It’s hard to believe that another year has come and gone.
2012 was, without a doubt, one of the most challenging & rewarding years I have ever faced. In the past 14 months, we have done the following:
- I left my job of 6 years & started a new job
- I started writing for Babble
- Doug lost his job
- Doug started a company
- I was fired 10 weeks later & stayed home with Harrison for 3.5 months
- I started working from home with Microsoft
- I started working at SAS
- Harry started daycare
- Harry & I moved in with my parents for 5 months to cut down the commute
- We sold a house
- We bought a house
- Harrison started & graduated speech therapy
- We did a major landscaping renovation right as the holidays began
This summer, I said many times that all I wanted was to feel settled by the end of the year, both in our home & in my job.
Today I sit in our house with the laundry rolling & fresh muffins on the stove & yes, we are completely settled in here. This house feels more like home than our other one ever did in the five years we lived there. My biggest hope for 2013 is that I will have a permanent offer from SAS, but for now I’m still getting butterflies of holycrapIworkhere every time I drive through the front gate. Enjoying what I do every day is priceless.
Last year I said that I wanted 2012 to be “Pretty” & unfortunately, I don’t feel like that happened just because so much of my life felt up in the air, unsettled, & just a big ol’ ball of stress. There’s no way I could have predicted everything that would happen.
So for 2013, I want to be fearless in my life. I’m tackling things I never, ever thought I would do.
Like how I signed up for a sprint triathlon in May. You have no idea how afraid I am because I’m a wimp, but I put it on my life list.
I’m turning 30 in June but I’m not afraid of that.
I’d like to get another tattoo & we plan on ripping out & rebuilding the deck on the back of the house. We’re going mostly vegetarian & I’d like to learn to make homemade bread. & yes, if career & health & time allow, we’d like to grow our family.
2013, I think we are going to be amazing together.
{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }
Here’s to an awesome 2013 for both of us! My mom makes homemade bread (sans bread machine) and it’s something I’ve wanted to learn too.
Good lord you are ambitious! I hope for all the best for you and your family in 2013!
to a fault. it is true.
It feels good to take stock sometimes, it always helps me to be at least on the path toward my goals, and hopefully accomplishing them. Cheers to 2013!
Bread making is awesome. I actually find is both therapeutic and rewarding. I am a little sad that due to cutting almost all bread out of my diet I no longer make breads
One of our favourite recipes is this one! http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Sesame-Onion-Braid
May 2013 be all you hope for! And completely fearless
That would make me cry to cut out bread
Making homemade bread was on my 2012 list. I make it all the time now.
If you’re looking for easier than you will ever admit bread try these two recipes:
http://www.yummymummyclub.ca/blogs/maija-moments-canned-soup-mom/four-ingredient-no-knead-bread-recipe
http://www.yummymummyclub.ca/blogs/maija-moments-canned-soup-mom/beer-rosemary-cheese-bread-recipe
Also, Canadian Living has a really great no-fail “real with kneading and rising” basic bread recipe with step by step picture instructions. I made it in this post and if you want I’ll scan and email you the recipe out of my cookbook: http://maijasmommymoments.com/not-so-wordless-wednesday-the-power-of-bread/
I freaking love you. Thanks!
I did my first two tris last year, and will do another in March, they’re a blast! What distances are you doing?
It’s a very short all-female sprint:
250 yard swim
9 mile bike
2 mile run
Just an introduction
Hi BA,
What a great summary of 2012 and hope for 2013. We love to make gluten-free breads and this one is super easy if you have all the ingredients which we find at Whole Foods here in FL.
http://glutenfreebay.blogspot.com/2007/03/kalamata-olive-rosemary-bread-search.html
Best Wishes! Happy New Year!
THANK YOU!!!!!
BA,
I don’t write often; big lurker here. I did my first sprint tri, at age 38, last August.
If you can weather all that you did these past 14 months, then you are NOT a big wimp, and you will love the sense of accomplishment of completing that goal.
Best to you and your family in 2013. I look forward to reading about it.
Thank you, Betsy! Did you train a specific way? Any good resources? I’m planning on doing Couch to 5K, then adding in bike & swim around March.
I think I used a novice training plan from Fitness magazine. I had a co-worker who does them, and he helped coach me more on the issues of what to bring to the transition area, how to set up the gear for when you need it, etc. oh, and be sure to plan brick workouts, where you bike for 5-7 miles, then get off the bike and run 1-2 miles to simulate a race. Honestly, that’s more daunting than the swim, ’cause as long as you can backstroke or dog-paddle, you can finish the swim.
If you need pointers, email me, since I’ll be doing one in Pasadena at the Rose Bowl in March and I have to start training soon.
Will you share some of the vegetarian recipes that are popular with Doug and Harrison? My hubby is a meat and potatoes guy, and my 3-year old is a picky eater, so I’m always looking for easy, healthy recipes that they might like
. Happy New Year!
Absolutely. I’d LOVE to find a way to get us all sharing some. It’s going to be a big task!
You did all that, and baked fucking muffins?! You’re the shit, BA.
::snort:: They were the “just add water” kind & Hibby was asking for muffins.
Wow, sounds like it was one roller-coaster of a year & 2013 is sure to be kick ace, too!
hey Bethanne!
I just use my Kitchenaid with the dough hook. Super fun.
Learning to make homemade bread was on my “list” for last year, and it is so much fun! I have a great recipe for homemade sandwhich bread that I love to make. Let me know if you’d like it! I also made an asiago cheese bread at Thanksgiving that was AMAZING!! Do you have a stand mixer? I don’t even knead my dough