I’ve posted yearly recaps since 2008. I’m a stickler for tradition so here’s my recap for 2011.

Previous years: 2008, 2009, 2010

I had a good year.

Note: All links open in a new window.

January

• Rang in the New Year at Speakeasy with Alan, Jennifer, and company.
• Had girls’ night in with crepes.
• Battled an eye infection for a full month. It was gross.

February

• It snowed.
• I didn’t see Alan often because of his work.
• BDF (Best Dudie Friend) visited Austin! This ended up being the only time I saw him this year.
• BDF surprised me with cookies. His note gets me Google search hits that make me a little sad.
• Sent out Valentine cards and socks to my girlfriends.

Alan and I hanging out

March

• Alan took me to my first NBA game, Heat vs. Spurs.
• BFF had cake balls delivered to me at work.
• My solemate (deliberate misspelling) visited Austin.
• Went to Austin’s 2nd Annual Bacon Takedown.
• Went to Sketchbook Project 2011 tour stop in Austin.
• Hosted my first giveaway on the blog.
• Attended a free screening and Q&A with director of Meaning of Tea, a fantastic documentary about tea. Really!
• Alan and I had a two part dinner to celebrate our three year anniversary at Haddington’s and Uchiko (my favorite restaurant).
• Attended Austin Food Blogger’s Alliance Launch Party and applied for membership.
• March was a turning point in my life. I faced myself in therapy. I’m still reaping the benefits.

At Sketchbook Project event

April

• Visited Houston for dad’s birthday.
• Did a month of video blogging everyday in April (VEDA).
• Had a pillow fight in Ikea.
• Puppet showed a conversation between my parents for VEDA.
• Alex, Hillary, and I met up in San Angelo, Texas for a girls’ weekend.
• Took my little (Big Brothers and Big Sisters) to see a presentation about being a teen parent.
• Alan and I went to a drive-in theater for the first time and saw Back to the Future. Drive-in was on my life list!
• Joined Austin Food Blogger’s Alliance.

Hillary, Alex, and Me at the San Angelo Library

May

• I got bangs impulsively, changing my do for the first time in 5 years.
• Took a canoe trip with coworkers, facing a handful of irrational fears very reluctantly. Obviously, I survived.
• I participated in Leo’s Habit Course and developed a palate for vegetables by eating one serving a day for 30 days.
• Flew to Boston to see BFF. We drove to New Hampshire, Vermont, and Rhode Island, all three were states I’ve never visited.
• Read 8 books this month.
• Totes Awesome Channel was founded.

June

• Went home to Houston for Father’s Day.
• Rolled down a hill inside of a ball.
• I hit a boulder with my car. I always hit non-moving objects. Anyway, this was the start of a chain of bumper problems during the rest of the year.
• I hemmed my first dress! As part of my new year’s resolutions, I wanted to do 10 learning tasks with sewing. This was my first major lesson.
• Went to third Annual Cupcake Smackdown

July

• Met Ashley D, Ashley, and Nicole of Totes Awesome Channel and recorded a vlog.
• Celebrated my 28th birthday simply with a dinner with Alan and then a movie and drinks with friends.
• Made my favorite video: 28 Life Lessons from 28 People (for my 28th birthday).
• I caught up to 2007 and got my first smart phone!
• My friend, Naz surprised me with a vlog from my dad.
• I got really cozy with Tennessee Williams and his movies. Cat on Hot Tin Roof is excellent!

Celebrating my birthday

August

• Successfully completed VEDA despite being out of town twice and moving!
• Met up Hillary and Alex in Dallas for our second girls’ weekend of the year.
• Moved in with Alan.
• Used my passport for the first time since renewing it 2007. Alan and I took a vacation to Vancouver, Canada, my new favorite city.
• Saw the bats in Austin for the first time.

In front of the Vancouver Aquarium

September

• Adopted Bob from a shelter.
• I went to some of my Ten Year Reunion and was pleased to see all my classmates have blossomed to beautiful women.
• Brandi and I attended Jessica’s wedding.
• With a lot of conscious effort, I averaged 6 hours of sleep in the month of September! (I’m usually sleep deprived.)

Class of 2001

October

• I had a fluffy cable TV show debut.
• Had my first blogger date with Treavor.
• Donned a borrowed construction hat and went as Heidi in Home Improvement for Halloween.
• Cindy visited Austin!

November

• Posted a blog post everyday in November.
• Ran two blocks of a 5k for Race for the Cure and raised 460 dollars. Thanks to a lot of you!
• Went to Texas Renaissance Festival with Brandi and Jessica. It was our third year going and we decided to only do new things. We threw knives, shot bow and arrows, and had our face painted. It was the first time I’ve ever had my face painted!
• Had my second blogger date with Treavor.
• Attended a We Are Girls conference with my little. It was incredibly insightful.
• Had a Thanksgiving picnic with friends at the park. We threw a whole cooler’s worth of ice cubes into an enormous fountain, to create ripples, to help push a soccer ball to a sad toddler across the fountain. We were successful.
• Had a progressive meal day with Kim, Thomas, and friends.
• During breaks between eats, we made paper cranes for Kim’s tree.
• My bumper nearly killed Kim and me and got us murdered in the woods.
• Made our sparkly tattoos dance.

December

• I decide to like Christmas. I discovered it took more energy disliking it than it does to give into the cheer.
• Partcipated in Austin Food Blogger’s food swap.
• I was without a car the whole time I was in Houston for Christmas (the bumper needed to be replaced) and was touched to have friends pick me up for dates.
• Sewed couch pillows with help from mom.
• Hosting a “Never Have We Ever” dinner party tonight. Post to come!

Bob hanging out with snowman

In writing this post, I realized this year was really sweet for relationships. It may have a lot to do with my prioritizing close friends over acquaintances and then learning to set boundaries. Recently, I’ve been in a funk about not having a life’s calling but I have to say, I’m really content with my tribe. Word on the street is that it’s the relationships that really matter.

Wishing you a terrific end of year celebration! Lots of love!

Thanks to Duncan Hines for sponsoring my writing. There’s no limit to the baking possibilities, so grab your favorite Duncan Hines mix and Comstock or Wilderness fruit fillings and Bake On! www.duncanhines.com.

It’s that time of year, friends. I’ve recently explained in my last Totes Awesome Channel vlog why I’m not a big fan of Christmas. My parents worked on holidays and I grew up with it not being that big of deal and also quite lonely since everyone else was with his or her families. I guess the sullenness just carried with me through the years. My friends would clap their hands in glee and go a little bonkers with their holiday decorating and I would just crinkle my nose at them and bite my tongue.

This year I decided to adopt a more positive outlook about this season. I hate that I was such a grump! I’m usually a positive person and being a sourpuss just isn’t me. I’m going to give in to this “magical” season. I’m going to open up my heart.

So what have I done so far to cultivate a more positive outlook? Well I bought my first set of Christmas lights, pulled out the few winter snow globes I own (gifts), dangled a couple of stockings on door knobs, and then called a few girls over to have a girl’s night in over brownies, hot chocolate, a bottle of Moscato, and Love Actually. Love Actually is the best Christmas movie ever! Even scrooges like my former self could not help but be charmed by that movie.

Cradling a mug of hot chocolate and chatting with my friends under the glow of Christmas lights warmed my cold heart. (I managed to find marshmallows that were shaped as little snowmen!) The brownies offered a lingering fragrance as well as decadent snack. I can see myself making this my first holiday tradition.

Who knows, maybe next year I’ll get a tree!

For more Wordless Wednesdays from others, click here.

1. What do you traditionally do for 4th of July?

I guess judging from the last 5 years or so, barbecue with friends and play with firecrackers, or go see fireworks.

2. Did you follow your tradition this year? How did you celebrate yesterday?

Not really. I walked Townlake with Brandi and nearly died of heat exhaustion. Then I spent the evening with Alan on a simple date night, checking out a new theater downtown and watching a Woody Allen film.

3. What’s the best fireworks show you’ve ever seen?

Maybe two years ago for Fourth of July.

4. Have you ever been injured by a firecracker?

Nope. I’m too scared to really be carefree around firecrackers.

5. Burger, Brat, or Hot Dog?

I’m not even kidding when I say, all three!

6. Do you sport red, white and blue on our Independence Day?

I try. This year I wore a blue flower print dress. Last year, bright orange (?). Two years ago I wore festive bracelets.

Fourth of July, 2009

7. If you had to be from any country other than the USA, what country would it be?

I think I’m really blessed to be from the USA, and wouldn’t have it any other way.

8. Charcoal or gas?

On my life’s to-do list is to learn how to grill, charcoal and gas.

9. What’s your favorite thing about this fair country of ours?

Our freedoms. Namely, our freedom of speech.

10. God Bless the USA, My Country Tis of Thee, or the Star Spangled Banner?

It’s been two days into the new year and I’ve had such a lovely time already! Alan did a great job organizing a safe and glamorous night out. The stretch Hummer saved us from spending hours trying to find taxi rides back home. Bottle service and a great table reservation on a rooftop kept us merry. The company was spectacular. The kiss, our best yet. Many cheers to 2011!

It’s 6 PM. My curls will fall out and my hair will be pin straight again in about 20 minutes.