A Resolve Against Resolutions

So.... it's the end of February. And instead of strong-arming myself into keeping all of my New Year's resolutions, I am enjoying some cookie dough and skipping the gym for the second day in a row. I am all about setting and reaching goals, making healthier life choices, and I love all of the new opportunities waiting to be explored at the start of a new year, but January is always so heavy with expectations that I usually feel completely weary by the time Groundhog Day rolls around.

So far 2015 has been pretty eventful. While finishing up a project for a great company called Booktrope, I have also been looking for a new full time job, building a website, and training a puppy. I also negotiated my freelance rate for the first time, have simultaneously binge watched Gilmore Girls and Parenthood and started getting into Yoga for the first time ever. 

With all of the uncertainty with my schedule and crazy curve ball that is my life lately, I decided not to make any resolutions this year, and instead take what comes and handle it with as much grace as possible. It's been kind of refreshing to skip the calorie counting and impossible diet regimen this year. My approach to tackle the new year and new challenges has evolved into reminding myself what my priorities are and then making decisions based on those priorities, which are as follows...

1. Nurturing my relationship with God
2. Loving and serving my husband
3. Helping and spending time with family and friends
4. Being a good steward of the gifts I've been given including health, home, and relationships
5. Enjoying life and not freaking out when things don't go as planned

I took this picture when we visited Pike's Peak in Colorado Springs last year. Every time I look at it I breathe a deep sigh of relief because there wasn't much filling my mind when I looked out at this beautiful landscape. Sometimes I think we need to simplify instead of making more rules and restrictions for ourselves (this coming from a girl who loves structure!) There's already enough pressures in life to deal with without adding unrealistic and unreasonable resolutions on top of it. 

What are your thoughts on New Years resolutions? Hurtful or helpful?

Throw Back to Labor Day Weekend: An Island Getaway

It's winter in Seattle. And while we have had an exceptionally sunny and warm January, the grey clouds are starting rear their ugly heads and it is turning into the misty perpetually wet city that I dread each year. Sometimes it helps to dream of sunnier times...

Back when JD and I were engaged I lived with a family from our church for a few months before our wedding. Kipp and Taryn have become some of our dearest friends and we were so sad to see them leave Seattle a couple of years ago and settle in Colorado Springs. 

They now have two adorable kids and are lovin' life in Colorado, but they visit Seattle every summer to catch up with friends and get a little bit of time away. They visit the beautiful island of Whidbey to be exact. Only about a thirty minute ferry ride away from Seattle, Whidbey is one of the most beautiful places I've visited. Kipp's family owns a home on the water, and they invited us out for a few days. 

If you ever get a chance to visit the Northwest you should make a point to get out to Whidbey. It is beautiful! Here are some picture of our little Labor Day Island getaway

A Dog Named Max

The arrival of our new puppy was highly anticipated. Not only were we counting down the days, but our family and close friends joined in on the excitement, sending texts with name suggestions and asking us to keep them in mind for puppy sitting. With all of the holiday prep and wrapping up some work before Christmas break I kept busy, but was anxious with each passing day for him to join the family.

The afternoon we picked him up JD and I could barely contain our excitement. Highland Valley Doodles was so great to work with, they drove all the way from Lebanon, Oregon to meet us in Seattle the day before Christmas Eve. They gave us a bag of his food along with a folder with all of the information we needed to take care of him, but as soon as they handed him over to us everything they said went in one ear and out the other.

He was even more adorable than I imagined. After deliberating about a name for weeks, we settled on Max (Maximus). We figured we'd be able to settle on a name once we met him and we were right. As soon as JD suggested it, we knew that was it. It just fit.

The first few days were a whirlwind as he adjusted to his new home, met a ton of our family and friends, and we celebrated Christmas. Unfortunately we both came down with bad colds the day after Christmas and Max started getting restless in our tiny apartment, but we are figuring it out. Having a puppy is just as sweet as I imagined, but it's also more challenging than I expected. Waking up at ungodly hours to take him outside and constantly cleaning up pee off of my wood floors is getting old fast, but we absolutely adore him and are so glad to have him.

It's true what they say, puppies grow at lightning speed. Even after two weeks Max has grown so much. We wanted to remember this time with him as a puppy and so one of my best friends, Cassie, graciously offered to take some pictures of us with him this past weekend. He is 9 weeks today and growing fast and I'm so glad we did this shoot to remember the puppy days, as exhausting as they are.