On A [Christmas Card] Year in Review.

A virtual Christmas Card to You and Yours from Us and Ours,

What a year for us! 20bakersdoz turned out to be just as eventful as expected.

We started off 2013 by parting ways. Adam had just got a job on the Oregon Coast, and I flew back to Missouri to tie up loose ends at my job, sell most of my belongings, and move back to Oregon after over 7 years in the Midwest.

We picked out our apartment after only looking at a couple places, and Adam moved in the first of January with only a mattress given to us by friends.

Before I headed back West, I went south to Galveston for the wedding of my college and post-college roommate, Bethany. We had so much fun playing in the ocean the week leading up to their gorgeous outdoor wedding.

I got to Oregon in early April, and the next 6 weeks were full of wedding prep, pre-marital counseling, and finally having real dates with Adam. My family was amazing in helping so much with the wedding, especially since I was out of state for the majority of the time leading up to it. My sister, Janey, through me an amazing French-themed bachelorette party.

photo by Mason Photography

Finally, May 11 came and we GOT MARRIED! We went to the San Juan Islands for our honeymoon, where we could finally exhale. We also ate some great food and made tons of amazing memories, like kayaking in the ocean with the first Orcas of the season!

Photo by Katie Shroy Photography

Kayak tour by San Juan Kayak Expeditions with our awesome guides AJ and Gina.

June, July and August flew by with youth camps, FINALLY finding a new job, and exploring all around our new little town. We picked a LOT of fresh fruit and berries, and I even caught a fish! I turned 25, finishing up my 25 before 25 list.

Blueberries!

In early October, we flew out to Baltimore to visit family for Adam's dad's retirement. We had such a fun time, and I loved that I was able to see some places Adam lived and worked before he knew me.

We had a super fun Thanksgiving with friends, and are looking forward to a wonderful Christmas with family. We could not have asked for a better year to start our lives together. Happy Christmas!

On Gift Pacts and Christmas Tags.

This is our first married Christmas together, so we are having tons of fun coming up with our own traditions.

We made a gift pact, which basically goes a little like this: only buy gifts that don't hurt other people. This translates that we are trying to only buy from local artists and/or companies that are committed to treating their employees ethically. 

To make things even simpler, we decided to get each other four gifts: something you want, something you need, something you wear, something you read. 

I had so much fun choosing gifts for Adam, though I did have a moment where I semi-panicked that he wouldn't like one of his gifts. Then he sent me a direct link to that exact thing...so I guess that means he will like it. (He sent me lots of links, so maybe he won't be able to figure out what I'm talking about here...lol.)

People often complain that men are hard to shop for, but I find it to be the opposite with Adam. The problem I run into is limiting what I get him (or getting it for him before he gets it for himself!). 

I wrapped up his prezzies, and found myself in possession of zero gift tags. Luckily, I had reached the end of the wrapping paper roll...which was just thick brown paper and not a real roll. I cut little rectangles out and made my own tags. Add a sharpie and some ribbon and voila. Christmas magic.

FlyLady is Helping Me Overcome my Housework

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I have a confession to make.

I am becoming my mother, in the best possible way of course.

When I was growing up, my mom discovered a web site where FLYLADY taught her how to keep a clean house. She called the readers of her site FLY BABIES, which my dad promptly adjusted to FLY MAGGOT. We teased my poor mother endlessly about her fixation with Flylady.

I must readily apologize to her. Sorry, Mom!

I have stumbled upon the world of Flylady again in young adulthood. I know have a little home to keep clean, and OH MY WORD it’s a TON of work. Not to mention, IT NEVER ENDS!

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Flylady is so practical and encouraging and downright inspirational, especially to a spontaneous free spirit such as myself, i.e. NOT a clean freak. (Any by "free spirit," I mean I'd rather pretend I'm a starving orphan who must clean her room to get dinner, which is how I survived childhood.)

One of the first things Flylady has you do is set up your routines. We are in the beginning stages of implementing our morning and evening routines, but we can already tell our little home is more peaceful. It takes a little extra work from both my husband and I to begin with, but the payoffs are so worth it. Simple things like starting the dishwasher before bed, setting the coffee before bed, and GETTING AS READY AS YOU CAN FOR THE NEXT DAY before bed, make mornings much more delightful. (But I still think mornings should BEGIN at 10 a.m. haha.)

What tips and tricks do you have to keep your housework manageable?

Saving Money for Newlyweds

I don’t claim to be an expert on marriage, nor finances, but my husband and I have stumbled upon a trick that I think could be of use to other couples (and single people too).

Many people are familiar with Dave Ramsey’s envelope system, but in reality, who wants to carry around envelopes of cash. It’s not convenient, nor is it safe. I just wouldn't feel comfortable toting any large quantity of cash around with me.

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So we’ve come up with an alternative.

We found this nifty app called Good Budget. It’s an envelope system, without the envelopes. [ps: they’ve never heard of me, and aren’t compensating me for this whatsoever! But, the app is free, so that’s kind of compensation enough!]

You set up the envelopes with the amount of money you want them to start with. Each time you make a transaction, you put it in the app. It tracks where you spent the money, how much, and tells you how much you have left for the month. It even tells you if you are on track proportionally for the set amount to last you until the end of the month.

So easy and so helpful!

The best part, and the relationship saver, is that you can sync the app with another person! You can track your spending together. 

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Example: My husband and I obviously share a grocery budget, and we both do some of the grocery shopping. With a traditional envelope system, we would have to either have two envelopes, or play tag with the envelope depending on who was going to the store. Now, we can both use the grocery budget, track expenses, and see how much we have left: all with one app! 

As a saver, it gives me the peace of mind to know when to pinch pennies, but it also gives me the freedom to feel ok with a little splurge.

On [Part One of] Wedding Photos: Getting Ready.

The morning of our wedding, I woke up, took a shower and headed over to the salon. I got my hair and make-up done at Blush, which was conveniently located right next door to my venue. Adam sent me the cutest hand-written note while I was getting gussied up, which almost made me cry off all my mascara. It also made my make-up attendant giggle with delight!

After my nails, hair (including veil), and make-up were perfect, I walked next door to get my dress on. Adam and his boys were banished to their room, located next door to ours.

The boys didn't take nearly as long as the ladies to get ready. But they sure looked smashing! I had an entourage to help me get into my massive dress. Kristy and all of my bridesmaids were absolute lifesavers!

The boys wore ties from the Tie Bar, and boutonnieres from Costco, because we are classy and brilliant.

I loved my dress, but it sure required a lot of adjustments to get on! Luckily, Kristy is a master at weddings! Yay for talented family and friends!

Since I had so much help, it was seriously such a fun and relaxing morning for me. Stay tuned for our portraits, and pictures from the ceremony and reception! 

All photos by Katie Shroy Photography

On [our lakeside] Date Night.

The calendar still says August, but the chilly air whispers that Fall is near as we sit at that picnic table on the north side of the lake. The one that's off the path and out of the way of the wind.

We unwrap the one meal a week that wasn't prepared at home. This week it's spicy Hawaiian chicken; last week we feasted on Thai red curry.

I rest my foot on your leg, my head on your shoulder, and sip on my $1 McDonald's Diet Coke. We watch a couple from Canada set up their fishing equipment on the other side of the lake.

It's quiet, save for the birds. A thirst-quenching quiet, now that our days have gone from zero to 75.

For the first time in months our daytime hours are now spent mostly apart, so obviously I miss you. Jobs can be demanding, but thanks heavens date night is still sacred.

For a brief time, date night looked like fancy restaurants and exhilarating activities. Someday, date night might look like putting babies to bed and folding laundry together; stealing kisses while we match socks.

But today, date night looks like take-out by the lake. We soak up nature and each other's presence as we breath out the day and breath in one other.

On [martial] Confidentiality.

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I recently started working at a hospital.

Which means dinner conversation at our house now equals HIPAA married to Clergy-Penitent Privilege. 

For example:

"How was your day?"

"It was so interesting!"

"Oh yeah? What happened?"

"I can't tell you." (pause) "Well, how was your day?"

"It was so sad!"

"Oh no! What happened?"

"I can't tell you."

--resume eating--

"This is delicious!"

"Wanna watch LOST?"

On My [quarter of a century] Birthday!

Earlier this week, I updated you on the final outcome of my [25 before 25] list, but I figured I should tell you about my ACTUAL birthday!!

I woke up to the husband telling me happy birthday, which is the best present ever! He is so wonderful to me. He made me coffee and sour cream blueberry pancakes, which is honestly an everyday occurrence (did I mention he is too good to me).

Because this is how I feel about mornings:

Zooey, dropping knowledge.

I got to spend the WHOLE day with Adam, because I was filling in for somebody at his job. We got Mexican food for lunch and ice cream (with sprinkles, because BIRTHDAY) after work!! Then we went for a short hike in the woods, because there are TONS of hiking trails around here!

Alien cobra plants.

We even went and saw these crazy flowers that look like COBRAS! The scientific name is Darlingtonia, but most people call them Cobra Lilies.

We finished off the day with the Bachelorette finale at some friends' house. The finale was pretty terrible, but it was still a great time! Yay for Juan Pablo being the next Bachelor.

A few days later, Adam and I went and bought this beauty of a desk with birthday money. We got it for less than half of the original price, thanks to markdowns, coupons, and 10% since it was the display. I love it SO much, and find it very inspiring! Adam is so kind to let me take over (almost) half the living room with my writing space.

PSA: Corn Husks Don't Go In the Garbage Disposal.

Rockstar Husband Status.

Can we just take a moment and talk about the fact that I have been blessed with the most perfect husband FOR ME? Like, I'm 100 percent sure he was created to help me survive life.

Example:

Saturday.

In a flurry of grumpy bad mood, I huffed and puffed my way into the kitchen so I could make some sort of statement by washing the dishes, only to slip in a river of dishwasher run-off and fall violently onto the floor. THIS IS NOT A METAPHOR. This actually happened. I found myself sprawled out in a half inch of water, and immediately started sobbing. 

Adam came running, probably thinking I broke a leg, when really the only thing broken was a huge dam of emotions.

Apparently, the night before I had stuffed a bunch of corn husks in the garbage disposal (not recommended evidently), and it became sufficiently clogged. Unknowingly, we ran the dishwasher Saturday morning, which turned our kitchen floor into the newest water feature on the block.

The overflowing dishwasher (and the pain radiating through my right elbow and left pinky toe from the fall) only gave me an excuse to cry about everything I'd been ignoring: boredom, loneliness, isolation, feeling like I didn't have anything to offer the world, and thinking it would probably be like this forever. Not to mention my jeans were rapidly absorbing the huge puddle that I was sitting in like a sponge. 

Adam was the kindest, ever. He helped me return to dry clothing, sopped up all the water with literally every towel we own (about seven), and unclogged the pipes under the sink. He simultaneously held me while I cried about all of the aforementioned things. He is a rock star. Since then we have gone on several long walks so we can talk and connect and endure together; this is a practice that I highly recommend. Plus, exercise!

Moral of the story: don't stuff your emotions, or your garbage disposal.


Previous post on Rainboots & Beef: On Learning to Love [That Girl] At Summer Camp
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On [karaoke] Date Night, Hiking, and Hamlet.

So...it's another Saturday High Five for Friday post. Get used to it.

I had such an awesome week. I accomplished a lot, ate some delicious food, and made some wonderful memories with my husband.

1. This week I finished two major craft projects: my curtains and my seeking sole mates sign for the laundry area.

2. I found an app on the iphone called, "What the Font?" and am absolutely in love. You take a picture of a word (anywhere! a restaurant menu, a bar of soap, a billboard), and it tells you what font they used! Brilliant. The app is free too! Fabulous!

3. We had date night on Thursday night, which included a delicious dinner at a place that wished they were based in Portland. We had marionberry rosemary crumble for dessert--straight out of the oven. Yum!

After dinner and dessert, we went to karaoke night. Adam and I squished into a booth with two retired couples we had never met. It was seriously so much fun! We sang a duet together, which the sea of white-haired folks ate up. Oh, the romance of it all! It was a great night.

4. On Friday, we went on a beautiful hike along some waterfalls. The weather was wonderful. We met some guys hiking who were absolutely thrilled that we just got married (the decorations are still on our car). People are awesome. So were the views! Feast your eyes!

This was my favorite spot along the hike.
I like to imagine tons a colony of little fairies living among the roots of those big trees.

For dinner, Adam made a crock-pot version of Indian butter chicken, and we made mango sticky rice for dessert. Oh, mama, it was good! We were quite literally licking the sauce from the sticky rice off of our plates.

5. Today we attended a homeschool production of Hamlet put on by the kids of some of our friends. It was the most comedic tragedy I've ever seen, and also wonderful.

The perks of living in a small town, seriously!

How was your week? Have you found any fun things to do nearby that you didn't know were there? Have you tried any new recipes lately?

On Socks, Soulmates, and [colorful] Signs.

See the "L" on sole? Yes, that's a sock. I can be so clever.

One of my pastors in college would do an annual series, "Soulmates," in which he would crush all hope in the hearts of the laides seeking, "The One." There is no such thing as, The One, he would tell us, until you're married...then your spouse is The One.

The idea of soulmates doesn't make sense logically to me. What if someone messed up and married your "One?" Then what? That would cause a domino effect of people marrying the wrong One. How tragic! And what about death or divorce or any other thing that could mess up the wheres and whys and hows of meeting and falling in love? 

Regardless, I love a good pun. I pinned this sign on Pinterest, and wanted to make my own for our laundry area. I decided it needed much more color though; I do have green walls, you know.

It's simply a piece of shelving painted with acrylic paints, a piece of twine strung between two holes, and baby clothespins. 

We also got some cute baskets for paper towels, cleaning supplies, and other miscellaneous items (like light bulbs and such). That little jar on the top right is for change found in the laundry. It was originally a part of a centerpiece ensemble from our wedding. Any ideas for what to do with all the change I collect from doing laundry? 

These knobs from Hobby Lobby were intended for our bathroom, but the screws weren't long enough to fit through the holes in the cabinet drawers.

p.s. NEVER pay full price for things at Hobby Lobby. You can always find at least a 40% coupon.

The knobs look fabulous on our laundry doors. I love when the doors are shut. It makes our little home look so clean and homey!

What simple updates or creative projects have you done to make your home unique? Have you tried re-creating anything you've pinned on Pinterest?

On Seafood, the Sea, and [eavesdropping during] Supper.

Look at the sea! Isn't it gorgeous?

We savored the flavors of what was the in top five most delicious (and expensive) meals of our young lives: the fresh seafood, clams, halibut and salmon, served with colorful sauces plated more beautifully than any Chopped contestant. They gave us honeymooners perfectly crunchy and creamy and complimentary creme brulee.

And between our, "Oooh, look at the sea! Isn't it gorgeous?" and exclamations of, "Mmmmm, this food is fantastic!" and whispers of, "I'm so glad I married you," we often found ourselves silent.

Not because we were already, oh so bored with each other, but because we were listening...to the conversation at the table adjacent to us.

Four people, who were much too wealthy for their own good, sharing their stories over fancy food that they might not have thought twice about. I don't know how much truth was in their tales.

One woman in her retired years claimed she grew up in Spain, moved to Michigan as a foreign exchange student at the age of 16, and shook hands with John F. Kennedy three months before he was assassinated.

Another woman shared how her son was on the team that invented text messaging. "He has been fairly successful," she noted modestly. Yes, texting.

Four people who had lived long, interesting lives had all found themselves up on a tiny island in the Pacific Northwest at the same time. The same island you can only access by the daily ferry. The island where it's impossible to find dinner on a Monday or Tuesday (it's the locals' weekend, didn't you know?).

I'm sure there is some universal truth in this story, suggesting that no matter our socio-economic status we have a desire to share our stories. Maybe the truth is in the food bringing people together. The truth could be that seafood is delicious and fresh ingredients are supreme. Perhaps the truth is that we all try and paint our lives in a certain way, both online and offline. It's possible the truth is, look at the sea! Isn't it gorgeous?