Date Nights - January

We went for a little local flavor with our date nights this month. Chris found a unique duck pin bowling alley. I found a cooking class that focused on sheet pan dinners with root vegetables. Both nights were a lot of fun!

I loved duck pin bowling. First of all, it is just so cute. Everything is small - the pins, the ball, the lanes. It also helped that I won our first two games! Chris got a bit more into the groove of things after that first round. Plus, I told him a couple of my strategies. At least that's my story. At any rate, we had a great time. I highly recommend Pins (or any duck pin bowling experience, really).

I discovered Local Matters when we met the Executive Director and her husband at a Books and Brews event at the library this past fall. She mentioned to me when we met in early January that her non-profit offered cooking classes. It has long been my intention for one of our date nights to be a cooking experience so I was thrilled. Chris and I picked one that suited our interests and made a donation to them in exchange for a great night of fun and delicious food. Chris even managed to be selected to help with the protein portion of the meal. It was a fun night - we'll definitely try to go back in the future.

What are your favorite winter date night ideas?

Andrea :)

Goals for 2018

I've always been a goal person. The more manageable and specific, the better. This year, I sprang for some Powersheets. I heard many good things about them and even had a small discount code so I jumped on board. I loved the pre-work even though I didn't get through all of it until nearly the middle of January. The pre-work phase was incredibly worthwhile so I'm glad I stuck with it. It helped me discover my word of the year - thrive.  

In an effort to keep myself accountable, here are some of my 2018 goals...

#1 - Continue my health journey through both exercise and meal planning.

I started making a conscious effort to focus on my health in late October last year. Our townhouse has a finished basement room that was perfect for at-home workouts. I knew I needed to really make my health a priority after Chris and I had signed up for a couple of races and I could barely manage the training runs. I decided to start small with the 21 Day Fix program. I already had the DVDs and portion containers. I made steady progress and managed a clean week just after Thanksgiving. That week was a turning point for me because I really focused on the meal planning aspect of healthy living. I completed another round of 21 Day Fix during the holidays and moved forward with 80 Day Obsession in mid-January. I will finish Phase 1 of that program tomorrow. I feel great. I'm really looking forward to winter going away so I can get back out there for some runs.

#2 - Read 40 books (and the Bible from cover to cover).

I love to read. Now that I have to drive everywhere, I am also really loving audiobooks. This year, I am participating in Mia's Read the Rainbow Challenge and Erin's Book Challenge 8.0 from January-April. For Erin's Challenge, I used only books that were on my shelves at home. After packing them up and moving them up and down stairs, I figure I owe it to myself to read them. Additionally, I've committed to reading the Bible from cover to cover by completing a small portion every day. I have made that commitment before, but gotten side tracked in the Spring. I am determined to make it a reality this year.

#3 - Have at least two date nights a month.

Chris and I started this tradition a couple of years ago. It is nice to have something to look forward to each month. We each pick one date night a month. It always turns out to be so much fun.

#4 - Complete the outstanding photo books and/or scrapbooks.

Again, I lugged all the scrapbook stuff with me to Ohio so I better make use of it and start crafting! In all honesty, my only excuse in the past was not having the space so it's now or never. Plus, I really enjoy making them.

#5 - Build New and Strengthen Old Friendships.

Moving to a new place at any point is a difficult thing to do. I left behind some really solid friendships in New York. I am determined to continue to build memories and foster those relationships. At the same time, there is a whole new landscape full of friendly faces to discover here. And, I'm be remiss to discount all those friends in cities near and far. I really want to make a conscious effort to be a good friend as I navigate this transitional time in my life.

#6 - Stay involved in networking and volunteering opportunities.

If there is anything I learned from my year of unemployment, it is the power of networking and volunteering. I made a vow to myself that I would continue those practices when I started a new job so I don't want to loose sight of that commitment to myself. Plus, I really like volunteering and connecting with people in the process.

What are you focusing on in 2018?

Andrea :)