2011 Ended in a Cabin in Vermont

Some of my nearest and dearest and I decided to rent a cabin in Vermont to say goodbye to 2011 and hello to 2012.

We played games

Took walks around the frozen lake

Cooked up a storm

Ate green eggs and ham!

And cooked some more

And of course ate like we were kings

We tended the fire

We danced

And danced

Made wishes for the year ahead

Celebrated our friendships

And toasted the end of a wonderful year!

Home for the Holidays

Christmastime at home.  My mom always makes it so beautiful.

 A new tradition?  My dad cooked a goose on Christmas eve, and we had family friends over to share.  It tasted a lot better than it looked :)

 Mom showing off her Christmas cheer

 Every year, family friends come by on Christmas Eve to carol.  It has been so lovely over the years to watch their family change and grow.

 This was my lovely sister in law's first Christmas with us at home. 

My family

Exploring Ecuador

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I spent the first week in December in Ecuador.  My colleague and I met with people in Quito and Guayaquil to scope out potential partners for a program, and then I stayed on a few extra days to be a tourist.  One of my favorite people and dearest friends, Kate, joined me from Bogota (where she is living) for the tourist part.  We started in Quito, but then jumped a bus to Banos, a small town situated right under an active volcano (and thus the home of hot thermal baths, lots of cool tours, and tons of spas!).  We spent a few days basking and enjoying the gorgeous little town, and then took the bus back to Quito to spend a day in the capital before heading back to our respective homes.  In the process of all of this, I absolutely fell in love with Ecuador, and it made me hungry to explore more of northern South America.  Here are a few of the photos from my time there:

Quito

Anyone for some drumsticks?

Banos city square

Steak, ceviche, and drinks for 2 for 12 dollars?  Yes please.

On the chiva (party bus) on the way to view the volcano.

Same picture, just showing what the lighting really looked like :)

View of Banos from the top of the mountain.

The 'quiet campfire' we were promised by the tour company.  aka party central.  complete with Ecuadorian clown.

Pulling taffy, Ecuador style

View from the bridge in Banos

Danger Zone!  Active volcano!

Wooden go cart race!

I love her face.  She was so delighted to have her picture taken.

Canelazo - Kate introduced me, I'm in love.  Like spiked hot cider, only better.  Warms you inside and out.

A lovely evening at a little book shop/cafe in Banos

Banos is famous for it hot baths - heated by the active volcano nearby.

Kate and I had facials and massages (totalling less that 40 dollars!) at a spa in Banos

Stunning views

we tried and tried to see the active part of the volcano, but the clouds were just no cooperating.  Behind us is the volcano.  Just use your imagination - there's lava jumping out back there!

Everything in the area is covered with a film of ash from the volcano.

Ash

Our bus ride from Quito was about 3.5 hours, and cost $3.50.  Ecuador has to be one of the cheapest places to travel I've ever been.

View of the Old City of Quito from our hostel.

Kate appreciating ceviche after we both had a near MTA (meal time agression) meltdown.  This ceviche shop opened especially for us and fed us even though they were closed.  They must have sensed that the whole world was in danger if we didn't eat immediately.

Lovely evening on the rooftop of our hostel in Quito

Quito by night

A walk in el centro de Quito

On the way to Ecuador!

Tomorrow, I'm hopping a plane back to South America.  We will be visiting Quito and Guayaquil, Ecuador to meet with potential partners for future programs.

I'm especially excited for this trip - to be going back to Latin America, to be meeting with potential new partners, to be exercising my Spanish a little bit, and to be going to a new region.  I've never been to northern South America before, and it has been on my 'wish list' for almost as long as I can remember.

After the business is done, one of my favorite people ever, Kate, is going to be meeting me for a few days of adventure.  I cannot tell you how much I love exploring new places with my favorite people.  

Sometimes I wonder when life will stop feeling like an adventure... it certainly hasn't happened yet.

Wishing everyone a warm and love-filled beginning to December!

Thankful

I got to go home to Idaho for Thanksgiving this year.

Here's me being:

  1. thankful that these folks are my family. (Please note Brian and Jenna in their cardboard form...)

2. thankful for having this lady be my life long BFF.

3. thankful for the priceless and precious time with my grandma.

So much to be grateful for.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Key Lime Pie

This was my contribution to Thanksgiving dinner this year - Key Lime Pie.

And let's be honest, I think it was my first contribution ever.

The super easy and delicious recipe here.

Pretzel Turtles

These have to be the biggest bang for your buck ever in the areas of:
1.SOOO EASY
2. DELICIOUS

Here's what you do:
1. Buy Rolos, Pretzels (we got the square ones here, but any will work), and pecans.
2. Place pretzels on a cookie sheet.  Unwrap rolos and place one on top of each pretzel.
3. Bake at 250 degrees for about 3 to 4 minutes, until chocolate is shiny.
4. Press a pecan down on top of each rolo.
5. Let cool (can put on my mom's back porch to speed up the process!
6. Gracefully accept all compliments for your culinary genius.
I made these for my aunt and uncle's hors d'oeuvres party the night before Thanksgiving, and they were a huge hit!

ENJOY!  

Wait - is that the cast of Sex in the City?

Nope, its just my girlfriends and I, having Sunday brunch in NYC!

What 28 looks like..

Here I am, folks!  This is what 28 looks like.

This is what your house looks like when you have amazing friends who bring a birthday party to you.

This is what a "Best Italian Sub of 2011" contest looks like.

This is what your favorite dessert, key lime pie, looks like.

This is what you and your friends look like right before they eat amazing amazing pizza that your parents sent, just like they have every year since 5th grade.

This is what a slumber party looks like when you are 28.  You are pretty much all asleep by 11pm, and happy about it.

THANK YOU SO MUCH TO MY PHENOMENAL GROUP OF LADIES WHO MADE THE ENTRANCE INTO MY 28th YEAR UNFORGETTABLE.  

I am so blessed.

A Recap of 27

• It started with my birthday in New Haven
• Off to New York to See Kate Rach and Pears
• Then home to Idaho for Thanksgiving
• Our office moved to Westport :(
• Home again for Christmas
• New Year's Eve was spent with Kate, Rach, Pears and Seba at TIMES SQUARE IN NYC!
• In mid January, I was off to Paraguay for a month to start a new program
• After the end of the program, I went to Mendoza, Argentina to visit Seba
• Had a quick trip to NYC to see Elisa
• My whole family went to the ranch in Arizona to see my grandpa in March
• April brought the Unite for Sight Conference and a visit from Victor
• The next day I was off to Cambodia and Vietnam for a planning visit
• Then three weeks in India to start a new program
• I had just over a week off and then I met my family in Chicago to see Brian and Jenna's newlywed home
• I flew straight from there to Vietnam to start a new program in Hanoi - 3 weeks
• I flew straight from Vietnam to Arizona to see my grandfather again, he was waning.
• From Arizona I went to Houston to celebrate Parul's marriage - and reunited with both Parul and Kai, as well as other Houston loved ones.
• I was home for a day, then picked up Eben in upstate New York
• I moved out of my house and geared up to leave for Cambodia, but my grandpa was getting worse.
• He passed away on July 27th.  Mateo came to visit the same day.
• We went to New York.
• And then I flew to be with my family in Arizona and celebrate my grandpa's life.
• I stayed with my grandma for 2 weeks.  Just me and her.
• We found drove to Idaho and found her a new house.
• When Eben came back from Ethiopia, we took a road trip over Labor Day Weekend to Montreal, Canada.
• At the end of September, my parents came to visit and we drove all over New England looking at the fall colors.
• Then we met Brian and Jenna in NYC.
• A week later, I flew to Ireland for our annual Network Meeting - I was in charge of planning it this year.
• Then my colleagues and I traveled around Ireland for a week.
• I was back for 2 days, and then flew to Paraguay for a planning visit
• Then spent a weekend in Florida at a great Experiential Education Conference
• Then flew to Idaho to present at a conference for camps that serve children with cancer.
• Then it was my birthday in New Haven, once again.

And just like that, 27 is gone, and 28 has begun.