2012

This year has been weird.

Ups and downs, good times and bad, moments that went by too quickly and others that lingered too long - it felt like an emotional roller coaster. A lot of it was my own fault: I take things personally, I read into things, I cry... the list goes on. (Understatement of the year.)

But 2012 also brought a lot of change. Change that I wasn't necessarily prepared for or ever wanting to experience. Change that still hurts to think about and leaves me wondering at night. Sadly, I don't know if 2013 will provide resolutions to some of these unsettled feelings.

What I do know is that I am ready to move forward. The past twelve months have given me great perspective and I'm actively working on building a thicker skin.

Okay, okay... enough of the blog post blues. Let's get to the good stuff, shall we?!

In keeping with tradition (meaning I've done it once) I wanted to provide y'all with some of my favorite memories from the last year. Without further ado, this is Not Your Mama's Year in Review!

JANUARY

An epic night out with some of my favorite ladies was the perfect way to kick off 2012. How could you not love karaoke, comedy and margaritas? My point exactly.

FEBRUARY

Quick - what is the perfect excuse for a half day at work? To catch a flight to Las Vegas? You'd be correct! You win... nothing. Sorry!

MARCH
Being able to host a bridal shower for one of my sisters was absolutely wonderful. Getting to co-host with my other sister? Take that "absolutely wonderful" and times it by two. It should also be noted that Mr. Malone and I hit the 7-year mark in our relationship in 2012. BOOM!

APRIL

I think it would be down right inappropriate to say anything other than our trip to The Big Island. It was a perfect week away: sand, sun, tropical drinks, golf and absolutely NO thinking about work. Amen!

MAY

Wedding season has begun! My sister Julia tied the knot at the most iconic spot in Seattle - jealous much?!

JUNE

A much needed, and LONG overdue, reunion with my college buddies in Bend, Oregon. Weekends like this cannot happen every two years - it's too long to wait!

JULY

Um, hello?! THE OLYMPICS. Duh.

{via}

AUGUST

Mr. Malone and I knocked out THREE weddings, including back-to-back weekends in Portland. My Dougie skills have never been better.

SEPTEMBER

Lordy bee, our trip down South was easily the highlight. The only thing that would have made it more enjoyable? A Husky victory. (Only 38 points off... so close!)

Fun fact: Pitch Perfect was filmed at LSU

OCTOBER

Wedding season is officially complete! It started with family and ended with family, as my cousin married one of the funkiest dudes this side of the Mississippi.

NOVEMBER

Ye Olde Leavenworth Weekend. Crisp air, crunchy leaves, and two dear friends. 'Nuff said.

DECEMBER
How am I supposed to choose between multiple birthday celebrations, an engagement, and a white Christmas?! Easy... I don't!

Cheers to 2013!

Fangirl

OH. MY. GOODNESS.

I was just sitting at my desk, minding my own business, when my phone blew up with a Twitter notification.

SAY WHAT?!

Honestly, do other people get this excited when famous people respond to a tweet? I'm trying to keep my cool, but it's pretty darn difficult.

I think it goes without saying that I'm even MORE excited for tonight's show.

Motivation

{via}

Well, I did it. I'd been thinking about it for awhile now, so I went ahead and bit the bullet. Yours truly will be taking part in the Rock 'n' Roll Seattle Half Marathon in June.

This will be my third time running a half marathon and, like the previous two times, I'm nervous. But I am also really excited. I have always found greater motivation when there is something to work up to.

Keep your fingers crossed that I don't collapse over the Alaskan Way Viaduct. And if you happen to see someone hobbling along, please stop... I probably need a ride.

Merry Merry

Family. Laughter. Justin Bieber. The Palm Springs of Washington. Farkel. Good food. Pajamas. Keeping warm by the fire. A Seahawks victory. Cards Against Humanity. Love. Snow. Irish Coffee. Deliciousness.

Sad to see you go, Christmas. Cannot wait to see you in 2013.

Anjelah: Round Two

Remember how much I loved this day? Thankfully, it's being re-created. (Not in its entirety!)

Anjelah Johnson. My best girls. Tomorrow.

{via}

Welcome to King Burger... where we can do it your way, but don't get crazy!

Read It: Restoration

 This is not a book review, but something much greater than that. It is a blog post I stumbled upon in regards to the senseless act of violence that occurred in Connecticut. It's not supposed to work like this - parents should never have to live past their children, especially when their children are so young. Here is hoping these tragedies end... and let them end quickly.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

"Restoration" by Kelle Hampton

This past weekend has held a lot of tears. We’ve seen them on TV, we’ve shed them in our home, we’ve shared them with so many across this country. I’ve memorized the faces of those lost, and I’ve envisioned they were my babies, forcing myself to imagine the tiniest fraction of these parents’ pain as if it carries a bit of their burden, as if it relieves their suffering. It doesn’t.

I returned to one of my latest reads this weekend, Brene Brown’s Daring Greatly, dog-eared and highlighted in many places, one specifically related to this kind of tragedy and the vulnerability that arises from it. Brown refers to her research of families who have lost children and experienced unspeakable traumas in life and what she learned from them: “Don’t squander joy. We can’t prepare for tragedy and loss. When we turn every opportunity to feel joy into a test drive for despair, we actually diminish our resilience. Yes, softening into joy is uncomfortable. Yes, it’s scary. Yes, it’s vulnerable. But every time we allow ourselves to lean into joy and give in to those moments, we build resilience and we cultivate hope. The joy becomes part of who we are, and when bad things happen—and they do happen—we are stronger.” (from Daring Greatly, Gotham Books, 2012)

We all are feeling raw, exposed, hurt and confused because yes, this could happen to any one of us. Enjoying moments with our families this past weekend may have felt awkward, not right, not fair.  We all feel broken for the families who have experienced this tragedy. But we are not desperate. Fear will not win. Hate will never prevail.

I attended a child’s funeral this year—a heart-wrenching experience to say the least. I’ll never forget her daddy’s words as he stood, voice trembling, from the podium and asked one thing of friends and family: “Please don’t speak about her in past tense. Please don’t put her on a shelf as someone who was. She IS and always will be.”

The twenty children who died and the teachers and school workers who sacrificed their lives to save them ARE. They exist, in the present and in the future, their stories preserved, retold and cherished by all that love them. They stand as a constant reminder to all of us that the world needs more compassion, more love, more reaching in, more stretching out, more thought, more connection, more community.

Friends in New York talk about the aftermath of 9-11. How in the days that followed the tragedy, the city was drenched in love—people stopping in the streets to hug, eyes connecting, smiles reassuring, and thousands of kindness acts expressed because people needed each other. The callouses of routines and jobs and things and money had been removed and what lay raw and exposed was vulnerability—the need we all share to love and be loved. New York might never be the same after that day, but eventually people returned to old habits. In a hurry, consumed, unaware—scabs that cover what hurts to be exposed.

In grieving for these families this week, there is a sense of community and compassion that is present. We’re asking questions about how to make the world better, and we are joining together in our quest for answers. In our pursuit to restore, we are listening and reaching out.  This weekend, I joined with both friends from out of town and friends from our village.  We talked a lot about Connecticut, and we talked about ordinary things too.  There were tears, but there was also laughter.  There was a sunset.  There was a storm.  There was a rainbow.

The family e-mail chain has awakened with lively discussions, quiet friends have emerged through texts and calls, and neighbors have hugged in the streets.  These open arms feel the most comfortable place to be in a world that seems scary right now.

The only thing I know to do is to fall more into love—to draw close to things that are good, the people and places and experiences that draw the best from me. To honor the children and teachers that are lost, I pay attention to the children and teachers, friends and strangers who have not been lost.

There are questions to be answered, issues to be discussed, concerns to be addressed.  Yes, we can do more.  But we will always be vunerable.  We are always at risk of losing what we love.  And the only way to soften that pain is to keep loving.

From "A Brief for the Defense" by Jack Gilbert:

"We must have the stubbornness to accept our gladness in the ruthless
furnace of this world. To make injustice the only
measure of our attention is to praise the Devil.
If the locomotive of the Lord runs us down,
we should give thanks that the end had magnitude.
We must admit there will be music despite everything.
We stand at the prow again of a small ship
anchored late at night in the tiny port
looking over to the sleeping island: the waterfront
is three shuttered cafés and one naked light burning.
To hear the faint sound of oars in the silence as a rowboat
comes slowly out and then goes back is truly worth
all the years of sorrow that are to come."

(From Refusing Heaven, Knopf 2005)
The poem in its entirety is worth the read. 

I've never liked the phrase "moving on" after tragedy.  We don't move on.  We move forward, taking memories, precious faces and stories, and the things we're learning with us.  As we move forward into the holidays this week, let us have the stubbornness to accept and hear the music among "the ruthless furnace of this world."  Let us find ways to offer compassion and the humility to receive it.

Again, I am thankful for this community here.  How we all are listening and sharing our stories.  How we are learning.

Birthday Fun

And what a fun birthday it was! Mr. Malone, along with family & friends, certainly knew how to make me feel loved this past Tuesday.

{birthday flowers}

{eggnog cupcake & a skinny peppermint mocha}

{amazing dinner}

{made-to-order doughnuts}

{elf - the musical}

{snow globe set}

And the fun continued through the weekend, where I got to sing my little heart out with my best gals. (Sadly, I am still feeling the effects of a night out on the town.)

54 or 55?

My heart is so full.

Mr. Malone's brother got engaged this weekend!

(Insert tears of joy, insane arm flailing, and squeals of delight here.)

In the 5+ years I have known Landon, I don't know if I've ever seen him as happy as he is with Nay Nay.

And Nay Nay? Well, I think she is amazing and will make the most wonderful addition, as #54 or #55, to the Malone family. (Selfishly, I like knowing I have a date to the glassybaby seconds sale for the rest of time.)

J & S - I just really can't describe how perfect I think you two are for one another. So looking forward to all of the fun to be had in the future. Congratulations!

Who's Who in Whoville?

Just what I needed - a girls' night in with Dr. H and MiMi. 

Featuring: 

- Chocolate peppermint cookies

- Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas (hence the clever blog post)

- Holiday wine charms

- Salted caramels

- One-pot pasta (thanks, Martha!)

- Wine (to go with the aforementioned wine charms)

- Logo Quiz

 - Holiday cheer

NUTELLA SEA SALTED CARAMELS
*Via bell'alimento

14 Tbsp unsalted butter
3/4 C light brown sugar
1/2 C sugar
3/4 C light corn syrup
2 Tsp sea salt
1/4 C heavy cream
2 Tsp vanilla extract
2 Tbsp Nutella
Fleur de sel, to garnish

*In a heavy bottomed sauce pan, combine butter, sugars, corn syrup, sea salt & cream.
*Bring to a boil until sugars are dissolved and mixture is combined.
*Using a candy thermometer, watch mixture until it reaches 230 degrees.
*Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and Nutella.
*Allow to cool for a couple of minutes. Pour into an 8x8 pan that has been lined with parchment paper.
*Again, allow to cool. Sprinkle with fleur de sel and refrigerate for several hours.

Yet another photo app I've discovered - Snapseed.

Hump Day Happenings

{amen to that}

{ridiculously cute note cards}

 

{my twitter is blowing up}

Beauty Finds

I've been using Clinique makeup for as long as I can remember. (And by makeup, I mean powder & blush.) The only other thing I wear is mascara, but I go for anything from the drugstore. (Don't judge!)

The other day, I got hounded stopped by the nice folks at Laura Mercier. The artist showed me some pretty basic steps to accentuating my deep-set eyes (who knew?) and I was impressed with how little time it seemed to take. However, I was still intimidated by the eyeliner she showed me, as it was liquid and required a brush to apply. Needless to say, I wasn't brave enough to leave with it!

{Eye Base - Wheat}

Seeing as how I don't wear eyeshadow on a regular basis, I'm using this for balancing the color on my lids. I used it this morning - it totally looks like I'm wearing something, but I'm not! So deceiving!

{Lip Plumper - Wildberry}

I was in the market for some new lip gloss, and this one is great. It's not sticky and smells wonderful. The color is perfect, too.

Maybe these new finds will inspire me to do a little bit more with my makeup regime. Who knows?!

Weekend Rewind

Well, my faithful followers, what is the verdict?

Not the best picture, I know, but I'm pretty pleased with the end result. (As a reminder, this is what I was going for.) Added bonus? I was crazy comfortable the entire night. So comfortable, in fact, that bowling happened post-holiday party.

 

 Mr. Malone and I hit up brunch at Salty's on Saturday. Good Lord, how does one choose what to eat?! I cannot wait to go back - not only for the food, but for the view. We were pretty lucky that the rain stayed at bay while we were there.

After brunch, and after changing into sweatpants, Christmas came to the Malone household! No tree yet, but the dining & living rooms are complete.

And the weekend wouldn't have been complete without the Nordstrom holiday party. Mama Jewski and I sipped champagne while racking up the points. Looking forward to a Nordstrom Note (or two!) coming my way!

Enjoy the week, my friends!

Culinary Tomfoolery

I don't know where the inspiration (cough - Pinterest, foodgawker, and Punchfork - cough) came from, but I've been trying out some fun new recipes.

{Mexican Quinoa}

This quinoa was delicious, and a nice way to spice up taco night. I opted for no cilantro & added some diced bell pepper. Perfect leftovers for lunch AND Mr. Malone approved!

{Gruyere Asparagus Tarts}

How can you really go wrong with puff pastry & cheese? (A universal question, I know.) However, this is one of those recipes where the actual cooking time was WAY different than what the recipe called for. My puff pastry became golden brown really quickly. I'm thinking next time I may bake at a lower temperature, along with adding more cheese! I finished these off with a balsamic reduction... the flavors were killer. (Gross, I sounded like Guy Fieri right there.)

- happy weekend, kiddos -

Fashionista?

Obviously, this is not me. (Unless I've been looking in some weird mirrors for the past 26 years.)

What this is, however, is the look I'm trying to achieve for my company's holiday party tomorrow night. I was planning on borrowing a dress from my sister, Julia, but just wasn't 100% about it. 

Lucky for me, I scored some sweet deals on the skirt & blouse - last minute, too!

Don't you just love the holidays!?

Sunday Snapshots

{pulled pork in the crock pot}

{Irish coffee prep}

{Apple Cup}

{Tastes like Christmas}

{can't wait}

Thankful

As I sit in bed this morning, it's hard to ignore all of the things I am thankful for. (At this point in time, however, my number one is the DayQuil that is about to kick in.)

I wouldn't be who I am today without Mr. Malone, our families, our friends, and a kick ass fantasy football league that I'm trying desperately to win. (It's rivalry week... Mr. Malone is going down!)

Hope you all have a marvelous Thanksgiving!

Nuts & Bolts

My favorite thing about Thanksgiving is the heavenly mixture of Chex cereal, pretzels & peanuts. No, this ain't your mama's Chex mix. I'm talking Nuts & Bolts here, people.

"But Lauren, what about the turkey?" Fuhgeddaboudit!

"Not even pumpkin pie?" Fuhgeddaboudit!

This recipe is so good, it obviously brings out the New Yorker in me.

Do yourself a favor this holiday season - spend a Sunday making multiple batches of this and share with those you love. WARNING: Have dental floss ready.

NUTS & BOLTS

*Via Mama Jewski

1 Tbsp whole mustard seed

1/3 C unsalted butter

1 Tbls Worcestershire

1 Tsp chili powder

1 Tsp cinnamon

5 C Chex cereal (Use any combination you like - I prefer 2 cups Corn, 2 cups Rice and 1 cup Wheat)

1 C salted peanuts, no skins

1 C stick pretzels (Yes, stick pretzels!)

*Put Chex, pretzels and peanuts on an ungreased cookie sheet. Set aside.

*In a small saucepan over low heat, combine butter & mustard seed. Keep covered and cook until seeds pop. (This takes awhile. Unfortunately, you need to be patient. It's the perfect time to open a beer!)

*Once the seeds have popped, remove the pan from heat.

*Add Worcestershire. This will steam... be careful!

*Add chili powder to the sauce pan and stir to combine.

*Pour sauce over the cereal mixture and stir gently.

*Sprinkle cinnamon over the cereal.

*Bake in a 300 degree oven for 30 minutes, stirring every 10. (Ovens will vary. Check after 7-8 minutes.)

*Let cool completely on paper towels and store in an airtight container. (Tastes even better on day two or three!)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Fancy Friday

I'm looking forward to a dinner party with these two ladies, the newest Twilight movie (for comic relief), and a day of baking!

{fine china, for the win}

{homemade wine charms}

{the main course for tonight}