Hi friends! Happy New Year! I hope 2024 is off to a great start for you! I had a nice holiday break and enjoyed lots of quality time with Finn as well as needed downtime. I think I slept more in the week between Christmas and New Year’s than I did the whole rest of December combined, haha.

Zoey was a whole mood when I was leaving to go to the gym this morning and I felt her struggle. After almost two weeks of being out of my normal routine, I was moving a bit slowly this morning. I am looking forward to getting back more of a schedule but I am really trying to be mindful as I enter 2024 not to let things get back to a frenetic pace. This break was a good and necessary reset.

This is the bed Zoey would rather be in. I caught her on the bed TWICE on New Year’s Eve and she had no cares to give that she’s not allowed. She’s currently outside sunbathing and refuses to come in the house. She is a rotten girl but we love her dearly.

Let me catch you up on all the things! 🙂

U.S. NATIONAL WHITEWATER CENTER ICE SKATING

Last Thursday I took Finn ice skating at the U.S. National Whitewater Center and we had the BEST TIME! It was a gorgeous afternoon to be outside and reminded me how much I like the Whitewater Center and need to take advantage of it more often.

It was Finn’s first time ice skating and I can’t remember the last time I was on ice skates. It took us a minute to get our “ice legs” and while we had a few topples, there were no major falls. Finn had a great attitude about it and was able to come off the railing towards the end and skate holding my hand. He’s very excited to go back next year when he’s 6 and tells me he will be much better. I cracked up because at one point he said, “Mommy – I need a helmet…and knee pads…and elbow pads – I need protection.”

(my 2L wunder puff belt bag is currently on final sale!)

We have more fun snow adventures coming up this weekend! 🙂

If you’re local to the Charlotte area, the USNWC offers ice skating through mid-February and I fully recommend. They do a great job with it and the rink is really big!

BEST SUSHI I’VE HAD IN CHARLOTTE IN YEARS

Finn went to be with his dad on Friday for New Year’s weekend. I stayed in on Friday night to get workout programming done for my app and decided to treat myself to a sushi dinner. I opened up Uber Eats and Door Dash and ended up ordering from Yamazaru for the first time through Door Dash.

I chose the Kiss of Fire and Salmon Madness rolls and both were excellent. The Kiss of Fire was tuna, cuke, tempura crunches, topped salmon and avocado, spicy mayo, BBQ eel sauce and the Salmon Madness roll was Spicy salmon, cucumber, crunchy, salmon on top lightly seared. Seven spice, ponzu, masago, green onion, eel sauce. Both were SO fresh and SO delicious. I will 100% be ordering from Yamazaru again and going to dine in the restaurant.

NEW YEAR’S EVE EVE

On Saturday morning I got myself to the gym to lift for the first time in a week. The gym had been closed for renovations so I took the opportunity to take a de-load week. I did a barbell-focused workout on Saturday with a clean and push press combo that nearly did me in as well as front squats and barbell RDLs. I cannot tell you the last time I did a barbell front squat and my face says it all. So hard.

After a stop by the farmers market to pick up a few things, I made my way to Sunflour for a latte, (shared) cinnamon roll and breakfast sandwich. Perfect Saturday morning.

The rest of Saturday included working on the couch, making a big pot of my dad’s signature chili (recipe this week) and watching the movie Air – which I LOVED!

It’s the true story of how Nike’s basketball division went from struggling and nearly shut down back in the 80s to a billion dollar operation when they put it all on the line for rookie Michael Jordan. The partnership ended up changing the world of sports forever as well as how athletes were treated and compensated. The movie is directed by Ben Affleck and featured an amazing cast. I thought the writing was smart and funny and the story was told in a really moving and motivating way. Highly recommend – especially if you tend to like sports movies like I do! I streamed it for free on Amazon.

NEW YEAR’S EVE

The highlight of New Year’s Eve was getting to see Finn for a few hours and taking down all of my Christmas decorations. I’m usually sad to see them go and wait until after New Year’s but this year I was like sayonara! Feels so good to have the house de-cluttered and clean.

I wrapped up the cleaning shortly after 6p and got myself festive for a night out with friends. I have two of these sequin skirts – one in a champagne color and one in a black color so it was fun to wear sparkles twice in the span of two weeks. This was my first time going out for NYE since pre-Finn! Speaking of Finn, he kept telling me earlier in the day that he was staying up until midnight but I’ve yet to receive a report if that actually happened, haha.

There was a group of eight of us that met for drinks and dinner. We started at Catalina Kitchen + Bar, moved to Puerta and ended at The Crunkleton for a 9:30p dinner reservation.

We were starving so started with some apps for the table – calamari, artichoke dip with kale and bacon and acorn squash fries. For my main I had salmon with roasted cauliflower puree, hearth brussels, espelette peanuts and toasted benne seeds. I almost got this heavenly sounding lamb stroganoff but my server said it was pretty heavy for a late-night meal. I always feel a bit guilty for ordering salmon at restaurants – like I should be a bit more adventurous? Anyway, the meal was wonderful and The Crunkleton never disappoints. It was the perfect spot for a cozy, festive NYE meal with friends.

Dorie brought all of us 12 grapes to eat at midnight. According to Wikipedia, “The Twelve Grapes is a Spanish and Portuguese tradition that consists of eating a grape with each of the twelve clock bell strikes at midnight of 31 December to welcome the New Year. Each grape and clock bell strike represents each of the coming twelve months.” 

We also wore red underwear – Google that one! 😛

The best part? I was home by 11:30p and in my pajamas to watch the ball drop. I went to bed immediately after.

NEW YEAR’S DAY

I taught the 10:45a on New Year’s Day at Charlotte Yoga. It was an honor to spend the first day of the New Year in the room with these beautiful people. 2024 marks 13 years of teaching yoga for me.

I read from this newly released book by Brianna Wiest. Personally, I’ll be spending time with The Pivot Year daily in 2024! I love Brianna’s writing so much and her book The Mountain Is You was powerful for me in 2023.

After class I got in my first run of 2024 (remember – I don’t practice with my students when I teach so it’s not a workout for me). I did five miles on the trails/greenway.

I spent the remainder of New Year’s Day on the couch working and watching the Rose Bowl and the Sugar Bowl. I chatted with my grandmother while I prepped this veggie-forward meal in the kitchen. Steamed quinoa with air fried tofu, roasted green beans and roasted orange and white sweet potatoes with shredded mozzarella and pesto Bitchin’ Sauce. While this was very good, I did feel like I was missing out on collards and black eyed peas.

And that brings us back to this present day of January 2, 2024 with a fresh new year ahead of us. Very much looking forward to all that is to come. <3

QUESTIONS 

How did you spend the week between Christmas and New Year’s? Did you work? Were you off? Did you relax or tackle projects/activities? 

What did you do for NYE? Stay in or go out? 

Do you have any special New Year’s Eve or Day traditions? (like grapes, collards, etc)

What is your wish for the New Year?