New Year, New Adventure

Happy 2015! I love that feeling you get when writing in a new journal or opening a book for the first time. You know what I'm talking about? The feeling of endless possibility. The pages are clean, crisp and ready to be torn or scribbled on. You can dream up whatever your heart desires, a new exciting story is about to unfold. Isn't it thrilling? That's how I feel celebrating The New Year. Inspired, energized and ready to turn the pages!

I'm not really a person who makes resolutions, but if you know me, you know that I am constantly making lists. Sometimes they are simple to do lists, while other times I write down my dreams, goals and ideas. I always have a notebook handy no matter where or what I am doing. This year I made a huge list of goals and thought it would be fun to share just a few with all of you!

Sew a quilt. I tend to be one of those people who only makes small crafts, you know, the ones that can be finished in just a couple of hours. I am fascinated by people who can commit to a huge project that will take months maybe even years to complete. That is one heck of an accomplishment. This year I decided to make a real crafting commitment and give quilting a try. I love sewing, but I have no idea where to begin when it comes to quilting. I am excited to learn something new, and hopefully I will have an awesome quilt to show at the end of all my hard work!

Make Dusty an Advanced Trick Dog. In 2012, Dusty was the first Goldendoodle to ever receive the Intermediate Trick Dog title from "Do More With Your Dog". "Do More With Your Dog" is a training program I joined when Dusty was a puppy. The purpose behind this program is not just to teach your dog a bunch of awesome tricks (even though that's a total bonus), it's meant to build a long lasting relationship with your furry friend. I use to spend a little time with Dusty every day working on tricks and playing silly brain games. It was our special time to engage and bond with one another. I miss our companionship and the excitement Dusty would get out of training together. This year my goal is to continue our "Do More With Your Dog" adventure and help Dusty become an Advanced Trick Dog, or maybe even a Trick Dog Champion!

Read one book each month. Last year I set this same goal, sadly, I failed. At first it was going really well, some months I even read more than one book. Halfway through the year, I'm not sure what happened, but my reading came to a screeching halt. Growing up I was never a big reader, reading a book from start to finish has always been a big challenge for me. I enjoy reading, but my mind tends to wander off, maybe I just haven't found the right books. Not ready to give up on this one just yet, I'm giving it another try. Wish me luck!

Focus on my career. This past year I sort of stumbled with my career. I'm not quite ready to discuss the details yet, but let's just say I got discouraged and lost my passion. My heart and my head were in two different places. Right when I was feeling down in the dumps one of my favorite blogs, A Beautiful Mess, shared a post On Changing Dreams. It was just what I needed at the time. The post inspired me to pursue new opportunities and embrace the moment. My goal is to explore different possibilities with my career. I want to try new things, be brave and see if I can get back on track!


Last but not least...

Have a monthly date night. Most weeknights and sometimes weekends, you can find Michael and I (Dusty too) curled up on the couch in sweatpants watching some T.V. show on Netflix. How lame is that? Though I do love being lazy and snuggling on the couch together, it's time to mix it up a little bit. This year Michael and I made a goal together. We decided that once a month we would plan a special date. A night to dress up, get out of our apartment and enjoy each other's company.

I'm sure as the year goes by this little list will change and grow, but I am excited to cross things off and share all of my adventures along the way!

xoxo

Emily