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In Review // December

December 30, 2015January 2, 2016 Crystal // Dreams, etc. 11 comments
In Review // December

The new year is right around the corner and I am so excited! If you’ve been following my blog throughout the year, you probably won’t be surprised to hear that 2015 was a mixed year. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t the best. It was a year of learning as I finished settling into a new job and there was a dark point in the middle as a family member had a major health scare. But there was a lot of good too, between traveling to Montana, Little One (love her!), my niece and nephews, and publishing a short story in an anthology/attending the release party. There were a lot of great things about the year, but it wasn’t the easiest one to get through.

As I said in my letter, I’m glad I experienced 2015, but I’m also ready to say goodbye and move on. I’m really looking forward to 2016 and am ready for a productive and creative year! I will be setting goals quite differently, though. More of that will come on Friday, when I share my goals and word for 2016.

A review of December. // dreams-etc.com

Until then, here is my last “In Review” post! I have loved recapping the month this year and plan to continue to do so in 2016, but I’ll be switching it up a bit. I’ve also really loved having a decreased posting schedule, so it’s going to stay. It has been so good for my mental well-being not to have the pressure of posting every day. It’s allowed me to do other things that I like to do, like spend more time reading and giving Little One tummy rubs. And I’ve been able to sleep, which has been nice. 🙂 So, the Monday-Wednesday-Friday posting schedule will stay. That doesn’t mean that you won’t see posts pop up on Tuesdays and Thursdays sometimes (in fact, I think you’ll see a few in January and definitely in March.), but the decreased schedule gives me some flexibility that I really needed.

And now, it really is time for my last “In Review” post. 🙂

// WATCHING

Christmas movies! The cheesy ones are my faves.

// READING

A lot this month. I’m really into mysteries/thrillers lately and have a feeling that I’ll be reading more than usual in 2016.

// LOVING

A new face powder that I picked up from MAC the other day.

// LISTENING

Christmas music and Harry Connick Jr.

// DOING

A lot of organizing and cleaning this last week. Is there such a thing as a Christmas cleaning? Like spring cleaning, only at Christmastime… I just want to start the new year with everything in place and with the break from work I have time to do it now.

// LEARNING

I’m going to copy last months, because it’s still true: How to take a step back and rest and breathe.

// MOVING

Furniture around. I think every space that I have will end the year looking a little different than at the beginning. Except for the bathroom… unfortunately I can’t move things around in the bathroom.

Although, it looks different than at the beginning of the year too. It’s been painted, there’s a new sink and a temporary new floor. So, I guess it still applies. 🙂

// YOUR FAVES

>> 4 Books I Want to Read or Finish in 2015

We’re almost at the end of the year, which means it’s time to finish out our reading goals (if you set one)! My biggest goal (I probably had others, but I can’t remember them) was to read 70 books this year and I am on track. Since we’re down to our final weeks of reading in 2015, I started to think of books that I’d really like to read or finish reading this year.

>> Christmas Playlist // 2015

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! And the most wonderful time of the year comes with some of the best music. As I do every year, I like to share some of the music that I’ve been listening to throughout the season. If you’ve been reading my blog for awhile you’ll recognize some of the faves that pop up year after year, but you’ll also see some new songs on this list.

>> Dear 2015

Dear 2015,

You were…

You were.

Okay, let’s try this again.

>> A Day in Photos // December 2015

And I think I picked the most uninteresting day to take photos this month. I thought it would be a good day to do so–it was the first day Christmas break, so I thought I’d be able to share some pictures of something other than my coffee cup on my desk. And then I spent the day writing a newsletter and brainstorming and planning for my other job and the blog. There are some errands and TV watching mixed in.

I also wanted to say thank you to everyone for being part of my life in 2015. I have so enjoyed connecting with you on and off the blog. I feel like I’ve become closer friends with some of you throughout the year and I really value our friendships. I’ve really enjoyed reading your comments to my posts–especially this month! It put a smile on my face that so many of you enjoyed and played my Christmas music playlist throughout the month and some of your comments to my letter to 2015 brought (good) tears to my eyes.

If I’m able to put a post together in time I’ll have some book reviews for you tomorrow, but in case I don’t get that up (today’s a busy day) I want to wish you all a very happy New Year! I hope you all have a wonderful end to 2015 and I’ll see you next year!

HOW WAS YOUR DECEMBER?

About Crystal

About Crystal

Hi! I'm Crystal, a millennial learning how to live slowly and sustainably, while still seeking adventure and following my dreams, etc.

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Dear 2015
My Word & Goals for 2016

11 comments

  1. Allison Jones says:
    December 30, 2015 at 9:11 am

    I would describe my December as an adjustment. It was our first full month living in Japan so we did a lot of settling in, but all in all, it was a great month.

    LiveLIfeWell,
    Allison

    Reply
  2. Kristin C says:
    December 30, 2015 at 1:58 pm

    Yes! Harry Connick Jr. all the way!

    Reply
  3. Alanna @ Alanna & Company says:
    December 30, 2015 at 2:19 pm

    I’m loving a new blush I just got! December was too fast for me! I’m not ready for January.

    Reply
  4. Cara says:
    December 30, 2015 at 3:09 pm

    I love watching Christmas movies too! Glad you had such a great year. Happy New Year!

    Reply
  5. Emily says:
    December 30, 2015 at 3:28 pm

    I love the cheesy Christmas movies too!! Thanks for sharing your months throughout the year. I haven’t been able to comment as much this year, but I’m still a regular reader. 🙂 Looking forward to following you into 2016! Hope you have a great New Year’s!

    Reply
  6. Taylor says:
    December 30, 2015 at 3:32 pm

    I love doing the “A Day in Photos” type of posts – I can’t wait to bring those back on my blog in the new year!!

    Reply
  7. Leslie Soto says:
    December 30, 2015 at 7:31 pm

    I love this December review so much. I just found a couple more posts of yours that I plan to read, too! I’m so with you. I feel like my house needs a good December cleaning instead of spring cleaning. It’s almost the New Year. New Years is the perfect time to start fresh in your house, too, right?!

    Reply
  8. chelsea jacobs says:
    December 30, 2015 at 8:50 pm

    Happy New Year, friend! Cheers to an incredible 2016 full of good books and big dreams!

    Reply
  9. Shelly says:
    December 31, 2015 at 1:46 am

    Funny how a year can be such a mixed bag, right? Here’s to a happy 2016 for you and yours!

    Also, you reminded me that I need to hit a MAC store asap. My compact is from when I lived in Hawaii and was more tanned. The color totally doesn’t match now, but I keep trying to make it work. Haha!

    Reply
  10. Lindsay says:
    December 31, 2015 at 12:35 pm

    It has been a true pleasure meeting you and getting to know you this past year. I hope your family is doing better than when I last asked and I do wish you all the very best in the new year, and beyond.
    Give some belly rubs to the little one, will ya? Charlie and Baxter send their kisses and licks 😉 xoxo

    Reply
  11. Mia says:
    January 1, 2016 at 6:14 pm

    Happy New Year, sweets! Here’s to a happy and healthy and productive 2016 for us both! 🙂 XO

    Reply

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hi!

I'm Crystal, the storyteller behind Dreams, etc. I'm all about learning how to live slowly & sustainably, while also seeking adventure as we follow our dreams, etc.

May 2023. Savannah, Georgia. Lots of Mina. Lots of May 2023. Savannah, Georgia. Lots of Mina. Lots of new growth on plants.
The other day I realized that there is no Savannah The other day I realized that there is no Savannah on my feed and…well, Savannah is beautiful and needs to be there. These were taken in Lafayette Square on my second day in Georgia.
Picture it. It’s the day after Thanksgiving. I d Picture it. It’s the day after Thanksgiving. I didn’t go on my weekly dam walk earlier in the week when I was excited about it. On this day I was tired after a long week and my least favorite holiday. My bed was oh so comfortable. I forced myself to roll out of bed and journey to the dam. It was filled with people and I was pokey…taking my time to get there and even journeying down one of the other paths to avoid walking across the dam. (Which isn’t long.) I finally joined the crowd and walked across. And then came back, happy to have made my weekly journey. This is when the top layer of the water started to freeze.
From March: an old mini vlog from a bagpipe rock c From March: an old mini vlog from a bagpipe rock concert, which is mostly me trying the say bagpipe rock. Some word combinations are hard! 😂 There was a sign asking us not to film, which is why there’s no concert footage.
Some of my weekly dam walks have been therapeutic Some of my weekly dam walks have been therapeutic and while the walks haven’t fixed the problems, they’ve help me breathe and connect with the world and relieve stress. 💕
April 2023. We got more snow, but it also melted. April 2023. We got more snow, but it also melted. The dam was almost overflowing. The animals are beginning to emerge. Spring is here!
Happy Independent Bookstore Day! After a coffee st Happy Independent Bookstore Day! After a coffee stop (of course) a friend and I checks out two indie bookstores that we have never been to before. I definitely want to go back to Uncle Hugo’s and Uncle Edgar’s! Did you do anything for #independentbookstoreday

#indiebookstore #indiebookshop
After watching some shopping ASMR videos I had to After watching some shopping ASMR videos I had to try it.

#asmr #groceryshopping #groceryshop  #asmrvideos
I’m a little behind in weekly dam walk reels. Le I’m a little behind in weekly dam walk reels. Let’s go back to the third week in November when there was just a little snow on the ground and the footprints in the snow seemed notable.
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