Reflections on 2012

Today is the last day of 2012.

It is amazing to look back on the year and remember everything I experienced, accomplished, and enjoyed. It truly was a year of blessings, new adventures and hard-work. 

Here is the break-down:

In January I started my final semester of law school and Al and I celebrated our first year of marriage. In February we PCS'd to Ft. Carson, Colorado and in March I spent Spring Break in Colorado getting settled in. At the beginning of April, I was fortunate enough to travel to Washington D.C. (a beloved city) and coach a moot court competition. Also in April, I took up boxing - something I've always wanted to do - and hope to continue the sport in 2013. On May 1st (less than 24-hours after my last exam), I packed my car and drove the 14-hour drive from Minnesota to Colorado. We were able to celebrate our birthdays together for the first time. Finally, in May, I graduated from law school!!! In June I started a new career in finance, unsure of whether I would enjoy ir or even be any good at it. And at the end of July, after studying most of my summer, I sat for the Colorado Bar Exam. When August rolled around, Al and I made the decision to buy a house (a BIG house!) and in September we moved in and immediately started renovations. In October, I had two wonderful surprises when my favorite people visited from Minnesota and I got the news that I passed the bar exam!! November was mostly centered around work and the house (but I voted) and building our great new friendships. When December rolled around, we were thrilled to visit Minnesota and see family and friends.

At the beginning of the year, I created a list of 12 goals that I wanted to accomplish this year. They were not the standard set of goals, but more like a set of guidelines on how I wanted to live in 2012. You can see the journey as I checked in on those goals throughout the year (click here). I looked back over those goals for one last time today and I am pleased with what I accomplished. Life is fluid and some goals have to be as well, but I got so many wonderful things out of the goals I set for the year that I consider it a success.

For 2013, I decided to simplify those goals a bit and to make them more manageable. I want to head into the new year with a clear focus so I can advance myself professionally and personally and make this year even better than those before. I will debut those goals tomorrow, so stay tuned!

One last reflective thought: In 2008, on New Years Eve, I reconnected with an old friend and invited him to accompany me to a NYE party. We played blackjack with a kiss as the high stakes. We drank and laughed and found that our friendship felt like a little more. That friend is now my husband and I am full of joy knowing that four years after that party, we are lucky enough to curl up in front of our fireplace and toast to the new year together. Now, as the calendar rolls over into 2013, I can hardly wait to see what the new year will hold!

Cheers and Aud Lang Syne.

Almost the end. (Of the year, not the world)

As you can see, the world didn't end. In fact, it continues to spin on its axis, on its orbit around the sun. We got up on the 22nd and went about our days, loving on each other and enjoying the life we're blessed enough to have. Gratefully, we've got more time to soak up those moments, focus on what matters, and leave our mark on the world.

The world didn't end, but the year is going to.

Early this morning (sickeningly early) Al and I put the last few bags in the Budget truck and left for Colorado. The drive is a manageable 14 hours, so we should get home at a reasonable time this evening. Still, after we unload the truck, unpack the necessities, and find the energy to shove a few morsels of food down our gullets, I will be left with just enough energy to crawl upstairs and into my bed. Perhaps still in my jeans. And shoes.

When I wake up tomorrow, however, I start the "year-end wind-up" around the house. This year, that includes unpacking all the new boxes and getting organized. It also includes everything on this list.

My favorites (that I do every year):

1. Do a deep clean of your home.

I did this partially because I hate leaving for vacation and returning to a messy house. But also because it's a good thing to do at the end of the year,

4. Plan meals based on what's already in your fridge and pantry.

Want to hear a secret? We did not spend a single dollar on groceries for the month of December (and some of November), We made our year-end meal plan with the intention of eating anything that was left in our fridge from prior meals and to clear the pantry of soon-to-expire items. It was nice to have those extra funds go to things other than Safeway.

7. Clean out receipts to prepare for taxes. 

For me, this also includes a whole wallet clean-out and recording all year-end expenses.

20. Complete unfinished home projects. 

This does not mean starting new projects, but rather touching up the paint on a previous project, cleaning out the garage mess, and prepping spaces for the new year. That way, when the time and budget comes, the new projects can start!

Use the last few days of 2012 to wind up the year strong and productive. Hope this list gave you some great ideas on how to do that!

Merry Christmas!

Wishing you all a blessed and joyous Christmas and that you may spend it with the ones you love!

Christmas Letter 2012

Last year, I wrote my own Christmas letters for the first time. I have always sent cards, but this was the first time I sent a letter detailing my life's happenings. I included a few photos and inserted that into my typical Christmas card. The response was extremely positive and most people requested a similar letter again. 

This year, I wrote a letter, added some photos and sent them all via e-mail. With our trip home and the chaos leading up to is, we decided it was easier and cheaper to do it that way. It doesn't beat a physical card, hand addressed, and received in the mail, but sometimes you have to make choices. Hopefully, next year I will go back to a more formal card/letter. Still, I wanted to share it with the remaining people in my life: my readers. And what better time than Christmas Eve to share a sweet note with y'all? 

So, grab a glass of eggnog or mulled wine (add kahlua or brandi if you're so inclined) and read my Christmas message to you:

I'll be home for Christmas

This photo of Minnesota is courtesy of TripAdvisor

Early this morning Al and I get on a plane headed for Minnesota to spend the Christmas holiday with family and friends. Neither of us have been home in quite a few months and are looking forward to a relaxing 9 days. 

On a side note: Al and I have never flown together. We have both traveled extensively to visit one another or meet in a common locale, but we have never gotten on a plane, together, bound for the same destination. It's so weird to think that 5 years of travel in our relationship and this is the first time that is happening...

As typical of the holidays, we have a whole lot of fun packed into a short time. Most importantly, I get to see my momma and my sister, have a wine night with my bestie, and spend some time with my new godson (nephew.) It is doubtful I will have too much time to post during the hustle and bustle, so just sit back and enjoy a little tech-free reading instead! (I want to do much of the same!) Hopefully I can work in some time to just relax and enjoy the time away and come back to Colorado refreshed! 

A Quick Swagbucks Interruption

I sat there for a few minutes trying to think of a catchier title: swag-ruption? swagger-ruption? Oh, just say the actual words, idiot. Regardless of the title, this short message is to inform you of some great things going on over at Swagbucks. 

First, if you haven't already, JOIN NOW! Then, check out their winter madness program. For each Swagbucks you claim (based on various winter activities) you will get a chance at a code-bill. Once you've collected all 8 code-bills, you will get an additional 25 FREE Swagbucks! In order to complete these tasks, it would take less than 20 minutes each day to track and enter each code and record them for the big redeem on NYE. 

Want more information? Go here. In the meantime, pick up your daily bucks and a few others just by watching a video or two. Before you know it, you will be cashing in your points for Amazon, Old Navy, Starbucks, or other goods!

Happy Swagging!

Chambanachik's Christmas Giveaway: "A Cozy Christmas Night" Prize Pack

Have you been keeping up with all the amazing giveaways going on over at Chambanachik? Seriously. There are so many amazing prizes even I am totally overwhelmed (in a great way!) 

Well, today is my day! That's right, head over to Erika's blog and enter to win the "A Cozy Christmas Night" giveaway pack sponsored by yours truly. I'm not even going to tease you with a photo of just how cool this prize is - instead, go see for yourself. 

While you're there, leave some love for Erika!

Fashion Friday: Dressing for the Holidays

Today, I put together my suggestions for holiday attire. Whether the event is a work dinner, sitting around the fire on Christmas Eve, or toasting with champagne on NYE, I have the outfit for you. Another added bonus: each outfit is under $100! I hope you enjoy what I came up with! 

Outfit #1

Event: Work Dinner Party

Cost: $98.24

Chunky knit wool sweater (H&M)
Gold chain collar necklace (Forever 21)
Jacquard full skirt (Target)
Gold cap toe pumps (Charlotte Russe)

Outfit #2

Event: Cocktail Party

Cost: $98.94

Ponte shift dress (Target)
Black Shrug (6pm)
Sequin clutch (Gap)
Patent leather pumps (Limited)

Outfit #3

Event: Christmas Eve

Cost: $96.44

Plaid shirt (H&M) 
Charcoal Saturday pant (J.Crew) 
Moccasin slipper (Payless) 
Kahluaccino Drink recipe HERE

Outfit #4

Event: Christmas Day

Cost: $100.50

Knit scoopneck sweater (Old Navy)
Lacquer link necklace (Forever 21)
Scallop-print skinny leg pants (H&M) 
Leopard pump (Forever 21)

Outfit #5

Event: New Years' Eve

Cost: $93.93

Emerald 3/4 tee (H&M)
Hematite tiered necklace & earrings (InPink)

Sequin trim mini skirt (Target)
Suede strappy heel (6pm)

Wordless Wednesday: Touches of Christmas Cheer

Chalkboard File Cabinet Re-do

A few months ago, I bought this gem at the auction for $5. The guts were perfect, it was overall clean and well-maintained. But it was ugly (and didn't match my black & white office theme.) 

 So I decided to paint it black. But not just any black - chalkboard paint black.

Coat 1 - Still splotchy in a few spots, but the paint goes on very easy and dried within 30 minutes.

Coat 2 - pulling the drawers out allowed me to paint edges and corners more easily. It also made the cabinet lighter when I carried it upstairs to my office later that day.

 The finished project! 

The can of paint is $15 and after this project (and one other small one) I still have 2/3 of the can. So, the total cost is approximately $7. The project took less than two hours, including dry time! Seriously, this was so easy!

The hardest part was, undoubtedly, finding chalk. I went to 7 stores. Yes, seven. Even Wal-mart was sold out, so I ended up finding it at Office Depot (and bought two boxes so I never have to look again!)

And, of course, my chalk writing needs some serious work. I see tons of pins and ladies who do a lot of chalkboard projects and they can do all sorts of beautiful lettering and designs. I doubt I'll have the time to really hone that skill. Whatever. 

I love my new file cabinet. Next up: building a new file system complete with color coding and labels! Sounds like a great Christmas break project!

12 in 2012: Month in Review

It is amazing that I only have one month left in 2012 to accomplish these goals. 
Here is my month-in-review for November:

1. Speak up.

(No longer applicable. See previous months.)

2. Spend less.

Again, my spending has been limited to thrift store buys here and there. With the holidays, our trip home to Minnesota, and continued projects on the house, we just don't have extra funds for any crazy spending.

3. Spread the Love.

I sent e-cards for Christmas. I made cookie packs for both sets of employers, and I have been going a little shopping crazy for the holidays! So much fun!

4. Snap it.

I need to do some serious back-tracking on uploading these photos. I have about 23 days left in the year and I am close to 100 photos short. Yikes!! Check out my album on Facebook. 

5. Spice it Up.

We have set up our meal plan for the rest of the year to be a handful of go-to meals and to finish off our freezer meals. We want to leave for Minnesota with an empty fridge and have room to bring back some pork and beef from the farm. Plus, no one wants to have food spoil while their on vacation!

6. Sweat.

I lost 12 lbs. while Al was at NTC, but I have no idea how or why. I don't feel like I changed a single thing about my lifestyle, other than less meals out with friends. I am happy with the weight loss, but I can't genuinely contribute it to "sweat" per se.

7. Stamp It.

I will get the tattoo after the holiday. It is simply not in the funds for me to get before then.

8. See the Sights.

A girlfriend and I attended a roller derby game here in the city. I have also spent quite a bit of time driving through new neighborhoods and finding new hole-in-the-walls stores to browse. So fun!

9. Style it.

I have a couple great things in mind for Fashion Friday in the upcoming year, but for now I am enjoying sharing outfits and fashion inspiration here and there.

10. Save space.

Many, many projects in the works, but nothing coming together post-wise. Stay tuned for a couple DIY's this week, though.

11. Slow down.  12. Sleep more.

Check and check. At least as much as anyone can.

Mel's Big List of Miscellaney

Did y'all forget about the rest of this series? Well, hopefully, the delay will be rewarded with this massive post of awesome links. This list is basically everything else I didn't share in the other lists. Consider it the leftovers (but in the awesome way that only re-heated holiday leftovers are) of the Big Lists.

{You should have seen my "links to share" folder of my bookmarks. If you think this list is a lot to chew on, this is probably a third of the original. So, I took a lot of time to really pare down the nonsense and provide only the best of the best!}

On fashion:
8 Cheap Ways to Update Your Wardrobe (Wisebread)
Building a Work Wardrobe on a Small Budget (The Grindstone)
The Everygirl's List of Fashion Essentials (Part One, Two, & Three)

On business: 
50 Things I've Learned as an Entrepreneur (FWW)
How to Network (Corporette)
Make your Business Work for You (The Daily Muse)
Manage two Personal Brands (The Daily Muse)
Use CVMaker to Revamp your Resume (Lifehacker)

On productivity:
7 Productivity Myths Debunked (Lifehacker)
8 Ways Goofing-off Increases Productivity (Forbes)
50+ Better Questions than How to be More Productive (Productive Flourishing)
Keep an Online and Paper To-Do List (DayTimer Blog)
Know what you Pay in your Time (Wisebread)

On blogging: 
6 Ways to Manage Social Media (VMacandCheese)
How to Make a Media Kit that Rocks (TheBlogMaven)
Use these 5 Boosters to Grow your Blog and Brand (IHOD)

On finance:
Discover your Money Values (The Everygirl)
The Four Pillars of Personal Finance (DQYDJ.net)
Rebuild your Credit (Wisebread)
What is the Fiscal Cliff? (Wisebread)(and Calculate your tax increase possibilities)

On technology:
Clean-up your Digital Clutter (Unclutterer) and then Streamline your Online Life (The Daily Muse)
Decide between iOS and Android (or PC) (Tech.YourWay)
Organize the Photos in your Computer (Tech.YourWay)

On travel:
Essentials for all the bags you may carry (Everygirl)
How to Plan a Stree-Free Return from Vacation (Unclutterer) and Get Back in the Work Groove when you Return (Careful Cents)

On all the rest: 
15 Free Ways to Learn Something New (Wisebread)
25 Things I Learned in my 20's (Thought Catalog)
43 Things Children Teach Us (Finding Joy)
Transform into a Morning Person (ugh!) (CBSnews.com)
Understand BMI and how to track yours (Healthy Homefront)

My Christmas Wishlist: PART 4

Books

Lifestyle:
The Art & Power of Being a Lady - Noelle Cleary (Amazon)
The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World - Eric Weiner (Amazon)
The Procrastination Equation: How to Stop Putting Things Off and Start Getting Stuff Done - Ph.D. Piers Steel (Amazon) 

I Don't Know How to Cook: 300 Recipes you Can't Mess Up - Mary-Lane Kamberg (Amazon)

Professional/Work:
Lincoln on Leadership: Executive Strategies for Tough Times - Donald T. Phillips (Amazon)
Basic Black: The Essential Guide to Getting Ahead at Work (and in life)  - Cathie Black (Amazon)
Family Wealth - James E. Hughes Jr. (Amazon)

Fashion:
How to Look Expensive: A Beauty Editors Secrets to Getting Gorgeous without Breaking the Bank - Andrea Pomerantz Lustig (Amazon)
Wear this Now - Michelle Madhok (Amazon)
Lessons from Madame Chic: 20 Stylish Secrets I Learned While Living in Texas - Jennifer Scott (Amazon)

Fun Reading: 
The Commoner - John Burnam Schwartz (Amazon)
The Time of Our Lives - Tom Brokaw (Amazon)
Her Fearful Symmetry - Audrey Niffenegger (Amazon)
The Curious Incident of Dog in Nighttime - Mark Haddon (Amazon)

My Christmas Wishlist: PART 3

Big Ticket Items

House:

Wavy rim wooden salad bowl (Target)

Kraftware bar set (Target)

Stemless wine taster set (Target)

Brother basic sewing machine (Amazon)

Slate cheese serving board (WilliamsSonoma)

Me:

O.P.I. Skyfall color collection (Amazon)

Medium zipper wallet in Indigo (Invite.L)

Folding tablet stand & keyboard (Amazon)

Sherpa chevron throw (Kohls)

Remington spiral iron (Ulta)

My Christmas Wishlist: PART 2

Fashion & Accessories:

Cozy:
Moccasin slippers (Gap)
The fireside long jane pajamas - animal print (Victoria Secret)
"Lulu" lush faux fur scarf (Nordstrom)

Glitzy:
Sparkle polka dot tights (H&M)
Rhinestone snake chain bracelet (Forever 21)
Sequin fingerless knit gloves (Alloy)
"Very Sexy" sparkle gift clutch (Victoria Secret)

Fun:
Leopard cat-eye sunglasses (Asos)
Studded crossbody bag (Forever 21)
"Good Fortune" link bracelet (Ruche)
Love languages sweateshirt (Alloy)

Statement pieces:
Leather driving gloves (H&M)
Chain collar necklace (Forever 21)
Leopard print pumps (Forever 21)

My Christmas Wishlist: PART 1

For the next few days, I am going to present my Christmas wishlist. Some of these are silly kitschy items, others are expensive dreams. Either way, they are all items I would like for Christmas (the material things at least!) Perhaps this list will give you ideas for your loved ones or inspire you on how to spend your gift cards!

Stocking Stuffers

{clockwise from upper left}
Left, Center, Right dice game (Amazon)
Stainless Tea Bag Squeezer (Florence Adams
Beauty Rush lip tint marker (Victoria Secret)
"Storm of Sparkles" ring holder (Modcloth)
3-pack sport socks (Victoria Secret)
Mentha lip gloss, C.O. Bigelow (BBW)
Cosmetic pouch (Forever 21)
Leather business-card carrier (CreationsbyAngel/Etsy)
Travel-size stress lotion (BBW)

Sunday Treats

I have been very busy this weekend, planning for our trip home, baking cookies, a few house projects, and keeping up with my normal work tasks. I have enjoyed some great Christmas tunes (and a smattering of football) for background noise and the weather has been sunny and crisp. All in all, a perfect start to December.

Since I am in such a good mood, I wanted to drop in to share a few goodies with you. 

For your ears (and eyes):

I've shared my love of Karmin before, but I can not get over how talented they are! And hello...who doesn't love a good Coach ad (styled by Rachel Zoe...swoon!)

For your mouths: 

Source: grouprecipes.com via Mel on Pinterest

Source: archive.blisstree.com via Mel on Pinterest

Source: cookingclassy.blogspot.com via Mel on Pinterest

Just made these. Amazing. I made no alterations to any of the recipes and I found them to all be delightful! 

For your minds & souls:

Cultivate Simple in a Busy World, via Finding Joy

This week, I have four days of gift lists. They are all things I want, but serve as a great guide for the women in your life.

Soon, I will also share my recent DIY: chalkboard file cabinet. It is currently sitting empty in  my office, but once I get a few hours, I will start filling it up with colorful labels, folders, and all the boring (and not-so-boring) documents that keep our house together.

Finally, I will recap the month of November and the progress on my 12 in 2012 list.

In the meantime, I hope y'all have a wonderful weekend! Cheers.