2018 - A Year in Review

2018

January

2018 started with a bang - of sorts - we spent the second week of January at Disney World! I fulfilled a lifelong dream to dine at the Beast's Castle (Be Our Guest), I also met Chewbacca, ate churros and rode a banshee in Pandora...among other things. I can honestly say that I don't remember much else of excitement from the month of January...but then again, what else would be considered exciting after a week at Disney World?

February

February started with more of an emotional bang - my precious Nanny, my Mom's Mom passed away unexpectedly on Friday, February 2nd and so the early days of February were spent traveling to Mississippi to see family and remember my precious Grandma and her wonderful life. It was unseasonably warm in February...and the first snow of Winter 2018 also happened in February. I guess February's "emotions" were all over the place too?

March

March was a busy month - it snowed yet again, I tried out a new hairstyle and we spent some time in DC on a couple occasions: for the Orchid Festival at the National Botanic Garden and again at the end of the month to explore Dumbarton Oaks and Tudor Place, as well as Georgetown. Of course, Watson was smack dab in the middle of everything, ha-ha!

April

Baseball season started again in April - go Nationals - and I was able to get in two trips to Nationals Park at the start and end of the month to see my Nationals play. The Marvel movie crew continued our tradition, witnessing the "snap" heard round the world with the aid of our Hulk Smash cocktails... I spent a Saturday in DC having lunch and taking in a performance of Potted Potter and we celebrated the birthdays of some of my favorite little ladies.

May

May was another full month - baseball games; including Star Wars Day at Nationals Park, exploring the azaleas at the US National Arboretum and picking tulips in Northern Virginia. The end of the month was loaded with happenings: my cousin Kyleigh got married in California, we spent three days in Disneyland (we met Star Lord, Loki and Captain America) and rounded out the month in Las Vegas with my little sister!

June

June was a slower month... I just spent time with my puppy, my family and my friends... I think the slower pace is evident in the lack of pictures for June's collage, ha-ha!

July

July started with a little "staycation" taking in Natural Bridge and the Safari Park that are both about two hours down the road from home - both were so much fun! The family and I went to the top of the mountains for dinner, gorgeous views and blackberry ice cream and we also spent about 24 hours in Norfolk to see my sister off for her next deployment. We also went to get ice cream several times... probably too many times...but then again, it WAS July!

August

The month of August brought my first rain out experience at Nationals Park - but I made up for it a few weeks later with Game of Thrones night at Nationals Park. We checked out a Lego exhibit at the nearby Glen Burnie House and Gardens...and felt like I was swimming in my own sweat in the process. We also got a lot more ice cream, ha-ha!

September

September was a month filled with all kinds of things! The month started with the Virginia Scottish Festival and I tried haggis for the first time (it was not my favorite)... we spent a weekend in Williamsburg and I was finally able to visit Jamestown, try peanut soup and discovered I love syllabub! My friend Jennie and I went to see Game of Thrones in Concert and the end of the month was spent in Asheville, North Carolina to celebrate my birthday - we saw Grandfather Mountain, Mount Mitchell and the Chihuly Exhibit at Biltmore Estate. And of course - there were baseball games!

October

October was a fairly easygoing month - I turned 34 and celebrated with my sweet friends and family. I got my hair turned back to my preferred darker color, we explored the Virginia countryside as Autumn arrived and celebrated the end of the month with friends at the house on Halloween for a cook out and candy!

November 

November was another full month - the first weekend was filled with the movies, a wine tasting for work and celebrating that I passed my exam(s) for licensing in real estate in Virginia. The middle weekends of the month were taken up with preparing for the big trip in the latter part of the month: nine days exploring Italy; starting in Venice, making our way to Rome and Pompeii and ending the trip in Sicily. Absolutely wonderful memories were made on the trip of a lifetime!

December 

December was a whirlwind - I relaxed the first weekend and the second weekend we headed to Charlottesville to explore Monticello and the downtown walking mall, while staying in a yurt! We had our "framily" Christmas the third weekend in December and on Saturday the 22nd my little sister arrived home to celebrate! We took in ICE at National Harbor, toured a model of Air Force One, celebrated a wonderful Christmas day together, toured Morven Park and took in the glow at Light Up Fest! Whoosh! We ended the month seeing Mary Poppins Returns and looking forward to a new year!

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Here we are - on the eve of another year beginning. I took a crazy Facebook quiz (because those are SO reliable, right) and it said my word for 2019 would be change. That's an interesting word because I think everyone experiences change throughout the year - maybe my life in 2019 will involve a big change? Or changes? Or maybe not at all - because again, it was a Facebook quiz! Either way, a new year begins tomorrow - here's hoping it's a good one!