Hello, Two Thousand Fifteen

So crazy to think that not only are we finally back from our trip, but it is also 2015! Wow, time really flies.

I feel lucky to say that 2014 was a great year. Sure, like always, there were some pain points along the way. But overall, it was a wonderful year!

Travel  – I’m sure this part goes without saying. Brice and I had such an incredible experience traveling through Asia. I feel so lucky to have had that opportunity.

Friendships – I made some amazing new friends this year and feel so blessed to have sustained my lifelong friends as well.

30 – I turned the big 30 this year and had the best birthday, celebrating with the above-mentioned friends.

Professional life – I got a great new job at Intel. It requires a fair amount of travel to Arizona, but right about now when it is chilly, that does not sound like a negative.

Blogging – I got a photo in the USA Today, was a featured photographer for Feast Portland, and had a soundbite on Portland’s Right at the Fork podcast!

Food – Ahh, I had so much good food in 2014, I don’t even know where to begin! The few places that stick out in my mind: Maurice, MEC, Ava Gene’s, Pip’s, Sweedeedee, Lauretta Jean’s, nearly every food event and especially this insane dinner from Naomi Pomeroy at the Izze Friendsday Party that I keep thinking about. From our trip: Japan and Vietnam. Anything and everything.

With all of that, 2015 might be hard to beat. But I am excited for the new adventures the new year will bring. Ok, I know, that was a tad cheesy. Apologies.

While I’m not big on the whole “resolution” thing, I do have a few goals in line for this next year:

Make something from my existing cookbook collection at least once a month – I have so many cookbooks and always flip through them excitedly when I first get them and then with the exception of my 3-4 standbys, rarely make something from them. This year, I’m going to be better at that!

Get better at sharpening my knives. I really feel like I should be better at this than I am. I am particularly nervous to ruin my good knifes by doing it myself and always just take them somewhere, which really means either I am lazy and have dull knives or  That will be my new skill for 2015.

Summit Mt St Helens. I’ve been saying for a while that I have been wanting to do this but never jumped at getting the permits to do so. I’m feeling 2015 is going to be the year!

Lastly, at a particularly great BurnCycle class last week, which was like a free therapy session, the instructor told us to think of one word for 2015. Whatever would summarize our ambitions for the next year: strength, success, happiness, etc. I couldn’t decide on mine and then she mentioned balance. I knew exactly that was it. Balance.

I am often overwhelmed with how many things I have going on. Between work, exercise, blogging, friendships, marriage, and all my other extracurriculars, I not only didn’t have much time for myself but I also often struggled to give everything its deserved time. So this year, I am going to work harder to set priorities, say no when I need to, and gain more balance in my life.

{If you are looking for other great resolution ideas, check out my good friend Meredith’s amazing idea to try something new every month. I seriously love this idea.}

What are your goals or resolutions for 2015? What were your highlights from 2014?

Hope you had a fabulous, fun and safe New Year’s Eve!