2014 in review.

A year ago today, I posted a look-back on 2013 about how excited I was for 2014. And then 2014 had to go and kick my ass. Looking back now, on the last day of this year that I can’t wait to be done with, it’s really easy to segment the year into three distinct parts: the first four months, clinging to a failing relationship and failing myself by doing so. Then May through August, checking out and putting on autopilot while I hid from facing some ugly truths and tried to heal. Finally, September through December, where I got to the point that life seemed great again. Lately I’ve been playing Imagine Dragons’s “It’s Time” on loop because so much of it resonates with me, particularly “It’s time to build from the bottom of the pit right to the top, don’t look back,” and “I’m never changing who I am.” After a year actively trying to change who I am, and struggling to build from the bottom of my personal pit, I’m just done looking back. 2015 will be better. It frankly couldn’t be much worse, but I’m really feeling like it’s time for it to be a year of me. 2014 did hold some redeeming points:

Traveled

--Puerto Rico, for a warm-weather getaway that gave me just enough sunshine to survive Minnesota’s brutal winter this year. I drank approximately twenty mojitos, suntanned and snorkeled on the beautiful island of Culebra, hiked and ziplined through the rainforests of Luquillo, and soaked up the history of the two Spanish forts and beautiful, colorful streets of San Juan.

--Cincinnati and Oxford, OH, for another lovely visit with my sis and brother. This trip was more business than pleasure, as we moved both of them out of apartments/dorms, but we still made time for fun (and Graeter’s ice cream), of course!

--Baltimore and Dover, Delaware, for Firefly 2014. I’m secretly dreading Kaitlin’s departure from that beautiful city on the bay for grad school next year…I’ll miss the cobblestone streets, crab dip, and darling row houses. It’s so nice to feel familiar with a city, even as just a visitor.

-- Notre Dame and Chicago for Andrew and Alyssa’s wedding in October. This is the first year since I started school back in 2007 that I haven’t made it to a Notre Dame game, but even just setting foot on campus on their wedding weekend satisfied that intrinsic need for that place…it’s a home to me in a way that will hopefully never change.

Celebrated

--My 25th birthday with a surprise visit from my BFF Kaitlin! For a self-professed cold-weather hater to brave the polar vortex of the Twin Cities to surprise me was one of the most meaningful demonstrations of how much this girl loves me. We celebrated in epic fashion (and managed to stay warm while doing so!).

--My parents’ 30th anniversary. As I waxed poetic here, their love and their commitment to each other has been the best example and the highest standard for me. I couldn’t be luckier to have them in my life.

--A totally unexpected promotion at work. I’m being trusted with a role that is way ahead of where I expected to be at this stage with my company—to be barely a year in, and being given the amount of responsibility and exposure I’ve been entrusted with, is a true demonstration of the fact that I’m thriving here.

Firsts

--Time living alone! This time last year, I was celebrating my first time cohabiting, and now I’m learning to be independent…cooking for one, decorating and cleaning, and making a home for myself all on my own. It’s been a revelation in learning self-sufficiency, and I’m loving it.

--Broken heart. We’ve covered it excessively. I was decimated, but I’m really lucky, in a way, that it took til 25 to really experience that. If nothing else, my life since April has proved to me that the human spirit can overcome anything with a little Prosecco, a lot of amazing friends, and a healthy helping of sheer stubbornness.

--Fantasy Football season. I was apprehensive, but after a LOT of coaching from my friend David and way too much time and effort, I made it through the second round of playoffs before getting absolutely slaughtered. I’m hooked and can’t wait to play again next year!

--Full year blogging. MinneapoLiz turned one in October and I’ve learned so much over the course of the year! Can’t wait for what 2015 will bring…a re-design, new content, and hopefully even more growth.

Family

 --My grandma and I have really built a wonderful relationship in the last year. From Sunday Fundays to random pop-ups after work for a glass of wine, I’ve loved getting to spend more time with her and hearing stories about her young adulthood—she’s been a treasure to get to know better after 25 years of her just being “Grandma.”

--My parents and I were roommates from April to October, and it was just what the doctor ordered after a terrible winter and breakup. They took care of me in ways both obvious (hello, laundry and lunches) and unobtrusive (endless talk-it-out sessions and marathons of “House of Cards”). I really needed them, and they were 100% there for me.

--My cousin Kari deserves a special shout-out for the bottomless support she also provided this summer. We went through breakups within hours of each other and she was the first person I’d text when I just needed to bitch it out to somebody who could understand without judgment. She’s always been my “fave,” but she truly is my favorite after the hours of conversation and texting!

Being totally honest, 2014 hurt, a lot. At the time, it felt like a body blow. Now I’m starting to think it was really just growing pains all along. After proverbially pressing pause on so much that was good in my life for so long, I’m really ready to begin again in 2015. New year, clean slate, and a lot to look forward to. Here’s to closing a tough chapter and starting the next off on the right foot! To continue our retrospective, check out this video—my year in Instagram—and I’ll see you loves in 2015. 

The merriest Christmas!

We five Schwegs have had a holiday for the record books this year. After a semester in Luxembourg, little bro Jonathan has returned to the family fold, and all five of us are together for the first time since July!

Christmas Eve was celebrated with a Mass pre-party at my apartment complete with elderflower mimosas, followed by a trip to surprise my grandma and godmother at church just north of Saint Paul. We headed home, stuffed our faces with honey baked ham and three different kinds of potatoes, and opened an abundance of beautiful gifts. Look at Emily's hand-illustrated wrapping paper! Could she be more ridiculously artistic? 

Favorite gifts this year? Emily's spectacular surprise watercolor painting of the Minneapolis skyline. Stay tuned...it's going to be making a gorgeous reappearance around here soon. Jonathan surprised all of us with pretty little paintings from Madrid. Finally, my parents gifted Em and me our plane tickets to Paris hidden inside the most beautiful book! I can't wait to study up before our trip this May! 

This year, we didn't host or go celebrate with any family on Christmas Day...just the five of us, and the day was heavenly, totally peaceful and relaxed. The three siblings watched most of "A Christmas Story" during the TNT marathon, and of course Snapchatted and texted friends near and far with holiday greetings. We also went to a matinée of "Into the Woods" (so good!!)...it's becoming a bit of a tradition for us to go to a movie on Christmas Day. 

Later, my mom made a fantastic new cocktail with limoncello, club soda, and elderflower lemonade. My should-be-Michelin-starred parents made homemade bolognese sauce that simmered all day, filling the house with insane olfactory deliciousness. After our Italian feast, we just hung out, watched "Elf," "How The Grinch Stole Christmas," and "The Polar Express," and enjoyed family time. 

In other Christmas news, it's been around 40 degrees here in the Twin Cities for the past few days, and we're having our first true green Christmas that I can remember for a long time. While I certainly won't complain about temperate weather, it's a bit weird! I'm sure I'll appreciate the December reprieve more when it's still snowy in April...

Finally, look at how lovely my soul sister Kate Middleton looked at the Sandringham Christmas services this year! While I can't say I was greeted by 2,000 well-wishers when I arrived at Mass, I did totally channel her during our family present-opening that evening...Christmas bows are totally the new fascinators ;) 

Here's hoping your Christmas was just as merry and bright! Best wishes for a wonderful remainder of 2014!

Sunday Brunch(es lately!)

It's been awhile since I've extolled the virtues of breakfast...and part of that is because, in my new  paying-rent life, I've cut back on brunch a little bit! Lately, though, I've checked two more places off the brunch list! Here's a quick little recap:

Good Earth Edina (visited 11/22/14)

Location/Ambiance:

Good Earth is located in the Galleria in Edina. The inside of the restaurant is nothing to write home about...but the patio in the summer is utterly spectacular. 

Score: 7/10

Beverage: 

The menu here is all about healthy, local, organic food, which means the menu is full of fresh-pressed juices, smoothies, and unique, awesome teas. I enjoyed an entire pot of Evening in Missoula, one of my favorite blends that's really hard to find in the Twin Cities. 

Score: 7/10

Food: 

I ordered an organic turkey sausage egg scramble, with mozzarella, peppers, onions, tomatoes, and herby sour cream. It was delicious...light, fresh, and savory. Em's waffle and Mom's pancakes looked great too!

Score: 7/10

Check out Good Earth yourself at http://www.goodearthmn.com.

Patrick's Bakery, Lyndale Bachman's (visited 12/7/14)

Location/Ambiance: 

There are a few different Patrick's locations around the metro area, and the one I visited is inside the flagship Bachman's floral store...it's set up like a gorgeous little French sidewalk café right amidst the flowers and plants. What a peaceful oasis in the depths of a Minnesota winter! I enjoyed my brunch between a towering trellis of orange blossom and a festive display of poinsettias, and loved it. 

Score: 9/10

Beverage: 

A mug of latté so big and deep that it stayed warm for the entire hour I lingered, reading a book on my iPad and smelling the flowers. It was wonderful. 

Score: 8/10

Food: 

I love quiche, and Patrick's has some of the best quiche in the Twin Cities. The crust is melt-in-your-mouth buttery and flaky, and the filling is dense with ingredients. I chowed down the quiche Lorraine like it was my last brunch. 

Score: 9/10

Check out Patrick's Bakery at http://patricksbakerycafe.com, or find something else to satisfy your breakfast craving on my brunch list!

Back to December

That's right, Taylor Swift isn't the only girl who gets to go "Back to December." It's that time of year when the world falls in love, and I'm loving every minute of it...Christmastime is always one of the highlights of my year. This year, in my lovely single-lady apartment, I started decorating obscenely early, with nobody to tell me that it was inappropriate to be blasting the Nutcracker Suite on Halloween...newsflash, it's not. 

First, let's start off with the anatomy of building a seven-foot artificial Douglas fir, courtesy of Target (click through!): 

It's one of those trees that really should be foolproof--all the branches are attached, you just flip 'em down, fluff them out and call it a day...but last year, the middle section of the tree must have gotten shoved in the box so hard it bent. So I put my tree up, got it fully decorated, and then noticed that it was leaning at a totally precarious angle. I tried to attach it to the wall with wrapping ribbon, my friend Michael came over and tried to secure it to the exposed ducts, and we ended up propping it in the corner and giving up. The next day, I was totally cranky pants and just undecorated the entire thing, bent the middle section with sheer force of will to straighten it, and redecorated. So, three days later, I had a functional, festive tree! 

Favorites on the ornament wagon this year: Elsa (I'm more obsessed with Frozen than most three-year olds), my hand-painted German ornament from the Minneapolis Holiday Market, this year's Notre Dame collectible (the view of Touchdown Jesus from the stadium), and of course the ND Band globe, which always gets pride of placement right at the front. 

The rest of my apartment is just as decked out! I'm ridiculously excited to have a fireplace...so my stocking is hung by my actual real live chimney with care! 

After our holiday kickoff trip to the Bachman's Ideas House, I stocked up on winter florals and greenery in a big way. There's something about having fresh, growing things that combats the gray-sky blues. I've got my own little windowsill garden and it makes me smile every time I peer out...even if I'm staring out into a blizzard or dense, damp fog. 

My center island plays host to a gorgeous tapestry poinsettia, the most delicious-smelling candle EVER, and a tiny SnowBaby from when I was little. I love bright pops of red for the holidays. 

And my coffee table, which I'm still totally obsessed with, is a bit more eclectic. My rosemary tree has died in recent days and been replaced with a beautiful petite lemon cypress tree that I can keep year-round...it smell delicious! The WoodWick candle crackles when burning and adds such cozy ambiance, both auditory and olfactory. And the snowman?

My dad's started a bit of an inside joke with my sister about plush holiday toys that sing and move. She has a Halloween owl and dancing treat bag, and this dancing father and son snowman is now at her apartment in Ohio and mine, here in the Cities. It is campy as all get-out and I adore it...they rock back and forth and sing a Christmas-tree-themed version of "Up on the Housetop." Judge away...it's going to be a treasured, warm-fuzzy-creating part of my holiday decor for years to come. 

As for the rest of my place...the holiday candles are all over the place, but my favorite part of the apartment's new holiday trimmings? My plethora of cute Christmas cards! I love getting to see my friends and family first thing as soon as I open the door. It puts such a smile on my face!

I'm a tiny bit anal about wrapping presents. This is the second year I've used my red-and-silver wrapping papers...I can't decide if the chevron pattern or the word search paper is my favorite. I get so irritated if the corners aren't just so or my patterns don't line up...it's an hours-long process to get my gifts wrapped every year!

This year, I did it and rewarded myself with a glass of wine, which helps make everything about the holiday season seem a bit extra merry and bright :) I can't believe Christmas is only four days away! Here's to the season!

A girls' trip to the Holiday House!

One of the highlights of the holiday season in our household is that it brings my Ohio-based siblings home! This year for Thanksgiving, little brother Jonathan stayed in Europe (don't you feel so bad for him?), but Emily was home for ten whole days! It was so awesome to get to spend time with her. 

The weekend before Thanksgiving, my mom, Em and I had so much great girls' time...we got our nails done at A La Mode, had brunch and shopped the Edina Galleria, and paid a visit to the Bachman's Holiday Ideas House! Every year, the Lyndale Bachman's decorates a darling old house on their property for the season from top to bottom, and the results never fail to amaze me. They make intentionally out-of-the-box choices in everything they do, repurposing vintage or antique items and using standard household goods in totally different ways. This year I took approximately one million pictures because I was so inspired! 

The front porch: I loved the red lanterns in greenery, the birch-wood outdoor "ornament tree," the use of paper and raffia decorations to create a mock chandelier, and the beautiful greenery and ornaments draping the front window:

The living room's mantel was stunning. Tons of candlelight, greenery, and bright pops of red poinsettias. I loved the "PEACE" sign above it as well! The fireplace was filled with pillar candles of various heights and looked so cozy and pretty. 

In the dining room, the Bachman's team repurposed an old U of M chalkboard to create a festive and fun menu board (I love the Christmas countdown too!). Poinsettias decked the top of the window bench, the table settings were rich with plaid and pinecones, and that chandelier...decorated to the nines! I would never have thought to dress up a chandelier, honestly...

This grouping of cute vintage signage dressed up the kitchen...

...and these gorgeous clusters of frames and mirrors set off the staircase so prettily. I'm still collecting pieces for a gallery wall in my own apartment, but would never have thought to frame textiles and use mirrors to bring in some depth! I also love the lanterns and greenery hanging in the window...I'd love to try something like that at home.

Upstairs, this little girl's themed room made my heart beat a little faster. The headboard of her bed is a vintage mantel, and the use of bright ornaments in lieu of drapery is so unexpected! They also used a vintage suitcase to showcase a holiday village.

A guest bedroom featured a punny play on words, a blinged-out light fixture, and a greenery arrangement that I thought about trying to mimic for my coffee table...I also liked their use of hanging frames and clipped mats to create a more temporary gallery-type photo display. 

How hilarious would an antler toilet paper holder be at a cabin or lake home? Talk about adding whimsy to a bathroom. I liked that trifecta of copper pots on top of the toilet so much that I bought one for myself...and a baby Frasier fir to fill one of them, too!

The master bedroom featured pretty burlap curtain ties with more greens and jingle bells, and the coziest, cutest reading "tray" made from a vintage screen! I certainly wouldn't turn down an afternoon of coffee and books with that by my side. 

The hands-down most innovative room, though, had to be the game room. Check these details out! A lampshade made of playing cards, a chalkboard-topped table for easy score-keeping, and vintage gameboards as wall decor? So cute!

This wall sign was my absolute favorite in that room. I'm a Scrabble FIEND, and rarely lose. Em thinks these would be a really easy DIY, and I'm so tempted to give it a shot for my place--it couldn't be a more perfect fit for me! 

We had such a great time going over the house and admiring all the little details...it totally got me in the mood to decorate and kick off the holiday season in style!