Chad and I have been sick recently, so I'm just now getting around to my annual New Year's blog.
This year has been a year of firsts...
On January 2, we made the 4 hour trek with the kitties to KC and signed the lease on our new home...a loft in the River Market. This was the first time that I've ever lived away from home...the St. Louis Metro area.
One of our first nights
We signed up for a membership at Cellar & Loft a week later...to keep our sanity, of course.
I must thank all the friends & family that came to visit us this first year. You were all lifesavers in helping us get through this collosal change....Mom, John, Judy, Ashley, Rebecca, Doc, Calyn, Ben, Lehni, Dad & Mary Sue...and anyone else that I may have forgotten.
Judy came out to visit in February, and we took in a tour to the Chief's stadium,
In March, we made our first trip home for St. Patty's Day.
In March, we also made our first of several trips to Florida to plan the wedding. On this trip we signed a contract with the Sandpearl Resort...and we couldn't have been happier...
...and we also visited the Yankee's Spring Training.
We were home again in April for Easter...where Fun Chad was born!
We also took in our first Royals game as citizens of KC...
...and saw our first tornado during my first storm chasing experience...
...and took in our first Wine Walk on Delaware (a fun monthly even in our neighborhood)! I also went wedding dress shopping with Judy and Mom. Wow, what a busy April!
In May, we celebrated my 35th with a fabulous dinner at Michael Smith's (one of the best restaurants in KC)...
...and took in our first KC Hop Fest (beer fest) with our new friends Jen & Jeff.
Also in May, we took a weekend drive to Tallgrass Brewery in Manhattan, KS (about 2 hrs from our home). Tallgrass distributes all their beer in cans. Here's one of my favorite pics!
In June, we took in our first KC First Friday's event. This is a monthly event where artists can display their work. One of my favorite parts of First Friday's is the sale of Christopher Elbow Chocolates for only $1 each!!!!!
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Late in June, Lehni, Calyn & Ben came out to KC to see Ben's mom and joined us for dinner one night. Lehni loved the balcony...and the fact that Aunt Lisa has her own building! (No need to tell her any different.)
We celebrated the 4th of July with several other meteorologists at Jen & Jeff's in North KC. The title of this pic is "How many meteorologists does it take to retrieve a phone?"
Also in Judy, we took in the All Star Fan Fest, which was held in KC this year...
...had our first luncheon at the Boulevard Brewery...
...and took another Wedding Planning Trip to Clearwater!
In September, Judy help a Bach Party for Chad and I at her place. We were so blessed to have many friends & family come out to celebrate!! So many great pics! Here's a few of our favorites!
In mid October, I gained my first "second cousin"...Miss Tinsley! She is sooo gorgeous!
Our wedding took place in October! I cannot say how elated I was that so many friends & family came out to celebrate! We were sooooo lucky!!!!! It was the most fabulous event! I could not have asked for anything better! It was exactly what we wanted!!!!!!!
Here's only a couple of the fabulous pics!
...I gained a new mother, brother and even a new "sister"...
We were so lucky to get to spend so much time with everyone this weekend! Here's a few pics of dinner on our last night together!!
Our honeymoon followed in Playa Mujeres, Mexico. This was our first time together in Mexico, our first time repelling, and Chad's first time snorkeling & zip lining! What a fabulous trip!!
In November, we celebrated Kristine & Nick's wedding...another fabulous event! Kristine and I were single together for so many years. So it was wonderful to celebrate these events together this year...even if there was a late signing of the marriage certificate!
I started my first new job in over 10 years on December 3rd with United Healthcare. This has probably been my biggest stress throughout 2012! Job searching has definitely made me more sympathetic to the many Americans that do this every day! We have been in a temporary United Healthcare space throughout the month of November. Funny thing that I was put in the "Royals" office. Just made me want to bring in Cardinals decor! LOL! At least we'll be moving into our new office in January!
Due to my job, we could not come back to STL for Christmas this year, so my dad and Mary Sue decided to come out for a visit the weekend before. I made Rachael Ray's Christmas Pasta and we opened gift. The following day we went to Union Station to see the train exhibit and ate at Jack's Stack! This was the result...
This was the first Christmas that I had not been around family...and the first Christmas that I took in a movie. We went to see Le Mis at the Alamo and had mimosas. When we returned home I made Braciole, one of Chad's family recipes. It was my first crack at it...not too bad.
On NYE we were supposed to take part in a progressive dinner within the River Market neighborhood, but I had been sick that week, so that we had to cancel. It was just as well as I had to work late. So we spent NYE alone with the cats, appetizers & champagne.
Happy 2013! XOXO! Cheers!
