14 in 14

Another year is coming to a close and 2014 was exactly what I wanted..low key, calm, and nothing crazy. 

2013 came with graduations, weddings, big moves, surgeries, and new jobs. 2014 was a welcome change.

{fourteen}

We celebrated my 27th birthday in Tampa at the Gasperilla Pirate Festival. The whole day was such a blast. Growing up with a winter birthday, I was always jealous of my friends who got to enjoy theirs outside, or have pool parties. 

I just booked the hotel to celebrate my 28th at the end of January!

{thirteen}

I was hired by a private school as a kindergarten science teacher over Christmas break to finish out the school year. I had taken an 8 month break from teaching when we moved to Florida and found out that life wasn't so sweet behind a desk. I had never been more happy to be a full time teacher again.

{twelve}

Enjoyed a visit from my bestie when her and her (now) fiancé went on a cruise in the caribbean and their port was out of Fort Lauderdale. I drove down for the day to see them, and enjoy the sun and heat of South Beach.

{eleven}

The next few months consisted of a lot of training and fundraising for my first half marathon in April with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I committed to raising $3,200 for LLS in exchange for running the Nike Women's Half marathon in Washington, D.C. It was a lot of hard work, but it is amazing how you actually see the results of training. The picture on the right is after i finished a 10k and was able to run the entire thing without stopping. At that point, that was the longest I have ever ran in my entire life.

{ten}

Brandon & I's vacations luckily fell on the same week so we planned a few days trip down to Miami & stayed on the strip in South Beach. On the way home we stopped in Jupiter to catch a Cardinals Spring Training game. It was my Christmas gift to B. I'm not the biggest Cards fan out there, but I do enjoy making him happy & catching a baseball game.

{nine}

This was at the end of my training, two weeks before the half & I had just finished 10 miles. My shirt has all of the my family & friends who had donated to my race. I couldn't have done it without all of them.

Fundraising was stressful & nerve racking & there were times I didn't think I would make my goal, but once I started my last campaign of 100 donations of $10 in 100 hours & that is what got me to my goal. I was getting donations from every one: best friends, family, strangers, acquaintances, & long lost friends. It was really the most humble I've every felt.

{eight}

I did it!!! I completed my first half marathon in our nation's capital. The race was perfect! It wasn't easy, but I could not have asked for a better race, event, & campaign to run for.

{seven}

Residency continues for Dr. Husband. Several things I learned while being on this journey with him through medical school and now the first year of residency: make your own plans, we are a TEAM, & remember in marriage you both have to give 100%.

The days are long, but the years are short.

{six}

We continued to enjoy being Disney Annual Passholders. It is our favorite place & the best investment we could have made. 

I also lived out my dream of being at Hollywood Studios during Star Wars weekends. It was seriously like I had become 12 years old again.

{five}

 We celebrated our first year of marriage! 

The best is yet to be..

{four}

We enjoyed trips to the beach whenever we could.

I scored tickets to see Jimmy Fallon when he was at Universal Studios. It was an awesome show & my friend Meg & I enjoyed the theme park after the taping.

{three}

I was hired in June to teach fourth grade at a Title I school in East Orlando. I was very excited for this new adventure & the experiences that have come along with it.

{two}

We enjoyed traveling to St. Louis & Dallas for two of our friends weddings. Brandon was in the wedding party for both, & both grooms were in ours. Both such fun weekends, which always made the first day back at work really, really, tough.

{one}

 October was a pleasantly exciting & exhausting surprise with the KC Royals making the playoffs & getting to the world series. I had never had a reason so watch baseball in October before (being a Cubs & Royals fan) so this was a great month…exhausting, with many trips to our neighborhood bar to watch the games, but I hope to see my other baseball love in October next year ;-)

{zero}

One more, just for good measure.

We celebrated Christmas in Florida this year. Dr. Husband had to work, so I had to find ways to make Christmas just as special, just the two of us.

I spent Christmas Eve baking up fabulous meals for dinner, Christmas breakfast, & dinner. 

I even got to cook "with" my mom. LOVE technology!

I finally used recipes from my bridal shower. I made my MIL's Macaroni Mouse, my mom's St. Louis style salad, two of my parent's neighbors & friends French toast casserole & Christmas Day Soup. I also made Surf 'n Turf (this may be an Alexander Christmas Eve tradition). 

I am not the most domesticated gal around, so I was pretty proud of myself for the meal & the fact that I enjoyed cooking all day!

Archer & I enjoyed a day at Fort de Soto dog beach.

Thanks for joining me on my 2014 year in review. This is much better than the Facebook version :-)

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday & have the happiest of New Years!