Holiday in Tyler, Part 2

On the afternoon of New Year's Eve, Tuf came to the McKeown's and picked me up. I was now going to spend the rest of my time in Texas with her and I was super excited. I had only seen her for a day in July and before that it was a few days when she came to DC to help me move the first of February. 

The evening sky was amazing as we were driving to her house. 

I love Tuf's cooking and for New Year's Eve we ate a pork tenderloin, red potatoes and corn - all amazing!

We also watched the Christopher Robin movie - oh my goodness it was amazing and so well done, I wish that my grandma was alive to have seen it, she would have loved it! 

After the movie we stuck with tradition and drank chambord and played games! I love our little traditions. 

This is my final post for 2018 and only 2 months late...not bad :)

2018 was a good year. I was able to experience a lot. I made a really good friend that I hope will always be part of my life. I explored more of this cool city I have called home for over 4 years. I did a lot of traveling from coast to coast. I made a few hard decisions and I had my little heart hurt. But I survived and I always want to remember the good in everything. I'll do a little recap - though I feel like the last 3 months of blogging have really highlighted most of my year :) 

• January: Blue October Concert; Cousin moves back to Texas (lot of tears)
• February: Cousin comes back to help me move to DC; moved to DC! 
• March: Started DC Bucket List (exploring the non touristy side of DC) with an awesome friend, Stephanie; niece is born - welcome Raelynn Nicole you are loved; Karen visits; crazy weather - wild wind storm and the only snow of the season
• April: More bucket list items checked off the list; Cherry Blossom walk (alone); 3rd time going to the sunrise service at the Lincoln Memorial; found a new church in Alexandria; Lori visited
• May:Heart a little hurt; joined a book club in hopes of meeting new people; Concert on the west lawn of the US Capitol with Stephanie 
• June: Spontaneous to Idaho then onto New Mexico to see the fam including a my aunt and uncle from Australia and a nephew and niece I had never met 
• July: Artechouse; 4th of July parade (way too hot!); Trip to Texas to meet Sophia (Kimberley and Marco's adorable daughter), spending a day with the cousin 
• August: National Meeting for work in Boston; DC Wharf and Haines Point; Marine Barracks for the last Marine Corp Band Performance; Davis's visit 
• September: Lisa and Susan visit!!; Karen Visit and we go to Ocean City; Opera in the Outfield at Nats Stadium with Stephanie, Gina and Karen; HR Summit to hang with my work BFF Allyson; Bev and daughter came to DC and had dinner with them; Glover Park Day; Possible hurricane that turned out to be nothing
• October: H Street Festival and walk thru Capitol Hill alone on a beautiful fall day; work trip to Columbus, Ohio; Takoma Park Day; evening in my rooftop pool with a great view of the US Capitol Dome; 
• November: Barb visits for an entire week and we do so much, including a drive through the Blue Ridge Mountains via the Shenandoah National Park - best week of 2018!; Congressional Cemetery (bucket list item for so long and it was well worth the wait); Thanksgiving with Stephanie and Anton in Glover Park; first snow of the winter
•  December: George H.W. Bush laying in the honor at the US Capitol (stood in line for 3.5 hours in the cold); Georgetown Glow; National Christmas Tree; My little city Christmas tree; Wreaths Across America at National Arlington Cemetery; Christmas alone on the east coast but spent with awesome friends (Mike and Gina) plus I got to see bumblebee :); personal health issues; decided to stay in DC for another year (well at least according to my lease agreement). 

When I do these brief overviews it really does show how much I do in a year and how much I have embraced the east coast living. Thank you 2018 - I grew, laughed, learn, cried, cared, explored and had an overall great year! Bring it on 2019! :)