2018 Review

Books I read... 

I think I read more this year than I ever have!  I am always either reading on my kindle/phone or have an audio book going. (And sometimes both!) I have it on my Bucket List to read 52 books in a year.. after reading 26 this year, that seems crazy hard! Maybe when I don't have kids in the house.. I read some of the BEST books this year and I starred my favorites. Seriously though they were ALL good (With the exception of The Nightingale.. I hated that book. Even though everrryyyone else in my book club loved it). 

1. Crazy Rich Asians**
2. China Rich Girlfriend**
3. Rich People Problems**
4. When Life Gives You Lululemons
5. All We Ever Wanted
6. Girl Wash Your Face
7. The Wife Between Us**
8. High Tide Club
9. Little Fires Everywhere
10. Single State of Mind
11. Of Mess and Moxie
12. If You Only Knew
13. My One and Only
14. The Nighingale
15. My Oxford Year**
16. Swear on This Life** (I think this was THE best one.) 
17. The Hate U Give**
18. All Your Perfects
19. Match Making for Beginners
20. Big Sexy Love
21. The Nest
22. Educated: A Memoir
23. Whiskey in a Teacup
24. Primates of Park Avenue
25. On Second Thought
26. The Woman in the Window**

Updates to the Bucket List...

• Surf in Hawaii.. well I kinda did, more like paddle boarding, but I'm going to take it
• Go to a luau in Hawaii.. same trip! And best trip with some of my favorites! 
• Create a space only for me. My office! Which I need to blog about.. 
• Go to a BCS National Championship Game. I never blogged about it. I should.. I am not lying when I say after my wedding day and the day I gave birth to Maddie Jane, it seriously was the best day of my life. AND WE DIDN'T EVEN WIN. I can't imagine winning. Okay, okay.. I'm going to write a blog about it.
• Go to the European Christmas Markets.. another thing, another blog I need to do. See a theme here? 

Most Read Blog Posts

1. 29: Infertility & Loss
2. Bev's Bach
3. AJ's Doctoral Hooding
4. New Kitchen in the NC House
5. Hawaii part 1, 2, and 3

Top 9 on Instagram

1. AJ's Doctoral Hooding
2. My 29th birthday: I had a D&C for the baby we lost
3. Maddie Jane's first day of school in North Carolina post
4. Maddie Jane on Halloween
5. Just a random picture of my girl in the park! 
6. Our 5th anniversary in Chicago 
7. Maddie Jane's 3rd birthday post
8. Tailgating for a Georgia Tech game
9. A family pic from Hawaii 

2018 was ... a lot. We struggled..We were blindsided by secondary infertility then lost a child. We were stressed.. We bought two houses in less than twelve months, moved to a new state, and took on a major renovation. We traveled!! To Chicago, LA, Hawaii, and Europe. We were blessed.. with so much more time with friends and family being back on the east coast. We were lucky.. even with the bad, there was SO much good. I am thankful for 2018 and the things it taught me, the changes we made, and the amazing memories made.. So excited to see what 2019 has in store! 

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Snow Day

Back at the beginning of December we had two glorious snow days. I wasn't sure we would get actual accumulation that would stick, but we DEF did. They were big, beautiful snowflakes that fell down and blanketed everything. It was so fun to wake up to our house looking like this!

Maddie Jane was beside herself when she woke up. We rushed to shove down some breakfast and put on alllll the layers and then headed outside. 

Failed attempt at a Daddy/Maddie pic. (And yes he has on Elf pajama pants when he has perfectly good ski pants inside...)

Molly wasn't too sure about the snow, but definitely wanted to be outside with us.

An improvised snowman made out of sticks and blueberries! 

 

I don't think there is much better than a Christmas tree with snow in the background! 

 

Later that afternoon, AJ and MJ met up with the neighbors on the golf course to sled. The freeways made for some awesome sledding! I wasn't feeling too great, so I watched the action from our deck with our new heater! 

The next morning, it was STILL coming down. We were busy packing for Europe and praying we were going to be able to get to the airport. Thankfully North Carolina is MUCH more prepared for snow than Georgia. The roads were scraped that afternoon and everything was perfectly functioning. That little winter wonderland was fun while it lasted! 

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Maddie Jane's 3rd Birthday

We started the birthday celebrations on Thursday at Maddie Jane's school. She wouldn't be at school on her birthday, but pink cupcakes for the class was a MUST per Miss MJ. 

The next morning (on her actual birthday), Daddy went and got HOT and made to order, Duck Donuts. Holy yuuuumm.

That night we went to eat hibachi with Honey and Gigi who were both in town for the big day. 

Our normally super out going, life of the party girl, just gets beside herself when Happy Birthday is being sung to her. I love this teeeennyy tiny sheepish side of her :) 

She just could NOT believe that all this hoopla was for her! 

On Sunday morning, we had her birthday party. Her two requests were princesses and waffles. So a breakfast princess party it was! 

85% of the time, this girl has on a princess dress. Playing dress up is by far her favorite activity.

Thankfully Gigi threw the majority of this party together for me. My only job was to go to Sam's to buy all the food. Yes ma'am. 

Love this little fam of mine and hosting for the first time in our new house! 

Our neighbor and Maddie Jane's newest friend, Clara, was able to come to the party! These two are just too cute together.

You guys this little girl is SO full of emotions. (Sometimes a little too much on the drama side.) But shes feels all the feelings, and loves her people so fiercely. When everyone was singing happy birthday to her, she teared up!! Oh my, Maddie girl. Never change.

Love this birthday girl so much. I cannot believe she made me a Mama THREE years ago! It just doesn't seem real. We are so lucky to call her ours.

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Life Lately

I've gotta be honest.. I've thought about hanging this blog up lately. I just don't have the time or energy.. I don't really enjoy it.. AND I'm never taking pictures anymore. I have tried to be more present with MJ instead of constantly taking pictures. But then again I absolutely love going back and looking at old posts and I want MJ to have this in the future to look back on her childhood.. so here I am.. trying to play catch up. 

We have been trying out a new restaurant each weekend here in Huntersville. It's not LA quality, but we are having fun :) 

Our deck doesn't currently look like this (it's covered in 4+ inches of snow, eeek!), but we have thoroughly enjoyed this setup!! I have watched every UGA game out there - it's been so nice! 

My step sister Ashton (who everyone calls Bug) lives in Columbia. Because she is only an hour and a half away, she is able to come spend time with us all the time. It has been SO nice getting quality time with her and having some help with MJ. 

We took Maddie Jane to see her second movie.. the first didn't go so well and we may have dragged her out screaming and crying. This one was MUCH better. She loves the Grinch so much, and this new version was super cute. 

I technically only work Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday while Maddie Jane is at school. But of course, work inevitably comes up on Mondays and Fridays. I have had to get creative keeping her busy during those times! 

More Bug time.. pedicures :)

Our little town had a parade with Santa and the official tree lighting. To say Maddie Jane loved it would be a HUGE understatement. She was so amazed! 

Modeling our new Christmas pajamas.. 

More Mommy is working activities ha

One day she had to take a lunchbox to school, and she thought it was the coolest thing! Thankfully we had a hand-me-down from Peyton to save the day! 

We made a quick trip down to Atlanta to have dinner with AJ's sister and Dad for Thanksgiving. And of course this is the ONLY picture I have.. 

And that's that! I am going to catch up this week on Maddie Jane's 3rd birthday and our snow day!! Well hopefully I am.. AJ and I are off to Europe tomorrow EEEEKK

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