Another year, another adventure!

A brand new year! What a time for reflection, progress checks, and planning.

I got my new planner (adore), signed myself up for some challenges, and set some goals.

One concept that's been going around is to choose one word that will define the next year. I chose "Free." I want to be free from doubts, free to pursue my goals and dreams, free from chains that bind, free to do what I want and love within my career, free to make choices, free from negativity, free from bad habits or addictions... I just want to be free :)

I also set some goals, breaking them into smaller pieces, to help me improve physically, spiritually, academically, and in my career and marriage. I love the planning stage, where I get to think about an area in which I would like to improve (for example, building my endurance and physical capacity), set a measurable goal (complete an olympic triathlon), make myself accountable (sign up for the race, tell my family about it), break it into achievable pieces (sign up for a sprint halfway through training season, write myself a training program, oogle new gear), and get started on the first few little steps. It's not too overwhelming, but it's so fun to dream of the possibilities :)

Renee Tote aka best work bag/lunch box everrrr

So six pack bags are a pretty big name in the lunch bag/meal management field, and I've coveted them for a while. My only problem was the size (and the cost, of course, but I always seem to find a way to justify fitness equipment). Most of those bags are huge, and adding that load on top of a gym bag, purse, and massive planner was just something I couldn't bring myself to do.

I tried other lunch bags and enjoyed them, but when I saw a friend on facebook with the Renee Tote, it was love at first sight.

As an anniversary present, my wonderful husband got me the tote in black. Part work bag, part gym bag, and part cooler, I now only carry one bag to work each day (can you say miracle?).

I seriously love this thing. It has plenty of room for the 2 meals I eat at work most days. It comes with 4 of the tupperware containers (and I found the glass ones that also fit at Walmart.. perfection) and 3 gel freezer packs that slide in there and keep things cold ALL DAY LONG. It's seriously amazing.




The outside has lots of little pockets, making it easy to organize all my things, and the inside pocket is just big enough for that planner (or a laptop), gym clothes, and whatever other random things I need to throw in there.

The bag does get a little heavy, but when you consider everything that's in there, I don't see any way around it (and I really don't mind it at all).

Overall? It's true love, and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who works and tries to eat healthy/meal prep.