2013 is almost over.

Standing outside Obama's viewing box for the inaugural parade in DC

Despite my best efforts, I turned 25

Crafting Easter eggs

Enjoying good music, food, and company at Googa Mooga with free VIP tickets.  Later in the trip, I met Matthew Broderick. 

Reliving Rocky's glory days in Philly.

Me and my wedding date, using as many photo props as possible.

I found myself back in DC, riding bikes in front of the White House with these two patriotic beauts. 

Grandma and Papa celebrated 65 years of being married

One of my first days of teaching, taking selfies in the staff bathroom

Celebrating Melissa's engagement to Vance

Oliver and I dressed up as Charlie Brown and Snoopy for a Halloween party

I attended my very first country concert...and enjoyed it. 

In November, my oldest sister had her first baby the day before Thanksgiving.

In December, I played bingo and had lunch with my grandma's church group consisting of many older women who are avid supporters of both bingo and a modest lunchtime

This And That

One of my favorite things about living is this area is that there's always something to do, whether it's a...

show at MotorCo in Durham:

Seeing KishiBashi for the 3rd time, love that guy

night in with some crafting fools:

cooking class at the Savory Spice Shop:

craft market of local artists:

my new print from Near Modern Disaster in Durham

book signing at a cute bookstore:

With Theron Humphrey and Maddie from Maddie on Things

25

Two months ago, I turned 25. And I freaked out a little, especially when my sister texted to say "Happy Birthday! You're starting to look old like the rest of us." You can always count on sisters to be honest. Here are a few pictures ( several are compliments of my friend, the lovely Callie) of the rad Quarter Life Crisisparty we had to celebrate:

This picture is super flattering...NOT.

I can't believe I can round up to 30 now! 

DC Part II: Staff Ball

I've been thinking of the perfect way to write this post since January. Just kidding. I've actually just been being super lazy and halfway forgot about this thing called the internet.

Anyway, here are a few pictures from the Staff Ball in DC the day after the inauguration. This was likely the only time I will ever be in the same room as the Obamas, the Bidens, Lady Gaga, and Tony Bennett. A good time, that's for sure. I can't believe it's been almost six weeks since I was traipsing around DC. I love that place.

Shameless selfie.

The ladies, always laughing

It was cold. My bare legs started turning blue in the time it took to hail a cab.

Joe and Dr. Jill

Obamster and Shelly

Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett

2012, in a nutshell.

Better late than never- 2012 in a nutshell

January: I received a hilarious and somewhat sad note from a substitute teacher while I was out of work for an afternoon. 

February: This was an interesting month with a high on Valentine's Day and a low just before my birthday when I wrecked my car. Luckily the year just got better!

March: This was a quiet month but I did manage to see Fun. play a show in Carrboro.

April: I met a few celebrities in NYC and at the end of the month, I got to meet one of my oldest friend's baby girl, Estelle.

May: Another one of my best and oldest friends got married in our hometown.

June: I finished up my first year of teaching, went to DC, and started taking guitar lessons with the raddest instructor around. What a month!

July: I went to weddings and saw lots of good friends. 

August: I spent most of this month in coffee shops applying to jobs and watching the Olympics. 

September: What a busy month! We had our very first book club meeting and I went to HopScotch Music Festival in Raleigh, saw Florence and the Machine and Ben Folds. And my baby niece turned into a teenager...where does the time go?

October: I spent the month working on Obama's campaign by doing all sorts of crazy things. And it was awesome.

November: Obama won the election!

December: A piece I wrote was featured in PineStraw magazine! (on pg. 75, to be specific)

Climbing Hay Bales

A few weekends ago, I went to a dinner party on a farm with some friends. It was everything Anthropologie wishes it was- a little bit eclectic and a lotta bit charming. And I got to show off my party trick: climbing hay bales. 

Long Thanksgiving Weekend

Thanksgiving crept right up on me. It felt like one day I was watching fireworks in July and then the next I was being questioned about the lack of turkey on my plate during Thanksgiving dinner. Like most weekends, this one came and went entirely too fast. Though it was filled with all kinds of goodness: shopping all night on Thursday straight on until breakfast time on Friday, hanging out with beautiful friends who I rarely see now that they're off being brilliant in other states, watching Grand Ole Opry with my grandparents, and seeing Sufjan Stevens at the Haw River Ballroom.

This is the first holiday season where I've felt old. I knew the day would come when I didn't have a month-long holiday break but after being in school for so long and then switching sides to play the part of a teacher, I've had long Christmas breaks for the entire time I've had a working memory. 

Less than a month until Christmas. Good thing I got my shopping (mostly) done on Black Friday. It was worth staying up all night and was much more fun than those pesky exams that force college kids into caffeinated disasters around this time.

Over the Weekend...

 This past weekend was, again, awesome. It began with Florence and the Machine and ended with an intense game of hangman, with a little bit of pumpkin decorating in between. 

And now somehow it's the middle of the week already. How does that keep happening?

Over the weekend...a few days late.

Erika and Lauren at SparkCon

Pumpkins!

Pumpkins for everyone!

With Amy, waiting for BFF to take the stage

Uggh, you guys. This weekend was so good that I found myself sad on Sunday night while trying to  think of the next weekend that would have so much fun crammed in. 

Weekend Highlights:

*fashionSPARK Fashion Show on Thursday night

* Dinner at Lilly's followed by some extreme crafting on Friday night (more on that later...)

*visiting SparkCon in downtown Raleigh after enjoying some coffee at Morning Times

*the abundance of apples and pumpkins at the farmer's market

*Ben Folds Five on Sunday night to celebrate Amy's birthday 

It's beginning to feel a lot like fall around here and I love it!

Over the Weekend: Hopscotch

A Tin Djinn

Megafaun's back there somewhere

Shelby won a PBR pin, The Love Language performs

Shelby, me, and Sarah dreaming of beards

This weekend was awesome! I spent a majority of it outside at a free day concerts put on by Hopscotch. I was able to see The Love Language, A Tin Djinn (my guitar teacher's band), Megafaun, and a lot of other bands around downtown Raleigh. This was the first year I've been able to go and am already looking forward to next year! There was no shortage of hipsters drinking PBR all weekend long. Rumor has it Bon Iver even stopped by to watch a few shows but I didn't catch sight of him in the sea of handsome, bearded men.

Hope your week is off to a good start!