January, my favorite month!

Yes, January is my favorite month for so many reasons.  There are the obvious ones: fresh start and a new year, renewed gusto in everything job, life, goals, etc.  There are the ones that are specific to me:  It's my birthday month and my birthday is my favorite holiday to celebrate!!  I love the clean crisp air that winter brings and January seems to be a great month for winter.  When snow covers up what is normally grey and gloomy, people are still buzzing from the high of the holidays but not dealing with the stress of it anymore and not yet upset about being back at work, and the sun is still shining which makes it not seem quite as cold! 

We have had a doozy of a year getting use to parenthood, hubs being in school full time, me at a new job etc.  I never set new years resolutions.  I'm more the type that likes to have ongoing goals and reevaluate them every couple of months and adjust as necessary.  This year my husband approached me with a some "promises" instead of resolutions he had for us and I liked them.  Some are private but one I liked is that he wants us to do a bike race together!  I'm looking forward to that one.  He is going to pick one, make a plan that will somehow allow both of us to have time to train for it and then get us there!  I decided I needed to make time to get back to triathlons this year.  I'm going to be more realistic in my expectations though.  I will pick out about 3 to do probably 2 sprints and 1 olympic.  I will need to be ok with training during times that may not be ideal for me.  Like at 8pm after I've put my son down and I'm either tired and full or tired and starving.  But in order to train for 3 sports I'm going to need a gut check literally and figuratively.  :-)  I also will find constructive ways to handle if I feel someone is putting up a road block to my training.  If there is a complaint about my training getting in the way of something I will not shut down and let that be the end of my training I will work with that person on how we can make adjustments and make it work.  So I'm excited to set out a schedule for the year!

Laughing with my brother

My BFF and mom

My 2013 birthday was probably the best ever and hubs threw me the best surprise birthday party I've ever had with so many friends and family.  What he wasn't planning on at the time is that we would have just found out I was pregnant so I wouldn't be able to drink my favorite beer and I wouldn't be able to eat my meal because I'd be in the bathroom sick.  But I got to see so many friends and family that night that I was so happy.  It was also the night we told our immediate family and BFFs the great news.  So needless to say he thinks he'll never surpass that birthday!  I know he has something planned for me tonight when I get home from work and I know Aiden will be there and how can it get any better than having my two favorite men waiting for me?  So no worries each birthday just keeps getting better and better!  Thanks to everyone who has already sent me birthday wishes!

I mean come on how can you not love these faces!

I have a feeling this is going to be a good year!  I mean I started it off by getting a day on the slopes for the first time in 2 years!!!  It was a beautiful day with some nice snow and no responsibilities until I got home that night.  I was so thankful to have this day to myself and hadn't realized how much I needed it until I was riding up the first ski lift staring at the wonder of the mountains with a huge smile on my face remembering the thrill of the trails!

Happy New Year, Happy Training and Happy Birthday! :-)