Belated 2025

From my drafts for 2025

My 2024 Resolutions

Read 45 books Read 46 Books

52(ish) Saturdays project - I didn't do this at all

Firsts from 2024

Trying curling 

Seeing a total solar eclipse

Going to Arkansas (new state!)

Going to Michigan (new state!)

Wreath making class with Erin

Arkansas with Mom and Olive for the total solar eclipse (and camping)

Michigan with the Trail Sisters to backpack at the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Yay for 2024!

Resolutions for 2024

Read 45 books

52(ish) Saturdays project

 

What I'd Like To Try

My book binding kit

More cross country skiing

Curling

Crafting meetup at Buffalo Ridge Brewing or Brookings Fiber Arts group

Printing

Learn to make gifs

Identify the trees in my yard and the neighborhood

My 2023 Resolutions

Read 40 books Read 44!

Firsts from 2023

Seeing the Northern Lights!!

Going to Bryce Canyon and Zion National Parks with Heather and Christina

River tubing with Mariah

Visited the Minneapolis Sculpture Park

Experienced the Sandhill Crane Migration with Mom

Hosting a holiday music jam at my house

Making book skirts

Being on a SuFu Circuit Relay team (with book skirts)

Wreath decorating class with Erin

Got a Halloween costume (skeleton hoodie) for Olive

Submitted paintings for shows at the Madison Area Arts Council

Visited the Jolly Green Giant in Blue Earth, Minnesota

Joined the Great Outdoor Store Pathfinders group

Hiking with Bren in Colorado

Favorites from 2023

Getting my bedroom repaired (I love the new paint!)

Girls' Adventure Trip with Heather and Christina

My hammock, particularly reading over my lunch hour with a La Croix 

More camping with Olive 

Riding to pie with Mariah

Going on a bird-watching hike with Mom 

Book swap at Running Book Club (complete with haiku tag) 

Hooray for 2023!

 My 2023 Resolutions

Read 40 books

What I'm Looking Forward To

All Creatures Great and Small Season Three

More Snowshoeing

Celebrating Ice Cream for Breakfast day again

What I'd Like To Try

My book binding kit

More Instant Pot recipes (starting with Chicken Vindaloo)

Meal prepping with Erin

2022 Resolutions

Read 40 books - read 41!

Make a new recipe every month - I made several new recipes but not one each month

Firsts from 2022

Cross Country Skiing

Running with Olive

Snowshoeing with Olive (four times so far!)

Camping with Olive

Olive's first road trip (to Lawrence and Hutchinson)

Matching Christmas Pajamas 

Prairie Surfing

Being a volunteer photographer for a race (Glacier Hills Ultra)

Glassblowing\

Making ghee and Chicken Biriyani (the ghee was more successful)

Hosting a Solstice Soup Party with Erin

Making home insurance claims (for the derecho)

Carrying a petition

Pink highlights 

Favorites from 2022

Getting back into running

Running Book Club

Kids Trail Race at Tuthill 

Puzzling with Grandpa over Thanksgiving

Lawrence trip!!

Celebrating ice cream for breakfast day

Cooking and baking with Erin

Stand-up Paddleboarding lessons with Brenna

Trail Sister Gathering with Mom

Here's to 2022

 My 2022 Resolutions

Read 40 Books

Try one new recipe a month

First time making breakfast on my grill

What I'm Looking Forward To

Hiking trip with Christina and Heather

Going to Colorado for Madison and Clayton's wedding

Using my paper binding kit

Me in Merkel, Texas

What I'd Like To Try in 2022

Cross-country skiing

Hot stone massage

Snowshoeing at Oakwood Lakes State Park

Take Olive snowshoeing

Go to Hello Hi in Sioux Falls

Part of the Trail Sisters group on our trip in Wyoming

2021 Resolutions

Read 35 Books - Success!

View from my tent, Ryan Park Campground, Medicine Bow National Forest

Firsts from 2021

Hiking at Curt Gowdy State Park

Camping at Medicine Bow National Forest

Medicine Bow Peak

Adopting a puppy on my own

Training a puppy

Went to Abilene (and Merkel), TX

Knitting my first adult-sized hat

Framing and hanging a lot of stuff on my walls

Going to Lincoln, Nebraska

Making breakfast on my grill

Participating in the #Warm4Holidays challenge and making hats to donate

Getting my furnace filter wonkiness fixed

Haircut (and highlights) before and after 

Favorites from 2021

Getting my haircut and finding my current stylist

Bourbon Maple Syrup

Covid-19 vaccine (Johnson & Johnson) and booster shot (Moderna)

Olive

Olive sleeping (and not wreaking havoc) 

Added: Some of my knitting projects from the last two years (way more than previous years!)

Thank goodness for 2021

Last year's post never made it up because I had to say goodbye to my dog, Callie, right at the new year. 

As a record, I'm posting the version I had saved in the drafts. 

----------------------------

My Resolutions

What I'm looking forward to

Covid-19 Vaccine

My next haircut (whenever that is)

What I'd like to try in 2021

Snowshoeing at Oakwood Lakes State Park

2020 Resolutions

Read 30 books - success! 
Do another Photo 52 project
Continuing my gratitude journal - more success! 
Doing a 20/10 (from Unf*ck Your Habitat) most days of the week

Firsts from 2020

Living in a global pandemic

My dad passing away

Made a galette
Made ginger rhubarb jam
Rode on the Elroy-Sparta Trail (Wilton to Sparta section)
Hiked in Wildcat Mountain (name?) State Park in Wisconsin
Knit with three colors
Living the work from home life (since March 13th) 

10 months without a haircut (and longer hair than I've had since junior year of high school)

Buying hair clips

Wearing a mask inside other buildings/stores

Tea Advent Calendar

Favorites from 2020

Getting a television (after a few years of not having one and then having a HUGE old one before that)

Used books and secondhand cardigans (I just keep buying them)
Cinnamon graham crackers
Adding feeders to the back deck and watching the visitors (Downy Woodpeckers are my very fave)
Ordering groceries online and curbside pick-up
The Art Assignment
Pahla B's Walk/Run workouts

Welcome, 2020!

My Resolutions
Read 30 books
Do another Photo 52 project
Continuing my gratitude journal 
Doing a 20/10 (from Unf*ck Your Habitat) most days of the week

What I'm looking forward to
Trip to Boulder, CO (next week!)
Framing and hanging some of the prints I have
Doing more yoga videos at home

What I'd like to try in 2020
Snowshoeing at Oakwood Lakes State Park
Ice skating at one of Madison's outdoor rinks
Sledding in Madison

2019 Resolutions
Read 30 Books - Success!
Continue my gratitude journal - more success!
Photo 52 Project - and I didn't do this one at all. 

Firsts from 2019
Going to London
Eating blood sausage, roast bone marrow, and sticky toffee pudding
Camping at Oakwood Lakes State Park
Camping at Big Sioux Recreation Area
Going to Door County, Wisconsin
Camping at Peninsula State Park (Wisconsin)
Making popcorn (and quesadillas) on a camp stove
Keeping up with the dishes (since September)
Buying a grill (happy birthday to me)
Buying a garage door
Going to a Pound class
Going to the Mayo Clinic for Dad's surgery
Being in an article for the ACLU's magazine
Participating in the music jams my dad organized at Sundog Coffee
Helping my dad put in the door to the garage (the regular door, not the garage door)
Watching the D38+2 riders come into town
Being flooded in (all roads from my house blocked by floodwater, thankfully my house was fine)

Popcorn, cheese, and apples at Peninsula State Park

Favorites from 2019
My electric tea kettle
Going on two early morning runs in London and feeling like I had the city to myself (running a figure eight in St. James Park and crossing the Thames a few times)
Getting to see the Oliver Jeffers show at LAZinc in London
Riding my bike to my friends' houses (and getting to use my new bike lights after my birthday)
Listening to the Weezer cover album with all the windows down as we (Vaughan, Mark, and Emily) drove out to go snowshoeing at Lake Herman

From my run in St. James Park

Welcome, 2019!!

My Resolutions
Read 30 Books
Photo 52 Project
Continue my gratitude journal

What I'm looking forward to
My pile of books to read
My Dog Rates daily calendar
Sioux Falls Pride Gala

What I'd like to try in 2019
Drawing a blank for this one - we'll see what opportunities come up

2018 Resolutions
Read 29 books (surpassing my goal of 25 books)
Kept up with a gratitude journal all year
Made some new recipes (not one a month though)

Firsts from 2018
Training for and completing a half marathon
Having my photos up in a coffee shop (Thanks, Sundog Coffee)
Hosting brunch at my house (twice!)
Completing the Irishman (5 mile, 5K, and 1 mile run)
Camping in the Badlands (and in Spearfish)
Looking for the Poet's table in Custer State Park
Visiting Montana
Visiting Glacier National Park
Seeing a Grizzly bear in the wild
Helping form a new BSA troop for girls in scouting
Phone banking for a candidate/initiated measure/organization
Door knocking for a candidate/initiated measure/organization
Getting into the habit of making my bed everyday (LAMOB-ing - as in, Let's All Make Our Beds)

Favorites from 2018
Buying secondhand clothes on Poshmark
My lawn service and snow removal service
Running in December in the evenings and looking at Christmas lights
Blair Braverman and dog mushing twitter
Jessica Dore's (@thejessicadore) twitter and Instagram posts

2018!!

My resolutions
Read 25 books
Try a new recipe every month
Keep a daily-ish gratitude journal

What I'm looking forward to
Women's March 2.0
Running with my new light-up vest
Paying off my car

What I'd like to try in 2018
Half marathon
Full Sprint Triathlon
Triathlon with an open-water swim
Watercolor painting
Needle felting
Making mittens with my Icelandic wool

2017 Resolutions
Was more politically involved than I've ever been
Read 23 books (not *quite* 30)
Photo 52-ish (missed several weeks, rebooted project a few times without trying to catch up)
Didn't make any progress with Spanish

Firsts from 2017
First triathlon
First (three) trail races
First 10K
Ran a race in a tutu
Ran a race as a mermaid
First Masters Swim Meet
Visited Madison, WI (and Oshkosh, WI, Mankato, MN, and Des Moines, IA)
Participated in a march (and then three more)
Attended a legislative coffee and asked a question (it's totally okay if your voice shakes)
Attended Pro-Choice Lobby Day
Competed in an adult spelling bee
Volunteered for the ACLU and Planned Parenthood
Bought a dishwasher
Participated in the FABRAD ride
Had a flat tire on my bike and fixed it (with help)

Favorites from 2017
@dog_rates and @dog_feelings on Twitter
Trail running and then pancakes on Sunday mornings
My GPS watch
Tater tot waffles (mushing frozen tator tots in a waffle maker = amazing)
Working dishwasher <3 nbsp="" p="">Decorate your own gingerbread camper kit
Being outside and out at the state parks way more than I have in years (another plus of triathlon and trail running)
Running in a tutu (and our snowman costumes for the Christmas Tree Skirt Run)

Welcome 2017!

My resolutions:
Photo52 Version 2 
Read 30 books
Be more politically involved
Practice and learn more Spanish

What I'm looking forward to:
Sherlock Season 4
My stack of books from Christmas
Seeing Ben Folds with the SD Symphony in February

What I'd like to try in 2017
Learn about and try more watercolor
Make mittens (with my yarn from Iceland)
Library reading challenge (and possibly others - I'm seeing lots of interesting lists)

Lake Herman State Park (first photo from last year's Photo52 project)

2016 Resolution Success:
Do a #Photo52 project (take and post one photo a week) 
Keep reading (at least 20 books) 27 books this year 
More walks for Callie Spring-Fall we went on 3-5 walks a week (usually during my lunch hour)
Drawing every day in January  Fun challenge (when a drawing actually looks how I want it - AMAZING!)
More getting my photography out there Submitted to three shows, got four photos in one (actual gallery + exhibition postcard + leading photo on the show's webpage)
Making a triangle cowl Started, finished, and loved it (why did I wait so long to do color work??) - already have plans for a second

Blue Mounds State Park

Firsts from 2016
Went camping by myself (Whitewater State Park in MN)
Went camping and climbing at Devil's Lake State Park in WI
Went to Iceland(!!!)
Went camping in Iceland (having my tent with me was the perfect way to feel at home in a new place)
My photo on the postcard for an exhibition
Bought a full-frame DSLR camera and developed a love for prime lenses 
Bought (and used) my own drawing pens, paper, watercolors, and paper
Surgery to (I hope) prevent any more trouble with my left lung collapsing
Stranded colorwork for my triangle cowl
Made dog treats
Tried pub trivia (with Erin. It's fun but we are not good)
Donated money to political candidates (we'll keep trying)
Voted for a woman for president (we'll keep trying)
Took Callie to a pool party (she didn't love it)
Did landscaping work on the house with help from Mom (removed the rocks, planted bushes, added mulch)
Made my own oatmeal packets for camping trips (it's possible I packed all of my Iceland breakfasts with me ;) ) 

Oatmeal and Iceland

Favorites from 2016
Iceland
All the climbing trips - more than any year since college :) 
Girls' Weekend in Lawrence with all the ladies on my mom's side (highlights - campfire, playing heads up, watching the KU game)
These Christmas Cookies - easy, pretty, delicious (used red plum jam) 
Seeing Rent at the Pavilion with Mom
Being in the The View from Here show
Mozart in the Jungle
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them
My down parka
Agatha Raisin's Murder Mysteries

Welcome 2016!!

My resolutions
Do a #Photo52 project (take and post one photo a week)
Keep reading (at least 20 books)
More walks for Callie

What I'm looking forward to
Drawing every day in January
More getting my photography out there
Making a triangle cowl

What I'd like to try in 2016
Cross country skiing
Snowshoeing at Newton Hills State Park
Taking pictures with my Brownie camera
Block printing (curtains for dining room?)
Sashiko embroidery

2015 Resolution Success
Read more books (at least 12) 23 books!! (partly thanks to the Kindle I got for my birthday)
Do a 5K  Did two :) 
Get my photography out there - had photos in two juried shows (Northern Area Arts Council - Red Show, Frederick Arts Center Resident Artist Gallery - Lush Vibes show)

Favorites from 2015
I'll Have What Phil's Having
The Great British Baking Show
African Peanut Stew
Skillet meatballs and marinara
Hamilton
Lawrence trip with Christina and Heather

Firsts from 2015
Ran a 5k! (and then ran another one)
Camped at Palisades State Park
Roasted a chicken (for Mother's Day, with help)
Went to yoga class in an actual yoga studio (Sunflower Yoga, Hutchinson, KS)
Got a smartphone
Made maki rolls
Made naan
Stayed at an Air BnB
Picked out and painted trim for my kitchen
Got a fence for my backyard

2015! 2015! 2015!

My resolutions:
Read more books (at least 12)
Do a 5K
Have friends over to my house more often

What I'm looking forward to:
Finishing painting my kitchen cabinets Done!
More photography (and more getting my photography out there)
More camping

What I'd like to try in 2015:
Block printing fabric
Cross country skiing
Taking pictures with my Brownie camera

Firsts from 2014:
Hiked Harney Peak
Online dating
Hit a raccoon with my car :(
Did the Tour Sioux Falls bike ride
Went stand up paddle boarding
Went climbing at the Palisades
Saw the Avett Brothers in concert
Saw Jason Isbell in concert
Tried Ethiopian food

Favorite things in 2014:
Planet Money podcast
Haley Bonar
Sylvan Esso
Baked oatmeal from Budget Bytes (like this one)

Welcome 2014!

My resolutions:

Err...umm....

Putting the caps back on my hair product and toothpaste?

What I'm looking forward to:

Life without grad school (already loving it!)

Going back to A-town this summer

Doing my first 5k

Sherlock Season 3 (starting in February)

More photography

More camping

More learning to speak Spanish

What I'd like to try in 2014:

Taking pictures with my Brownie camera

Learning to use under-eye concealer

Painting my kitchen and cabinets

Red lipstick

Firsts from 2013:

GOT MY MASTERS DEGREE!

Went to Italy (first trip overseas!)

Hiked the Sentiero Degli Dei with Brenna

Sunroof of my Accord blew OFF while I was driving

Bought a Subaru Legacy (see above ;))

Made bread pudding

Had a photo in the Horizontal Grandeur show at the Stevens County Historical Society

Left lung spontaneously collapsed (is totally fine now)

Spent five days in the hospital (see above)

Dad got a kidney from my sister (everyone is doing great)

Went climbing with the Twin Cities Rock Climbing Meetup Group

Camped at Blue Mounds State Park in MN 

Favorite things in 2013:

Turning the Screw - Heather Havrilesky's advice column on The Awl

Alle's columns on XOVain (Thanks for the recommendation, Bren!)

Newman's Own Peach Salsa

This soup

My new car

Tom Hiddleston (one celebrity crush to rule them all... :)) 

Italy - specifically the food, GELATO, Ostia Antica, and the Sentiero Degli Dei

Shovels and Rope

Michael Palin's travel shows (streaming on Netflix)

Welcome 2013!

My resolutions:
1) Strength training twice a week (and continuing aerobic workouts 3x a week)
2) Trying a new recipe every month
3) Reading a book every month


What I'm looking forward to:
Traveling to Italy!!
Finishing (or getting very close to finishing) my Master's Degree
Getting a fence for Callie
Doing my first 5k
Third season of Downton Abbey on PBS (less than a week!)


What I'd like to try in 2013:
Cross-country skiing
Taking pictures with my Brownie camera


Firsts from 2012:
Exploring NYC alone
Going to MOMA and the Museum of Natural History
Jogging in Central Park
Camping in the Black Hills
Going to Omaha (and the zoo and the Old Market)
Rewiring a lamp
Using a snowblower
Refinancing my house
Making chocolate-covered bacon (which I don't actually recommend)
Getting divorced (which I also don't recommend ;) )


Favorite things in 2012:
White Collar and West Wing on Netflix
Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast
Black bean burritos and fried egg sandwiches
Cute pictures of baby animals
Etsy seller Siiso (have two prints on my walls)
Hearing Sherman Alexie speak at SDSU
New job at DSU (with a huge window and dual monitors)

2012!

Happy New Year!

My resolutions:
1) Exercise 3 times a week
2) Clean up 15 mins a day
3) Walk a dog once a week

What I'm looking forward to:
Fun home improvements (new curtains, hang pictures, etc.)
Getting more settled in our house and new jobs
Knocking out more classes toward my degree
Having a fence for our backyard (as soon as the ground thaws!)
Second season of Downton Abbey on PBS (less than a week!)

What I'd like to learn in 2012:
How to cook eggs
Good slow cooker recipes
Mad piano-playing skills

Firsts from 2011:
Buying our first house
Getting laid off (ugh!)
Learning programming (Visual Basic)
My own laptop (no more hand-me-down desktop for me!)
My own piano
Went to my first auction
Going to New Jersey and New York City

Favorite things in 2011:
Top Gear on Netflix (also American Pickers and Bones)
Yoga and Zumba classes at the Community Center
Visiting Bren in NJ and going to NYC
Second-hand shopping in Brookings
The Hairpin
Squirrel Nut Zippers Pandora Station (especially when cleaning/cooking)
David Wax Museum
John's homebrewed cider
Girls' trip to the Black Hills (which I never blogged(?), but here's a pic...)

Looking back at 2010

2010 Firsts:
Moving into our current house
Competed in a Greased Pig Contest
Made Challah Bread
Nanowrimo - wrote 50k words in November
Cooper
Went to Portland
Turned 30!
Grew an in-ground garden
Knitted my first (mini) sweaters
Photographed a lunar eclipse
Became an aunt
Went to a Pheasants Game
Went to the Corn Palace
Rode a hovercraft
Ate at Elevator Brewery in Columbus
Made Mushroom Lasagna
Made Chocolate Ice Cream

Biggest Changes in 2010:
Started exercising again
Got my photo mojo back

What I'm loving right now:
Zumba for the Wii
Avett Brothers
Total Training Class at the Community Center
Netflix Instant Streaming (All Creatures Great and Small, No Reservations)

2011 - What I'm looking forward to:
Visiting Brenna in NJ and going to NYC
Paying off my car (just two months left!)
Starting Graduate School at DSU (Information Systems)

Welcome, welcome 2009!

Happy New Year to you and yours...we're having a relaxed day today (after staying out tooo late last night). I wanted to take a look back at 2008...so here it goes...

For the very first time in 2008, I...

got married! (exactly two months ago today!)

grew my very own vegetables and fruit (Strawberries, tomatoes, and banana peppers)

learned to make bacon without setting off the smoke detectors (very exciting but unfortunately I didn't document it or blog about it at the time...however, my bacon this morning?? Excellent!)

tried food photography and had my pictures in a magazine (see previous post)

tried firework photography

ate durian fruit (I learned about it watching No Reservations and then I happened to be at a party where someone brought one and tried it. It smells REALLY bad but the taste was kind of garlic-banana-like. Not awful but also not something I'm dying to eat again)

knit adult-sized socks (for me!)

made a quilt (I really don't think that's ever going to happen again)

Tried felting my knitting

Used a real TV camera (to help film a show at work when no students were in town). It was fun...but they've never asked me to do it again (might not be a good sign) ;)

and became totally obsessed with reading blogs (see "random websites I like" but honestly, that's only a portion of them) and fell in love with lolcats and loldogs

Right now, that's all I can remember when it comes to new stuff (may come back and add some later ;) )


During 2008, I loved:

Jasmine Rice (it is amazingly better than normal rice AND you can buy it at the grocery store and make it at home, I'm kind of obsessed)

the Sex in the City movie, Horton Hears a Who, and Quantum of Solace

finding out how much TV you can watch online (my favorites being Jon and Kate Plus Eight, Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice, Starter Wife, and Lipstick Jungle)

Playing Wii fishing, racing cows, and the Wind Quest game, and for the last 4 days of 2008 - Animal Crossing (way obsessed with that, too)

Jon's salmon at Lui-Lui Restaurant (my other fave being the veggie feta pasta but that's not new this year)

Lemon cookies and sweet potato bisque at Village Bakery


For 2009, I'm looking forward to:

Moving to a different house (no more freezing pipes!! actual closets!!)

Our first anniversary (yay!)

Visiting Bren and NYC (not sure when that's happening but it is GOING to happen)

Going to Florida for Mike and Tracy's wedding (kind of like a mandatory vacation--I'm into that)

Trying the gardening thing again (more veggies, fewer flowers)

More photography--and using my new flash.

Doing other new, exciting, and yet-to-be determined things!


Here's hoping we all have the best and brightest year yet!

Happy 2007!

Wishing everyone the brightest and best 2007! This year, I'm planning on posting more often AND posting more pictures (which will require taking more pictures--never a bad thing).

My other resolutions:

Exercise 3 times a week

Try a new recipe once a week

Read one book a week

Maybe by posting them here I'll feel more accountable--like I HAVE to do them ;)