2014

(via Oh So Pretty)

The great thing about having a blog that no one reads is that you can disappear for a couple of weeks to enjoy your Christmas holidays and not have to feel bad about it.  Between working, visiting my family and Matt's, as well as our friends, wrapping and delivering gifts, writing out Christmas cards, baking goodies, decorating our apartment and last-minute shopping, there was no extra time to spend here. I spent my entire holidays feeling exhausted and making a vow to myself to not leave everything to the last minute this coming year. Rather than putting off buying and wrapping gifts and sending out cards until December (when the holiday feelings are in full force), I want to do it in November and actually take the time to relax and enjoy my holidays.

Luckily, I had a week off work after Boxing Day to do just that. I have completely caught up on all my blogs, started reading a new book, watched countless episodes of The Biggest Loser and Gossip Girl and spent quality time with family and friends. I'm back to work tonight for three shifts, then I have two weeks off work again (thank you, winter holidays) to take down the tree and get back to the daily grind. It still feels too early to completely tuck away Christmas just yet.

For those who didn't see my Instagram/Facebook post, I have officially moved in with Matt! Love having our own little (literally) place and being less than 5 minutes away from work is a definite bonus, but moving has its own downside: paying rent. As a result, I have to be extra careful with my spending this year, especially because we are trying to save for a house. And this leads me to my "resolutions" for 2014.

SAVE, SAVE, SAVE | Number one this year is to save my money and build a house. Between the two of us, we actually have enough money saved for a down payment but a) I would like to be together longer before we take that step, and b) I do not want to blow all of our savings on a down payment. Ideally, I would like to have at least an extra $10,000 in the bank in case of emergency as well as to pay for lawyers fees, furniture, etc. I created an account on Mint today to keep track of my spending. I've also allotted myself a $150/month clothing budget which I will hold accountable by posting my spending on here.

GET HEALTHY | I know, the most stereotypical resolution of all. However, I literally have 10lbs of holiday goodness on my body right now, and I am not okay with that. I generally keep my weight around 105-110lbs purely by eating in moderation, which is something that I failed to do over the holidays. Not to mention that I have been eating less healthy than usual since moving in with Matt due to the fact that he is a picky eater and I generally just eat what he eats (in other words, nothing healthy). I also hate exercising and cannot bring myself to do it, especially if it involves leaving the house. Thankfully my job requires a lot of walking! However, I did buy the Jillian Michaels: 30 Day Shred DVD as well as the Zumba Fitness Exhilarate Body Shaping System DVD. I have done Zumba before and loved it, so I'm hoping that I will at least have the motivation to do that a couple times each week. I've also been trying to increase my water intake at home. I tend to drink a lot at work, but at home I often drink soda. Lately I have been drinking only water, with the exception of juice for breakfast.

Honestly, those are the two big resolutions for this year. However, I also want to make a list of "14 in 2014" because let's face it, it seems like a fun idea. Plus, it's an opportunity to choose more specific goals to work towards!

1. Buy and/or build a house (we are planning to build, but anything could change)

2. Get a cat and/or a dog (dependent upon goal #1 as we are not allowed to have pets in our apartment)

3. Take a trip

4. Read at least one book per month

5. Take a photography course

6. Take more photos

7. Smile more often

8. Floss every day

9. Document my life (whether it is here on the blog or in a journal, I love having my memories written down to look back on)

10. Try at least one new recipe each month

11. Complete a DIY project

12. Take 20 minutes each day to tidy

13. Stick to a clothing budget of $150/month

14. Visit with friends at least once a week

That was actually a lot harder than I expected! In any event, I am looking forward to a new year and a fresh start. It may only be another day and certainly you can start a goal any day of the year, but something about the turn of the calendar is just so much more invigorating.

Ending the entry with this graphic that I found on Pinterest (source unknown, but please contact me if it is yours and I will credit accordingly). Love the broad statements with the collection of quotes that can apply to just about everyone.