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Hello, 2014!

Well, well, well it looks as though we have made it through another year (mostly) intact and with wonderful memories and lessons from the past 365 days. I, for one, am always excited for the New Year and look forward to making new goals and plans to work on as things start to get back to (our version of) normal after the holidays. I had a pretty rockin 2013 and now here is what I am looking forward to in 2014.

Running has definitely taken a big spotlight for my goals of 2014; I am already signed up for the Hyannis Half Marathon in February, which is part of my training plan for the Maine Coast Marathon in May. I would like to complete at least one other full marathon in 2014 and am definitely going to try and complete the Cape Cod Half Marathon Trilogy to get one of those sweet jackets they give out. I am also hoping to branch out and register for a sprint triathlon, which brings me to a new goal for 2014: cross training!
I love my yoga and spin classes but I really don't get to them enough, so we have decided to join the Y again to make it easier for me to do that, while also giving us the opportunity to get Madeleine in another round of swim classes before we hit the beach next summer. When I completed the Tough Mudder this past summer I was stoked at how well my endurance and energy levels were but I saw a definite window of opportunity to build my upper body strength and so this is something I am really going to focus on in the coming year. Stronger muscles will make me a better runner and don't hurt when it comes to tank tops in the summer either :)
Runner's legs but some pretty wimpy arms!
Money and budgeting always seem to be big goals for me every year, but I learned a lot this past year both through mistakes and new tactics and I am hopeful that this is the year that I really get it right and am able to get rid of debt and fully prepare us to be able to buy a home. Once our credit and debt to income ratio has improved enough we may be able to qualify for one of those awesome first-time home buyer loans and I am really just DYING to have a home all our own as soon as possible. We have been actively working on these things since the summertime so I am hopeful that tax return season will help further open up this goal and allow us to really start working on making our dream a reality. Once we own a house I will feel much better prepared to work on making a sibling for Maddie, which is something that I would really love to do, but I need to get us into a home before I feel great about it happening. Fingers crossed for the O'Sheas to have a house soon!





I mean, just look at this kid, yearning for a sibling by sitting in her old infant car seat. I cannot believe those long legs used to fit in there! Maddie has also fully embraced using her kiddo headphones to sit and watch her "hipad". It may not win us parents of the year, but if a few episodes of Thomas can help us travel/relax/get something done, I will take them!


Speaking of travel, we are definitely going to be doing a little less of it since Matty is in school and we are trying to save money, but we will be taking our annual venture out to California in April to see one of my best friends get married and  have our usual week with my extended family. I would also love to fit in a trip to Washington DC and one little jaunt to my beloved timeshare in Florida, as well as some extra weekends in NYC. We have so many friends there now, not to mention Maddie's one and only cousin, who I kind of can't get enough of watching her interact with.
Cousins are kind of the best, especially now that one of them isn't being a jealous maniac the whole time!
In addition to these bigger goals I would also like to try and make more date nights with that handsome husband of mine. take that knitting class that I have been talking about doing for the past few years and continue to strive to be a more patient mama, a more attentive friend and a more balanced woman.
I mean, who wouldn't want to be more awesome for these two?
As I leave this last year behind and look ahead with these goals is my mind, I am feeling pretty darn good about it all. I hope that the new year brings you all the best, too! Happy New Year!

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