Celebrating 2013

Since I've already told you all about my upcoming resolutions and goals, and recapped 2012, there's only one thing left to show you: the celebrating!  Just my luck, I've had a migraine since Christmas, including New Years' Eve,  and didn't started feeling better until today!  So Vlad and I had a low key New Year's, spending the midnight hour at a friend's apartment with a few of our favorite people!  Ellie surprised me by coming into town, and kept on our tradition of spending New Year's together.  It was a perfect night, focusing on all the good things in  my life and starting off 2013 just the right way!  I hope you all had a happy and safe New Year's as well!  Here's to 2013 Everybody!

Hello 2013

Dear 2012,

You have been so good to me.  Beyond good actually, you have changed my life completely!

A year ago I was stressed out so much, I couldn't think of anything else, and so unmotivated that I thought I was on a downward slope and I just couldn't see the light at the end of the tunnel.  But what I also couldn't see, was that going through it all would teach me lessons that would guide me to a new life; one with creativity, fellowship, family, beauty, and so much love.

With that having been said, I am just so grateful to have been so lucky this year!  While 2012 was probably one of the best years I've have for a long time, I know that it has also been stressful, damaging, and heartbreaking for others.  So I hope that 2013 will rise on a better year for all those who have struggled in 2012.

Let's Have a Brief Recap of 2012's Positive Karma:

January: Trip to Boston and Brooklyn, (which kicked my year off and pushed me onto a new path, also Place 1 and 2), went to my first NBA (Celtics) game 

February: Started going out & about more, Meet this cool guy Vlad (its a real cute story)

March:  Spring Break beach trip with my girlfriends for my 3rd place of the year

April:  Easter trip to Virginia to see my extended & entire family (a rare and amazing occasion)

May:  Celebrated at my Best Friend's Wedding, Congratulated my college roommate and amazing friend, Jessi, at her graduation

June: Lake trips with the boys and everyone else

July: GOT MY FIRST BIG GIRL JOB, Moved into a new (nicer) apartment,  Remember that cool guy? We started dating :D 

August: Got a new-for-me car

September: Labor Day at the lake with all the boys, Had 3 of my designs for work placed on city-wide billboards

October: Turned 23 surrounded by some amazing people, Went to my 4th Place for a girl's weekend in the mountains at Blowing Rock, Saw old friends and fellow Alumni at UNCG's Homecoming

November:  Invested in the IPhone club so I can blog on location :D , Retired my dorm room futon for a real life-size sofa, Celebrated Thanksgiving with my both my parents and my Greensboro family, 

December:  This lovely blog hit 300 followers (from having 0 in May),  Celebrated the holidays with amazing people

So Hello 2013,

You may not know it yet, but you will be amazing too.  I have so many things planned for you and I can't wait to see where you will take me!  

Here are my resolutions for 2013, a slight change from my previous year's but I'm ready for the new year to begin and a fresh start to see what I can do now!

Resolutions:

Try 5 New Things: Since 2010 I have made the New Year's Resolution to go to 5 New Places each year.  And have made it to 13 total!  

2010:  Charleston:SC,  Los Angeles:CA,  Asheville:NC,  Williamsburg:VA,  Outer Banks:NC

2011:   New York City:NY,  Indianapolis:IN,  Chicago:IL,   Grandfather Mountain, Banner Elk:NC

2012:  Boston:MA,  Brooklyn:NY,  Garden City:SC,  Blowing Rock:NC

But now that I have a full time, big girl job, it's much harder to travel as freely.  So instead of specifically going to 5 new places, I'm altering my resolution to doing 5 things I've never done before!  This will hopefully give me a chance to check some boxes off my bucket list!  More on that to come soon!

Go Back to Yoga: I took a yoga class the summer before last and I loved it, but then time and classes got ahead of me and I had to take a break.  But now, with a routine schedule I can count on, I would really love to find a class that I can plan on going to again!  It will also encourage me to simply exercise more and eat a little more mindfully. What's good for the body and is always good for the soul!

Continue a Hobby: During college, there's always something to work on, something that needs to get done before the deadline, but now when I come home from work I find myself cleaning the house, going out or watching TV.   My goal is to get back to my basics, take on a project and do something more creative with my free time!  I recently started working on adding things to my Etsy Shop, and I really want to continue that into the new year!

So remember this post?  Well here are the final results!  These two beautiful photographs were taken on my birthday this past year by Ellie M. Mckinney (remember the best friend that got married this year...yup that's her!)  You can check out her blog here! Sometimes I just don't know what I'd do without her!

Photo Shoot Sneak Peak

Wedding Photobooth

          So it was finally Wedding Day for my dearest friend, Ms. Ellie M. Hodge as she became Mrs. Taylor Mckinney!  It was an epic day and the most amazing night!  I don't think anyone could've asked have for a better wedding, except for maybe to have received the last bouquet or for the cake to have been taller, but those are just moments that no longer matter when you're surrounded with all the people who love you in your life and who are there simply to support you and the one person you love most in the world, helping you both to celebrate you life beginning together.

More pictures to come after they return from their beautiful honeymoon!

Everything I Could Say (My Maid of Honor Speech)

This is one of the nights in our lives that we will remember, when everything aligned perfectly, coming together for Ellie and Taylor. 

Five years ago on my first day of college, I was sitting alone in the cafeteria eating lunch, wondering what the future would hold for me, and how I was ever going to make it through the next four years.  And that was the moment I met Ellie. After asking to sit with me, we spent the whole afternoon together, like we'd been friends for years.  After that lunch, I immediately knew of three things I admired about her.  Her ability to draw others to her, to make them feel instantly loved, and to give unconditional support. And now, standing here today, I honestly don’t know how I would have made it through without her.

Ellie is the daughter who any parent could hope to cherish, the sister any brother hopes to tease, and the friend that any stranger could hope to meet.  And now she is the most beautiful wife that Taylor could hope to have. 

I’ve had the privilege of knowing Ellie and Taylor before they were Ellie and Taylor the couple.   I’ve watched their love grow and blossom into something that will last a lifetime.  They are like the lock and key that were meant to find each other, and tonight they start the rest of their lives.  I can't wait to see what they will accomplish together and watch how their love will continue to evolve. 

So here’s to a night, when everything is perfectly aligned.  To Ellie and Taylor.

Formalities

This weekend was all about formalities, 

the procession of time, 

and the way we celebrate it...

          The boys had their formal at the beach, which is always a weekend of endless festivities.  There's no better way for us all to celebrate the ending of another year and the beginning of a new season, than beach football and laying around in the sand!  The ocean has a cleansing nature and while we get a chance to play, we always get a chance to reflect…

          Sunday was Ellie and Taylor's engagement party, due to the rain and sudden drop in temperature, we had to move the party indoors instead of the park shelter cookout we had originally planned.  With my array of yellow and white flowers the whole kitchen dazzled in navy and gold.  It was a perfect time for her family and friends to kick off the upcoming wedding events!

Downtown Photo shoot

          Downtown Greensboro has always been a place to adventure through, finding the nooks and crannies that you don't always see.  Ellie and I have always loved roaming through the ivy covered buildings to find new spots for imprompt-to photo shoots.  So what better way to spend a beautiful Friday, spring morning than going on a little adventure?

For more of Ellie's Photography: http://vividbyellie.blogspot.com/
For more of My Own: www.hannahfairweather.com