My Next Thirty Years: Fabulous Fourteen in '14

I decided to dust off the ol' blog for my annual review. I'm surprised it's already been 6 months since my last post, but as you'll soon see, 2014 was a little busy.

There are so many things to be thankful for when I reflect back on the past twelve months, but I managed to narrow it down to 14:

1. Tee on Sports Center: One of the greatest sports moments I've ever witnessed started this year off right. The #GetTeeOnSportsCenter campaign warmed my heart for so many reasons, one being that I used to work with Tee's mother, Brenda when Tee attended our elementary school. It was truly a remarkable moment for a terrific family and I am so happy I was there to witness it.

2. St. Louis Trip: I always love visiting STL, and luckily so does my brother-from-another-mother, Joey. We embarked on a Spring Break expedition to see the Arch, Busch Stadium, The City Museum, and more. We had such a great time, I won't be surprised if we make our way back to this beloved city in 2015.

3. John Legend: Jenny and I traveled to Indianapolis to see John Legend for the first time, and needless to say, he did not disappoint. "All of me" loved all of his concert, as well as the little road trip to Indy with my Sparkle Sister.

4. Peyton Siva Day: As a diehard Louisville Cardinals fan, I was definitely more excited than any of my students when National Champion point guard Peyton Siva made a visit to our school. I was even more excited that I got to meet him & snap a few pictures. #LocalCelebrity #L1C4

5. DT Does Patoka Lake: I'm pretty sure I've never laughed as hard on a vacation as my team and I did on this one. So many hilarious things happened, I dedicated an entire blog post to it back in June.

6. Family Lake Trip: We always have a good time when we visit my uncle's lake house in Indiana, but this was the first year in a long while that our entire family (Petey Pug included) could all be there at the same time. Among the many cute things that my niece did while we were there, catching her first fish was the most precious.

7. Mom's 7th Cancer-Free Anniversary: To commemorate the day that my mom became kidney cancer-free we gathered together for dinner, Mom blew out a 7 candle that was nestled inside her salad, and my niece was of course as cute as ever. Each year that our family gets to celebrate Mom's health is truly a blessing.

8. Noonday Party: I thoroughly enjoyed hosting my first Noonday party this summer, not only because it brought so many of my friends together, but also because of the wonderful cause it supported. I'm so thankful that my sister-in-law, Kate introduced me to such an awesome organization.

9. McNugget's 2nd Birthday: I still remember the moment I held my niece for the first time like it was yesterday, so it's hard to believe that she's already two years old. I've loved getting to watch her grow-her little personality is beyond precious. Still, I'd like her third birthday to take its sweet time.

10. Summer Friend Reunions: One of the perks of being a teacher is having time in the summer to visit with old friends. I loved getting to meet in Lexington with my dear friend from college, Heather, as well as reuniting with my sweet teacher peeps. I also got to squeeze in some time with my lifelong friend, Erin and her new baby girl, Emily. So thankful for time to be with friends near and far!

11. Birthweek: Always my favorite week of the year, celebrating my birthday was especially fun this year with dinners, games, concerts, and more. My birthweek was also a reminder of how blessed I am to have so many caring friends and family members. Here's to 33 more years and beyond!

12. Getting Shredded: This was the year I lost 40 pounds and gained health, confidence, and so much more. With the help of Jillian Michaels' "30 Day Shred" & "Ripped in 30" workouts, I was able to reach my fitness goals.

13. Meeting Lozo with Tara: This year my cousin Tara moved back to Louisville and I couldn't be happier about it! Our Aunt Terry hooked us up with awesome seats to the Ohio State/Louisville basketball game. At halftime, we went to the concession area and ran into the face (and heart) of the Louisville Football program, Lorenzo Mauldin. He was so sweet to take a picture with me, and in addition to hanging out with Tara & the Cards defeating the Buckeyes, meeting Lozo was the highlight of my night.

14. My Little Sister's Wedding: This event really deserves its own blog post, and unfortunately I haven't had the time to write it yet. But let me just say that the day could not have gone any better for our family. My sister was a gorgeous bride, my maid of honor speech went well, and the reception was a blast. And as you can imagine, my McNugget was adorable as always. There are so many photos that I love from that day, but for now I'll share a few of my favorites.