Looking Back: Christmas 2011

Christmas came and went in a flash. Pat and I not only had both sets of my parents here, but also his cousin and her boyfriend came to visit. My sister and brother-in-law traveled to the Virgin Islands on holiday, and we were left with their pup, Abby.
Mostly I enjoy Abby. She has more energy than I do, which can be challenging at times, but usually can be diminished with a few sprints in the back yard. Last Thursday this was not the case. She kept me up until 2 am... Pat slept on the couch. By the time she had brought me to tears I decided to wake Pat in hopes he would know what to do. He didn't. She finally nested herself in a beach towel and fell asleep. Separation anxiety, gets ya every time.

My mom and John got here Thursday and stayed with us Friday. It was a blast. We drank wine until the wee hours of the morning, or so it seemed. And on Saturday, my dad and Lisa arrived to spend Christmas eve with us.
I made a terrible frozen Lasagna for dinner (which stayed cold) and I burnt the bread. I would say, besides the wine and salad, I ruined Christmas. It is so unlike me to not have a Christmas Eve dinner planned, but I could have never planned for this Christmas. I never have felt this behind and chaotic. Still, we watched The Muppet Christmas Carol as I always do on Christmas, much to everyone's chagrin, and drank champagne and had Christmas cookies. Pat and Dad fell asleep. Lisa tried to be enthusiastic as I recited every line and lyric.
However, Christmas was as Christmas should be, a time for family and love. We awoke Christmas morning and had mimosas (thank God). Once I had less of a hangover, we spent the afternoon with Pat's family and the evening with my Mom, John and Grandparents. A traditional ham dinner was shared and love was in the air.

Although I can't wait for 2012, I am eager to hold on to this Christmas, as I feel it is the last one of its kind. Children are coming, whether they are ours or nieces and nephews and I will no longer be the only one looking forward to Christmas jammies, traditions, Santa, carols, decorating trees and houses...

so merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!

Appreciate

I would like to say I learned to appreciate simple things like a fine red wine, or how I can make a mean garlic dipping sauce for bread, but let's get real, I already appreciate those things. The one thing I really learned to appreciate this year was my family (friends included, because I only have very close friends).
Now, if you belong in this "family" group, you may be saying to yourself, "If you appreciate me so much, why don't you ever answer you g.d. phone?" Well, I am not going to lie, I am still working on that. But through out this year I have really learned what it is to be family, an how my family supports my little family here in Casa de Haire. From the wedding to being unemployed, people jumped on the band wagon to help where they could, and that is what it is all about...

PS In 2012 I PROMISE to answer my phone more!

Healing

I can't say that healing has only taken place this year. Pat and I have both had to overcome struggles, both very different, in our lives. But one thing is for sure, we have started healing each other since the day we met. Just this morning we were reminiscing of our first date. We talked about all the things you aren't supposed to talk about (politics, religions, finances) and then 4 months later we moved in together. We knew the first month, maybe second that our relationship, our love was a force to be reckoned with. 3 months into our relationship we passed through Vegas to get to my home town for a visit and we seriously thought about eloping. Then we seriously thought about the consequences from our family. Although we have reached the result, I am so glad we waited. We needed to experience a few more things together, and REALLY be able to celebrate our love.
In the beginning, the impact we had on each other was, first and foremost, a healing one. He, being a few years older and quite the handy man, had many impressive qualities that any girl would like, but there were also things that, when I dug deep enough, were difficult, even on my man of steel. Together, in our first two years of dating, overcame things that were haunting us for entire lifetimes. We were able to discuss things that have never been discussed, feel things that have never been felt, and ultimately heal the things that were unable to heal prior to "us."
I truly believe that when you find someone that can do that for you, make you feel like you were never injured, physically or emotionally. That is when you need to sit back, take notice and realize that is the person you need to have in your life forever.
Fortunately for me, I get to have this man as my husband, the future father of my children and best friend forever. However, if you find that person in any form, keep them close. They are an important piece of your arsenal... and not many people come by that piece armor.

Ambitions

It was strange when I read this post prompt on Reverb11on Saturday morning. I was laying in bed surfin' the web on my Kindle Fire thinking about getting healthy again. And there it was, the question of ambitions. So, I would say, truly my ambition is to be healthy again and forevermore. To be vegetarian again, and to eat less corn... (basically all processed foods).
As I said last week, Pat and I got our new Lifetime membership and are getting on the right track physically (I am so looking forward to getting back into yoga practice), but there are so many other aspects of health that I would like to focus on as well. My mental health is of concern most days. I am finding that I get cranky at the drop of a hat, or super emotional. When this started happening I had to think back to a year ago when I was happiest. I was mostly vegan, (I love cheese) and I understood what I was putting in my body. This may sound crazy, but when I knew what I was eating was good for me, and I knew exactly what it was doing for me nutritionally, it almost felt spiritual. The connection to the food and knowing where it came from.
Since then I have most certainly slipped, meat is a main course again at our house and I even ate McDonald's a few times, which I could nearly throw up at the thought today.
I knew I needed something to set me straight again. I thought about reading Skinny Bitch for the second time, but I thought I needed something new. This morning I watched Food, Inc. It was not surprising, but I was still shocked. There are a few other documentaries available, but this one may have done it's job. I don't need to see the animal cruelty to know that it is prevalent in mass production. So, back to Sprouts and Farmer's Markets for us.
So, here is to us, being happy, healthy, and in love! I am so ready for 2012!

Letting Go

This year I let go of stressing over my blog... my old blog. With everything else going on in our lives , I always felt I was falling behind, I was never creative enough, I never had enough followers, and I never did enough DIY for the sake of the title. It was too much pressure.
That is when I developed my Tumblr from the advice of my brother Jake's Lauren and everything seemed to be okay again. I was able to be sporadic with my thoughts, and creative ideas, and if and when I did post, on either blog, it was a good place to showcase it. It also was a place to be inspired, even if it was just looking at pretty pictures! Beauty is inspiring.
That was when I realized I was blogging for me, not to get followers, but to just have a hobby. I place to focus myself in my home life when everything else can be so... cray cray!
I feel much more at peace after letting go. I no longer feel obligated, but HAPPY, to blog!

Hectic

As the year is coming to a close, the only word I could describe it as is HECTIC.
It started with our wedding planning and, if you ask any bride, that is never an easy task. It comes down to creating budgets, choosing colors, flowers, bridal parties, dresses, THE dress, groomsman wear, songs, wedding cake flavors, interviewing photographers, gifts, registering, and finally cutting something because you have gone over budget! Even right up to the second you walk down the aisle there is something to do, someone you forgot to invite, someone that RSVP'ed that isn't showing up and now your tables are uneven and you already printed your escort cards.  And that just the first six months.
I knew if Pat could stay by my side through that constant stress and the daily bad moods he could be by my side forever. Although it was hectic, it still turned out beautifully, and the task at hand was completed... we are married!

Stephanie Patterson Photography

Things seemed to be going smoothly, but in October I was terminated from my job... Pat and I scrambled as quickly as possible and made a responsible financial plan. Remarkably, we made it for a month on his income and my meager unemployment checks until I found a new, awesome job. The constant stress of job searching is not something I wish upon anyone. The feeling of not contributing in a new marriage is terrible, but I did what I could to have the Mr. come home to a clean house, dinner on the table and tomorrow's lunch in the fridge. (And I watched the Today Show everyday, Miss ya Reg!)
So, as this hectic year is fizzling out... I say "Good-bye" and "Don't let the door hit you on the way out!"
2012 is going to be a great year... I can feel it!

Note: Today's post inspiration was provided by Reverb11 Inspiration to review 2011 and all you accomplished in it. Check it out and participate if you like!