2016 in Review, and What 2017 Has to Come

We're back!!!

And yes - apologies it has been so long, but we've had just had so much crazy exciting stuff happening over Christmas and the New Year, and we really just wanted to take a break and enjoy the moments over the past month!

So I thought I'd start by doing a year in review (yeah I know it's a little late!) and give you a little insight into 2017 and were we are heading!

So... 2016.

2016 was, to put it, a year of ups and downs, and kind of an asshole. It would have had to have been the most challenging year I have had.

We moved to Portland, I started working in a cafe earning minimum wage, I struggled to get my teaching license until about October when I could finally work substitute teaching before coming home. I felt like nothing really fell into place for me in 2016, and I always felt like I was trying to just get through each month at a time. Paired with homesickness, and not really feeling as though America was my home yet, there were some tough times to get through.

Finding solid work was probably the biggest challenge. I'm a relatively independent person, and suddenly going from being financially independent to relying on Adam wage was a real bummer. It's a weird sensation, going from working as a professional in a full-time job, to working back in a cafe and it took away a bit of my pride.

But I guess a lesson learned in that, is that regardless of how you feel, you just got to get things done and swallow your pride for a little while until things start working out again.

I've always been a believer that eventually things will fall into place, and this finally happened when I was granted my teaching license. In October I started part-time substitute teaching! And I am loving it!

2016 was also a great year of growth for Healthy Pears, and I feel like my food photography finally started coming together. I've spent hours learning new styling techniques and learning more about my camera and I feel like that hard work finally paid off!

So, in light of that, I thought I'd take this opportunity to share my 5 favorite recipes from 2016!

Vietnamese Beef Salad - this recipe took me back to home. One thing I miss about being in Australia was the quality of Asian food! I absolutely love it!

Harissa Spiced Chickpea Salad - seriously was so proud of this recipe!

Raw Lime & Coconut Cheesecakes - I was really proud that I made this recipe from scratch and loved the photography!

Summer Seafood Risotto - this was one of Adams recipes and I love that he is so creative in the kitchen as well!

Tropical Fruit Smoothie - the taste of Summer!

2016 was a year of growth, learning, challenges, and opportunities. Would I change it for the world - absolutely not, am I looking forward to the new year? Absolutely, without a doubt. Am I sad to say goodbye to last year - not really? Don't get me wrong, we had so many amazing opportunities presented to us last year, and we had so many adventures and met so many amazing people who we now call our friends, but I am so excited about 2017!

What's 2017 looking like for us?

2017 - it has started with such a bang already and I can only feel positive about what this year has to come!

January 1st started off without a hangover! Winning already. Mainly because I was still drunk on New Years Eve day following my Hen's party! But you can always count a win when you're feeling great the first day of the year!

January 7th was probably the best day of our lives - our wedding! Our wedding day was all that we could have imagined and was just the best day ever. Adam and I were married at a vineyard in Victoria and celebrated with 80 of our closest friends and family members. It was the happiest and most perfect day.

Following our wedding, we arrived back in Portland to a Wintery wonderland. The snow was falling thick, and it was absolutely beautiful! To add to our good mood, we went for our first snowboard of the season at Mt. Hood and far out it was a good day! Perfect weather, and a perfect way to start our lives back in America.

I got a haircut. For the first time since I was about 22 I have shoulder length hair and I love it! I can't help feeling that getting a new haircut was also an omen for a good year to come. It was liberating getting all my hair chopped off!

The past weekend brought in more amazing weather and good times! We caught up with friends we hadn't seen in a month, went for an amazing snowshoe near Mt. Hood, and had a relaxing day of eating pizza and Indian take out and drinking red wine and beer.

The rest of 2017 will hopefully bring: a new puppy, a bigger house, a visit from my parents, more adventures with our friends and hubby (I love that I can say hubby now!), consistent work as a substitute teacher, some exciting changes with the blog, a trip to Denver, San Diego and New York City, a year of getting my fitness back, and a year to just kick some serious ass in life!

In terms of Healthy Pears - we are actually considering some serious changes to the naming and brand of the blog which is really exciting! I am thinking of changing the direction that HP is going, and I am so excited about it! Over the next week I'll be working on transfering my blog over to our new domain!

So keep updated, and again I apologies for the lack of posting, but we really just wanted to take everything over our break and enjoy the moment!

Peace out!