I seriously can’t believe 2018 is coming to a close in just a few short days! I am always amazed at how quickly the year flies by. Especially once I hit my birthday, which is at the end of August, because then it’s my hubby’s bday, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and bam…here we are.
As the new year approaches, I love looking back on the past year and all the great memories that were made – what can I say?…I’m a nostalgic person. So this blog post will be a little lengthy and self-centered, I’m sorry (!!), but I can’t end the year without a recap.
There were milestones, big events, trips, a few sad moments, and a lot of love and laughter.
The year started off with a trip to Colorado to see one of my best friends who was my college roommate and her beautiful family. She has two kids that are almost 2 and 4 (OMG…where does the time go?!) so it was great to spend time with them since we don’t get to see them very often. It was a great weekend hanging out with her family, going up to Estes Park, and even getting to see it snow!
I was also a co-Maid of Honor in my best friend since 4th grade’s wedding. Myself and her other Maid of Honor had the pleasure of throwing her a surprise bridal shower, which was so special! Of course, our job wouldn’t be complete without a bachelorette party, which we did in Venice/Malibu area! We stayed in a very cute Airbnb, which was in such a great location in Venice, did a wine tour up in Malibu, and spoiled the bride with a lot of love and fun!
This year in May, Aaron and I celebrated our 1st Wedding Anniversary. I couldn’t believe how quickly a year had gone (and how fast it keeps going!). The first year of marriage was a lot of fun and a lot of learning! To celebrate, we headed up to Carmel & Monterey for the weekend. I loved it because we celebrated our first year dating in the same city! I absolutely loved the Airbnb we stayed in. The hosts were amazing, and the view was to die for! Since the first anniversary was “paper,” I had a very special gift planned for him. It was something I thought of and started months prior. So the fact that I was able to keep a secret that long is beyond me – but it was SO worth it. In 2018 we were not only celebrating our 1st anniversary, but Aaron was also turning 30! So, I did a little combo gift. On our anniversary, I had written out clues and poems, to tell him that I had bought us tickets to New York and we would be spending the week there over his 30th birthday. The gift also included tickets to a Yankees vs. Red Sox game while we there. (So his “paper gifts” were an airline ticket & a baseball ticket) To say he was surprised is an understatement. It was so special to do something like that for him because I feel like he is always spoiling me! The weekend in Monterey consisted of a bike ride along the beach, massages at Bernardus Lodge & Spa, wine tasting at Folktale Winery, dinner at Schooners, breakfast at Roux and going on the 17-mile drive. It was the perfect weekend celebrating together.
Another huge milestone was getting our fur baby! It was completely unexpected and happened so fast. I had been wanting a dog for a long time and he was exactly what I wanted. So when the gift practically fell in our lap, we couldn’t say no! It was a very long weekend, traveling down to San Diego to get him from my Aunt, staying there with her for the night and then doing the trip back with a 9-week-old puppy. He was such a trooper and did so good! My life has been forever changed. I did not think I could love a dog this much, but he is my baby and he makes my heart so full. It has been an adventure training him and adjusting to life with a dog, but I wouldn’t change it for the world!
I also celebrated my 10-year high school reunion this Summer. I can’t believe it has already been 10 years since we left the comfort of our high school and entered the real world. I’m pretty fortunate, there is a large group of us that are all still best friends from high school. But, it was great to see and reconnect with people beyond social media! I also absolutely loved my summer cocktail outfit! The dress was from Lulus and is linked below! 🙂
Confidence Boost Mustard Yellow Off-The-Should Bodycon Dress
As I mentioned earlier, Aaron had a huge birthday this year – 30!! It was so fun to celebrate his birthday in New York. He had never been, and I had only been once in middle school so it was so fun to experience it together as adults. I am going to be doing a full New York recap in January – but some highlights included: Aaron’s birthday dinner at Beauty & Essex, going to see Anastasia on Broadway, spending a day in Brooklyn, the Yankees/Red Sox game all the amazing sights, and definitely all the delicious food!
This year, we also had to say goodbye to Aaron’s grandma, Jean. I had the pleasure of knowing her for the past 4 and a half years and she was a great woman. She loved her family and absolutely loved to play dominos. The first night I met her actually, we were celebrating her 91st birthday and we played a game of Mexican dominoes. She was always so sweet to me and had a smile on her face. Like the rest of Aaron’s family, she was a huge Giant’s baseball fan! Sadly, she took a fall late this Summer and had a hard time recovering. We celebrated her 95th birthday and a few months later we said our goodbyes. Aaron and I each only had 1 grandmother still alive when we met, and it was so sad to see her go. We know she is looking down on us from up above!
Lastly, this year has been a big year of pushing myself to grow personally and professionally. I have pushed myself at work and become very vocal about my wants and professional needs for my future. It was something I hadn’t really actively done before, and I think it has really taught me a lot and has set me up for success. And of course…I started Downtown Dani! Just a little over two weeks in and I am loving every minute of it. It’s so exciting to see all the possibilities, already make connections, and to have already helped some people! I have received a few messages about things I have shared that people bought or were going to get and it seriously makes me so happy! That was one of the reasons I wanted to start the blog…just to spread and share a little goodness.
2018 has been quite a year, and I am really looking forward to what 2019 will bring!
I hope you all have a very safe and happy New Year!
*If you want to see more detailed recaps of vacations we went on or activities we did, please let me know in the comments! Our New York trip has sooo much good stuff to share, so I will definitely be doing one for that – but if you want to see more, let me know!!