Bites of My Life

A double bite recap to sum up the last two weeks of the year. It was a really great holiday being together with my whole family. We haven’t had Claire and Mike with us in years on Claire’s birthday and Christmas, so that was a treat. We even had Mike’s parents with us all the way from Australia. The more was definitely merrier.

Now it’s January, how did we get here?? I was struggling to say the least the past two days. The first of the month, first of the year, and first Monday after being gone for two weeks kind of crumbled on me to say the least. After a good therapeutic cry and shifting my calendar to allow for more downtime in January than was initially planned I’m feeling a bit better. I think I mention it every year in my bites post, but the January blues always seem to give me a dose of their medicine. I know a few weeks of calm and routine should help, so here’s to (hopefully) a relaxing start to the new year!

-Got a spat of sickness right before the holiday. There were a lot of tissues, tea and at-home covid tests used. Negativo thank goodness.
-While in OKC, I got to try the cute new Harvey Bakery for a co-worker Christmas lunch.
-So happy to have all of the girls together for cookie decorating. We haven’t all been together on Christmas in years!
-The largest and heaviest piece of lasagna for Claire’s birthday dinner. Mike used Anthony Bourdain’s recipe.
-Tiramisu, the Italian lasagna of desserts made by me!
-Christmas cheers!
-Christmas crescents, a family tradition.
-Traditional Christmas Pudding aka Figgy Pudding (purchased from Central Market 🙃) for Christmas dessert. It’s a dome shaped cake steamed, then set on fire with brandy and served with ice cream.
-All my babies in my arms!

-2022 reading challenge is 24 books! Verity by Colleen Hoover was the last book I read in 2021. If you haven’t yet I highly rec reading Verity. Twisty turns but so good.
-Thoughts are like stars in the firmament. A little message inside my new Aesop candle. An amazing gift from our Australian Christmas visitors!
-Headed to Rosemary Beach, FL for the last week of the year with Peter’s family. It was cuter than I could have imagined.
-Cutie pops of pink spotted in Alys Beach.
-Lots of Rummikub and lots of gin played on this Shaw family vacay. Luckily both are some of my specialties.
-Pete and I on the beach!
-Pete and I on New Year’s Eve!
-New Nap pjs making me feel chic while I sleep.
-A favorite lentil quinoa soup that felt first week of January appropriate.

Annie

New Wine/new worship for the new year.
A Gilmore Girl bite for my fellow obsessed GGs.

Bites of My Life

I mentioned it a little in my last bites post, but I was a little apprehensive of getting back into the swing of things. Not going to lie I had a small case of the January blues getting back to Dallas and into my routine here. After a week of fun evening plans, a busy work week and catching up with friends here, I’m feeling better. Writing this I’m mentally telling myself that I don’t need to get right back into the swing right away. Also writing this is making me sound kind of weepy and depressed when I’m not! January is just a weird month, and I know some of you can agree!

-Serena Wolf IRL at her Dude Diet Dinnertime cookbook tour at my new found favorite place, The Adolphus hotel in downtown Dallas. It was gorgeous.
-Post book signing at Americano, the restaurant at the bottom of The Joule hotel. I have dreamt of this shaved cauliflower salad since and have plans to recreate later this week.
-I got pretty into Melissa Wood Health’s workouts last spring then canceled my membership when I moved to Dallas knowing I wanted to spend my money trying out new studios here. I’ve recently fallen back into MWH’s flows and lifestyle and genuinely loving them so much. I feel great during and after the workouts. At only $9.99 a month, I quantify them as #worthit.
-First timer alert at Neighborhood Services. A big check off my Dallas restaurant list.
-I finished my first book in 2020. 2018 I was a reading machine and then fell off the wagon in 2019. Hoping to read 1 a month this year. I love anything by Emily Giffin and thinking one of hers is going to be next on my list.
-Woke up Saturday to SNOW and a morning with nothing to do (which hasn’t happened in forever). I watched Father of the Bride part II and had breakfast in bed.
-Paella night turned wine night turned game night turned sing-a-longs until midnight. Saturday was a good night in Dallas.
-Packed precious cargo Sunday morning to travel home with for a quick work trip.
-The benefit of my work trips is that work is at home in Oklahoma City, which means time with this little one.

Annie