Happy New Years!

It’s almost 2013. When I was a kid, my friends and I all thought the future would look very different. For example, we thought that by now there would be hover skateboards and flying cars and robot servants. We didn’t think that things would look about the same except we would use cell phones instead of making more concrete plans, email instead of writing, Netflix instead of the local video store, and Amazon for everything.

Here are some of my New Year’s Resolutions, in no particular order:

• To communicate and/or see friends more, especially those that don't live that far away.
• Make better friends with our neighbors. They are really cool and I need to be more neighborly.
• Be in more photos with Fiona. It is so sad, but often she looks at photos on the computer or my blog and asks "where's mommy?" because I am not in the photo. If I die suddenly, I want a record that I was there with her so she can see how much I love her.
• Be less morbid and more positive, more forgiving, and less critical of others.
• Get rid of more stuff and don't buy any more new stuff (been pretty good about this one, but I could always improve).
• Hand write more letters.
• Finish my project that is the first major hurdle to a Ph.D.

Normally I do not make resolutions on December 31/January 1 and instead use my birthday as the mile marker for myself (what do I want to accomplish this year?). But this year feels different, maybe because I need a change or just because November and December were such stressful months. I need a break from that time and it seems like the turning of a calendar page is as good a time as any to make that break.

We took Fiona on another hike. Here are some photos of her with her backpack. She carries her own snacks and water. Even though it seems that the water would be heavy, she does not mind it at all. On this hike, she figured out how to squat on her own. No more hand holding from me.

We hiked in the same area as the last hike, but a different trail. This one was much flatter and Fi did most of the walking herself, except for a very steep climb to the top of Lizard Rock, when I carried her in the Ergo.

We saw a many legged creature and stopped to admire, while Fi touched it:

Lizard Rock and Friday’s teepee:

 

We stopped by this rock and Fiona climbed on it, but not before noticing the crack and declaring it “the rock’s tushie”:

Fi exploring a plant with burs:

 

Well, that’s it! I hope everyone has a happy and healthy 2013, full good times, good friends, and family!

Happy New Year!