{Happy New Year!}

I realize this post is coming a wee bit late, but I figure we're only three days into 2013 and I can't let 2012 go that easily. Happy New Year!

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I truly can’t believe I’m sitting here reminiscing on another year come and gone. And what a year it was! 2012 brought so much adventure… Putting this post together and reminiscing on so many memories made, I realized why I am so darn exhausted all the time... We've been BUSY. We traveled to over 10 countries (including the UK for the Olympics and living out a dream vacation in Greece), we had lots of family come visit, I went home twice, was in two weddings for two of my best friends… we made new friends, thrived living on our own far away from everything we know and love back home, grew so much closer, celebrated two years of marriage and so much more. It’s been a truly incredible year. One we’ll never forget. And 2013 has so much greatness in store, I’m so excited it’s finally here! We’ve got big plans for this year, it just might be the best one yet. So here’s to 2013, full of so much possibility. Hope it brings you all love, happiness, health and prosperity. Happy New Year!

Here’s a look back on some of the highlights of 2012. Thanks for following along on all our adventures!

 {Photos ©  Liz Denfeld}

{New Years Eve in Amsterdam}

Corey and I flew back from the States just in time to celebrate New Years Eve in Amsterdam. We had plans to join friends for a house party, but realized upon arriving that we were way too jet lagged and exhausted to do much, plus we had a terrified pup to attend to. You see, fireworks are illegal in the Netherlands every other day of the year, so people go nuts on NYE. From the time we woke up we started hearing them go off. As the day progressed the cracks and booms got louder and louder, and once we even thought our windows would blow out (seriously). We spent much of our day staying inside consoling Henry, who's not a fan of fireworks. In the evening we sat around and drank strong Belgian beers (out of champagne flutes) and talked about our wishes for 2012. Around 11:30 we decided we should at least go out for a bit and experience the commotion and smooch under the colorful bursts of fire at midnight. 


We walked about three blocks to Nieuwmarkt (where we also bought our Christmas tree!) and as soon as we stepped outside we were surrounded by thousands of people, crowded streets and terrifyingly close firecrackers being lit all around us. I saw a girl chugging whiskey out of a nearly-empty bottle of Jack Daniels, and the smell of marijuana surrounded us. It was clear that people had come from all over the world to celebrate the beginning of the New Year here - and they wanted to bring it in with a bang. We stood together for a while in awe of all the chaos and couldn't help but feel like we were in the middle of a war zone. We had to dodge fireworks more than once as people threw them off their balconies down onto the congested streets. The whole scene was like nothing I'd seen before. It was 4th of July on steroids - and with no rules. Drunken people lighting off fireworks wherever and whenever they wanted - regardless of how many people were around.


At midnight things really went crazy. We kissed at midnight, took a few photos, and then realized that by now Henry must be having a mild heart attack and we'd better get back. Plus, I was scared for my life and was more than happy to go back and seek refuge in our apartment. I figured our quiet street would be saved from the madness, but when we finally turned onto it we found some drunken men lighting off huge fireworks right in front of our door. They were so big you could feel their vibrations deep in your chest. We ran up to our apartment to find Henry shaking uncontrollably. We quickly consoled him and turned some music up loud to try (naively) to drown out the noises coming from outside. We were glad we decided to stay home with him that night (save for 30 minutes)! The fireworks didn't stop until around 4AM, so our jet lag woes continued into the next day. All in all we were happy to be here and experience the craziness that is Amsterdam on NYE, but I have to say that next year you'll probably find us holed up in a cabin in the country - far, far away from it all. 

{Fun with Photo Booth}

{Heading out into the madness...}

{Photos © Liz Denfeld Photography}

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{Happy New Year!}

Wow. How can 2011 already be over? This past year has truly flown. I love looking back on past years, and feel so grateful that each year in the recent past seems to have been even better than the one before it. This year is no different. I thought 2009 and 2010 couldn't be topped, but here we are living an entirely new and amazing life abroad in Amsterdam and reflecting on 2011, realizing it has treated us unbelievably well. Thanks to this blog I can vividly remember so many amazing memories and adventures. 

When I was home in November my mom said something that stuck with me. She said, "10 years ago, if you would have asked me which one of my daughters would grow up to be the most adventurous, you would've been my last guess. You really surprised me." She's right. I've changed and grown so much in the last 10 years, I wouldn't even recognize myself at 15. I was shy, insecure and I had no idea what I wanted in life. Now, at 25, I can truly say that I've never been happier. I know myself better than ever and am confident in my life, my friends, my family, my beliefs and all the choices I've made that lead me here. Of course there have been rough times, too. Plenty of them. But I run on the belief that everything happens for a reason. And those trials and tribulations have only strengthened me and made me who I am, so I'm thankful for those, too. 

Here's a recap of 2011, a year I will never forget. The year I became the adventurer I never really knew I was. Here's to a 2012 that tops it all! Happy New Year, everyone. Wishing you and yours all the best in the coming year. 

In 2011 we...

Fell in love with our new role as puppy parents and took way too many pictures of our cutie.

I got a new job.

We spent a weekend away with friends at Mt. Hood

Celebrated six months of wedded bliss with a date at Little Big Burger

Spent more lunch breaks than we could count driving downtown to take our sweet pup out for a walk.

Met my sister's boyfriend for the first time. They're still happily together in LA!

Spent a weekend in a blissful Oregon beach town with our friend's Meghan and Jeff. They just welcomed their baby girl, Evelyn, into the world! They got engaged and had a baby this year. Talk about an amazing, eventful year!

Met our unbelievably adorable niece, Emma.

Went to the Tulip Fest.

Had the best birthday ever thanks to my sweet and sneaky husband. 

We found out we were going to move to Amsterdam.

I woke up before the sun had even risen for the Tigard Festival of Ballons.

Went on many date nights with the best date a girl could ask for.

Created and checked almost everything off our Portland To Do List.

Fulfilled a dream and MOVED to Amsterdam!

Celebrated one incredible year of marriage.

Traveled to San Francisco, Chicago, Paris (twice!), the French Riviera, London and Dublin.

Flew back to Oregon to watch two of our best friends get married!

Hiked a mountain with my mom and mother-in-law.

Welcomed Sinterklaas to town.

Surprised my mom in November and showed up at her front door.

Got a Christmas tree in Amsterdam and decorated it.

Went to the Christmas Market in Dordrecht, Holland.

Traveled home to spend Christmas with our entire family. It was an incredible week home and I can't wait to share photos with you!

And now, we're about to welcome 2012 in Amsterdam! They do it big here. And despite the jet lag (and a pup that's deathly afraid of fireworks) we're going to try to live it up! Hope you have a super special New Years Eve. I can't wait to kiss my one and only under the fireworks at midnight :)

{image credit}

Happy New Year!!

2009 was such an incredible year, it was hard to imagine it could be topped. But 2010 accomplished the impossible, and even though I said this last year, I really do think this year was the best yet.  I feel so incredibly blessed to have found true love, to have such an incredible, supportive and loving family, and to have a great job that helps me live a fortunate lifestyle. Here's a recap of our 2010, and here's to hoping we never forget our incredible adventures. 

We traveled to California and got rained out of our engagement photos.

We planned and re-planned our honeymoon.

We enjoyed cozy Sunday mornings at home.

I made Red Velvet Pancakes.

We ate at Lovejoy Bakers too many times to count and visited the Farmer's Market.

We moved. Twice. 

Spent an amazing weekend in Willamette Valley wine country for my birthday.

I had two incredibly gorgeous bridal showers.
I took two photography classes, got a new camera lens and have deepened my love of photography.
My best girls and I celebrated my last days as a bachelorette in sunny Palm Springs.
We finally took our engagement photos a month before the wedding!
I counted down the months to marriage.
I married my best friend.
We honeymooned in Kauai. 
We went to a wedding in Milwaukee and a wedding in Pasadena.
I tried a new look. Didn't last long.
Corey and I celebrated three years since our first date!

I decorated the Thanksgiving table.
I dreamt of adding a furbaby to our little family, and those dreams came true when we welcomed Henry this Christmas!
We celebrated our first married Christmas together.


And tonight, we're going to ring in the new year and hope for many more happy memories!


Thank you so much for following along our journeys. It means so much to have you all here. You are the most supportive, inspiring group of readers I could ask for. Hope you have an exciting and safe evening. Happy 2011!

{photo credit}