a look at 12

I often find the New Year to be a bit overwhelming as I look ahead to a whole new year. (For some reason the thought of making it all the way to December again feels like such a daunting task.) However, I do always love taking the time to look back, remember and celebrate the passing year. It reminds me to be even more thankful for my health, safety, friends, family and quite simply the blessing of plain ol' good times and fun memories. What a great way to take my mind off being *overwhelmed* and set it on being encouraged, thankful and glad. I'll take Option 2.

I tried finding one picture to represent a good time or fun memory from each month of the past year. If you know me then you know finding only one picture per month wasn't an option. This little collage definitely doesn't even scratch the surface on my year, but it's a fun glance (there are at least 20 others I wanted to include). 2012 was definitely the busiest, craziest, fullest year yet. I'm taking a big breath right now and hoping at least January of 2013 will be a good deal calmer and slower (plus that would help in my efforts to only select 1 photo per month next year...). I hope this glimpse will help you remember all you're thankful for in the past year! It sure helped me.

A glimpse of 2012

reunion no. 1

I had a good span running for about a week where I had several reunions in a row with several long-lost friends. (I suppose not "long-lost" per se, perhaps ones I'd just like to see much more often.) The first one was with my good buddy from elementary school, junior high, and high school. We go waaay back. All the way to the pencil sharpener episode in Mrs. Dockery's 3rd grade class, in fact. (Ask me for the story on that some time, it's a good one.) Of course, it was a blast catching up.

no vegetable left behind

When I was home in Alabama last month, I made sure I got in all of my most favorite eating spots (& more than once when possible). I don't always make it to City Cafe when I'm home because they happen to be closed on holidays, which is the primary time I'm in Alabama to visit. This time, I made it there twice in my nine days. And to make this story even better, I got to hang out with Meg (and her little girl, Reagan, who quickly became my new BFF) on one of my lunch dates there.

As I'm sitting here in my New York City apartment, trying to decide what I'll have for lunch today, I sure do wish City Cafe would deliver a fried chicken breast fillet, fried okra and mashed potato plate to my door. With a sweet tea. All for $5.65.

Proof above, no vegetable left behind.

a saturday in hoboken

Last Saturday I ventured over to the other side of the Hudson for a few hours because my former coworker Andy was having a baby shower. I got off the bus a few stops early and found my way to this door: 927 Willow Avenue. I know, from the looks of this picture it may only look like a hideously ugly brown door (and, it is.) but this door has so much more meaning than meets the eye.

This is the door to my brother's (and shortly thereafter, sister-in-law's) first apartment in the New York/New Jersey area. Buck moved to Hoboken in December of 2006, and for Christmas that year I got a trip to New York City...finally (!), and to visit Buck's new pad. My mom, Monica and I visited the week between Christmas and New Years, helped Buck move and settle in a little, and did quite our share of galavanting in the city...

5 months later, I moved to New York for a 3 month summer internship. 1 year and 5 months later, I moved back to New York for good. And now, here I am. Still.

So you can imagine what a beautiful sight this door was to me when I found it again on Saturday. It was the start of my journey here in the Big Apple! Thanks, 927.

inspiration & nostalgia

This time of year I always think back with bittersweet feelings to school days and college. It is sweet because this time of year was always filled with such joy: summer had come, along with another year accomplished and pure jubilance that I had survived one more year of school. Bitter because there was often a lot of blood, sweat and tears that came, too, with finishing up a semester and yet another dreaded project deadline. Now, three years removed from my last interior design studio critique, I realize that I learned the most valuable lesson of all:

[found here on pinterest.]