I’m going to go ahead and join in the masses of people saying “I can’t believe it’s 2016 already – HOW?!” When I think about 2015, it seems that it went so fast yet I can’t remember what I was doing a short 12 months ago – this either means that what I was doing was so boring it isn’t worth holding space in my brain or I was just on a lot of drugs back then. Because I don’t remember taking any, we are going to go with the first option. #drugfreeisthewaytobe
Every year I love recapping all of the highlights from my year [take a look back at 2014 and 2013] and while they wind up being the world’s longest blog posts in the history of ever, they are so much fun for me to compile and look through years later – so yes, this is a very selfish blog post. forgive me.
While 2014 will forever reign as the best year of my life, or at least until another best year rolls around, 2015 was pretty fantastic as well – lots of places visited, lots of home projects completed, lots of laying on a boat and of course – lots of macaroni and cheese consumed. Lets jump right in!
January
On the blog front, it looks like the only thing I really did in January was eat and drink based on the slow cooker party mix, hot chicken salad, jalapeno moscow mule and the ten great super bowl recipes that I posted.
On the home front we finally completed the last details of the guest bedroom which we utilized a whole one time during the year 2015. Maybe 2016 is the year we will break this baby in with a whole two stays from guests.
Personally, I was knee deep in learning how to use essential oils and opening up an etsy shop selling personal prints which I’m not really sure if it’s still up and running? I think that’s a sign of a good business owner. Side note: I just checked and apparently it’s closed. Solid effort. Aside from opening shops that would soon close, we saw John Mellencamp in concert and stayed in a consistent state of freezing.
February
Oh February, the month that everybody falls into a deep depression because it’s negative 30 degrees outside, we are knee deep in snow, grey skies are everywhere and Spring seems light years away.
I wrote about 10 ways to overcome the February funk when really all one needed to do was make these cookies and the happiness would emerge immediately. Because our house was feeling way too put together and dust free, we decided to have both of our bathrooms remodeled at the same time causing us to move out of our house and into my parents for a few weeks. I felt like a senior in high school all over again, it was great.
March
After moving back into our home after weeks away, we cleaned up the piles and piles of dust and broke out the Spring decor to celebrate.
While I was in the midst of debating whether or I liked blogging anymore, I up and left for Kansas City to attend Go Blog Social with my fellow Pollinate confidants which totally restored my love for this awesome blog/hobby/job/whatever the heck it is. I may have eaten everything in the entire city while there.
April
It was about this time that Indiana decided to show us some love and blossom a few flowers here and there. I must have been busy smelling the roses because I didn’t document really anything else that happened this month, other than participating in a local amazing race with fellow co-workers which was 200% fun.
It was about this time that Indiana decided to show us some love and blossom a few flowers here and there. I must have been busy smelling the roses because I didn’t document really anything else that happened this month, other than participating in a local amazing race with fellow co-workers which was 200% fun.
May
Following the weather trends, my personal life started to heat up with fun activities by flying out to Arizona to attend Mom 2.0 Summit despite my lack of motherhood. Fortunately, moms know how to get down so I was in good company.
Following the weather trends, my personal life started to heat up with fun activities by flying out to Arizona to attend Mom 2.0 Summit despite my lack of motherhood. Fortunately, moms know how to get down so I was in good company.
I returned home from Arizona to find our boat in the backyard which kicked off the first ever boat ride at the new house and they didn’t stop for months on end.
While I was blogging about the importance of telling your story our guest bathroom was 100% completed and baths became a regular thing again in my life.
June
The excitement of Summer continued on as we headed off to Nashville with friends for 4 days of country music goodness at CMA Fest.
The excitement of Summer continued on as we headed off to Nashville with friends for 4 days of country music goodness at CMA Fest.
From Nashville I flew directly to Myrtle Beach to spend a week with my mom, sister and nieces for 7 days of nothing but sunshine, heat and our toes in the sand.
Once back home, I taught myself how to make a bomb meat and cheese platter for the heck of it, Shawn turned 31, our landscaping got completely torn out and replanted, and my grandpa got married at the young age of 88!
I think I was tired by the end of June.
July
No time for sleeping though, we rushed off to Indianapolis to see Ed Sheeran in concert which will forever be one of the best shows I have seen.
No time for sleeping though, we rushed off to Indianapolis to see Ed Sheeran in concert which will forever be one of the best shows I have seen.
Back just in time for the 4th of July, we hosted friends and family for time on the boat and sparklers in our hands.
Sometime during this month I turned 29 which called for a celebration with friends and a weekend away with Shawn to Chicago for massages and steak dinners. Those birthdays certainly have their perks.
July ended with our local county 4H fair which meant 3 nights in a row of country concerts, fried food and dirty feet.
August
Aside from spending all of our free time out on the boat, we finished up some projects on the home front ranging from the master bathroom to my office. I also confessed the real reason why we can’t have children.
Aside from spending all of our free time out on the boat, we finished up some projects on the home front ranging from the master bathroom to my office. I also confessed the real reason why we can’t have children.
September
With football season in full swing, we spent several weekends tailgating over at Notre Dame, running in a color run with friends and sharing my two cents on how to grow your Instagram following while taking better photos. I’m pretty sure I was working out consistently during this time thanks to the #1800MinuteChallenge.
With football season in full swing, we spent several weekends tailgating over at Notre Dame, running in a color run with friends and sharing my two cents on how to grow your Instagram following while taking better photos. I’m pretty sure I was working out consistently during this time thanks to the #1800MinuteChallenge.
It was in September that we also learned my sister is having a little boy come February which had us all sorts of freaking out about him peeing all over walls. Or at least me freaking out.
September ended with one of the most amazing sunsets known to mankind and one too many photos of it to prove it.
October
Between my mom turning 60 which ended in the most epic kitchen dance party with my family, having my nieces over to spend the night for the first time ever, celebrating our nine year anniversary and traveling to Florida with our friends – October was one of the better months of the year!
Between my mom turning 60 which ended in the most epic kitchen dance party with my family, having my nieces over to spend the night for the first time ever, celebrating our nine year anniversary and traveling to Florida with our friends – October was one of the better months of the year!
November
November started out with a ton of laughs thanks to our Goodwill date with friends. From there Indiana returned back to its classic Indiana state by dumping piles of snow on us. To take our minds off it, my sister, mom, aunt and I loaded up on bus trip and headed to IKEA for the day which is what one should always do. In the midst of the fun, I wrote a post expressing my beliefs during times of grief, I hosted my first ever indoor garage sale which was so much fun and we capped off November by having our family over for a giant Thanksgiving feast.
November started out with a ton of laughs thanks to our Goodwill date with friends. From there Indiana returned back to its classic Indiana state by dumping piles of snow on us. To take our minds off it, my sister, mom, aunt and I loaded up on bus trip and headed to IKEA for the day which is what one should always do. In the midst of the fun, I wrote a post expressing my beliefs during times of grief, I hosted my first ever indoor garage sale which was so much fun and we capped off November by having our family over for a giant Thanksgiving feast.
December
December started out the way it always should – with a trip to sunny California for my Christmas party with Pollinate Media.
December started out the way it always should – with a trip to sunny California for my Christmas party with Pollinate Media.
As soon as I got back, I rushed off to see Brett Eldredge and Thomas Rhett in concert. All of the fun landed me a fun cold that is still hanging on.
The remaining weeks of the month were spent soaking up the twinkling lights, hosting Christmas on Christmas Eve with Shawn’s side and ending the Christmas season by surprising my grandma with caroling at her house Christmas Day.
2015, you did me well my friend. Until next year…
