10 Travel Resolutions To Keep This Year

I originally wrote this as a guest post for the lovely Amanda of Living in Another Language...but because this week's been insanely busy, I'm currently packing for our Valentine's trip to Salzburg & Innsbruck, and I've got nothing new prepared for ya, I'm recycling it for my own blog. A girl's gotta have backup in her blog arsenal every once in a while! Since it's still early in the new year and many of you are (hopefully) still working towards keeping your resolutions, I figured it was as good a time as any to share some resolutions I'm holding fast to this year when it comes to exploring this big, beautiful world. If you've read it before, so sorry! Maybe read it again and find something new that you missed before? Either way, I hope this post (and my blog in general) continue to keep you wanderlusting for the next great adventure. In 2013, D and I were blessed with the greatest travel year of our lives. We're looking forward to making 2014 the same!

1| See less, experience more.

Amend to stop being one of those travelers that gravitates towards the predictable, jam-packed travel itinerary full of touristy sights and famous landmarks. If your the type of person who needs a vacation after your vacation, I'm talking to you! While jaunting from museum to museum, ticket stand to ticket stand might be your usual plan of attack on vacation, give your feet a rest and stop to really experience the city you're in. If the only conversations you have during your trip are with waiters as you order a quick snack or bus drivers as you buy bus tickets, then you're missing out on the whole reason you took a trip in the first place...to experience new cultures, walk the beaten path, and gain unforgettable memories. Travel shouldn't be about getting it all done, but about collecting and savoring moments you'd be proud to tell your friends about.

2| Be taught.

Some of the best trips I've ever taken have taught me something about myself or the world around me. Strive this year to not only experience the cities you visit, but learn something about their way of life that you could possibly apply to yours. Take a cooking class, a dance seminar, or an art lesson, but whatever you do, dive deeper into each culture you encounter while traveling.

3| Tweak your travel style.

Do you prefer only the finest hotel accommodations and 4-course meals while traveling? Or are you a minimalist backpacker who frequents hostels and food carts? Maybe it's time for a change! It's so easy to get into a groove if you travel often an you forget there are other fun ways to travel. If you're usually budget savvy, try upgrading your flight to business class or staying a night or two in a ultra-chic hotel. If you're used to the finer things in life, maybe try a food festival or a picnic on the beach. Adventure junkie? Go for a relaxing massage or a quiet cottage vacation. Changing it up can help you to discover more to love about travel.

4| Minimize the travel clutter.

Are you one of those people who travel for a week, but pack like you'll be gone a month?   Lugging around more bags and stuff than you need while on vacation just adds stress. Make this the year you downsize your suitcase and only pack essentials (something I've been challenging myself to do more, too!). Invest in good travel gear (lightweight/quick-drying clothes, compression bags, mini toiletries) and travel light. It's cheaper, easier, and so much more convenient! Besides, if you forget your toothbrush, you'll likely be able to buy one somewhere.

5| Work for adventure.

I'm not usually one for going the super adventurous route during our travels. This year, I plan to brush off the fear and try more adrenaline-pumping activities while vacationing. Hiking, parasailing, skiing...getting active and exploring the world around you via some sweat, tears, and bruises can provide some of the most rewarding travel experiences. So get up, get out, and get moving!

6| Be a tourist at home.

Can't get away from home this year? No funds for travel? You can still reap the benefits of a getaway by experiencing places and doing things you've never tried in your own home town! So many times we, as travelers, come back from fabulous vacations and forget about the exciting new restaurants, local festivals, and community events we've got going on right before us. Try to look at your familiar neighborhood with a fresh set of eyes. The adventure doesn't start when you step foot off the plane, it starts in your own backyard. I'm looking forward exploring our new USA host city (wherever that may be) after our move this summer!

7| Eat fearlessly.

Chances are, wherever you choose to travel, they'll be a food there that you've never tried (or think you won't like). Make this the year you throw caution to the wind, be adventurous, and take a bite! Try that strange meat on a stick from a street vendor in Morocco, take sip of the thick-as-mud coffee in Turkey, or eat bite of the bug you'd normally step on in Japan. If it sounds wacky, give it a go. You might be surprised to find you like it! Weirdest thing I ever ate while traveling? Reindeer in Finland! Good, but chewy. 

8| Connect with strangers.
Creating unique experiences is what every avid traveler craves. Some of the most memorable parts of visiting a new place is the connections you make with the locals, or even fellow travelers (this is something I can absolutely attest to!) If you're used to keeping to yourself and avoiding interactions with people, maybe try striking up a conversation with a bartender or a stranger in a cafe. Pick the brain of a passerby for a great restaurant recommendation or get chummy with your tour guide. The locals know all the gems off the beaten path and are usually happy to share them with you! Don't be afraid to put yourself out there...you'll be amazed at the connections you make and the memories you'll cherish for years to come.

9| Get HIGH.

It's not what you're thinking!! I don't mean that kind of high...I mean take the opportunity to see your travel destination from the window of a belfry, the peaks of a mountain, or even the wings of a helicopter. I'm always so surprised when I get a spectacular view and wonder why that wasn't the first thing I did upon arriving! Seeing your travel destination from up high will give you a different perspective and can help give you a sense of place so you can map out where you'd like to go next. The breathtaking scenery is just an added bonus! So, drop off those suitcases and go get high!

10| THIS is the year you finally do it!

No more excuses. No more fears. Stop self-sabatoging some of the greatest experiences of a lifetime and click that BOOKED button! Don't let five, ten, or twenty years go by without before you take that trip to Fiji, hot air balloon over Cappadocia, or stomp grapes in Tuscany. Come up with short term goals and a plan to get there in 2014. Life's to short to miss out on the joy of traveling this big, beautiful world. Cheers to making your travel dreams come true in the New Year!

Have you made any travel resolutions this year?
Where is your next great adventure booked?!

New Year's Eve in Brussels

Dodging the rain by hopping from bar to bar to sip Belgium's finest beers, meeting European locals in a brasserie who bought us rounds and filled my purse full of old bottle caps, 4 friends squished into a table made for 2 in a Grote Markt cafe eating crepes & laughing at the poor souls stuck out in the rain...these are just a few of my favorite memories of our New Year's trip to Brussels, Belgium. The crowds were thick, the bars huddled full of tourists, and the fireworks shooting off in the streets as the sun went down basically terrified the pants off of each of us, but what else do you expect celebrating NYE in Europe? 

When I got a call from my college roommate saying that she and her hubby Mark wanted to spend New Year's somewhere fun in Europe with us, Brussels was my first thought! D and I had never been (although we were no strangers to Belgium) and had heard while there isn't too much to see, the festivities surrounding the winter season in Brussels were worth braving the crowds for. We spent our first half day exploring the city, getting our bearings, and introducing Nancy & Mark to Belgian beer. The city was bustling with activity, much more than we expected. After eating a late lunch in the Grote Markt (Brussels beautiful town square), we visited the winter market (a mega huge Christmas market scattered throughout the city), ate Liege waffles, and got birds-eye view of the city atop a giant glistening Ferris wheel (recap to come...so beautiful!). We also stopped in for some Flemmish stew at a brasserie on Lombard street and met two of the funniest Netherlanders we'd ever encountered (stories to come)! Our NYE day (also known as the LONGEST DAY EVER) went something like this:

+ We souvenir shopped (Brussels has some pretty decent shopping areas). 

+ Gobbled up Neuhaus chocolates (a must in Belgium!).

+ Took the Brussels hop on-hop off bus to see more of the city. 

+ Had a mini photo shoot in front of the Manneken Pis (Brussels' famous bronze "peeing man" sculpture).

+ Bar hopped (Brussels has no shortage of amazing bars).

+ Ate NYE dinner at Hard Rock Cafe (because when D and I were missing yummy American food).

+ Made a stop at the famed Delirium Cafe (super touristy and super crowded, but the beer selection is extensive!).

+ Bar hopped some more (recommendations to come!).

+ Huddled into a small brasserie on the Grote Market to order crepes & cappuccinos for some energy...and laughed as dozens of people were turned away as they tried to storm the cafe when the rain started pouring. 

+ And finally made our way to the Mont des Arts with about a million other tourists to watch the midnight firework display. The place was a firework war zone. Terrifying & awesome.

WHEW, right?! Our bones were frozen and feet were bleeding by the end of that day, but we wouldn't have changed a darn thing. I warned Nancy & Mark that NYE in Europe was no holds barred when it came to fireworks and debauchery. Needless to say, Brussels did not disappoint! We all feared for our lives at least 5 times that night, but having experienced NYE festivities in both Frankfurt and Wiesbaden, I knew what we were in for. The crowds of people, however, made enjoying the fireworks a bit hard. Loud, drunken teenagers are annoying no matter the location. Thankfully, we made it back to our hotel by 1am, unscathed and filled with memories of another exciting NYE abroad. Would I recommend Brussels for future New Year's Eve celebrations? Sure! Just make sure to get a hotel away from the loudness of the Grote Markt, Mont des Arts, and the Rue des Bouchers (bar/restaurant alley). And prepare for crowds EVERYWHERE you go. If you can handle that, then Brussels is a wonderful place to ring in the new year! Bonne Annee, everyone! 

2013: Year In Review Montage

Well, folks...that's all she wrote for 2013! And here's my first blog post of 2014! WOOT! We just got back from an exciting 3 days in Brussels, Belgium ringing in the new year and I'm already bubbling up with energy and inspiration for the fun things to come in 2014! Truth be told, 2013 was a good year. Nay, a G-R-E-A-T year. We did so much traveling in 2013. SO MUCH. In fact, as I was preparing for my year in review post, I realized the majority of the wonderful things that we experienced this year were travel related. We're feeling pretty stoked to be able to say that. 2013...our year of traveling all over Europe...and even other continents! Pinch me! God has blessed us richly this past year. Our adventure cups hath runneth over and over in 2013.
Instead of doing the usual year in review running down my most popular blog posts or a top 13 of 2013 type deal, I decided to spend time riffling through the thousands of photos I've taken in 2013 and give you the highlight reel of our year in a fun photo video montage. Warning...it's almost 12 minutes long. I know, I'm basically the epitome of a long-winded person. I can't help it! But like I said, we did SO MUCH this year that a 5 minute vid just wasn't cutting it. Plus, I wanted to make this video for me. Well, for both D and I, so we can watch it in the future and reminisce about just how fabulous of a year 2013 was. Especially since 2014 is going to be filled with BIG changes. The kind of changes I can't even bring myself to think of or talk about most days...but they're coming whether I want them to or not. Needless to say, every time I replay this video, tears well up in my eyes. Both happy tears and sad tears. I'm excited for our next chapter to begin this coming summer, but I'm still clinging to our life here in Germany with a death grip. Check back with me in March and see if I've let go a little. Fingers crossed I do!
Anywho, I hope you all had an awesome New Year's Eve and have started your 2014 with fresh perspectives, renewed energy, and the hope of wonderful things to come! I also would like to tell you how much I love and appreciate each and every one of you that come back to this blog day after day and have followed along with our Germany journey since Day 1. What a ride it's been! With these big life changes on our horizon, I hope you'll stick around and continue to be the wonderful support system I've grown to adore so much! If it wasn't for this blog, my faithful readers, and the community of likeminded friends I've made along the way, I'm not sure this amazing adventure would mean as much. So, THANK YOU, sweet blog world! CHEERS to keeping the fun rolling in 2014! 
[If you live in Germany, you might not be able to view the video without first turning on a VPN service. Stupid GEMA regulations. Sorry!]

The Night That Wiesbaden Exploded

Happy 2013, friends and family!

Now that we're 2 days into the new year, how's it going for everyone so far? Kept your resolutions? Did you even make any? Us? Well, we're all kinds of screwed up...with our sleep, that is. I wrote an article for the squadron newsletter about how to beat jet lag during the holidays. Turns out, writing that article must have been the kiss of death, because D and I have been experiencing the worst jet lag of our lives since returning back to Germany 5 days ago. I'm talking inadvertently taking 6 hour naps, being wide awake at 3 am making pesto pasta and PB & J's, and falling asleep at the table in a public restaurant kind of jet lagged. Needless to say, it's been super fun awful here lately. That's why we decided to keep our New Year's Eve plans to a minimum and tried to enjoy the holiday alone from the comfort of our own living room. Interestingly enough, at 10pm that night, we got a second wind (probably because we napped from 9am to 1pm that day, on accident of course). We could have driven 20 miles to Frankfurt and got all up in the NYE craziness there, but that sounded miserable. Two jet lagged Americans trying to push their way through crowded bars and firework lined streets? No, thank you. Besides, we spent our last NYE in Frankfurt, so we wanted to try something a little different...even if it was a last minute plan. I remembered a tip a friend of ours mentioned to us just a few weeks after we moved to here in 2011. He told us that the best place to spend NYE was at the top of the hill in front of the Commissary (our on base grocery store, for all you non-military peeps). He said it offered amazing views of the city (which we already knew having frequented the Commissary practically every day since we moved here), and at midnight, Wiesbaden virtually explodes with fireworks.

Dear Lord was he right.

I realize the video I've posted is just over 3 and a half minutes long, but I recommend you watch it in its entirety to get a better feel for the awesomeness we experienced that night. The word awesome is hardly the right word to describe it, though. I simply can't find the  words that perfectly embody the sights and sounds we witnessed atop that Commissary hill. It's like nothing I've ever seen before in my life. It's one thing to see a fireworks show at a baseball game or a concert, but seeing them across an entire city, lighting up every square inch of skyline with color...mind blowing! Truth is, I cried. Like a 3 year old. I welled up just reveling in how blessed we were to be able to see this kind of celebration. A celebration of new beginnings that rang through an entire city. An entire country. The world. I get chills each time I replay it in my mind. Watch below and see for yourself. Although this video hardly does it justice. 

{Please ignore all the silly things I said in this video. And definitely ignore the crying. Definitely.}

10 minutes after midnight, the fireworks were still going strong!

After braving the cold and enjoying the most spectacular fireworks display we'd both ever witnessed, we made our way back to our flat to sip some champagne and dig into a NYE cake I'd made that afternoon. On the drive home, we encountered dozens of people shooting off firecrackers in the streets, and a few dingbats throwing poppers at our car. NYE is seriously crazy around here. Happy to be home again, we popped our champagne on the balcony and listened as the fireworks continued crackling in the distance (our neighborhood had finally calmed down). We also continued our tradition of saving the champagne cork and inscribing it with the year it was popped. We've got every New Year's Eve cork from the year we were married until now. Although, we are missing the one from the year D was deployed. The missing cork is a quiet reminder of all we went through that year, so its absence really isn't an absence at all.

As for resolutions, we didn't make many. It seems like with the birth of each new year, we bog ourselves down with lofty goals and aspirations, but as soon as the sparkle of the holiday wears off, we forget the promises we made ourselves and fall off the wagon of change, so to speak. This year, we took the pressure off and resolved to just be happy.  Be happy and enjoy the brief life God's given us in this beautiful country. Be happy and count our blessings everyday and remember to thank the one who divinely placed them. Be happy and be good to our bodies, nurture the marriage we have, and give to those who have not. That's our resolution this year. My challenge to you, dear friends, is to do the same. Don't let another day go by without joy. Cheers to simply being happy in 2013!

Team Cote's Top 20 of 2012

I realize I could have made this obligatory New Year's Eve year in review countdown a bit shorter...like just a Top 10 or a Top 12 to match the year we're sending off...but honestly, there were just too darn many fun and amazing things that happened to us in 2012 that a tiny countdown just couldn't cover. Heck, it was even hard for me to narrow down this epic year into just 20 noteworthy things (because, let's face it, 2012 kind of rocked our socks off). But, for the sake of not boring each of you to tears or delaying any of your NYE festivities (we're taking it easy this NYE, jet lag is one saucy minx), I kept it to only the most awesome of events. So, without further adieu, here's Team Coté's Top 20 of 2012! Cheers to an exciting 2013! May it be your most fabulous year yet, friends!

Skiing in Sankt Veit im Pongau, Austria--Siegi Tours

Our first time skiing in the European Alps was simply magical. No one died, so it was super productive as well. Don't we look cute in our ski gear? I'm still trying to get in contact with Colombia to start our ad campaign. They just don't know what they're missing.

Zandvoort/Amsterdam/Lisse, Holland

Our time in The Netherlands was spent in two different extremes. Half the time we were surrounded by a cloud of smoke in Amsterdam, while the rest of the trip was spent submersed in God's beautiful tulip-filled landscapes of Lisse. It was a wacky (yet memorable) Easter weekend to say the least.

My Big Fat European Family Vacation-Germany/Austria/Italy

D and I took 10 of my favorite family members on a whirlwind 2 week adventure through 3 different European countries. We galavanted around Bavaria, climbing mountains, paddle boating on crystal blue lakes, and exploring some pretty famous castles. After taking a quick pit stop on the Rhine, we then made our way to a dream-like villa in Tuscany to spend a week enjoying Italian cities like Florence, Rome (part 2//part 3), Carmignano, and Cinque Terre. I have to say, it's been one of my favorite vacations yet! And also my favorite travel recap series. A trip of a lifetime to say the VERY least! 

Hello, sexy silver bars!!

After 4 years of serving our country, moving from place to place, deploying for 6 month stents, and working late nights and longs shifts, D was promoted to the rank of Captain in May! It was a huge day for him and a super proud moment for this Air Force wifey right here. :) He continues to amaze me with how much he excels at his job and in his military career. 20 years or bust, right babe?! This was also just about the time we hit the 1 year mark of living in Germany. It was a big summer!

Memorial Day Weekend in Prague

Team Tempia and Team Coté got together and spent a long weekend taking Prague by storm! This beautiful city was such a surprise...so much to do and gobs of history to take in. Not to mention, the food and accommodations were out of this world. Who knew Bohemia would blow our minds?

Rhine Falls, Switzerland & Lake Constance, Germany

To celebrate our 5th year of wedded bliss, D and I packed our bags and made our way down to one of the most gorgeous lakes in Bavaria, Lake Constance! We spent 5 days in our comfy lake-side apartment soaking up the sun and reconnecting over spectacular views and some pretty yummy home cooked dinners. We also did a little bit of sight-seeing, but mostly drinking wine and getting sunburned. This trip was also memorable for another unfortunate reason. Gotta love Europe!

J'adore Paris!-August 2012

Two of our best friends and 4 days in the "city of love?" What more could you want?! We had a blast and a half wandering the streets of Paris and taking in all the sights and sounds of one of the most beautiful and iconic cities on Earth. Eating macarons along the Champs Elysées, dining on Croque Madames, and enjoying nights spent laying on the lawn of the Champs de Mars just staring up at the Eiffel Tower was almost more than my little expat heart could take! We feel so fortunate to have been able to share an experience like that with such dear friends! {More Paris recap posts to come!}

Wiesbaden Rheingau Festival 2012

I never did get around to blogging this...or half of our summer vacations for that matter (I promise, they'll get done)...but this wine festival held in downtown Wiesbaden each August is one for the record books. 10 days and 100 stalls of delicious Rhine Valley wines make this wine festival one of the largest (and most fun) in Germany. It also makes me a very happy Casey! With just a walk down the hill from our apartment, we could spend hours sampling wine and dancing the night away with all of our German buddies. I'm happy to report, D and I made it downtown 6 out of the 10 nights the festival was held. Next year, we're going for all 10!

Move over Betty Crocker!

This year, my kitchen got put to good use. And I have Pinterest to thank for that. It's safe to say my "Good Eats" board is the fullest of any other board I've got going on that time-suck of a website. But, it's given me lots of great ideas for some pretty stellar recipes that I happily shared with you guys over the last year. Remember those Homemade Pop Tarts? Or my Pumpkin Spiced Pancakes? Yeah...you're welcome. Bon appetit! 

Nutritionista's reunited!

Here's another event of 2012 that has yet to be blogged. Man, I kind of suck at this, huh? Anywho, one of my best girlfriends (and fellow foodies) from college and her hubby made a pit stop in Germany to visit us after spending 10 days floating along the Mediterranean with their families. Nice, huh? We hadn't seen the Huffmans in almost 3 years, so this reunion was long overdue...and epic to say the least! So, when ya coming back Huffman's? Huh? Huh?!

Ok, so maybe not 1,000 castles, but it sure as heck felt like it!

What is the one thing everyone wants to do when they come visit us here in Germany? Drink a beer. Duh. But a close second would be seeing a castle. Or two. Or 10. So, that's precisely what we did whenever a new set of visitors rolled into town. Don't get me wrong, we love a good castle (and Germany has got some amazing ones), but please, for the love of all things German, if you come visit us in 2013, let's keep the castle hunting to a minimum. Mmmkay? The final castle count of the year...27. Dear Lord, help us all.

Jolly ol' England & dorking out on Harry Potter

Guys, you know how much I love London. I fell in love with it on our first trip there in October of 2011 and the feeling only gets stronger. This was another one of our spur of the moment trips, planned just after coming back from Paris with only two weekends in between. That just proves how wacky we are for that city. We saw the Jersey Boys at Prince Edward Theatre, marveled at the goodies inside of Harrods, and had high tea at Kensington Palace our first two days there. But probably the greatest part of our London trip was surprising D with a visit to the Warner Bros Harry Potter Studio Tour! Now, I've yet to blog this amazing trip as well (are you surprised?), but I promise you, you won't want to miss this post! D completely nerded out that day...and subsequently turned me into a pretty adorkable Potter fan myself. Oh, the things you do for love. ;)

500 followers strong!

And growing everyday! Just a few days before my 26th birthday, the blogging world completely surprised and overwhelmed me with the greatest gift a blogger could want. 500 precious blog followers! Since that special day, I've opened up my advertising spots, hosted some pretty fabulous giveaways, and have made some long lasting connections with some pretty amazing bloggers! I've said it before, and I'll say it a million time more, I'm sure, but I feel so incredibly blessed to be a part of this blogging community! I'm BEYOND excited to see what 2013 will bring for We Took the Road Less Traveled! I'm ready to knock 1,000 out of the park. Only 39 to go! :) :)
Oh yeah, and in honor of 2013...all ad spots are currently 40% OFF with code NEWYEAR! Get on it!

PROST!!

There's not much to say except Oktoberfest. Was. AWESOME! One of the single greatest weekends of our time here in Germany. We drank, danced, and wore ridiculous costumes...all a German's days work, mind you. I had so much fun recapping our experience there...it's probably one of my favorite posts of the year! Add Oktoberfest to your bucket list, people. It's completely necessary.

Weingut Eugen Wehrheim-Nierstein, Germany

Grape picking along the Rhine River fulfilled my dream of seeing one of my favorite fruits turned into one of my favorite beverages. It also confirmed that grape harvesting by hand is one of the hardest, most back breaking jobs in the history of ever. Thankfully, the reward we reaped was well worth it! Wine for all!

A BLATE of Italian Proportions

For all you non-bloggers, blog+date=BLATE. So, basically a meet up of two or more awesome blogging souls. They're kind of a big deal around blog world. This particular blate took me to Italy to meet up with Jessica of Jessica Lynn Writes, who's been one of my best bloggy friends and fellow military wives for some time now. We had so much fun exploring Venice, Burano, and Murano, as well as shopping for pottery in Nove and laughing till our stomaches hurt watching hours of White Collar and the steamy Matt Bomer (yum). If you're a blogger and haven't been on a blate yet, you're SO missing out!! Bloggers make some of the greatest friends in the world! {Oh, and I'll blog about this someday, too. Promise!}

Get Yo Drink On

And that's basically all we did on our weekend trip to Bruges, Belgium right after Thanksgiving. I'm pretty sure D and I tried every Belgian beer there was to try in that city. No joke. I've got the photos to prove it. Which I guess I'll get around to blogging sometime after I blog all the other things I said I'd blog soon in this post. Please don't unfollow me. I'll be a better blogger in 2013. Scout's honor!

Frohe Weihnachten, Freunde!

One of the greatest times of year in Germany is Christmas time. Each city across the country begins opening up their Christmas Markets just after Thanksgiving, filling their Markt squares with Christmas lights, delicious treats, and stalls adorned with ornaments and local handicrafts. If you thought Christmas in the states was a sight to behold, you've not seen anything till you've experienced a Christmas Market in Germany! Feel free to live vicariously through me if you'd like!

The Police Took Timothy!

Ok, so you had to be there. It's almost needless to say, but getting to visit New York City at Christmas time was nothing short of magical. Getting to see it with 5 of your closest (and silliest) family members made the experience heart bursting. From ice skating in Bryant Park to watching the Rockettes high kick at Radio City Music Hall...to say we had THE best time would be a severe understatement! Be looking out for an NYC recap sooner rather than later...so says the procrastinator. :)

Santa Brought Us Home for Christmas!

I want to cry just thinking about the amazing Christmas we just spent back at home with our families in North Carolina. We feel so blessed to have been able to afford two plane tickets home so we could enjoy the holiday season with the one's we hold so dear, yet live so very far away from us most of the year. We did all the traditional Christmassy things we missed out on sharing last year and even added a few new traditions to the mix. We also got in lots of time soaking up America and snuggling up with our sweet baby dog, Tucker. Although the jet lag is beating us up hard this week, the long flights and sleepless nights were so worth it! There's nothing like being home for Christmas. Nothing. Expect a Christmas recap in the very near future!

Well, in the words of my Papaw...that's all she wrote, folks! If you made it to the end of this awesome, albeit long, year in review post...30,000 cool points for you! Believe me, I'm keeping count. ;) Here's wishing you the happiest of New Year's Eve's and a very pleasant and prosperous 2013! See you on the flip side!!