This year began with a New Years kiss from Dakota. It also started off snowy. Lots and lots of snow. To start off the new year, mom and I worked on our One Little Word. My word this year was moment and hers was find. The big event this month was that Dakota and I celebrated our One Year Anniversary by having dinner at the same restaurant we had our first date. (I see a tradition forming here :) )
February was the month of camera lenes! I got my first professional red line lens for the my birthday and while we were there they had a used red line lens for half the price. I went back later in the month to buy it as well. I think I'll be done for a while, even through I still have my eye on another one.
This year I turned 25 and got a big snow storm to celebrate. Guess it made sense since I was born in the north, in winter. I kind of liked the big snow storm.
Dakota coached basetball this winter season and we didn't really get to celebrate birthdays or Valentine's Day, but that's ok. I still got a bouquet of flowers on Valentine's Day. Of course, I save all the cards that come in the flower arrangements I recieve from him. Last year, we were only dating for a few weeks, this year we've been together a little over a year. It was so fun to see how things changed this past year. How fresh our relationship was vs. how we now know this will last. I can't wait for all the other little cards I'll get!
At the end of the month, we were finally able to celebrate my and Dakota's birthdays. Our family always goes to Kansas City to have dinner for birthdays. This year we ate at Macaroni Grill. Dakota had never been before and it's my favorite restaurant. Good news, he liked it too!
March was a great month! Dakota went to San Diego for a few days and while he was gone, we (me, mom, and dad) had Rory duty. We were expected to get a big snow storm, so we brought Rory over to our house while he (and then we) were on vacation. It was quite the experience. Abby was excited and thought we brought her a friend. Rory, on the other hand, didn’t appreciate her excitement and hissed at Abby anytime she got near. While Rory never warmed up to Abby, he did warm up to dad (of all people, dad doesn’t like cats). After a few days, dad warmed up to Rory and talked to him in high pitched cat voices. He even meowed at Rory a few time too. It was pretty funny to listen.
Dakota and I had our first vacation together. We went to Las Vegas and his family joined along. We saw a Cirque du Soleil show from the second row, learned the history about Vegas signs, and explored Red Rock Canyon. So much fun and it was wonderful to get some fresh air and sunshine.
Unfortunately, we came back to snow and bitter cold temperatures. I participated in my first March Madness bracket. I had dad and Dakota help me pick teams and I did pretty well, but lost it at the end. I think dad had a great time tracking my progress.
The month ended on a very happy note. The school mom works for held a fundraiser in honor of dad. They raised $1500 for multiple myeloma research. It was incredible and we felt very honored. The news crew was there and dad was on the 5 and 9 o’clock news, along with the morning news the following day. We are so thankful to have these people in our lives!
April was extremely busy. My friend Mallory came to visit the first weekend, just like she did last year. We explored KC and walked through the new edition to the business school we graduated from. That evening we met up with the rest of our college friends and went to dinner. It was so fun and I’m thankful these people were a part of my college years.
The next weekend I went to KC again, but this time with my parents and Dakota. We took dad to a restaurant called Fritz’s, which serves their food by toy train cars. It was fun. They weren’t Lionel and the place was packed with kids, but I think he enjoyed himself. After lunch, we went to the World War I Museum and Liberty Memorial where you can see a great view of the skyline. The view was breathtaking and I can’t believe it took me this long to find it. If you ever visit, it is a must see.
The third weekend in April was Easter. It was the first year Dakota and I got to celebrate together. It was fun. I definitely enjoy celebrating holidays with him. (Sadly, I didn’t get a photo…) Mom’s birthday fell on Easter this year. For dinner, dad grilled steaks and we cooked foiled potatoes. It was wonderful! And I tried a new Lemon Cake recipe for her birthday cake. It was good, but not quite the perfect Lemon cake recipe.
Unfortunately, my allergies began this month and they sure hit me with a bang.
At the end of the month, Dad and I participated in a photography trip with the store I buy my lenses from. We drove out to the Flint Hills in Kansas and spent all day Saturday taking photos, learning about night photography and learned some new tricks. It was such an incredible experience and I learned so much in those few hours.
May was fun. Mom and I went to see Ballroom with a Twist and watched some professional dancers from Dancing with the Stars perform. For Mother's Day, I took mom to see the Kansas City Ballet perform Cinderella. The building they performed in is relatively new and it is stunning. I'd been there before, but it was the first time for mom and she absoultely loved it!
This month, we celebrated 4 years since Dad's diagnosis. Mom had asked me why I always wanted to take family photos on the day and I told her that despite how sad that day was 4 years ago, we still have dad and it was worth celebrating. That day is a day that changed me and it reminds me how fragile life is. I'm especially thankful for this years photos, because they are just so funny. Mom and dad didn't really want to do them, but they were good sports and humored me.
To kick off summer, and to celebrate Memorial Day, I got the bubbles out for Abby to chase. Mom and I met with Jenny and her mom for a shopping trip. I moved some stuff into Dakota's house and Rory played with the paper. And we decorated the graves of my loved ones, Uncle Bobby, Grandma H and Grandpa H, Grandpa B, and my great grandparents B--my grandpa used to always decorate their graves and since he can't do it anymore, we did. I love that dad remembered to do so.
In June, I photographed another birth. (When I first began doing these, I felt a little strange that I was there during such a personal, life changing moment, but I've come to really enjoy these photoshoots. It is incredible to watch a new life enter this world.)
We went to Kansas City again to celebrate Father's Day with my dad. Of course, it incldued another trip to the camera store and a late lunch. We also explored the Farmer's Market down there. We got there fairly late, but we would love to go again and make a day out of it.
Dad and I got invited to another photo excursion around Kansas City for the following week. We went and I learned how to take a panoramic photo. Dad and I also watched the sun set behind the skyline. It was beautiful!
Dakota and I had a date night to a Royals Game. I managed to find some awesome seats for cheap, it was buck night and we got to watch a fireworks show. It was perfect night, minus how hot it was outside, and it was a sold out game.
The following day was spent outside planting flowers at Dakota's house. And man, does it look good!
July started with 4th of July. We didn't really go much, but I wanted to see fireworks. The city puts on a show and I dragged Dakota out to see it. Good/Bad idea. The entire town was out to see the show and we couldn't even get in the designated viewing area. The only way to turn around was to get on the highway and there were even people parked along side the highway! (It's not a very busy one.) So, we got off the next exit, turned around and the fireworks show begain. We saw more cars pulled over so I told Dakota to pull over. He did and we had amazing front row seats from the highway. I got some incredible photos, probably some of the best fireworks ones I've taken. And to top it off, it was kind of a fun story. I wonder if we will do that again next year!?
Miss Abby turned 13 this year. She gave us a little heath scare this summer and we found out that it was mostly just her allergies and few ear problems. We got her on some medication and she is just like a new puppy. So thankful she is feeling better!
Dakota and I went on a double date with Jenny and AJ to another Royals Game. It was fun!
This year we were finally able to go on a vacation, the first one since Dad got sick. We traveled to three different states and saw so much. Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse, Devils Tower, Glacier National Park, Missoula, Yellowstone, and the Grand Tetons. It was beyond incredible and a week the three of us will never, ever forget.
August was pretty slow here. It was mostly spent unwinding from vacation, scrapbooking vacation, and planning the 2014 2015 Junior League year. It seems like this was the first really, REALLY hot summer days. Of course that would happen the week the new school year started so mom got a lot of half days the week she went back to work.
Oh, September, you were amazing. It started with Labor Day and an extra week off from work. We grilled chicken to celebrate.
Dakota and I got to Ed Sheeran perform live at Spring Center. He was incredible. My favorite moment was when Ed sang a love song and Dakota wrapped his arms around and we swayed to the song. (He even mentioned it on the way home.)
Dakota and I did a lot of traveling this month. Our first adventure was going to Minnesota for a friend's wedding. It was an adventure and we definitely could have done without the car towing part, but it was great. I took photos for my friend's special day and she loved them! The following weekend we traveled to Branson with my parents to visit Virgil and Susan. We had a great itme touring the Titanic museum, and going on a boat ride. The that week, Dakota and I traveled to Texas to meet with his family for a family vacation. It is a week I will never forget. A week where Dakota asked me to spend forever with him.
This month also marked the 1 year adoption day of Rory. So glad to have that silly cat.
In October, we picked pumpkins. I participated in my third year of doing Week in the Life. Mom and I took many walks. And we celebrated Dad's 61st birthday. Also during this month, there was a lot of wedding planning that took place. We booked the church, the reception, the florets, met with our photographers, and tasted our cake. Next October is going to be epic!
November was bittersweet. It began with more wedding planning when I went to look at wedding dresses and ended up finding my dress, which was the second one I tried on. I can't believe I found it so soon and I absolutely love it! Other than the dress, we put wedding planning on hold as we enter the holidays.
We found out some news about dad's health a week before Thanksgiving. (I'm still not ready to discuss this as we are still trying to figure out what to do.)
One of our favorite holiday traditions is listening to Mannheim Steamroller. This year we had the opportunity to see them perform live. It was awesome!
December began with my third year of December Daily. It is still one of my favorite traditions, but this year I just didn't seem to be able to get into the Christmas spirit. Dakota and I traveled to St. Louis for a family reunion on his side of the family. (He has such an awesome family!) Dakota and I celebrated Christmas morning with my parents and then spent the rest of the day with his family and then extended family that evening. It was wonderful!
Cheers to 2015!
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