I enjoyed my 22 in ’22 projects so much, I’m doing it again in 2023! (I first got the idea for 22 in ’22 from the podcast Happier, which I highly recommend.) I enjoy seeing what projects actually stick and what projects get left by the wayside. Here’s what I did in January:

1. Attend fifty hot yoga classes: I made it to four classes, which was great because (1) the kids were home the first week of January for their winter break and (2) I got my period TWICE and I just don’t like doing hot yoga when I’m menstruating. (If that is TMI for you, spoiler alert: this entire website is TMI for you.)
2. Track what I eat for 30 days in a row: I did it! I tracked what I ate from January 1-30, and I loved doing it. Now I’m continuing the streak. Can I make it to 60 days? I believe so!
3. Drink at least 64 oz of water/day for 30 days in a row: I did this too! My skin feels healthier. I’m still tracking how much water I drink because I love soda and coffee so much, it’s easy for me to forget to drink water. Tracking keeps me honest.
4. Publish my second novel: Revisions are coming along very well, and I expect I’ll be ready to flip my manuscript to an editor by the end of March.
5. Read 100 books for myself: As of today, I’ve read eight books and Goodreads says I’m on track to read 100 by the end of the year.
6. Try 23 new recipes: I tried three new recipes in January, two from the new Smitten Kitchen cookbook and one from Tuesday Nights, one of my go-to cookbooks.
7. Cook with mushrooms 23 times: I cooked with mushrooms twice in January – yes!
8. Bake 23 loaves of bread: I have not yet baked any bread this year. Maybe I’ll find the momentum to do this when my book is with my editor.
9. Make 23 different buttons with my button maker: I made one button as an example for Julian’s first grade class for an art project.
10. Finish 23 craft projects (not including buttons): Nothing yet, but several slower projects in the works, including my first embroidery sampler, a baby blanket that I’m knitting, and a cross stitch project.
11. Watch 12 different Creativebug classes: I watched the daily embroidery class and loved it.
12. Draw 12 times: I drew two times in January and both times were fun and relaxing.
13. Play 23 different board/card games: I played six different games with the kids in January. They know about this project and approve highly. So far, I’ve played Sleeping Queens, Uno, Race to the Treasure, Battleship, Ticket to Ride and Purple Castle Peak. The last is a game my kids invented, and it’s still being workshopped. You won’t see it in stores anytime soon.
14. Watch 23 movies with my kids: We went to see Puss in Boots: The Last Wish at our favorite discount theater, and the entire family loved it. I suspect this project will be mostly completed over summer vacation.
15. Write 23 blog posts: This is my third of the year. I’m on track!
16. Visit 23 new places: I visited three new places in January – the new Amazon Fresh store in Pasadena; a new school gym for Pippa’s first basketball game (it has a balcony for parents); and at Universal Studios, a new segment on the tram ride for the movie NOPE. Going to new places is an easy way to boost my soul’s joy levels, but I often forget to venture beyond my rut. I’m so glad I included “Visit 23 new places” in my 23 in ’23 Project, because I check in with the project frequently, and it reminds me to go out and explore this glorious world.
17. Go on 12 hikes: Pippa and I went on a mommy-daughter hike at Eaton Canyon. I’ve done this hike at least a half dozen times, but we went after the rain, and the streams were deeper than I’ve ever seen. Pippa LOVED it. Our shoes were soaked by the end, but we made it to the waterfall, and I can’t wait to hike again.
18. Do 23 things I have never done before: I did five different new things in January: I bought passes to Universal Studios for me and the kids; shopped at Amazon Fresh with the “just walk out” technology; during hot yoga, I flipped my towel off my mat for a few poses; I organized a Girl Scout field trip; and we met up with friends at Universal Studios. Did I do anything crazy like sky dive or walk in outer space? Heck no. But I did experience a mental shift that I plan to write about in future posts.
19. Finish decluttering the house! A work in progress, with not much progress in January. I will devote a week to this endeavor when my book is with my editor.
20. Indulge my inner child 23 times: I consciously indulged my inner child twice: by buying passes to Universal Studios (so! much! fun!) and by splashing through a creek during my hike with Pippa.
21. Publish 12 podcast episodes: I recorded a podcast episode earlier this week for a different show and I definitely feel the urge to podcast increasing. It’s just hard to crank out episodes when I’m deep in novel revisions.
22. Attend 12 live performances: I saw our school district’s production of Into the Woods at the Pasadena Convention Center with Julian. We only stayed for the first act because after ninety minutes of musical theater, he was getting hangry and restless, but my soul was full and I loved every minute that I got to see. This was the first time I saw a high school production since I myself was in high school, and it was so endearing.
23. Spend 20 hours gardening: I spent 1 hour and 20 minutes gardening in January during two separate sessions. So good for the soul!

Onward! February will be fast — not only is it short, but I’m also running the school book fair – but I hope to make more progress on my 23 in ’23 projects. Stay tuned!