The New Year

Happy 2013 Everyone! I hope it has started well for you all!

We had a lovely evening in last night with James' family. Lots of champagne, lots of chatting, lots of fun. I did miss what had become a New Years tradition back at home, but life goes on.

Today has NOT been spent trying to start as many resolutions as possible, mainly due to the fact that I have only thought up one, and was instead spent chilling and being very relaxed. It may have been the first day so far in my 'holidaying' that I haven't made myself stressed about money. Yay! We caught up with the 'Big Fat Quiz of the Year'. We each had our own answer sheets and competed against each other. I even did a drawing of most of the contestants. I am very happy with how Richard Ayoade turned out, and yes Jonathan Ross is drawn as a pile of poo. We don't like him much, he wasn't as annoying in this years show as his has been in the past, but he's still not our favourite person. Jack Whitehall and James Cordan on the other hand, LOVED them!
After the Big Fat Quiz I did some more present wrapping for James' dad's sides Christmas that we are attending at the end of this week. I made my own ribbony things. Very proud of them. I'll take photos tomorrow.
James and I also went for a walk. And then we watched some cricket. Not the most eventful day, but lovely nonetheless.

So. My resolution. I'm going to try the 365 challenge again, this time with a theme: Colour. I know it sounds like a very broad theme, and it is, but it's also quite limiting. I'm excited, and have already started. let's hope I can make it further than last time. I made it 262 Days last time I did the challenge. Here's my first photo.

I'm going to do a bit more thinking about some other resolutions. I have plans for the year, I always have plans, my head is non-stop thinking of things it wants to do...so I'm going to try and sort some of my ideas out into attainable and measurable goals for the year. :) I'm feeling very good about 2013!

End of Year Resolution Round Up

2012 has been absolutely wonderful, and I wouldn't change it one bit. I have been happy, I have been healthy and I feel that moving to Australia to be with James was definitely a much better choice than studying an extra year in the UK.

Even though my year has been wonderful I can't say I did a whole lot on my Resolution list. I think making lists like this is an art form, you really need to understand what is achievable. Many of these goals I still have, but they are now just general life goals, achieving them in a specific year seems silly. :) So, how did I go?

1. Learn more about Photography
Yeah, I didn't really actively do anything towards this. But does anyone else look through their photos from a year or so ago and feel like they have improved their skills? I do. So I am thinking that maybe encouraging myself to take more photos will help me learn in a more enjoyable way. Maybe another 365 Project? It definitely encouraged me to photograph and blog more!

2. Lose at least 5kg
In February, I said James and I were not actively working towards this goal. I don't know why I thought trying to eat healthy and exercise was not working towards this goal, because it has most certainly helped. We don't drink any soft drinks when we're in Sydney; we've tried to add more vegetables to our meals; we've cut out unnecessary fatty foods; we bought even bigger water bottles and drink at least 2 bottles a day; we went running for about a month; we walk almost everywhere; and since August I've had a job which is a 50min walk away from us, and I've been walking it, everyday. Even though most of these things are small, and we still have the odd day of tea, cookies and ice-cream, it has all added up and I've lost 8kg. I also feel a lot more awake, and like I have a lot more energy, which makes me feel like it's been a positive change to our lives. Next year we'll be living on the 6th floor, so will have even more stairs to climb, I still have my job to walk to, and James has a gym membership, so I think 2013 will be just as healthy! This is the one resolution I am super happy about!

3. Cook something new and healthy every week for a year
Ha! We did try quite a few recipes off of my Pin bored (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13), most of which were delicious, some needing tweaks, but thats the joy of cooking! If you think the fig pizza (3) sounds nice, I would recommend some changes. We found it WAY too sweet, so tried another one with a creme fraiche base, with brie, blobs of fig jam, and prosciutto on top. It was yum! The Stuffed Peppers (5) has become a favourite of ours, and the crescent rolls (6) are just too easy to make! The Sweet Potato pancake (8) is also a must try just for how much it blows your mind!
Ok, so now I feel like we did quite a good job on this one! 13/52 isn't THAT bad!

4. Bake something once a week for a year
Yeah, much more of a fail here. With only a microwave oven baking was not going to happen this year. Maybe I'll save this one for when I'm a mum, and I can bake with the kids once a week, sounds more fun already!

5. Create Moustache Notebooks
Nope. Did nothing, don't feel bad about it either.

6. Create Art Portfolio
Eventually! This will go on my "Things to do when I'm bored" list, so I can slowly work on it!

7. Learn about Aboriginal Art
I had a book just for this, which I used to doodling. It is still something I'd love to do, not just the Art either, the whole history. I'll do it in time. :)

8. Use my 365 Book somehow
Eeek! I started using it, and HATED what I was doing in it, so now it's got 10 pages filled out and the rest left blank. I'll figure something out!

9. Try to Achieve at least 1 of my 101 Dreams
SCORE!
Dream 40 - Walk More. I think 50mins every morning and afternoon counts as walking more! :D
Dream 42 - Be Happy. I am totally a much happier person, and I'm loving it!
Dream 43 - Live with James in a Cool Apartment. Now, when we first moved into our tiny studio, I wasn't the most thrilled about it. I felt it was small, and could be better, but I have grown to love it and it has become our cool little apartment. Plus, we're now moving up in the world...to a 1 bedroom apartment! Oh the excitement! We can't wait!
Dream 52 - Have an awesome Disney collection. James and I both decided a few years ago that when we have children they shall be raised on Disney movies, and not just the new ones, all the classic ones we loved! Last Christmas we began our collection and it's been slowly growing. We have yet to get the Jungle Book (one of James' favourites) and the Little Mermaid as they is currently 'in the vault', but we are patiently waiting. We have got Beauty and the Beast and Pocahontas, my two faves! So I'm happy! :D
4 Dreams is not bad for a years work!

And there you have it, my Resolution Round Up. I don't think I did the most terrible job, but it could have been better. I'm going to try and make better Resolutions for 2013, and I am most definitely going to enjoy 2013! :)
How did you all do with your resolutions?

2012

Happy New Year everyone!!! I know for some people in the world it has only just happened, or not even happened yet, but here in Australia we've celebrated, slept and are now well into the 1st of January!  Scary! I hope you have all had the most fabulous 2011 and will have an awesome 2012. Do you have anything exciting planned? Made any resolutions?

I have. I usually do, and they are usually lame, and not that easy to stick to or measure, but after reading this post over at 'A Beautiful Mess', I decided I'd give resolutions another chance. So I made a list of all the sorts of things I'd like to do and tried to turn them into proper achievable, measurable goals. Then I wrote them out all pretty. :D

Here are my goals for 2012:

This is the only full page I will be sharing - Learn more about photography.

1. Learn more about photography. 
I know this one doesn't sound exactly measurable and all that...but this was a hard one to make as such. I want to learn more about how cameras work, different settings on cameras, photo compositions and all that. I have quite a few websites already saved to read through, and plan on getting a little book and making it like a little research project...maybe I could write an essay...haha...maybe not. But yes. I want to understand photography more, and this year I plan to tackle that.

Lose at least 5kg.

2. Lose at least 5kg.
I didn't really want to share this one...because sharing getting fit or weight loss goals tends to hinder them as friends and family tend to say your doing well, or can have a day off, or look fine; but I'll just ignore those people. I've started this one early by already starting to do exercise and drinking more water and less Coke. I don't think I'm fat, and I don't hate my body, I just want to be more healthy and fit...and I didn't want to time running or anything...so 5kg.

Cook something new and healthy once a week.

3. Cook something new and healthy once a week.
I should maybe have added in savoury too, considering Goal 4, but I understand. So yeah, once a week starting from when James and I have our own kitchen, I would like to try cooking something new and healthy. There are so many yummy dishes out there in the world and I would love to learn how to make them so that eventually I can just rustle up something amazing without a recipe or anything. :) I will of course, hopefully, share these recipes and their failures/successes with you lovely people through my blog.

Bake once a week for a year.

4. Bake once a week for a year.
Bake/make something desserty. I know this sounds slightly counter Goal 2...but I plan on baking yummy treats that aren't hugely fattening and bad for you...thats the plan anyway. :) I love the occasional sweet indulgent, and I'd love to be able to make super yummy desserts...so this sounds fun! :)

Those are my bigger goals, but I have some others too:
5. Create moustache notebooks.
I love moustaches....and so too do a lot of people on the internet, so I thought it would be cool to make some moustache notebooks. I've had this idea for a while, and I've done a lot of sketches. I think it would be pretty cool to try and get them made...and maybe sell a few. (This actually sounds like a big goal, but I'm calling it small because I don't know what to do with it at the moment...I have no plan of action)

6. Create an Art Portfolio
I also want to start making time for Art. I think it would be nice to have one place with all my art documented, so that if I ever want a job in that field I have something to present. :) Plus, it would be pretty to look through every now and then when I feel talentless.

7. Learn more about Aboriginal Art.
When I did the IB, I based 2 of my art pieces on Aboriginal Art, and did a bit of research into the subject (as was required). Now that I am in Australia I would like to learn more about it, I am rather fond of their art, and it would be cool to learn more about something so specific to Australia. :)

8. Use my 365 book somehow.
It's a very vague goal...but I want to have at least decided how to use that book by the end of the year.

9. Try and achieve at least one of my 101 Dreams.
Another one. One a year means I won't get them all done in my life, but one is a good start. :)

So there you are. My 2012 goals. What have you got planned?