Five Years

Has one question ever turned your life upside down?

Five years ago this morning, George asked me if I had time for a coffee. I was already late for work; I did not drink coffee at the time; and it was Friday, the 13th. Nonetheless, I accepted, and my life has never been the same.

Here's to 95 more years of happiness, challenges, and loving each other every moment along the way!

New Favorite

When I was looking through photos from our trip to the Maldives, I uncovered this new favorite:

Do you ever revisit a collection of photos only to find a gem hidden among the discarded photos?

Tomatillo Inspiration

It's a snowy and windy night in Kirkland, and we've had a visit from our raccoon family. In the middle of it all, I was cleaning tomatillos (pronounced tow-ma-ti-yos) when inspiration hit me.

Aren't the tomatillos beautiful on the cutting board?

Since I'm posting, I might as well show you how these fruits can turn into a super yummy, homemade sauce. Cut and place the following on non-stick foil on baking sheets: tomatillos, sweet peppers, jalapenos, and red onions. Bake on 375F (190C) for about 30 minutes to roast.

Then, pour the produce and juice into the food processor along with plenty of fresh cilantro, a healthy bit of salt, and some lemon/lime juice. Process. Approximately 45 seconds later, you have fresh enchilada sauce ready for enchiladas. YUM.

The First Squirrel Video

Last week, I captured one of our squirrels in action. We think s/he is pretty darn cute.

(I suggest that you mute before viewing so that you don't hear the TV in the background.)

Happy 2011!

Happy new year!

We had no idea what 2010 would bring, and it ended up being yet another exciting year for George and me. We made it through the last of law school, bar exam prep, the exam, and the wait for results. I passed and was sworn into the bar. We had visits from family and friends. We made our own visits to family and friends and to several wine countries (Napa (California), Woodinville (Washington), Walla Walla (Washington), Snake River (Idaho)). We celebrated a year of marriage by dining at the location of our reception and tasting Riesling from around the world in our own back yard. We did a fair bit of travel, domestically and abroad, for business and pleasure. And, we rang in the new year with a few dear friends around a board of Settlers of Catan. For a year that brought a fair bit of uncertainty, I am reasonably satisfied with how things turned out.

Now for the bad news...at the beginning of 2010, my resolution was to write to my and George's grandparents once a month. I failed. Sure, I sent them postcards during our travels, but I never succeeded in sitting down and writing a letter. Not even once. While I'm disappointed in my failure, I'm not about to wallow in it; rather, it's time to move on.

For 2011, it is my goal to be more deliberate with my time. What does this mean? Well, I'm not exactly sure yet. I think it means that I will consciously think about how I spend each part of my day. I think it means I will focus on productive activities rather than procrastinating, time-sucking activities. I hope it will mean less time on Facebook and meaningless obligations and more quality time with George, our friends who we really want to see, and activities I really enjoy.

Additionally, I hope to achieve a few more things 2011:

• Give time and expertise to causes that inspire me;
• Take refresher Spanish classes so that my second language can be a little less broken;
• Bring our home a little closer to complete;
• Keep traveling as much as our budget and schedules allow; and
• Explore local attractions, especially the outdoor ones.

It's truer than ever: we have no idea what the new year will bring to our family, but we look forward to experiencing every moment of it! Happy 2011!