Our Year in Review: 2013

Well hello, hello.  The husband, pooch, and I have been checked out for about a month and are getting ready to return home after a long vacation in Utah with family and friends.  Having taken a break from the blog for this whole stretch, I sincerely questioned whether I wanted to keep it up.  But it feels good to get back to documenting our life together and the adventures we're having; 2014 promises to present quite a few itself.

But until we are back home and exercising our routines, 2014 can wait, despite the calendar's urging.

For some reason, 2013 is more of a blur than years past.  I feel like the whole year happened between August and December.  But I know life had to have happened in those other months, too.

Here is the skinny on our 2013:

January -- We spent some valuable time with family, and plenty more time playing in the snow.

February -- With only work and no school on our plates, the husband and I had many nights of dinner, movies, games, and late-night chit chats.  It truly was a blessed, carefree time.

March -- I participated in my first (and, so far, only) triathlon, we sold my Jeep, and we spent a fun week in Mexico for spring break.

April -- The Boston Marathon tragedy occurred.  Preston and I decided on Purdue for graduate school.  We had a mini-vacation in Chicago that was delightful.

May -- Preston and I spent our anniversary exploring Seattle and the Oregon coast.  Preston still claims that Oregon is the most beautiful place on earth he has ever seen and can't wait to go back.

June -- I quit my job at the restaurant and started a job with the Utah Shakespeare Festival on the Communications team, and I absolutely loved my time with them.  I also replaced my Jeep with a car that I love.

July -- Preston and I hiked quite a bit, our most extensive effort in behalf of Zion National Park's Subway hike.  Preston moved from his place of residence of nearly 15 years.

August -- I followed Preston after finishing up my work with the Festival.  We adopted the most darling dog on the planet.

September -- We got our first tastes of Big 10 college sports.

October -- Preston and I visited Chicago for a weekend and I discovered the greatness that is Portillo's hot dogs.  We played in Indianapolis for my birthday.  And finally, we topped off the month with a crazy last minute trip to St. Louis for a World Series game.

November -- We nearly got hit by a tornado.  We traveled to Michigan to celebrate Thanksgiving with dear friends from our undergrad days.

December -- Preston made it through his first semester as an MBA student alive and mostly intact.  We flew to Utah to begin a great month of family and friends and holiday celebrating.  Oh, and I decided I no longer dislike the color pink.

I'm looking forward to 2014.  Though we are already a few days in, I am still considering my goals for this next year.  I hope you all find courage and hope in the new beginning that 2014 presents.

~K

PS-See our 2012 review (and my very first blog post) {here}.