particular order, here are the things I plan to check off in 2014:


Go on a vacation sans babies: Margot will be weaned at some point this year, which means I can leave her for longer stretches. Like a weekend. Or more. Maybe David can come with me...

Visit Brad and Emily: My brother's family moved halfway across the country last year for grad school and I miss them. They're expecting a baby any day now; what better reason to plan a visit than to meet my new niece?

Reach out to my friends: I've never been good at keeping in touch with people or inviting them to do things with me. This year I want to be more proactive in my friendships.

Host Fakesgiving: You should be excited about this one because you're invited. Seriously. It's gonna be great.

Color my hair: I've had a specific thing I've wanted to do to my hair for years and I just haven't. So I will.

Wear skirts more often: Without a style challenge (like a 30 for 30 or something similar) to prompt me, I default to jeans. Sometimes cords. Even in the triple digit heat of summer. Skirts would be better, and I have so many! Time to put 'em on.

Purge my closet: On a related note, it's time to get rid of all the things I don't wear anymore. (I'm looking at you, mustard skirt.)

Create a new family tradition: I kind of failed at this last year, but I love having things to look forward to as a family. We'll come up with something, I'm sure.

Figure out--and ideally resolve--my health issues: Really this just means finding a doctor I like and running some tests to see what's up. I hate going to the doctor. I hate making appointments. I hate getting blood drawn. I need to suck it up and do it anyway.

Learn to play something new on the piano: I hate that I never play anymore, and last year this pushed me to sit down and practice more than I have in ages. I think I'll try something more classical though; pop music on the piano doesn't seem to be my thing.

Learn to play the ukelele: First I'll need to acquire a ukelele. We'll go from there.

Bake something new each month: Last year I limited myself to cakes; now I want to expand. Cookies, pies, maybe the intimidating macaron...we'll see where this goes. I can't wait to test drive my new deep-dish pie plate.

Sign up for and use a gym membership: I really want to take some classes--yoga, water aerobics, whatever other old lady type stuff I can find 'cause that's how I roll--and I think a gym (or maybe our city's rec center) will be able to provide that.

Have a photo shoot in the Guadalupe cemetery: It may have to wait until Dia de los Muertos, but that will make it that much cooler. Just you wait. This place is unbelievable.

Go to the open house, dedication, and do some work at the Gilbert LDS temple: It's such a blessing to have this opening only a few miles away from us and I want to take full advantage of it. You can come to the open house too if you'd like! Tours are free and you can make reservations here.

Attend a live performance (concert, play, opera, ballet, whatever): I can't remember what was the last show I went to. I used to do stuff like this all the time but then babies happened. Any volunteers to babysit?

Find (and share) some new music: I haven't made much effort to seek out great music over the last few years. If I stumble across something, great, but mostly I listen to the same few radio stations and albums on repeat. I miss discovering new (to me) artists and making happy playlists, so feel free to share if you have any new favorites!

Try five new-to-me restaurants: I loved this goal. It forced us to step away from our old standbys, which is good for us. I have a few already on my radar that I can't wait to try.

Try five new-to-me foods: This was also a fun and kind of random thing to do last year, so I want to do it again.


Grow a more successful garden: To make up for last year's tragedy, I want to move our garden somewhere less scorchy and try again.


Finish all my outstanding yarn projects: Remember how I used to knit and crochet? I don't do that anymore and I miss it. But I have several incomplete projects in a closet somewhere that I need to wrap up before I try anything new.

Remodel the kitchen: This is ambitious, I realize, but it's what we've been saving for and planning to do since we bought this house a year and a half ago. The time has come.

Move the girls into the pink room: Margot sleeps there now, but Mila doesn't. Plus Mila is still in her crib and Margot sleeps in the pack-and-play. I'd like to get Mila in a big girl bed, Margot in the crib, and both girls in the pink room so we can use the other room for something else.

Find a new dresser for the girls: Theirs is old and falling apart. I'm tired of fighting the drawers and looking at sawdust on the floor. I have a vision of what I want, but I may settle for something that does the job just because it's driving me crazy.

Finish the master bedroom: It was the first room we started in this house and is still largely unfinished. It's just details: painting trim and doors, hanging new curtains, etc. But I may never do it if I don't make it a priority.


Finish our family photo gallery wall: I have photos in frames, reading to be hung, and they are sitting in the hall closet. Gotta get those up on the wall, stat.

Figure out a cleaning schedule: Still something I struggle with, although dishes are less stressful now that David and I trade off. Let's see if I can get mopping and folding laundry done on the regular too.



Hire someone to redesign my blog: I attempt to do it myself every year or so but my skills are so rudimentary that I'm never truly happy with the results. This year I'm gonna let someone else figure out my coding mess.

Post a monthly "think piece": Some of my favorite bloggers write introspective, inspiring posts on occasions. It's something I've wanted to do for a while, and I have several drafts started, but I never finish or share them. This year I will find the time.

Contribute regularly to my other projects: Two sites officially launched this month, and I am blessed to be part of both. I'll have more details for you soon, as well as links, but for now it's enough to say that I'll be writing for them regularly. I hope.

What about you? Any exciting goals or plans for the year?