{day four} Rebuild, Restore, Renew

What do you plan to pick up or rebuild this year?

source :: pinterest

Last year, I spent a lot of time working on myself and rebuilding to happiness. It took a lot of time, a lot of effort, and a lot of tough choices, but it was well worth it. I'm glad to be where I am today and wouldn't want it any other way.

Now that I've rebuilt my happiness, I want to rebuild other aspects of my life. This year, I'm choosing to focus on my faith and my health. I want to become more confident in my own skin by toning up, and I want to become more connected with the big man upstairs. I've let both of those parts of my life go for a couple of years now, and I think it's just about time that I get them back!

source :: hannah hendricks @ blogspot

{day three} Work Smarter, Not Harder

What trick or shortcut did you learn in 2013?

What do you want to speed up in 2014?

source :: pinterest

Well, in the literal sense, I learned a bunch of new keyboard shortcuts for our computer program at my new job that I started back in August. That's really about it though. I don't remember learning any other life hack shortcuts. So, clearly, if I did learn some they didn't make a huge impact on me and stick in my little brain. Oops! =]

As for learning shortcuts in 2014, I don't think I want to learn any. I want to slow life down. It seems to me that we're always competing for the biggest and brightest of everything, and we're doing it by any means necessary. Now, I don't want to get up on my soapbox and preach, but I'm going to try and do everything the loooooooong way this year. I think it'll be good for me. Slow down; enjoy life; don't let it rush past.

source :: zulily.com

{day two} I'll Always Remember

What did you do in 2013 that you will always remember?

I will always remember this day in 2013! On this day, I ran my first half marathon, and it is not something that I will easily forget. I remember waking up around two in the morning to get ready and the surge of anticipation for the biggest moment of accomplishment in my life. And, having my husband right by my side, made it that much better.

I am proud to be a Disney princess!!

{day one} WeVerb 2014

WeVerb is an opportunity to reflect on the past year and what could happen in the new year. I participated in it last year half-heartedly, but I am going to put forth more effort this year!

The first post - compose a haiku for 2013 and 2014.

2013

I conquered my fears.

I took chances in my life.

I am so grateful.

2014

I don't want to be

lazy anymore; I will try

to do my very best.

3 Years Later & Look What We've Done in 2013

It's New Year's Eve, and that also means it's my wedding anniversary. Three years ago, I said "I do" to Mr. GrapeJuice on an unusually warm December evening and then partied into the wee hours of the morning.

You can see more photos from our happy day - here or by clicking "The Wedding" tab up at the top.

To celebrate our first year of marriage, we went to see New Year's Eve in theaters and then went to dinner at Melting Pot in Buffalo, NY before heading home from our Christmas holidays.

melting pot had some nice decorations. i really liked the balloons.

when they brought us our dessert, they decorated this plate too!

For our second anniversary, we drove down to Chattanooga, TN. It was a great night...until about 4 a.m., which you can read all about - here.

And now we're finishing up three years of marital bliss! I'll be sure to give you a recap of all that we will do, but it definitely involves a party and no possibility of fire alarms being yanked out of the wall!

Now...let's a take a look back at 2013!

.:january brought a surprise visit:.

.:february brought my first half marathon and the time i became a disney princess:.

.:march brought my colorful birthday:.

.:april brought a beach trip:.

.:may brought a career change:.

.:june brought a fun friend visit:.

.:july brought my niece's third birthday:.

.:august brought a new job:.

.:september brought a free photo shoot:.

.:october brought a three course, home-cooked {by me} meal:.

.:november brought a wedding and weight loss check-in {look for more of this in the new year!}:.

.:december brought a snowy christmas in NY:.