2012 - Books in Review

This year was a strange year for reading. I always felt behind my goal. I've read the fewest books this year than the past 4 and it was a struggle to get them all in. Either I'm getting busier, reading slower, or making less time. I've linked my reviews here so you can get them all in one shot. The books in bold are my favourite for the year.

I read 37 out of 40 books in 2012. I'll be keeping my goal the same for 2013. I plan to read through my shelf of to-read that sits staring at me from my giant shelf. It's about time I start putting a dent in it. Frenchie shakes his head every time I buy a book and have no space to put it.

What I Read in 2012 

Crescendo (Hush, Hush, #2)

Lover Avenged (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #7)

Shiver (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, #1)

The Marriage Project: 21 Days to More Love and Laughter

The Fault in Our Stars

Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution

Firelight

Introvert Power: Why Your Inner Life Is Your Hidden Strength

The Next Always (Inn BoonsBoro Trilogy, #1)

Pandemonium (Delirium, #2)

Speak

Happy Ever After

The Giver (The Giver, #1)

Fracture (Fracture, #1)

Divergent (Divergent, #1)

The Witch's Daughter

Free Four (Divergent #1.1)

Insurgent (Divergent, #2)

The Midwife's Confession

Lover Mine (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #8)

A Discovery Of Witches (All Souls, #1)

The Espressologist

Let's Pretend This Never Happened: A Mostly True Memoir

The Girl in the Garden

The Power of a Praying Wife

Daughter of Smoke and Bone (Daughter of Smoke and Bone, #1)

The Graveyard Book

Interview with the Vampire

The Great Gatsby

Fathomless (Fairytale Retellings, #3)

The Virgin Cure

Anna Dressed in Blood (Anna, #1)

Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail

The Raven Boys (Raven Cycle, #1)

Lover Unleashed (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #9)

The Soldier's Wife

Easy

The Hobbit

2012 - Life In Review

2012 was a busy year. Full of changes, like any year is, and full of discovery. There were a lot of ups and downs, a lot of celebration and a lot of reading!

Frenchie and I have been married for 1.5 years. It seems like less most days. I feel like we're still falling in love every day.

Both of us switched jobs this year. New companies, new roles and new opportunities. It seems every few years we need a change and seem to be on the same schedule. It's exciting and stressful, but change is usually a good thing. For me, I have to be pushed to my limit before I choose change, but I'm always glad when I take the leap.

I started a home-based business. Epicure Selections. I'm almost at my one year mark and I couldn't be happier I started this endeavour  It's allowed us to eat healthier, have some extra income and add some spice to our kitchen. The plan last January was to try it and see how it went. I love what I do and have loved all the new opportunities to make new friends, spread some flavour and see people fall in love with cooking again.

On top of Epicure, I started teaching Piano lessons. I was so incredibly nervous that I would be horrible and my students would hate me or I'd be the one that makes them dislike music. I won't say I'm the best teacher, far from it, but I'm learning. And I love it. It may be a rush to get home from my day job, but after teaching, my stress seems to melt. It warms my heart to see kids excited to learn music.

Fitness wise, I failed miserably at my goals. I kept trying new things, and ultimately nothing stuck. Ballet was a great experience again, and while I miss it, the classes aren't convenient for my schedule. I'm starting to slowly get back into weight lifting after meeting with a chiropractor. He's made the world of difference in my pain levels and I'm so thankful he was able to determine what the issues are FINALLY!

Health related news was a shock this year. After what I would call a relapse into the world of stress, I went to a naturopath for a second opinion. She has helped me more than I can thank her. I'm not out of the woods yet, but my ability to cope has vastly improved. She also made the suggestion to go gluten free and I can't tell you what a difference it has made. I had no idea that food was making me feel so crappy.

Both our families have experienced big changes this year. My other sister moved to the same city as oldest sister and I. It's been wonderful to be able to see them both more often and spend time on a whim rather than planned well in advance. Frenchie's family gained 2 new little ones, niece and nephew and very shortly in the new year, another sister-in-law.

Every year I'm thankful for my family, friends and the life we have. I may complain and bitch about things but life is just the way it should be.

Happy New Year!! 2012

I hope everyone had a wonderful New Years Eve. Frenchie and I watched a movie and went to bed just before midnight. We've both had a cold (Frenchie for a week, me for 3 days) and today isn't any different. Hopefully watching football all day will make us both feel better.

I'm not a fan of making resolutions, but I am a fan of setting goals and working towards them no matter how long it takes. I read a book that says, as long as you take steps towards your goals, you are a success.

That said, here are my goals for the year in no particular organized fashion or order

1. Complete Jillian Michaels Ripped in 30 - She's so mean but definitely kicks your butt
2. Start a dance class - Signed up for Ballet to start January 18th!
3. Save more money and tighten up on a budget - We have a lot of vacations in 2013 planned.
4. Possibly find a new job - I like mine, it's just not what I was hired for
5. Renovate the kitchen cupboards - Change the color and add better organization
6. Read 50 books! I missed by goal by 6 in 2011 but read some amazing books
7. Go to church more often - I'd like to go twice a month
8. Do a bible study - either with friends or by myself
9. Keep in better touch with friends and family - Call friends and see family more often
10. Meal plan weekly - We did pretty good this year and it sure makes life easier
11. Start teaching piano in the fall. I have my business cards and schedule all laid out already. I just need to advertise closer to the fall and hopefully get 3 - 6 students. This will be a replacement for dance and hopefully turn into a business for me when we decide to start a family. I have so many plans in my head for when that time comes.
12. I would like to complete my Grade 7 and Grade 8 Royal Conservatory of Canada. I already completed the exams when I was in high school, so I'm basically just going through both grades myself and then move onto Grade 9. Working towards my ARCT in Pedagogy. There is SO much work to do it's going to take a few years to complete.

This year will be full of ups and downs just like any year. We have a lot of things to look forward to. Frenchie's side will be blessed with two more grandbabies and in early 2013 another sister-in-law. All 4 boys will have wives!  My family will watch the 5 littles ones (4 girls and a boy) grow up another year. No plans for kids with us yet. We have some trips planned and a lot of life to spend together before we bless our little family with a child. For now Beta the furbaby will do. (She's 2 years old!!!)
Frenchie and I will celebrate one year of marriage this year. I can't believe it's been 6.5 months already. We've been together for 5 years and I couldn't ask for a better man in my life.

So here's to 2012! May you find joy, happiness, and live life to it's fullest. We always have ups and downs, it's how you deal with them that makes a difference.

Happy New Year!!!!

New Year Resolutions

Since everyone makes them, I figured I'd make some too. I've broken them down by my three categories. Books, Fitness and Life.

Books

I have set my reading goal at 50 again. I passed my goal by 4 books in 2010. With the wedding coming up, my reading will get the backseat come June.

I'll be participating in the Nest Book Challenges. In Winter last year I made 195 points. I would like my goal to be 150 for each of the seasons, but we'll see if I get there.

I'll be doing the EBook Challenge put on by The Ladybug Reads. See my post about it here. 12 ebooks in one year. This should be doable since all my Outlander books are eBooks and all my Harry Potter books are as well.

I want to get through a lot of the books I own. I have 46 that I own on my to-read list. I only have 16 that are borrowed and that is all from family except one. No hurry to finish them just yet.

Fitness

Frenchie and I are doing the P90x right now. We just started week 4 after a small break over Christmas. I like the program and without Frenchie, I think I would be too lazy to do it. I'm thankful we're in it together. He's far more motivated than I am.

I want to do another one or two performances this year at Taboo again. I got out of pole for a little while and I think I may take a break after this next session just to concentrate on the P90x. My body can only do so many things before it gives out and shouts "You're doing too much!!"

I WILL get my 6 pack abs again.

Life

The most obvious one is get married. We are 5.5 months out and I am worried I won't get everything done. There are a few nagging tasks that once complete I can rest a little easier.

I want to concentrate on my faith this year. I became Catholic last Easter, but I feel like I haven't truly embraced my faith. I do attend church regularily, but I don't do anything outside of that. I would love to find a bible study of some sort. I don't have the motivation to do it on my own, but having a friend or two do one with me would be great.

I want to keep this low-stress thing I have going on. Since losing my job last year I realized just how stressed out I was, mind body and spirit. I was at a breaking point and I want to never go back to that place again. It was scary, not only for me, but for those that love me.

I will keep in better touch with my friends. I have my besties that live in different provinces from me and I miss them dearly. I want to phone more often. There's nothing better than a phone call from a distance friend to make a week perfect. I always say I'm too busy, but sitting on the couch in front of the TV isn't an excuse. You will be in my calendar friends!!

Lastly,

I want to love more deeply. I want to keep in better touch with my family. Tell them I love them more. Teach my nieces what it is to be a strong woman (I know they're all under 4, but still, can't ever start too early!) I want to embrace that child innocence and get some of it in my own life. They love life so fully and experience things all new. As an adult, we shouldn't lose that wonder.

Happy New Year everyone!!!

I'm saying good riddance to 2010 and hugging 2011 hello.

ChicFitGeek 2010: A year in Review

Here is a quick review of the year I had. Not everything is included, but these are the profound ones that keep popping up first and foremost.

1. I found a love for reading again. I found the Nest Book club right before the new year last year and fell right in. I started doing the Winter Book Challenge this year and it spurred me on to read. With Gilles gone (see #3) I had plenty of time to read and it became a safe haven I could escape to. I have found some amazing people on NBC and hope to stick around the forum for a long time.


2. My father had a heart attack. He’s in better shape and healthier than ever today.

3. We adopted Beta. It was hard having her on my own (see #3) for the first while. She’s become such an integral part of our life I can’t imagine it without her.

4. Gilles left for Fort MacMurray for work. It was supposed to be 3 months. 10 days on, 4 days off. It turned into 6 very long months. All this while, I developed anxiety attacks, was super stressed out and was heading towards depression in a real hurry.

5. One of my besties got married! I got to stand up for her at her wedding and it was beautiful.

6. Gilles got a new job, I got laid off. All within two days of each other. It was a whirlwind and I thought the worst had happened. It may have been the worst, but turned out for the best in the end!

7. I spent the summer taking courses, figuring out how to find a job and brushing up the resume. I took up running with Beta to expend her energy. I spent some extra time with my sister and nieces. Went to my oldest nieces first dance recital (she’s 3.5 years old).

8. We bought a new vehicle. A 2010 Hyundai Santa Fe. What a great purchase!!

9. The wedding planning really began. All our vendors are booked, Save-the-dates went out, and bridesmaid dresses are ordered. I bought my dress and got it!!!

10. The year ended on a good note despite all the crap that happened this year. There are always going to be good and bad things that happen. There’s nothing we can do about them, but let them happen and accept it and learn from it. This year was rough. We went through a lot of changes in a short period of time. It took a toll on all my relationships, my health, my sanity and my love for things. I anticipate that this year will improve and I’ll get back to where I want to be: In love with life again.