some people do christmas cards…

tonight i started to put away the christmas decorations, and before i can pack the season away, i need to take care of something….

ringing in 2012 urbanfam style at bradley’s.
the laziest weekend kansas city ever did see.
salt lake city ski trip. rack city. mason doing the robot. sick little buddies. mason learning how to ski. me finally relaxing enough to ski. will putting that breadstick in his coveralls.
radiohead in kansas city. the first of many retrospective moments this year.
less company than our first six months here, but always high quality.
lots of home projects started…a decent amount of them compleated.
my 30th birthday weekend with all so many of my very favorite people in one place.
first ever lake edition triple b’s and double d’s weekend bookclub. please get here again soon. i call next?
40 miles on the current river. sleeping on a sandbar. with 5 of my favorite people. while bryce hung out in his underwear because i forgot to pack extra pants.
kansas city trip, guest room surfing (you know you’re an adultish when..) and fiona apple.
fiona apple.fiona apple.fiona apple.
i love her. i have loved her since i was 15. every song of every album reminds me of something. a boy, a moment, a dear group of friends.  she looked so frail and broken, but her eyes were full of fire. seeing her live had been at the top of my list for a long time and she did not disappoint. i couldn’t have gone with a better crowd. it was an amazing, cleansing night.
scuba certification and my introduction to the strange world of ozark scuba diving.
HAWAII!!!!!! i am not sure what else to say here. what a dreamy, fun, relaxing vacation. unlike any vacation i had taken before and has likely changed the way that i will vacation from here on out. there are too many amazing things to do in the world to sit in a pool bar for 5 solid days, getting wastefd. there is a time and a place for everything. hawaii is the farthest i have ever traveled from home (i think, i suck at geography) and the hike, was the longest hike i have ever been on (FACT). if we make it back it will be specifically for hiking and we will pack better shoes. we went scuba diving for the first time ever in the ocean.
oh yeah, and we celebrated our first anniversary, so that was pretty awesome.
anyday turned one and that meant a lot to me.
when liz and i met up for the kc reunion we got brotats in honor of ahoy! and in celebration of our sisterfriendship. #ab
leaving kc after that weekend was the most homesick i had been in a while. it had been years since we all did our thing, together, in kc.
i also put bryce on an airplane that weekend out of kc, and thus the traveling began.
the 3^rd annual bryce is still younger than all of us camping trip at truman lake. “don’t be stingy on the bottles for passing”
the election. it was a nonevent for me this year. i paid more attention, thought more and was more informed this year than ever before. i voted and i was relieved, but it was no 2008. a lot changes in four years.
the girls coming down from kc to help me get stuff done before the holidays were upon us. thank you! thank you! thank you!
thanksgiving at ryan and di’s. we should probably just call is tractor and shot gun day from here on out. a very nice, very relaxing day with family.
friendsthankgiving- italian style was a hit. it will be hard to top. and the company- top notch. g+e, so good to spend time with you both. and i love the rest of you guys too, you guys. (RUM PONG)
the next time i saw bryce, was the next time i saw g+e, in st.louis, for their wedding. bryce and i packed in a lot of st.louis in a short time. the wedding was beautiful. your vows still wow me. and the awkward dance off is something i will never forget. i love love.
i celebrated my year anniversary at work. got some amazing recognition from my peers and mentors and topped it off with a promotion. there is rarely a dull day at work. it challenges me nonstop, always keeps me on my toes and with my wheels moving. i also get to work with people that i respect and look up to. i am very, very happy to be where i am, doing what i do. and they let me do it while i am singing or yelling or dancing.
decorating my house with my mama, granny and aunt. i have loved having my mom’s decorations this year. and have all ready begun to stock up for a little more of my own stuff next year.
however, i love me some shiney brights. the tree will be the last thing to come down.
this is the first year in my adult life that i have had a christmas tree at my house and i have really enjoyed it and look forward to decorating again next year.
someone remind me that i want to have an ornament making party.
this year my family came here for christmas. my mom, sister, niece, nephew and my sister’s boyfriend stayed with us for a week. i loved having them all here. it is the first time we have had a house full of family. that gang got larger on christmas, as we had my mom’s side down for lunch and presents. i really loved cooking with my family and having them all in my home.
once presents were opened, bryce and i headed over to his brother’s for the butler family christmas. there was an oven situation, but i was not worried! the corn casserole, wedge salad, roasted veggies and mac and cheese did not disappoint! with the boys and baby girl, christmas is like an explosion! very good times indeed.
so very thankful for my arkanfriends. thanks for keeping me sane, letting me hang out at your house all the time, helping with the pups, meeting me for dinner  and  making me laugh. i think there are some more friends to be made.
bryce has traveled a ton in the last quarter of this year. i have probably spent more time alone in the last 4 months than i have in my entire life. it has been challenging, upsetting, enlightening, annoying and informative. it is not ideal. but, it is what it is and it will be over at some point.
you like that wishy-washy optimism? me too!

in last year’s post i asked 2012 to “be kind and prove me wrong, prove that you aren’t the kind of year i feel life you might be.” i don’t remember now what kind of year i thought it was going to be
2012 turned out for me to be the year to grow up and be brave.
it was a beautiful year, with lots of growth and with that has come some pain. it is hard to be lonely here in the sticks. in kansas city, when bryce was gone, i had 12 people to fill his void. when he is home, i have him to fill theirs. being without both is something that i am not used to, but it is important for me to learn to be comfortable and productive and inspired, even when i am alone.
in 2013 i will strive to live a balanced life, as i feel this year is going to keep me on my toes.

happy new year friend. may your 2013 be whatever you need it to be.

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