A Look Back at 2013

Wow. 2013 was quite a year. It was a year of big changes, love, and growing, lots of growing. It was the year I got engaged and experienced the most wonderful feeling in the world, the feeling of love so intense I couldn't imagine life without this person. Too cheesy? Sorry :) It was a year of so many big changes and so many wonderful events. It was a year of lessons and learning. It was a year of really getting to know my true self, and accepting it 100%. 

2013 is a year I want to remember forever, and to make sure of that, here are some of the highlights.

Our first kiss of the new year

Valentine's Day

Went to Disneyland and got ENGAGED!

Surprised Joe's parents by taking them to get their vows renewed

Easter

I turned two decades old

Date Night

My youngest sister went to her senior prom

And graduated High School

Joe turned 23

I got my right thigh tattooed

My niece turned two

Our friends had their baby

We spent a lot of time outside and enjoyed summer

Had our engagement party

Fourth of July

Went with Sheila and the rest of her bridesmaids to buy her wedding dress

 Got my forearm tattooed

Had our engagement photos taken

Went to the county fair

My sister had her bridal shower

We went to Disneyland again

 Went on beautiful hikes

Starting nannying

Mailed our save the dates

Dressed as Wednesday and Pugsly Addams for Halloween

My sister got married

Thanksgiving

Decorated for Christmas

The Courthouse Lighting

Found out my big sister is pregnant with her first baby

Shopped for and bought my WEDDING DRESS!

Christmas

I hope your 2013 was nothing short of wonderful, and here's to an even better 2014!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

New Year, New Traditions

This new year coming up is a big one for me. It's the year I will become a wife, and start a whole new life with the person I am marrying. With that being the case, and the new year so close, I spend a lot of time thinking about what married life might be like. So many things change when people leave single life and enter the world of marriage. You're leaving one family and starting a whole new one! There are so many things I look forward to doing once I'm married, especially being able to start brand new traditions of our own.

One tradition I really look forward to starting with Joe is sending out holiday cards every year. Every time I get someone else's in the mail, it makes me so excited to be able to take our favorite pictures and send out a beautiful, festive card to all of our family and friends. It's such a beautiful keepsake to hold on to,  and a lovely way to look back and be able to see how you and your family has grown.

So since 2014 is such a special year for us, we decided to start our tradition now and send out our very first holiday card, marking this milestone in our lives. We found so many gorgeous choices for our card from Tiny Prints, and absolutely loved this card. It just gives such a joyous, celebratory feeling. Therefor it is the perfect start to our new tradition that I know will last for many, many years to come!

Thanks again Tiny Prints for the amazing holiday cards!

Links to Love

Definitely want to start on this reading list.

A girl undergoes animal testing procedures to show what animals must endure in cosmetic testing labs. Heartbreaking.

Click here to learn more about fighting animal testing.

Really enjoyed Google's Here's to 2013 video.

Tips for improving posture. I need to work on this one!

How to make sure your new year's resolutions stick.

I really want to attend this workshop in March, who wants to come with me?!

Love keeping up on these monthly calendar desktop backgrounds.

I want all of these kids toys for myself! Especially this one!

I got this camera bag for Christmas and I am obsessed!

Can't wait for Girls season three! Anyone else excited?

2013 Pop Culture in One Illustration.

What are your thoughts on a plus-size Barbie Doll?

Such a simple and adorable print.

Why Every Trend Is for Every Body.

That's all I've got for now, hope you have a wonderful weekend!

                                                                                  

Christmas Day and Some Big Exciting News

I'm sure I probably say this every year, but I'll say it again anyways; this Christmas was the best one ever! There's just something about that day that gives everyone the happiest warmest feeling and I absolutely love it!

On Christmas morning Joe and I went to my mom's brand new house in Queen Creek. It was so nice to see her so happy and content in her new place. It's really beautiful and I'm so glad she's loving it there. We spent the morning there with her, Sheila, Kendall, and Emma eating bagels, opening gifts and just enjoying each others company. My two other sisters and niece and nephew weren't able to make it, since they spent the morning here in Prescott. I don't feel like I see my mom as much anymore since she moved a couple hours away, so I always love being able to spend time with her, it makes it more special.

Later that afternoon we headed back up the hill to my oldest sister's house to celebrate with my dad, which was a ton of fun too. We ate dinner and played a round of White Elephant, which was hilarious! I also love spending time with Zaiden and Ellie on holidays, seeing them hyped up on sugar, so excited to have all these people over, and ripping into presents. So fun!

At first I really hated the idea of having two separate holidays with each parent, it's pretty new to me, but in the end all that matters is that they're both happy and I'm able to see them both on Christmas. So I'd say Christmas was a huge success!

Christmas morning. We all wore matching pajamas just like every year!

Emma's new husky puppy Cleo

And a very sleepy boy

And Christmas night

Ellie and Zaiden

The boys shooting Fireball, yuck!

What we ended up winning in White Elephant

Thanks, Dad!

Now on to the big, exciting news. My big sister Sheila is PREGNANT! I am going to be a third-degree aunt! She told all of us last month and we are all over the moon thrilled for her and Kendall! I'm so excited to be able to see her grow and have a big pregnant belly, and cannot wait to meet my new niece or nephew next summer! Yay!