Looking back at the past year, many things have changed. We spent our first full year in Salt Lake City; we’ve grown in many ways. Here is a year in retrospect and some goals for 2015.

2014

david
David never looked this good.

Rob

  • Learned to snowboard. I can shred down the blue runs now like I mean it.
  • Sport climbed 5.10 routes. This was a big goal for me. The move to Salt Lake has meant immediate access to world class climbing, and I aimed to take advantage of it.
  • Became proficient at AngularJS and javascript unit testing.
  • Built my first live style guide for HireVue.
  • Finished my open source iOS app, Pop Phrase. It’s a phrase guessing game for multiple players, and will be coming in Q1 next year.

Lauren

  • Started mountain biking and bought a bike.
  • Learned about user research and testing. I plan to post on this in the coming year.
  • Ran first half marathon.
  • Learned a ton about product management as I took on a temporary role.

Both of Us

  • Europe! Lauren and I spent over two weeks backpacking across Europe. This was an amazing growing experience for us as a couple. Nothing helps you grow together better than being thrown in a place you’ve never been, with people who speak another language. After that, we can take on anything with gusto.
  • Visited more national parks than ever: Hike the narrows in Zion, drove Route 1 through Big Sur, floated the Colorado River in Moab, viewed soaring arches in Arches National Park.

2015

Rob

  • Learn to trad climb. I’ve gotten some trad gear this year, and I’d like to use it in the stellar routes of the Wasatch.
  • Redpoint a 5.11 sport climb. This may be a bit stiff, but I think it’s within my wheelhouse.
  • Get to the next level at snowboarding. I’d like to be confident at the black diamonds by the end of this season. I’d also like to hit a few more spots, not just in SLC but Wyoming and Colorado as well.
  • Launch my iOS app, Pop Phrase. I’d like to market it, and learn the best avenues for getting it to the masses.
  • Paint at least 5 large paintings, and get them in a gallery.

Lauren

  • Become confident enough with skiing that I can take it to the next level and ski black diamonds.
  • Write more blog posts on RobandLauren.com. I’d like to post at least once a month.
  • Mountain bike the many trails of Utah.
  • Run a marathon. This is a lofty goal, but I have 2 ladies to train with out here to keep me on track.
  • Launch a personal portfolio site. Start with a MVP. Release and iterate several times.

Both of Us

  • More day trips together outdoors. Take advantage of the climbing, hiking, and the outdoor playground of the Wasatch Mountains.
  • Visit three new national parks. Options are Yellowstone, Yosemite, Glacier, Bryce, and the Grand Canyon.
  • Start planning our next trip abroad.
  • Build a WordPress theme together.