dec 31 2012 & we're still alive!!

JANUARY
-made several spontaneous trips to logan. regretted none.
-went on a lovely winter hike while on one of said random trips.
-started spring semester & took several great english & communication classes. also, le francais.

-celebrated one year together with my most favorite boy.

-started writing for indie ogden...had no idea it would turn into great friendships & opportunities!
-decided to cast my vote for jon huntsman jr. sad day when he dropped out of the race.
FEBRUARY
-learned about art house cinema, ogden's cute little theater that shows independent films.
-held a goodbye party for my best friend adam & his puppy kiara. they moved back to pennsylvania & it was very bittersweet.
-discovered nesta takes after her mother & has severe food allergies. she is now my pescatarian kitty..she only eats fish.
-discovered sunday brunch at slackwater.
-realized (again) what an amazing boyfriend i have after he surprised me with these presents for valentines day:

-my gift to him was the craft i made behind the sock monkey..i'm a cheeseball.

-oh, & he also made me chicken parmesan. <3>
-was featured in the salt lake tribune.
MARCH
-went to the festival of colors for the fourth year in a row.
-celebrated luke's 25th birthday.
-celebrated st patrick's day at a reggae festival & a friend's party, where we took several silly pictures, & i embraced my inner ginger.

-was in a photo shoot for urban chic, a vintage store up here in O-town.
-met robert downey jr. i peed my pants a little.
-celebrated international pancake day by having breakfast for dinner.
APRIL
-completed an item on my bucket list by road tripping to broomfield, colorado to see tom petty & regina spektor live in concert...words can't even express how amazing this was.

-became an aunt for the third time...to little preston james. i feel like we have a special bond because we share hair color..we'll see how he feels in a few years.
-shaved my cat like a lion & got ignored for a week.
-discovered utah's best pizza at lucky slice.
-luke's dad let us drive his 1972 mustang...by us i mean luke. & it was his first time..& someday this bad boy will be his (& his siblings...unless i refuse to share...)
-luke bought me a guitar.
-sad goodbye to my sweet nephew & niece, matthew & grace, as well as my brother & sister-in-law as they embarked for texas. saddest day of the year (tied with a day in october..see below.)
MAY 
-picked fresh strawberries for days & days.
-saw the civil wars perform live...great news since they announced they're breaking up just a month or so ago. it was SPECTACULAR.
-threw a benefit concert with the blog i write for. we raised over 2 grand for the TEARS foundation.

 
-celebrated our niece kaylee's birthday by going to lagoon & riding all her favorite rides.
-got a summer job at criddle's cafe...endless hash browns with SOS & scones. so. much. delicious.
-discovered a plethora of hiking trails near my house...fell in love with the 32nd street trail.

 

-celebrated mikki's & kristin's birthdays with an awesome photo booth & even more awesome ladies.

JUNE

-went to the arts festival with luke..picked up some gorgeous paintings for our house.

-picked apples from apple trees, squash from the garden, & zucchini...came up with several different recipes to make with them...i mean, to make luke make for me.

 

-started a hump day hiking tradition...fell in love with ogden even more.

-made homemade pizza & enjoyed a bottle of wine with my bff ally.

-my best friend emily moved closer to me!!! we enjoyed the sights of ogden & got the best pizza ever (lucky slice for the win!)

-our close friends chase & kaylee got married & we were lucky enough to attend the luncheon & beautiful reception.

-went to my adorable nephew's baby blessing.

-celebrated pride weekend with some of my favorite coworkers & lez bos.

-went to luke's little sister marti's high school graduation.

JULY

-took my dad & ray on the ogden valley garden tour for their birthdays.

-celebrated my favorite holiday, the fourth of july, with lots of food, swimming, & parades. sadly i had to sleep through the fireworks.

-quit starbucks after 2 long years!!!!! relief. so much relief.

-went on the BEST TRIP EVER to seattle! saw chelsea play the seattle sounders, visited the space needle, wandered downtown seattle, ate crab legs for the first time, & more! see the adventures here, here & here.

-was offered a full-time position at fox 13, working as a producer for good day utah!!!!!

AUGUST

-went to breakfast twice with my brother, sis-in-law, niece & nephew..mm scones.

-saw mumford & sons perform live...i've been wanting to see them for a few years now. it was amazing!

-my little sister married her BFF & they had the prettiest wedding ever.

-speaking of my sister's wedding, we had a lovely bridal shower for her..my mom embarrassed her lots & i quizzed her on how well she knows chris. turns out..really well.

-went to the worldwide on 25th festival. met people from all over the world & tried so much delicious food!

-i got to babysit my nephews & niece on more than one occasion... i was so happy about it! we also got to go to the zoo!

-saw horse feathers perform live at ogden nature center.

-survived triathlon 2012!

SEPTEMBER

-started yet another fall semester.

-was able to see brand new & manchester orchestra live for free.

-went on a double date with erick & emily before erick left on his mission. mmm nachos at slackwater pizzeria! yes please!

-went to emily's father's funeral... a very sad part of my year. RIP jeff davis. thank you for being a wonderful example, second father, & friend. & thank you for bringing my best friend emily into the world!

-celebrated luke's sister cassie's birthday at the dinosaur park!

-hosted a yard sale, where more people wanted to buy my cat than anything else.

-officially started my full-time schedule of 1am-9am monday through friday. brutal.

-celebrated labor day by working. ha! also, making baked zucchini. mmmm.

OCTOBER

-played in the leaves with my niece kaylee.

-ate copious amounts of ice cream (not ashamed by that either).

-went to a U of U game.. & got to see an at home win for the first time!

-was a featured guest at the local first monthly mixer at rainbow gardens!

-got a tattoo on my wrist. 

-went to see les miserables with my family.

-had to say goodbye to my family AGAIN!!!! this time my brother alex, sis in law susan & nephew preston. basically my heart broke a little.. i miss them.

-had sunday brunch with friends.

NOVEMBER

-turned 24!!! got old, basically.

-enjoyed two thanksgiving dinners.. had a food baby for a week straight.

-went out to sushi for my bday. thanks, darlin'.

-went to my first co-ed baby shower.

-saw milo greene live (again!)

-watched "my team" the seattle sounders beat RSL! don't tell my bf that's who i was rooting for (we are a house divided).

-worked the night of the election entering in numbers.. so fascinating & such a fun opportunity!! & romney said none of us were better off than we were four years ago.... :P

DECEMBER

-hosted the INDIE OGDEN AWARDS at union station.. highlight of my year.

-went to my aunt geneal's funeral. celebrated a life full of love.

-ate lots of food & had lots of family parties.

-celebrated christmas by working & feasting in the newsroom.

-got my favorite pair of christmas PJs ever that i wear....all the time.

farewell summer...

this summer might top the charts as the BEST SUMMER EVER. i think i say that every year, but seriously, this summer's been phenomenal. i have enjoyed every second of no school & found it kinda hard to go back this week. here are some of my favorite summer memories...ones i will never forget:

 

-i started off my summer with the BEST road trip of all time to colorado to see tom petty play. 

-went to record store day and took luke's dad's car for a spin.

-shaved my cat to look like a lion.

 

-was introduced to the DELICIOUSNESS that is lucky slice pizza in ogden. nomz.

-went to logan for my brother's graduation, & my nephew's baby blessing.
-celebrated cinco de mayo with ogden friends.
-lots of hikes & walks to the park.
 

\

-went to lagoon to celebrate our niece kaylee's fifth birthday.

-saw SEVERAL bands we've been wanting to see live for ages: the civil wars, holy water buffalo, iron & wine, horse feathers, & mumford & sons.

-hosted a benefit concert for the tears foundation.

-QUIT MY JOB AT STARBUCKS and got a big girl job.

-got a summer job at criddle's cafe & spent the summer eating copious amounts of breakfast.
 
 

-made friends with the odd entertainment at the arts festival.
-also went to the pride festival as well as worldwide on 25th festival. (we really like festivals, in case you didn't know.)

-lots of mornings on the patio with luke, drinking coffee & talking about nothing.

 

-homemade pizza & wine night with ally...out on the patio, again.

-my dear friend emily moved to ogden & i showed her the ropes. 

-went to our good friend chase's wedding..in june...in the rain. freezing.

-birthday parties: mikki's, kristin's & ben's!

 

-went to PRIDE 2012 & celebrated the future of freedom & equality with my starbucks coworkers.

 

 

 

-flew to seattle to watch chelsea fc kick the sounders' butts. see more awesome photos here, here and here.

-took my dad & sister on the ogden valley garden tour  for their birthdays.
-celebrated the fourth with parades, lots of food, family, swimming, & sleeping through fireworks (dang early shifts!)
-did the family triathlon, even with a good attitude!
-went to the zoo...saw lots of bears yay!

-watched lots of TV & did a whole lot of laying around.

 i bid adieu to summer 2012, one of the best...but i am not THAT sad about it. i'm very ready for hot coffee, jacket weather, fall leaves crunching under my feet, & beanie weather.

 

favorite 2010 memories.

i sure hope you're ready for picture overload. 2010 was very good to me in some ways and i want to document all the amazingness that happened...holga style.

:]

i made lots of new friends this year. lost a few, esp some i never thought i'd have to lose. made lots of hard choices. went on lots of road trips. failed my first college class [dangit].  learned to cook 3-5 new dishes. hiked some hikes i never thought i could finish. did a mini triathlon. got a gym pass for the first time ever. worked as a cocktail waitress, a nanny, a housekeeper, a phone surveyer and a barista...yikes. moved 4 times. hugged a stranger. kissed a friend. laughed, loved, and lost and would do it all over again.

2010 had its ups and downs but i don't think i'd do it any differently. here are some of my favorite memories!!

had a "gentlemen's night" at patton's.

celebrated aaron's birthday in leather jackets.

went snowboarding but sadly only went once.

dressed up in superhero costumes with a bunch of friends

for the midnight showing of "kickass"

bugged adam as much as i possibly could. :]

took my sisters on a tour of my college campus.

rode in the back of a truck with ally [and patton and his wheelchair, not pictured]

moved home and got reacquainted with old friends

my super cute nephew turned four!!! holy cow time flies.

the most epic road trip ever to idaho falls in june.

such a freakin'blast.

learned to rock climb!!

i finally picked it up this year and loved it. favorite trips seen here and here. 

kept my friends close.

constantine, emily and i at aaron's in february.

i also rekindled my love of sushi over the summer.

danced randomly in a parking lot with friends in july.

celebrated hanukkah.

roomed with miss emily beth and loved it.

went to the FESTIVAL OF COLORS for the second time.

turned 22!!

enjoyed a father's day barbecue in my aunt's backyard with the sisters.

went and saw lion king the musical in salt lake city.

got to nanny my favorite little children.

my friends threw  me a fantastic surprise going away party when i moved home.

ally is beautiful.

enjoyed a several month long "greasy stage", seen here.

enjoyed several lazy afternoons at the 706 house.

got a job at starbucks.

bought a guitar and named her cherry.

first song i learned to play was pink floyd's "wish you were here".

went camping.

my sweet niece turned one!

danced in a field in the middle of february.

went to snowbasin with my mom and kylie to ride the alpine slide and zipline.

saw styx, kansas, and foreigner with my mom.

"masquerade party"

went on a salt lake city adventure with kyle.

enjoyed every single minute of my  stinky adorable cat.

hung out in my nebraska cornhuskers snuggie with odin.

learned to cook with my roommate emily

played with photobooth at 3 in the morning with adam and ally.

volunteered at the humane society

protested karl rove when he came to a book signing in logan in april.

cut 10 inches off my hair.

found a stray pit bull, drove it back to her proper owner's in ogden with ally and aaron.

quite the adventure. i even got peed on.

went snowshoeing lots with great people, including moudi and soren in january and also miss emily.

watched the saints take the super bowl in march.

[ryan isn't grabbing my boob btw. he's pointing at the score. haha.]

went to the annual banff mountain film festival!

discovered i actually hate/get sick on tire swings.

camped out in the living room in april.spent lots of time in the great outdoors.

the EPIC THURSDAYS in the summer of going to the twilight concert series.

saw beirut, modest mouse, matisyahu, she & him, the dodo's, the new pornographers.

other bands i was able to see live this year:

lydia, yeasayer, we were promised jetpacks, peter cetera, styx [see above], circa survive, and trans-siberian orchestra.

went to a "jungle themed" party at the U.

had a girl's night and went bowling

celebrated woni's birthday in january.

went to yellowstone with my cute family in july and saw 3 bears, a bear cub, a bald eagle, and about saw a baby deer get eaten by coyotes.

spent the fourth of july sleeping on the streets of provo.

nannyed one of the cutest boys in logan, zachary!

went on a fantastic road trip to zion's after ryan graduated.

2010 was crazy, that is for sure. i'm very excited for 2011. it's going to be different: different school, different friends, different goals. however i've finally come to a point where i am happy for myself. i'm doing what i want to do, enjoying life with who i want to, and i've finally come to terms with who i am. pretending to be someone i'm not for years and years has proven to be exhausting.

so cheers 2011! here's to many adventures.