2012.

What is there to say about 2012?

Blame it on the horomones, but when I think about everything that happened this year, it makes me a teensy bit weepy. 2012 really will unequivocally be the best year of my life.

 

I KNOW, I KNOW.. "but you're getting married next year!" you say, or "wait until you have kids!" but 2012 symbolized the beginning of all of that. The things that happened this year started the ball rolling on everything else, and for that, I will always hold 2012 close.

 

Let's see...in April I got engaged to my internet love M. 

In May I achieved a lifelong goal and graduated from law school, complete with wizard gown and cap.

I'm offish a "doctor" ...although don't hand me a scalpel.

 

I have nothing fond to say about June or July. June and July I went a wee bit nutso whilst studying for the bar exam. I survived, barely. And then began the LONG tortuous wait....

 

and actually I was a wee bit crazy from August-October as well.

 

Until October (the 5th to be precise) when I got the news I've been waiting my whole life for.

I passed the bar exam. 

 

(When I went to print the photo of my results letter today (December 28th) I checked it, again, to make sure they had gotten it right).... Hi, crazy.

Later in October, I was sworn in before the Minnesota Supreme Court and became the fourth generation in my family to practice law :)

The rest of 2012 was spent in a blissful haze wondering if all that really actually happened. I'm sad to see 2012 go. 2012 will always be super special to me (and not because we all survived the Mayan apocalypse).

However, 2013 has one thing,... one BIG thing on 2012.

I'm getting MARRIED!!

To THIS handsome fella:

and I really could not be any more excited. :)

I'm hoping to get off early today to go ice skating at the Depot, since it's been M and I's little tradition. It is after all the THIRD anniversary of the day we met/our first date :)

Hope you all have a great end to 2012, and a fantastic 2013.

Christmas Eve and Day

Hi again! Let's pick up where we left off. 

Sunday: That strange day that happened between Christmas festivities. I honestly just spent the last 5 minutes trying to figure out what day it was that I did my crafting on because I totally spaced that Sunday happened. Woops. 

Anyway, Sunday was a lazy day. We slept in, had coffee, and lounged. I worked on some wedding crafts (more burlap flowers with a lighter burlap) and M watched football. We finished off some Christmas shopping, and then resumed our positions on the couch. 

 

Christmas Eve: Christmas eve day, M and I opened our gifts to each other. I got another blanket (see, I'm an addict). In case you're curious, I also got a new curling iron and sleepy-time shirt. Rumor has it another gift is en route via the USPS. 

I got M sweatpants, a t-shirt, a flannel shirt, and the BEST GIFT -- Mystery Tackle Box of the Month Club. Starting in January, for 3 months, M will get a box that has 3-5 lures (a mystery each month) with advice and explanations on how to use them. I was floored when I found this. It's like birchbox for dudes.  

TJ got a box, again. The same box Melissa sent for my secret santa gift but to TJ, it was a BRAND NEW BOX. the best kind. TJ also endured a brief stint as "Christmas Kitteh" which involved a bow and lots of contempt. We got ready and headed over to my dad's for lunch and Christmas Eve mass. After mass, we headed to my uncles for the standard evening of snacks, dice game, and lots of screaming children. 

 

 I'm interrupting this otherwise caption free photo montage to tell you the following. That lady above is my grandma. Her shirt says "Grandma of the Bride." She's 95 and still loves a cold beer or margarita. Love her.

Christmas Day: Christmas Day, M and I woke up and headed over to my dad's to do gifts with my immediate family. Afterwards, we headed to my mom's mom like we've done every Christmas, and had brunch and opened gifts there. 

Aaannnddd that was Christmas 2012! I love that we got to see all 4 sets of parents/families in such a short period of time. It's so rare that it happens that way and it was so nice. 

I'm crabby-pants that M has off until January 2nd (yeah.) and I have to work this week... but at least it's a short week! Hopefully I can get off New Years Eve, or at least a half day, so M and I can continue our skating tradition. Being a grown up isn't all it's cracked up to be folks. I sorta miss having a month off between semesters. That being said, I do NOT miss the ever present fear of the bar exam, and having to study every weekend. This holiday season was the first one not spent studying, and it was perfect :) 

 

Pre-Christmas Festivus

We're going to skip the part where I'm super bitter to be sitting at work and move right along to the Christmas recap. 

I'm breaking this down into 2 posts since we had 4 Christmases (HEY. like the MOVIE, guys!) Instead of running down where we went, who was there, and what each photo shows, I'm just going to give a brief little intro and then do a photo dump. 

Friday: Friday night we had M's dad and girlfriend down from Moorhead for dinner and gifts. They spent the night, and we had brunch the next morning before they hit the road. 

Saturday: Saturday we lounged after saying goodbye to M's dad, and then we headed over to M's mom's for a dinner of steak and lobster and more family time and presents! We skyped with M's sister Natalie who lives in Michigan, played with the puppies, and ate ourselves sleepy.

Up tomorrow: Christmas Eve & Christmas Day! Hope you all had a fantastic holiday as well. :)