Day trip to D.C.

I had an unexpected day off from work thanks to a coworker wanting more hours and asked if she could have my night shift; so Brandon and I made a trip down to D.C to explore some of the things that we didn't have a chance to go to from our last visit.

Our plan was to just go visit a few museums. We started with the Smithsonian Institution and once we were done, I decided that I wanted to explore more of the National Mall since we were practically across the street from it (which we ended up doing for the rest of our trip).

Washington Monument. This time we actually went to it instead of looking at it from afar. 

 World War 2 Memorial.

Lincoln Memorial. 

This was the best picture I could get of the building because of all the construction going on for preparation of the inauguration this Friday. 

Korean Memorial. 

 District of Columbia War Memorial. 

So Many Things

This past year has been full of so many things, so many moments and new memories that we have formed together. So many experiences that happened. I believe we had a very good  year, and I'm looking forward to 2017. There are of course some rough spots in every year, but on the whole I think I liked and enjoyed many parts of 2016.

We traveled a lot during the warmer months in 2016, as well as a few winter trips. We visited Utah several times, and have many good memories of eating at favorite fast foods joints while there such as Taco Time, which do not exist out here in the east. We went ice skating, movie watching, and exploring while in Utah both times and they are some very positive memories of 2016.

During the summer we went on a journey through Colorado camping wherever we stopped. We visited several places, fell in love with the beauty of the Earth, gazed at the amazing scenery some more, and bounded over the fires and the experience of being outdoors with nature. We camped in both colder and warmer climates, and actually preferred the much cooler and higher elevations. Colorado is such a beautiful state, where the creativity and love of the heavens combined and formed beautiful vista, peaks, and wildlife. We ate food made on a portable grill, pitched the tent a few too many times, and had a blast. It was a wonderful vacation.

Finally, at the end of 2016 we moved to Maryland. We moved for many reasons, but so far it has been a blast of its own. The area has much more to do, more to see, new faces and new places. I grew up here and have many memories of my own and old friends I see. Things seem to be going very well indeed. We will have to explore more and do more this year in this new home state of ours.

I look forward to a new and bright 2017. Some parts of 2016 did not work out the way we had hoped or expected, and we will always continue to work on ourselves towards a more loving self and highly-esteemed individuals.

In addition, I hope that we work more on our marriage and loving each other more as we grow closer together over new memories and experiences in this new year. I believe there will be many goods things to come, and I believe our love and bonds will continue to harden and strengthen. It is at our lowest that our love is perfected in us, when the ego and the comfort are stripped away. We can use the bad times to better perfect the good times, and learn from them to continue on our journey of life.

2017 will be an excellent year for us, I know so. The world and the material we see each day are just but a rendering of reality from our conscious. Reality is at we make it, and the power of the mind in shaping our love and experiences is stronger than any believe. I love our marriage and every part of it, and I know we will only love each other more at the end of 2017, so here's to a new year of more us, and a new year of more loving memories together.

Resolutions for 2017.

I thought about doing a vision board because it seems to be really popular nowadays for new year resolutions, but in the end I decided that I like the classic of just writing it down. And of course nothing like posting your resolutions for the public to see to make sure you don't stop working on them a week into it.

HEALTH
Take my pills. (Brandon will be happy about this one.) I know I don't get enough of the vitamins that I need; so supplements need to happen.

To exercise. And to eat right. I am so tired of not really trying when it comes to being fit and getting  into shape. I have a membership to a gym that I haven't been to in months. I hate that I have gotten to the point that when I think about working out or trying to eat right, I just say that I will start the next day... and then it doesn't happen. And I am so ready to shed the last several (more like 20) pounds that I gained from my depression.

No sugar (such as sweets and soda). For a month. I realized recently that I have an addiction to sugar. When I eat one cupcake, I want to eat all of them... and then I do. Sweets have been my downfall. I can't just have one piece, I need to eat all of it as soon as possible. And then my Pepsi consumption has slowly been rising and I don't like that (even though it taste sooo good). So for a whole month, goodbye to sugar. I am hoping I can go without for a longer period, but I know myself and I would rather start out small and do it in month increments.

PERSONAL 
Stop procrastinating. I use to not be that way. If it was on my to do list or if I thought of something, it would get done that day; but lately I've been the opposite. My daily to do lists aren't being done. I've been slacking off and becoming lazy. And I want that to change. I miss feeling accomplished at the end of the day and having a tidy apartment.

Put down my phone more. Just yesterday I realized that I am on my phone so much just absently scrolling through Facebook and Instagram. It's like I've been trying to live my life through others instead of living my own life. Its time to start living in reality and not over a screen.

Find meaningful things to do in place of my phone. Spend more time with Brandon. Explore the new area that we live in. Go explore D.C more (we live less than an hour away). Pick up a new hobby.

Happy 2017!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Brandon and I rang in the new year by drinking some sparkling cider and then were in bed by 10. (Better than last year; we were in bed by 9:30). Maybe one year we will be able to actual stay up til midnight to ring in the new year.

If I had to sum up 2016, I would have to say it was a mixture of the best and hardest year of my life and to say that  I am happy that it is over would be an understatement. I had never wanted a year to end so badly like 2016 (not that my trials will end with the year), but I just wanted a fresh start, a new year. And it's finally here. I want to take the lessons that I've learned and the person that I have become to make this year the best yet.