I even made a Bûche de Noël (a cake made to look like a Yule Log).
Between Christmas and New Year’s we had waves of relatives and friends visit.
This is the BH side of the clan.
When the Halses came to dinner, we put out Christmas crackers that had crowns inside of them. Dad and Mom sported their crowns regally.
My crown made me look like a dorkoramus, so my sister decided to keep hers on the table, not on her head.
New Year’s Eve was look and full of merry-making. New Year’s Day was sorting and cleaning and preparing new adventures.
I have to come clean on my 2008 Resolutions. They were defeated by the book tour. Specifically, the third week of the book tour. In truth, I rarely averaged running the 20 miles a week I had hoped for. I think it’s going to take a few more years of consistent training until my body can handle that without injury. I was able to write every day up until the first day of book tour that had a 3:30 am wake-up call. Also, I did not win the lottery.
I have learned my lessons.
1. Resolutions need to be reality-based.
2. Book tour is an alternate reality during which resolutions do not apply.
2008 Resolution Tracker Totals
Total Miles Run: 621
Number of Writing Days: 334
So, without further ado, drum roll … LHA’s 2009 Resolutions
I resolve to run 750 miles in 2009. (This is a more realistic goal than last year, but secretly, I really, really, really want to hit the 1,000 mile mark)
I resolve to write every day in 2009. (With the aforementioned altered-reality-during-book-tour clause, above).
I resolve to reduce my use of the word “should.”
On New Year’s Day, BH and I suited up and ran three miles in the snow to start on Resolution #1.
747 miles to go!
What are your resolutions?
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23 Comments
continue to walk 5 mi a day at least 4 days a week
stress less about my college classes!!
whine less aloud (write it out!)
eat less sugar
maybe do more weights
keep feeling content!
yeah…..dont know how realistic any of that is!
Continue to stay and shape and not slack off after soccer season…
Become better organized for school (near impossible…)
Finish at least one novel idea… brain KEEPS SWITCHING!
Drink more Water! (mother stress this one)
Keep my laid back attitude
I guess you could call them realistic…
Bring back my running. (I did more long-distance walking, which was good, the last part of the year, but I miss the running. Even if its not much faster than that walking!)
Find balance with my fiction and nonfiction.
SLOW DOWN.
Write, both on the computer and on paper! (journaling, letters, etc.)
Take better care of my teeth.
Also, the pictures of you with your family are adorable. I love the one of you with the crown and eating. Is that ham I see on your plate? Yum!
from Shari in CA
Hi Laurie,
I am so sorry to hear about your cousin. I will some day tell you the story of my Darcy.
I am writing to you because I want to send you a copy of my eighth graders’ “poetry book.” Every year I have my students pick a “destiny term” (one of the chapter titles or part of a chapter title from SPEAK) from a plastic viking’s hat or some such strange thing–I haven’t had a broken globe. They quick write about their term, discuss it, do art with it, write poetry about it, and then write a formal essay explaining how their term relates to the entire book. This year I especially liked their poetry and have parent volunteers who were willing to type them up so we put the poems into a booklet. If you are interested in seeing the booklet and/or some of their essays, let me know.
sconradson@sebusd.org
I am so thrilled about WINTERGIRLS coming out!!!! I know that Richie has not received an ARC, and I know that he would be delighted to get one (me too, but I don’t want to be greedy).
Take care and Happy New Year!
Shari
Your matching outfits are adorable.
So do you have spikes on your sneakers, or what?
I don’t have much experience with snow, living in sunny Tucson.
Yes, my thought too. Does Laurie run in golf shoes?
Running in 40 degree heat (100+ Fahrenheit) in the dust, yeah I can do that.
Snow? As in bits of little ice on the ground? How do you not slip and break your ankle?
The sides of the road are either slushy or covered with a couple inches of granulated snow. Running on that is like running on a sandy beach. There is not much traction and your calves get a terrific work-out. We run on country roads without much traffic. When a car does pass by, we step waaaay off the road to remove any possibility of danger.
For icy road conditions, there are YakTrax: http://www.activeforever.com/p-2002-yaktrax-pro-ice-snow-traction-device.aspx.
I would much, MUCH rather run in snow and cold than on hot days.
Like running on a sandy beach — thanks for the explanation!
It gets too hot to do practically anything but jump in the pool here in the summer. That’s why I’ve made best friends with the treadmill at the gym.
Happy New Year a bit late.
New Year’s resolutions
Your Buche de Noel looks great. (the last one I made cost several thousand dollars after I wrecked my mom’s car on the way home from making it!-never got to see it cause I was grounded for months.) My resolutions are to eat 1200 calories are fewer, with only a few being chocolate and to walk at least three days a week.
So if you run 25 miles a day this month, you’re done for the year.
Good idea!
Hey, those crowns look familiar. We had the same crackers (on Boxing day)! And, I forgot and wore mine all through dinner. We also got a sewing kit, squirt gun, jacks, colored pencils, globe keychain, comb, eraser, model airplane, and some other things.
I’m glad to see you were surrounded by family and friend during the holidays…it helps, I know.
I hadn’t made resolutions, but now that you ask:
Eat less chocolate
Exercise twice a week
Write 5x in 7 days
Here are two lines of a poem I was working on earlier:
new resolutions…
already broken
; )
My family also wore those same crowns!
My resolution is to not need a new year to start and be well.
haha.
my new year’s resolutions are:
1. work hard during the semester and get good grades (that’s always at the top of my list though)
2. eat healthier, exercise more, and get back in better shape
3. try and be a better friend to the friends i have and make some new friends
4. enjoy every moment i spend with my family
good luck with running and i’m glad you’re feeling better and that you had a great holiday season!
Good luck with your resolutions!
I make the same resolution every year to quit biting my nails. Here I am years later with sore finger tips. I wish you better luck with your resolutions!
#1 – with the help of a weight loss specialist, I’m hoping to drop at least 75 lbs.
#2 – in conjunction with #1, I want to start a regular fitness routine and stick with it.
#3 – read more.
#4 – knit more.
Forgot to add …
You and BH are, without a doubt, one of the cutest couples ever!
Happy 2009 … I hope the new year is good to you and your family!
Have not done mine yet.
But someone used to always tell me “Don’t should on yourself.” Thought you could use that as your motto.
shelli
http://faeriality.blogspot.com/
Welcome back! Hope you’ve rested… I’m rarin’ to go in this new year and have run 12 v-e-r-y s-l-o-w miles so far. Your goal has inspired me, but the # of miles left is daunting. Tell me that this is truly attainable! Am feeling that I better sign up for a race of some sort to get myself on a training schedule. But also feeling the need for some super groovy matching outfits for me and my husband – you guys are just too much!