Nat Your Average Story: Another Year...

Holy cow - how did another year seriously past this quickly? I feel like I was just sitting here writing the post about turning twenty-seven & here I am, on the eve of turning twenty-eight. Yikes! That is only 2 years away from thirty. I'm not gonna lie; that is a little daunting. It seems like it was just a while ago that I was turning twenty, twenty-three, twenty-five...of course, it can also seem like that was ages ago too. Time can be funny like that. I thought I'd take a look back at this year & do a short re-cap of some things that happened this year.

28 - see there. 2 candles + 8 candles. Yikes!

Let me pick up this time last year - that was my "last" birthday cake y'all...and I didn't even know it. What I mean is, last year was the last time my Momma bought me a great birthday cake & friends & family came over to eat cake & ice cream & chat/hang out/have fun. My sweet Momma took me shopping the next day & we had a great time together - time that I remember especially fondly since my parents now live 838 miles away. According to Google Maps, in the current traffic it would take 13 hours & 57 minutes to get there. Yep - I googled it up you guys. That is a long way away...

So long 27...you seemed to fly by so fast...

My Mom moved the week after Halloween, so I've spent most of this year on my own...it's been an interesting year for sure. I've learned to do a lot of things that I didn't know how to do before this year, so I guess this has been a year of growth. Some things I've learned to do include...

Killing & disposing of my own mice - not something I've enjoyed learning
Moving heavy furniture; be it to re-arrange my furniture or repair furniture
Plant flowers & have them live! Rejoice!
Weed-eat my yard - although that skill was short lived after a run-in with a tick.
Set up my router (with a little help from Dad, of course)
Use a DVR...because I finally got cable! Rejoice!
Insulate pipes with spray foam
Kill ants when they decide to invade....
Shoot a bow & arrow; that's right...I'm lethal now. Hahahaha!

I mean, that may not seem like much to some...but I was pretty proud of myself for learning to do those things. Now on to a few pictures from the past year. Firstly, just a couple Holiday pictures because I got to host Thanksgiving & Christmas at my house this year - so awesome! I hope I made everything homey & wonderful for my family so that we could have a great Thanksgiving & also have a nice Christmas. I think I succeeded, but as usual that time always passes too fast.

Halloween - look at my precious little bee!

I mean - I know its good, but pace yourself on that turkey...

Christmas Morning!

My very first Christmas tree! :)

The New Year brought some nice visits - my friends came to visit in January, my Mom came to visit in February & my Dad came to see me in April. He so kindly bought me weed eater which he then taught me to use. Of course, this led the the dreaded Lyme disease incident...but hey, it was the thought that counted, right? Ha-ha, love you Dad! I think I got my Mom's love of hosting because I love having people come over to the house, whether it be for parties, to spend the weekend or even just for a short visit. I like to share my home with others, especially if it means I can cook up some good food. I've discovered this year that I also really love to cook & have a lot of fun trying out new recipes - even if I have to make smaller sizes so that I'm not eating one dish for a week straight! My whole family would visit again in July & I loved having us all together in one place - even just for a few days!

Wonderful friends & great food!

DNow Group - I totally forgot to mention this but I was a leader. Awesome!

Pedicures with Mom & Lindsey!

I also got to travel some this year - which I definitely love. I am all about expanding my knowledge of the world around me & I love getting to see new places. Lindsey & I went to the Pacific Northwest in March & then in September I went to Colorado Springs for Parent's Weekend at the Air Force Academy - I can't believe we only have one more of those to go before Lindsey has graduated. Whoa! That being said, here are a couple of pictures from this year's travels...

Portland OR, with the Herrins! Love it!

Astoria OR - absolutely one of the most beautiful places!

Buchart Gardens in Victoria BC - pretty, even in the rain!

Forks WA - on the hunt for Edward Cullen!

Seattle WA - dodging fish & flowers at the Pike Place Market!

Spending time with the family in Colorado!

This year has been a good one, when it is all said & done. I've made some good memories, had some new experiences, learned that I am a bit tougher than I might have originally thought & I've figured out that I might just be able to make it on my own in this big crazy world. I'm not sure what being twenty-eight will hold for me, but I am excited to find out! I'll leave you with some random pictures from this year...