Those Pesky Resolutions For The New Year

Yes, it's that time again.  I don't know where the last year went.  I've always been told that each year in your life goes faster than the last because proportionately it's a smaller part of your life....It certainly seems that way.

I realized as I read a few of the Christmas card letters this year that not much of note happens for most people throughout a year.  At least I'm not alone in that.  But, this year did bring a few big events:

• My sisters, parents, and I went to Kenya for a safari.  We saw amazing things, met great new people, and had an incredible time (hopefully I'm speaking for all of us).
• We finished the first full year of being married....which truth be told wasn't all that much different than before we were married.  The big differences is that we have a joint checking and saving account now....and even that took us a few months.
• And finally, I hit the big 3-0.  After a bit of panic (three months of it to be precise), the big day came and went without much fanfare and I survived to live another day. 

Now to think forward a little bit....I am a planner after all.  Here are a few resolutions and items to cross off the bucket list for this year:

• I'm going to work on learning a second language.  I'm debating on which one.  I've got it narrowed down to Swahili (so I can go back to Kenya and live forever) or the more practical, Spanish.  Maybe I'll just do both??
• Start taking guitar lessons and put that guitar that I was so sure I would use to use....or just start playing Rocksmith.
• The always cliche, work out more.  It's been a rough year spending time on myself and getting healthy.  I have been mandated by the doctor to exercise more and with work conflicting, I haven't been so good about following that medical advice.
• Read 36 books. This year I set the bar low at 24 and finished 37, so it's time to up my game.  I might also try to finish the Kurt Vonnegut collection within that 36.
• Visit Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Grand Canyon National Parks.  I've hit all of Utah's National Parks, and it's time to expand the boundaries. 

So that's my list.  I'm also going to blog a bit more this year....I say that every year.  So you should read and comment more to give me the motivation to keep going.  Share it, too.  I like new readers.

Hope you all have a great New Year's Eve.....I'm sure I'll be tucked into bed nice and early as I usually am, so enjoy it for me.  And have an even better new year!

'tis the season....

I love December and holidays and the snow.  I was thinking about how fast this year has gone by.  Faster than the rest - it is a smaller percentage of the whole than last year was after all.

This year has been one series of roller coaster rides after another.  Some big changes.  Some seemed like they might be awful when they happened but it all ended up being ok. (Just like so many people told me)  So lucky for me, I can say that all in all, it has been a good year and I am in a good place right now.  Even the few things that have been driving me crazy lately are minor in the grand scheme of things.

So in preparation for the new year, it's time to start thinking about the New Year's Resolution list.  I did alright with last years - I made it to four of five Utah National Parks.  I only purchased three books.  I am nowhere near my reading goal of 36 complete books - But got through two thirds of that.  I don't think I'll be able to finish the rest in the 26 remaining days of the year.  I crossed a couple items off my bucket list (camping, making a quilt, and starting my own business)

One of next year's goals - definitely blog more, read more, and the big one i think will be finding a new hobby....I'm undecided on what it will be but apparently I need a hobby.....at least that's what p. fisher says....

Bryce Canyon - Escalante Grand Staircase - Capitol Reef

It has been a whirlwind of a weekend.  It probably would have been far less eventful had I not purchased an atlas shortly after we started our drive to southern Utah.  But I saw it, bought it, studied it,  and decided we could fit more in than we probably should have. 

As a side note, I was told I didn't need a map - I feel like everyone can use a map - And as it turns out (not surprisingly), I was right on this one as there is no cell service throughout most of the areas we were this weekend (AT&T does NOT have more bars in more places - The Verizon users seemed to have very little trouble making and receiving calls) and without that signal, there was no GPS that I have come to be very dependent on.  So I guess it's a good thing I impulsively bought an atlas after all....

Anyway - One of my New Years resolutions this year was to visit all of Utah's national parks.  I went to Arches a couple years ago for a friend's birthday and that's it in the ten years that I have lived here.  S ever so nicely got me a National Park's pass for my birthday and I immediately went to Zion as part of my birthday trip.  Since then I've been a bit of a slacker - I did go to Colorado and visit Garden of the Gods and Royal Gorge, and went to the Uintas and Fish Lake National Forest in Utah, but I haven't made my way to any other national parks yet.  Until this weekend....This weekend was the weekend to go to Bryce Canyon N.P.  We spent Saturday hiking about through the hoodoos (Which I learned is Caribbean - like voodoo) and then went on a guided walk and learned lots of fun facts about the park.  And even went out and looked at the stars in the crystal clear sky.

The highlight: I SAW WILDLIFE!!  I never see wildlife.  I don't know why that is but I never do.  I saw a chipmunk which hardly counts.  And then I saw a stellar jay which apparently is rare - I thought it was a blue jay.  And then we saw a baby deer and it's mom.  I love the baby animals.  And then a bunch of pronghorn deer.  And then to top it of, there were wild turkeys.  It only could have been better if I saw a bear or a mountain lion....

So then today with the help of my new maps, I figured out how to get to Capitol Reef National Park.  I thought it would be much closer but it was an extra three hours or so driving to get there.  We took the scenic byway, highway 12 through Escalante/Grand Staircase which was definitely worth the extra time. 

Of all the national parks, I would have to say that I'm glad I didn't plan on spending an entire weekend in Capitol Reef.  It is pretty spectacular to see.  And the pictures definitely don't do it's size justice but there wasn't a ton to do there.

All in all, a good weekend....I wish I had more time and I think I would have finished the entire national park circuit.  I have officially visited four of the five Utah national parks and I'm feeling pretty good about it.  Just need to get to Canyonlands before December 31 to complete my checklist.