Happy New Year, all!

I for one can not believe it is already 2013. And my eight-year old self cannot believe we haven’t invented flying cars yet. (I specifically remember my 3rd grade teacher asking us to imagine what life was going to be in the year 2000 and beyond. For me, it was all about the flying cars…and Alex Mack powers.)

Looking back on my resolutions from last year, I actually did pretty well! I mean, I still have days where it is impossible to be optimistic; I haven’t quite gotten to the dermatologist or flossed every.single.day (or few days – don’t judge); remembered every person’s birthday before 11:59 p.m. the day of or lived in the moment, every moment. Sometimes Instagramming it is just more important.

However, I do believe I’ve made vast improvements in every department I laid out way back in January 2012. I have definitely tried to laugh at myself more (it is hard not to when you drop a family-sized bottle of hot sauce all over your just-cleaned kitchen floor, spray perfume directly IN YOUR EYES or when you trip on the Metro escalators three times in one day), make actual dentist and doctor’s appointments like a big girl, creatively carve out time for my creative passions, be more of a listener to my  loved ones instead of a talker and pay more attention to the little moments and not just the big ones.

And for sure, I totally kicked butt at the semi-vegetarian resolution, as our diets are now 100 percent meatless! It’s been about seven months now and we’re going as strong as ever. (I plan to write a dedicated post on this soon.) I am having a lot more fun in the kitchen trying all sorts of new recipes and incorporating so many vegetables, greens and grains into daily life. Plus it means we just HAVE to go to Wegmans every weekend b/c they have the best produce of all time. OF ALL TIME! (channeling my inner Kanye West there, sorry.)

So for 2013, I am going to keep up with my 2012 resolutions as well as add in some small, positive changes that will make a big difference.

Here is my “13 for 2013″ list, so far:

1. Be on time. As my mother’s daughter, I may be challenging nature and nurture. But dammit, I’m going to try. To at least be less late. (That counts, right?)
2. Just as I’ve varied my diet, I want to vary my exercise. 2013 is allll about strength training, baby!
3. Host more get-togethers.
4. Light more candles. They make our small apartment so cozy at night, plus they really set the tone for our recent Game of Thrones marathons.
5. Clean up all clutter before we go to bed and, since you have no idea just how much of a mess I can make between 6 -8 a.m., again before we leave for work.
6.  Bake bread.
7.  Cross off everything on our “Must-see in DC” list. Up next: tour of Ford’s Theatre and an afternoon in the Library of Congress.
8. Leave my phone at home  – on purpose.
9. Pick up my paintbrush – and journal – again.
10. Be more spontaneous.
11. Cut up my LOFT card. I will do it. I will do it. I will do it. (Tomorrow.)
12. FaceTime with my friends and family more.
13. Stop judging my days by how many things I crossed off my To-Do list and instead by how much I’ve laughed, listened, loved and learned to/from myself and others. I tend to be really hard on myself when it comes to accomplishing the ridiculous number of goals I set for myself for an afternoon or a weekend, so I want to give more weight to being fulfilled on an emotional level in 2013. And if that means watching an entire season of Sex & the City while talking to my best friend instead of cleaning or cooking, so be it.

Oh and more thing – blog at least once a week! I have been a bit overwhelmed lately and in following last year’s/this year’s “live more in the moment” resolution, I decided to take a little break. But now that the holidays are over and a new year means a fresh start, I am going to try to blog at least once a week and share various crafts/recipes (I have so many veggie ones to share!) as well as glimpses of our crazy fun life here in our little corner of the world.

I have a really good feeling that this is going to be a really fabulous year. :) What are your resolutions?