This is the time of year that everyone posts their “Top Whatever List of Things that Blah Blah in 2015.” Top ten posts. Top ten books. Top ten recipes.

And it’s also the time that everyone posts their “New Year, New Me” posts. Resolutions and hopes and ideas of change.

It’s hard for me to look back at a year and remember what was what. What happened this year?

I started working for a virtual company, and have grown within that company to a Director-level position. I have cooked a TON. I have eaten a lot of veggies. I have become closer to my family. I became a grand-aunt. I turned 37, my marriage turned 16, my husband turned 38, my blog turned 10. My cat got old. We made new friends, we lost old ones. I suddenly like spicy food.

There are also things that didn’t happen. I didn’t lose weight. I didn’t stop drinking. I didn’t stop eating out, or pay off debt, or start exercising. I didn’t go back to crafting, I didn’t read lots of books, I didn’t learn to play the violin. I didn’t learn French, I didn’t go to the beach, I didn’t make my own pasta. I didn’t let depression win, I didn’t collapse under stress, I didn’t give up on happiness.

And for the New Year, New Me part? Most of me knows that resolutions don’t work. That just because it’s January 1, it doesn’t mean life will be different from this point on. But I still want more from this year. No, I want more from myself this year. My 2016 horoscope says that this year is gonna be great. That’s a pretty good start.

I hope you all have a fantastic year, that you meet your goals, that you don’t give up, that you know you are loved. And now, cookies. 😉