{real life} focusing in on a new year

We went to California. It was sunny. Of course, right? No, we went to San Francisco, the home of @KarlTheFog.
And it was sunny there and sunny everywhere. Lucky us. :)
Our boys got to play with their cousins who we don't see often enough.
We hiked, we teased, we remote controlled, we ate, we played at the park, it was grand.




Of course, this guy had to find a body of water for his annual New Years Day polar bear dip. I wonder if this CA water was warmer than last year's WA water?
I enjoyed reading my goals for 2012 -- interesting to see what I was focusing on and how I planned to live. Not a huge bit has changed, but I've realized my limitations and had to pull back the reins on myself. Finding what is super duper important in life and weeding out the rest until there's only one or two things to focus on? That's what I've been doing. It's kinda fun to get to a point where things are pretty empty and we can then sit back and dream stuff up. Or just sit back and do nothing at all.

This year's main family goals -- learning how to fill other people's buckets, being assertive, yet kind, and being authentic {less people pleasing, more of who we want to be and what we want to do}.

"I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody." Bill Cosby

My personal areas of focus will be 1) gardening {gotta make it work this year}, 2) traveling {putting systems in place so road trips will be awesome} and 3) facilitating acts of kindness {teaching my kids to serve}.

I have the hugest EVER list of books I want to read this year. Here's just a sampling:
Bloom by Kelle Hampton
Interrupted by Jen Hatmaker
Quiet by Susan Cain
Wild by Cheryl Strayed
Kisses from Katie by Katie Davis
Nurture Shock by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman
Daring Greatly by Brene Brown
Bringing Up Bebe by Pamela Druckerman
Love Does by Bob Goff and Donald Miller

And right now I'm reading The Blessing and Captivating -- both excellent reads. I'm so grateful for inspired authors!

---
We played Quirkle tonight -- almost made it through one game with a three-year-old at the table. Then we braved the weather for a medium walk around the block in which daddy taught about short-wave radio. Cornmeal with honey and milk for nighttime sustenance and "I Knew Two Who Said Moo" for literary dreams.

Good night and be ready for my mom's/grandma's cornmeal bun recipe coming soon!