2016: Year in Review

New Year, same me but with a bit more figured out than a year ago at this time.



A year ago I dedicated 2016 as The Year of Travel with no other resolutions in mind. I knew at that point in time that there would be a lot of unknowns which, as the year progressed, would hopefully be resolved. Thankfully, they have but not without producing a handful more to accompany me into this year.

New York City was the first trip I took, spending Valentines day weekend with some friends in what turned out to be absolutely freezing cold weather. In no way did that hinder any of my plans, the most important of which involved eating a lot of doughnuts. It also allowed me to talk to a trusted professor who led me in the direction of deciding to accept a job offer in Seattle. Making the decision of where to begin a career in architecture was incredibly stressful; it felt like the world was at my fingertips but I didn't know if I wanted to grab it or not. It was around that time that I died my hair gray as well. So far 6 months into working I love the people and work being done at my firm, and I'm excited to see what this year brings in the world of design.

In March Natalie and I flew to Austin, Texas for our Spring Break to visit our beloved Maggie. Amidst the snow and freezing weather of Upstate New York, we welcomed the heat of the Texas sun on our pale bodies with shorts and tee shirts. Basically, we ate tacos, explored SXSW, ate more tacos, visited museums and ate some more tacos.

After that trip came the end of my 5 years in Troy, NY. I graduated from architecture school, moved back to Seattle and then immediately set out to leave North America for the first time in my life - to visit England and Iceland. That trip was not only a highlight of my year but of my life so far. Having a friend who accommodated me in their home, showed me around London, Margate, Brighton, and Canterbury, was absolutely amazing and I have not thanked Nicola enough for doing that. Iceland came next and traveling there by myself was a bit lonely but amazing nonetheless. I was able to see the scenery in a beautiful country, spend a morning wandering Reykjavik, and the afternoon in the Blue Lagoon.

Work had me traveling to Portland, Oregon for a couple of weeks which is always something I look forwards to. In November I met up with some other blogger friends in Boise, Idaho for a long weekend of fun and catching up and in December I ended up in Cancun, Mexico for a quick family vacation.

Coming back to Seattle was familiar even after living elsewhere for so many years, and I spent the rest of my time settling down and transitioning into adult life. After reflecting on the years since I've started blogging, this is the first one without some sort of a big milestone. There are plenty of things that I'm looking forwards to in 2017 but it's time that I figure out what the next big thing is for me.

Here's to a great new year *clinks champagne flutes*