Monday, February 9, 2015

Looking Forward

Happy Monday!  I hope you all had a great weekend!  My birthday weekend was wonderful.  I received lots of birthday phone calls, texts and Facebook posts which all made me feel very special and loved. Dinner on Friday was really good and Saturday night was so much fun.  I couldn't have asked for a better weekend!  Plus I fit in a 7-mile run with my run club on Saturday and some XC skiing on Sunday.  We accidentally ended up on a black diamond XC ski trail and I fell REALLY hard towards the end on one of the steep hills so am hurting from that (Lisa + skis + hills = bad combination) but all in all it was really fun!

Birthdays have a way of making me look back on life so I thought that it would be good to sort of flip the switch from looking back to looking forward.  Here are some things I am looking forward to these days!

Today I am looking forward to an unplanned evening.  Lately I have been very possessive of my week nights.  I had a stretch in November and December where I had something nearly every night of the week which just wore me out, so now I try to keep 1-2 nights of the week free.  I usually spend those nights working out, reading, and catching up on chores around the house.  You know you are an adult when you are excited about a quiet night in!

This weekend I am looking forward to our Santa Barbara trip!!  Winter hasn't been awful here, but we've had a lot of gray, sunless days so we are looking forward to escaping to warmer temperatures and sunshine!  We don't have a super detailed agenda for this trip, which is kind of nice.  We'll spend 3 nights in Santa Barbara and plan to go hiking, explore an area with lots of vineyards, go for walks on the beach, and check out the town.  We'll also spend 1 night in LA and will check out the Griffith Observatory and maybe find one other thing to do that day.  I've never been to the Santa Barbara area, but I've heard it's gorgeous so I can't wait to explore it with my favorite guy!

This month I am looking forward to getting together with college girlfriends that I don't see all that often.  One of our friends will be visiting for the weekend from South Dakota, so her visit is prompting a get together.  It's so hard to stay in touch with people as you get older since everyone is being pulled in so many directions between work, family, and other commitments but these friendships are the kind of friendships where months or even years can pass without seeing each other but you pick right up where you left off. 

This year I am looking forward to visiting Amber in Kamloops!  We have been friends for over 6 years now and I have seen so many pictures of where she lives so I can't wait to see it with my own eyes!  I'm planning to go for a long weekend over Labor Day weekend.  I can't wait to spend a weekend with one of my very best friends!

What are you looking forward to?

21 comments:

Kyria @ Travel Spot said...

I hope you enjoy your unplanned evening tonight! I can totally relate to the feeling of needing that! In fact, I try not to plan more than ONE thing each weeknight, as otherwise I end up skimping somewhere else, and it's usually running or sleeping, neither of which is very healthy. I actually said yes to a last minute invite this Sunday, and it was fun, but I really feel like I did not have a weekend at all. I may need to start planning an unplanned weekend from time to time as well (although it doesn't always work out so well).

Have fun in Santa Barbara! I know you are going to love it; the coast is so beautiful and there are so many nice outdoors activities to do! Plus it's supposed to be in the 70s this weekend!

Becky said...

Hooray for a fabulous birthday weekend - you deserve it! I'm so excited for your trip to Santa Barbara, and that you'll visit Amber on her turf this fall!

Today I am looking forward to my 30-week doctor's appointment.

This weekend I am looking forward to some out of town family arriving and my (local) baby shower.

This month I am looking forward to my blogger shower because I think it's going to be so cool!

This year I am looking forward to giving birth! Okay, maybe not the giving birth part, but the whole not being pregnant anymore and being a Mom? Yeah. Bring it.

Jolene - EverydayFoodie said...

I'm glad to hear you had a good birthday :-) Your trip to Santa Barbara will be such a nice getaway, and that's great that you'll be visiting Amber in Kamloops!!

I'm looking forward to this Friday as I drive away from work for the week!! On Sunday we leave for Mexico!!!

Marlys said...

I, too, relish my nights at home without committments, as when you kids were at home, there was not one night of the week that was open, it seemed!
Sounds like you had a great birthday weekend, except for the fall! Ouch!
Hope your trip to CA goes as planned and you get the warm air and sunshine you are searching for! I do miss the sun, too!

Kelly (She Wears a Red Sox Cap) said...

I'm glad you had a great birthday weekend! :) I am really excited for all of the things you have coming up like your trip to Santa Barbara and your trip to see Amber! I completely agree that where she lives looks SO beautiful.

I am looking forward to going to Savannah this weekend... its my first REAL trip to "the south" (I don't consider Florida the south) and I need some warmer weather right now. This year I'm looking forward to my trip to Seattle for a wedding, although if we have one more snow day we may need to change our flight because we are closing in right now. Sigh.

Jeanie said...

You have so very much to anticipate this week and next -- yes, a night of quiet will be good!

I'm anticipating a reunion with college roommates later this month -- should be a great deal of fun!

Emilie said...

I really don't like having plans during the week. Ever. I feel like I hardly have any time during the week anyways, by the time I get home from work, do my workout, make dinner and clean up, I hardly have an hour before it's time to go to bed. Visiting Canada is on my list in the next couple years. We want to do a big west coast trip that includes Seattle and Vancouver. Such a beautiful part of the continent!
Today I am looking forward to yoga. My left thigh is bugging me and I am hoping yoga will ward off any injury that might be brewing. This weekend I am looking forward to Valentine's Day only because we are going to cook a nice dinner in and I'm going to splurge on some red wine. This month I am looking forward to my sister's birthday - we are going out to a new Mexican place to celebrate her 23rd and Pete's 35th. This year I am looking forward to our closing - it will be such a weight off our shoulders once that goes through and the house is ours!

Stephany said...

Yay for Santa Barbara! I'm so excited for you - it'll be nice to get away from gloomy Minneapolis and enjoy some sunshine. I hope the weather is gorgeous for you!

I'm mostly looking forward to my two trips planned this year - Savannah at the end of March and my cruise in May. I can't wait for both of them!

Nora said...

Today: I'm looking forward to a good workout and curling up with Girl on the Train. I didn't want to put it down last night but I was literally falling asleep while reading it...

This weekend I'm looking forward to a movie + dinner date with my dad and Knight.

This month: trivia night with some good friends that benefits a good cause.

This year: I'm looking forward to a possible birthday getaway with Knight!.

Leigh said...

I hear you on the being possessive about your week nights. I was the same way when I was working. It just felt like by the time I walked the dog, made dinner/do dishes and worked out, there was no time left at night and I wasn't giving it up. Sounds like you and Phil are going to have a fun trip! And are you sure you don't want to make a quick stop in Calgary on your way to Kamloops? :)

megabrooke said...

Happy belated birthday! Enjoy your evening tonight with no plans!

Carolina John said...

yet your bio still says 33 year old? seems like you're looking forward and counting backwards. That sounds right.

Have fun in CA!

Caroline said...

So excited for you to experience Santa Barbara! Going to be such a great weekend! I'm looking forward to my trip to DC this weekend, fingers crossed my flight takes off on Friday!

Abby said...

Sounds like you have so many fun trips to look forward to!!! You're going to love Santa Barbara. I've heard it's such a picturesque city!

I'm glad you had such a perfect birthday weekend!!! You fit in a lot! That is awesome :)

The Many Thoughts of a Reader said...

I'm looking forward to seeing Garth Brooks in concert this morning!

The Many Thoughts of a Reader said...

and by morning i mean month.. but it's been a monday ha

Gracie said...

I live for weeknights at home! They are sadly few and far between.

Amber said...

Yahoo! Can't wait for our rendezvous on labour day weekend. I've already started brainstorming plans for us and I'm already crossing my fingers we have good weather that weekend :) haha

I am SO the same with unplanned week nights. I have a meeting tonight and a full night on Thursday night with an event right after work and babysitting for my co-worker after that, so I'm really going to take full full advantage of my "free" night tomorrow night. Lately I actually try really hard to keep at least 3-4 week nights free!! Because "free" to me still includes walking the dog, chores around the house and usually a bit of freelance work or studying for my fitness course so even my nights at home get filled pretty fast and easily!

Elizabeth said...

All are sounding like great things! Hope the trip to Santa Barbara is so wonderful and how awesome that you get to go visit Amber this year! :) I'm looking forward to lots this year too--so much to fall into place still but so amazed at how it's already been happening and continuing to trust in the process. :) We got a bit of powder this weekend, so right now I'm looking forward to trying to get all my grading done so I can try to use one of my snowboarding lessons on Thursday! :)

Lauren @ Sassy Molassy said...

Ah, an unplanned evening sounds blissful. Doing whatever you want and just relaxing. You definitely deserve it! And Santa Barbara, exploring and wine tasting will be awesome.

I'm looking forward to Saturday because we're heading up to Portland with my mom to do some baby shopping... scoping out chairs/rockers, cribs, strollers, and car seats. A lot of the big stuff! I don't think we'll get everything, but it should help us make some decisions on those bigger items.

Lesli said...

You'll love Santa Barbara!