Simple Joys of the Week, 30th Birthday + Year-End Edition (!!!)

The post title says all you need to know. I'm 30 today and I'm feeling like a bossssss. It's a big birthday and I'm excited!

So, since this is my 30th AND this is the last #SJOTW of 2014 (I'm taking the week between Christmas and New Year's off from blogging...), I'm making this week's edition a special one.

How? Well, the following sensory pleasures are my biggest, overarching simple joys from all of 2014. They're the sensory experiences have made the biggest impact on my life in the past year... 

Lets do it.

HEAR: Podcasts
2014 was the year of the podcast for me. I became obsessed in late 2013, and that obsession only grew this past year (and even more so in the past couple of weeks, with Startup and Serial!). This year, I got to the point where, if I was home and doing any sort of mindless task (laundry, walking Sayde, cleaning, putting on makeup, brushing my teeth, you get the idea...), I HAD to be listening to a podcast. For better or for worse, podcasts became the soundtrack of my life. Will I take this obsession one step further and start my own podcast in 2015? TBD... ;)

SEE: Sayde
As you probably could have guessed, Sayde is the best thing that happened to our little family in 2014 (and actually, ever?). I cannot believe that I lived a day without her, and I cannot believe how anyone could live without a dog-child of his/her own. [Actually I do understand that having a dog isn't possible for everyone, but that makes me sad.] More on Sayde on Monday, which is her 1 year adoption anniversary! 

TASTE: Burritos/Burrito Bowls [from The Corner Store]
I had a rough time with food this year. I've been dealing with major jaw pain, I went on an elimination diet (for said jaw pain), and played with being gluten-free, sugar-free, and everything-in-between free. The one constant? Ben and I got burritos and/or burrito bowls from an amazing local burrito joint at least 2x/week, every week, all year long. Seriously. These burritos are THAT good. And they got me through some rough patches where all I was eating was quinoa, spinach, quinoa, and lettuce, so I really appreciate them. 

SMELL: The Beach
Again, obvious, but true. Before moving to the Cape last November, I had never lived by the ocean. In fact, I only went to the beach about once per year (if I was lucky), and I just thought that that was normal. Now, I can't imagine not living by the beach [ever again]. The ocean is magical and transformative and it just makes everything better. Game. Changer. 

TOUCH: Sitting on the couch, pillow on my lap, computer on top of pillow [Sayde under the pillow]
The above formation is how I spent a big chunk of my time this year. My consulting biz took off (hooray!), I started doing more design work (hooray!), and of course, I spent a lot of time writing, blogging, responding to emails, and looking at Buzzfeed lists (whoops?). If I didn't have such a comfortable and comforting "desk" in 2014, this year wouldn't have been half as enjoyable. 

Other MAJOR simple joys from 2014/this past year of life? Seeing Ben come so alive at work while finally doing what he loves, hosting so many visitors to the Cape, leading my first international retreat, pregnant friends + meeting new babies, feeling completely at home in this new place, yoga-ing everywhere, and the greatness that is all of my incredible loved ones. 

Now I'm off to enjoy my birthday! I'm doing the following: a morning yoga class, lunch with family, haircut, relaxation, dinner with my honey, and lots of puppy snuggles...

What are your year-end SJOTW??? Take some time to reflect on them over the next week or so, if you can!