TWENTYFIFTEEN RECAP

going out to visit richmond // spending a weekend in oregon with our wedding twins // getting in as many west coast sunsets before the move to the east // enjoying the last few months in our first little apartment // walking together at graduation // spending the fourth of july in la jolla // italy- the most amazing trip of our lives with the most amazing people // moving & countless trips to ikea // living in Virginia with my lover.

2015 has certainly been a year full of changes and surprises. I have loved every second of it- the good and the bad, the hard and the easy. I love reflecting on the many adventures Scott and I were able to have and all the memories we were able to make together. I see how we both have grown, and how much we have learned. I am a sucker for getting sentimental at the end of the year, along with making goals and resolutions for the next one. I am so looking forward to what 2016 brings.

2014 // 2013

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS

One of the greatest light displays in Virginia happens to be about 20 minutes from where we live. This place is straight up magical. We went with our friends the week before Christmas and knew we had to come back for one more visit before the holiday season ended. They set up an "i spy" sort of game that Scott was sooooo into. If it were up to me we would have left after finding one or two but my competitive little husband had to find them all. All 100 of them. Just kidding there weren't that many but it felt that way to me. Christmas lights just make me so happy!! Can't wait to go back next year!

BELLE ISLE

Scott and I (ok mostly Scott) have been reading this book about how to be successful and accumulate wealth (more than just in the monetary sense), and there was this chapter on goal setting that I really liked. It talked about how setting a goal to accomplish in the future is no better than setting no goal at all. If you don't have plans to execute that goal NOW, it probably won't get done. I know I am so guilty of this. With 2016 right around the corner, I am constantly thinking "I want to get that done this year" or "I have plans to achieve this in 2016." But there really is no better time than the present, why wait another week or so to start? Why not start now?

One thing I have been wanting to start doing for a while now, is document our life through video instead of just pictures. I make films for other people all the time and have been meaning to start filming more personal projects, butI always end up with the mindset that I will do that later. Instead of waiting until 2016 to begin, we decided to just go out and shoot. Scott and I headed to beautiful Belle Isle, set up the camera on a tripod and explored and froze our face off.

  

OUR FIRST CHRISTMAS TREE

Even though this will be our THIRD Christmas together, it's the first year we got a tree! It just never made sense to get one while we were in school because finals kept us busy and we were always traveling to see family during the break. 

But this year since Scott has to work right up until Christmas and be back at work the following Monday (I miss college), we went to Target and dropped a whopping $10 on this cute little 2 foot tree.

Over the last three years we have been collecting ornaments together from all the different trips we have taken and different places we have lived. It was so fun to pull them all out and decorate our little tree. We decided to make a little video of it and send it out as our Christmas Card this year.

Looking forward to spending the last few days of 2015 with those I love and hoping you get to do the same!

RICHMOND CATCH UP

Whaaaaaaat two posts in two days? Don't get used to it. My last post was a little too personal for my liking so I wanted to get another post up here to show that even though this move has been difficult we have also been having FUN!

So think of this as a photo dump (I hate that phrase) of what I have managed to capture in the last few months. Warning: this post will most likely not be too interesting and filled with sub par iphone pics. Enjoy!

One day my friend Brooke and I were looking up cool (free) things to in Richmond and the Hollywood cemetery was high up on every list we googled. It was actually pretty neat. 

This is what our apartment looked like for the first month or so. We went back and forth of wanting to get unpacked but also being too lazy to do it. 

Celebrated our two year anniversary a week after we moved! In an effort to save money we had a romantic dinner on our counter since we didn't have a table or chairs yet. 

As much as I love IKEA I would be ok with not returning there for a bit. Lots of driving. Lots of buying. Lots of assembling furniture. 

If you ever want to test how strong your marriage is, assemble 13 boxes from IKEA together. 

I know our door is not super pretty. But I like our mat. It is an effort to try and make friends with our neighbors without having to actually talk to them. Someone did come ask to borrow a muffin pan once. She never clarified if she asked us because of our super inviting mat, but I would like to think so. 

One weekend we went up to Falling Water in Pennsylvania with Scott's parents. I am no architecture buff but it was pretty sweet. I wouldn't mind having it as my summer home. 

One of my favorite things we have done so far was apple picking! I took one picture that day so here it is-

Lots and lots of graffiti in downtown Richmond. 

Also I don't know how I survived before boberry biscuits. 

Another super cool thing was the Road Bike World Championships, which took place literally outside of our apartment. 

We look pretty natural right?

I have loved loved loved making our apartment feel like a home. And Scott was such a good sport hanging up everything I asked him too. 

Yay for high school friends on the east coast. 

And yay for some film projects to keep me from being a professional netflix binger. 

I went to Time Out for Women with my in-laws. It was basically a two day conference for women to take a little time out from their lives (hence the time out for women name) and listen to some inspiring speakers, listen to music, and reflect on what is really important in this life. It was a blast. 

We bought an iPad. Some thought I was pregnant. 

Maybe when I really am preggo I should use snapchat to announce it to the world. 

Our blinds in our bedroom broke and since we would rather not be greeted with blinding sunlight in the morning or let the apartment across the courtyard watch us sleep, we brought our mattress out to the family room. It ended up being a week long sleepover and probably something we will do again in the future. 

FALL IS AMAZING. I am so obsessed with the changing leaves. We were so busy this year that we didn't get to go on a drive to really see all of them, but I have already made Scott promise next year we will make time. 

Still- just the leaves around town were amazing!

I am so excited for the holiday season! And for Richmond to start feeling more and more like a home. Also give yourself a pat on the back if you made it to the end!