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Thursday, January 3, 2013

A Year in Pictures: 2012

Hello 2013, and Fellow Bloggers!

I can't believe that the holidays are over, and 2013 is actually here! I guess time really does fly when you're having fun, and this year has been the most fun year to date!

I've been thinking a lot about what I want to accomplish in 2013, but first I'd like to take a ride down memory lane, and look back to all that was great in 2012...

January

We Bought Our First Home

From Painting...
...To Ripping out Floors

We Poured Our Hearts & Souls into Our New Home

Our Engagement Party- With our Best Friends

February 

Wedding Dress Shopping, and This was the Winner!

New car for me!

March

Happy St. Patrick's Day

San Francisco for the ACA Conference


Wine Tasting in Sonoma with my Favorite Regent Girls!

 April

Spring is here! Must be color-blocking time ;)

We give Each other Easter Baskets Each Year!

Bridal Shower...Time to Become a "Mrs."
Sidenote: Loving my Bestie's Faces in this one! haha
May

Graduated with my Master's

Taking our Engagement Pictures-What a blast!

One of my favorites

Bachelorette Party Time!

Couldn't Survive without my Best Friends

June

The Most Magical Day of my Life<3

"You may now Kiss the Bride."


On Cloud Nine

St. Barths was the Perfect Honeymoon

July

Annual Family OBX Vacation

Celebrating my Birthday with my Very Best Friends!

August

Becoming a Wife...and Trying to Cook ;)

Spinach Lasagna


The Ritz's Famous Lemon Pound Cake

Chicken Bundles

September

Beaching it for my Sister's Bday!

Rocking out to Journey at the Ted!

October
My Dear Friend Beth Got Married, and I was Lucky Enough to be a Bridesmaid!


Our Girl in her Halloween Sweater ;)

November

My Best Friends at the Willow House Party I Hosted


The Williamsburg Inn & Spa for my Best Friend, Malena's Bachelorette
...And I want to go back one day SOON!

Thanksgiving with my Precious Family

December

Our First Christmas Tree in our Home

Merry Christmas!

Being Silly with Matching Snoopy Tees

My Mother & Sister- Blessed to have Them

Spreading some Holiday Cheer at Hope House
These Men are so Inspiring- and Yes, John is Pretty Awesome!

Opening Ella's Presents on Christmas Morning

My Mom and I got Matching Michael Kors Watches from our Hubbies...
And it Wasn't even Planned!

I got Matching Monogrammed Bracelets for My Mom, Sister, and I.

Ringing in the New Year with my Best Friend!
Wow, looking through these photos makes me feel so incredibly blessed and lucky. What a year I have had! There's truly nothing I could complain about, and I can only hope that 2013 will be just as great.

Here's to hopes, dreams, and new beginnings in the new year!

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

A Reason, Season, or a Lifetime

These are the words that a very wise professor once say to me. He said, "People come into your life for a reason, season, or a lifetime." I've never forgotten these words because they are so evident in my life- especially right now.

I've had to face the fact that some of the friends that I thought would be around for a lifetime, were actually only meant to be in my life for a season. Sometimes, friends simply grow, change, and move in different directions, and that's okay. I firmly believe that God puts people into our lives for a reason, and in time we usually understand what the reason was. I have learned many lessons through my friendships over the years, and am so grateful for this.

Now that I am married, I've noticed that my social circle has slightly shifted. My best friends are either married or engaged, purchasing first homes, establishing careers, and even discussing the prospect of having children. ;) We generally prefer a relaxing couple's night of dinner and drinks, over the bar scene. My, what a difference a couple of years can make! This shift has been a slow and organic one in my life. What's that saying..."Two birds of a feather flock together." Yeah, I think that's it. Anyway, it seems that women easily bond when they are going through similar situations, and this has been the case with my closest girlfriends and I.

I thank God every night for the fact that I can call my best friends anytime for marital advice, where to get a certain cleaning product, how to make a delicious dinner, how to balance career and love, and the list goes on and on. I love my girlfriends with such enormity and couldn't imagine my life without them. God has certainly put them in my life for a reason, and I am eternally grateful! Shout out to my bests!!!

Check out some pics my gorgeous friends...some old, some new, all make me smile!