2013 {post 3 of 3}

This year, I…

• Celebrated Halloween at law school as Jess from “New Girl”
• Got my bangs cut (Still obsessed with them)
• Fully embraced my status as a crazy cat lady
• Passed out Halloween candy with Penina & Adam
• Cuddled with James every night
• Experienced my first winter in Concord
• Learned how making bread was like legal writing
• Went to some house parties
• Travelled with James to Iowa
• Had the most amazing Thanksgiving weekend with J
• Became a redhead (and partially a pinkhead)
• Put up Christmas lights and listened to Christmas music nonstop
• Studied for law school finals
• Made homemade tom yum soup for the first time
• Got a Christmas present from my Grandma and Grandpa!
• Had my red hair touched up at The Beauty Lounge
• Saw "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" with Abby, her husband, Andrew, our friend Matt, and one of Andrew's friends
• Somehow survived my first law school finals!
• Flew to Des Moines and met J there that night (we stayed at my mom's apartment in Des Moines)
• Was reunited with my kitty babies!
• Celebrated J's 24th birthday on Christmas Eve
• Had Christmas at J's house with his family! Santa even visted me from South Carolina! ;)
• Received so many amazing and thoughtful presents
• Watched "Les Mis" and read "Game of Thrones" while J worked
• Drove with J to Des Moines to see my family!
• Spent time with family friends and celebrated several little Christmases!
• Visited the side of my family in Atlantic, Iowa
• Watched "The Hobbit: 2" again with my family and J
• Celebrated New Years Eve in Des Moines with my family and J! We went to a really cool restaurant (Alba) and watched movies in our hotel room!

2013 was quite a year! It was full of challenges and setbacks, but I can say with certainty that I grew up a lot, learned more than I could have imagined, learned a lot about my strengths and weaknesses, and learned a lot about J and I as a couple! 

Where 2012 was full of hopes and possibilities (I had just graduated and J and I had just moved in together), I think 2013 taught me more about the realities of life and the difficulties of being a "grown-up." That's not to say it wasn't full of love, fun, silliness, and wonderful things! It probably didn't help that 2013 was the year I started law school, which I've heard isn't the easiest experience, haha.

It's been quite a year… Though I hope 2014 is a little more fun and a little less stressful! ;)

Did you do anything fun for New Years Eve? How did 2013 treat you?