I’m feeling slightly emotional about this year ending. To be honest, it was one of the hardest years I’ve gone through. It was definitely full of some wonderful and happy moments, but there were several difficult and challenging times that my family and I endured. I try to keep my blog a positive and happy place and while I’d love to talk with you all about it, I haven’t been able to. I hope you understand. Just know that this year wasn’t my favorite. I know that some years are just like that; it makes you appreciate the good times even more. While I’m usually always happy to welcome a new year, this one is especially anticipated. I’m ready for a fresh beginning and a new start with lots of wonderful experiences to come. To show this year wasn’t all that bad, though, here are some of the great things that happened:
I was so happy to start off the year by learning something new, calligraphy! I took a class the first week in January. Unfortunately I didn’t get back into it until November, but at least I did it again! It was so much fun and I hope to practice more in 2015!
Matthew and I had a fun weekend in Redondo Beach, right before we moved. It was fun to go hiking and explore some new to us spots! We ate some clam chowder along the boardwalk, walked on the pier and shared a churro.
We moved into our house! This was a stressful but really exciting time. It’s been a goal of ours to buy a house and to be able to do that felt unreal. We are still getting it together but you can check out our guest bedroom, my office, and Matthew’s Man Cave.
I was so honored to be a social media correspondent for Vanity Fair’s pre-Oscar week. I partnered with Chobani and attended some really amazing events! This all happened the first week we moved into our house so it was a little hectic putting outfits together but it was a ton of fun and I met some really great people.
It was fun to celebrate our first 4th of July in our neighborhood. They go all out with a block party and huge fireworks. Matthew and I also had a bbq in the backyard with s’mores!
Photoshoots! This was the year of photoshoots for me. I did a cool project with Who What Wear and Essie, Tacori, Lulu & Georgia, Tresseme, Shop Morning Lavender, Shop Hers, Gap Dress Normal campaign, and I even traveled to NYC for a photoshoot with GUESS.
I made a few hair changes this year. In spring I lightened my locks up with a little ombre, in fall I went darker and in winter I added bangs! I guess I’m looking a little different these days but I promise I’m still the same girl! Same girl, different hair!
Did a lot of cooking and baking! I made my first pie in June, a Strawberry-Rhubarb, and for Thanksgiving I made an Apple Pie. Both were delicious!
I tried to enjoy fall as much as possible with two fun seasonal activities..wine tasting and apple picking. It was so special to have a girls trip to Temecula. We checked out the wineries over there and went to dinner on their cute little Main Street. Matthew and I also went apple picking which was one of our goals for the longest times! We picked the biggest apples {worm free!}, drank apple cider, and ate warm apple cider donuts.
I was featured in the September issue of Vanity Fair as one of the “Blogs We Love.” This was an incredible honor and I still can hardly believe it!
Matthew and I celebrated three years married, finished our favorite show How I Met Your Mother, and went on some jam-packed weekend trips. Besides NYC in February and September, I also went to Dallas and attended a fun Glamping weekend in Santa Barbara with Piperlime and Cynthia Vincent. Together, Matthew and I went to the Bay Area twice {South Bay for a wedding and SF for fun!}, beach camping in San Diego, Big Sur for Memorial Day, Cambria after the 4th of July and Hume Lake with Matthew’s family.
There was a lot of family excitement this year too! Matthew’s sister Rachel got married and his brother got engaged on Christmas Eve. I know next year is going to be full of a lot of celebrations {there’s a baby on the way in the family too!}.
Here are my favorite outfits from 2014:
So I guess this year wasn’t all bad! Tonight, Matthew and I decided we’ll ring in the year just the two of us {3 including miss Ginger girl!}. We’re going to make a yummy pasta dinner, make some goals for 2015, and watch a movie with homemade popcorn. I also think we’re going to go to bed before midnight. That makes me feel like an old lady but I kinda want to start off the new year feeling refreshed and ready to go. Can you blame me?
So tell me… how was your 2014? What was something amazing that happened and what are you most looking forward to for next year?
xox
