Thankful. {Day 1}

{Day 1} My Husband.

My beginning and my end.
The most humble, caring, selfless person in my life.
The funniest person I know.
An amazing friend. An incredible dad.
My best friend.

Cross That Off the List

Just days after posting my must-do in California list, we headed up to LA for an adventure and I got to cross three...THREE...three things off of the list.

1. LACMA

2. La Brea Tarpits

3. Movie at the Arclight

To say the day was full to the brim would be a total understatement. 

Ca-li-for-ni-a

It has recently come to my attention that there is a chance I may not live in California for the rest of my life. Thinking about this makes me sad, excited and anxious all at once. I am a California girl to the bone. I was born and have only lived in California for all of my 29 years. Thinking about this also makes me stressed. I want to make sure I take full advantage of California while I still have it at my beck and call.So I decided to make a list
A list of things I would really LOVE to do before I bid California adieu {one day}.
A list of things I have done before, but not since I was a wee one.
A list of things I have done before, but husband hasn't experienced yet.
A list of things that I would like to do one more time.
A list of things that I probably wouldn't get on an airplane to come and do - when I could be spending that time visiting all my favorite people.


Here is what I came up with so far...
Whale Watching

Catalina

Stay at the Grand Californian
Stay at the Montage

The Beachcomber

Big Sur
Movie at Arclight

Movie in the cemetery

Concert at the Hollywood Bowl

Sing-A-Long Concert at the Hollywood Bowl
Salvation Mountain & Salton Sea
Queen Mary

Camp at Leo Carillo
Hearst Castle
Neighborhood

See the Sequoias & Kings National Park

San Francisco
Napa

Palm Springs Aerial Tram

La Brea Tarpits

Hike to Hollywood Sign

Ride beach cruisers from Balboa to Huntington
Santa Barbara
Mammoth & Yosemite
San Diego Zoo

Getty Museum

Griffith Observatory

Museum of Tolerance

Ronald Reagan Library

LACMA
 
What am I missing?
What would you add?
What do you think I should skip?

I heart Buffalo Plaid

I am really in to buffalo plaid.Don't know what that is? Here let me show you with some help from Google images:

{come. on. too cute.}

I know what you are thinking (or saying out loud if you are verbal processor), "Ooooh...plaid. Like what lumberjacks wear."
Nope, not just plaid. Buffalo plaid.

I don't know what it is about that red and black pattern, but I find myself drawn to it.
So much so that when I stare at it for so long, and then look at other plaid I get physically ill at the amount of cuteness it does NOT have.
So much so that I bought three yards of it on sale at the fabric store, with the hopes of every project I make for the next month having some buffalo plaid on it in some way.

If I could...I would cover my husband in buffalo plaid.

Ryanne Witt Literary Society

I didn't read nearly as many books as last year, but I still think I did pretty good.
I know you are dieing to know what I have been reading {who isn't} so here is the list:

1. Water for Elephants Sara Gruen
2. Madame Tussaud Michelle Moran
3. The Hangman's Daughter Oliver Potzsch
4. Hector and the Search for Happiness Francis Lelord
5. Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble H.P. Mallory
6. Toil and Trouble, a Paranormal Romance H.P. Mallory
7. Bossypants Tina Fey
8. Always the Baker, Never the Bride Sandra D. Bricker
9. Patched Together: A Story of My Story Brennan Manning
10. The Family Man Elinor Lipman
11. The Help Kathrynn Stockett
12. Twilight Stephanie Meyer
13. My Horizontal Life Chelsea Handler
14. Redeeming Love Francine Rivers

I joined/formed a book club this year. We like to call ourselves a literary society.  None of us (read: the three of us) really knows what a book club does, so usually we spend about ten minutes talking about the book, and twenty to thirty minutes talking about how awesome our book club is. It is really broadening my horizons when it comes to literature.

Who am I kidding? If I learned anything this year it is that I am sucker for ninety-nine cent and free novels on my Kindle, and sometimes I need a little comfort in my life {Twilight}.

Oh well...here is to another 30 Book Goal for 2012. I am thinking I might revisit Harry Potter and Hunger Games. Just for fun.

Get At Me 2012

I loved 2011. LOVED.
What an amazing life I have. I am so blessed.
But true to form I am ready for the new year to begin. I love a fresh start. I love a fresh perspective. I love a fresh look on life.

For those of you who know me - this is probably comical to you. Because even though I love all those things. What I don't love is...change. So even though the new year always arrives like a breath of fresh air, it also causes some unwarranted anxiety. Am I alone in this?

I have decided this year to welcome the new year anxiety with open arms {Get over here, you}. So...get at me 2012. Let's see what you got.

My Latest Fem Crush

Oh Kristen Wiig...how I like to dream about us lunching together as BFF for hours laughing hysterically with each other - mostly me laughing at your jokes - because you are clearly the funnier one, which I am ok with.

And that adorable haircut. I haven't thought of cutting my hair short in a long time, and I have never thought about going blond. However, after two hours of Bridesmaids you had me thinking. What? Too Single White Female for you?

I clearly have a thing for making blonds my best friend, because you have been added to the list with Kristen Bell and Rachel McAdams. Maybe we should all get together and go on a girl's weekend to Palm Springs. I'll drive.

I hate crows.

Hate them.
They are SO disgusting.

Oh and they are apparently stupid, because when I was driving back from lunch the other day a crow flew into my windshield. It flew into my windshield, rolled over the top of my car, and landed on the ground. Directly into my windshield.

It scared the crap out of me. To all you animal activists out there you should know the crow lived - not like I would have cared...because as you know...I hate crows.

Not only is it March...there are only 10 days left in March. Wow!

See that?

Oh that is just 2011 passing me by.

Back to work...

After almost two weeks off (I might have used a couple of personal hours in order to take an extra day or two) I went back to work today.

Most people dread going back to work.

I, however, am not one of those people.

There are three things about work that I love:

The people.

I love the people I work with and {oh man} I miss them when I don't see them six times a week.

My job.

I really love what I do. There are no words to really convey how true that last sentence is.

A schedule.

I love sleeping in and lounging around my pajamas as much as the next person. But after about three days I need a reason to get up and get dressed or else I am just useless.

Excited to be back and to see what 2011 has planned for HSM!

XO

Ryanne

10 Things I Loved About 2010

On the last day of 2010 it only makes sense to reflect on the last year.
Here are 10 things I loved about 2010 in no particular order, because no matter the year I really love lists.

Less stuff, more experiences. 
We stuck with our motto for 2010. We downsized our home. We downsized our expenses. And upped the anti on our adventures. And I think we did pretty well.

No DVR in our house.
Random. I know. But we are such different people when we are only focused on our TV. We talk more, go on more adventures, and do more of the things we want to do.

Netflix.
I know I might be a little late to the game when it comes to Netflix, but in an attempt to me getting over us not having a DVR - my husband decided we should try Netflix. I love every second of it.

Camping in June Lake.

I love love love camping. And this trip was one of my favorite camping trips. Even with one complete night of absolutely NO sleep, because of a raccoon and a bear.

Lynchburg/Washington DC Trip.

Jonathan's parents live in Lynchburg, VA and while visiting them we were sure to take a little two day trip up to Washington DC, because although I do not have any desire to be in politics I would LOVE to live in Washington DC one day.

Summer Camp.
I know that Summer Camp is technically work - ok...it is A LOT of work - but I love it so much and I look forward to it every year.  I was too busy at Summer Camp to take any pictures so you will just have to use your imagination. It is just a week long reminder that not only do I love my job and LOVE the people I work with, but God has called me to do ministry.

Solo Seattle Trip.

At the beginning of 2010 three of my very best friends moved out of state. Two of them moved to Seattle for two totally separate reasons. By October I was needing to see them. Not just because I missed my friends, but because my soul was desperate for some of that one-on-one time that you just can't achieve over the phone. So much to my surprise my husband said "Yes. You can buy a plane ticket" and I flew to Seattle for six glorious days. It was amazing and just what I needed. And Seattle was really cool too!

Reading more.
I know this is the third post in a row about me reading more, but have you ever wanted to be something and then become that? I wanted to be a reader - and I think I can safely say that I am.

My husband working from home.
In January my husband quit his job to work from home for himself. It was a little scary and a little risky. But, of course, God is good and we had a great year where we have been taken care of beyond. I can not explain how wonderful it is to have my husband working from home. He is always home when I come home from work. Since I have such crazy days off he is always able to swing it and spend some time with me on a random Monday afternoon. And for the first time ever...he was able to come on quite a few work trips with me.

All the little things.
There are a hundred more little moments that happened this year that I will always remember. But something I feel like I have truly learned this year is the little things are just as important as the big things. Yes it is important to take trips and reach goals, but it is also important to laugh and do spontaneous things in the moment.

2010 you were great to me - I can't wait to see what 2011 holds!
XO
Ryanne

New Book Goal for 2011

Since I almost met my book goal in 2010. I decided I would make another one for 2011 (and actually make it before the year started) I thought I would change it up a bit and make a list of the books I wanted to read this year that also included some nonfiction books. I have a whole bookcase of books at work (because I just REALLY love books) and I have probably read about ten of them - that is being generous to myself. So I pulled out all the books that I would like to read this year to move them to their own shelf.

Let me save you some time - there are 29 books in that pile. 1 shy of what my goal was last year.

So...I am not sure if I am setting myself up to fail or not. Because the truth is I will try to get through all of those books in that photo, but I have a whole list of books that are about fantasy, love, mystery, and drama that aren't pictured above. Not to mention all the books that haven't come out yet or have come out, but I haven't discovered yet.

Maybe I should find a job where I get paid to read all day - then my goal can be closer to 100.

Oh well...still excited about the possibility.

Happy reading!

XO

Ryanne

30...or 20

In February I decided I was going to read thirty books this year.
I don't know why I picked that number, but that is just what popped into my head.
Sadly...I didn't quite make, but I came really close.

1. One Fifth Avenue Candace Bushnell
2. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire J.K. Rowling
3. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix J.K. Rowling
4. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince J.K. Rowling
5. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows J.K. Rowling
6. Unlikely Disciple Kevin Roose
7. A Million Miles in a Thousand Years Donald Miller
8. Hunger Games Suzanne Collins
9. Catching Fire Suzanne Collins
10. Mockingjay Suzanne Collins
11. I Love You, Beth Cooper Larry Doyle
12. Vision in White Nora Roberts
13. Bed of Roses Nora Roberts
14. Savor the Moment Nora Roberts
15. Happy Ever After Nora Roberts
16. Under the Dome Stephen King
17. A Tale of Two Youth Workers Eric Venable
18. Never Eat Alone Keith Ferrazzi
19. The Carrie Diaries Candace Bushnell
20. Public Secrets Nora Roberts


In my attempt to read thirty books exactly what I wanted to happen...happened.
I fell in love with reading again.
I am ready for recommendations. What are your favorites? What are must reads? What would you recommend?

Trader Joe's Tuesday

I don't know about you but at Witt Manor we love carbs, especially those that come in the form of bread.

So when I spotted Trader Joe's Baby Baguettes in the frozen section I snatched those babies up (get it?!).

And they were super easy (just pop them in the oven straight on the rack for 4 minutes) and SUPER delicious.

Unfortunately, I don't have a picture of them because after three or four purchases of them I couldn't/can't find them anymore at TJ's (sad face emoticon). I am not sure if they were seasonal or I was the only one buying them or they are still there and I am just not seeing them - which is very possible even in a small little TJ's.

So if you do see them - just take my word and buy them...and maybe mail me a couple of packages.

Enjoy!

XO

Ryanne

Random Picture Monday

A peek into my life every Monday based on a random sampling of pictures on my computer.

You are welcome!

Wish Granted

Remember when I blogged about these beautiful books. Well someone out there really loves me and heard my request because I got one for Christmas! Now I can officially start my collection.

Jealous?

What did you get for Christmas?

I hope it was Merry.

XO

Ryanne

Merry Christmas!

"But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end"

Luke 1:30-33

I heart Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve.
Is there anything better?
Anything more magical? More memorable? More full of traditions?
Is there anything that is a better reminder of how much God loves us?
I don't know about you, but I am having trouble sleeping. Not because a man in a big red suit is coming, but because I am in awe of how much God loves me that He sent His only son to die for my sins.
Sleep tight.
XO
Ryanne

Say Cheese

What do you eat for Christmas dinner?

Do you eat a traditional meal or a what ever sounds good in the moment?

We ate something different every year. The thing I remember the most is my grandma's short ribs. Oh man my mouth is watering just thinking about them.

On Tuesday I made a Christmas lunch for my team. I put together a baked potato bar that I thought was pretty delish.

It included:

Chili

Chicken

Shredded Cheese

Sour Cream

Onions

BBQ Sauce

Broccoli

Cheese Sauce

I definitely think the cheese sauce was the star of the meal.

It was quite delicious. I am pretty sure I could have taken a bath in it. So if you are planning on having baked potatoes for Christmas dinner or just need to put cheese on top of something here is the sauce I threw together.

Ryanne's Super Yummy Cheese Sauce

{This made enough for 12 people to enjoy more than enough}

1 block of Sharp Cheddar Cheese grated

1 block of Colby Monterey Jack Cheese grated

1 can of Cream of Broccoli Soup

1 1/2 cups of sour cream

1 cup of milk

Put all cheese and milk in a medium sized pot over medium/low heat and stir constantly until cheese is completely melted. Make sure you keep stirring so the cheese doesn't burn. Then add soup and sour cream and stir to well mixed. Then salt and pepper to taste (I use garlic salt, Lawry's Seasoning salt, and kosher salt...what? I like salt. I wish I had Bacon Salt, it would have been perfect for this dish). When it is seasoned to your taste turn the heat down to low stirring occasionally until you are ready to serve. If it is too thick for your liking add milk a 1/2 cup at a time.

Pour over potato, broccoli, chicken or dip veggies or bread in it and enjoy!

As Julia would say "Bon Appetite"

XO

Ryanne

I heart Gnomes

Finally saw the trailer for Gnomeo and Juliet.

I couldn't even tell you how many people have texted me from their movie seats to tell me about the movie. Looks pretty cute. I guess I have to see it...for the sake of all gnomes around the world.