'Cause even the stars they burn.

I've been playing this song on repeat for about a week now. Then, a couple days ago, guess what the boy started blasting over and over through the house? 

[We're pretty much meant to be.]

Goosebumps all day.

 I ate two [rather large] pieces of chocolate cake for breakfast today.

[And I'm not even PMSing.]

Then I put on these shorts.

[And it's like 50 degrees outside.]

Today was just full of good decisions!

 

Coming up for air.

The days between December 1st, all the way to about two weeks after New Years Eve just don't slow down much, do they? 

That's not an excuse. 

I'm just saying.

Okay it's a little bit of an excuse.

Forget it.

Anywayheythere!

How were your holidays? How was 2011? Ready for 2012?

Me? I am. Let's get personal. [Don't run, we'll just get a little bit personal.]

2011 was my year. It was the first year - possibly of my life - that I would go back and re-live in a heartbeat. And that means so much to me. I grew a lot. I learned a lot. I spent every day with the one who completes me. I feel good.

I learned the power of honesty. I mean complete honesty. I mean being the same person to family, to friends, to your lover, and to yourself. I learned this year not to look away embarrassed when the stranger in the car next to me catches me rocking out to my music. And that to me, is a pretty big deal.

I learned to let things slide. I learned to disagree quietly. I learned the road to gaining trust is a long one and it requires an immense amount of patience. That being said, it's worth it.

I learned to love my crooked smile. Okay let's be real, I won't lie and say I don't still try to straighten out my bottom lip when smiling in pictures. But metaphorically speaking, I accept me. I am who I am. That's not only okay, but it's a good thing!

I can't express to you the peace I feel jumping in to 2012. Feeling like I know who I am. Feeling like I know where I'm going. Feeling like I know what's important. It was a long time coming, but I can not wait to make this year as good as the last. I'm making a life-long resolution to never live another year that I wouldn't want to live over and over!

I owe so much of this excitement to the boy I got to spend every day this last year with. Levi Chell Roberts is the most genuine person I know. I absolutely adore the example he is of creating the life for yourself that you want. I am such a blessed girl to get to spend so much of my time right next to him.

 

As far as specific resolutions go. I do want to blog more. I might start posting my knitwear again. I might take more pictures. But honestly more than anything this year I want to smile even more than last. I want to make the people around me smile even more than they did last. 

As long as I'm moving forward, I'm going to be okay with it. That, is a good feeling my friends. A very good feeling.

Love and hugs.

Allow me to explain.

Since I'm going to be talking "Hot Chocolate" quite a bit over the next few months, I thought I would take a moment to clarify what I actually mean by that. Because when I say I'm going to have a cup of hot chocolate, I don't actually mean that I'm just going to wander into the kitchen, grab a mug and pour in some cocoa and some milk. No, no.

"Hot chocolate" means something bigger.

To me, hot chocolate stands for one of my FAVORITE traditions with Levi.

Here's a little glimpse.

[PS: We're going to proceed as if the name on my cup really does, by some miracle, read "Amalie". Deal?]

Hot chocolate from Starbucks. "Hold the lid, extra whip, a swirl of cocoa syrup? Oh yes. And don't you dare forget the gentle dusting of cinnamon my dear." If they nail all that, you can bet I'm letting the name-spelling-mishap slide.

More than that tongue binding bitter chocolate flavor though, it's detox.

It's laughing with Levi. It's smelling Seattle. It's the cold outside. It's watching people. It's remembering the space needle and it's imagining the future. It's the reality that everyone is fighting their own battle and yet it seems to also remind me that we're all in this together. It's those sweet parts of life that you can know without a doubt you'll be missing when summer temperatures come around again. It's the pictures that you can't help but smile at when you see. It's everything I love.

To sum up? I adore these date nights with my man. Sitting. Laughing. Planning. Chatting. Sipping on a little taste of love wrapped up in a cardboard cozy, because honestly that is what it tastes like to me. Now that I have these memories floating along in every red grande cup.

Anyway, so now you know. This is what "hot chocolate" means to me.

Long day.

Like, really long day. It was a roasted tomato soup and french bread grilled cheese night. And now I'm wondering if that is even going to cut it! This girl needs a serious detox. Luckily the boy is here to cheer me up. Earlier he found a spider on our kitchen floor. We stared at him for a few minutes before Levi started speaking FOR the spider himself!

"Well. It's not lookin' too good for me."

I died a little bit. I've never heard anyone speak from the spiders point of view before. Won't lie, made it a little harder to squish the [poor] fella.

Anyway.

Bring on the hot chocolate. With EXTRA marshmallows. That's right people, she's hittin' it hard tonight.

Also, I've been putting this off but I can no longer WAIT to share just a couple of these. Isn't their little growing family so precious?? Sigh. Love these three. I am so excited to meet number four.

Honey do. Please and thank you.

Waking up to good mannered Honey-Do requests taped to the door?

Quite possibly one of my favorite things of all time!

So far today I've gotten to spend some much adored girl time with the lovely ladies in my family, who were sweet enough to sing me an early birthday song and let me blow out a little candle stuck in the middle of a big scoop of ice cream topping a delicioussss pizza cookie, I got to hold my practically brand new [6 weeks already??] little niece, I came home to a sleepy boy and got to listen to his rather interesting [very longggg] dream of family football, log boat rides, and a haunting ghost, now I'm enjoying some of the MILLION left-overs we have in our fridge and I'm looking forward to a hot chocolate run at some point in the next hour or two. Because it's like 50 degrees outside. And because boy and I could use a little date me thinks. And because, well, when is it ever NOT a good time to sit and chat over a warm cup of cocoa?

Details.

I love the sun so much more on days like this! It's too cold to sit in the shade, but settling yourself right smack dab in the middle of its rays keeps you just warm enough to thoroughly enjoy the occasional chill or rush of goosebumps.

Zooming in, today. Zooming in on strands of hair and pretty patterned scarves and argyle tights. Kind of like this morning when Levi solidified his position as my #1 favorite person in this world by gently setting his hand on the back of my arm as I climbed into the truck - a tiny gesture that may not have meant anything, but it made me feel safe. Later in the afternoon he somehow came to the conclusion that my new nickname was bumbum and he proceeded to call me by it out loud while in public - at least I know that I never need to worry about being an embarrassment. Then this evening. He let me warm up my fingers in between his arms and his chest while we watched some football - something he always does but something that I don't think should ever go unmentioned because it's those kinds of things that make me feel like just maybe this boy loves me or something.

See what I mean?

It's really pretty easy to enjoy the sunshine, once your focus is on the details. All the tiny little details. They're the ones that make this life, so great.