16 for '16

1. Be more present. I even got a bracelet to remind me of it.

2. Get another certification this year.

3. Read 35 books.

4. Not feel like I overate too much over the holidays when next year's NYE rolls around.

5. Do a yoga workshop.

6. Run two half marathons.

7. Expand my garden, especially tomatoes.

8. Leave the country, at least once.

9. Redo our guest room.

10. Help Owen learn the alphabet.

11. Do a no buy for the month of June.

12. Pay off the student loan and not have to finance anything for Adam's MBA.

13. Save some of my yoga money this year.

14. Start attacking the 4Runner payment.

15. Stay within the monthly budget every single month and use overage for travel.

16. Fully fund Christmas by October 31st.

2015 Year In Review

1. What did you do in 2015 that you'd never done before?

left Owen for 9 days and left the country without taking him with us, took Owen out of the country with us, did a bootcamp certification, bought a car all by myself (!!!! that one was really fun and empowering), had my eyes lazered. 

2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I don't do resolutions but I do set goals and come up with a to do list each year. I did marginally ok on last year's list.  Oops. 

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

YES! lots of people did. I feel like I made approx 20 meals for people having babies this year, which was awesome. 

4. Did anyone close to you die?

I didn't attend a funeral this year so I consider myself to be incredibly lucky. (same as last year, woot!) 

5. What countries did you visit?

Mexico! Ireland! 

6. What would you like to have in 2016 that you didn't have in 2015?

more money in savings, I cleaned up my financial habits so, so, so, so, so much this year. I am hoping to rock that again this year and be able to save even more. 

7. What dates from 2014 will be etched upon your memory, and why?

Feb 20-23: 41 of us went to Playa del Carmen, Mexico to celebrate my Grandpa's 90th birthday. I hope that when I'm 90, I want to party it up in Mexico.  Grandpa stayed out later than all of us "kids" gambling at the casino.  He rocks. 

May 2: Owen's 2nd birthday party.  It was so great.

Dec 5: my birthday was a Saturday this year. Can it be a Saturday every year? No? Lame. I highly recommend having your birthday on a Saturday. 

Nov 6: We left for Ireland, which was such a trip of a lifetime and a totally unexpected addition to our year. I don't even have the words to describe just how amazing the trip was. 

8. What was your biggest achievement of this year?

I feel like 4 years in is really where I'm coming into my own as a yoga instructor.  I felt like classes were easier and more fun for me this year.  I teach at places that are full of amazing people that want to be there and bring me so much energy and joy.  It is the BEST job ever and I really live this totally killer life. 

9. What was your biggest failure?

Parenting. I totally suck at it. Being a mom to a two year old is really hard, y'all.  

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Nothing major this year! WOO HOO! 

11. What was the best thing you bought?

A trip to Ireland. 

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

Adam, as always. He's a rock star dad and the hardest working human I know. He makes it possible for Owen and I to have all our fun. 

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

Basically anyone and everyone who is running for president. They all appall me and the situation is utterly depressing. 

14. Where did most your money go?

Savings, rent, the child, travel, a new 4Runner

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

my garden, Owen's school programs and watching him becoming a little boy, all of our trips

16. What song will always remind you of 2015?

Lay It All On Me by Rudimental, feat. Ed Sheeran.  They played it approx every hour while we were driving all over Ireland. I will always think of the countryside and our adventure whenever I hear it. 

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? b) thinner or fatter? c) richer or poorer?

a) happier
b) probably a titch fatter than last year, BOO. 
c) richer, I learned how to spend less this year. Yay budgets! 

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?

walks around the neighborhood, time at the Arboretum

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?

watching it rain. It rained way too much this year (we set basically every rain record ever)

20. How did you spend Christmas?

At home, we had the same Bernardi/Breda crew and our tamale party was out of this world this year. It was warm out and we had people all over the house and yard. Christmas Eve was such an awesome day.

21. Did you fall in love in 2015?

yes, I fell in love with JoJo Moyes. I read a bunch of her stuff this year and she's such a fun author. (runner up: Liane Moriarty) 

22. What was your favorite TV program?

Unsolved Mysteries. We cut our cable this year but I discovered that it airs every day at 2:00 and marathons on Thursday night on one of the free channels. 

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?

No.

24. What was the best book you read?

Me Before You. Sob festival of goodness. 

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

Spotify's Discover Weekly, they give me a playlist every week based on my previous selections

26. What did you want and get?
International travel, eyeballs that are fixed! 

27. What did you want and not get?

Nothing. I continue to be a spoiled brat. 

28. What was your favorite film of 2014?
ha. I don't really watch movies. We got old school Disney Robin Hood for Owen for Christmas and that movie is so funny. Highly recommend.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
34 was awesome. Saturday birthdays are such winners!  I taught a class, did a spin class, got my nails done, went downtown to take Owen to Neiman Marcus for Santa, went to the Klyde Warren Park tree lighting, went to a crazy bar for a big birthday party with lots of friends. It was such a great day! 

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
nothing! I feel pretty satisfied with the way things went. 

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept of 2015?
yoga wear and leggings for life! 

32. What kept you sane?
Adam, yoga, learning how to save money and not being stressed about it

33. What political issue stirred you the most?
I am so happy with the Supreme Court ruling on gay marriage.  I'm 99% happy about it because it brings so many people happiness but the other 1% is ecstatic in a spiteful way because it makes hateful people mad. I realize this probably makes me a bad person but I do love infuriating evangelicals who have bastardized Christianity. 

34. Who did you miss?
friends that live too far away. my grandmother. 

35. Who was the best new person you met?
I knew her before this last year but I have a friend with an only child daughter who is Owen's age and we got to bond a lot and had a really good time this year becoming close friends. 

36. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2015.
How to budget! For reals, this was a game changer. Every Dollar is my boyfriend.