Love: About Us

It's no secret that Jack is a pretty big part of my blog (and truth be told, I am hoping his presence will increase even more in 2014). And while I focus on me more often than not, I think it's time for a post focused on us. He's a pretty great catch, that guy is, and I'm lucky to have him!

So while you might know a few things about me, I think it's time to get to know us. Here are 20 things about Jack & Coco.

1. We met in college in the spring of 2010, and became best friends almost instantly. We started dating a year later, and have been together ever since.

2. I'm addicted to leggings and denim. He is addicted to coats of any sort and flat-brimmed hats.

3. I'm hyper-organized. He forgets what day it is.

4. He likes to take pictures of me sleeping (in a non-creepy way). 

5. He nicknamed me Coco, and it stuck. Now, it's my universal nickname. His nickname is Pants.

6. We are always checking our phones. He is always on Reddit, and I am always on Instagram.

7. He said "I love you" first.

8. We are true Midwesterners. He grew up in Michigan, and I grew up in Wisconsin. We now live happily in Minnesota.

9. We are city folk, but I loves the outdoors.

10. I love sending hand-written cards. He likes signing his name at the bottom.

11. We are coffee addicts. He takes his black with a hint of cream. I prefer lattes. 

12. We love traveling, and just planned our 2014 trip - Seattle here we come!

13. We are adding "proud dog owners" to our resumes later this year.

14. He listens to alternative rock. I prefer indie rock/folk.

15. I drink red wine with dinner, he drinks Guinness.

16. Weekend mornings in bed are our favorite times together.

17. Our first date three years ago was at 112 Eatery in Minneapolis. We go back every year on our anniversary. 

18. I'm an early bird. He prefers to sleep in until noon.

19. BREAKFAST FOOD. For every meal. That's how we like it.

20. We love each-other, and our love grows every day.

xo,
us


|| Photos are property of Twentyapolis. Do not use or distribute. ||

Travel: The Emerald City

Well gems, it's been decided. For our mini-vacation this year, we're heading to Seattle!

Because of Jack's crazy work schedule and our love of travel, we decided that once a year, we would take a vacation. Whether it be a two week adventure or a weekend getaway, once a year (at least!), we decided to skip town.

Where have we been? In 2011, we spent a long weekend together in Michigan. In 2012, we spent another long weekend in Austin. In 2013, we spent half a week in New York City, and another seven glorious days in Mexico. Oh, and we also road tripped to Ohio to see Mumford & Sons. Not to mention all the trips back and forth to Wisconsin, we've covered some ground together, and can't wait to do more. We've got the travel bug. 

While we originally had planned on heading to Ireland this winter, the possibility of moving and getting a dog are also up in the air during that time, so we thought it would probably be a better idea to hold off on Ireland. While I have to admit I was a little sad to put our Irish vaca on hold, I had to remind myself - Ireland will be there whenever you're ready to visit. Plus, the thought of moving into an apartment and possibly being a dog mom did help to soften the blow :)

So where do two spirited 20-somethings go for a long weekend? We gave ourselves a few options to choose from. We wanted to head to a city we hadn't been to (if possible), was easily walkable, had exciting Labor Day activities (the weekend we wanted to travel on), and had relatively inexpensive direct flights from Minneapolis. Luckily, we had a few great options to choose from (Seattle, Boston and San Francisco, to name a few). While I thought we might debate this one out, Jack immediately said he wanted Seattle, and I wasn't one to argue. Lots of restaurants and shops, farmers markets, a beautifully rugged outdoor landscape, coffee galore and cloudy skies? It wasn't hard to immediately say yes!

Not wanting to wait any longer, we booked our tickets that night, and are in the process of securing an apartment on Airbnb for our stay. If you've never used Airbnb before, I highly recommend it on your next trip! We used the site when we went to New York, and ended up saving hundreds of dollars by staying at someone's apartment rather than paying for a hotel room. Not to mention, our hosts were great, gave us recommendations on where to go and genuinely were excited to have us. Don't worry - you don't have to actually stay with someone! Many people rent out their entire apartments, so the entire thing is "yours" during your stay. That's what we'll be doing in Seattle, and by doing a quick cost comparison, we'll be saving almost $150/night.

What I like about traveling with Jack is that he's on board for living like locals when we travel, and for saving money wherever possible. While in Seattle, we're planning on hitting up Pike Place Market for groceries, and doing a bit of cooking at our Airbnb apartment. While we'll obviously eat out (we're excited to try this chowder, head to a few breweries and get the best coffee in the country), I'm a big fan of cooking, and Jack's a big fan of eating my cooking, so it'll be the perfect mix of tourist vs. local while we're there. But don't worry, we're contemplating splurging on Bumbershoot tickets (the 2014 lineup hasn't been released, but if it's as good as last year, we're IN).

So that's our big, exciting travel news for 2014! We're in the very, very beginning stages of planning now, but I'm sure I'll be posting rather frequently about it until August. I hope you don't get sick of me!

Have any of you been to Seattle? If so, what are your "must-see" sites?

Have a great Thursday, gems. Be safe in the snow!

xo,
C

one || two || three || four || five || six || seven

Style: Gray and White and Cold All Over

That's how I've felt during this polar vortex. Two in one month? January, you're bold (and cold, as you can probably tell by my I'm huddled in a ball because I had to get out of my down comforter poses below).

When it's this cold outside, it's more than acceptable in my opinion to wear pajamas until the very last second before you need to leave the apartment (winter hat included). Apart from when I'm at work, I'm pretty sure I've worn this exact outfit since the cold front came in on Sunday. Thankfully, the polar vortex is mostly gone today, and I can finally take off my hat and the 3,000 other layers I've been wearing. Let me tell you - if there's one thing I've learned during this polar vortex, it's that wearing your down comforter as a shawl around the apartment is a fashion statement.

So here it is, my first ever pajama post. Not that I'm necessarily going to make these a habit out of these, but let's be real - as a rule, when it feels like -50 outside, "fashionable outfits" just aren't an option for me.

Spring, you better come soon...

xo,
C

|| Photos are property of Twentyapolis. Please give credit. ||

top: J. Crew (similar) || pants: Ralph Lauren Men's (similar) || hat: Gap

Life: Presently...

Some of my favorite bloggers (here and here) have some sort of "currently" post, and I absolutely adore them. As you guys know, I like to be as truly open and honest as possible with you guys, and I think keeping you in the loop about the big things, as well as the little things, is the best way for me to do so. 

So here it is! Look for these much more often in the future. Especially when my brain and to-do list are on overload, these posts will help me keep content on the blog, and also de-stress me. I find that writing things down (especially here) really does make me feel better. You guys have a pretty great effect on me!

Making: dinner, every single night of the week. Makes a girl feel good.

Watching: Freaks and Geeks on Netflix. 

Doing: housework. Our apartment needs a winter cleaning.

Thinking: I should get started on that housework. Like. Now.
Rocking: a French braid.

Eating: a low gluten diet.

Drinking: red wine and cider.

Missing: sunlight past 5 p.m.

Planning: vacation days for 2014.

Working: a lot. At my PR job and on future blog content.

Reading: Paris Street Style. A favorite holiday gift from the most stylish gal - my mom!

Wanting: to live in this area (St. Anthony Main/Mill District) forever.

Enjoying: yoga after work (or sometimes wine after work) with one of my BFFs.

Writing: Valentine's Day-themed blog posts.

Pinning: all things red+white+pink+glittery and lovey-dovey.

Pondering: vacation options for 2014 with Jack and the girls.

Listening: to the 20/20 Experience before JT's concert in February.

Liking: FaceTime sessions with my sister. 

Feeling: a little overloaded, but confident I can manage.

Knowing: Jack loves me. 

Noticing: how genuinely good people are. Jack lost his phone last weekend, and the nicest woman found it, contacted us and returned it a warm heart.

Debating: cutting my hair. A truly constant battle.

Marveling: at the beauty of Minneapolis, even during the polar vortex.

xo,

C

|| Photos are property of Twentyapolis. Please give credit. ||

Life: Winter Weekend

And just like that, we're back to Monday, and another polar vortex.

I think multiple coffees, an infinite number of layers and a hot yoga session are in my future today...

Regardless, I had an amazing weekend. While the looming polar vortex made things a little bit difficult, I find myself enjoying Minneapolis in the winter just as much as I do in every other season. This city is a gorgeous place, and whether it's 100 degrees Fahrenheit or 50 below, this city has a lot to offer.

My Friday started off with ice cream at Izzy's (dinosaur egg and Mexican hot chocolate), followed by an evening with that darling lady below (indoors, of course) watching Freaks and Geeks, with wine in hand. On Saturday, we grabbed our crew and headed to Northeast Minneapolis to sip cider and socialize at Sociable Cider Werks. The very, very best, I tell you. On Sunday, we spent the afternoon with Jack's family, followed by lipstick testing (for a future Valentine's Day post, of course) and apartment chores. Winter weekends, I don't dislike you one bit.

Have a lovely (and warm) Monday, gems.

xo,

C

|| Photos are property of Twentyapolis. Please give credit. ||

Travel: City Love Part II

After yesterday's post on my deep adoration for Minneapolis/St. Paul, I felt I needed a follow-up post. The Twin Cities have been far to good for me to be summed up in a paragraph. Minnesota, you've done me right these past {almost} six years, and it's time for me to pay my dues.

Don't get me wrong, I have a very special place in my heart for Wisconsin. Having grown up there, I appreciate and admire it, especially my tiny hometown - it's where I grew up, and learned everything I know from the best parents there are. While I love visiting my parents and spending summer weekends at our cabin, for the time being, Minneapolis is now my home.

When family and friends from out of state ask me what I like about Minneapolis, I actually find myself at a loss for words. But how is that possible when I love a city so much? Well, let's start with the obvious:

People like visiting us. In 2013, Minneapolis was one of the world's hottest travel destinations {figuratively, not literally}. But literally, we are the coldest. Minneapolis is America's coldest major city, according to this list. Despite all of that, Minneapolitans are still some of the happiest {third happiest, at that}, with the third best quality of life and low stress.

That might be because we don't have terrible traffic. Minneapolis is the fifth most accessible metro area in the U.S. Which is one of the reasons Minneapolis is the third best American city to live in (including the third best city for Millennials). Speaking of third, Minneapolis is also the third most literate city in the U.S, and the best city for families in the U.S.

Twin Cities dwellers are big on fitness. Minneapolis/St. Paul has recently been named the healthiest, fittest city {technically cities} in the world. While we're full of jocks, we're also the fifth nerdiest {I'm a closet LOTR fan myself...}

And in the Twin Cities, we like all things green. Minneapolis also has the best parks system in the nation, and boasts one of the most beautiful parks in the world with Minnehaha Park. Minneapolis is also big on "going green" and is #4 of 12 cities leading the way in sustainability. On multiple lists - and we're a top 10 clean energy state. On the topic of clean, Minneapolis is the fourth cleanest city in the world.

We're also romantics. Minneapolis popped up on the most unexpectedly romantic cities list last year {particularly the Stone Arch Bridge - right outside our window and on my walk to work!} Speaking of walk to work, Minneapolis is unbelievably walkable. Ninth most walkable city in the U.S., at that {but we recommend staying inside in the winter}. Unless you have a cute little pooch, of course {Minneapolis is the tenth best city for dogs}. 

Now, let's talk food. Minnesotans might be of mostly northern European descent, but the Twin Cities rank sixth for best pizza. What goes great with pizza? Beer and sports. Minneapolis is also the sixth best city for beer {I'm a fan of Fulton, Summit and Surly, myself}, and the sixth best city for sports fans {go Gophers!}

And one of my personal favorites? We have some good, good coffee to keep us warm on those polar vortex days.

See what I mean?

But apart from all of the lists the Twin Cities top, that's not why I love it here. I can't sum it up in a single word or phrase, but it's the way I feel taking walks across the Stone Arch Bridge with Jack. The way the skyline looks against the bright pink sky on warm summer mornings. The Norwegian chai ice cream at Izzy's {topped with an Izzy scoop of salted caramel} on the hottest day of the summer, or even the coldest day of the winter {yes, even during the polar vortex}. The excitement of a home Minnesota Gopher football game in October, and spending each anniversary at our favorite romantic restaurant {112 Eatery}. It's looking at the electric blue Soap Factory lights through our apartment window after drinks and dinner at Aster Cafe. It's our old running path through Uptown and around the Sculpture Garden, and Saturday brunch at Uptown Diner trying to ward off any signs of the night before. It's the just far enough drive back to my hometown, and the amazing "I'm home" feeling I get when I see the skyline on the horizon on the drive back.

Not to mention, this city was where I went to college, graduated as a Golden Gopher, started my career, made my best friends and found the {gentle}man of my dreams. Not to mention, my family is never more than a short drive away.

Why yes, I do love this city.

xo,
C

|| Photos are property of Jackson Faith Photography. Do not use or distribute. ||

Travel: City Love

For some reason, I woke up this morning with just a little more love for Minneapolis/St. Paul than I had yesterday. There's just something about this gorgeous, green, vibrant city that just gets me every time. Even with the current snow and cold, I feel something here. It's funny - I thought I loved the Twin Cities when I moved here nearly six years ago (whoa, time flies), but it's nothing compared to how I feel now. I feel like I was made for this place. Like this little tiny corner of the world fits me. Kind of like I'm home.

xo,

C

|| Photos are property of Twentyapolis. Please give credit. ||

Life: Monday Musings

Happiest of Mondays, gems.

Jack and I spent a lovely weekend at home in Wisconsin - thrifting, shopping, old fashions, Thanksgiving dinner in January, and all the usual love and laughing with family. So this morning, we're taking it easy - sipping coffee and relaxing (well, relaxing as much as you can be when you're working from home). Regardless, spending a little time together on this Monday is pretty special for us. We're digging it.

Not to mention, it's a snowy, cold little day in Minneapolis today. The best of days to stay inside with endless mugs of coffee and breakfast food all day long.

Happy MLK day. Enjoy!

xo,

C

|| Photos are property of Twentyapolis. Please give credit. ||

Beauty: Winter Beauty

Much like my closet, my skincare and haircare routines change with the seasons. Especially during the winter, my skin and hair are drier than usual, and unbelievably staticy. So while some of my go-to essentials stay the same, others need a bit of an overhaul.

Similar to the summer, I like to keep my hair and makeup routine natural in the winter. I like to stick with soft curls and natural blow outs (or even some days, naturally wavy hair [like today!]). As for makeup, I stick with foundation, powder, mascara, a bit of bronzer if I'm looking a little pale and if I'm feeling daring, a bright lip. But underneath everything, I'm applying anything and everything possible to keep my skin and hair moisturized (lip balm, cleanser and hand lotion galore!)

What are your winter must-haves?

xo,

C

Neutrogena Face Wash || Aveda Hand Relief || Ion Round Brush || Burt's Bees Balm || Burberry Brit || John Frieda Gloss

Style: In My Closet

Sometimes, a shopping spree is in order.

On Saturday morning, I awoke with a not-so-welcome sore throat and headache (which are currently still ailing me).  That meant lounging in bed all morning with a cup of tea and multiple down comforters. Amidst blogging and pinning, I had to do some shopping.

My reasoning? For having survived the polar vortex and battling a cold, of course. I deserved it.

Thankfully, we still have a few more months of chilly winter weather, so these pieces will come in handy! Have you bought any winter clothing pieces lately? Please, share!

xo,
C 

BB Dakota Melinda Coat || Shoe Cult Gramercy Chained Ankle Boot || Province Striped Top

Style: Monday Blues

I have to say, I definitely had the Monday blues yesterday.

The weekends always seem to fly by too fast in my opinion, but this last weekend went much quicker than most. Monday morning rolled around way quicker than it should have. While I love my job, there's just something about the weekend.

So Monday morning, I was blue. And my outfit (and some of these posts) reflected that.

Here's the thing - I'm hoping the (or one of the) reason(s) you like me and read my blog is because I'm real. When I started Twentyapolis and was thinking of the type of writing I wanted to create and the type of blog I wanted to have, my number one priority was to keep everything real and honest. And if I'm being honest, I don't wake up every day looking presentable (you should see how I look right now as I'm writing this post!). I also don't wake up every day in the best mood I've ever been in. There are days where I feel great, and days where I'm down in the dumps. Days where I feel pretty, and other days where I feel I might as well wear a paper bag because I'm helpless. Days where I feel like I can conquer the world, and others where I feel lost and misguided. So, even while yesterday wasn't my best day in more ways than one, it existed. My life is not perfect, and I would be doing myself, and all of you, a huge disservice by making you think that it was. 

My life (and Twentyapolis, for that matter), is and will always be an ever-evolving work in progress. But that's what makes life so great, right? 

So, even though my Monday started a little blue, I'm hoping to kick this Tuesday out of the park.

Let's do this.

xo,
C

|| Photos are property of Twentyapolis. Do not use or distribute. ||

sweater: Ann Taylor Loft (similar) || necklace: Forever 21(similar) || purse: Coach (similar) || boots: Coconuts Britain Riding Boot || pants: Gap (similar) || coat: a.n.a. brand (LOVE this coat - highly recommend it!)

Recipe: Brunching

There's just something I love about Sunday brunches.

At least one day each weekend, Jack and I wake up early (by early, we mean 10:30 a.m.) and make brunch. With Jack's overwhelming love of eggs and my new low-gluten diet, breakfast this weekend called for a savory menu - sweet potatoes, onions and gooey eggs galore.

Low and behold, one of our new favorite brunch items - sweet potato hash.

If I'm being honest, I made this meal for myself the week beforehand on a whim (I usually like to try breakfasts out on myself before feeding anyone else). After a very hot and exhausting yoga class while battling a cold (currently still battling...), all I wanted was breakfast for dinner. Seriously, there is nothing better than breakfast for dinner in my opinion. So, after my work out, all I wanted was something savory and delicious. After rooting around our kitchen, I found a sweet potato, onion and eggs (apart from the spices, these are literally the only ingredients!) Less than 30 minutes later, voila. Sweet potato hash. And let me tell you, it didn't last long.

Apart from how delicious and easy to make this recipe was, I really loved how clean it was. The recipe called for so few ingredients, and they all were healthy (and gluten-free). While I was full after eating it, I felt great. So, naturally, I had to make it again for Sunday brunch!

...I'll probably make it at least once for dinner this week too. Let's not judge.

xo,
C

Recipe: Sweet Potato Hash

Ingredients:
Sweet potatoes: One per person
Onion: 1/2 cup chopped (more or less depending on preference)
Cayenne pepper: Dash (more or less depending on preference)
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
1. Cube sweet potatoes.

2. In a sauce pan, cook sweet potatoes with olive oil. Add cayenne pepper, salt and cracked pepper to taste.

3. After 5-7 minutes, add onion. Add more seasoning as desired.

4. Cook potatoes and onions until softened (adding a lid to sauté pan can help speed the process).

5. Simultaneously, crack eggs (two per serving) in separate pan.

6. Cook eggs to desired consistency (over easy or sunny side up recommended).

7. Serve eggs atop cooked potato and onion mixture. Add seasoning as desired.

8. Enjoy!

|| Photo is property of Twentyapolis.  Please give credit. ||

Recipe: Kale Chips

I never thought I'd say this - I'm hooked on kale.

Since the new year, I've been looking for healthy, easy to make snacks. Especially now that I'm trying to eat less gluten, it seems easier to make snacks myself rather than to check food labels at the grocery store. I'd heard about kale chips a few times before, but until recently, never gave them a serious thought. But boy, am I glad I did.

I feel like I'm cheating on this "recipe" post, because these chips barely require a recipe at all - they are so easy to make. So easy that I thought I had to be doing something wrong. Not to mention, there are only three ingredients {and they are all healthy!} - fresh kale, sea salt and olive oil. Win-win situation, in my opinion.

Enjoy!

xo,

C

Ingredients

Kale: One bunch (washed and dried)

Sea salt: Enough for sprinkling

Extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees.

2. After kale has been washed and dried, remove ribs and cut (or tear) into pieces (about 1.5 inches each).

3. Lay on a baking sheet and toss with olive oil, followed by sea salt. 

3. Bake for 10 minutes and flip kale. Bake for another 10 minutes until kale is crispy.

4. Enjoy!

Recipe originally adapted from The Food Network

|| Photo is property of Twentyapolis. Please give credit ||

Style: Look Alike

It's been quite a while since my last outfit post. Even though I'm in desperate need of caffeine {and a nice warm blanket} in each of these photos, I truly loved this outfit when I had it on, so I had to share!

Let's start with Wednesday. Wednesday. The "warmest" day of the polar vortex. After the last 2+ days of freezing temperatures {which included double layers of socks, winter hats both outdoors and indoors and multiple blankets at my desk at work}, I wasn't looking to impress anyone at work with my ensemble. I mean, considering I hadn't frozen and become an icicle yet, just being at work was a feat in my opinion. After a quick search through my closet, I picked out a few of my warmest, comfiest pieces. Whatever this looks like together, I'm wearing it today. Those were my thoughts exactly.

Low and behold, the ensemble didn't look half bad. Or bad at all, really. I was a little nervous as each piece {sweater, tank and scarf} all sort of looked alike {similar colors but different patterns}, but for some weird reason, it all worked out. I'm chalking it up to the fashion gods feeling sorry for us Midwesterners {polar vortex and all}.

Have a lovely Thursday.

xo,

C

|| Photos are property of Twentyapolis. Do not use or distribute. ||

sweater: Target || tanks: Gap || scarf: Target || pants: Gap (similar) || boots: Coconuts Britain Riding Boot at DSW (get them now - they're on sale!) || lipstick: Nyx "Peach Bellini"

**A big shout out and THANK YOU to Jack for snapping these photos {and so many others like it} while we are zombies before work! Especially while telling the worst jokes {see the fourth photo for proof}. You're quite charming. I love you.**

Mood: January Feel

January, you made quite an entrance upon your arrival. A polar vortex equalling -50 degree temperatures? OK January, I think I understand you - I'm keeping it cozy (and staying mostly indoors) all month long. 

This month, I'm feeling comfy, cozy and warm. Tea, sweaters, down comforters, sleepy days and nights, home cooked meals {brunch being a strong favorite}, plushy scarves and a laundry list of new years resolutions to begin...Oh January, I think we'll get along just fine.

xo,

C

one || two || three || four || five || six

Holiday: Resolutions

Well hello there, gems. It's been a few days (actually, a whole year if you think about it), and I've missed you.

My short little hiatus from the blog was much needed. Truth be told, I needed a few days to come up with my resolutions for this year. Similar to last year, resolutions are a {kind of} big deal to me. It helps me hold myself accountable to do just a little bit better/more/less/different than I did the year before. I did pretty decent on my resolutions from 2013 (I was committed to setting achievable, realistic and un-lofty goals), and I'm ready to do even better in 2014. 2014, I'm ready for you, and I'm excited you're here.

1. Change my eating habits. So much for "don't set hard-to-measure goals," right? Well, truth be told, the first few months of this new year are dedicated to me finding out what the heck is going on with me. From internal issues to anxiety, restless nights sleeping and a plethora of weird allergies, my body has gone a little haywire over the past few years. To try and figure out what's wrong with me, and to spur an entirely new {and cleaner} set of eating habits, I'm eating as little gluten as possible to help reset my body. By eliminating gluten, I'll be ridding my body of all the bad things I eat {think processed food, baked goods etc.} I'm only a few days in, and it already feels like I have more energy and there's a little more spring in my step. Hopefully this helps!

2. Refresh my Italian language skills. Thankfully, I still kept my textbooks and have a few online learning tools to help me out. I'm back to hitting the books!

3. Expand my cooking expertise. I love cooking, and am actually pretty good at it, if I do say so myself. While I like to try a new recipe every now and again, I'm known to be a bit safe when it comes to making meals - I have my favorite go-to dishes and I make them often. This year, I'm going to learn to cook a few things that I legitimately have zero idea how to make. I may set off a fire alarm or burn a thing or two in the process, but I'll learn! Hey, I cooked an entire Thanksgiving dinner this year - I can do this.

4. Do a weekly activity with Jack. Jack works a lot {think 65-75 hours a week}. So while we live together, spending quality time with each-other isn't always easy {there just aren't enough hours in the day}. While we plan dates and spend weekends together, I'm determined to start some sort of weekly, recurring activity for us. I'm not sure what it is yet {maybe Sunday suppers?}, but by the end of 2014, we'll have a weekly activity in place...I'm just not sure what it is yet. What can I say, I like the guy a lot.

5. Continue writing thank you notes. I'm a big proponent of writing thank you notes and expressing gratitude. It's just who I am. This is a must for me.

6. Plan a girls trip. It's hard for me to put into words how important it is for me to carve out time to spend with my girlfriends. You get me and rejuvenate me, ladies - I love you so much for it! This year, even if it's just a weekend trip to the Midwest {but maybe a trip to the Caribbean?}, I want to make time for the girls. Endless laughter, lots of drinks, stories, a bit of gossip and time spent together - sounds perfect to me!

7. Prioritize the blog. I say this a lot, don't I? This year, I vow to make the {minor} changes I've been talking about to the blog, and will try as hard as I can to come up with a regular posting schedule. Just writing this post, I feel unbelievably excited to continue pursuing the blog. I love sharing my day to day activities, good times and not so good times with you all. I feel giddy, humbled and so, so honored to think that you visit me as often or as randomly as you do. If you stop by once a year or once a day, you are so incredibly important to me. So in 2014, I'm going to step it up for you.

8. Make as many trips home to see my family as possible. This is an obvious one. My family - they are the best people. They just are. I am one lucky {the luckiest} girl in the world to have them.

9. Yoga, yoga, yoga. After years of trying to be a gym rat, run on the treadmill or do the elliptical until I fall off, I finally discovered that I am most relaxed on my yoga mat. You guys know me - I'm a little OCD/hyper anxious {that's a severe understatement}. Yoga calms me. Even if it's only for 60 minutes in that sweaty yoga studio, I am at peace. For this girl, that hasn't been easy to find. So while 2014 might be the year of the horse, for me, it's the year of the horse pose and downward dog. Namaste.

10. Celebrate life's little moments. This was a resolution of mine in 2013, and to be honest, I can't see it ever making its way off this list. Sometimes I get too focused on the big picture, and forget to celebrate every day triumphs and happinesses. Being able to turn my busy mind off for a second to focus on present is something I'm constantly working on {and will be working on for the rest of my life, I'd presume}. But it's one of my favorite resolutions on this list. Don't worry, I already have a bottle of champagne in the refrigerator to celebrate. Maybe we should pop it after surviving this -50 degree Minneapolis day? Cheers to that.

Well, there you have it, 2014. We've got a lot of work to do, but I couldn't be more excited.

Enough about my resolutions - do you have any resolutions this year you're excited about! Share away!

xo,

C

|| Photo is property of Twentyapolis. Do not use or distribute ||