* Christmas week arrived -- We were really bummed because we weren't able to go home (Josh had to work Dec. 23 and 26 so we'd have to drive 10 hours after he got off work at 8 p.m. Dec. 23, arrive at 3 a.m. Dec. 24 and then drive back on Christmas night another 10 hours ... not possible.)
However, we were determined to make the best of it. Josh was off for two days and that was awesome in and of itself. Christmas Eve we spent some time poolside chilling and swimming.
Christmas Eve swimming ... a first.
Later that afternoon, we did the CocoWalk for dinner at the Cheesecake Factory and then came home to watch movies and Skype with my parents.
Oh and take Christmas tree selfies.
This tree is in the lobby of our building.
We had champagne whilst Skyping (a tradition) and watched "It's a Wonderful Life." It was a nice evening, very relaxing but again we missed our fam.
Christmas morning was warm (duh) and overcast but still nice. And it was CHRISTMAS!!!
We got up and at 'um and tore into the presents. The pups were very pleased with the bones Santa brought.
We racked up with sweet goodies from our parents. I got my yoga teacher training materials (whoop), work out clothes, and new running shoes. I also got a FitBit which is super cool. It's a fitness device bracelet (with an app) that measures your steps and approximate calories burned. It connects to an online program where it shows all your logged information. Neato.
I did not, however, get any gifts from Joshua. Homie mistakenly sent my gifts to our apartment ... circa 2007. Yeah. Oops. He felt terrible about it and I just laughed it off. He did save the day by ordering a massage gift card. Nice save.
As for Josh, I got him Auburn stuff and really dorky cups/glasses with physics jokes on them. For example, the beer mug says "Particle physics gives me a hadron." Yeah I told you it was dorky.
His parents got him clothes and money. His sister got him his own beer brewing kit ... which should be interesting.
Looks like something from Breaking Bad.
My parents got him: money, Auburn clothes, golf balls and new Sperry's.
We really did well.
Again ... it was a sad day because we weren't with family. Actually, there were other things too. It felt like there was a black cloud hovering because not only were we not there ... some other bad shit went down that day and the following days.
First, Josh's sweet aunt Linda died the previous week after a very long illness.
Then, our dear family friend (one we usually spent Christmas with every year) got a call that night (Christmas night) that her incredibly healthy, late 50s son had died from a heart attack. All of us were/are devastated for her. She's such a sweet lady. Just heartbreaking.
THEN ... my uncle's car was stolen ... from church ... on Christmas. Clearly, not as tragic as losing a son but -- what. the. fuck. Awful.
And ... on Dec. 28 my parents had to put their baby Brodie to sleep. He had very advanced cancer and had stopped eating. It was for the best ... but still. We're all still hurting from that.
So yeah. It was a strange Christmas. A lot of good things ... but a lot of really tragic, sad stuff going down too. But we're looking forward to the future ... 2014 will be a great year, I know it. Well I just hope so.
* AND speaking of New Year's Eve and the year ahead. We spent the last night of the year on South Beach at the Shore Club. It's entertainment was Matisyahu, one of my all-time favorites. We were pumped.
Here's a peak at our (first and likely last) evening out SoBe style.
It was tons of fun ... but also tons of money. A nice way to bid farewell to the excesses of 2013 and move into a more calm, reserved, frugal and organic place for 2014. That's my overall goal.
I have to admit, we had a pretty incredible 2013. A basic rundown of the awesome shiz that went down:
January: Rang in the New Year on SSI with Nicole. I lost my camera that night - boo - but, take my word for it ... it was epic.
February: My bestie Kelly welcomed her beautiful baby Beckett into the world and I completed the Donna Degan Half Marathon for the third time.
March: We saw Eric Clapton in Jacksonville. AND I covered the Elvis Festival in Brunswick. It was a big deal to me -- haha. (I also had my broken foot put in a boot).
April: We got the news that we were moving to Miami.
May: We move and settle into life 16 stories up.
June: Our new team the Miami Heat win the NBA Championship!
July: I go to Enterprise (and slice up my leg) ... then marked my dirty 30 in Belgium, Amsterdam and Paris.
August: Got back into yoga hard core with some outstanding teachers.
September: I met Nicole in St. Augustine for the Gentlemen of the Road Stopover Tour ... headlined by Mumford and Sons. My dad also came to visit and Josh turns 33.
October: Josh and I celebrate 6 years of marriage in Key West. And we go to a bad ass Halloween party as Mia Wallace and Vincent Vega.
November: Anna and Mike visited. And we had Thanksgiving with our Belgians. OH AND THE IRON BOWL.
December: Christmas and seeing Matisyahu for NYE.
Yes. A lot of good shit went down.
Of course, there were some lows: Spending three months in a walking boot, constant pain in my back (upper and lower), Bryon's seizures, Josh's ridiculously grueling work schedule ... oy.
Still it was a great year (video here)
But we have to focus on what we want to see going forward. I've got a lot of work to do on myself. Here's some general goals I'm going to focus on next year.
They are general because, at 30, I'm old enough realize that taking on too much is setting yourself up for failure. I do know, though, that to really see progress you have to focus and track your progress. That's what I'm planning to do next week - make an entire post about the short list of things I really want to make happen in 2014, then the plan on how to get there and perhaps break it down even further - home, health, professional, financial, spiritual and romantic.
- Reorganize and de-clutter closets. Clean out freezer and fridge.
- Eating less processed foods. Yes, I'm a vegetarian but I also love to nom on bread, chips, etc. SO I'm going to try to up the whole foods - fruits and veggies.
- Cut out weekly wine nights.
- Get back into running ... and do a race.
- Get back into maintaining a food diary.
- Get yoga teacher certification. And start working at it.
- Institute a new work-out schedule. (Early mornings)
- Find more writing gigs.
- Read more and more classic works.
- Stop the general nitpicking with Josh. And try to cut the sarcasm. Try.
So like I said a really basic list of ideas. Nothing really concrete. But they are ideas ... and that's better than nothing. Like everyone else, I want to be a better person in 2014 - a better wife, friend and human being.
That's what I'm aiming for ... now let's see if it happens.
No comments:
Post a Comment