Raising Spudley: 2013.

Happy New Year! (give or take a few days)

I hope everyone had an amazing time celebrating the turn of the year. I spent the evening with a few of my best friends and our husbands (plus the two newest members of our group - a six month old and a nine month old, however they didn't quite make it past 7 p.m.) I feel fortunate to still be close with my best friends from college and to be able to share in all their major life moments. Those babies sure have a lot of 'aunts!':)

On our drive back to Chicago, my husband and I wrote down our New Year's goals (I prefer strategic goals over resolutions, they set you up for success whereas resolutions tend to set you up for failure.) I won't spell mine out, but they include being a more active and engaged member of the community (our neighborhood association, philanthropic organizations I believe in, our church, volunteer positions, professional organizations and alumni associations) and living a more balance life full of meaningful work, more sleep, better conversations, and more timely correspondence.

I think 2013 will bring great things.

Since it's a three and a half hour car ride, we also had time to recount everything that made 2012 so much fun.

Instead of traveling the country/world, my husband is now working locally - woohoo!
Graduated with my master's degree
Conquered the 'puppy stage' with Spud
Appeased my travel bug a little bit: Mendoza, Buenos Aires, San Antonio, Austin, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Indianapolis, Louisville, Washington D.C., Michigan and Nashville, among a few smaller road trips.
Read a few good books. Favorites: Gone Girl, Middlesex, The Marriage Plot and The Glass Castle
Spent a ton of time outside enjoying Chicago and our neighborhood (one of my 2012 goals)
Took a few classes outside of grad school: photography, cooking, blogging

I really enjoy lists, so that was for my own fun - thanks for still reading:) On with a few of my favorite moments of the past year.