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I will be the first to say that 32 started off just about as perfectly as can be, complete with beaucoup des fleurs and a homemade pie. Indeed, last Saturday was all kinds of special, I must’ve said at least a dozen times that I was having the best birthday. I say that every year and every year it is true, but this was the first time in ages that I went and had an actual party, a last minute decision that turned out to be a brilliant idea as it resulted in an unforgettable evening filled with friends and laughter and a whole lot of me feeling like the luckiest gal in all the land.

The week that followed, however, not so much.

Did I tell you about the giant second degree burns I sustained on, of all places, my boobs?! Because oh em gee double you tea effff. My french press erupted on me, drenching my upper body with scalding hot coffee, leaving me with an impressive wound that oddly resembles the silhouette of a pot bellied pig. Breastfeeding has been a bit complicated, especially since my tiny guy likes to touch me when he’s nursing. Oh, and not only is healing from a burn mighty painful, it’s pretty gross too. Super fun stuff.

This was the morning after I got a parking ticket, by the way.

And that baby of mine, he’s plum given up on sleep. Like, maybe he sleeps eight hours a day. Total. And not all at the same time, either. We are going crazy, at least I know I am. The dreams I’m having, if you can even call them dreams, are wild and feverish and terribly, terribly haunting. I’m restless and usually feel more disoriented than refreshed.

BUT I REFUSE TO LET THESE THINGS GET IN THE WAY OF MY BIRTHDAY HIGH, is what I keep telling myself. And you know what? It’s kind of working.

I’ve got big plans for this year, my friends. I can’t think of the last time I have felt simultaneously inspired and motivated, and I have decided to take full advantage of this enthusiasm by setting actual – and attainable – goals for myself. The last few years have been characterized by such instability and uncertainty that it was all I could do to just survive. These days, I’m more settled and focused than ever before, not just surviving, but thriving. I’ve had a few projects and a few secret wishes swirling around in my head for what seems like forever and I’ve decided now’s the time to take action, to stop thinking about doing these things and to just do them already. If not now, when? I don’t remember when I last composed a specific list of things to accomplish, and I’m hopeful that by doing so, I’m able to retain a better sense of where I am and where it is that I’d like to be this time next year.

HOME IMPROVEMENT

In all of my adult life, never have I actually settled into a house. And after more than a dozen moves, I kind of stopped trying. We’re quickly approaching the end of our lease and, glory glory hallelujah, we’re actually going to stay! I cannot tell you how thrilled this makes me, so happy, in fact, that the majority of this past weekend was spent decluttering and reorganizing our utility room and my “office”. A very small start to an enormous project, one that is sure to be an intense labor of love, but one that has been a long time coming and I pretty much can’t wait to see what it feels like to actually live somewhere for more than a year.

DANCE DANCE DANCE

It’s embarrassing to me how long it’s been since I’ve set foot in a dance studio. I took class regularly, in one style or another, for almost 26 years. TWENTYSIX! I never intended to take an almost four-year hiatus, it was entirely by circumstance, and I miss moving so badly that it literally hurts. Dancing is very much an intrinsic part of my being, a sort of centering practice, and just deciding which classes to take has me all kinds of excited. What’s even more fun is that my handsome future husband is also a dancer coming out of retirement, so he and I have started to have little living room dance parties which aren’t so much dance parties as they are sweaty stretching sessions but still. Dance party!

SPA SUNDAYS

Generally, I’m a no fuss kind of gal when it comes to primping and pruning, although I do endeavor to be a slightly more well-kept version of myself. Motherhood, and especially new motherhood, has a way of interfering with any sort of relaxation, but I’ve come to the realization that carving out a little quality personal time each week will do wonders for my state of wellbeing. Nothing too fancy, really, just an extra long soak in the tub, my favorite clay mask, and a simple at-home manicure + pedicure. I’m sure my mister won’t mind one bit.

EXPLORE SAN DIEGO

This week, we will celebrate two years of living in this pretty city. There is so much we have yet to do! I thought it would be fun to choose one new-to-us San Diego attraction each month, in an effort to get to know our town a bit better. We are so lucky to call this place home.

OPEN UP SHOPPE

Etsy, I’m coming for you!

MONTHLY SUPPER CLUB

Now, this? This I’ve been planning for I don’t even know how long, and as soon as we’ve gotten things in order around here, it’s happening. And because I love early Autumn produce so much, I’m tentatively scheduling my inaugural dinner party for sometime in October. That should give me plenty of time to complete the purging, cleaning, and organizing phases of my home makeover project, right? RIGHT?!

GET BACK IN THE SADDLE

So, there was a time where I rode upwards of 150 miles per week on my trusty old whip. Then we moved to Oregon and who wants to ride their bike in the rain? Not me. And then, shortly after we moved to San Diego, my precious vintage converted fixie was stolen, signifying the end of a very special era. A couple months before I got pregnant, my love bought me a vintage Bianchi frame that had been converted to a single-speed, which I rode with gusto through the uneven terrain of this city, right up until I was so nauseous I could barely stand. I haven’t ridden since. Ridiculous. Recently, I’ve found myself driving to places that are regrettably close to my house and I’ve thought to myself more than once, I should be on my bike, dangit. So.

FAMILY CULTURE

The past few years, things have gotten in the way of our festival rhythm in for one reason or another. My kids are growing, and much too quickly at that, and it’s important for me to really infuse their childhood with strong seasonal traditions that extend beyond the scope of conventional calendar holidays. Things like Michaelmas and Martinmas used to be very significant in our home, not to mention Advent and the Holy Nights, and I’ve let slide for too long these important-to-us rituals and celebrations. Now that we have a new little addition to our family, it seems even more important to me to enliven and commemorate the cycle of the year.

WRITE MORE

Blog posts. Journal entries. Letters. All of it.

And there you have it! There are things on this list that have been incubating for so long that I almost can’t believe that I’ve actually put them into the the open, some are for fun, and all of them come from a desire to both learn and grow. So many people that I admire, including this gal and this gal, openly discuss the importance of goal setting as a key element to both balance and success. And I’ll have you know, cultivating my little list not only refined my vision for the year, but it also further inspired and motivated me to get things started. I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but I’ve already signed up for two dances classes and registered with Etsy. The list is working!

I have to say, despite waking up with hiccups on my birthday which I’m choosing to dismiss as any kind of omen, I have a really good feeling about being 32.

Are you a goal setter? I’d love to hear your stories!