Another One in the Books

It happens once a year, and today is the day. The day when snow comes to Abilene. As I sit by the fire in our living room, watching the flakes blanket the frozen grass outside, I think about the year that has passed, and the new one to come.

2014 was a banner year for me. I climbed a mountain, traveled throughout France for the second summer in a row, watched as two good friends moved back to my hometown, another friend get married, and another get ready to be a mama. I lost a grandparent and fell in the streets of Paris after a big night. I lost a dog, gained a cat, then lost him, too. I huddled around a beach fire in Northern California, and shot my lowest golf score ever (89). There were some stumbles along the way (some literal), but moving forward into the new year, I want to cherish the good and accept the bad. That's part of being in my mid-20s, isn't it? Taking each experience and learning, growing, and believing that I can be a better person, a truer person, in the future.

We've all heard the expression, "life is no dress rehearsal." If I make one resolution, it will be to internalize this sentiment: to be present in every moment. To not worry about making plans or what will come in the future, but rather to be hopefully expectant and enjoy the views along the way.

I have a feeling 2015 is going to be amazing, with a first stop in Central America, and then perhaps a jaunt through Europe in the summer with my cousin. Who knows what will come after or in between? This girl is bolstered for anything. So bring it, 2015, I'm ready for ya.

Mount Eisenhower Hike, aka How to Be Sore for a Week

About to start! So innocent, so young.

Last Sunday, between wiping sweat from my eyes and deciding which rock to place my foot on next, I silently cursed the mountain I had foolishly agreed to climb that morning. My dad was some feet below me, my brother already at the top, and my thighs burned. Mount Eisenhower sits on the western side of the Coachella Valley, and looks beautiful from the lunch terrace at El Dorado Country Club. But climbing it is a different story.

My dad, brother and I set off that morning around 8am, and the mountain slowly sloped until we were scrambling up rocky terrain. It reminded me exactly of day 4 on Kilimanjaro, and I told my dad as much. John had already climbed ahead--the marine wanting to be at the top in under an hour--as we lagged behind.

"This first third is the steepest part," my dad said from below, remembering when he climbed it many years before. I was going a little faster now, my legs remembering how to climb, my hands wanting to clasp the next rock ahead of me. I can do this, I thought, it's not so bad.

Unfortunately, Dad and I were both wrong. We reached the peak of the first section, only to find nothing more than very steep and very rocky terrain to the top. There was no trail. Only red flags to mark where the trail should have been. We thought we lost the main trail somewhere along the way, but couldn't be sure.

The views were pretty great though.

Dad and I stopped to rest a few times, sip some water, and yell for John. He never responded, out of hearing range we supposed, and we kept climbing. About thirty feet from the top (this is only my estimation), I almost fell. A huge boulder was perched on the side of the slope, and I hoped to God it didn't fall on me. I had visions of James Franco in that movie where the a giant rock pins his arm and he has to cut it off with a pocket knife. I didn't have a knife, and this boulder would instead probably pin my head and kill me. That's when I decided to turn around. I sat as best I could on the loose rock and little footing, and shouted to Dad that I was ready to call it. He agreed.

John met us a few minutes later, descending with all the gracefulness of a mountain lion on the rocky slope. We hobbled down, and two hours later were back in the car, exhausted, legs aching, bleeding a little bit, and vowing never to climb that mountain again. My hiking days may not be over, but I'd say they are in Palm Desert. That mountain got the best of me, and for now I'm completely fine with it. I'd rather enjoy it from the terrace, anyway.

Probably getting irritable.

Finally down...I only smiled to prevent the tears from coming.

{Five Things}

A California sunset, complete with palm trees.

I've been so MIA this week it isn't even funny. Though I have been getting amazing news from THREE of my friends who got engaged. I'm very excited for everyone and can't wait for all the weddings next year! Here are some things that made me happy this week in SoCal.

Hope you had a Merry Christmas!

Brother got to ride in a biplane

Presents under the "tree."

Yummy perfume and a pretty scarf on Christmas morning.

What's left of an orange grove on the golf course.

{Five Things}

Clocks in an antique store.

Today, I'm off to sunny California to spend Christmas with my family. It's so unlike us to not have Christmas in Texas, but I'm looking forward to the change up. My brothers come out in a few days and we're going to play golf and tennis, hike the nearest big hill, and probably eat way more than is good for us. One of these trips will be the last one with just the five of us, and I mean to enjoy every one. Luckily, it's not too difficult in Palm Desert.

Have a great weekend! And happy last-minute shopping!

I Love Lucy Christmas Special on a cozy evening.

Christmas confections

My favorite piece from an art show this week.

Gold leaf decorations. (Can you spy a blogger in the mirror?)

Ornament Swap

There are a lot of themed parties this time of year that involve gift giving and merriment. Activities like Secret Santa, white elephant and scarf exchanges all bring friends together to celebrate the holidays. My friends and I did an ornament exchange on Tuesday for the first time. The reason it was the first time is because it's the first time we've all lived in the same town since freshman year of high school. I hosted lunch on Tuesday, and to make it easy, everyone brought their own food. Though I didn't cook, I did buy some christmas cookies from United (my favorite) and made our dining room table table as fun and festive as I could in about 10 minutes.

Since two of us had to go back to work, we began the ornament exchange pretty quickly after eating. My friend Katie had done this before, so she was the one who drew names for everyone a few weeks ago. It was actually perfect. Everyone's gifts were so personalized, and we all had incredible luck finding unique ornaments that fit the personalities of our respective person. Mine is so wonderful and cute and I wish I had a tree this year to hang it on. After we all opened our presents, we spent a few more minutes chatting about Christmas plans and when we were going to get together after the holidays. In a very "life comes full circle" sort of way, it's weird to think that the four of us have been friends since elementary school. And here we are, almost two decades later, living in Abilene and exchanging ornaments as good friends. I'm so grateful to have them here, and for the Christmas season that seems to bring out the magic in every little thing.

Am I right? So cute!

Monday Meals: Parmesan Risotto with Turkey and Mushrooms

I'd never cooked risotto before this weekend. The most I understood about it was that it's a little bit like rice, but seemed much more complicated. This weekend, I planned to make something mouthwatering and savory, and risotto popped into my head. Saturday night, after a long day of work, I strapped on my chef's hat and decided to try out some risotto. The package I bought had all the spices and everything already in it, so all I had to do was boil water and stir a couple times. It's amazing how easy cooking can be. Next time I'd like to try one of these special risottos. But for a relaxing Saturday night, a simple recipe with turkey and mushrooms turned into the satisfying and simple dinner I was hoping for.

Kinda messy, but good.

All you do is saute mushrooms and onions on the stove with garlic, butter and a little dry white wine, cook the turkey in a separate skillet, and add to mushrooms once it is done. Pile on top of the risotto, et voila!

Recent Reads

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

I can't talk about this book with people. It's too emotional and moving, and I cannot accurately convey how the story will affect every person that has a heart. In one of the most compelling books I've read this year, Hillenbrand documents Louie Zamperini's 1936 Olympic journey, then his time in Japanese POW camps after being shot down in the Pacific in 1942. There isn't a word to describe the horrendous episodes he and the other men went through. Angelina Jolie directed the movie, coming out Christmas Day, and I'm curious to see her interpretation. Everyone is going to be talking about this, so you should read it. Now. Right now.

Still Life by Louise Penny

I was feeling weird after I finished Unbroken. It's like dating after a bad breakup; I wasn't emotionally stable to jump right into another relationship. So after a few weeks when I was ready, I picked up this. A murder in a small town in Canada brings Chief Inspector Gamache up from Quebec to investigate. I don't know if it was translated from French, or what, but I was underwhelmed, and found myself wanting to finish this whodunit as quickly as I could.

All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

I finished this book the other week, and I loved it. It's about a blind French girl in World War 2 who has to flee Paris with her father when the Nazis occupy the city. Her story is intertwined with a German youth who is brilliant at fixing radios, and works for the German army finding illegal radio frequencies. Their stories collide and it is war-riddled and poignant. Doerr is a beautiful writer, with gems like this: "If only life were like a Jules Verne novel, thinks Marie-Laure, and you could page ahead when you most needed to, and learn what would happen." This is a great read for Christmas break.

Yes Please by Amy Poehler

Such a delightful read by my favorite, Leslie Knope. Though she claims to be a mediocre writer, I think she's being humble because her voice is clear, funny and lovable. Her chapter about Parks and Rec made me laugh out loud at a coffee shop in DC and people were staring because I couldn't stop. So maybe save that chapter for the privacy of your own home. Unless you're reading it aloud to friends, then I think it's okay. Anyway, she gives some great advice about finding your currency and being a strong woman. I'd say she's a pretty down-to-earth, cool mom who loves what she does. It's refreshing to read someone who is like that in the throws of Hollywood. The parts about SNL are pretty great too.

Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle

I finally downloaded the entire Sherlock Holmes collection, and am slowly working my way through A Study in Scarlet. As you may remember, I am obsessed with the BBC version, so it's fun to read the real thing. I wondered if it would be difficult to read, but Doyle's writing is as crisp as a fall day. I recommend picking up even just the first story or two for a fun read. Sherlock has permeated so much of current culture that you may be surprised to find out how much you already known about him. Especially if you've seen the Robert Downey Jr. movie.


P.S.