Top 13 of 2013

I promise to do a “Year in Review” post later (since I have been a horrible blogger once again this year), but I thought it would be fun to share my top 13 moments of this year :)

Without further adieu, here they are (in chronological order):

1. Attending the National Championship game with my little brother in Miami (January)

Significance:  Although we’ve both seen the Tide bring home National Championships, this is the first National Championship game that we’ve gotten to attend together.  I “chaperoned” for him and two of his friends (Alex stayed back in T-town), so we had lots of brother-sister bonding time, which was awesome!  So glad we got to take this trip together!

2.  Snow Day (January)

Significance: It rarely snows in Tuscaloosa, and when it does, it usually just spits a bit and doesn’t stick.  This time it did and everything was beautiful and white for a little while.  Plus, a picture I took of a giant snowball fight on campus got retweeted by James Spann, so if that isn’t significant, I don’t know what is ;)

3.  Dave Matthews Band Concert (April)

Significance:  I have been a DMB fan since high school, but somehow had never been to see them live.  For my 28th birthday in February, Alex bought me tickets to see them at Oak Mountain Amphitheatre in Birmingham.  So much fun!

4.  Cooking class date night at Sur La Table

Significance:  Alex and I love doing fun interactive date nights, so when I found out they do cooking classes at Sur la table in Birmingham, I bought him a certificate to one for his birthday.  We finally took our first cooking class in April and we had a BLAST.  Loved getting to experience it with my man : )

5.  Josh’s College Graduation (May)

Significance:  My amazing baby bro graduated from my alma mater with a degree in Chemical Engineering.  Even better, he maintained at 3.8 GPA while pursuing his degree AND pre-med studies.  Words cannot express how proud I am of this guy!

6. Be the Match Run (June)

Significance:  Alex and I ran in our FIRST 5k and it was even more special because we ran in honor of our dear friend Reba!  Proud to have this on my list of accomplishments :  )

7.  Cooper Bryant joined our family (June)

Significance:  I got a new puppy nephew in June (well actually he was born in April, but he joined our family on Father’s Day 2013.  He’s had us wrapped around his not so little paws ever since!

8. ISTE 2013 (June)

Significance:  I have presented numerous times at ISTE, but this one was extra special because it was my first workshop solo ;)  I didn’t know this at the time, but while I was in San Antonio for the conference, my Alex was prepping for the proposal ;)

9.  Engagement!

Significance:  Not that this needs any explanation, but it was definitely one of the best days of my life!

10.  Saying Yes to the Dress (October)

Significance:  I found my dream dress which is obviously a big deal for any bride.  To make things even better, I found it at the same place my mom bought her dress, it was the 3rd dress I tried on, and I was under budget.  I cannot wait to show her off in 2014!

 

11.  10 year high school reunion (October)

Significance:  On the same day I found my dress, I got to attend my high school reunion with my new fiance : )  I had a wonderful time seeing and visiting with everyone!

12. Warrior Dash (November)

Significance:  Before Alex proposed, he had been talking about wanting to do the Warrior Dash (a 5k mud run/obstacle course) and had been trying to get me to do it with him.  I told him that I would only do it if we were engaged and he agreed.  Little did I know that he already had the ring, so joke was on me ;)  Although I reluctantly agreed to hold up my end of the bargain, I actually had a lot of fun and enjoyed getting to experience it with my best friend and future hubby :)

13.  Celebrating nine years!

Significance:  Our last “official” dating anniversary.  I am so proud that we have made it this far and still have a lifetime to go :)

Catching up…

As usual, my apologies for being so MIA.  I have been so busy trying to keep up with school and the 2 jobs I’m working, as well as try to enjoy all of the little adventures Alex and I get together now that he is here, that writing is usually the last thing I want to do (especially after working on my dissertation).

I know no one really reads this thing, or really blogs anymore, but since I use it as my “journal” of sorts, I would like to attempt to at least blog about a few big events, just so I don’t forget all of the details

In the past week or so, I’ve been frantically working on editing/captioning/posting pictures from the past 5 months or so on Facebook (not even joking…I still hadn’t posted pictures from our Miami trip), so now that I’ve weeded most of them out and made them a little more manageable, I thought I would try to post here.

So, if I bombard your readers for the next week or so, my apologies…I’m just attempting to catch up

MS

Happy 22nd Birthday, Little Bro!

22 years ago, I became a big sister…..

January 28, 1991

I remember dad picking me up from Kindergarten and telling me Josh had been born.  I could hardly contain my excitement as I gathered my stuff, and headed out the door, but not before I asked my Kindergarten teacher for an extra sticker for my new little brother.

The picture above was taken moments after getting to meet this new little man in my life.  Little did I know how this little guy would change my world for the better.  Although I was only 5, well 9 days shy of being 6, I remember walking in and seeing my mom holding my new little brother and begging to hold him.  Being 9 lbs, 8 oz and 21 inches long, he felt like he was almost as big as me, but mom let me “hold” him with her assistance (you can see her hand in the bottom left corner).  Although it looks like I am strangling him, I promise I wasn’t – in my mind, he was my own little living baby doll, and I’m sure I was trying to put him on my shoulder and gently tap him on the back just as I did my baby dolls.

As you can see, I was a very proud big sister that day, and I can honestly say that I am just as proud of him today, 22 years later.  Although our relationship has not always been perfect, I think he knows I would do anything for him (and I think he feels the same way about me). Words cannot express how thankful I am to have had the opportunity to see him grow into the smart, talented, sweet, and handsome man he has become and how blessed I feel to have been chosen to be his big sister.

January 28, 2013

He was and still is the best early birthday present I’ve ever gotten

Happy 22nd Birthday, Brother Bear!  Thanks for being the best little brother ever!  I love you!

Looking ahead….(Resolutions for 2013)

In hopes of having some sort of accountability for my resolutions this year, I thought I’d write them out here.  Help me stick to them ok?

• Get back in shape:  Cliché…yes, BUT thanks to two rounds of steroids over the past few years, I have not only packed on 20 pounds, but I am flat out miserable.  I can’t lie and say I’m not partially doing it to look better (I have LOTS of big events coming up this year and I want to look good ), but I’m also doing it to feel better.  This one will be a tough one, but now that Alex is back in town, we’re going to work on it together.
• Be a better blogger:  I know that I don’t have many people who still read, but I look at this blog as sort of a journal.  With everything going on in my life right now, I forget all the little details.  I’m still kicking myself for not doing a better job keeping it up, because I’ve forgotten a lot already.  I’m not going to hold myself to a certain schedule, but I’m hoping to at least blog 1-2 times a week (hopefully more, though!)
• Finish my PhD:  Wow, that is a scary phrase to type, but far more doable than it seems.  Although I am at the mercy of my dissertation committee, and I might have to push graduation back to Spring 2014, I’m hoping to get everything done in time to graduate December 2013…whew!  We’ll see, but for now, I’m channeling “The Little Engine that Could”….”I think I can.  I think I can…”
• Spend more quality time with friends and family – I realize that to keep myself sane, I desperately need to take time for myself.  I’m hoping to have lunch with at least one friend a week, visit ALL of my close out of town friends at least once, and speak with my friends on a fairly often basis.  Emphasis on the word quality….hopefully no cell phones/e-mails/distractions during our visits/chats.
• Continue to work on my relationship with Alex:  As I’m sure you all know, relationships are work….even ones that have been going on for almost a decade.  Things between us are wonderful, but I want to keep it that way.  I’m excited about settling back into our old normal of seeing each other all the time and “dating” again…without getting sick of each other first, of course

 

Things to Look Forward to in 2013:

• BCS National Championship game in Miami NEXT WEEK!
• Baby Brother graduating in May
• 2 tech conferences at which I am presenting (New Orleans in March and San Antonio in June)
• My 10 year HS reunion (TBA)
• Celebrating 9 years of dating my sweet Alex (at least round 2 in college) in November
• HOPEFULLY becoming Dr. Slaten in December

Wishing you and yours much happiness and many blessings in 2013!

xo,

Maegan