A New Year

We've just returned from a whirlwind and a half of holiday travel, from sunny (but cold! no, I swear!) Los Angeles to rainy (and a teensy bit snowy) Olympia to seriously snowy Tahoe, and it's nice to be home. It's not nice to start the year off discovering a flat tire, but we count our blessings and remain thankful that we noticed it back in our neighborhood and not while descending the icy (ish) mountain roads or barreling along on the highway. It's the little things.

Speaking of little things, there are a few "intentions" (thanks, Natasha, for the new word for something that's sort of not quite a resolution) that I'd like to put out there in the Internet universe for posterity or whatever.

In 2013, I intend to:

• Exercise more, by finding a routine that I enjoy. First thoughts: Kinect games (Just Dance and Kinect Adventures for cardio), setting up the stability ball recommended by my PT (sit on it and do a few exercises before sitting on the couch), and incorporating weights into my at-home routine. Plus, yoga on Tuesdays and ballet on Wednesdays.
• Eat more hearty salads. First thoughts: I need a serious detox after two weeks of gorging on cheese, beer, and baked goods (oh bagels and La Farine baguettes, you will be the death of me). For a month or so after we returned from our honeymoon, we stuck to salads for dinner a few days a week, and it felt really good. Raw veggies, kale, and eggs/beans were excellent for getting rid of that "my insides are coated with butter" feeling, and it's time to revisit our old friend the salad. 
• Feel healthier and stronger; take care of myself. First thoughts: I'm sure this will come from a combination of the first two things, but it's time to start really taking care. I need to get my eyes checked. I need to lose weight, not for looks, but because it will alleviate pressure on my knees. I need to actually do my PT exercises and strengthen my core. Time doesn't go backwards, and we don't get younger and healthier as we age. That's not how it works, people. Did you know that?
• Spend more time in the present; disconnecting from the gadgets more. First thoughts: It's ironic that I'm saying this while on my laptop, sitting next to my husband, who is on his laptop. I'm calling this the last binge since we just got home and had a little online catching up to do, but starting tomorrow I'm in it for real. This means no checking my email while I'm walking to the train. No texting while I'm talking to someone or at dinner. No checking Twitter while watching TV with Will. Focusing on one thing at a time, and not feeling the need to be connected with the entire world every minute all the time.
• Get organized about our finances. First thoughts: After the wedding, we started talking about how now we were Grown Ups and should probably start thinking about things like our savings goals and such. Time to start filling out worksheets and making a plan. Pretty exciting, actually.
• Make a plan for finishing areas of the house. First thoughts: I'm saving for a sofabed for the office/guest room, but that room needs a LOT of work before it'll be ready. I also want to get our big storage closet in better working order, organize the pantry, and rearrange things in the basement. And it's time to get planning for next summer's veggie garden too. It's only a rental, but we love it, and I'd love to get some of these "oh man we've been here over a year" projects done.

2012 went by faster than I can even make sense of. That sentence was terrible, but it's almost 2am and I'm ok with that. I can't believe the year is over, and that we're already on Day Two of 2013.

What are your big plans for the new year? Have you gotten used to writing 2013 yet? Will we ever? Are you making resolutions or intentions or goals or vision boards?