Merry Christmas to you!

May all your days be merry and bright!

Merry Christmas to you and yours!

xo,

A Cooking Tale...

First, there was the great cooking fiasco of August 2011 when I roasted a chicken and it never got hot enough to eat after 2.5 hours of cooking.  Mark and I were starving so we said screw it.  We had pizza for dinner that night.

Then, there was the great cooking fiasco of December 2011 last week when I tried a recipe from one of my favorite food bloggers, Eat Live Run, and we were ready to eat when I took a glass out of the cupboard and it stuck another glass and tiny shards of glass flew all across the kitchen including the two pots on the stove, which were bubbling away.  A TOTAL AND COMPLETE WASTE of what I know was going to be a delicious meal.  We ate pizza that night for dinner!

I think I'll attempt my recipe again sometime this week. I won't let one fiasco stop me!

As much as I love to cook and I humbly think I'm a pretty darn cook, I sometimes make mistakes and have terribly funny kitchen fiascoes.  What's the funniest or worst cooking fiasco that you've had in your kitchen?

#Reverb11: Where Did You Spend Money?

2011 was a year of saving for the Landwehr's.  The year before was a big spending year for us - a wedding and honeymoon (!), a new (used) car, etc.  I wish we had a money tree!!

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Our largest expense was a vacation to Hawaii - an early one year anniversary trip for us.  It was fabulous and much needed and deserved.  We both love to travel and budget our dollars for trips more than anything else.

We're also saving up as we hope to find a home to buy in the next few months.  So, our financial priorities are a little different now than they might have been a year or two ago.  I put myself on a shopping moratorium last year and I've been sticking with it for the most part.

I miss shopping terribly but I've held off and only purchased books for my Kindle and a pair of jeans.  My mom took me shopping for my birthday but other than those few clothing items, I haven't made many other purchases.  It helps that I don't need to dress up for work and that most of my clothes are classic and timeless so they haven't gone out of style (or at least I pretend that they haven't)!

Where have you saved or spent money?  Do you think you'll change your ways in 2012?

#Reverb11: What Do You Hope to Remember?

When I was 17 or 18 years old, my dad and I were having one of our "dates" and he said something that stuck with me.  He said to enjoy the time because with age time speeds up.  He's so right.  Time flies by so quickly these days.  I can't believe it is already December 7!

With how quickly the days speed by, I want to remember not just the fun memories but also the little things.  The little things often add up to the big ones that matter.

I see this everyday with how quickly Winston is growing.  We got him at 9 weeks and he's already 15 weeks old!  He changes everyday in little ways - both physically and with his little personality.

Hopefully, Mark and I will have kids in our future and I think that our future kid(s) will grow just as quickly and in even more exciting and better ways to document - hee hee.  In the meantime, whether it is enjoying Winston as a puppy or remember the time that Mark and I are taking to get to know our new hometown of Seattle, I hope that I can remember the little things and not just the big, monumental ones.

I try and try to remember the little memories that some of my family and friends have no problem remembering from childhood and I can't - the little details, the memories.  It doesn't bother me but I hope now that I'm older that I can make a point of remembering the little things!

What do you hope to remember?

#Reverb11: What Did You Discover?

I'm a really strong woman!  Not necessarily physically strong but I'm emotionally strong.

The past year was amazing but there were some tough times that I never thought I would have to experience (again, sorry for the evasiveness but somethings remain private even on a public forum).  Those times nearly knocked me off my feet but I discovered that I'm stronger than I think.

Relying on my partner/my sweet husband, Mark, really helped.  But not just relying on him and my parents, I found that when I reach deep inside, I'm very capable of relying on myself.  I can be my best partner - that's kind of dumb, isn't it? - but it is true.

By staying true to myself, allowing myself to fully accept and feel the emotions that I experience when going through tough times, I'm making myself a better person.  The statement "What Doesn't Kill You Makes You Stronger" is true.  The handful of events this year might have taken the breath away from me but didn't stop me.  I've discovered that on the other side, I'm a better, stronger woman in 2011!

I'm ready to face any challenges that come my way in 2012.

What did you discover about yourself, your life?

#Reverb11: When Did You Struggle

Struggle.  Isn't life in general a struggle?  Making the right decisions to live one's best life?  Overcoming disappointment?  Being the best partner to my husband even when I'm mad or upset about something.

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I'm a happy person in general with a positive attitude but I fully admit that this year has been tough.  The first year of marriage was not a hard one - I thought it was going to be but there was no struggle there.  Struggle is not the right word to describe marriage but work is.  Marriage takes a lot of work, a lot of time and effort, and a lot of love.  It means a lot of compromise, which is an area where I struggle and continue to push myself to do better.  I like to have my way.  I always have and because I'm lucky I often get my way but in marriage it doesn't work that way.  I will keep growing and stretching myself in my area to be a better wife.

The second year of being an independent consultant was a struggle.  I had to fight to succeed.  It's hard work.  I knew if I was going to stick with it and make it succeed, I needed to work really hard.  I did and there are still areas where I need to continue to work really hard for my clients and for myself.  This struggle will keep up for as long as I want to keep consulting.

I struggle with friendships.  It is hard living across the country from my oldest and dearest friends.  I miss them.  It is hard with families and children to stay connected.  I know in our hearts and minds that we are still close but I miss the daily connections.  I struggle to make new friends as Mark and I focus on building a life together here in Seattle and on starting a family.  I know new friends will come.  It just takes time and patience.

2011 was a year of change for me.  When there is change, there is struggle.  I look forward to 2012 where the new beginnings start to blossom!

How did you struggle in 2011?

#Reverb11: What Books Did You Read?

This year was not a highlight of reading books for me.  I love to read but reading somehow took the back seat for me.  I hope that 2012 is a 180 degree turn for reading.

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Some books of note that I read in 2012 for me included:

The Paris Wife by Paula McLain

One Day by David Nicholls

The Guernsey Potato Peel and Literary Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins

I wish I had taken more time to read but other parts of life were a priority for me.  I'm definitely going to make an effort to read next year.

Any recommendations?

#Reverb11: Who Did You Meet?

I met and made some new friends in 2011 that I probably might not have if we hadn't moved to Seattle.  I also reconnected with a very special friend from my past who I might not have if it weren't for this move.  Isn't life funny like that sometimes?

Through a very good friend who lives in Philadelphia, I was connected with a friend of hers who moved to Seattle shortly before Mark and I.  Since we've been here, she and I have met for lunch a few times and are planning a double date with our husbands soon.  It's nice to have some commonality with her of our mutual friend but also to know that she and I really enjoy each others company.

A little more than ten years ago, I worked for a large global PR firm.  There I met and many friends with my colleagues, one of those women is a woman I was pretty friendly with at the time.  We spent time together socially and I was invited to her wedding though I was unable to attend for a reason I don't remember now.  She has since divorced from her husband and moved out West.  She and I have reconnected and spent some really good quality time together since my move.

There are others who I've met this year but these two stand out as they are a part of my new life here in Seattle.  It's hard to meet and make friends at this age - especially without kids - and it's nice to know that it is still possible!  I look forward to meeting more new friends in the coming years.

Who have you met in 2011?

Catching Up: #Reverb11: 1st Prompt: Where Did 2011 begin?

This is a tough one.  The start to 2011 was a very difficult one.  I won't go into the difficult details but I'll cover the top line ones.  I know that's unfair of me to not share but I've got to keep some secrets here :)

Mark and I were in Los Angeles for the New Year.  The Wisconsin Badgers were playing in the Rose Bowl - Mark went to U. of Wisconsin at Madison - and so we road tripped down from San Francisco to see friends and watch the game.  We didn't have tickets so we planned to tailgate and then go to a bar to watch the game.

Instead, on NYE, I ended up in the ER.  Luckily, I was released about 5 minutes before midnight and so we kissed and welcomes the New Year in our car - so much better than being hooked up to an IV in a hospital bed.  The following day, I still wasn't feeling well, so we skipped tailgating and instead found a quiet bar to watch the game.  Sadly, the Badgers lost that game.

Overall, the beginning of 2011 wasn't a very good one.  Thankfully, the rest of the year has been MUCH better!

Here's hoping that 2012 is a much better start!

Growing Out My Bangs

For the past four years, I've had the same hairstyle (more or less the same).  One of the biggest components of it are my bangs.  A few months ago, I decided it was time for a change and I cut my hair a little shorter and started growing out my bangs.  Pretty much working towards a long, layered bob.

I like the length it is now though I need to get it cut again soon but I HATE growing out my bangs.  It is not fun.  I don't feel attractive as they grow out.  In order for me to keep the hair out of my eyes, I put barrettes and bobby pins to hold the hair back and those make me feel about 12 years old.

There are all kinds of articles about how to gracefully grow out bangs but I've pretty much tried all of the tricks and am tired of them.  So, I think this means I need a little retail therapy and find some more fun headbands and clips to help me out.

I love these!

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Any tips on growing out bangs?  How long will it take?