15 for 2015 Review

A new page, a new year, 2016 is here. I'm glad to see 2015 go. It was a busy, big year for our family and while I didn't do everything I set out to do, I had a lot of fun and learned a lot about myself along the way. It's funny how life works out; it's even funnier how it doesn't.

I have decided not to set any goals for 2016, because looking down at this list, I feel disappointed I didn't hit my marks—and know I probably could have tried harder in some areas, and set really lofty aspirations for others.

That being said, I am glad I used this as a guide to keep me motivated to cook more, read more, experience more.

So here's how it shook out, here's the last update of 15 for 2015.  

15 for 2015 

Hit the Pure Barre Montgomery 250 Tuck Club (Accomplished in January) 

Spend another long weekend in Curacao We did not go back to our favorite place on Earth this year and I am definitely sad about it.

 Show Fitz and Alex the beach We did not show them the traditional beach. I believe this was one of my more lofty aspirations for the year that fell a little flat—unfortunately. It is also one of the ones that makes me the most sad I am not able to cross off. HOWEVER, we did take a trip up to Wisconsin to our family's cabin in the North Woods and they enjoyed boat rides and did see lake water's edge. They even went fishing with their dad!

They even ate supper at the same restaurant notorious gangster John Dillinger did before his capture following a shootout with the FBI. It was a great trip!

Future gangsters atop one of Dillinger's Gang's cars at Little Bo in Manitowish Waters, Wis.

Read 15 books 1: Mending Fences 2: Tonight and Always 3: A Matter of Choice 4: Endings and Beginnings 4: Vegas Rich 5: A Perfect Life 6: Downtown 7: The Best of Me 8: The Little Paris Bookshop 9. Hoping for Hope 10: Driftwood Summer 11: Nantucket Nights 12: Untamed I am disappointed in myself for not finishing two more books, but proud I found time to read on trips, after the babies went to bed and on my lunch breaks.

Take an entire month and not buy a single piece of clothing (or accessory) for myself (Accomplished in May) 

Finally re-decorate our living room (Accomplished in April) 

Update my phone software (Got a new iPhone 6S in September)

Visit Kimber, Gentry and Saylor at the farm in Pennsylvania (Accomplished in July!)

Go home for Alabama Homecoming  This was the same weekend as Fitz and Alex's birthday party, so we let this one go. Though in November we did go to Tuscaloosa and see the Tide take on LSU!
 Write my Nanny once a month January: yes, sort of. February: yes! March: yes! April: No. May: No. June: yes! July: I think so, but I can't remember, honestly. August: Mailed it on Aug 31st, but yes! September: yes! October: yes! November: yes! December: yes!

Try 15 new recipes 1: Creamy Italian Chicken Crockpot Bake 2: Cajun Cake recipe from Southern Living Annual Recipes 1987 edition 3: Basil Chicken Pizza 4: Fiesta Chicken Rice Bowls 5: Carla Hall’s Confetti Blondies 6: Cheeseburger Pie 7: Sun-Dried Tomato and Herb Crusted Salmon 8: Bursting Blueberry-Chocolate Bundt Cake 9: Cheesy Stuffed Meatloaf 10: Rosemary, Thyme Oven Roast  11: Slow Cooker Stuffed Peppers 12: Balsamic Braised Chicken Thighs 13: Southern-fied Arrabiata 14: French Chicken Stew 15: Cranberry Oat Ricotta Muffins

Completely clean out my closet (Accomplished in August)

Take about a zillion more pictures I just found it on my phone camera from F&A's birthday and, well, it just speaks for itself.  

Clean out the storage unit and sell the furniture we are never going to use (Accomplished in March) 

Show Mark Philadelphia and the Porecca family We did not visit my family in Philadelphia and I am sad about that, but this was another lofty aspiration I think, with Mark's new job and my existing work travel schedule.