December 26, 2018
looking back: 2018
2018 has been a year to remember. I got to travel a lot more, made some life changes, and I feel like I grew a lot a a person. As much as I’m looking forward to the fresh start that January brings, I want to acknowledge this year and the adventures it brought with it.
Just like last year, our annual “big trip” took place right around May. Andrew and I had so much fun exploring The DC area. We haven’t had crab legs since because “they just won’t compare to Baltimore.” And I take every opportunity to tell people I’ve seen the Space Shuttle Discovery and the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird in person. This was also the first trip I took with my camera which allowed me to really able to absorb everything, and where my phone and social media took a major backseat in favor of experiencing as much as possible. As a bonus, we got to visit multiple cities and hang out with some of our good friends on this trip. You can check out my DC photo diaries here and here.
Around the middle of the year, we knew a major shift was around the corner. We were both incredibly unhappy with where we worked, and soon, Andrew got a job offer. This allowed me to leave my job as well, and I later found one where I’m much more comfortable. It allows me the energy and security to make plans for finishing my degree and moving myself forward with what I really wanna do.
2018 was also filled with day and weekend trips to see friends or simply for a change of scenery. I love that we both love traveling and don’t mind spending hours on the road together. Get yourself stuck in a car with someone for 20 hours and you’ll find out if you’re compatible after all. 10 hours to the DC Metro? That’s nothing compared to some of the road trips we’ve been on.
I’ve been shopping second-hand for years now, but this was really the year that I became dedicated to buying the majority of my wardrobe and home decor from thrift stores. I found a lot of great pieces, and most importantly, really started feeling like myself. I remember the day I realized how unhappy I was with my wardrobe. I had been wearing gym clothes for every occasion, and while I was comfortable, it was done out of necessity- not preference. The anxiety I’d get when getting dressed was taking a toll on me. I know it sounds silly that getting dressed stressed me out like it did. I donated the majority of what was in my closet and started over. Thrifting is a pastime that saves me a ton of money, gets me what I’m looking for, and it’s so much better for the environment.
As the holidays approached, an odd turn of events allowed me to visit home for several days around Thanksgiving. I wasn’t able to spend the actual holiday with my family in Texas, but we celebrated early and Thanksgiving was spent partially in the air, and partially with Andrew’s family. This trip was a big deal to me because it was the first time Andrew and I had been apart in the almost two years that we’ve been together. I learned so much about myself during that trip. And most importantly, got non-stop cuddles from all the dogs.
As we wrap up this year, I like to think about the things I want to accomplish in 2019. More travel and exploration is always on the docket. But this coming year, I really want to focus on finishing up my degree and checking that off my life’s to-do list. I’ve always really loved learning and going to school, and I hate that something so important to me has been derailed for so long.
Finally, I want to thank you guys for reading this. I never thought I’d ever put something out there that people actually read. There’s a certain charm in knowing that someone somewhere is reading my little blog. I love having my own space to talk about what I wanna talk about and sharing some of my favorite things, adventures, places, books, and- of course- the photos I take. I thank you guys from the bottom of my heart, and I sincerely hope you all are enjoying your holiday season.
August 29, 2018
mobile photo diary
Last weekend Andrew and I headed down to Mobile for our friends’ wedding reception. And although we were only down there for a short weekend, we took in as much of the city as possible. I’d been to Mobile once before, but never really got to look around. Exploring is my favorite part of any trip— long or short.
We got in Friday night after hitting multiple rounds of traffic, making what was supposed to be a 3.5 hour trip, closer to 6. We had minimal energy, but were deadset on a German place Andrew had found earlier in the week. We checked into our hotel then headed to Loda Bier Garten in downtown Mobile for a giant pretzel, fish & chips, and schnitzel.
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| Electronics in tow |
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| I loved the tunnels |
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| I was living for the window dressings |
Saturday morning, we woke up early for breakfast (I may be an over-sleeper, but I will never pass up a waffle maker and fresh fruit) and then headed to the Mobile Museum of Art. This is one of the smaller museums we’ve been to, but I found several pieces that really stood out to me. The location itself was beautiful, and had we more time, we would have relaxed on the patio with a cup of coffee and our current reads.
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| My travel companion |
After doing some shopping, we headed over to Serda Brewing, which was conveniently located downtown. You guys know I’m not too much of a beer drinker, so I took the time to soak up the local sights and just spend some time with Andrew. While there, we looked up places for lunch and settled on Pizzeria Delphina, also in the downtown area.
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| Real classy, babe. |
We parked a few blocks away which let us do some exploring on our way to lunch. I borrowed a book from Andrew’s grandparents, “An Ornament to the City: Old Mobile Ironwork” by John S. Sledge with photography by Sheila Hagler. If it weren’t for flipping through their coffee table book, I never would have kept an eye out for the ironwork that’s such an integral part of the city. We took a quick stroll through Bienville Square, where I got to see some of the book’s photographs in person.
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| Two of my favorite words: free & books |
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| Too hungry to take a before picture |
After our quick lunch, we headed to the hotel to get ready for our friends’ reception that night. It easily was the most fun I’ve had with a group in friends in sooo long, and the location was GORGEOUS.
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| No filter necessary |
We got a slow start on Sunday. We thought we’d be able to do a little more shopping before heading home, but we found that most places were either closed or didn’t provide their hours of operation. We were a little bummed, but got to drive through some stunning areas that we otherwise wouldn’t have seen. There was no way we could have been mad at that. Andrew really took a liking to Loda, so we headed into downtown once again for a #brunchbeer. We had lunch with friends shortly after at Blue Gill, where I had the best mahi mahi I’ve ever had. We hung around a while longer, but had to get on the road soon.
Our drive north was much like our drive down, complete with MFM podcasts, music, and naps (but without the traffic jams). We had such a fun time, especially because we hadn’t done a weekend trip in so long. Seeing our friends made leaving so so hard (the fact they have a precious dog has nothing to do with it), but with a list of things we still want to do and see, something tells me we’ll be back. ❤️
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