2018 was one for the books...I'd have to say it was one of the best and worst.
Get ready for picture overload...😂
Lots of puppy cuddles...
Family days out.
Yummy snacks.
Sweet flowers for doggie mothers day.
Lots of dog walks.
Fun girls day with family!
Trying new restaurants.
Pretty wrapped presents (Until Deegan unwrapped them of course).
Some bonfires.
Hunting with Joe.
New desserts.
A sweet DIY mom and I did...This wreath is made from my grandma's Christmas tree💕.
House Projects - New flooring!
Halloween Decor and more puppy cuddles.
Some fun DIY projects.
Date nights.
Family Wedding.
Christmas puzzle projects.
We hosted Thanksgiving.
Another DIY.
Love my mommas china.
More new restaurants.
Some fun Christmas crafts.
Lots of coffee drinks!
A day at Adventureland.
Family get togethers.
Lots of sugar cookies were made this year.
New hammock (Perfect anniversary gift😉).
We celebrated my brothers 30th Birthday.
The day we came home from the hospital...A week without these puppies is far too long.
Some helpers while decorating the tree.
Pretty flowers from my momma.
My birthday dinner.
Joes kickboxing fight in February.
Exploring after a snow storm.
And the new flooring in the living room!
A White Christmas was watched MANY times in our home over the year.
Easter family photo.
Days out with my momma.
A few hair changes.
Some fun fall decorating.
We stepped up our landscaping objects, a little...we have a long ways to go😉.
We had a few game nights.
Saw Charlie Brown - the play.
I went to my first rock concert with Joe and my brother - so much fun!
Celebrated Joes Birthday.
More diy gifts.
Worked on some halloween projects.
Ive had fun playing with this chalkboard for the different seasons!
Joe was sweet and gave into making me a garden...We got a few things from it and then it went down the drain when I couldn't take care of it - I think we'll skip a garden in 2019!
Yummy treats made by my momma...
Spent lots of times with this year with sweet friends.
And met some new family members.
So thankful for sweet friends that helped me celebrate my birthday.
Our first snowstorm.
Some may say its too much...NEVER.
Amazing time spent with friends.
More DIY projects.
I finally got my Christmas planner organized and usable. I have even more ideas coming for it in 2019!
More date days.
LOTS of treats made for Christmas.
Flowers from our dear friends while I was in the hospital.
A little progress update.
Lots of new recipes tried.
Some fun Easter crafts.
Y'all...it took ALOT of pictures to get this one...
Our biggest family thanksgiving to date.
Joes fight in July.
I supervised while Joe repainted the living room.
More projects finished.
Amazing friends that helped put a new roof on our garage.
Baking time!
I loved how much time Mikala and I were able to spend together this year! and getting to see her sweet puppies.
Some fun DIY Christmas gifts were made.
A week spent in the hospital...
Spent a few fun days exploring on the motorcycle.
And some fun impromptu picnics.
We lost my grandpa this year...I'm so thankful to have this chair - the last thing he made me.
Had some fun target practice.
Flowers from a former coworker and sweet friend.
More fun date nights.
And some fun hair projects.
IT's definitely been one for the books....
I started the year off very sick and only went downhill from there...
This year was certainly not how I expected it going...
I closed my salon in May - It was one of the hardest heart wrenching choices I have ever made.
I truly loved what I did but by the time I closed I could barely even make it through a day of work and that certainly took the joy out of it.
I spent a few weeks stuck on the couch unable to leave the house before I ended up in the hospital for a week.
Thats where the worst and best thing of the year comes into play...
I HATE hospitals and doctors (Actually Id have to say I USED to - at least the doctor aspect).
Through all of these we found out I have crohns disease and I ended up with an amazing group of doctors that set up a great game plan to get my health back on track.
Throughout the next 6 months of the year I've had some major ups and downs.
We ended the year finding out that I may have celiacs and liver disease. 2019 will be the year of finding out for sure and coming up with game plan for these as well as getting my Crohns into remission.
Although its been full of trials...
It has brought Joe and I so much closer together.
I am so thankful for his support and always willing to take care of me - It certainly tested our vows - for better or for worse, and he definitely stepped up to the challenge.
Understanding why I've been sick for so long has made being sick easier for me actually - This disease is still hard to deal with but knowing what's wrong and how to handle situations makes things so much simpler.
I've been able to reconnect with quite a few friends this year which was so wonderful - I simply didn't have the energy before to put in the effort to keep my friendships going sadly, I'm so thankful that has been able to change.
Even though I've had to give up so much I've been able to do soo many things this year I haven't been able to in years...
Our day spent at Adventureland was so wonderful - even though I was still week from being sick it was a big milestone for me.
Going for walks with Joe and the dogs this year was something that I'd given up on for so long because I was too sick or didn't have the energy for.
Coffee dates and hangouts with different friends was something new this year that was so great for feeding my soul.
Even the littlest things to most people take advantage of like going to movies, date nights, concerts, soo many things that I had taken for granted before I was sick, Ive learned to appreciate all of the small things.
This sounds so small but for years I wanted to go out to the trail and pick out pinecones to decorate with at home but I have been to sick to do...Joe and I went and did that this fall and it was such a small thing but it meant SO much to me!
I was able to cook and bake for Joe more this year than I had been able to for so long.
Even keeping a clean house - I have been so happy to keep our home up the way it should be.
Feeling well enough to get some of my creativity back and work on some DIY/craft projects so wonderful.
All in all it has been a year of answers, growth, changes, and learning a new normal.
I felt like this quote is SO fitting for the year I've had...It's ok to have bad days or down days - I've certainly had plenty.
But keep in mind that God has a plan for your life...even if you don't know what it is at the time he will show it to you in time.
My wish for you all and myself for the year 2019 is absolutely do not take the small things for granted!
Take more time away from the tv and your phones/social media and spend more time with the ones you love truly focusing on them and the activity at hand.
Take the time to stop and smell the roses.
Do something you've been wanting to do or try for so long - whether it be a hobby, learning something new, taking a trip, etc.
Just take the time to be present in whatever you're doing!
I hope you all had an amazing year in 2018 and that 2019 is just as good or better to you💜💜💜.
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