(source) Ah, the month of love~

“I make myself rich by making my wants few.”
-Henry David Thoreau
This is my 2014 motto.

SIMPLIFY

I have been purging like a mad woman. (still suffering from post-traumatic mugs purge)

Anything that is without a purpose has been either donated/sold or just thrown away because it's too disgusting and embarrassing to give away.

It has been really good. I'm talking about getting rid of all these things that I shouldn't even own in the first place. Can we talk about my closet for a second? I feel like most of the purging was from this dreadful area. I hate looking at my closet and feeling like I don't have anything to wear. I think that this closet confusion was because I had too many options (cue:Is that even possible!?) On a side note, apparently Sean doesn't care for a lot of my clothes especially the "trendy" ones. By trendy I mean, things that were trendy 5 years ago...when I cared/most of my impulsive, on-sale, anthrolpologie button ups. Anyway, my purge assistant, who doesn't find mugs sentimental or clothing particularly that important, has guided me along the way and now I am free. Free I tell you!
I feel extremely refreshed and yet also sad. When did I accumulate all of this crap! (am I that materialistic?!) Cheers to the purge of 2014. This extremely vague goal is obviously an ongoing thing for this year, but just for personal satisfactory purposes, I'm crossing it off.

Now, I will reward myself with this coffee that I took a picture of and drank 3 weeks ago.

Note to self: please do not replace newly purged items

Sean and I started the new year by crossing off number 8 on my 2014 goal list and we headed down to good ol' Capitol Reef.

I had 0 expectations for this forgotten Park, which is the best way, in my opinion, to approach any situation.

 New hiking shoes!! I totally recommend! 

 (Hickman Bridge)

 We freaking crossed this arch....I about sh** myself. Can you spot tiny Sean in the picture?? 

(Cassidy Arch)

 At the top of Chimney Rock Trail

 Just soak it all in. The beauty. The magnificence. The grandeur. Ah, it just takes my breath away. We did 4 little hikes, went and ate at a cute and the only place open diner and called it a night at 6:30. The original plan was to do a bit more hiking that next day, but we were tired an the only hikes we didn't do were all backpacking ones. It's a very small National Park. We then took scenic highway 12 and were on our way to Bryce Canyon NP.

This picture makes me laugh so hard. I mean look at us. We look so stupid. I didn't even know that we were mirroring each other. Sean claims he copied me, but I say that we are just plain meant to be.

It's amazing where one year can take you. I don't even know how to write a recap of 2013.
I do know that I'm excited for 2014 to start. Sean and I will be starting our new year by crossing off one of my goals!

14 goals for 2014

1. Go to Europe
2. Read a novel a month
3. Go on a hike a month
4. Get my Associates and...
5. Start my Bachelors!
6. Patience
7. Climb a 14er
8. Visit 1 new National Park
9. Start an Herb Garden
10. Take a picture a day
11. Send birthday cards
12. Simplify
13. Crochet a blanket
14. Cook more--

Happy New Years, Friends!
~Hope you have a happy 2014~

On the 7th day of Christmas, Sean and I walked down to the heart of the city and enjoyed the buildings and trees covered in a thousand twinkling lights. Ah. Christmas. I love you.

On the 8th day of Christmas we ate cake. It's tradition in Japan to eat cake on Christmas and since we live in America and are true believers of gluttony, we ate cake all week. I'm sick and at the same time am blissfully full and happy.

On the 9th day of Christmas there was a birthday celebration. Good friends, good food, good capital views...this is what Christmas is all about!

On the 10th day of Christmas gingerbread homes were made. They were legit.

On the 11th day of Christmas I vigorously crocheted for hours, and in consequence had a massive head ache and my eye sight was all weird but was able to finish and I celebrated with sparkling apple/pear-kids wine. Yay for crochet!

On the 12th day of Christmas there was the annual seafood dinner. I love being Asian especially on Christmas eve.

On Christmas day I was the first to wake up. Did a little yoga, watched the sunrise and waited for the rest of the family to awake. It was beautiful. We opened gifts one by one and squealed "yay!" every time our youngest sister opened something. It's such a magical-family day. Until next time!

Merry Christmas!

On the 1st day of Christmas there was the happiest of office parties. I work in the most wonderful place. There are obviously days where I hate it, but for the most part all of us are just constantly laughing and eating Einstein bagels that the boss brings in. I'm a lucky girl.

On the 2nd day of Christmas there was nothing....I definitely overestimated my holiday spirit this year. I just didn't particularly feel like celebrating that day. I think I went to bed at 8:00 pm.

On the 3rd day of Christmas we shopped till we dropped. Literally. Thankfully we were able to finish all of our Christmas shopping on this one day. I never, never, never want to see a department store for at least 3 months. The lines! The amount of idling cars in the parking lot! Oh! The horrors of holiday shopping!

Now that I can't stop complaining....

On the 4th day of Christmas I made snowflakes with a dear little friend of mine. and we danced to Christmas music, or she did and I hopped a few times and got tired. Children just make the holidays the best! don't they?

On the 5th day of Christmas there was gift wrapping, which is my favorite part. This year, we decided to go green and reuse grocery bags. Whole foods and Trader Joe's does this awesome thing during the holidays and their paper bags have a "TO: and FROM:" for that sole purpose!

On the 6th day of Christmas I made Sean wake up early and take me on a hot chocolate date. I love this guy. As you can tell per picture above he is SO EXCITED to accompany me!

The crazy holiday season is once again in full swing! Last year I documented 12 days of Christmas activities, and I can't wait to start them again!. I've already accomplished a few things that were on that list due to uncontainable excitement, like putting up the Christmas tree 2 weeks before thanksgiving (ya I'm one of those people) and decorating, but looking at the tree for a whole evening is an activity too right?

Anyway, here's a "caramel chai milk" recipe that I recently tried. I altered it slightly, using more ginger and milk (no black tea, for it gives me a strange after taste) It is a great drink to make if your heater is subpar and your house is a constant 59 degrees or for a Christmas drink! Enjoy!