That’s a Wrap! (w52)

It’s the last Wednesday of 2025, and I’m not going to lie… I’m feeling great right now!

I just got back from the gym. I’m enjoying some protein yogurt with fruit and chia seeds, and after I write and post this, I’ll be spending New Year’s with The Husband and our friends for dinner. We will, however, head home early to take down the Christmas decorations before midnight.

The Husband and I started this “clean-up” tradition a few years ago, and now it’s our absolute favorite thing to do on New Year’s Eve. We play music, take down the tree, and ring in the New Year in a clean house.

Waking up on January 1st with nothing to do but relax is the perfect way for us to start the year.

Tomorrow I plan to post and share my plans for 2026, but today it’s time to say goodbye to 2025 as I look back on the 25 goals I set 52 “short” weeks ago. Or at least… it feels like they were short!

2025 Goal Check In

1. Blog Weekly. ✔️

Mission Accomplished! And I’m so glad I made this commitment. Checking in with myself (and you) weekly just keeps me grounded. I plan on continuing this for as long as it serves me.

2. Paint More. Don’t overthink it. ✔️

I started a new painting practice pad this year and sent quite a few hand-painted greeting cards to friends and family. Here’s a collage of some of my favorites:

I plan to continue to paint cards for people instead of buying them. It only takes a little more planning, and it just feels so much more special than picking something out at Hallmark.

3. Make a new handmade pasta monthly.

• Jan ✔️ ✔️
• Feb ✔️ ✔️
• March ❌
• April ✔️✔️
• May ✔️
• June ✔️
• July ✔️
• August ✔️
• September ✔️
• October ✔️
• November ✔️ (failed attempt but an attempt all the same)
• December ✔️

WOW! I can’t believe how close I got to achieving this goal! March just got away from me, but considering I did it twice in Jan, Feb, and April, I’m counting this as a success!

The Husband got me some fun attachments for my pasta maker too and we made homemade ravioli together to check off December.

I quite enjoy the process of making pasta dough and plan to continue to make my own pasta.

4. Hike at least twice a month.

• Jan ✔️✔️
• Feb ✔️✔️
• March ✔️ ✔️
• April ✔️✔️
• May ✔️✔️✔️
• June ✔️ ✔️
• July ✔️✔️
• August ✔️✔️
• September ✔️❌
• October ✔️❌
• November ✔️❌
• December ✔️

Another WOW! Like, I know I kind of fell apart here at the end of the year, but if I didn’t make the commitment I did with this goal, I would have hiked a LOT less, there’s no doubt.

5. Perform one unassisted

6. Perform five strict pull-ups.

7. Handstand walk.

dip.

Okay, I’m grouping these together. I didn’t test any of them recently, but I was aggressively working on them in the first half of the year. Then my other fitness goals took over (mainly weightlifting). So these were all fails, but I have made all sorts of other progress at the gym so I’m not mad about it.

8. Take at least three yoga classes a month.

• Jan ✔️✔️✔️
• Feb ✔️✔️✔️
• March ✔️✔️✔️
• April ✔️✔️ ❌
• May ✔️✔️✔️
• June ✔️✔️✔️
• July ✔️ ✔️ ❌
• August ✔️✔️✔️✔️
• September ✔️✔️✔️
• October ✔️✔️✔️
• November ✔️✔️✔️
• December ✔️✔️❌

Much like hiking, proud of myself here and I went more than I would have if I didn’t make this goal!

9. Make homemade sourdough bread.

✔️✔️✔️OMG I did it!✔️✔️✔️

I’m leaving that link to the post of my first loaf. I now bake about a loaf a week and I LOVE it! Literally baking a loaf right now to bring to my friend’s house to surprise them.

Am I great at it? No… am I getting better… YES! Sourdough is much like yoga or weightlifting for me. I know I’ll never master it, but there is a lot of fun in the pursuit.

10. Take the kids to Iceland.

IT HAPPENED!!!

Again, leaving that link up there… this was a HUGE trip for us and I am so glad we did it together.

11. Fix the holes in my house

So, we got one fixed (Ry did it!) but we are still desperately in need of a contractor to come up and fix the others. It was the lowest thing on my list.

12. Continue my Spanish Streak on Duolingo (I’m on day 1,231!!).

I’m still doing it daily but I’ve been really unmotivated. Today is day 1591. See next goal…

13. Take a Spanish class in person.

Really mad about this one because I had registered for two classes and BOTH were canceled on me. I did my best but just fell short.

14. Plan something special for The Husband’s 50th birthday!

We spent an amazing weekend together in New Hope to celebrate his 50th and it. was. awesome!

15. Snatch 125lbs.

This didn’t happen this year but I am confident I will reach this weight one day!

16. Compete in at least one weightlifting meet.

I did two! This one and this one!

17. Walk a minimum of half a mile daily.

This is so ingrained in my routine now it’s default. I walk every day after dinner unless the weather is so bad I can’t.

18. Track my movie-watching on Letterboxd.

I’m not perfect but I do try to remember to at least start the crazy, weird, indie horror I watch here so I can remember. Click here to see.

19. Keep my citrus trees alive!

Laverne (lemon tree) and Shirley (lime tree) are still both alive! And in the house now for the winter. I’ll share a photo of them soon.

20. Host an extended family dinner monthly.

1. Jan ✔️
2. Feb ✔️
3. March ✔️
4. April ✔️
5. May ✔️
6. June ✔️
7. July ❌ (But we went out)
8. August 👌🏻 (Mom hosted to give me a break)
9. September ✔️
10. October ✔️
11. November ✔️
12. December ✔️

This was tougher than I expected it to be. And honestly, as I get older, my desire to host people is diminishing. Is that normal?

21. Clean out and organize my closet and drawers.

DONE! But also… needs to be done again, already. lol

22. Thrift more and purchase no brand-new clothes.

I caved and purchased about five new items this year (mostly for the Iceland trip), but I have also visited many second-hand stores and attended my first clothes swap. I now consider myself a thrifter! 🙂

23. Take daily supplements more consistently.

I’ve gotten really consistent with this. I take creatine every morning and before bed I take my fish oil, vitamin D and collagen.

24. Reduce alcohol consumption to once or twice a month.

• Jan ❌ 1/18, 1/23, 1/31 (close!)
• Feb 2/1, 2/15 ✔️
• March 3/22 ✔️
• April 4/25, 4/26 ✔️
• May 5/3, 5/10 ✔️
• June 6/7, 6/19 ✔️
• July 7/14 ✔️
• August 8/9, 8/22 ✔️
• September 9/27 ✔️
• October 10/25 ✔️
• November 11/1✔️
• December ❌ 12/7, 12/13, 12/20

This may be the goal that has had the most impact on me. I don’t think I will ever go back to drinking regularly again. After the first few months, you can see I didn’t even drink twice, once was enough.

I still enjoy making or trying a fun cocktail and love having a glass of wine paired with a meal, but now when I do it, it’s special and I think I enjoy it more.

25. Cook one new recipe/dish a month.

This was just fun, because I like to challenge myself in the kitchen. I tend to cook without recipes so looking for something online that inspired me was fun.

• Jan ✔️
  • Spiced Rubbed Pork
  • Honey Soy Glazed Cod
  • Italian Bread
• Feb ✔️
  • Thai Peanut Sauce
  • Overnight Pizza Dough
  • Sourdough Pizza Crust Recipe
• March ✔️
  • Spicy Sichuan Noodles
  • Sourdough Cornbread
• April ✔️
  • Ricciarelli
  • Homemade Orecchiette Pasta from Puglia
• May✔️
  • Sourdough French Toast
  • Cuban Bread
• June
  • Queso Fundido
  • Lemon Blueberry Sourdough Bread
  • Pasta alla Norma with Grilled Chicken
• July
  • Char Siu
  • Crab and Corn Pasta
• August
  • Marry Me Chicken
  • Mexican Barbacoa
• September
  • Crispy Carrot Fries
  • ❌
• October
  • Butternut Squash Soup (Used for inspiration)
  • Pecan-Cinnamon Streusel from this recipe
• November
  • French Apple Tart
  • ❌
• December
  • Bourbon Chicken
  • Three-Cheese Ravioli

My year wasn’t perfect. I didn’t hit all my goals. But I’m genuinely proud of what I accomplished, and I’m heading into 2026 feeling hopeful and motivated.

I hope you have an amazing New Year’s Eve!

Until tomorrow. 🙂