2011 Year in Review

Oh my gosh, it's time for the third annual year in review!

2009

2010

January 2010 started off in Pittsburgh. With me being unemployed at the time and us not having many invites for NYE, we spontaneously hopped in the car and spent the weekend at my college bestie's apartment. 2011 felt more like 2001 as a group of us played power hour and made a beer can pyramid!

And a few days later my nephew Caden was born!

Also in January I exhibited a bridal expo with friend Shannon Confair.

February is when everything changed -- for the good. I interviewed for and was offered my current position!  Farewell, laycation! It seems I was still in my baking frenzy, making really ugly cakes.

March is when I started my job and bought my first DSLR.  It's also when I got to hold my sweet nephew for the first time.

Also in March the hubs and I took off a mini-getaway to the Finger Lakes to celebrate our engagi-versary.

April must have been pretty status quo; nothing is jumping out at me. I was settling into my job and practicing some photography on babies.

In May I spent some time getting ready for summer and enjoy nephew's visit during Wes's birthday picnic in our backyard

June marked the big occasion of my 30th birthday! (Thank goodness I still look 20, right?!)

And June introduced two new purchases - my beautiful iPhone 4 and our SUV.

In July we took a trip down memory line by visiting our favorite amusement park.

In August we went back up to the Finger Lakes, where I also got to meet Megs, one of the girls from my fabulous group of 'online' friends!

August was a huge travel month for me since I also drove up to Boston with my MIL to visit my SIL and nephew. It was overall a great time being with family (and catching up my friend Sara and her husband!), though I could have done without the car accident we had on the way back from the city.

August was also the shower/b-party I threw as MOH.

September I was back on the road again, this time to Pittsburgh to see one of my besties. While there I was asked to be a bridesmaid in her wedding next year! 

A few weeks later we traveled yet again to York for Amanda and Jason's wedding weekend. 

The fall was full of photo shoots of friends and family, including my favorite little guy who came in for a visit for a few weeks. 

In October we had a recriprocal visit from Kelly and Aaron which included a day of sightseeing in my neck of PA. Oh and I got bangs again!! 

A special birthday happened in October as Miss Raegan turned the big ONE! 

November. Oh, November. On the 10th I had my palatal expansion surgery. My four wisdom teeth were removed before the main act happened. My oral surgeon drilled through my upper jaw bone to separate my palate.  I'll spare you the pics of me post-surgery all swollen and bruised AND the pics of the giant gap between my two front teeth. Trust me, you're better off. 

Thankfully two weeks later I could nom on some turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie! 

December was surprisingly more busy than I expected. Parties and holiday gatherings and lots of family time. 

I'm sure I'm missing things. 2011 seemed so full. I'm so happy for so many wonderful things that happened during the course of the last year. So many friends, so many adventures, so much progress! I'm very much looking forward to what 2012 will bring. 

Kelly and Aaron's Engagement Session

This past weekend we headed to Pittsburgh to scope out my dear friends' new house and new engagement ring! Kelly and Aaron got engaged in Key West during her sister's destination wedding. Kelly asked me to do a  mini e-session for them, and of course I said yes. Adults are much easier to work with than drooling, unpredictable babies! These were taken in the yard of their new home. I just loved that little red shed. 

Boston Recap

Thursday night my MIL and I drove to Massachusetts to visit with my SIL and nephew. Outside of a stretch of awfulness, it was a good time. There was seriously nothing better than getting to snuggle my 7 month old lovebug for three days! Of course, my camera got a workout trying to capture some baby smiles.

I also got to hang out with my friend Sara and meet her husband. They took me to a great little place outside the city with this amazingly absurd selection of different beer and awesome appetizers. I ever got to walk around the outside of Fenway Park just as the Yanks/Sox game was letting out.

But that awfulness I mentioned earlier? That came in the form of a car accident leaving Boston's north end Saturday afternoon. Long story short, we're all okay outside of some minor bruises and soreness and completely shaken nerves. It's definitely not something I care to repeat ever in my life.

At any rate, I'm really happy to be home (crazy, stressful life as it is).

Weekend Instagrams

This weekend kicked off the start of several jam-packed, travel-filled weekends. The hubs and I took off Friday after work to Seneca Lake to have dinner at our favorite castle (where we were engaged), breakfast at our favorite '50s retro diner, and outlet shopping. I was also so happy to meet up with one of my "nestie besties" who lives in NY.

If that wasn't enough to fill our itinerary, we raced home Saturday evening to meet up with our friends for Mexican and ice cream.

Big things ahead -- Massachusetts, bridal showers, bachelorette parties, Pittsburgh, weddings, amusement parks, GNOs .... it's going to be crazy, but awesome! I'm sick of whining every September that we didn't take advantage of nicer weather to do more "stuff." 

Engagiversary Getaway

I'm so glad my husband doesn't read my blog. (If you ask him about my blog he'll tell you the name is "A-Lines and B-Lines Or Whatever.") Because he would suffer a mini stroke to see me write a made up word in the title. Anyway, since he loves me regardless of my propensity for abbreviated words, we took off to Seneca Lake to celebrate the three-year anniversary of the night he proposed in the location where it happened. The past four years we've always gone with two other couples to do a two-day winery tour, but plans fell through.

We enjoyed dinner and dessert at the castle -- picture it: insane view of the lake, live band, March Madness basketball on a flatscreen, and roaring fire -- and then we walked up to the hallway where he proposed. It's been our tradition to have a few moments in that spot to re-live the moment I said "yes." The next morning we ate breakfast at the charming and retro Connie's Diner (also a tradition) and finished up our weekend by hitting up the outlets.

I couldn't have asked for a better mini excursion. But now it's time to get back to real life. Orientation tomorrow!!

Weekend in the Burgh Part 2

Part 1 was last year. What, you don't remember that blog? Pssh.

Every year, the mister and I head toward Pittsburgh to visit my college bestie. And without fail upon returning the mister asks me if we can move there. The weekend was spent eating, shopping, and laughing - what more can you ask for?!

Oh, and I'm no longer an IKEA virgin!!

$15 duvet sets? Yes please.

Good times with good friends: 

Dress: Target; Cardi: F21; Necklace: F21

I thought I'd score more at Forever 21 and H&M, but it was a semi fail. Though I did manage to construct an outfit from some of those buys for today: 

Tunic: H&M; Belt: F21; Leggings: Target; Boots: Target

You Had Me at Merlot

This past weekend the mister and I, along with two other couples, went on our annual winery trip to the Finger Lakes in New York.  We've made the trip four years in a row, but ever since 2008 it holds another special meaning for us because we became engaged there.

Enduring thirty wineries in two days is exhausting, and I feel like I gain 20 pounds by Sunday night, but we love it! Slowly I'm growing from an Arbor Mist kind of gal into a newbie wine enthusiast.

The theme is always "Cruisin' the Tropics" -  hence the hair flowers and leis. :) Unfortunately the weather at Seneca Lake this time of year is far from tropical.

Belhurst Castle (the place where the big proposal happened!)

Wes found his favorite wine - "69 Ways to Have Fun"

Weekend in the 'Burgh

This past weekend we traveled to our annual Pittsburgh trip for the first time as a married couple. We hung out with my favorite college girlies, ate bad food, watched a Pirates game, spoke in vampire voices, witnessed several drunk guys capture a bat in a bar with brooms and buckets, and braved the chaotic mess of Forever 21. Every time we get back it only strengthens Wes's desire to move there. We'll see...