Christmas Cards Expanded!

I mailed out my Christmas cards earlier this week and if you were one of the twenty people I mailed them to then you either picked yours up in the mail or it should be there soon! I will probably need to up that number to more than twenty next year.. I had so many more I wanted to send!

This is the second year I designed an infographic and I really like the format because it really makes me sit down and think about how to summarize my year into short categories. Plus, I kind of have a thing for typography and layout — which will hopefully be something I’ll be pursing further in 2014. Something I also included on my card was my website — so, if you’re here for the first time welcome! Or welcome back to all of you who already follow along.

I thought I’d do a little expanded version of my card for all of you who got a card and actually came to my site, so here you go! And if I couldn’t send a card to you this year then here is everything that is on it!

On the front:

• On the top you have Mama Duck and I standing in front of the Rockefeller Christmas tree on last Christmas. Technically it was 2012 in the photo, but close enough!
• To the left is my Dad, sister and I at Emerald Downs on Mother’s Day. It was the first Mother’s Day I’ve been home for in 3 years so I was so happy to be able to spend the day with family. Slightly ironic that, that photo doesn’t have my mom in it since it was Mother’s Day, but I wanted to make sure both of my parents made it on the front!
• To the right there is a picture of Chris and I on Long Island apple picking! After 4 falls together I finally got him to agree to go with me!

Highlights:

• Moving into my own apartment! I moved out of my 2 bedroom  with a roommate and got my very own 1 bedroom on the Upper East Side in New York! The apartment process was nightmarish, but I survived and ending up getting a much bigger apartment (for New York standards) than I thought I was going to get. Scooter and I have been settled in since August and are absolutely loving our space and all of our fabulous decor. I’ve changed a couple of things around but you can get a feel for my new space in this blog post: http://bit.ly/18SJ9Bx
• Wine Tasting in McMinnville: My mom and I ventured down to Oregon in May while I was visiting to go on Little Duck’s first college tour! It was such a wonderful trip, the college was beautiful and I was so happy and proud to be able to join her on her first tour. The city the college was in also just so happens to be in the middle of Oregon wine country! So after enjoying the afternoon together, all of us girls hit a couple of wineries. Such a great time! For more on that trip check out this blog post: http://bit.ly/JEsc7w
• Taste of the South in Savannah: My best friend from college moved to Savannah last summer and I made a trip down to visit her on my birthday weekend! It was my first experience in the South and the first time I’d seen her in over a year, so we were much overdue for some bestie time! I also got to meet her {then} boyfriend {now} fiance for the first time. We adventured through old town, headed to the beach and even got a fishing session in. Such a refreshing trip away from the city in the dead of the winter! For more on my trip to Savannah catch up on this blog post: http://bit.ly/1cBHlOj
• Emerald Downs for Mother’s Day: I touched on this a little on the earlier highlight, but I was so happy to be able to spend Mother’s Day with the whole family! I miss out on so many family gatherings living so far away and was so thrilled to actually be there for one of our traditions. This is the same blog post as the McMinnville trip, but in case you didn’t click from above, here’s your second chance: http://bit.ly/JEsc7w
• Apple Picking on Long Island: I’ve always wanted to go apple picking and this was the first year that I made it happen! We took a trip out to Long Island to visit with Chris’ family and then headed to the orchard the next day! We had SO much fun! Picked some delicious apples that made a great apple pie and some applesauce too! For more info on that trip check out this blog post: http://bit.ly/1dQ3NFm

Trips Home:

• May 9-13: I came home to celebrate Mother’s Day weekend.
• July 4-8: This trip, I came home to celebrate one of my good friends, Mel’s wedding in Spokane.
• August 24-September 2: This trip was just for vacation! A little R&R.
• December 23-January 1: Technically I haven’t boarded this plane yet, but I’ll be home soon enough and wanted to include it since my card is a review of my whole year! Chris will be joining me from the 27th-1st as well to celebrate New Year’s in Washington. Can’t wait!

Trips:

• Spokane, WA: My friend Mel and her {now} husband John’s beautiful wedding. So happy I got to go! And shout-out to my friends Lindsey and her lovely boyfriend Matt for letting me road trip east with them!
• Portland, OR: On our way to McMinnville, my mom and I stopped in Portland for a night to catch up with some of both of our friends. It was so nice to be in my old city and appreciate all of its beauty.
• Savannah, GA: My first trip to the South to visit my best friend Danielle! The South left a great first impression on me!
• Mattituck, NY: This is where we went apple picking. I’m craving apple cider donuts just thinking about it.
• McMinnville, OR: College tour, wine tasting, beautiful scenery and great company. What more could you need?
• Vernon Township, NJ: My Christmas present to Chris last year was a snow tubing trip. I got us bus tickets and passes for a tubing park a few hours away in New Jersey and we had a blast! 

Temperatures:

• Let’s just say, NYC has a high variety of weather. Extreme highs and lows.

Weirdest Food I Tried:

• Candied Fried Chicken and Caramel Ice Cream. Sounds a little strange right? I tried this at my favorite food festival of the year — The 9th Avenue food festival. It was surprisingly good and you tasted a lot more of the caramel and then the small bites of chicken. 

Scooter turned 10:

• My best little partner in crime or snuggles turned 10 this year. He’s a young 10 but is enjoying being extra spoiled in the new apartment. Sleeping on the bed every night and people watching on his chair are two of his favorite new things to do. That and sleeping. He sleeps a lot. He also got his own Instagram account to document some of his adventures, whether that be to Long Island or simply out to the couch!

And there you have it! the expanded version of my holiday card. Hope you all enjoyed and I wish you all the most wonderful holidays! Some of you I’ll be giving you my wishes in person soon! :)