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05 January 2015

Goooooaaallll!

This is a post with just a lot of writing and no pictures- I won't be offended if you bypass it. A lot of it is for me to just get down on to something. Funny how blogging works sometimes..

and on a side note- for those you might be interested it is time again to sign-up for the Bigs and Littles Blogging network partnership again! You might recall I participated in this over the Fall and had a wonderful experience. It is a fantastic way to get to know a new blogger, and build a relationship that can help each of your blogs grow. Sign up here!!

New year, new week, new day. I love the feeling that with a new year it can mean a new start, a new life, a place to take a deep breath and start-over. Start a new job, relationship, health regimen. A way to start a new goal.

I have several goals for this upcoming year. I'm not going to call them resolutions because I don't want to feel as if I'm changing anything but instead striving to create something better. A goal to lose weight might be the same as a resolution to go to the gym more but instead it's putting it on a timeline that will hopefully last more than a week or two. And although both may have the same results and ending, I'd like to think it's different.

Blogging Goals:
As with any blogger I would love to grow this space. See more daily readers or even the occasionally drop-in. I'm going to work on making more of my images pinable and sharable.

I'd also like to focus on my content this year- perhaps to see myself become more of a niche blogger instead of a lifestyle one. Either way this may change in general because if all goes well around this time of year next year I will be gearing up for my long-hike.

Meet more of you! I want to create better relationships with the bloggers I have already started chatting too and while I'm at it start chatting with more of you. I like having this world of friends and acquaintances I can turn to at any time of the day.

Life Goals:
Along with most people I'd like to work on getting a bit more healthy. I had a stress-fracture in my leg this year in running and instead of doing the smart thing and continue to exercise with low-impact alternatives, I became depressed. I stopped working out at all, I ate my feelings and then started a fun cycle of not liking who I was becoming, gaining weight, become upset that this was happening and then eating some more. Ugly mess that I could totally acknowledge was unfolding and felt helpless to stop.  I'm not trying to beat myself up about it but want myself to be more aware of it. Make a more conscious decision when it comes to what I am eating and how I'm spending my time, and I've been cleared to start running again (slowly and at an easy pace) and that is what I'm going to do. Also, I'm still eligible for the marathon this year and kind of feel like I'm doing it no matter what- whether I can run the whole thing or have to drop out half-way, I will cross the start line (and hopefully the finish!)

I want to make better use of my time with my relationships too. With the job I'm currently at it's been hard to make time for the people I love and care about, to make times to go on dates. Every person I've been attempted to create a romantic relationship with in the past few years have falling apart before they even start because I'm scared of the time commitment. But guess what, relationships take time. I know, surprise! So I want to let me myself fall this year- and if that means I need to find a new job than I will, because although money is nice and yes I need it for forever, I also need relationships for forever and right now I think that is what is more important.

I'm a year+ ish away from my big hike and also need to start focusing on that. Spending my extra income on gear, finding a few weekends to take some practice hikes, figuring out how everything works. Start writing companies for sponsorships- it's going to happen, and I'm ecstatic, terrified and ready all at once.


So that is it, for now. I have a whole year ahead of me to start make changes, to work towards goals that have always been there but are now within my reach.

What kind of goals do you have for this year?

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02 January 2015

Welcome to the New Year!

Happy New Year! I can't believe it is 2015- I remember the whole shenanigans when it was 1999-2000, the Y2K end of the world. We made time capsules in our classrooms, had our family members write us letters for future selves, put in mementos- all to be opened in 2050. Which is obviously still pretty far away but to think 15 years has already passed is impressive to me. 15 years in which I've graduated high-school, college, moved in NYC, turned into an "adult".

Enough of the weird sappy. Anyways, I'm back from Costa Rica! I have a nice tan and finally a day off which is so so so nice. Traveling with work might sound like fun from the outside but truthfully it's stressful, exhausting and several weeks without a true break. Needless to say I'm happy to be home.

Fun update- I. for the very first time. shattered my phone. Of course on the day we left for our trip. It cracked the screen like crazy and messed up the pixels on the bottoms and sides, I've had some interesting phone conversations because of it.. hard to hit backspace. whoops. A new one will hopefully appear soon.

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and Happy New Year!!


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19 December 2014

put on your yamaka... it's time for Hannukah!

It's has been a pretty exciting week here in NYC.. besides the lovely start of Hannukah, packing like a fiend and trying 12 times to get into a locked ipad that finally opened as Apple answered the phone I managed to actually blog twice. I'm sure you are all as impressed as I am.

Tomorrow I am leaving for Costa Rica with work for almost two weeks, and before you say how lucky I am, let me tell you- it is still work. I am very very very much looking forward to my next day off on January 2nd. I plan to sleep a lot that day and drink a bottle of wine. Happy New Year to you too. But I am also looking forward to the warm weather down south and the delicious fruit they will be serving, weird- I don't care.

I'm most likely going to be MIA until 2015 so I'm going to send you all some well wishes now. I hope everyone has a fantastic holiday, gets to spend wonderful time with their friends and family and that you are all safe, healthy and happy. 2014 has been pretty fantastic, it had some rough times, but a lot of really really awesome times too. I traveled to new countries, met new friends, watched some great concerts, ate some delicious food, bought new grown-up things. I started this blog, which has amazingly been more fun than I could have hoped for, and I was introduced to all of you. So thank you, for stopping by, reading, sharing your thoughts, for coming to this space. Here's to another fantastic, if not even better, year!



And to round out what will most likely be the last post of the year, I want to introduce you guys to one of my marvelous sponsors.

first off, her birthday is TODAY! you heard me, birthday = today!  if anything you must go to her blog and wish her a very very Happy Birthday right now. Libby is a pretty awesome person, and I love reading her posts about building a new home with her husband. And she is totally obsessed with Christmas, I mean who isn't- I'm Jewish and it's one of my favorite times of the year! I had a super fun q&a session with her- enjoy the answers below, and make sure to stop by and give her happy birthday thoughts! (plus she loves JT, which mean she also probably loves 'Nsync and if that isn't a girl after my own heart then I don't know what to think...)

If you could travel to any place in the world, right now, where would you go?
Right now, being that it's the holidays an all, it would be New York City. I grew up in Upstate New York and have actually never been to NYC. I'm pretty much obsessed with all things Christmas, so New York City at Christmas time just makes sense. Plus, seeing as I have a thing for huge Christmas trees, it just sort of makes sense that I would want to go visit Rockefeller Center.

What are your 3 favorite posts
Hosting my best friend's gender reveal: http://www.healthloveandfire.com/2014/04/best-friends-gender-reveal-party.html


What inspired you to start blogging?

I started my blog at the same time as I was starting a new job. I was leaving a job that was my comfort zone, where a had made a bunch of really great friends and starting something new and completely different. Starting this blog was a way for me to share about my life and my day, as if I was chatting with a former coworker over tea in the morning. From there, I just sort of got hooked on blogging and on the friendships and connections it provided. It gave me a place to be creative, a reason to drag my husband on all sorts of adventures, and it motivated me to try new recipes and create new home decor. It became a place that was mine and only mine, and I fell in love! 

What is your favorite album/cd of all time?

Probably Justin Timberlake's 20/20 Experience Album. Because it's Justin Timberlake, and because you get 20 (actually 21 cause there's a bonus track) when you normally only get 10-12 songs on an album. If you haven't seen him in concert, absolutely do it because he's AMAZING! I'm obviously still one of those boy band obsessed teenagers at heart, and I'm okay with that! 


Do you have any hidden talents?

I can memorize anything. But it's usually the stuff that you have no need for. Like I remember exactly where I was when I heard certain songs or the lyrics to a choir song I sang in fifth grade. I'm not sure that my husband appreciates this talent as much as I do. 

What are the best dishes you can cook? (bonus points if you've posted them on your blog!)

Hmm this is big for me because up until a few years ago I would have told you I hate cooking. It wasn't until we bought our own house and I started experimenting more that I really started to love cooking. One of my favorite things to do in the kitchen recently is to can or preserve. I make a pretty awesome pasta sauce (http://www.healthloveandfire.com/2014/07/pasta-sauce-canning.html

Coke or Pepsi?
Well I'm a Diet anything kind of gal really. When coke was doing their Share A Coke with _____ thing, I was all about how fun that was and trying to find my friend's names on them (because we all know they were never going to have Libby on the side of that can). But if we are talking plain boring packaging, both brands having their normal label, I'm a Diet Pepsi gal :) Unless this is from McDonalds, because they have the best soda mix ever! (Clearly I'm crazy and if you give me either I'd drink them!) 

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17 December 2014

Currently...

thinking.. about how much stuff I still need to pack, packing for 3 people to go on a 2 week trip plus all the end of the year holiday parties, concerts and activities is driving me to a point 

making.. tomato and mozzarella pasta salad, easy and delicious

drinking.. some much need coffee

looking.. at the new season of Downton Abbey- did you know it is already out in England?

playing.. nothing, I have no time to play!

eating.. cereal, Crispix to be exact. healthy lunch, I know!

watching.. no time to watch things! but I did finish the fourth season of Gilmore Girls last night..


wishing.. I didn't have to go on vacation with work but could spend time with my family

planning.. more like helping someone else plan a small baby shower for my sister!

enjoying.. that the weather is a bit warmer today, and the very nice pedicure I had earlier, much need break from this craziness!

wearing.. leggings and a sweater dress. perfection.

eying.. that bar cart, still. I think it's haunting me..

loving.. my friends! I had them over this weekend for brunch and we exchanged Secret Santa gifts, I'm pretty sure my gift was the best- I received the Mensch on the Bench, the Jewish version of Elf on a Shelf!


 counting.. down the days until I have off again, January 2nd, just keep repeating that!
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