Resolved?:

I've always been very leery of making new year's resolutions (see here). I feel like, as soon as you voice your goal, you're setting yourself up to fail. As soon as you put it out there, the world has a way of making sure it doesn't happen. Or at least, that's been my experience. I usually just keep these secret wishes close to my heart so if (and inevitably, when) they don't work out, no one knows but me. It's a self-preservation thing. But this year, I was brave. I made some statements. Some of them happened and some of them didn't. Let's see how I did, shall we?

Status: Done. I actually read 58 books this year. And I'm pretty proud of myself.

Status: Didn't happen. This is probably my biggest disappointment of the year. But there's really nothing I can do about it, so I'm trying not to dwell. All I can do is look to next year and work towards making it happen. But the good news? I feel like we're closer than we've ever been so maybe 2013 will be the year.

Status: Done. I've run 5 races this year (some of them are here, here, and here). And I'm training for a half marathon (!). 

Status: long story short, it didn't happen. But 2013 is the year. I can feel it.

Status: Done. You can read more about that here.

Status: Done, I think. I might have spent more on things this year, but what I did buy was good quality so in the end, it was smarter. And I did a good job this year of getting rid of a lot of things that were just sitting around cluttering the place up.

Status: Not yet. But I have taken steps towards taking it. I've been studying and gathering information. I plan on taking it the beginning of next year.

Status: Done, kind of. We spent quite a lot in 2012 but we also made more this year than in previous years. So, by comparison, yes, we saved more too.

Status: Done. This summer we rented a beach house with a bunch of college friends and spent an entire week hanging out in the sand and surf. Read more about that here.

There are a few things that I didn't include in these resolutions and for good reason. They are private. My most private longings are locked up inside me like a little girl's diary. With one of those heart shaped locks. Maybe when (and if) they happen, I'll share them. But for now, they're staying right where they belong.

I learned a lot this year. I opened myself up a bit and great things happened. And I'm happy. So, I think for next year, I will try my hand at this resolution thing again. But this time, I think, I'll be a lot more general. I think I will enjoy it more if I don't feel pressured by these standards I've set for myself.

So, farewell 2012. You were a good year. You did us right (mostly). But I'm not sad to see you go. On to bigger and better things!

Merry Christmas:

Merry Christmas, everyone! I'm taking the week off to relax, spend time with family, and stuff my face. I'll be back next week with some end of the year wrap up.

Have a great holiday. XO.

Cookies:

This weekend was cookie madness weekend. I managed to make one or two kinds earlier this month and froze them but this weekend I made at least 5 dozen. And I helped Tyler make his famous sugar cookies (always the favorite at our get togethers). We're almost ready on the cookie front. Our freezer is stuffed full of cookies. I've got a few other things still to make. Because in our family, it isn't Christmas unless we are literally knee deep in cookies.

P.S. Santa Claus comes tonight! Have you been good this year? Better make sure you leave some cookies and milk out, just in case!

Happy Weekend:

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Happy Friday, everyone! I thought today would never get here. The last week before a long holiday off from work always drags out.

What are your plans for the weekend? Today is my dad's birthday so we're doing family stuff tonight to celebrate. I made him a yummy cake and we're going to pig out and play games. Tomorrow I've got a long run (only 4 miles) in the morning and then we're going to watch The Hobbit with my family. Unless of course the Mayans were right and the world ends today. In that case, happy birthday, Dad! I give you the gift of the apocalypse.

A few highlights from this week:

1. Yesterday was my last day of work for 2012. Yay!
2. Kristin (of the Order fame) gets into town this morning! I get to pick her up from the airport!
3. I stuffed my face at a potluck Christmas party. Delicious.
4. We may have some exciting travel plans for 2013. 
5. I reached my reading goal for the year. 56 books!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas:

Can you believe Christmas is almost here? It really snuck (or is it sneaked?) up on me this year. I've got presents to wrap and cookies to bake. Our stockings still haven't been hung. There's a lot left to do but my, our tree sure is pretty. Looking at it helps me to relax, slow down, and enjoy it. Kind of like a fish tank. Fish tanks are supposed to be calming, right?

Painting party:

Last week, I went to a Christmas party with some of the girls I run with. We've gotten to be really close this year so we celebrated by hanging out, eating food, and painting at Painting with a Twist! It was fun.

New Reads:

This week, I'm reading Forever Young: The Science of Nutrigenomics for Glowing, Wrinkle-Free Skin and Radiant Health at Every Age by Dr. Nicholas Perricone. It's a nice change of pace from all the fiction I've been reading lately. And it's interesting too. I'm learning a lot about the metabolic diet, cell mitochondria, and free radicals.

Here's what it's about:

"From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Perricone Prescription and The Wrinkle Cure comes nutrigenomics, a powerful new strategy for maintaining beautiful skin and a healthy, youthful body regardless of age. Named one of the four top dermatologists in the United States by Vogue, Dr. Perricone is a bestselling author and revered practitioner whose huge audience includes many of the world's most beautiful faces. Scientists working on the human genome project talk of a bright future for genetic manipulation, one that will someday reverse many of the signs of aging, including aging skin.

That future is now. By following Dr. Perricone's remarkable yet simple program in Forever Young, you will learn how to turn off the genes that cause aging, and turn on the genes that will

• rejuvenate wrinkled, sagging skin
• burn body fat
• increase lean muscle mass
• improve brain and memory
• increase energy
• enhance mental and physical well-being

At the core of his new book is an exciting new science on skin: nutrigenomics and gene expression. With his innovative vision, Dr. Perricone has applied the new science to ease wrinkles and make skin supple, smooth, and glowing. His prescriptive program will shave years off your appearance, increase health and vitality, and enhance mental clarity."

I know I'm young and don't really have any of these problems yet but I operate under the mindset that it is never too early to start taking care of my skin and my body. And the more I know now, the better prepared I am down the road. Preventative measures all the way, you know?

Christmas 2012:

I'm just going to be super honest... getting presents is one of my favorite things about Christmas. I know that's something a kid would say and maybe I still think like a kid, but whatever. It's true.

So here is what I'm wishing for this Christmas:

1. Joy the Baker cookbook $13 -- kind of obsessed with her
2. Classic Cambridge Satchel $101 -- perfect for carrying to work
3. J.Crew Heartbreak sweater $80 -- so cute (and on sale!)
4. Little Helper container $56 -- one of those things I've loved but never thought to buy for myself
5. Dorado riding boot $498 -- the boots of my dreams
6. Puffin Classics books $11.50 each -- love these editions of classics from my childhood
7. book light $15 -- for reading in dark corners
8. Young House Love book $17 -- love reading this blog and am looking forward to reading the book
9. Gold pig bookends $30 -- these would be adorable on our bookshelf (very Charlotte's Web)

Happy Weekend:

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Happy Friday! This week has been long and cold. I can't say I'm sorry to see it go. What about you? Got any fun plans to send this week off in style? We've got a long run planned for early Saturday morning (ugh) and then I've got a Christmas party with my running group. And we have some photos to take. We're in the process of getting our Christmas cards ready to send out.

Some highlights of our week include:

1. Some recent developments at work have me very excited about the future of my career
2. I got new running shoes and am in the process of breaking them in
3. I've been knitting like crazy to get all of these done
4. Andrew caught my nasty virus but is finally feeling better this week!
5. Spent a lovely evening painting with some dear friends

Have a great weekend, everyone. Stay warm!

I love:

For a few weeks now, I've been using Josie Maran's Argan Illuminizer. I use the smallest amount known to man on my cheekbones, brow bones, cupid's bow, and down the bridge of my nose. And I kid you not, it is amazing. It makes me look all dewy and glowy in the best way possible. It's not sparkly or glittery at all (so I don't end up looking like a 13-year-old covered in glitter), and it blends fabulously with my fair skin. It actually makes me look more rested than I really am and brings some color into my face (bronzer + pale skin = a bad idea). 

A one ounce bottle will last me a year, easily. I'm thinking about mixing a little with my foundation during the week and my moisturizer on the weekends (I don't wear makeup on my days off) for a little winter pick me up. Sometimes, during the winter months, my pale skin looks almost gray, ya know? If you suffer from the same problem, I think this would really help you as well. Give it a try.

I love:

I realized I had yet to share my loot from the last library book sale. 25 books for $13.50. I am in love.

Food, Glorious Food:

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I've had tarts on my mind lately. My good friend Joy the Baker suggested I try her Honey Almond Butter Chocolate Tart recipe. And since I've been looking for something new to debut at the Christmas potluck, I figured I'd test drive it.

I love:

I'm kind of in love with novelty sweaters at the moment. Case in point:

Happy Weekend:

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Happy Friday, everyone! Got anything fun planned? We've got an 8-mile run (!) planned for Saturday morning and some Christmas decorating and shopping to do. I always get stressed out thinking about how many weekends are left before Christmas that I try to squeeze everything in as early as possible so I can relax.

The weather has been unseasonably warm here lately (I think that's why I've been -- majorly-- under the weather) so get out there and enjoy it while it lasts.

Have a great one. XO.

If I were a cartoon:

We've been using our iPad as a drawing tablet lately and we're kind of obsessed. Last night, Andrew drew my likeness. It's cute, right? Here's my best attempt at him:

Not so great. But I'm still having fun with it and I'm getting better.

New Reads:

This week, I'm reading The Diviners by Libba Bray. I really liked the Gemma Doyle trilogy that she wrote a few years ago so I snatched up her newest offering.  I'm only a few pages in so far, but I really like it.

It goes like this:

"Do you believe there are ghosts and demons and Diviners among us?

Evie O'Neil has been exiled from her boring old hometown and shipped off to the bustling streets of New York City -- and she is pos-i-tute-ly ecstatic.  It's 1926, and New York is filled with speakeasies, Ziegfeld girls, and rakish pickpockets. The only catch is that she has to live with her Uncle Will and his unhealthy obsession with the occult.

Evie worries he'll discover her darkest secret: a supernatural power that has only brought her trouble so far. But when the police find a murdered girl branded with a cryptic symbol and Will is called to the scene,  Evie realizes her gift could help catch a serial killer.

As Evie jumps headlong into a dance with a murderer, other stories unfold in the city that never sleeps. A young man named Memphis is caught between two worlds. A chorus girl named Theta is running from her past. A student named Jericho hides a shocking secret. And unknown to all, something dark and evil has awakened...

Printz Award-winning and New York Times Bestselling author Libba Bray opens a brand-new historical series with the Diviners, where the glittering surface of the Roaring Twenties hides a mystical horror creeping across the country."

Doesn't it sound deliciously creepy? So excited to read it. And so excited to hear that it's a series! I love stumbling upon a new series. It's one of my very favorite things. Finding a great new book is great but discovering that the story doesn't end there, that there is more to come is even better. It's one of the very best surprises.

If you're interested in how I'm progressing in my reading goal for the year, check it out after the jump.

I love:

Let's talk about hair products for a minute. Now, I'm not that much of an expert when it comes to hair. I use a few products, yes, but I'm kind of hopelessly confused when it comes to doing anything with my hair Seriously, I struggle. So, I really like to wash and go. And sometimes not wash. Just go. But here are the things that I have used and had success with (all cruelty-free, of course):

1. Avalon Organics Lavender Shampoo -- I use this almost every time I wash my hair. It is really gentle and smells good. Plus, we buy the large bottle with a pump and it last forever. Seriously, forever.
2. Avalon Organics Lavender Conditioner -- see above.
3. Organix Leave-In Nourishing Coconut Milk -- I really like trying all the different Organix products and this one is really great. It's all-natural, has a great smell, and especially during the winter keeps my hair from getting too dry and full of static.
4. Say Yes to Carrots Anti-Frizz Serum -- my hair doesn't get really frizzy but I like to use this and know that it's one less thing I have to worry about. Plus it smells nice and gives my hair a little more texture.
5. Organix Awapuhi Ginger Instant Recovery Mask -- I use this hair mask once a week to keep my hair soft and moisturized. It smells ah-maz-ing!
6. Nexxus Maxximum Hair Spray -- the love of my hairspray life used to be L'Oreal Elnett but they test on animals so we no longer use them. And I haven't found a spray that I love as much. Right now we're trying this one. It's okay. Not my fave though. I miss my Elnett.
7. Conair WideTooth Comb -- I run this through my hair after washing and applying product to detangle and evenly distribute things through my hair. Sometimes I will run it through dry hair. It's the closest thing I own to a brush.
8. Chi ceramic flat iron -- I don't usually use heat tools but occasionally if my hair is especially out of control, I will run this through it to kind of calm things down. I use it more during cold weather months.
9. Revlon RV544 hair dryer -- I did some research a while ago while shopping for hair dryers and came across this one. A lot of people were really into it so I tried it. And I really like it too. I don't use it that much, I prefer to let my hair air dry. But when I have drying needs, this is what I reach for. And apparently, I'm not alone. It's a thing. If you're in the market for a hair dryer, I highly recommend this one. I like to use the diffuser with it because I feel like it just dries my hair more naturally, you know?
10. Organix Moroccan Argan Oil Blow Out Cream -- this is really great. I run it through my hair before I dry it and it keeps things looking awesome. It protects from heat and UV damage and I love it for that.
11. Say Yes to Carrots Scalp Relief Shampoo -- My hair and scalp gets really dry in the winter and using this shampoo a few times a week keeps things under control. And it doesn't smell all medicated like so many scalp treatment shampoos do. It smells nice. Like citrus.

New Clothes:

Last week, J.Crew was having a super sale. And I had a 30% off coupon on top of that. So we got some new clothes. I got two shirts and a pencil skirt and Andrew got a pair of jeans, two shirts, and a sweater for under $175. It was awesome. I must say, I love this time of year. You can score some pretty outrageous deals.