Oh, Yes I Did

Last year I received a lovely holiday gift...that didn't fit so I returned it for a gift card.  The gift card has been sitting around for a few months.  Until today.

I am a crocking fool and have my big crock as well as crock junior.  For a few years I've been envious of my best friend's fancy-pants slow cooker but I'm way too thrifty too buy it, though when it was $50 off on Cyber Monday I was very tempted.

Just the idea of having a slow cooker where I could brown/saute (read: not dirty an extra pan) sounded wonderful. Enter the Cuisinart Multi-Cooker: Slow Cooker, Brown/Saute, Steamer. So I used my gift card and a few extra bucks and it will arrive later this week—not a minute too soon.  I'll write a review after I crock a few things, if I can tear myself away from it long enough.

Grateful

Today I am grateful for being an early riser, Britney Spears Pandora radio, UP24, new sneakers, heated blankets, the fairy lights still around the fireplace, a nice chat with my mom last night, health insurance, the way Babyface can't say squirrel, fruit day at work, daylight saving time is around the corner, and looking forward to family visits. 

2015 Goals, Resolutions, Habits

In previous years, I've set ambitious goals like I did in 2010, quarterly goals in 2012, monthly goals in 2013, two small goals in 2014, one January goal and one Spring goal, and commandments in 2009,

Earlier this month I watched this great video about New Year's Resolutions.


And it got me thinking...what habits can I create or maintain? How can I link habits to goals I want to achieve?  At the end of last year, I read two great books about habits, one was The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business and Mini-Habits: Smaller Habits, Bigger Results.

Instead of throwing out ambitious goals, I'm going to commit to the following habits for February:

1. Read every day.
2. Write 5 days a week.
3. Rise early 6 days a week.
4. Fill out my healthy chart every night.  What is my healthy chart? Well, last month I wanted to be sure to stay on a healthy track through the holidays. So I made a chart with all of the healthy habits that I want to make sure that I do every day.  Seeing things written down makes a big difference (like with my January 2013 workout goal) and lets me quantify it.  It's satisfying to see all of those check marks, even when they are just for small things, like eating within an hour of waking up or flossing, because those small habits are setting a healthy foundation.

2014 Greatest Hits

Oh, Baby!
The older Babyface gets, the more fun and the challenging he is.  In 2014, he loved reading even more, playing with his playhouse, and playing his favorite game with Matchbox cars: parking lot.

Like every mom, I’m balancing work and family. Going back to work full-time in December of 2013 was a big adjustment.  I did a good amount of freezer cooking before I went back to work and still do.  Of course I'm still a crocking fool.  And I came up with some tricks to make my mornings easier.  Babyface loves his daycare and has thrived.   Hippie parenting classes don’t fit into our schedule anymore, though My Heart's Desire and I did attend a good parenting class from a different organization. I feel like every year I calm down a bit and am able to relax and enjoy Babyface more. 

Book

The Book Thief.  Read it now.

I joined the book club at work and otherwise would never have picked up The Book Thief. Narrated by Death in 1939 Germany, this story of a young girl living with her foster family and the young Jewish man they hide in their basement is spellbinding and extremely well written.  I wasn’t excited to start reading it but then I could hardly put it down.  

Family Tradition
We maintained our family traditions of having Babyface's picture taken regularly, and My Heart's Desire taking Babyface to get his picture taken with Santa.  This year he didn’t even cry!

It's All Relative

My parents visited several times and my heart leaps up when I see them with Babyface. My dad and stepmom had many short visits.  When his school closed for a few days at the end of summer, my mom visited and he got to go to Camp Grandma.  She stayed at a nearby hotel and they had the very best time swimming, eating chicken nuggets, riding the bus, walking to the nearby Metro station and taking a ride for a stop or two. I also went to California for a quick visit and was able to see my brother, meet his new girlfriend, and hug my niece Lilah.

Lilah

We traveled to Colorado for Thanksgiving, where Babyface got to have big fun with my family, including his cousin Rye, who is less than a year older.  My sister and her husband know the toddler hotspots so we all had a great time.  On an unseasonably warm Thanksgiving Day my sister and I participated in a Turkey Trot while pushing the kiddos in strollers.

Rye and Babyface had a blast making this

Walking before Thanksgiving feast

My in-laws visited much more than usual. My sister-in-law and her husband welcomed a tiny person into the world who Babyface calls Cousin Baby.  Cousin Baby seems so big compared to how little Babyface was when he was the same age.  My husband’s other sister and her husband moved down from Boston and they regularly visit Babyface. They even brought over a Babyface-sized tree and decorated it together!  We also traveled to Vancouver to attend a family reunion on My Heart’s Desire’s dad’s side. 

Toddler-sized tree

My Aunt Cece also came for a wonderful visit at the end of the year and we had a marvelous time.  One lovely day I played hooky from work and she and I spent the day together, visited the National Women in the Arts museum, and had a long, leisurely lunch. 

Aunt Cece's first selfie

Another day she, Babyface, and I met my cousin Minda's family in Baltimore for fun at the Playseum and had pizza.  Babyface came to the airport to drop Aunt Cece off (amid promises they'd play parking lot another time) and after she left, he asked if she was going back to her house far away.  I said yes and he responded: But I love her.

Minda and Me

Healthy Living
I saw a personal trainer once or twice a month at half past dark.  Motivating and extremely knowledgeable, it’s been awesome. I also signed up for a Pilates class, which I love and did not find intimidating after all. I got a Waterfi and no longer get bored swimming laps. Mondays and Wednesdays at work are produce days, where the company provides a yummy spread of fruits, veggies, and dips.

Yum

Local Getaway
For My Heart’s Desire’s milestone birthday, I was in cahoots with his mother and planned for he and I to getaway to a local hotel for a night as a birthday surprise while she minded Babyface at our house.  On Saturday morning we had brunch with his family then he and I whisked away across town.  We checked into a nice Hyatt, where I had scored a room on Priceline for $50.  My Heart’s Desire and I went to the movies, had dinner, and slept in.  A lovely gift for both of us.

40. Really.

Hidden Gem

Hell yeah

I love diners.  And while in New Jersey visiting My Heart’s Desire’s family, we stopped at the Time to Eat Diner.  It was everything a diner should be.  Excellent food, great service, authentic, plus very clean bathrooms. 

My only complaint is that I wasn't hungrier