May Resolution: Visiting the Farmers' Market

It's time to roll out another monthly resolution! This month I'm going to be focusing on visiting my local farmers' market on Saturday mornings. The market just opened three weekends ago and I did a bit of shopping last weekend and this morning. There are gorgeous veggies to buy (asparagus, lettuce, and radishes) and lovely potted herbs that really get me in a springtime mood. I can't wait for the fruit to start appearing!

Speaking of spring...here are some photos of the azalea that grows near my front door. I love seeing those gorgeous hot pink blooms when I come home from work.

Dave and I are meeting up with friends for sushi tonight. I can't wait! I hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend.

April Resolution: Cleaning Closets

I'm going super practical for this month's resolution: clean out those closets! My friend Emily mentioned that she cleaned out her storage space this past weekend and we chatted about how good it feels to do a big purge of stuff you no longer need. I'm feeling inspired to do a bit of cleaning out myself and I definitely have enough messy closets to make this a month-long resolution.

I'll leave you with a pretty picture as closet cleaning isn't the most exciting topic of discussion. :) This lovely tree grows right next to our house and I snapped a picture of the pretty white blossoms on a misty morning two weeks ago.

March Resolution: Relaxing Before Bedtime

I've never been a good sleeper - I have trouble falling asleep (sometimes hours pass before I drift off) and I wake up often during the night. So, for my March resolution I've decided to add a little quiet time before bed to see if I can improve my sleep habits a bit. During the weeknights, I'm aiming for a half hour of quiet time before bed (no TV, internet, folding laundry, or running around doing this and that). Here's what I'm going to focus on instead: reading, drinking hot cups of tea, listening to music, taking steamy baths, or talking quietly with Dave about our day.

It's getting harder to come up with my monthly resolutions, although I have a ton of good ones that are perfect for warmer weather. I'm curious, do you set small goals for yourself? Do you think you would like to have a monthly goal to work on?

P.S. I don't really care for March, but this year I'm really going to try to enjoy it. Happy March!

February Resolution: More Yoga

I really enjoyed working on my January resolution of cooking meals in my slow cooker more often. I discovered that I love that style of cooking (it makes dinner time so easy).

During the month of February I've resolved to practice more yoga. Currently, I attend yoga class once or twice a week, but I'd like to start practicing a bit more at home. My goal for February is to add two at-home practice sessions a week to my yoga workout. I'm going on a yoga retreat later this month, so this will help me to prepare for the daily yoga classes I'll be taking on the retreat.

I have a feeling that this is going to be a bit more difficult than using my slow cooker. Wish me luck!

P.S. Happy February!

(photo from Yoga Journal)

2012 Resolutions

I love to make resolutions on New Year's Day. In the past, I've stuck with one resolution that is practical and achievable. This year, I thought I'd try something a bit different and make a new resolution each month. I really want to focus on having a healthy year that includes healthy eating, regular exercise for Dave and me, managing stress, and sleeping well. During the month of January, I'm going to make an effort to use my slow cooker more often. January is perfect for hearty, warm meals that fill the house with savory smells all day long. I'm going to dig my slow cooker out of the closet this weekend to make curried chicken stew. I'll keep you posted on my progress. :)