welcome

what a year! with a fabulous celebration to end a wonderful 2013, it is time to set my goals for 2014. I decided on 14, it just seemed appropriate. so here it goes, my 14 for '14

1.take more (real) photos. with a camera. and print them out. 

 2.save photos from facebook. my entire college career is documented on facebook and with the hopes of deleting it one day soon (way too much TMI and drama for my liking) I want to save these memories. one of my biggest fears in life is facebook going away and me losing all of my precious things. remember when you were a kid and youd sit on the floor digging through your moms trunk of all of her old stuff? what are we going to do with our kids one day? flip through with the click of a mouse? no thanks. 

 3.be more patient. with everything in my life! i am constantly rushing things: engagements, marriage, babies, promotions, birthdays, etc. Charles will agree with me when i say i need to take a chill pill and enjoy this time in my life. there will be a day that i wont be someones girlfriend anymore. i will be a wife, mother, grandmother and i will never have the privilidge of just dating someone. likewise, one day i will be a big boss with lots of responsibilities, why am i rushing to get to that point? i need to just slow down and take advantage of the fact that its not all under me quite yet. 

 4.save money. with 5 weddings in 2014 (4 being in october) I have a lot of saving to do. not to mention, i am a bridesmaid in 3 of the 5. damnit. im starting to use the envelope system, we'll see how well this works. my goal is to be able to save enough money to not have to charge any expenses. my credit cards are so close to being paid off, and i dont want to build them back up! 

 5.speaking of being a bridesmaid: i'm determined to get what i like to call "bridesmaid arms". you know, the ones that people are envious of. the ones that dont wave goodbye while your hand waves goodbye. the ones that look great in all of those strapless dresses while everyone stares at your arms by your side as you walk down an aisle. yep, those. 

 6.organize/downsize. there is no need for the amount of clothes that i have. especially when i havent worn 35% of them in over 2 years. its time to get rid of them, and hopefully by selling them i will contribute to #4 

 7.spend more time praying. in the good as well as the bad. i am notorious for talking to God only when i need something. If one of my friends treated me this way I would have already written a blog post about how crappy of a friend she was. whats the difference in my friendship with God? nothing. 

 8.do more myself. sounds weird, but in an age where you can buy any/everything on the internet or in a specialized store i rarely make things anymore. why am i spending $4.99 on a card from target when i could make one myself and it be cuter than a store bought one anyhow? why do i continue to buy things for my house that i can make on my own, or birthday presents that would mean more if they were handmade? why am i eating out so much when i am perfectly capable of making myself a meal. albeit, it may not be a great meal, but it would be sufficient enough to allow me not to starve to death. 

9.on that note, i want to learn to cook. for real. santa brought me a kitchenaid stand mixer and i am beyond thrilled. i originally wanted it because it looks gorgeous on a kitchen counter (as seen on every kitchen pinterest pin ever); now that i have it, though, i want to learn to use it! and not just for baking box cake mixes, but for real life meals. homemade pastas, from scratch cookies, and some of my grandmothers famous cakes. i also just bought a cast iron skillet, and i will master the art of homemade cornbread soon. 

 10.keep a journal. specifically a travel journal. I want to document the trips Charles and I take, big or small, day trips or weekend, i want to be able to reflect on those times when we're old and grey. i want one that has pockets for ticket stubs and pictures, pages for writing about our visit and of course looks cute. ive been searching for the perfect one on etsy, but maybe i should get started on #8 and make one myself! 

 11.learn to say no. not to be mean or for no reason, but i dont HAVE to go out to dinner for every person in atlanta's birthday. i dont have to go on every trip that im extended an offer. i dont have to take on every responsiblity at work. i dont have to over-commit my time with ADPi. i dont have to accept every invitation to be a bridesmaid. I don't have to attend every wedding that i'm invited to, or every shower or every bachelorette party. if someone asks a favor of me, i dont have to go out of my way, bend over backwards and rearrange my schedule to do it. don't get me wrong, i love being a generous person and a good friend but sometimes its too much. i need to do things for me, including spending time alone and saving money. 

 12.call my grandparents more. those people, they are two of the greatest. i need to make it a point to call them more often and tell them how much i love them. i hope they know, but i guarantee it wouldn't hurt to verbalize it. there will come a day that they aren't here for me to tell, and i will forever regret not repeating it over and over and over. 

 13.travel! with my parent's recent move to London complete (just waiting on them to settle in) i WILL go and see them this year. i have never been to Europe, and I can't wait to visit. but not just London, i want to see the states more too. there are so many places, even in just the south east, that i haven't visited. i cant wait to see where 2014 brings Charles and I on our weekend trips. i'll be sure to take photos (#1) and write it all down (#10). 

 14.find my purpose. my biggest goal in 2013 was to find passion in my life. i'd like to say i succeeded on some level; i learned to be passionate about a job that i dreaded, i found passion in my love life by (finally) committing to be with my very best friend, i started enjoying interior design and making it a paying hobby, i became even more involved with ADPi, and many other things. But in 2014 i want to continue that quest, only take it one step further and find my purpose in life. I want to know why God put me on this earth. was it to be a master chef? ( i highly doubt it). Was it to be a big time successful banker? (i really hope thats not it). To be a wife? (possibly, but i think there is more to me than just being someones companion). So what is it? That's what i want to figure out. 

and hopefully 2014 will be the year that i do so. 

 so cheers to 2013, a really great year in my life. and hellllo 2014, i hope you are 10x more amazing.