well...what are you doing new year's eve?

looking forward to popping a bottle of champs and toasting the new year with my special someone.

happy new year!

new year, new things

even with my bucket list, there's always room to make a few improvements here and there. a few resolutions for 2013:

cook at home: i really enjoy cooking and some would say that i'm actually pretty good at it. it's crazy how frequently i go out to eat - and it's usually somewhere that's not even that enjoyable. i'd like to spend more time in my own kitchen exploring different recipes and preparing (and consuming) meals that are good for me.

become an expert at something: anything really. i want to master a craft or become so good at something that other people look to me for advice about it.

travel: with nowhere particular in mind. i just want to travel more this year and discover new sights, fall in love with new locations, and meet new people.

learn to be more patient: this is something i've been working on for a little while now. i'm not very good at living in the moment - i'm often too busy worrying about tomorrow (or the day after that) that i forget to appreciate what's in front of me. i want to be more patient with myself and understand that it's okay (and not necessary) to always be perfect. i want to enjoy the little things while they're happening - even something simple like reading a book and not rushing ahead to find out the ending or sticking with a workout regimen and not obsessing about seeing immediate results - the results will come - it's the process to get there that feels so incredible.

be better with my finances: this goes without saying. just do it lori.

trust myself: stop worrying so much about what other people think, or say, or feel about what i'm doing.

drink more water: it's embarrassing, but there are times when i can go an entire day and not even take a single sip of water. it's goes without saying that i need to stop drinking soda altogether and replace that with lots and lots and lots of water. someone has told me that he thinks drinking water is sexy (wink-wink) - and hell...i can afford to get sexier in the new year!

those are just a few things i want to get better at this year. i mean...i still haven't even learned to swim(!) so there's still a lot of work to be done. 

what are some of your resolutions for the new year? i'd love to hear!

xxoo

thank you thursday

...for hours on end of "sex and the city" on cable,

facetime technology on my iphone,

christmas eve spent with family,

christmas day spent with even more family,

and for coming up with resolutions for the new year.

a very merry christmas eve!

image via

ah...christmas. you've always been my favorite holiday. that time of year that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy. twinkling lights throughout the city and christmas music on the radio. that time of year where families gather a little closer and when you remember that friends really are the family that chose you.

 

 

i'll be spending the evening at my sister's house celebrating my brother-in-law's birthday. it will be nice to get out of the house for a bit since our apartment has been a little bit quieter the last couple of days.

 

hope everyone has a lovely one!

 

xxoo

 



thank you thursday

...for hot yoga,

trips to the laundromat that makes doing 9 loads of laundry fun,

christmas songs on pandora,

and for remembering to give grandma a spare key, thus sparing me from spending the night in my car after locking myself out of the apartment after midnight.

 

 

an old picture of my mommy - but it's my favorite one of her.

*a very happy belated birthday to my amazing mother.





#42 take up yoga

image via

i'm finding the most challenging part of yoga for me is remembering to just. breathe...

#79 maintain a workout regimen

i've never really been one to maintain a workout regimen.

i've held a gym membership for the last eight years - but always found myself in the gym walking around trying to figure out what to do.

well...either that or i'd throw on my gym clothes, realize that spandex has an amazing slimming effect, look in the mirror and think, "oh. well. i don't need to go to the gym now" - then spend the rest of the day running errands in my lululemons.

i had a personal trainer once that kicked my butt. i loved it. and for the first time in years i saw results - but more importantly i felt strong and i was so proud of myself.

but soon after my personal training sessions ran out - so did my drive to get myself in the gym.

i've decided to give this whole working out things another run (ha! get it? run) - you know...with the big 3-0 just hangin' out on my doorstep.

so this week i pushed myself. i woke up when all i wanted to do was snooze my alarm for just. ten. more. minutes (any hour in single digits is much too early for me). i went to four consecutive days of hot yoga even when muscles in my body ached like i had used them for the very first time.

then yesterday, heather and i decided to exercise our crunch memberships and took one of their group classes. let me tell you - pound was no joke.

i can barely walk or sit down today and every muscle in my back is so sore that i can barely bend over.

but you know something? i feel awesome. and to think...i'm just getting started.

#42 take up yoga

i'm not sure exactly what i meant when i decided that i wanted to take up yoga. i'm going to assume i meant that one day i hope to stick with it for longer than just a day or two. so this time around i've made a pact with myself that i'm going to stick to this whole yoga thing for at least a month.

a new hot yoga studio opened not far from home (and from work!) so i signed up for their month of unlimited yoga. i have to keep reminding myself that this isn't supposed to be easy - that was the whole reason behind creating a bucket list - i want to challenge myself. so challenge myself i will.

today was day three in a row of yoga in a heated room. let me tell you...you sweat buckets and sometimes you even forget to breathe (which yes. i'm learning that concentrating on your breathing is the essential key to yoga...but gosh darn is it hard for me to remember). initially i told myself that i was going to go every day for one month straight - but i think i might take a break for a day or two. there are muscles in my body that hurt that i didn't even remember i have!

who knows...if i stick with it by january #42 will be the first thing to cross off my list in 2013!

wish me luck!

namaste.

is it january 13th yet!? because i cannot wait for this show to be back.

plus...i think i might have a slight girl crush on jessa.

savoring lovely sundays

in the attempt to save money and eat more meals at home, i whipped up some breakfast this morning before meeting up with heather to take our bikes out for a spin in santa monica.
the weather was amazing today - sunny and warm and even with the slight breeze - it was still lovely to be biking along the beach in december.

now i'm at work when i'd much rather be home, strumming my ukulele with football games on in the background. but tomorrow will be my friday - and tuesday looks mighty nice for a home cooked dinner and a drive down candy can lane to help get in the christmas spirit.

happy sunday y'all!

#85 learn to play the ukulele

after week 7 i can successfully cross #85 off the ol' bucket list. i'm still a bit iffy on a couple songs - but i sure as hell know a lot more now than i did 7 weeks ago. here's to tons more practicing and driving my neighbors nuts as i attempt to teach myself christmas tunes. yay!

it's that kinda day today

thank you thursday



...for rainy day bike rides,

attempting to kick my coffee addiction by drinking massive amounts of green tea,

a new wireless dvd player,

hammocks at home,

and black tie events with my favorite fellow.

#24 kiss in the rain

it's cold and wet and dreary outside.

looks like the perfect day for some kissing in the rain.

be right back...

yesterday was a pretty monumental day for me. my roommate moved out of our apartment and for the first time i've found myself living with a boyfriend. i'm sure there will be a lot to learn in the coming months - about compromise and sharing and how to tame my crazy neurotic late night cleaning habits - but there's something really wonderful about living with one of my best friends.

 

i anticpate plenty of late night dinner dates and living room dance parties in our future.

#85 learn to play the ukulele

week six:

• strumming patterns will be the death of me
• i thought i could actually play a song! until i got to class and suddenly got stage fright
• hope someone likes 'blue christmas' cus that's all i'll be strumming for the next week
• practice does indeed make perfect (or something pretty close to it)
• saturdays are still my favorite day

on to week seven!