Friday, January 16, 2015

2014

Here are a few highlights from last year...things that appeared on the blog anyway. I wasn't sure if I would do a wrap-up post at first, but I realized there are things I want to remember, and it's nice to have everything sort of compiled into one post. :)

We took a lot of mini road trips last summer, like this day trip to Fredericksburg. We couldn't really afford to fly anywhere and take a "proper" vacation, so we decided to explore our own backyard, so to speak, and found there's a lot to see and do close to home. I still have a list of places we didn't get to last year that I'm hoping to see this year. (We also checked out Shepherdstown and Annapolis.)

All those road trips meant passing by some pretty gorgeous scenery on occasion. Usually, I tend to be the type of person who loves being in new places and exploring but hates actually traveling to get there. On one day, I decided to pull over and take some photos to remind myself that "getting there" isn't all bad.

Who could forget the epic winter that started off 2014? It was the coldest winter I'd ever experienced in my life, and honestly, it changed the way I think about where I want to live in the future should we ever leave the DC area. I used to be really open-minded about moving to new places, and I guess I'm still more flexible about moving than most. But I definitely don't think I'll be moving to any place that typically has harsh winters. I'm just not cut out for it, and that's ok.

Not surprisingly, that epic winter kept me cooped up inside a lot those first few months. But it wasn't all bad as I used that time to make some just-for-fun diys and crafts, like these vintage luggage-style storage boxes.

Midway through March, when I really thought I couldn't stand anymore snow, we took a little field trip to the botanical gardens so we could spend a few hours in a tropical climate, and it was maybe the best decision I made all year. (We're actually planning to go back again soon because it's seriously the best medicine for winter blues.)

When the first signs of spring started to appear, I was pretty much ecstatic and couldn't wait to get outside with my camera. We took lots of walks all year, of course, but this one in particular sticks out in my mind.

We went to the Cherry Blossom Festival along with seemingly everyone else in DC. It was majorly crowded but worth it to see all those dreamy pink trees up close.

I finally got around to sharing a couple of room tours, the dining room and kitchen. I know I'm notoriously slow when it comes to house posts, but I promise to share more room tours soon.

Summer was amazing...honestly the best summer of my life, weather-wise. We took full advantage and put off a lot of things in favor of getting outside as much as possible. It might sound silly to some, but whenever we had low-humidity, mild temperature days, which are such a rarity in this area, Peter and I could not stop smiling and saying "it's so nice!" And we had a lot of them, the kind of mild days that absolutely affect your mood in the best possible way. We spent one beautiful day exploring a new-to-us garden about 30 minutes away called Meadowlark.

I finally finished a roll of film that had been sitting in my Yashica TL Electro X for over a year, and I posted a few pics from that first roll. It felt like an accomplishment to finally finish the roll after so long and get the film developed and scanned. I've since shot a couple more rolls and have acquired another vintage 35mm camera that I tested not too long ago, and the film from that camera is being processed right now. So hopefully, I'll have more film scans to share soon!

In October, we drove out to the Blue Ridge Mountains to see some amazing views and soak up the fall color. It was my first time in that part of Virginia, and I hope we can go back again and see more of it this summer.

The last couple months of the year were really a blur. I was getting ready for a craft show on top of the usual holiday craziness, but we definitely took some time out toward the end of December to relax and just enjoy the season. All those twinkly lights make even a simple night out a lot more charming.

I'm still making plans and goals for 2015. For the most part, I'm excited about what's ahead, and I hope to share it with you guys. xo, Mary

4 comments:

  1. Jealous of all the beauty you saw in 2014. And your living room is beautiful!

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  2. You and Peter really did get out and do a lot of exploring last year...that's so great! I hope 2015 has many more adventures in store for you as well :)

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  3. I remember that pink car from the first time around! And you already know this but I LOVE how you're decorating your house. That dining table is just magnificent. I can't wait to see more!

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  4. So pretty! The first photo reminds me of a barbie car! Hehe. Love the blossom photo. :)

    <3 Kelsea | Kels Shark

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