Looking Back on 2013

2013 was crazy, exciting, fun, and a HUGE year for us. I think it will be a year we will remember for a very long time. It was so much fun to look back at all of these wonderful memories. Here is to 2013.

January

We packed up all of our things and I joined Jake in Virginia. We spent New Years with new friends. We took advantage of our new home and explored DC. Jake spent lots of time in the field. I started my job as a nanny for the cutest little baby ever. 

February

We started to settled in and Lexie started to feel at home. I hung our gallery wall in our temporary apartment to make it feel more like home. We spent weekends hanging out with great friends. I visited Kentucky for the weekend. My dad visited Virginia to see my sister and I. Jake spent lots more time training. 

March

March was a cold month. Jake spent lots of cold days/nights in the field learning about being a Marine Officer. I spent time with the girls while the husbands were gone. Spent my 22nd birthday rocking out to TSwift's 22 and hanging with good friends. We also had a super fun snowday. 

April

Spring arrived and so did the cherry blossoms. Kellie Jo got to come visit and we showed her around DC. I ran Color Me Rad with a group of fellow TBS spouses. Jake spent even more time in the field. We enjoyed springtime in Virginia and went to the Foxfield races with a group of friends. We had a blast at MOS reveal and Jake found out he was going to be a logistics officer. 

May

May was a crazy month. Jake celebrated his 23rd birthday. We found out we would be moving to Okinawa in September. I ran a 5k with my sister. We attended the best concert ever, Luke Bryan and Florida Georgia Line. We celebrated our first year of marriage. We spent last weekends with friends we will keep forever. Jake's family came to town and we celebrated his graduation from TBS. The movers came and packed all of our things and sent them to Japan. 

June

We made our way down to Charleston where I settled in for the summer. Jake checked into Logistics school in North Carolina. I got aquatinted with my new BFF, Nellie, the chocolate lab puppy. I also got aquatinted with the swimming pool. I fell in love with bikram yoga and eating clean. We spent weekends on the beach in Charleston or downtown Wilmington. 

July

We spent the weekend with Meghan and Joey and fam in Charleston. I reunited with Sarah and we headed up to Lexington. We spent the 4th in Lexington and had a blast hanging out with friends and family. I spent lots of time on the beach, doing yoga, and hanging out with the parents. Jake spent time learning about logistics. 

August

We spent more weekends together in Charleston. I headed to Oregon to visit family. Jake graduated from logistics school. I spent lots of quality time with my parents. My grandparents and Meghan and Joey all came to visit at the end of August. We also got to see our best friends the Greys for the last time until they arrive in Okinawa. The alligator living in the backyard was wrangled and removed so he could not stalk our dogs. We went to the Hootie and the Blowfish concert and then had to say goodbye to Charleston and family. 

September

We spent an amazing two weeks in Lexington hanging out with friends and family, relaxing, and getting ready for our move. We had to say goodbye and headed to Okinawa. We arrived in Okinawa nervous and excited. We bought cars, found a home and moved in, developed a ramen obsession, and fell in love with this little island we call home. Jake started working, and working a lot. 

October

We continued to explore our new home and fell more and more in love. We had lots of fun adventures. We found beautiful beaches and cafes, went 4wheelin', saw a bull fight, went to an auction, watched many beautiful sunrises from our bedroom, and I went on a field trip with the spouses group. We also survived our first typhoons. 

November

Jake headed off to mainland. I spent lots of time exploring by myself. My friend arrived on the island and we had lots of fun getting pedicures. I went the the aquarium with friends. I went on a field trip to the botanical gardens. Jake got home just in time for our first Thanksgiving on the island. We had a fun Christmas photo shoot on the beach.

December

My friend Shannon and I went to the Tour of Homes and then they accompanied me to a wonderful festival on our base. We decorated for Christmas and tried to get into the holiday spirit. We had a blast at Okinapa. Lexie enjoyed time sitting outside enjoying the beautiful weather. I got to show Jake some of the places I found while he was gone. 

Oh, and we spent Christmas on the beach in Thailand. No big deal.

We cannot believe how increible this year was and can't wait to see what 2014 holds. 

Cheers to the new year!!