Tuesday, December 31, 2013

2013 - In Review

2013 was a FABULOUS year. Dan and I had so much fun together. As it comes to an end, however, I am not sad. 2014 is the year we have been waiting for for FIVE YEARS, and I am ECSTATIC to see it finally here!

Some highlights from this year (links when appropriate):

January
-learned to sort of enjoy skiing
-joined a church
-Baptized at church

February
-enjoyed the touristy things around CO when Olly visited
-celebrated four years with Cadet Lovemuffin

March
-finished a fun study of The Books of the Bible with Dan, Mike, and Ellen
-traveled to Glenwood Springs
-my mom visited us in Colorado
-lots of skiing

April
-celebrated Dan's 24th birthday
-ran the Glow Run 5K

May
-attended the Flying Team piano burn
-enjoyed the end of the school-year with a great group of kids
-USAFA Ring Dance and the accompanying weekend

June
-Manitou Springs Wine Festival with Dan and Eryn
-Lucy and Simon visited all the way from England!
-watched one of my best friends (Lizzie) get married - finally!
-traveled back to Missouri while Dan was leading Boy Scouts around

July
-Dan returned to Colorado from his Philmont Boy Scout program in New Mexico
-had engagement photos taken at the USAFA Airfield
-created my 30 Before 30 List
-left to Visit Joe and Ellie (and baby Tyler) in Ohio
-created a list of my top 15 books of all-time

August
-welcomed a new group of wonderful 8th graders
-saw a surprise Sky Sox game
-went to an air show where I was able to climb through a B-24 (my favorite) with Dan and Aaron

September
-had a wonderful final Parents' Weekend at USAFA (#5 of 5)
-climbed to the top of Bishop Castle
-participated in a blogging challenge

October
-watched many Air Force football games
-worked hard to make my Etsy shop (Two Cats Decorations) take off
-spent my last Halloween alone (next year, Dan and I will be married and living together!)

November
-went on a wine and painting double date with good friends
-traveled home to Kansas City for Thanksgiving

December
-found out Dan is officially going to be a pilot in the US Air Force
-skied my first blue run at Steamboat Springs
-spent a wonderful weekend at Steamboat with Dan, Aaron, Jorden, Lindsey, Kaylon, and Matt
-signed up for my first full marathon (in April of 2014)
-traveled to Oregon to see Dan's family
-traveled to Pennsylvania to see Michelle and Lydia (separately)

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

To All - Merry Christmas

So far, this winter break has been a wonderful one because I have Dan by my side! :)

We are visiting his family in Oregon right now, but we fly out tomorrow (on Christmas day) to see some friends we haven't been able to spend time with in a long time. I'm so excited!

Since we'll be traveling tomorrow, I wanted to say it today:

M E R R Y 
C H R I S T M A S ,
E V E R Y O N E !

Thursday, December 19, 2013

December Update

Wow, it's been a while since I've posted. I've been BUSY, BUSY, BUSY, and that is my only excuse for being such a bad blogger.

In December, I have:
  • driven across Kansas to return to Colorado from Missouri, where we went for Thanksgiving break
  • suffered through proctoring tons of district assessments with my students (BORING)
  • spent a wonderful weekend with Dan and friends in Steamboat Springs
  • skied my very first BLUE run (Heavenly Daze at Steamboat Springs - thanks again, Aaron!)
  • fulfilled 10 magnet orders from shoppers on Etsy (and made over 250 magnets for those orders)
  • completed seven canvas collages for buyers from my Etsy shop {click here to visit my shop}
  • celebrated the completion of the first semester with my students and colleagues with food, Elf, foosball, ping pong, and dancing
  • tried a new (and delicious) cookie recipe
  • celebrated Dan receive PILOT as his job and finish his ninth out of ten semesters at the Air Force Academy


As of this this evening, I have ONE work day left for the semester... and it's a teacher work day! Yay! We will soon leave to visit Dan's family in Portland and then a couple friends in Philadelphia. Both trips should be fun, and it'll be nice to experience a new city (never been to Philly).

I just wanted to post a quick update since it had been over a week... oops! 

Thursday, December 12, 2013

Marathon, Here I Come!

I can't believe I am actually doing it. FINALLY, I am really going to do it. I am going to accomplish a LIFELONG dream on April 27th, 2014, just one month and three days before my wedding.

I AM GOING TO RUN A FULL MARATHON.

That's right. My amazing friend Lizzie (who blogs over at Seis Matters) and I decided to finally bite the bullet and do what we've been talking about. We registered for the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon, and I booked my flight there. I'll be staying with her that weekend in Enid, about 90 minutes from OKC. We are STOKED, nervous, and excited!


I started running when I was very young. I ran with my dad in the afternoons. Then, in seventh grade, I joined cross country and track. I ran both events until I graduated from high school. I have run countless 5Ks and one half marathon. I have ALWAYS dreamed of completing 26.2 miles, and now I finally have my chance.

I'm slow. I've never been great at running; it's just something I do to ease the stress I have from daily life. It's not going to be easy, but it is going to be completely worth it.

I'm scared, and training is going to be tough, but I can't wait to kick asphalt next April! 

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Exciting Air Force News!!!

As many of you know, my fiancé is graduating from the United States Air Force Academy on May 28th, 2014.

We have been in suspense for a while now, waiting for his AFSC (Air Force Specialty Code... or job title), especially since the government shutdown happened in October when the Firsties (seniors) were originally supposed to find out.

Well, they had their AFSC Drop Night tonight, and it's a darn good thing his butt looks so cute in a flight suit because...


DAN IS GOING TO BE AN AIR FORCE PILOT! 

We will find out in early 2014 if we will move to Texas, Oklahoma, or Mississippi for his pilot training, and we will head there after his graduation/our wedding. 

I am SO proud of him. He has worked his butt off for the past four and a half years, and all of that hard work is finally paying off! God is good. 

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Wine & Painting Date

A few weeks ago, our friends Rianna and Aaron invited Dan and I to go on a double date. We love hanging out with them, so of course we went! We ended up doing a wine tasting at The Sweet Elephant in Old Colorado City, followed by a group painting class, where we painted the Kissing Camels at Garden of the Gods with Pikes Peak in the background. We all had a blast, and I wish they weren't moving away so soon!


This is the painting we were trying to recreate. Beautiful, right?


And this is the one our instructor painted while he taught the class. Gorgeous.


How ours all turned out -- looking good!

Here's Dan's. It's actually not bad at all! Notice the disproportionate F-22 above the Kissing Camels, haha.


This is my finished piece. I really like it, but I was also VERY frustrated while painting it.


Side by side! :)

Looking silly side by side over the fireplace... no, I did NOT leave both of them there!


Holding mine proudly! :)
  • Have you ever been to a painting class?
  • What is your favorite thing to paint?
  • Do you have any ideas for fun, creative double dates?