Oh man, 2016. Right on the edge and ready to swoop in to dismiss 2015 forever. FORRRR-EVVV-ERRRR.
Every year, I write a "Best Of 20XX" update, and I really love putting these together. I think it gives me a good opportunity to look at the year as a whole and just consider where there was success, where there was struggle, and where I can fit in more pancakes and mimosas in the coming year.
Considering it now, I think 2015 felt a little stagnant for the first half. Then we got serious about finding a house and it was like we'd smacked the piñata right in its weak spot. Every good thing starting pouring out and I was in a mad scramble to grab every single piece.
So, without waxing any further on things that don't necessitate emotional drib-drab, all the goodies in our piñata -- The Best of 2015. Oh and just FYI, it's not really in chronological order because, whatever, formatting's hard.
***
Ryan earned his Pilot's License:
You guys, a full week of fair food.
****
It always blows me away how much can change in a year. Every year I get all kinds of basic-bish about New Years and wonder about what's lurking in the coming months. But seriously, what is hanging out in some random weekend in May? And what will I encounter somewhere along the summer?
2015 was good -- slightly stagnant to begin with, but that's life. Ebbs and flows, baby. This was the year I became the Style Section columnist and began to feel more comfortable in my career. It was the year that Ryan and I decided NOT to buy a starter house. So we saved a little more and went with our forever home. It was the year my sister had her last baby, and my best friend had her first.
It was the year that I became a Belieber.
See how much can change in a year? Ha!
Happy New Year, folks. I wish you a confetti gun and lots to eat and drink tonight. I hope we all get rich this year, too.
****
Best of 2013 | 2014
Every year, I write a "Best Of 20XX" update, and I really love putting these together. I think it gives me a good opportunity to look at the year as a whole and just consider where there was success, where there was struggle, and where I can fit in more pancakes and mimosas in the coming year.
Considering it now, I think 2015 felt a little stagnant for the first half. Then we got serious about finding a house and it was like we'd smacked the piñata right in its weak spot. Every good thing starting pouring out and I was in a mad scramble to grab every single piece.
So, without waxing any further on things that don't necessitate emotional drib-drab, all the goodies in our piñata -- The Best of 2015. Oh and just FYI, it's not really in chronological order because, whatever, formatting's hard.
***
Ryan earned his Pilot's License:
****
And then her mom called it quits on human incubating.
****
KJ A.) had a baby and then B.) had her baby baptized, providing an excellent reason for 80% of our high school group to get together in one house. Next year, we have a wedding to attend and then in 2017, it's up to someone to have another baby.
****
We discovered this specific bowl of chorizo queso, and I am not kidding you, it places high on the Best of 2015 list.
****
Ryan and my brother-in-law, Justin, power-packed two motorcycles with tents, tiny sleeping mats and astronaut food, and trekked it across the country in a bike trip that might actually be described with the accurate usage of epic. Thousands of miles, several weeks, and a really interesting helmet tan equates to a very real sense of gratefulness that this is the life we've cultivated.
****
Summer number two of living just a red hot second away from Lake Michigan.
****
Small Awesomes, all year long:
You guys, a full week of fair food.
****
And, of course, you've heard me rambling on about it for nearly two months. Ryan and I climbed to the highest diving board, teetered to the edge, grabbed each other's hands, closed our eyes (well, me anyway) and took a leap. The pool is called debt and there's no life jackets available. Sink or swim, we bought our first home.
And for a change in 2016, you've probably already heard, we decided to bring home another dog. We'd actually made that decision when the offer was accepted on our house. With a larger yard, a bigger house, and a place out in the middle of nowhere, we knew we wanted to invite a new personality into our lives, and specifically one that wouldn't be so inviting of strangers into our home. So just two days ago, we met our new babe, a tiny little Rottweiler pup born the day before Thanksgiving, and plan to bring him home in the next couple of weeks.
****
It always blows me away how much can change in a year. Every year I get all kinds of basic-bish about New Years and wonder about what's lurking in the coming months. But seriously, what is hanging out in some random weekend in May? And what will I encounter somewhere along the summer?
2015 was good -- slightly stagnant to begin with, but that's life. Ebbs and flows, baby. This was the year I became the Style Section columnist and began to feel more comfortable in my career. It was the year that Ryan and I decided NOT to buy a starter house. So we saved a little more and went with our forever home. It was the year my sister had her last baby, and my best friend had her first.
It was the year that I became a Belieber.
See how much can change in a year? Ha!
Happy New Year, folks. I wish you a confetti gun and lots to eat and drink tonight. I hope we all get rich this year, too.
****
Best of 2013 | 2014