End of Year Review...No Fancy Title

For the last two years, I have created a list of all the things I accomplished for the current year. I will say this year was far less than normal, but I still did some great stuff. So, let's look shall we.

1. Ran in some new races, including the Rodeo Run, the Color Run, Green 6.2, and my personal favorite, the Jingle Bell Run. Too funny, I just noticed that all but one of these runs listed were completed with Sara by my side.



Sara and I , the Snow Princesses

2. Went to my first ever Yoga Retreat with JL and had one heck of a road trip to there and back home. Check out posts here and here. 

   

   Namaste, Y'all.

3. Performed aerial acrobatics, including the trapeze (which I loved) and ropes (from the On the Horizon post). Through this activity, I met a blogger named Beth from Houston when I was trying to show Jim the kinds of moves I learned in my trapeze class. She actually had the same teacher as myself and we bonded over monthly food outings. Check out her blog here and read about the first time I ate grasshoppers.  
4. Joined Foodie Pen Pals for a couple of months and met another blogger (check out her blog here) named Mary who has now become a real friend. Although, we haven't met yet in person, but we talk via email almost every day.  So, I think that is bucketlist item of connecting with someone on the blogosphere officially CHECKED.
5. Had a meatless day twice a month for every month of 2013 (from the On the Horizon post). October was hard for me since I was recovering from foot surgery and had limited options as to what I could eat or prepare myself. I know that I had one meatless day, but I can't remember if I had two. However, I had so many meatless breakfasts and lunches and then salmon for dinner. So, I count it.
6. Met Meb Feflezighi. 

   

   Meb was super sweet and we became totally besties after this...until the restraining order was signed. LOL!

7. Got in to swimming as a way to exercise without hurting my back. I could feel myself getting stronger, but I haven't been in awhile. Hmmmm....need to change that soon.
8. Visited Chicago to check off another major bucketlist item of mine...watch a game at Wrigley Field. I also ran where other marathoners run during the Chicago Marathon.

   

   My brother and I supporting the Astros in hostile territory. 

9. Visited a new state, Tennessee (from the On the Horizon post). I roadtripped with a great guy to my bucketlist town of Memphis where I stood in the same room as Johnny Cash or where Martin Luther King, Jr. was shot. I got to see my uncle and watch a playoff game. I also learned that new beers open up to you when you visit a Flying Saucer out of state. It was a wonderful and moving trip. When I think of Tennessee, Arrested Development's song plays in my head.

   

   Another beer counted to my plate and the best photobomber ever. He introduced me to the third beer that night from Abita called Abbey Ale that I have never seen before. 

   

   That's me...Walking in Memphis. I had this song playing in my head.

   

   Jim and I at Central BBQ, which I highly recommend. It's also right next to the Lorraine Hotel. 

   

   I still prefer Texas BBQ over Memphis BBQ.

   

   My baby having crawfish for the first time. So proud of him.

10. Tried out Virtual Personal Training with Suzanne and loved it.
11. Did my first ever Critical Mass bike ride with Evan. I've done two more since then and even deviriginized JL. That's right, I went there.

    

    Waiting at the light for the mass to start rolling again.
    
    

    

    
    

    This was how JL was introduced to the mass.

12. Walked up and down 15 flights of stairs and sometimes twice in one day.
13. Rode to the Karbach Brewery (first time there) for the Brews Cruise with another biking group, the Karbach Biking Team. I haven't been back since this ride, but it's not because I didn't like it. Things have happened and I'm hoping to change this next year.

    

    Evan and I at the first stop drinking some Karbach. 

    

    I'm finally at the Karbach Brewery.

14. Found another biking group called Crucial Matter (R.E.P.) where I have met some fun people and gone on some fun bike rides, including the popular taco bike rides. Who doesn't love tacos? Communists...that's who.
    
    

    

    TacoKeto is a popular stop.

15. Hiked in the Muir Woods with Jim, Ashley, and Matt, but we didn't see any apes rising up against the humans. This was not exactly what I referred to in the On the Horizon post), but I will take it.

    

    All four of us survived the massive trek upwards.

16. Drank all 200 beers at The Flying Saucer and got my plate hung on the wall (from the On the Horizon post). Go check it out next time you are downtown; it's on the second floor ceiling. Thanks to everyone that helped me along the way.
    
    

    

    It took me 2 years and 2 months to get it! 

    

    Thanks to Jim for coming up with the best plate slogan ever.

17. Mastered the art of beef stew (from the On the Horizon post). I no longer make it from the McCormick's packet and I'm okay with this. I'm tackling a French recipe next.
18. Received my CHL (from the On the Horizon post) finally to the happiness of my stepdad. I am continuing my gun education with some awesome tactical training classes, which I love.
19. Put together my first gingerbread house with Sara albeit it was weird being the only adults there without kids and I so didn't like having the frame already built.

    

    Yummmm...candy...gingerbread...houses.

20. Rode my bike in the Chelsea Memorial Bike Ride to honor someone who was killed by a car. 

    

    Chelsea Norman's ghost bike as a reminder that we all have to do our part to share the road.

Normally, I have some kind of final activity for the year at the end of the post; however, I didn't really do much that warranted its own paragraph. So, I will end this post with my first time ever organizing a fun run for Saturday, February 8, 2013. It's just a two mile run at Bear Creek Park. It's cheap ($10) and we have a virtual run option if you can't make it. I hope that everyone can join or donate to help out a great friend of mine. Check out the post here for more information on why we did this.