artsy

artsy

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

"just put a candy cane in it"

It's already Tuesday and I am kinda failing at my resolutions BUT THEY'RE NOT EVEN A WEEK OLD.

wait.

I DIDN'T EVEN SHARE THEM WITH YOU YET.

argh.

Ok, because it's friiiiiiiiigiiiiiiiid outside, and because the temperature is most likely below 0 degrees, let's pretend it's January 1 and the year is new, shiny, and ready to hear my resolutions.

Mine are:

-to blog more consistently (for serious)
-be more mindful of what I say and do (and watch my attitude!)
-use my camera more (it's a nice one, i should use it!)
-read more Scripture
-run a 5K in under 30 minutes (because i get close, but never go under)

Ben's word of the year is renew, and his resolutions include:

-completing a Tough Mudder
-eating less cheese (actually, we both need to eat less dairy...but it's so delicious!)
-work on campus 3X a week
-set paper deadlines
-keep a positive attitude when job searching (ugh, me too)
-wake up earlier and with more enthusiasm (yes. yes. yes.)

Our family word is revive, which means 'to impart new vigor'

We want to resolve to:

~Be aware of what we eat and not mindlessly snack
~Work more cardio into our exercise routine
~Focus on US with weekly dates
~Study the Bible together
~Faff less!
~Plan for the future while enjoying the now

So there are all our resolutions and we're putting them out for all to see, so hold us accountable, world, ok?

Also, a side story.

I am a Pinterest girl, strong and hard. I have used many ideas I have pinned, especially with lesson planning, and think it's a great resource. But sometimes a pin pops up that just makes me shake my head with ridiculousness. The one that I saw this afternoon was a recipe for peppermint hot chocolate, with the fancy lettering and adorable picture that you know took multiple hours to style and fix so it looked just right.

When I clicked on the recipe, it was literally a recipe for plain hot chocolate that you stick a "peppermint stick" into and stir around to make it taste minty.



What.

Peppermint stick?

Just put a candy cane in it.

See you tomorrow (because my resolution tells me I should),

~A

Friday, January 3, 2014

Bringing in 2014 the Soltoff way




Let's not kid ourselves here. Anyone who reads this blog (hi Mom!) knows that we Soltoffs aren't really interested in sitting still, unless it's to watch The Wire, which we just juuuuuuuust became hooked on. I mostly like it because when I see Avon Barksdale I want to yell "STRONG SIDE" in an inspiring way.

So it's no surprise that we are headed into the New Year of 2014 in motion or as much in motion as possible. Ben and I actually got sick on New Year's Eve and after watching an afternoon Penguins game downtown, with plans to stay and enjoy festivities, we regrettably went home, crashed on the couch, and woke up at 11:49 to blearily watch the ball drop before pecking each other on the cheek (Ben: "Don't kiss me! You'll get me more sick!") and falling asleep. I'm serious. 12:07. We were out. 

It's a few days into the year 2014 and we've made some concrete Soltoff goals (I'll share them next week) as well as cleared out our Christmas paraphernalia to make room for the clean and organized January we hope to enjoy. 

I'll see you on Monday, but until then, here is my 2014 Word of the Year (which I decided to find after needing something to pull together my resolutions and revolutions)

thrive

(verb) grow or develop well; prosper; flourish

This year I am focusing on moving past surviving, and enjoying thriving in different aspects of my life, from exercising consistently to planning weekly dates and eating conscientiously. It's going to be a year where I flourish, and hopefully I can bring this blog out of the depths and use it as a documentation of the experiences our family has this year. 

Hooray for 2014. 

LET'S GO. 

Happy J.R.R. Tolkien Day (because how much more of a win can today be?)

Love, 

~A

P.S. Here is my family on Christmas Eve. I have no words for this picture except to say that the longer I look at it, the more I cry-laugh. It's a prefect representation of my family (including you Mom. You're either behind the camera snapping the picture, or you're moving so fast your blur is invisible!)


(and proof that we CAN be normal, just in case you needed to know)