2026 Achievement Board

 Every year, I pick one word to focus on, and this year, my word was Mulligan, because 2024 was such a train wreck, and I just knew that 2025 was going to be better! At the end of 2024, I realized that something wasn’t quite right with my periods, and after a lot of tests, I found out that I had endometrial cancer. (I was diagnosed in February of 2025) so what should have been a Mulligan year became a shit show of doctor's visits, meds that made me lethargic and bloaty, and a total hysterectomy. 

Some other stuff went down, and 2025 was a total bust. 2026 will be the year I rise from the ashes of 2025 and take back my life!

I started making these boards in 2013, after realizing that making one big goal does not always work. Making lots of little goals that can be expanded on works way better for me. 

These goals have changed over the years, from running goals to yoga goals to reading goals. 

These boards have evolved over time, and maybe devolved a time or two, but they are still the same at the core. Mini goals to keep me motivated throughout the year. 

I started my 2026 board, although I may add some travel related goals as well. 

These are the ones that started it all! 

Here is my 2026 board. I’m really excited to start 2026 off! I will be resetting my peloton PRs, like I do every year. This year is added distance goals because my 2025 distances were so low. As someone in menopause, I am supposed to lower my cardio and increase my strength, but I feel like my mileage could still go up. 

Do you make one big goal, lots of little goals, or just wing it?

Holiday Lights Spectacular

This is going to be more of a photo dump, I went a little overboard! Tonight I went VIP at the Ballantyne Backyard Holiday Lights Spectacular, just outside of Charlotte. I’ve gone every year for a few years now, and VIP is the way to go. You get a cocoa mug, with free cocoa all night. There’s also a VIP area with swankier bathrooms, a cocoa bar, and fire pits. I definitely took advantage of the fire pits, and read for a little while, with the lights in the background, and the sound of happy families. Oh. And one dad lighting his food wrapper on fire. That was fun! 

Did you attend any light shows this year? 

 

Christmas Cookie Decorating Extravaganza

My friends and I decided that we wanted to take a bunch of cookie classes at the Sweet Spot Studio in Charlotte, the week before Christmas. If you’ve never taken a class there, you need to get on over to their website and book one! The staff is so knowledgeable and friendly, and you’ll leave with so many new skills! 

We go A LOT, but we have never taken two classes in a week, let alone four! I got a lot of audiobook listening done! 

I forgot to save the pics of the first class, but here is the finished product:

How cute are they?!? So much fun, and the gingerbread is delicious! 

Class two was a gingerbread class. The table is set up for you when you arrive, with everything you will need to make your cookies. You can choose any color combination for these two classes, so no two people have the same cookies. We also had a lot of options for the surfboard decor in the beach cookies. 

Jossie always has lots of backgrounds for your finished cookies to make their photographic debut! We used sanding sugar in this class, and there is always edible glitter. It’s a fave for me! When everyone starts glittering up their cookies, it hangs in the air and sparkles!

Our third class was a filigree class and I was legit terrified. I totally went rogue and did what I wanted, but we also got lots of direction so that we had plenty of ideas. We learned some new skills at this class, which was nice. We have been going for so long that it’s been awhile that we learned something totally new. 

I think they came out really well. It wasn’t nearly as scary as I thought it would be, and I impressed myself with my straight lines. I’m getting so much better every class! 

Our fourth and final class of the year was called Christmas Morning. These were a cinnamon sugar cookie, which is one of my son’s faves. He was very happy that I finally brought home something other than gingerbread!

Again, we can use any colors or patterns we want, and Jossie and Robin showed us some fun ways to do flood on flood and to make wreaths. 

Making the cinnamon rolls was a fave, they provided us with some premade royal icing cinnamon rolls, and we were able to use extra icing to make them look more realistic. I wish I had taken a pic of the little premade rolls, but I was having so much fun that I forgot! We also got the gift tags premade, and used edible markers to write names on them. 

Whew! A crazy week, but so so worth it! So much Christmas fun! 

Have you ever taken a cookie decorating class?